'Battlestar Galactica' Falters On Its First Sunday Night

Competing with the AFC championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots, both "The Dresden Files" and the winter premiere of "Battlestar Galactica" faltered in the ratings, the latter dropping to some of its lowest ratings ever.

"Battlestar Galactica" drew just 1.8 million viewers to SciFi Channel late Sunday night, earning it a 1.4 household rating, according to Multichannel.com. Ratings were compiled using an ABC Cable Networks Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research data. BSG was averaging a 1.9 rating with 2.1 million viewers when it started the second half of its previous season in January 2006 coupled with "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate: Atlantis." However, the ratings are in line with current season numbers, which have averaged around 1.4, Multichannel reported.

"The Dresden Files" didn't do much better. On the east coast, the new series from Robert Hewitt Wolfe spent its entire hour competing with the Colts' comeback on their way to the Super Bowl, which teetered into the 10 p.m. hour when "Battlestar Galactica" started. "Dresden Files" also picked up a 1.4, pulling in just under 2 million viewers as well.

What does that mean for both shows? It's too early to tell. According to initial estimates, the Colts-Patriots game attracted 46.7 million viewers, Multichannel reported, the largest audience for an AFC championship game in 20 years.

SciFi Channel plans to air yet another episode of "Battlestar Galactica" next Sunday, but luckily, there will be very little football to play. It is unclear whether episodes of BSG and "Dresden" will air Feb. 4 when Super Bowl XLI between the Colts and the Chicago Bears is played.

"The Dresden Files" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on SciFi Channel, followed by "Battlestar Galactica."

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