Ascension looked like a return to Syfy’s glory days of Battlestar Galactica-style dark space opera. But thanks to some ill-conceived twists, it ended up feeling kind of pointless, instead. And now, Syfy has confirmed that Ascension will never return.
Ascension ran as a three-night miniseries, with the possibility that it could launch an ongoing series (much as BSG did after its own miniseries.) But a Syfy spokesperson told Deadline:
We were very happy with Ascension as an event series, but with so much high profile development in the works, we have decided not to pursue a full series.
My takeaway here? It’s tough to make Battlestar-style lightning strike twice. Having a clear concept, that relies on characters rather than “shocking reveals,” is crucial. Ascension provided a clear illustration of the importance of laying out clear stakes, as well as the difference between a good twist and a bad one.
