Many might argue that there hasn't been a "real" science fiction show on television, at least one set in space, since the last episode of Battlestar Galactica aired in 2009.
Now, however, Syfy is bringing the genre back and is re-introducing the setting of space in their six-hour miniseries space opera, Ascension.
The plot of Ascension begins in 1963 when the U.S. government launches a secret mission that sends hundreds of people to space aboard a spacecraft called Ascension. Their mission is to find and populate a new world, which will likely take more than a century. The shipmates believe that they are somehow the future of humanity.
However, after 50 years, when the spacecraft reaches "the point of no return," a murder onboard the ship changes everything they know about their mission and what it really is. One of the trailer's main taglines is "They were given a mission to save humanity, but who will save them?"
Ascension stars Brian Van Holt (Cougar Town, The Bridge) as captain of the ship, with Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica, TRON: Uprising) as his wife, who is also a major player onboard the ship. Andrea Roth (Rescue Me, Ringer) portrays head doctor of the spacecraft. Other cast members include Brandon P. Bell (Hollywood Heights, Mission Impossible III), Tiffany Lonsdale (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) and PJ Boudousque (Pretty Little Liars, American Horror Story).
Although Syfy is initially presenting the six-hour event as a mini-series, if successful, it's likely that Ascension will follow in the footsteps of Battlestar Galactica and become an actual series.
This trailer is only about a half-minute long, but it shows a lot of fascinating details about the upcoming miniseries, including a lot of 1950s design elements in the spaceship, as well as in the costumes. There's not much about the plot given here, but it's enough to make the series seem intriguing, especially for science fiction fans looking for a good drama set in space.
Created by Philip Levens (Smallville), Ascension premieres on November 24 and will run through December.
