Sci Fi channel (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
Syfy is a television channel service specialising in science fiction
, fantasy
and horror
shows and movies. It is available via digital cable
, IPTV
, satellite television
and Top Up TV
platforms. The channel launched in 1995 in the UK a sister channel to the US Sci Fi Channel (now Syfy
), with a similar programming line-up. Syfy currently operates as a channel service of NBC Universal Global Networks, a division of NBC Universal
.
On 13 April 2010, Sci Fi Channel relaunched as Syfy, as part of an ongoing global rebranding. The relaunch was accompanied by the premieres of V
and Human Target
. The channel was given a new on-air look and a tagline of Imagine Greater.
, The Incredible Hulk, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
, and films from the Paramount and MCA vaults. The channel was also notable for being one of the first UK television channels to show anime
movies and television series on a regular basis. These programming choices were supplemented by a few 1980s animated series shown in the mornings such as Robotech
, Bionic Six
and G-Force
, although they were dropped as the channel's line-up became more independent of the original US channel.
Currently, most archive and anime programming have been phased out of the channel, which now concentrates on contemporary show, movies, and other programming. One original UK production was the late-night show Headf**k , which featured excerpts from unusual TV shows, short films (including Chris Barfoot
s 'Phoenix' and 'The Reckoning') and music videos from around the world. Later episodes were presented by David Icke
.
Programmes on the channel throughout more recent times have included UK premieres of big-name US shows like Heroes
, Flash Gordon
, Eureka
, and more recently Knight Rider
, Legend of the Seeker
and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse
. Also shown as of February 2007 are digitally remastered episodes of Star Trek
(not to be confused with the remastered series with new CGI).
As of April 2008, the channel has reached an average of three million UK and Ireland households a week, and appeals to male and female demographics equally.
Initially, the channel shared its transponder
with no less than five other satellite television channels at one point, limiting its out-put to early evenings and late nights, with the rest of its continuous daytime programming (including cartoons) restricted to cable.
simulcast channel was launched on the Sky+ HD service as the 31st HD channel on Sky. A range of high definition movies, including Sci Fi Channel original production Ba'al: The Storm God, aired on the channel along with Eli Stone
, Tin Man
and Sanctuary.
It was added to Virgin Media
on 1 April 2010.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
shows and movies. It is available via digital cable
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
, IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
, satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
and Top Up TV
Top Up TV
Top Up TV is a pay television service in the UK launched in March 2004, operating on the digital terrestrial platform. The aim of the service is to "Top Up" Freeview customers by providing additional channels and services....
platforms. The channel launched in 1995 in the UK a sister channel to the US Sci Fi Channel (now Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
), with a similar programming line-up. Syfy currently operates as a channel service of NBC Universal Global Networks, a division of NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
.
On 13 April 2010, Sci Fi Channel relaunched as Syfy, as part of an ongoing global rebranding. The relaunch was accompanied by the premieres of V
V (2009 TV series)
V is an American science fiction television series that ran for two seasons on ABC, from November 3, 2009 to March 15, 2011. A remake of the 1983 miniseries created by Kenneth Johnson, the new series chronicles the arrival on Earth of a technologically advanced alien species which ostensibly comes...
and Human Target
Human Target (TV series)
Human Target is an American action drama television series that was broadcast by Fox in the United States. Based loosely on the Human Target comic book character created by Len Wein and Carmine Infantino for DC Comics, it is the second series based on this title developed for television, the first...
. The channel was given a new on-air look and a tagline of Imagine Greater.
Programming
Programming in the channel's early years followed the US channel's model, then consisting largely of archive shows such as Lost in SpaceLost in Space
Lost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
, The Incredible Hulk, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
, and films from the Paramount and MCA vaults. The channel was also notable for being one of the first UK television channels to show anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
movies and television series on a regular basis. These programming choices were supplemented by a few 1980s animated series shown in the mornings such as Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
, Bionic Six
Bionic Six
Bionic Six is an American/Japanese animated television series from 1987, produced by TMS Entertainment and distributed by MCA TV...
and G-Force
Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets is an American animated television adaptation of the Japanese anime series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman . Of the 105 original Gatchaman episodes, 85 were used in the Battle of the Planets adaptation, produced by Sandy Frank Entertainment...
, although they were dropped as the channel's line-up became more independent of the original US channel.
Currently, most archive and anime programming have been phased out of the channel, which now concentrates on contemporary show, movies, and other programming. One original UK production was the late-night show Headf**k , which featured excerpts from unusual TV shows, short films (including Chris Barfoot
Chris Barfoot
Chris Barfoot is a British actor, writer/director and producer of film productions.- Biography :...
s 'Phoenix' and 'The Reckoning') and music videos from around the world. Later episodes were presented by David Icke
David Icke
David Vaughan Icke is an English writer and public speaker, best known for his views on what he calls "who and what is really controlling the world." Describing himself as the most controversial speaker in the world, he has written 18 books explaining his position, and has attracted a substantial...
.
Programmes on the channel throughout more recent times have included UK premieres of big-name US shows like Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
, Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon (2007 TV series)
Flash Gordon is an American science fiction television series that debuted on Sci Fi in the United States on August 10, 2007 and continued airing new episodes through February 8, 2008. It has also appeared on the United Kingdom Sci Fi Channel and SPACE in Canada...
, Eureka
Eureka (TV series)
Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
, and more recently Knight Rider
Knight Rider (2008 TV series)
Knight Rider was a 2008 series that follows the 1982 TV series of the same title and the 2008 television movie. The series stars Justin Bruening as Mike Traceur, the estranged son of Michael Knight. The series also stars Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Traceur's former girlfriend and love interest....
, Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse
Dollhouse (TV series)
Dollhouse is an American science fiction television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon under Mutant Enemy Productions. It premiered on February 13, 2009, on the Fox network and was officially cancelled on November 11, 2009. The final episode aired on January 29, 2010...
. Also shown as of February 2007 are digitally remastered episodes of Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
(not to be confused with the remastered series with new CGI).
As of April 2008, the channel has reached an average of three million UK and Ireland households a week, and appeals to male and female demographics equally.
Initially, the channel shared its transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
with no less than five other satellite television channels at one point, limiting its out-put to early evenings and late nights, with the rest of its continuous daytime programming (including cartoons) restricted to cable.
Syfy HD
A high-definitionHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
simulcast channel was launched on the Sky+ HD service as the 31st HD channel on Sky. A range of high definition movies, including Sci Fi Channel original production Ba'al: The Storm God, aired on the channel along with Eli Stone
Eli Stone
Eli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm...
, Tin Man
Tin Man (TV miniseries)
Tin Man is a 2007 four and a half hour miniseries co-produced by RHI Entertainment and Sci Fi Channel original pictures that was broadcast in the United States on the Sci Fi Channel in three parts. The first part aired on December 2, and the remaining two parts airing on the following nights...
and Sanctuary.
It was added to Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
on 1 April 2010.
See also
- List of science fiction television programs
- List of Syfy (United Kingdom) programmes