NBC recently debuted one of their new Summer shows, The Listener. With lots of negative reviews, how did the first episodes perform in the ratings? Is the show worth keeping or should the network listen to critics and cancel it?
The Listener is a Canadian drama that revolves around a young paramedic (Craig Olejnik) who has the ability to listen to people’s inner thoughts. He tries to help those in need while trying to figure out his own place in the world. Others in the cast include Ennis Esmer, Colm Feore, Lisa Marcos, Mylene Robic, Anthony Lemke, John Fleming, Lara jean Chorostecki, Arnold Pinnock, and Paulino Nunes.
The show has already run in several countries around the world and began airing in the US on June 4th. NBC aired the first episode at 9pm and it ranked in fourth place for the timeslot, attracting just 5.25 million viewers and a 1.5/4 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. The 10pm episode garnered a few more viewers (5.34 million) but lost a bit in the demo (1.4/4).
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Many critics crucified the series and even fellow NBC employee Greg Grunberg may not be crazy about it either. The actor, who plays a mindreader on Heroes, tweeted, “New ‘original’ NBC show about a guy who can hear thoughts… called, uh…The Listener? Uh, no wait, I know this. BRAIN FART!! Genius!!” On Tuesday, he retweeted a fan’s note that said, “wht is ths ‘The Listener’ crap. thr’s alrdy a show abt a mindreader on tv, its called heroes, & @greggrunberg is all we need.”
The peacock network can’t be pleased with Listener’s lackluster performance, even for a Summer series. If NBC was footing the bill exclusively, the show would certainly not be back for another season. But, because the network is simply purchasing the broadcast rights from Canada’s CTV, the show’s much less expensive for them. If CTV decides to produce another season, it might make some sense for NBC to pick it up.
What do you think? Is the show work watching or should it be cancelled already?
Image courtesy CTV.
I love this show and am tired of good shows getting cancelled. Its not fair that these shows are not given the chances they deserve. Maybe if they changed the time slot or day it would do better. I wish they would give this show a second chance.
I am deeply saddened by NBC’s decision. I have a hard time believing that such a great show could be cancelled. I would like to put all of the blame on the network that so carelessly put no effort into advertising this knock out show. When I found it on HULU I was stuck to my computer screen. If I had seen a commercial, I would have definitely watched it on TV (with commercials) gladly. A good looking cast (not to down play the impeccable acting) and a troubled main character. What’s not to like? I am disappointed in NBC… Read more »
I know “The Listener” is a good show. Though I have not watched it on TV, but I have watch all online and I really into it. I am not a big fan of NBC because they cancel a lot of good show. Just because they don’t bring in the ratings like CBS or ABC does, doesn’t mean anything. I think if NBC cared about the shows instead of money, I think viewers would tune in to NBC. I don’t feel that NBC supports the shows that they have on. And since “The Listener” and “Southland” are from Canada, why… Read more »
I liked the show though but NBC always kill the good show. I’m still upset about Terminator.
I also notice that many people here write without punctuations. Read #116 by hooked. Maybe they don’t think with commas and periods to confuse those mind readers. I mean, it’s written down and I can’t even understand what she meant, imagine if I was to understand the entire thing in 1 flash. I’ll just die. Thank you.
me and my family loved the show nbc are idiots they could at least aired the rest of the eposodes who in there right mind would want to watch LOL repeatsanyway nbc has not one show worth watching any more ill stick to TNT USA FX they seem to air better anything then NBC they desever what get now which is no viewers and Jay Leno every night what are they insane didnt watch him and sure wont now NBC your going down for sure
I’ve watched every episode of this on NBC and was hoping for more. Last week ended with previews of “Next week, on The Listener” and now I see they’ve slotted a rerun of “Law and Order”. (If I ever see another episode of L&O, I’ll kill myself.. I can tolerate D’onofrio but that’s about it. And you can have Jay Leno, as well.) NBC seems to have a bad case of ADD. They move on after 3 or 4 episodes and leave us hanging. Thank god for Fox and CBS. I’ll just wait for Fringe and Dollhouse and Bones and… Read more »
way better than that hero show on fox . fooo shooo
ohhh my gosh i love this show, please dont take it off the ari, i love the characters mostly toby and oz becasue the haves such chemistry and r also really hilarious sometimes. i love all the other charaters aswell. please keep this show going , love it love it love =) This show is so dope i love it !!!!!!! i just wanna watch it all day long
My husband and I really like this show. It’s different and the characters are people I like….I’m routing for it, but every show that NBC puts out and we like tends to go away…Friday Night Lights(I know it came on again this year but we watched it on Direct TV), Medium(another show with great characters..) I like Jay Leno but I think NBC has made a mistake!!!!! I like this show much better than Heroes..it isn’t as complicated to follow.
I love this show, but as we know NBC has to move everything around for Jay Leno. This, I’m afraid, is a Leno casualty. Why NBC thinks we want to listen to that man speak every night is beyond me. Maybe, after we have had a night of entertainmet, and while we fall asleep, but not in a time slot that we are actually awake in. KEEP The Listener!!!!!
I want to keep watching it. Please keep.
Seriously people? This show, (sorry Heroes fans) is by far better than Heroes. It has varying, mature, story lines each and every episode. I’m telling you, especially since how the show got cancelled on such a CRUCIAL episode just pisses me, and a lot of other fans off. This was one of the first shows that got me so addicted that I had to look for episodes online and watch ones that I missed, or was too busy to watch all of. NBC is STUPID! Like BUTT STUPID especially that greg whatever guy, and that guy from Heroes that can… Read more »
Keep! This show is far better than so many out there, and Grunberg sounds like a self-conscious teenager (but maybe that’s just me?). The Listener is intense, intriguing, and most of all, touching. To get rid of it would be ridiculous. I think that NBC should look at the ONLINE fanbase. TV isn’t just TV anymore; they obviously recognize that, they’re on Hulu, but they should count the online viewers as numbers. Just because I tune in four days after it airs and at 3pm doesn’t mean I don’t watch — and it doesn’t mean I don’t wait through ads… Read more »
Great Show. Give it another try. I hate TV and somehow got reeled into watching this and now i’m hooked. Please give it another try.
Most shows have a rocky if not questionable first season. But the beauty in this is that If you let them go, you’ll never know how wonderful the second season could have been. So at least let it go for another season. (Plus it’s just cruel to leave us with that cliff hanger and NOT finish the story.)
Give it a shot, advertise a little more, put it out there. For all of us that don’t have a normal TV, do some ad’s online, put it out there. Then see what you get.