Syfy has its captain for the upcoming limited series Ascension.
Producers have cast actor Brian Van Holt (Cougar Town) as William Denninger, captain of the Earth ship Ascension. The 44-year-old actor has also appeared on The Bridge, Sons of Anarchy, and the short-lived sci-fi drama Threshold.
The story follows a space-born colony secretly launched from Earth in the year 1963. As they draw near the point of no return some 50 years later, the murder of a young woman throws the true nature of their mission into question.
Captain Denniger is described as “a natural leader, a military man and politician … strong-willed and confident,” who became captain following his heroic actions during a fire that nearly destroyed the ship in the early days of its voyage. His wife, Viondra, is played by Battlestar Galactica‘s Tricia Helfer.
The six-hour drama comes from writer and executive producer Philip Levens (Smallville), and will roll out on Syfy Channel over six weeks starting in November.
(Via Entertainment Weekly)