• Syfy and Philips introduce world’s first-ever TV series that syncs home lighting to what’s on screen
• New immersive transmedia experience could herald future of TV viewing

Syfy, the media destination for imagination-based entertainment, and Philips, the global leader in lighting, today announced the world’s first-ever immersive lighting experience for an entire season of original series programming. With 12 Monkeys, a drama based on the iconic 1995 Universal Pictures film, the pairing of the Syfy Sync second screen app with the Philips Hue connected lighting system brings a new dimension to immersive TV. The distinctive experience follows the success of this summer’s Sharknado 2, which, for the first time ever, enabled home viewers to sync their Philips Hue lighting system to accompany the soundtrack. With 12 Monkeys, audiences will get custom light tracks for a full 13 episodes.

“Syfy is consistently at the forefront of utilizing technology for transmedia storytelling. With Sharknado 2, our fan base whole-heartedly embraced the addition of Philips Hue to their viewing experience. The gritty drama that 12 Monkeys delivers offers a perfect opportunity for us to extend this exceptional capability throughout the entire first season.”

Starting with the series premiere on Friday, January 16 at 9pm ET/PT, 12 Monkeys fans who pair the Syfy Sync app for phones and tablets with Philips Hue bulbs while watching the program will be treated to a specially designed “light track” – marrying the action on the screen to the lighting in your room – which will add a heightened engagement through a more immersive viewing experience. When combined, the app will detect audio cues from 12 Monkeys and translate them to the Web-enabled Hue system. Fans will then be enveloped in the onscreen action through ambient lighting effects designed to engage viewers in an entirely unique way.

In making the announcement, Matthew Chiavelli, Vice President, Digital Media & Strategy, said: “Syfy is consistently at the forefront of utilizing technology for transmedia storytelling. With Sharknado 2, our fan base whole-heartedly embraced the addition of Philips Hue to their viewing experience. The gritty drama that 12 Monkeys delivers offers a perfect opportunity for us to extend this exceptional capability throughout the entire first season.”

“We constantly look for new and innovative ways to create the optimal environment in the home through unique lighting experiences, from everyday tasks to deeper engagement with your favorite TV shows such as 12 Monkeys,” said Amy Huntington, president, Philips Lighting - Americas. “Working with Syfy on Sharknado 2, we gave viewers a whole new way to experience television and with 12 Monkeys our partnership pushes the envelope from a movie to the first television series with integrated light tracks.”

Philips recently celebrated a new milestone with more than 200 third-party applications developed for Hue. Collaborations with developers and partners like Syfy underline the flexibility of what is the leading connected lighting system for the home. Just as Sharknado 2 opened the door to a new dimension in TV viewing, 12 Monkeys will push the boundaries to a whole new level, perhaps redefining the very way people will watch TV in the future.

In addition to learning more about this latest pioneering partnership with Syfy, attendees at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (International CES) can expect to experience a Hue suite moving well beyond illumination showing how connected lighting can enrich the home both as a standalone solution and by supporting other smart home integrations, including those with Nest and SmartThings. Also on display will be the latest extensions under development for the Hue platform enabling new apps, sensors, switches, and other devices that will enable consumers to further monitor, control and automate their homes. These will greatly expand the Philips Hue ecosystem that continues to adhere to its original and open philosophy of seamlessly welcoming new features and functionality from both inside and outside of Philips.