NBC will make the entire “series” of upcoming David Duchovny drama Aquarius available online following its May 28 premiere, seemingly hinting that the show will be limited to one season and has therefore essentially been cancelled.
Official press release:
NBC TO MAKE AVAILABLE ENTIRE DAVID DUCHOVNY SERIES ‘AQUARIUS’ WITH LINEAR NETWORK PREMIERE
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — April 29, 2015 — To offer viewers the same binge-viewing experience they now enjoy on streaming platforms, NBC will make the unprecedented move of releasing all 13 episodes of David Duchovny’s new series “Aquarius” on NBC.com and the NBC app after the show’s two-hour linear network premiere on May 28, 2015. The entire series will also be offered to all other video-on-demand platforms for release at that time as well.
In making the announcement, NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt said, “With ‘Aquarius’ we have the opportunity to push some new boundaries to give our audience something no broadcast network has done before. We are fully aware how audiences want to consume multiple episodes of new television series faster and at their own discretion, and we’re excited to offer our viewers this same experience since all 13 episodes of this unique show have been produced and are ready to be seen. I appreciate the enthusiasm we’ve gotten from the producers of the show and our partner Marty Adelstein of Tomorrow Studios to launch this series in a new, forward-thinking way.”
One of the key points of the arrangement is that the show will be available to only a handful of certain advertising partners so the linear broadcast on NBC will mirror the commercial load on the VOD platforms. This will result in limited interruption — both on-air and off — giving viewers and advertising partners an enhanced and innovative experience.
The full 13 episodes will remain up on the various digital platforms for a four-week period, while each new one-hour episode will continue to premiere, as planned, each week in the 9 p.m. Thursday timeslot on NBC.
Los Angeles. 1967.
Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny, “Californication,” “The X-Files”), a decorated World War II vet and homicide detective, barely recognizes the city he’s now policing. Long hair, cheap drugs, rising crime, protests, free love, police brutality, Black Power and the Vietnam War are radically remaking the world he and the Greatest Generation saved from fascism 20 years ago.
So when Emma Karn (Emma Dumont, “Salvation,” “Bunheads”), the 16-year-old daughter of an old girlfriend, goes missing in a sea of hippies and Hodiak agrees to find her, he faces only hostility, distrust and silence. He enlists the help of Brian Shafe (Grey Damon, “True Blood,” “Friday Night Lights”) — a young, idealistic undercover vice cop who’s been allowed to grow his hair out — to infiltrate this new counterculture and find her.
The generational conflict between the two is immediate and heated, yet they’re both dedicated officers and soon realize the need to bring Emma home is more urgent than they foresaw. The immediacy arises because she has joined a small, but growing, band of drifters under the sway of a career criminal who now dreams of being a rock star: Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony, “Game of Thrones”).
Ringing with the unparalleled music of the era, “Aquarius” is a sprawling work of historical fiction that begins two years before the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders. It’s a shocking thriller, a nuanced character drama and, in the end, the story of how we became who we are today.
Writer John McNamara serves as executive producer with Marty Adelstein (“Prison Break”), David Duchovny, Becky Clements and Melanie Greene. “Aquarius” is a production of Tomorrow Studios, a joint partnership between Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios.
NBC
Matt says
This show is not cancelled. just because NBC want to try something new for them that equals this show is cancelled. I dont think so. Please change the headline of this article you guys are the only site reporting this show as cancelled and it just looks bad
ian G says
Cancelled? Please! NBC is going to school on Netflix which has been successfully offering the full season of their own content ( ie: House of cards, Orange is the new black, Marco Polo, Marvel’s Dare Devil…) on-line for quite some time now.
AndromedasDragon says
In typical NBC Style, there was little or no advertising rather for this show. What is wrong with NBC that, one hand (development execs) are not coinciding with the other hand (scheduling the produced product department)? SO many good idea’s get NO advertising and then get canceled. Well, it IS good they moved the show to a web series, at least. Not like the best show they had back in 2007, Journey Man.
Susan says
how can they cancel when no one has even seen an episode – sounds interesting. So many other pieces of crap they could cancel might be nice for the viewers to decide.
TAMMY SNYDER says
NBC are you nuts. We didn’t even get to see it and your canceling it. I guess the people have no opinions anymore. Was really looking forward to seeing this. Idiots
Murph says
I watched all 13 episodes and loved it! I really hope this gets picked up for second season. So much better than all the reality nonsense on T.V. right now.
DLH says
Hope this is not cancelled. Agree with you Murph. Loved this series. All these realty shows are ridiculous. Keep this series going, So many others that need to go.
Jane says
Saw all episodes and loved it! Would love to see season 2! Acting was great! I know it was partly fiction but it brought back memories of that horrible news and crazy cult leader. Loved the music! I was 18.
K.K. says
You must be kidding! This show is one of the BEST new shows in my opinion. Do us a Favor and can “Keeping up with the Kardashians” instead and keep Aquarius Please!
Terri says
The show is NOT officially canceled. That is just speculation by the author of this article. It hasn’t been announced yet. Hoping it does get picked up. David Duchovny is amazing. The storytelling is smart & compelling. Fingers crossed !
GBN says
Like reviewer Jane noted on June 2, I have now binged the 13 episodes. The Finale made the series “cancel-proof”. Deliberately being vague lest I spoil things for those watching the series live, so many unanswered questions such as which law partner shot who? Who abducted the female Police Officer? Will the just decorated Police Sergeant be investigated by Internal Affairs? Where will the romantic life of the main characters go?
Often when the producers of a show know they are looking at the cancel button, they have some Finale scenes to wrap things up “just in case”. If any such scenes were produced for Aquarius, they certainly were not aired -;at least on the binge release.
M.J. says
About Time NBC did an Excellent Show like Aquarius that we all look forward to see. You Guy’s Make something good then wants to ruin it for everyone else that enjoys it. We need to have a Second Season is not even through at all.
Lyn says
This show is so well done. I hope a show this good would not be cancelled! Looking forward to a second season! Keeping fingers crossed.
Donna Carson says
I was in my 2nd and 3rd years of college in1967 and this show just brings back all those memories of my youth. All my friends (we are in our late 60’s) love this show. I know we are not your target group, as I understand the advertisers target 19-49 year olds (I don’t know why, as that group has no time to watch TV and they have less $ than we do!.) Please keep this show on for future seasons!!
Dani says
Show just got moved to Saturday night at 9pm EST along with Hannibal. I have really gotten into this show. Frankly, the only other show I watch on NBC is The Voice, which is how I learned about Aquarius. So nice job NBC. I’m not from that era but I am fascinated by it. We all know that Charles Manson is a calculated killer, but the show isn’t just about him and his history, which is what I keep seeing the people who don’t like this show talk about. Plus, these episodes aren’t self contained so you have to watch them all to know exactly what is going on. Come on people! This is a good one, give it a chance.
Jeanne says
My husband and I love this show and I’m happy to hear it has not been cancelled. We both were kids in the late 60’s and remember hearing about Manson, but didn’t understand what was going on.
We hope NBC will keep it going. There are not many shows worth watching on television, but Aquarius is an exception.