As you may recall, NBC cancelled The Listener two years ago after an unsuccessful summer run. For whatever reason, the series about a young paramedic (Craig Olejnik) who has the ability to listen to people’s thoughts, just didn’t catch on in the United States and did poorly in the ratings.
The show is produced in Canada and, despite the lack of interest in the US, it continues to be popular north of the border and internationally. The Listener was renewed for a second season of 13 installments in November 2009. Production didn’t start until September 2010 and the episodes just recently finished airing in Canada.
Now, CTV has renewed the series for a third season of 13 episodes. According to CTV, The Listener is one of the few scripted Canadian series to average more than one million viewers each week. It showed double-digit growth in its second season, rising 17% among total viewers and 47% among males 18-34.
It’s expected that season three of The Listener will begin airing in 2012 in Canada and internationally. Unfortunately for US fans, there are currently no stations airing the series here. Season one of The Listener was released on DVD in the UK only.
What do you think? Were you a fan of The Listener? Would you like to see another station in the United States pick it up? If you live in another country, are you glad to hear it’s been renewed?
I can’t believe that an independent station would rather play a million reruns rather than show The Listener.They could play it on Saturdays and i would dvr it in a heartbeat.
Yeah!! I´m a huge fan of the show! I live in latinamerica and the first season is still on Fox, and I watch the 2nd season online.. now looking forward for the 3rd season!! 🙂
i just started watching the show; and i can’t believe I never knew about it. NBC obviously didn’t know what their doing. This is proven by the fact that I only watch one of their shows, Outsourced
I was a HUGE fan of this show and was incredibly dismayed when NBC cancelled it. It was the beginning of my distaste for NBC and after this last season with the cancellation of “The Event” and previously “The Bionic Woman”, I’ve finally decided to boycott their network totally and only watch the shows that I’ve committed to (“Chuck”). I thought “The Listener” was well-paced, very creative and showcased some new faces. It is a pity that the network here in the US could not indulge it enough for it to find an audience. It would be great if it… Read more »
I remember watching The Listener back in ’09 and I was hooked, I was watching on Hulu because I don’t get regular broadcast. It was very engaging and I was enjoying that Toronto was actually Toronto in this production. The cast are all Canadian. It is a refreshing program from the amount of reality tv we currently have. I want a US network to pick it up and have the same network count those of us who watch on the internet from their websites, a lot of people are watching that medium now.
Isn’t it interesting how, when the bonehead networks kill a show, it’s picked up by basic cable, or keeps running foreign markets? Is it because, maybe, those other markets don’t have that moronic 18-48 demographic? Maybe those viewers have the atttention span to follow a continuing scripted series? And I have asked before what is with the stupid 18-49 anyway? If you’re over 49, your money’s no good? I can buy that CTX they advertise can an 18 year old? Hello?
I loved the listener. Glad its still going on somewhere & wish it would come out on dvd in usa if no stations are going to show it here.
i liked the listener very much (so of course it was cancelled). Yet another of the different & well written & acted series that is not like the cookie cutter garbage filling the airwaves. Not a junky reality show or mindless sit com or yet another forensics crime show, i liked the cast very much & the lead actor was especially engaging (and adorable). Just hope that is becomes available on dvd to rent in the u.s.
Finally, someone was LISTENING!
I did enjoy that show called “Listener”. I wish it plays in US since I want to see more of this show. Please bring it back to US. thanks
I am one of the US fans who was very disappointed when The Listener was cancelled after the end of the first season. I have been watching the second season on-line and have to admit that I was very disappointed with the direction the second season took. I could not believe it when the character of Charlie Marks was killed off and where the heck is Ray? This season has been nothing about Toby trying to find his origins and all about him using his abilities in ways he swore never to do. I really thought after the disappointing second… Read more »
That is great news. Living in Australia I have been enjoying more and more Canadian TV over the years, Flashpoint, Little Mosque, Billable hours, Lost Girl, Republic of Doyle, The list goes on. The listener, or Psycic Ambo as I nicknamed the show, is one of those programs that sounds insane when you explain the concept but is totally engaging when you watch. The character interactions are great and I hope they keep the status quo of characters from season two as they worked well together. Keep up the good work Canada, you have to support of your fellow members… Read more »
I like it, glad it got renewed!
LOVE this show. I am an avid US fan. NBC was so wrong to NOT keep the show. Luckily for fans in the US you can got to CTV’s website and other sites to watch the episodes after they air on tv.
Somebody in the U.S. needs to carry this show. Maybe another network in another timeslot might just make a difference, especially if it’s a cable network. At least bring all the episodes out on DVD for the U.S. anyway.