After low ratings, the peacock network has pulled the plug on the series about a telepathic paramedic.
The Listener debuted on June 4th on NBC. Initially produced for Canadian networks, the drama revolves around a young paramedic (Craig Olejnik) who has the ability to hear other people’s thoughts. Through his job and abilities, he seeks to help those in need in any way he can.
Others in the cast include Lisa Marcos, Ennis Esmer, Mylene Robic, Arnold Pinnock, Anthony Lemke, Lara Jean Chorostecki, John Fleming, and Colm Feore.
On NBC, the show got off to a rocky start in the ratings. The two-hour premiere brought in 5.32 million viewers and just a 1.4/4 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic. Summer viewing expectations aren’t very high but it didn’t bode well that the program landed in third place in total viewers and the demo.
Things didn’t get any better for the later episodes. Last week, Listener’s numbers hit a series low with 3.3 million viewers and a tiny 0.7/2 rating in the demo. Even for Summer viewership, those numbers are quite poor for a major network.
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As a result, NBC has decided to end The Listener’s run prematurely. Next week’s episode will be the last to air on the peacock network and repeats of Law & Order will fill the timeslot after that.
The remaining five episodes of Listener are expected to be streamed online in August. The 13 episodes have already aired in many countries across the world and will continue to run in Canada.
Word is that the first season ends with plenty of unresolved mysteries. There’s been no news about the possibility of a second season for The Listener as yet but, if there is, you certainly won’t be seeing it on NBC.
What do you think? A good call by NBC or were you looking forward to seeing more?
Image courtesy NBC.
I really hope The Listener has a second season. In my opinion, NBC did not advertise the listener enough. The only way i heard about it was by flipping through channels and the show just happened to be on. Cross your fingers for a new season!
I really enjoy watching The Listener, it is too bad the NBC cannot show anything other than L&O. I mean honestly, L&O is almost as bad as all of the CSI’s and now NCIS has jumped on that band wagon. Have we lost all creativity that we just make shows that spawn off of each other? I am an actor and The Listener is a show that I would be proud to work on. I hope NBC gives The Listener another chance.
Once again, another decent show canceled by the bean counters. It just seems dumb to not at least show the one’s they have already made in favor of L&O reruns….which are everywhere it seems.
I am very bummed. I really enjoy this show!!! It’s clever, funny, and interesting. Perfect TV viewing!
It’s too bad that NBC has decided to cancel “The Listener” for reruns. I think it probably would have fared better if two things would have happened: (1) it should not have debuted against baseball playoffs on another channel; and (2) it should have been promoted a great deal more by NBC. I swear, I could watch NBC for a couple of hours and see promos for everything except “The Listener.” Count me as another who hopes this program is picked up by cable so we can see the remaining episodes. Hopefully we’ll also get to see more of these… Read more »
Folks, this isn’t/wasn’t a good show. Please don’t say it was–just go watch Heroes and you can enjoy the Matt Parkman character– you know, the one who can read people’s minds???? Greg Grunberg does a far better acting job than the Dana Carvey/Jake Gyllenhaal looking Craig Olejnik. Other than Lisa Marcos, who was “ok” the rest of the cast is a terrible bunch of actors. The premise of the show is absurd. There is a difference between suspending reality and what is being asked of the viewer. After watching the first episode, I thought… there won’t be a back 9… Read more »
Why does NBC pull their shows before giving them a chance to make it. What is so much better about re-runs, may I ask??
I agree with comments that people have made about the Listener. It is just like these “big” networks to cancel good shows, but in particular NBC. Over the years NBC has cancelled good shows like Conviction and Friday Night Lights; for what stupid, non-based reality crap! I too hope that a cable network will pick Listener up, for cable shows are much better anyway.
I didn’t know about the Listener. I don’t watch much tv esp after the regular season ends in April/May so much to my delight after tuning into Space for something else and I found The Listener. I was hooked right away (mid season) and I am quite disappointed to see that another show is getting the axe. I swear, almost every new show I like is yanked. And stupid shows remain.
this show is amazing i absolutely loved it from the beggining and now they wanna cancel it thats not fair! and for reruns too!!!!!! thats crap bthis show is great and OF COURSE i wanna see season TWO!!!!!!!!!
There were only two shows on NBC that I watched… one is Medium and the other is The Listener. Since you’ve cancelled them both I no longer need the converter box in my area since all the other stations are still analog. So that gets rid of some clutter…
Medium has been picked up by CBS. Maybe the Listener will be as fortunate if CBS gets rid of the very dumb Ghost Whisperer.
It is just like the big wigs at NBC to cancel a the only show that they have on the network this summer that is any good. That is why I think that no one watches NBC because you can not trust that they will leave a good show alone. With all of there shows that was good getting canceled I think this is my last show that I will ever watch on NBC.
I really liked theshow and felt it was a good summer filler. While not as good as a Dexter filler, NBC could have done worse. perhaps it can go over to Lifetime or Syfy. I wish then would at least show the show on line.
This show is very enjoyable and the cast is great. NBC constantly cancels good shows and just keeps showing the same junk. I hope a cable network picks it up. At least they give shows a chance. They have the episodes – why not just play them instead of showing repeats? You can already all the L&O you want on USA.
I was actually just coming around to The Listener. While I watched it from the very beginning, it took a couple of episodes for me to get into. It’s not the greatest show of all time, but it’s good enough to DVR and watch on a slow afternoon.