"lockdown" received 2.0 in nielsen household rating and 1.7 in syndication ratings becoming the only episode in season eight to receive a syndication rating. the episode debuted on the sci fi channel in the united states on july 23, 2004, with "stargate atlantis" episode "hide and seek". it was the top-rated show on the sci fi channel that week. "lockdown" drew close to 2.7 million viewers in the united states, this was down four-tenths from the previous episode "new order". while the viewership was higher than the previous season which averaged a 1.8 in nielsen household ratings, "lockdown"