It’s the nightmare NBC’s Awake fans were dreading. NBC has cancelled the show after 13 episodes and one season.
Created by Kyle Killen (Lone Star), Awake revolves around a police detective (Jason Isaacs) who, after being in a horrific car accident, finds that he’s living in two realities. In one, his son perished — in the other, his wife did. The cast also includes Laura Allen, Steve Harris, Dylan Minnette, B. D. Wong, Michaela McManus, Wilmer Valderrama, and Cherry Jones.
The complex drama had an unimpressive debut back on March 1st, registering a 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 6.24 million viewers. NBC had released the pilot episode well in advance so some believed that hurt the premiere ratings.
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Theoretically the second episode should have shown signs of growth but it didn’t. Week two dropped 20%. Week three remained stable but subsequent weeks saw additional declines. Last week’s episode hit a new low with a dismal 0.7 rating and just 2.15 million viewers.
This season has averaged a 1.1 rating in the demographic with 3.5 million total viewers. Awake is the third-lowest rated drama on the network, beating only Harry’s Law and The Firm (both of which have been cancelled as well). On our NBC Ratings Report Card, which measures the relative demo performance of shows on the network, Awake has a “D+” grade.
NBC has now cancelled Awake and the series finale is on track to air Thursday, May 24th. While it wasn’t intended as a series finale, Killen has said that he believes the finale is very satisfying.
What do you think? Are you sorry to hear that Awake has been cancelled and won’t be back for a second season? Was the series too complicated for most TV viewers or did it have other problems?
Image courtesy NBC.
I am so bummed. This was my favorite new show. Jason Isaacs plays a complex and intriguing character. His acting is superb – I hope he gets nominated for an Emmy despite the cancellation. The story line is deep and interesting. The writing of each episode just gets better and better…the characters and storylines definitely linger in my mind long after watching. I will be sad to see this story come to an end next week.
I guess only intelligent people, a dying race, liked it…
It’s a shame that a show that exhibited thought and challenged the audience to pay attention has been cancelled. This decision show why the big three are losing market share to chanells that are willing to support someone that is not the common fluff.
I sure hope another network picks up this great show. Awake called for the audience to pay attention. Great show. Wonderful cast. I am deeply disappointed in NBC.
They cancel this smartly written and well acted show and yet they keep mindless and poorly acted drivel like Whitney on the air…ridiculous.
Interesting, well-acted show. Not a clone of the insipid ones. Hope another network will pick it up. Too bad.
Too bad. . . . one of the few shows I watched on network tv . . back to cable.
It is such a shame that a quality show with values and respect is cancelled. It is so refreshing to see Awake include a faithful husband and father determined for his family-stopping at nothing. A true hero! I bet you anything that if the story was as follows, NBC would not have cancelled it! If detective Britten was actual the father of Emma’s unborn child, NBC would have kept the show for season two. If Hanna was sectretly sleeping with her husband’s therapist, NBC would have not cancelled the show. If Rex was secretly sleeping with his father’s therapist. .… Read more »
I completely agree with you! There is nothing worse than bad television and Awake was the sure for that! Now we will all DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Damn NBC. It was one show that felt so fresh and new. The clever alternate reality connections was what made the show so interesting. People seriously need to develop an out of the box taste for shows. Comedy, reality and other genres are great but how will creativity grow if you don’t give a creative show a chance. Sure people didn’t like the show in its beginning but seriously that’s only because they haven’t stopped watching the shows they already like which still have not ended. Hell i didn’t watch breaking bad or prison break until 3yrs later. It’s called… Read more »
So angry at NBCthat they cancelled yet another show without any closure!!
that has become their signature!!
Oh No! Awake was one of the better shows this season! I was so pleased with the episode “Say Hello to my Little Friend’ because it was just so good and finally gave us insight into what had happened. I am going to miss this show! Please, please someone pick it up and bring it back!!
I am utterly disappointed that AWAKE is cancelled. This is one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. Asking if the story line was too complicated for viewers to handle, all I can say is it’s unfortunate that so many viewers have been dumbed-down by reality television! This was the last show I chose to watch on NBC so I hope it moves to another station…I will follow.
I agree with Debby and Ruggman. Awake was good and I was so impressed about how unique the story was. My hope is that Awake will continue even if it means moving the whole production to a different network.
I totally dread this time of year when I hear the fate of my favorite programs! It absolutely sucks that all of the seriously good dramas (and especially those that get you to think a little) are cancelled in favor of mindless , life-sucking reality tv and comedy that is beyond being enjoyably funny!
Of coarse it was cancelled.. It was a really good show. Guarantee this wouldn’t have happened if it were on AMC. Most American viewers have become simple minded morons that can’t possibly comprehend shows of this nature. It’s a shame Awake has to go and NBC should be ashamed of themselves for letting it. I’m sure they’ll replace it with some reality crap like everything else on television. Just something else on the air to aid in the dumbing down of America.
Damn NBC