Sanctuary

: This article page is about the series. For the institution, see Sanctuary Network and Old City Sanctuary.
Sanctuary is a Canadian science fiction-fantasy television series, created by Damian Kindler and funded largely by the Beedie Development Group. The show ran for four seasons, from 2008 to 2011. A six-episode fifth season was planned and eventually green-lit by Syfy but never made.The show is an expansion of an eight-webisode series that was released through the internet in early 2007. Seeing the success of the web series, Syfy decided to buy the broadcast rights to the series and pay to re-stage the series in a season of thirteen episodes.The show centers on Dr. Helen Magnus, a 157-year-oldas of August 27th 2007 English scientist, and her team of experts who run the "Sanctuary", an organization that seeks out extraordinarily powerful creatures and people, known as abnormals, and tries to help and to learn from them while also having to contain the more dangerous ones.
== Plot ==
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Series overview.
Sanctuary follows the exploits of Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her quest to protect various cryptids, legends, and abnormal animals/people with certain extraordinary powers and abilities (which most people would consider "monsters"). She heads the Sanctuary Network, which consists of large facilities known as "Sanctuaries" scattered throughout the world serving as safe havens for these "abnormals". She is initially aided in her quest by her reluctant protégé Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne); her intrepid, if somewhat reckless, daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup); the talkative geek and lycanthrope Henry Foss (Ryan Robbins), a computer and security expert; and her taciturn, Homo heidelbergensis-like assistant, played by Christopher Heyerdahl (whose character is unnamed, but listed as "Bigfoot" in the show's credits).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Series_overview
== Cast ==
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Cast.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Cast
=== Main characters ===
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Main characters.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Main_characters
Cast 	Character 	Description
Amanda Tapping 	Dr. Helen Magnus 	An English medical and scientific researcher who has devoted her life to both hunting and protecting abnormals — creatures with genetic abnormalities. She runs a "Sanctuary" in the fictional Old City, where the abnormals may find refuge while she attempts to help them and to understand them further.
Robin Dunne 	Dr. Will Zimmerman 	A forensic psychiatrist who is recruited by Helen Magnus to help her treat abnormals.
Emilie Ullerup 	Ashley Magnus(seasons 1–2) 	The daughter of Helen Magnus and John Druitt. Ashley is an expert monster hunter, and provides a counterbalance to Helen Magnus's desire to protect creatures.
Christopher Heyerdahl	Bigfoot 	A former Neanderthal-like patient of Helen Magnus who would not leave after he recovered, so Helen Magnus offered him a position at the Sanctuary as a butler, chauffeur, body guard, and surgical aid.
Ryan Robbins 	Henry Foss(seasons 2–4; recurring season 1) 	A technological wiz and lycanthrope.
Agam Darshi 	Kate Freelander(seasons 2–3; recurring season 4)	A con-artist with Cabal connection who has a vast knowledge of their tactics and movements. After she is hunted by the Cabal, she reluctantly switches sides to the Sanctuary Network, staying on as a member of the team.
=== Recurring characters ===
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Recurring characters.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Recurring_characters
Cast 	Character 	Season
Christopher Heyerdahl	John Druitt 	Season 1, season 2, season 3, and season 4
Jonathon Young 	Nikola Tesla 	Guest season 1; season 2, season 3, and season 4
Peter Wingfield 	Dr. James Watson	Season 1, season 2, season 3, and season 4
Robert Lawrenson 	Declan MacRae 	Season 2, season 3, and season 4
Lynda Boyd 	Dana Whitcomb 	Season 1 and season 2
Pauline Egan 	Erika Myers 	Season 3 and season 4
Ian Tracey 	Adam Worth 	Season 3 and season 4
Pascale Hutton 	Abby Corrigan 	Season 3 and season 4
Brian Markinson 	Greg Addison 	Season 4
Carlo Rota 	Richard Feliz 	Season 4
== Production ==
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Production.
The series was produced by Stage 3 Media based in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 2006. The webisodes were filmed from January 3rd to January 31st, 2007, at Bridge Studios. Sanctuary was filmed almost entirely using the green screen technique. Unlike many other shows, no elaborate sets are built for the scenes to be filmed; instead, they are created using CGI technology. Production on the television version of Sanctuary began in early 2008, with a reshooting of the pilot episode, "".. The first season cost an estimated $21 million (CAN), and filmed in Burnaby, British Columbia. In December 2008, the series was confirmed to have been picked up for a second season of thirteen episodes. The second season began production in the end of March/beginning of April, 2009. Guest stars for the second season include Agam Darshi, who will play con-artist Kate Freelander, former "Stargate SG-1" actor Michael Shanks as Jimmy for the ninth episode, entitled "", and former "Stargate Atlantis" actor Paul McGillion, who will play Terrance Wexford, a character he played in the web series, in the final two episodes..Sanctuary was the first television series in North America to use the RED camera exclusively. The RED camera system does away with tape and film and records straight to a hard drive allowing the Anthem Visual Effects and the series' post production team immediate access to the day’s footage, and is capable of recording at resolutions up to 4096 horizontal by 2304 vertical pixels, four times the resolution of current day HD. Along with being a primary cast member, Amanda Tapping was also an executive producer on the show, but according to Tapping herself in an interview with The Today Show, she does not get paid extra as an executive producer, mainly because what salary the executive producers would get would go towards paying for the sets, because the series was not backed up by a studio. Although heavily reliant on virtual sets, a few episodes in the first season, including and , were filmed on practical sets, including the fuselage of an aircraft. The series also took a different filming style for the "Cloverfield"-esque .https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Production
== Broadcast and release ==
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Broadcast and release.
Unlike traditional TV series, the primary distribution channel for Sanctuary was originally the Internet. Episodes were sold directly to viewers on the official website. The web episodes or "webisodes", are about 15–20 minutes in duration and were released bi-weekly. The success of the webisodes led the Syfy Channel to commission a thirteen-episode season for 2008. The first four webisodes were rewritten and reshot as a two-hour premiere episode, "". After the deal with the SciFi channel, the webisodes were moved to the Sci Fi network on Hulu.com.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Broadcast_and_release
=== Air dates, timeslots, and renewals ===
The series premiered on October 3rd, 2008, in both Canada and the United States and on October 6th in the United Kingdom. The premiere drew in more than 3 million viewers, making it the highest rated original series premiere for Syfy since "Eureka" debuted in July 2006. The premiere two-parter, "", was a combination and rewriting of the first four webisodes and was followed by , based on Webisodes 5-8. Amanda Tapping, with all of the original cast from the web series, made the transition to the television series.A second season of 13 episodes aired in 2009–10, and Sanctuary was renewed for a third season of 20 episodes on December 12th, 2009. The second season premiered on Friday, October 9th, 2009, in the 10 pm timeslot. In Australia, the program debuted on Pay Television's Sci Fi and on free-to-air channel ABC2, where season 1 started on March 1st, 2010, each Monday at 9:30 pm. Season 2 commenced on July 12th, 2010, in the same timeslot.Season 3 premiered Friday, October 15th, 2010, on Syfy in its original 10 pm timeslot. In January 2011, Sanctuary was renewed for a fourth season, which finished airing on December 30th, 2011. On May 21st, 2012, Syfy announced that Sanctuary will not be returning for a fifth season and that the show has been cancelled.Syfy cancels Sanctuary. On October 8th, 2012, PPI Releasing announced that it would distribute the series in U.S. syndication, starting fall 2013. As of 2021, the series is available to watch for free with ads on Vudu.
=== Ratings ===
: This article page section uses content from: Wikipedia:Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)#Broadcast and release.
In its first season on Syfy, the original series, Sanctuary has averaged a 1.9 Household rating; 1,044,000 Adults (ages 18–49); 1,371,000 Adults (ages 25–54) and 2,366,000 total viewers. The pilot episode, "" received a Nielsen household rating of 2.2, the highest rated original series premiere from Syfy since the series premiere of "Eureka" in July 2006. The 2.2 rating represented more than 2.7 million viewers; 1.08 million among the adult 18–49 demographic and 1.4 million among the adult 25–54 demographic. This placed Sanctuary the number one cable program among adults 25–54, and number four among adults 18–49. The ratings success also boosted the web series to 1.2 million views. In the United Kingdom, both parts placed the series first place on the top ten viewing programmes for ITV4 during the two weeks they aired. The first part was viewed by 565,000, while the second part received a higher viewing figure of 608,000.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)#Broadcast_and_release
== Home media release ==
* The webisodes were included as part of the special features of season 1 on disc 4.
=== The Complete Series ===
LEAVE THE WORLD YOU KNOW BEHIND.WELCOME TO THE SANCTUARY...Dr. Helen Magnus (AMANDA TAPPING) is a beautiful and enigmatic scientist who seeks out all manner of monstrous creatures. Aided by forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman (ROBIN DUNNE), tech expert Henry Foss (RYAN ROBINS) and the real Bigfoot (CHRISTOPHER HEYERDAHL), the Sanctuary team tracks down, studies and protects the strange and often terrifying creatures that secretly populate our world.
== Notes ==
* Watch Online: As of 2021, the series is available to watch for free with ads on Vudu.
** Update: The series was available to watch for free with ads for about three years. By (at latest) June 2024 (exact month of 2024 is unknown) the show, though still available, is no longer free and must be purchased in order to watch.
* Trivia: Near the very end of the opening title sequence (which is used throughout the entire series), just before the main cast image is shown, a tablet / screen is featured. Displayed on it is a digital file depicting a cyclops. On the left side of the file, the date "Wednesday October 1, 2008" is written. The significance of that date is not outwardly apparent. It is interesting considering that the first season of Sanctuary originally premiered two days later on Friday October 3rd, 2008.
** Continuity / Chronology: It's not possible for the date to be reflective of Helen Magnus's research on a cyclops, as 1) aside from this visual, the species are never seen nor mentioned within the series, and 2) the in-universe date for the first episode is set in/around January 2008, well before then.
=== Stats and facts ===
: This article page section uses content from: ITV.com - Sanctuary Stats and Facts.
* Sanctuary by numbers: https://web.archive.org/web/20090609172125/http://itv.com/Drama/cult/Sanctuary/Factsandfigures/default.html ITV.com - Sanctuary Stats and Facts
** 80: crew working on the show.
** 4: approximate number of months it takes to complete one episode, from first day of shooting to final delivery.
** Over 1,000: approximate number of visual effects shots in only the first four episodes.
** 5: hours spent in the prosthetics makeup chair by an actor to evolve into one of the creatures in Sanctuary.
** 2: hours spent in the makeup chair by an actor to get out of prosthetics.
* Firsts:
** Sanctuary was the first television series in North America to start production using the new RED camera exclusively, capturing images at four times the resolution of a high definition camera.
** Sanctuary is one of the only television series to shoot extensively on green screen with virtual sets.
== Gallery ==
File:Syfy_House_of_Imagination_new_promo_-_Sanctuary,_Robin_Dunne_Video_Diary|Syfy - House of Imagination - promo
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_1_and_16.jpg|Pages 1 and 16
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_2_and_3.jpg|Pages 2 and 3
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_4_and_5.jpg|Pages 4 and 5
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_6_and_7.jpg|Pages 6 and 7
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_8_and_9.jpg|Pages 8 and 9
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_10_and_11.jpg|Pages 10 and 11
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_12_and_13.jpg|Pages 12 and 13
File:Complete_Series_Guidebook_-_Scan_-_Pages_14_and_15.jpg|Pages 14 and 15
== References ==
* Sanctuary – Official Website (Re-purchased by another company)
* Article about Sanctuary on Wikipedia
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Category:Content