Summary
- The Whispers is a short, fun, and entertaining sci-fi show with 13 gripping episodes
- Despite its cancellation after one season due to low ratings, the show offers a solid sci-fi tale
- Unlike other long-running series, The Whispers reveals its big twist early on, making it compelling
While some TV shows are epic masterpieces that span several seasons, sometimes a great show comes along, tells an impressive story, and then is sadly canceled after just one season. Sure, it's fun to become deeply invested in a long-running series like Game of Thrones, and fans are eager to see what happens to every character in Stranger Things season 5. But some shows are still fascinating and enjoyable despite their brief lifespan, like the dark mystery The Society that had one season. Even though viewers never find out the truth and the main characters don't get the chance to solve the main mystery, the Netflix series is still a lot of fun.
When you're looking for a quick binge-watch, a TV show with a single season is a great bet, and it's a nice reminder of the art of succinct storytelling. This sci-fi series didn't get the attention it should have when it was released, but it only takes 9 hours to watch these 13 episodes.
The Whispers Is An Underrated Sci-Fi Show (And A Short, Fun, And Entertaining Binge-Watch)
The Whispers Season 1 Has 13 Gripping Episodes
The Whispers aired on ABC in 2015 and was adapted from the short story "Zero Hours" by Ray Bradbury. The series starred Lily Rabe in the compelling role of Special Agent Claire Bennigan, who thinks that her husband Sean (Milo Ventimiglia) passed away. When the story begins, two wild things happen at once: Claire learns the truth about what happened to Sean, and she looks into a group of kids who have an imaginary friend who they call Drill.
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, who is known for his great sci-fi movies, The Whispers has a 71% Rotten Tomatoes score and 69% on the Popcornmeter. While some fans shared on Reddit that the show has a good premise but doesn't deliver, it's a solid sci-fi tale with an interesting villain.
Barry Sloane, who played Wes Lawrence, a smart character who works for the Defense Department, teased what fans could expect in an interview with TV Line in 2015. He explained that, in contrast to other sci-fi TV shows, viewers find out the big twist fairly early on, which is what makes it so compelling. Sloane explained:
“By the end of Episode 4, you’ll know exactly what it is we’re dealing with. We don’t drag [the mystery] out for 13 episodes. You’re learning as the characters are learning, and the whole thing takes place in nine days.”
Although some might say that a TV show centered around a mysterious imaginary friend who puts kids into scary situations is corny, that's part of the fun. Unlike other sci-fi shows that are about young characters, like Netflix's hit Stranger Things, The Whispers
Why Was The Whispers Canceled?
Sadly, Low Ratings Meant The Show Only Had 13 Episodes
Variety reported in October 2015 that ABC decided to cancel The Whispers. Although the ratings were high at the beginning of season 1, they got worse, which led to its cancellation. It's always tough when a great show doesn't make it past its first season, and after seeing the mystery surrounding Drill, it's hard not to wish for at least one more season to wrap things up.
The AppleTV+ sci-fi series Constellation was also canceled after one season, and it's tough when a promising show doesn't get to reach its planned conclusion. In the case of the sci-fi genre, this often means that plot threads are left open and fans don't get the answers they want.
But, even though viewers didn't get to see The Whispers season 2, and there are a lot of questions about Drill, the first season is still an enjoyable ride.
- Release Date
- 2015 - 2015
- Network
- ABC
- Directors
- Charles Beeson, Brad Turner, Kenneth Fink, P.J. Pesce, Edward Ornelas, Guillermo Navarro, Holly Dale, Mark Romanek
- Writers
- Holly Harold, Zack Estrin, Dean Widenmann, Ubah Mohamed, Alison Tatlock
Cast
-
Lily RabeClaire Bennigan -
Barry SloaneWes Lawrence -
Milo VentimigliaJohn Doe -
Derek WebsterJessup Rollins
