Its that age old problem with cult TV. Everyone you know loves Battlestar Galactica, but none of those people own a Neilson box. I know you hate to hear it, but according to Variety, the Sci Fi Channel is canceling the series after only four seasons.

Rumors have been floating around for some time that the show wouldn't be around much longer. Battlestar Galactica had to really fight just to get that fourth season.

Executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick issued a joint statement saying it was their decision to end the series. Moore stated, "This show was always meant to have a beginning, a middle and, finally, an end. Over the course of the last year, the story and the characters have been moving strongly toward that end, and we've decided to listen to those internal voices and conclude the show on our own terms."

Don't be too sad. The producers are promising to end the show with a spectacular array of dramatic fireworks. Battlestar Galactica will begin its fourth season with a two-hour episode in November. It will then return in early 2008 to finish out its 22-episode run.

UPDATE - The official press release from NBC Universal Television:

Executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick have decided that season 4 of Battlestar Galactica, SCI FI Channel's Peabody Award-winning original series, will be its last. They will use the 22-episode season, currently in production, to draw the saga of humanity's struggle for survival to a close.

"This show was always meant to have a beginning, a middle and finally, an end. Over the course of the last year, the story and the characters have been moving strongly toward that end and we've decided to listen to those internal voices and conclude the show on our own terms," stated Eick and Moore. "On a personal level, it's been a creative privilege and an honor for all of us who work on the show and we know we'll be lucky to ever see its like again. And while we know our fans will be saddened to know the end is coming, they should brace themselves for a wild ride getting there - we're going out with a bang."

"We respect the producers' decision to end the series and are proud to have been the home of this groundbreaking show. We have always known that Ron and David had a plan for 'Galactica' and trust that fans can look forward to a truly amazing final season," stated Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, SCI FI.

Production on the final 22 hours of season 4 is currently underway in Vancouver. An extended two-hour episode, "Razor," will premiere in November 2007, setting the stage for the rest of the season to commence in 2008.

Redefining the space opera with its gritty realism, Galactica's intensity, issues-driven topicality, and command performances have garnered it unprecedented critical acclaim. In addition to winning a prestigious Peabody Award, the series has been honored as one of the 10 Outstanding Television Programs of the Year by the American Film Institute (AFI) for two years running and the #2 sci-fi project - television or film - of the past 25 years by Entertainment Weekly. Battlestar is also responsible for introducing the expletive "frak" into the pop culture lexicon.

Dont't forget to also check out: Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance