HELIX Shatters Syfy Ratings Records

Syfy earlier this week reported that Helix's series premiere "shattered channel ratings records for L+3 growth, soaring 64 percent in Adults 18-49 (1.2 million), 57 percent among Adults 25-54 (1.4 million) and 53 percent among total viewers (2.8 million)."

These have been the biggest L+3 TV ratings numbers since Nielsen started recording this category of ratings in 2007.

They also reported that their 24-hour marathon pulled in 9 million unique viewers.

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I'm not surprised the show pulled in huge numbers, considering their unprecedented 24-hour marathon of the series premiere of Helix.  No wonder the numbers are so huge.

And will they do this for all their new series premieres or were the stepping up to help Ronald D. Moore?  Considering he brought them Battlestar Galactica, and put the network on the map in a big way.

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After watching the 2nd episode of Helix, it continued it's somber sense of anxiety, with a few more details moving the battle forward between the CDC team and the viral infection that's growing within the enclosed community of the research base.

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press release details:

Intensifying the infection of the American television audience, Syfy’s new drama Helix shattered channel ratings records for L+3 growth, soaring 64 percent in Adults 18-49 (1.2 million), 57 percent among Adults 25-54 (1.4 million) and 53 percent among total viewers (2.8 million).

This feverish percentage and absolute L+SD to L+3 growth for the Helix debut (Friday, January 10 at 10PM) are the highest for any Syfy original series premiere since Nielsen first recorded L+3 in 2007.

The Helix 24-hour marathon, which ran through Saturday, January 11 at 10:00PM, reached 9 million unduplicated total viewers, based on L+SD and L+3.

Helix is an intense thriller about a team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control who travel to the high-tech research facility, Arctic Biosystems, to investigate a possible disease outbreak, only to find themselves pulled into a terrifying life-and-death struggle that may hold the key to mankind’s salvation or total annihilation.  However, the lethal threat is just the tip of the iceberg, and as the virus evolves, the chilling truth begins to unravel.

Billy Campbell (Killing Lincoln, The Killing) stars as Dr. Alan Farragut, leader of the Centers for Disease Control outbreak field team called upon to investigate and control a potential outbreak. Hiroyuki Sanada (The Wolverine, 47 Ronin) also stars as Dr. Hiroshi Hatake, director of Arctic Biosystems and its mysterious viral research program.

Helix also stars Kyra Zagorsky (Supernatural) as Dr. Julia Walker; Mark Ghanimé (Emily Owens, M.D.) as Major Sergio Balleseros; Jordan Hayes (House at the End of the Street) as Dr. Sarah Jordan; Meegwun Fairbrother as Daniel Aerov; Catherine Lemieux (White House Down) as Dr. Doreen Boyle, and Neil Napier (Riddick) as Dr. Peter Farragut.

Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander), Steven Maeda (Lost, The X-Files) who is also showrunner, Lynda Obst (Contact, Sleepless in Seattle), and Brad Turner (Hawaii Five-0, 24) are Executive Producers. The 13-episode series is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Kaji Productions and Lynda Obst Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television. Prolific director and producer Jeffrey Reiner (Friday Night Lights) directed the premiere episode, which was written by creator and co-executive producer, Cameron Porsandeh."

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