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Ascension

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2014
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 17m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
20K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,366
2,100
Brian Van Holt, Tricia Helfer, and Brandon P Bell in Ascension (2014)
Watch a trailer for the Syfy series "Ascension".
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Space Sci-FiDramaSci-Fi

A young woman's murder causes the subjects of a century-long mission to populate a new world to question the true nature of the project as they approach the point of no return.A young woman's murder causes the subjects of a century-long mission to populate a new world to question the true nature of the project as they approach the point of no return.A young woman's murder causes the subjects of a century-long mission to populate a new world to question the true nature of the project as they approach the point of no return.

  • Creators
    • Adrian Cruz
    • Philip Levens
  • Stars
    • Tricia Helfer
    • Gil Bellows
    • Brian Van Holt
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    20K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,366
    2,100
    • Creators
      • Adrian Cruz
      • Philip Levens
    • Stars
      • Tricia Helfer
      • Gil Bellows
      • Brian Van Holt
    • 201User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Episodes3

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-ratedSeason2014

    Videos4

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:31
    Trailer
    Series Trailer
    Trailer 0:59
    Series Trailer
    Series Trailer
    Trailer 0:59
    Series Trailer
    Trailer
    Trailer 0:30
    Trailer
    Ascension (German Blu-Ray/DVD Trailer)
    Trailer 1:00
    Ascension (German Blu-Ray/DVD Trailer)

    Photos149

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    Top cast79

    Edit
    Tricia Helfer
    Tricia Helfer
    • Viondra Denniger
    • 2014
    Gil Bellows
    Gil Bellows
    • Harris Enzmann
    • 2014
    Brian Van Holt
    Brian Van Holt
    • Captain William Denninger
    • 2014
    Andrea Roth
    Andrea Roth
    • Dr. Juliet Bryce
    • 2014
    Brandon P Bell
    Brandon P Bell
    • Aaron Gault
    • 2014
    Jacqueline Byers
    Jacqueline Byers
    • Nora Bryce
    • 2014
    Tiffany Lonsdale
    Tiffany Lonsdale
    • Emily Vanderhaus
    • 2014
    P.J. Boudousqué
    P.J. Boudousqué
    • James Toback
    • 2014
    Brad Carter
    Brad Carter
    • John Stokes
    • 2014
    Ryan Robbins
    Ryan Robbins
    • Duke Vanderhaus
    • 2014
    Wendy Crewson
    Wendy Crewson
    • Katherine Warren
    • 2014
    Lauren Lee Smith
    Lauren Lee Smith
    • Samantha Krueger
    • 2014
    Al Sapienza
    Al Sapienza
    • Councilman Rose
    • 2014
    Ellie O'Brien
    Ellie O'Brien
    • Christa Valis
    • 2014
    John Ralston
    John Ralston
    • Robert Bryce
    • 2014
    Amanda Thomson
    Amanda Thomson
    • Lorelei Wright
    • 2014
    Jessica Sipos
    Jessica Sipos
    • Jackie
    • 2014
    Aliyah O'Brien
    Aliyah O'Brien
    • Eva Marceau
    • 2014
    • Creators
      • Adrian Cruz
      • Philip Levens
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews201

    7.119.6K
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    Featured reviews

    9SihaJen

    Please don't let it end here.

    I enjoyed watching this. I loved the twists and how everything was not just black and white , evil and good but had so many shades and sides to it. It had some very strong characters with a good performance of the actors. The story surprisingly believable and it had a clear and explainable setting. The audience is not forced on a certain opinion or view point of what is going on and many things I normally wouldn't pay a lot of attention to actually kept me on the edge of my seat. It's one of those shows, that even if is not your cup of tea when you watch the ending of an episode you will want to watch the next one. It is also very easy on the eyes, be that because of the actors or the 50 shades of space. I really liked the interior of the ship which is what puts me off in a lot of sci-fi series because they can appear very monotonous. Personally I keep my fingers crossed it won't get canceled and will be given the chance to grab the attention of a wider audience with new episodes. Highly recommended and if you don't like it, well it's just a mini series. It won't take too much of your time.
    9andrea-claxton

    Worthy of a second season on SyFy

    We really enjoyed this series, and we'd like to see SyFy pick it up as a weekly show. There were a couple of good plot twists that took us by surprise, one at the end of the 2nd hour, and one at the very end of the mini-series. The dilemmas faced by the second and third generation of this multi-generational space colonization mission and the way the crew is handling those dilemmas are well developed. The potential for growth and development for both the characters and the plot are excellent. If you liked Battlestar Galactica, Stargate and its spin-offs, Babylon 5 (if you're old enough) and other shows like them, it is worth taking a look at this show. We'd say it's a good choice for space travel fans as well as those who enjoy human psychology, anthropology, and sociology.
    7dreamblissflows

    Full of surprises! Watch the first 3 episodes before making a decision!

    This show is not what you think. I will not give away any details. But if you watch the first episode, thinking that this is about a space adventure, you may want to quit watching. Don't.

    The second episode will develop the story a bit more, and the third episode, if you are looking for a space adventure, will give you what you were looking for.

    This show is a roller coaster ride, with multiple surprises, twists and turns. The acting is believable, the special effects are good. Just enough to make it realistic, although there are some iffy spots.

    I don't know that I am allowed to post links here. But look up some of the early American and Russian spaceship cockpit layouts. I assume there are some online. This is directed to the reviewer who said the tech was not realistic to the period. That is thoroughly explained, and if you compare those images to what you see in this show, it ought to be pretty close.

    This miniseries is really about what the project, as explained in the show, says it is. The future of the human race and finding a way into space. You will see for yourself, and understand just what is going on by the end of the third episode. You will get an idea of just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

    I am sure there are more surprises to come and I for one am looking forward to them. I am glad I looked through the reviews and found the one advising me to watch to episode three. That was very good advice. You can safely ignore the negative reviewers. It is unlikely they made it past the first episode, so they do not know what they are talking about.

    I am giving this a 7, though I am leaning more towards a 6. I think a 7 is fair for now, and if I can adjust it later after I have finished this miniseries, I will.
    7mystee_reyne

    What happened ?

    This show started off a little slow, setting up the premise for the show and introducing us to the characters. The last few episodes were very interesting...even exciting. And then, the show just ended. I think this show got a bad deal. This show had a lot of potential. I think what killed it is that the first few episodes were a bit slow and dull. But it really took off after that. Another good show cancelled. Add it to the likes of Jericho, The Event and Under the Dome.
    8Dances with Werewolves

    Better than expected

    I enjoyed Ascension a lot more than I thought I would, and am genuinely surprised by the negative and lukewarm reviews it has received - and yet, I do have to acknowledge that most of the actual critiques are correct.

    The first installment is slow, and not particularly interesting until you get to the final twist. From there, the next two installments move quicker. Also, the ending doesn't feel like an ending. Even BSG, which of course had been setting up for a series, let the initial miniseries end on a note that at least felt like an ending. There are a number of characters in Ascension who don't have satisfying arcs, and a number of subplots that aren't resolved at all. And yes, the show does have a very soap opera-ish feel to it, but not without reason: the laws of the ship restrict procreation, so sex became a currency like drugs in a prison.

    The series is compelling in a way that not a lot of new shows are. The central idea, while highly implausible, is nonetheless fascinating, and opens the door to a lot of possibilities. SyFy has been introducing mostly fluff over the last few years so this had a much more mature feel to it.

    I hope this does become a series, though I am skeptical as to how long the premise can hold before it gets old. The writers should have tried a bit harder to make the miniseries feel more self-contained. Still, the unique premise of the show and the complexity of the plot warrants a view, especially for science fiction fans.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During an interview, Tricia Helfer, who is semi-nude in this series, was asked whether she had any issues performing sex and nude scenes. She said "Sex is still taboo in America. You can't show a naked body on TV, but you can show heads being blown off. We came into the world [nude]. I don't think we should all walk around naked all the time--but I don't see why it has such a hush-hush element to it."
    • Goofs
      Throughout the series we see the occupants of Ascension apparently experiencing normal Earth gravity. In deep space there are only two ways to simulate the effects of gravity; either you build a ship that rotates around a central axis, where centrifugal force gives the appearance of gravity at the rim, or you rely upon thrust from the engines. Since Ascension is clearly not cylindrical (all through the series we see flat floors and a deck layout along the axis), the apparent force of gravity must therefore be provided by thrust from the engines.

      To approximate the gravity of Earth, the engines would need to provide a constant acceleration of 9.81m/s2. At this acceleration, the ship would reach 97% of the speed of light in just 2 years and the journey to Proxima Centauri (Ascension's quoted destination) would take roughly 5.2 years. In the show, the ship has apparently been en route for over 50 years, almost 10 times as long as the journey should take.

      Such a speed would not be possible for a ship of this type in any case, as it would need a huge shield against interstellar material and an impossibly large fuel load.

      All of this is simple math and physics and could be questioned by any reasonably well-educated person in the 1960s; it's inconceivable that none of the crew or other people on board would not have questioned this inconsistency.
    • Alternate versions
      Syfy Channel originally aired the show as three 2-hour episodes (with commercials). But Netflix has divided the series into six 43-minute episodes.
    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Sci-Fi Shows That Deserve a Second Chance (2017)

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    FAQ19

    • How many seasons does Ascension have?Powered by Alexa
    • Why did Ascension air as a miniseries without a final act?
    • Will there be a Season 2 for Ascension?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 15, 2014 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Vesmírná loď Ascension
    • Filming locations
      • Montréal, Québec, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Levens
      • Blumhouse Productions
      • Sea to Sky Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 17 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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