This season alone, two of NBC’s most anticipated new Thursday night TV series — Prime Suspect and The Firm — have flopped. Is Awake different? Will it be cancelled or survive to see a second season?
Awake revolves around police detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) following a horrific car accident with his wife (Laura Allen) and son (Dylan Minnette). Britten discovers that he’s living two parallel realities. In one, his wife died in the accident. In the other, his son did. As he tries to discover what’s going on, he finds that details from both realities seem to bleed into the other. The cast also includes B.D. Wong, Cherry Jones, Michaela McManus, Steve Harris, and Wilmer Valderrama.
The show debuted on March 1st with lots of positive reviews, a mediocre 2.0 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic, and 6.24 million total viewers. It was first in its timeslot, opposite repeats on ABC and CBS. While the premiere of Awake didn’t generate great numbers, it did better than Prime Suspect and The Firm. It was also the best performance that NBC’s had in that timeslot since last May.
Many contended that the premiere’s ratings were undercut because NBC released the pilot online well in advance — a strategy that seemed to help generate some buzz. If that gamble paid off, theoretically the numbers for the second episode would be better than the first. They weren’t.
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The ratings for episode two fell 20%, to a 1.6 demo rating and 4.33 million. It was easily beaten by an original edition of The Mentalist on CBS but topped a rerun of the GCB pilot on ABC. Week three of Awake held steady. If the show could maintain those numbers for the rest of the season, it would be safe. Unfortunately, it couldn’t.
Episode four’s numbers dropped a whopping 25%. Weeks five and six then dropped another 17% and 10% respectively. After just a half dozen episodes, Awake is basically matching the Thursday night ratings of NBC’s other cancelled dramas.
Based on the ratings, Awake is sure to be cancelled by May. They’re just too low for the peacock network to be able to justify a second season on the network.
Given the state of NBC’s current schedule, it seems likely that the network will let the remaining seven episodes air on Thursday nights. If the ratings continue to drop, they may pull it or ship it off to the Saturday night graveyard with The Firm.
Most importantly, it looks unlikely that viewers will have their questions answered by the last episode of Awake.
But, what do you think? Are you still watching Awake? Have you lost interest? Do you think it should be cancelled or renewed for a second season?
Image courtesy NBC.
Both my husband and I really enjoy this show. It seems like every time we start watching a new series, it never makes it to the second season and yet this show, like many others, is really great. Is it because Awake is a “clean/decent” show, one that the whole family can watch and the networks believe that this won’t sell? I agree with Joey’s comment…get rid of all the stupid reality shows. And don’t cancel this show!!
It will surely get cancelled with these ratings. I hate the fact that there is nothing to do about that, because this is my favorite TV show, and definitely the best I’ve seen in ages. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks like that, and if a dramatic change doesn’t happen rating-wise, the show is walking to its grave.
The recent New Yorker article will push program into renewal for next season. Jason Isaacs is too good for NBC to give up. If I had power, I would emergency airlift him to a better network like HBO or even AMC’s Mad Men, somehow!
With ratings like that, there’s no way it gets renewed. But, I’ll miss it.
There are so many formulaic, “cookie cutter” shows out there. AWAKE seems fresh.
One name for science fiction is “speculative fiction”; stories that are based on asking “what If? AWAKE has an intriguing premise that fits squarely into that “what if” tradition.
And the show is getting better with each episode. I love the way his two realities are bleeding into each other.
Oh, the possibilities! Too bad they’re not going to happen.
I definitely don’t want it gone. It is original, captivating, intense and has great acting. But then again, if it were up to me, there would never be 8 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy or 7 seasons of Supernatural.
The Firm is MUCH better! That said, I do like awake, but find it way too confusing and perplexing to see it getting widespread approval.
I think they should extend it indefinitely. Let them finish their entire story and the network will make money for years to come off the cult audience it will generate.
If NBC cancels it, I hope someone else picks it up.
I think it’s the best network TV since LOST. I look forward to it as much as I do Homeland or Breaking Bad.
You should be watching Fringe. If you did and gave up, try renting the seasons and watching back to back – Fringe is everything that LOST almost was and then…wasn’t. (And I say that as someone who ardently loved LOST).
Please don’t cancel Awake I have to know how it ends it’s a great show!!
I think AWAKE should be renewed for a second season. It does pose an interesting dilemma for the audience. Which is the reality, or is it neither and is he the one in a coma. If he is in a coma, did his wife and son survive the accident. I think the questions should be explored more.
I watch it every week, but I won’t be heartbroken if it gets cancelled. Meh.
I really like Awake!! Please renew it!!!
my god people are idiots for not watching this ,how the hell is survivor and the apprentice still on the air and awesome shows like this get canned , ughhh you f-ing sicken me
[…] Unfortunately he and viewers won’t get answers because the show will almost certainly be cancelled and won’t be back for a second […]
Awake is getting better and better. The people who did not watch it before will discover it later how great a show they missed. The reviews are 99% positive. It also is one of the most time-shifted shows on television, with the “live plus same day” rating for its first three telecasts growing by 59 percent when Nielsen issued “live plus seven day” ratings for that week. To heck with the antiquated Nielson ratings, NBC should know when they have an incredible show after a LONG, LONG time.
I love Awake. Jason Isaacs carries the plot well. And I’m intrigued as to what is behind it all – what caused the wreck, who is pulling the strings, and which – if either – is the reality. Please do not cancel this excellently acted series.