Man! Like their hero Detective Brett Hopper, Day Break fans have been through the wringer. The Taye Diggs midseason replacement series was supposed to air for 13 straight weeks while ABC’s Lost was on a scheduled hiatus. Day Break under-performed ABC’s expectations and the network pulled it after only six episodes — right in the middle of the cliffhanger storyline — on December 15, 2006.
Though it wouldn’t help those without high-speed Internet access or living outside the U.S., the network said that it would release a new episode online every week. That didn’t happen and fans were left hanging for weeks and weeks. The word was that there were “unforeseen music clearance issues” that were preventing the seventh episode from being posted.
On January 14th, ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson announced that the series would finally be posted online. In addition to the six previously aired episodes, four new episodes were made available on January 29th. The 11th and 12th episodes were posted in the following two weeks. The 13th and final episode should have been posted on February 19th. But that didn’t happen. Once again, fans were left hanging. With deja vu like this, many like they were stuck inside the Day Break storyline!
Well, after being delayed multiple times, the final episode entitled “What If It’s Him?” is finally available on ABC.com (click the “launch” button). It’s being reported that the holdup was once again due to music copyright issues. After all this, most people would have gladly watched the show without any music whatsoever.
As regular visitors of this site know, we’ve been hosting a petition to request that the series be released on DVD (so that everyone can see it) and to hopefully persuade execs to greenlight future Day Break projects. Though the printed petition has been sent, newcomers can still sign the petition. The package included the URL and encouraged the execs to see the impressive and continued interest. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything new.
For now, it seems Hopper’s story is over. Was it worth it? Talk about a long day! Stay tuned! 
I noticed everyone was wondering who the guy was in the very end of the season finale and I just figured it out. The guy in the last ten seconds was the crazy white guy that bit Hopper. We later found out that his day was repeating over and over also. I guess they showed him at the end so we knew that he wanted to make sure Hoppers repeating days were over as well as his. (maybe)
I remember earlier in the series, diffrent incidents involving Hopper’s repeating day syndrome hinted that his father expeirenced the same thing. It seemed to me that the writers was making it seem that Hopper’s father killed himself becasue he couldnt take the repeating days any longer… kinda like the movie “Butter Effect”. So for whatever reason, Hopper suffered the same sickness as his father. So when ABC canceled the show the writers dumped that idea and decided to go with the whole partner killed partner conclusion. Did anyone else get that idea?
The guy at the very end of the of the finale was the other guy who was reliving everyday. The one who was left at the doctor’s office.
I think the guy at the end was Jared. I assumed he was an angel sent by Hopper’s dad to avenge his death and guide Hopper. He seemed pleased that Hopper, Rita and Jen were happy. The guy with the gun in van was going to clean up the mess and prevent Detwyler and his partner from spilling the beans–probably at the behest of the lawyer. I still don’t know why the day repeated and what the shots to the neck were about. Also, what was Chad was up to.
Agreed… the guy at the end of the episode was a cleaned-up Jared. I’m guessing he was the one who actually caused the time-repeating to take place.
Glad the storyline was resolved, but it’d still be neat to know how it was supposed to continue and eventually figure out the temporal issues involved.
A DVD release is definitely a must for a show like this!
Good call on Jared! I was wondering who the heck that was also!
This was a great show, I sad when they canceled it. I was even more sad when they delayed the episodes online, and was ever sadder when they kept on delaying the final episode, but now I’m happy to see this story be resolved.
I really don’t know why this show was canceled, did the execs really expect re runs of george lopez to give them better ratings?
The guy at the end was Jared, the ‘crazy’ guy who was also repeating his day.
For those of you asking “who was the guy at the end of the final episode”, it was Jared…the mentally disturbed man whose day was also repeating.
Hopper took him to Dr. “Foureyes” (Fouraz), convinced he was suffering a mental disease in his temporal lobe…however, as Hopper walked away, Jared referenced an event from much earlier in the series: “I shouldn’t have bit you.”
Killing this show was the dumbest move by shortsighted television executives in almost 40 years. Yes, it’s hard to believe how long ago it was when we saw those first episodes of Star Trek. The blue-eyed observer at the end of the Day Break’s final episode is a dangling thread for future episodes. A bigger “dangler” is the weirdo looking for his brother. His final words (“Anyway, I’m sorry I bit you) are proof that he too was experiencing the same repeating day. Wonder why… I agree that having Hopper go into another repeating day wouldn’t work. The way I’d… Read more »
Thats the same impression I was left with. By the way who was the guy at the end of the final episode, I don’t remember ever seeing him.
I loved this show, and seriously hope that it gets brought back to primetime television
I’m actually from outside of the U.S. and had a hard time acquiring the remaining episodes after ABC pulled it from their channel. However, it was definitively worth it. I loved the alternating plotlines, yet I would not want to see another season. From my point of view the plot is ended and the repeating-day idea should not be picked up again any time soon by a tv show. Hopper’s father’s death is avenged, the problems of the people around him are mostly resolved, he and Rita developed a deeper bond.. Although Hopper shouts to Colburn “This ain’t over” I… Read more »
I also got the impression that more was to come….like Chad escapeing and That guy in the prison van looked like he was up to something too….I was confused on the very last shot of the final episode…what was the deal with the guy at the end watching them -did i miss an episode with him in it…and what exactly triggered the day changing to tomorrow -was it that he finally had all the information that he need to move on….comments?
After viewing the Daybreak series finale, I was left with the distinct impression that just enough of the plot line was left “open” to allow for a series continuation. Anyone else get that impression?
Wow! My wife and I just finished the last episode. We still can’t fathom why ABC would have ever cancelled this show. I have to say without any hesitation that this was the best show I’ve seen in years. ABC should really bring this show back and give it a real chance. I think this format also would translate well to a feature length film. tvseriesfinale: I also think it would be a good idea to send the feedback to Taye Diggs himself through his agent or office or whatever avenue to communicate with Taye himself. Anyway great show! Kudos… Read more »