'Caprica's' Chances At Renewal? Strong
EXCLUSIVE: Airlock Alpha takes a journey into the decision-making realm of Syfy
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There is a lot of love for "Caprica" amongst "Battlestar Galactica" fans, and even new viewers who were looking for something different on Syfy. But even in this group, there is not a lot of confidence.

With Syfy still not officially announcing the mid-season return of "Caprica," and with actor contracts set to expire at the beginning of the fall, there is a tremendous amount of concern that the BSG spinoff -- which has pulled modest ratings over its first 10 episodes -- could end up in the Syfy graveyard.

But a lot of the talk surrounding "Caprica" is not focused on the show's fate. Instead, it seems to be geared toward "what's next," a positive sign that Syfy might be willing to allow the show to find its legs.

"I can't speak for everyone, or anyone in fact, but I like what I'm seeing," one source at the NBC Universal affiliate told Airlock Alpha, asking not to be identified. "This is the kind of deep, sophisticated program that gets a channel attention, just like what 'Battlestar' has done for us in recent years."

And sometimes, getting buzzworthy shows -- especially amongst critics -- is something that could give a show longer life, even if the audiences aren't there. That is even more true for Syfy, which already is forced to compete with mentalities that genre programming is attractive only to people who live in their mothers' basements and speak Klingon to each other.

But shows like "Battlestar" have opened new doors and provided significant exposure to Syfy, and it's believed that even more doors will open with "Caprica."

However, why hasn't there been a renewal announcement? And will it come before August?

Shows like "Stargate: Universe," for example, got pickups following its mid-season break, which "Caprica" has not. How does that bode for the battle between the Adamas and the Graystones?

"The two can't be compared," the source said. "We have to deal with MGM for SGU, and their production practices are a bit different from what we have here."

Because "Caprica" is produced in-house, Syfy can basically follow its own schedule in continuing shows. At the same time, an in-house production also has benefits because unlike the Stargate franchise, NBCU has a chance to make even more money on "Caprica" both in the present and in the future with iTunes sales on Apple as well as DVD sales. MGM reaps the profits from iTunes and DVD sales for Stargate.

And, believe it or not, wrestling could help keep "Caprica" going. One of the biggest knocks against Syfy is the fact that it airs wrestling once a week -- which this fall will move to Fridays, forcing the network's Friday original series programming to move to Tuesdays. As a major profit-maker for the network, it gives Syfy some leeway to give shows more time, even if they are not fully producing the financial returns the network had hoped for.

This doesn't mean that "Caprica" is a shoo-in for renewal. But fans who would like to see a second season shouldn't feel too pessimistic.

And news should be announced later this month both on when "Caprica" will return, and if Syfy is ordering more episodes for a second season. So keep your fingers crossed.

About the Author

Michael Hinman is the founder and site coordinator of the BlipNetwork, including Airlock Alpha, Rabid Doll and Inside Blip. He writes out of Tampa, Fla.

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