Counterpart is a spy drama with heavy science fiction elements that is now airing its second season on Starz. It focuses on low-level agent Howard Silk who works in a job exchanging coded call-and-response messages which he does not fully understand. In truth, these are communications with a parallel world (which was created by an experiment gone awry in 1987), and on the other side his “counterpart” is an important agent who has discovered that people from his world are planning attacks that could put both sides at war with each other. J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy) plays the dual role of Howard “Alpha” (our world) and Howard “Prime” (the other side) and he is joined by a first-rate cast that includes Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones), Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense), James Cromwell (everything), Sara Serraiocco, and Nazanin Boniadi. The show is very much a slowburn that takes its time setting up the two worlds and establishing the characters on both sides. But it is also one that rewards the viewer’s patience as it unravels the layers of its story and delivers a complex and intriguing look at a reality that has diverged in two different directions for over thirty years.
Counterpart debuted on Starz in December of 2017 with little promotion but managed to attract plenty of praise and a small following. Its numbers for its first season were pretty low, only averaging a 0.09 (that’s nine one hundredths of a ratings point) across its first ten episodes. Starz had picked the show up for two seasons in advance, otherwise it might have been cancelled after that first year. It returned this past December, again with little promotion, and not surprisingly its numbers dropped further, having only averaged a 0.04 rating across six episodes so far in its second season. That’s a 56% drop year-over-year from a number that was already well below the level at which Starz has previously cancelled shows. That puts the show’s future very much in doubt and I have it firmly On the Bubble at this point.
In the show’s favor is the fact that it has been very well received by critics by critics thus far, holding a 100% fresh rating for both seasons on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition, the show’s studio, Sony Pictures Television, has sold it in 40 international territories, and this certainly appears to be the type of series that would play well to global audience. So it certainly seems like Starz should have an interest in keeping this one around, if only for the prestige value. But as mentioned, the premium cabler has done little to promote the series nor has it pushed the fact that this has become a hit among the critics. It actually seems very much like the show is an afterthought on the network and they are just airing it out through their two year commitment with no plans of sticking with it beyond that timeframe. My guess is that Starz will give the show the ax after the conclusion of its second season (which will hopefully not end on a cliffhanger). But if its international audience is strong enough, there is a chance that Counterpart could stick around for a third season on Starz or possibly be picked up by another venue.
I have not seen much social net activity related to this one, it skews to an older audience which tends to be less active in that arena, but a show of support could definitely give it a boost. If fans want this one to stick around for another year or more, they need to make a Call to Action and support Counterpart in a way that will draw attention to it. In addition to the social networks, fans should watch the show online. You can subscribe to Starz’s streaming service, directly or through other streamers such as Amazon Prime, and binge the series from the beginning. Any views of the show via streaming are picked up by Starz without the filter of the Nielsen ratings, and a surge in viewing could help its chances. This one has developed a reputation as an intelligent and well-crafted science fiction series and deserves to find a larger audience. And if fans start making some noise right now, that could make the difference on whether it survives to a third season.
Mid-Season is upon us with over forty new and returning sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the full schedule at this link. Be sure to stay tuned to this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site throughout the season for the latest ratings results and status updates for your favorite shows.
