Sci-Fi Storm

Hot off the presses: Syfy has Renewed Defiance for a second season!

From the press release:

SYFY RENEWS HIT SERIES DEFIANCE, PROMISING MORE ACTION AND INTRIGUE IN SEASON TWO

New York, NY – May 10, 2013 – Syfy has renewed its groundbreaking series Defiance, giving a 13-episode second season order to the critically acclaimed hit that has catapulted Syfy to the top cable drama spot in the time period among adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers for three consecutive Mondays. Season two of Defiance, produced by Universal Cable Productions, will begin production in Toronto in August for a 2014 premiere, returning as the anchor of Syfy’s Powerful Monday’s block of primetime original series.

Redefining the transmedia experience, Defiance has distinguished itself with an unprecedented partnership between Syfy and Trion Worlds, by creating the first-ever true convergence of television and online gaming. To date, the game has garnered more than 1 million registered accounts while making gaming history as the first online open world shooter to launch on three platforms simultaneously. As the collaboration between show and game continue into a second season, players will have the opportunity to further influence the world of Defiance.

Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives, Caprica, Hellcats) resumes his role as executive producer and showrunner. Smallville’s Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin return as executive producers for season two and Michael Taylor serves as consulting producer.

“Bringing the rich world of Defiance to life has been in incredible team effort. We couldn’t ask for better partners than Kevin Murphy, his amazing cast and crew, and Trion Worlds,” said Mark Stern, President of Original Content for Syfy and Co-Head of Original Content for UCP. “We can’t wait to see where they take us in the second season.”

Set in the near future, Defiance features an exotically transformed planet Earth, its landscapes permanently altered following the sudden – and tumultuous – arrival of seven unique alien races. In this somewhat unknown and unpredictable landscape, the richly diverse, newly-formed civilization of humans and aliens must learn to co-exist peacefully. Each week, viewers follow an immersive character drama set in the boom-town of Defiance, which sits atop the ruins of St. Louis, Missouri, while in the game, players will experience the new frontier of the San Francisco Bay area.

The audience for its April 15 premiere was the second largest series premiere in the network’s history among adults 18-49, making it the biggest in nearly nine years in that coveted demographic, based on Live +7 Data. The premiere also delivered almost 4 million viewers (3,834,000) and has quickly become Syfy’s highest-rated original series this year in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and total viewers. It has also received unprecedented attention as a transmedia event in partnership with Trion Worlds’ MMO game. Airing Mondays at 9pm, Defiance stars Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Graham Greene and Mia Kirshner.

In Monday’s all-new Defiance, Rafe learns that Luke was involved in some mysterious goings-on at the mines and orders Quentin to get to the bottom of it. Tune in at 9/8c on Syfy!

And as an added bonus, check out the recap video for Episode 3 from Alak Tarr himself, along with the latest “Shooting the Shtako” with Kevin Murphy and Stephanie Leonidas, and a clip showing before and after the VFX are applied…
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While things are looking good for Defiance to get a second season, it appears that executive producer/writer Michael Taylor won’t be part of it. No details are given as to why, but the show already sports two other writer/executive producers in Kevin Murphy and Rockne O’Bannon, so it could be a case of it being too crowded at the top…

On next Monday’s Defiance, while investigating vicious Hellbug attacks, Nolan & Irisa realize they are tied to Irathient spirit raiders that have come into town. Meanwhile, Irisa starts experiencing strange visions. Tune in at 9/8c…and try and get the Big Momma Hellbug’s grin out of your head. You’ve been warned!

As an added bonus, check out the deleted scene for last week’s episode!
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The second episode of Defiance, “Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go”, stayed strong for Syfy, with 2.4 million total viewers and 1.11 million Adults 25-54 and 1.06 million Adults 18-49 for the initial showing, making it the #1 cable drama in both demos for the time period.

It lost only a bit after its premiere of 2.7 million total/1.3 million 18-49, but the show picked up in the DVR and repeat showings, rising up to 3.5 million total/1.77 million 18-49.

Next week expect Defiance and Warehouse 13 to feed off each other, as the latter returns for the second half of Season four in the 10/9c slot right after Defiance.

To celebrate, here are a couple of “Shooting the Shtako” clips (LOVE the name…), one for each episode. In the first, Grant Bowler discusses shooting the pilot with executive producer Kevin Murphy. Then in the second, Tony Curran (Datak Tarr) talks joins Murphy about the second episode.
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Catch the first four minutes of the second episode of Defiance right here! Then tune in tonight at 9/9c on Syfy!
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The cast and crew can dance a jig (or whatever dance the Votans do), as can the Syfy PR engine. Defiance scored a ratings win last night, scoring Syfy its highest rated scripted series premiere among total viewers since 2009, when Warehouse 13 debuted, with 2.7 million viewers, and also it’s best 18-49 debut since Eureka in 2006. Hopefully it holds pace next week!

Last night Twitter was also ablaze with talk of Defiance – it was a fun party on there, with star Grant Bowler taking over the @Syfy account to tweet with fans and answer questions, while language developer David J. Peterson explained some of the expressions – hint: “Sho huch” is a slightly dirtier version of “WTF”…from reports, Defiance outdid both Game of Thrones and Falling Skies at their premieres. It was great interacting with everyone, especially after the events earlier in the day.

It’s a little more than an hour to Arkfall! Defiance premieres tonight at 9/8c on Syfy with the two-hour pilot…before that, get your fill of a bunch of short making-of features released today!
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One day to Arkfall!

Stars Grant Bowler and Stephanie Leonidas took the time to speak with the press to answer some more questions ahead of the debut of the show. Catch what they had to say. Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow night at 9/8c on Syfy for the two hour premiere!

And scroll all the way to the end to see the funny mock commercial by star and “teen sensation” Jesse Rath done for Spanish-language network mun2, advertising a “learn Castithan” book and CD set…what’s funny is I think David J. Peterson, who created the language, could probably make a learning series that big…
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Arkfall in 4 days…

Two new videos for you. In the first, David J. Peterson talks about creating the languages for all the Votan races. Then Julie Benz talks about taking classes in those languages on VH-1’s Big Morning Buzz…
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