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 too thought Awake was fascinating, very well acted, and wonderfully written. Much to my dismay they are not continuing the show. I am very big fan of Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), Wilmer Valderrama (That 70s Show), Steve Harris (The Practice), BD Wong (Law and Order:SVU) and Cherry Jones (24). Clearly an all-star cast with an intricate and intriguing plot. Huge loss NBC.
I am soooo disappointed! Every week I have told my friends and husband that “by far, the best and most imaginative TV show on networks right now is AWAKE!” And I still stand by that… I, too wondered how they could sustain it after the first episode, but have been amazed how they not only held the storyline together, but propelled it and allowed us to go deeper. It;s a thinking-person;s drama perhaps. And maybe too few people want to be provoked to think. But on top of that this actor was amazing, just as he has been in a… Read more »
My husband and I both watched it regularly, never missing an episode. We LOVED it. When we saw the finale last night we realized that it must have been canceled (we didn’t know beforehand) and we were upset that indeed that was the case.
Great writing, superb acting, and enticing overall.
We enjoyed the finale; very well done. But so, so sorry this show isn’t coming back…
The “Inception” – like plot line of dreaming within a dream within a reality was very clever…not the drug-induced dreaming for manipulating thought but a deep manifestation of a husband and father’s worst nightmares – losing the ones you love to tragedy.
The only issue left for consideration was if he had psychological issues “in reality”.
My sense is not. Just good old fashioned fun !
Sorry to see it go, but IMO the ending was thought provoking, satifying and heart-warming.
Thanks “Awake” !!
Sad to see it go. It was probably too smart for most of NBC’s audience. It could have gone in so many interesting directions. I feel like the, “he was dreaming the whole time” angle is a pretty lame way to leave things, it could have gone on to show Michael becoming part of yet another third separate reality, which could have opened up all kinds of interesting doors: how is Michael doing this, is he slipping between alternate universes in some kind of quantum multiverse, etc. Could have drawn on topics spirituality and philosophy to quantum mechanics and sci… Read more »
NO! This was one of the best shows ever! And to cancel it is just tragic. People now are so into the garbage ‘reality’ shows that they don’t know how to think or concentrate anymore.
Awake was an amazing, intelligent show! This nation has been dumned down with so much crap reality TV, that people can’t handle a show with a plot which requires thinking. I will muds Awake and The Firm, and will continue the search for shows with talented writers behind them. Obviously, this network isn’t the one for that… sad.
This was one of the few shows on tv that I looked forward to every thursday. How can you cancel this excellent show? Not many tv shows are are interesting with good plots actors and story lines. My stomach is sinking as I type this.
Awake was an amazing piece of television that engaged our minds which is hard to find these days. It was done in an excellent way and I cannot believe that some of the crime/drama shows that have continued for years would be considered worth watching more than this show! I would continue to watch if it was picked up by another network for sure!
I was hopeful it would not be cancelled, I can see a whole new season taking off from the final episode. I was not impressed with the 1st episode, but gave it another try and got hooked.
Such a riveting show and I’m SO SAD they didn’t renew this show.
I suppose most people would rather watch the majority of crappy shows.
Network to use to living in a bubble-I have watched many series-Could not wait to see the next episode…A dream within a dream, inovative…
I thought AWAKE was riveting and thought-provoking. I find it fascinating that it aired in 2012. I was hopeful that meant the public was willing to take the next step beyond Touched by An Angel, then the Ghost Whisperer and Medium. Awake did encourage some people to consider our much larger existence. So my thanks to the excellent writers–and thank you for the story resolution and ending it with such a hopeful scene!
I agree with the comment above regarding reality shows. America is has lost its imagination and common sense. This was a good show. It reminded me of a book series by Ted Dekker so I was intrigued from the beginning. It had good characters (except the wife, I felt she was an awkward character) and a good story. I wondered where it could go with a second season. After the finale, I am assuming that he was dreaming the whole time…which is what I figured anyway.
I agree with what everyone has said. Awake was one of the best shows on the network and of course the idiots in charge cancelled it. No wonder NBC is the worst nework on tv.
Lisa I agree 100%
Awake was one of the most creative and intelligent shows this season.
No wonder it was cancelled.