After the show’s unsuccessful summer on NBC, fans of The Listener have been hoping that the drama would still return for a second season. Well, the show has been renewed but viewers here in the states may not be seeing the episodes.
The Listener follows a young paramedic named Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik) who has the mysterious ability to hear people’s thoughts. The series also features the talents of Lisa Marcos, Ennis Esmer, Mylene Robic, Arnold Pinnock, Anthony Lemke, Lara Jean Chorostecki, John Fleming, and Colm Feore.
The series is produced by Canada’s Shaftesbury Films, in conjunction with CTV, Space, and Fox Intl. Channels. In February 2008, during the 2007-08 writers strike, NBC decided to license the first season of 13 episodes.
The show began its run in the US some 16 month later, in early June 2009, but they were not a ratings success. The first two episodes attracted an average rating of 3.7 in the coveted 18-49 demographic but the numbers dropped to a low of 2.2 by week five.
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NBC decided to pull The Listener after eight episodes and released the remaining five installments for online viewing at Hulu.com.
The first season was a bigger success in Canada and other countries so a second season of 13 episodes has been commissioned. CTV and Space will air them in Canada and Fox Intl. Channels will continue to distribute the show to worldwide markets.
Christina Jennings, chairman of Shaftesbury Films, said, “The Listener is proof positive that Space and CTV are committed to creating and supporting successful and popular television. Their renewed commitment ensures the international partnership led by Fox International Channels for the next 13 episodes.”
The series is expected to go back into production sometime in 2010, some two years after the first season was made.
Unfortunately, The Listener’s fate is still up in the air here in the states. NBC has cancelled the series so you won’t see it returning to the peacock network. However, there’s still hope for US fans.
Jennings says that the lack of support from a US network wasn’t a factor in the renewal. “We don’t need a U.S. outlet right now… But once the story department starts up in the new years and we get some scripts under our belt, we’ll canvas the US outlets to see. Certainly The Listener had fans in the states.”
What do you think? Would you like to see The Listener come back to the US or should it stay in Canada? Where would you watch it — on cable, DVD, or does it not make a difference?
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Image courtesy CTV.
??? Yeah we live in the US, and this wasn’t advertised enough!! cause we watched all the episode online, and have been waiting to try to watch the new season. There aren’t to many shows that Myself and my hubby both watch, this is one we followed and enjoyed together. Waiting for season 2:(
i love it, its awsome and i say it should come back to the US its not fair. Plus toby is totaly hot! but just because the ratings were bad dosnt mean people arnt going to cling on to it, theres a lot of shows that got bad ratings and they didnt cut them off and now their like hit shows but i dont really care for half of them. anyway they should deffinetley bring the listner back!
Please choose to put the listener back on the air in the US , I loved watching it when it came on. The characters were great, it was just fun to watch, please put it back on the air!
Ya I love this show and I am from the us. It better come back or the networks are going to lose even more viewers & money. People are just going to rent movie in stead of watching T.V shows that wont come back that have good viewers. And people that love the shows and they need to count those that watch it on the internet. A lot people watch a lot when there not at home.
I LOVE THIS SHOW! im from ND and i would watch it if it came back
The Listener is another really good show (and there aren’t so many any more) that is getting canceled! What is wrong with the networks, they won’t give shows an opportunity to get an audience? I’m getting very tired of finding a good show only to have it canceled as soon as it gets going. I think I will stick with movies. The networks couldn’t care less about us.
this is such a great show i would die if i didnt return to the US! i eagerly ever-so-often check for new news about seasons 2’s release info but sadly we’re kinda left in the dark. i hope that sometime this year the fans here in America while once again be able to see this awsome TV series!
I loved this show, I do hope they return this to the US! I would recommend other to watch this show, very moving and the lead actor is hot!!! LOL
I love the listener! I want to come back in the U.S. because i still have question about the show and it is a good show.
Hey Helena, I’m Emma from Israel.
I wrote a lot here. I did not understand why they didn’t want to broadcast the second season. I’m just like you, waiting for the second season to arrive to Israel.
Have a nice day…
Hey guys I’m from Brasil and still waiting for the second season. Love the listener series.
Put it on SYFY
My husband and I got into The Listener and were disappointed that NBC cancelled it. We would definitely watch it should it come back.
This show is great! I live in the U.S and my family and I will be very sad if it doesnt return! :’/
The Listener – another good show not given the time for people to catch on to something good. Liked this show and know of others who really looked forward to this show… sadly it’s gone with the other shows they put on and never give a chance.