Aquarius (American TV series) explained

Creator:John McNamara
Composer:W. G. Snuffy Walden
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:26
Location:Los Angeles, California
Runtime:42 minutes
Network:NBC
Image Alt:Aquarius written in white block letters on a black background

Aquarius is an American period crime drama television series created by John McNamara that aired on NBC from May 28, 2015, to September 10, 2016. Set in 1967 Los Angeles, the series explores the intersection of historical and fictional narratives, focusing on real-life figures and events while incorporating fictional characters and stories.[1]

The show primarily follows LAPD Detective Sam Hodiak (played by David Duchovny), who investigates the rise of Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony) and the infamous Manson Family. The plot delves into themes of crime, counterculture, and social upheaval during the turbulent 1960s.

Aquarius received positive reviews from television critics, with praise for its period detail, storytelling, and David Duchovny's performance. It was among the eight series to receive the Critics' Choice Television Award for Most Exciting New Series in 2015.[2]

Despite its initial success, Aquarius struggled with ratings, and was eventually cancelled by NBC on October 1, 2016, after two seasons.[3] [4]

Overview

Aquarius is set in 1967 Los Angeles, blending real historical figures with fictional elements. The series follows LAPD detective Sam Hodiak, who is investigating the disappearance of Emma Karn, a teenage girl, with the help of his younger colleague, undercover officer Brian Shafe. Their investigation leads them to Charles Manson and his "family," a group of followers under Manson's control. The first season centers on Manson's growing influence, while the second focuses on the Tate murders and Manson's belief in an impending race war, which he called "helter skelter."

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

Production

Series creator John McNamara described Aquarius as "historical fiction," blending real-life figures like Charles Manson with fictional characters and events to create a dramatized narrative set in 1967 Los Angeles.[16] While inspired by Manson's infamous cult and the socio-political climate of the era, the show incorporates fictional storylines, historical events, and cultural references to highlight key social issues of the 1960s.[17] NBC published a blog to provide historical context for the events portrayed in the series.[18]

The soundtrack prominently features songs from the 1960s, with each episode named after iconic tracks from the era, including some associated with the Manson Family.[19] Notably, Season 2 episode titles are all named after The Beatles' songs, reflecting Manson's obsession with their music. The series is rated TV-14 for NBC broadcasts, though an unrated version with more explicit content was released on DVD.[20]

Initially envisioned as a six-season show, Aquarius was renewed for a second season in June 2015, but it was ultimately canceled after two seasons.[21] [22] [23]

Episodes

Season 2 (2016)

Season 2 debuted on June 16, 2016, with a two-hour, commercial-free event that constituted the first three episodes.[24]

Webisodes

The Summer of Love is a series of four short webisodes.[25] They are set in San Francisco in 1967 during the Summer of Love, before the events of season 1, where Charlie gathers his first followers Mary, Katie, and Sadie.

Broadcast

Aquarius premiered on NBC on May 28, 2015.[26] [27] [28] After the broadcast, NBC made all 13 episodes of the first season available for a four-week period on its website, mobile app, and Hulu, while continuing to air episodes weekly in the regular television slot.[29]

In Australia, the series debuted the following day, May 29, 2015, on the streaming platform Presto, releasing all episodes for 28 days.[30] The show later premiered on television via the Seven Network on August 26, 2015.[31] The second season was similarly aired on Presto simultaneously with its U.S. release.

Reception

Critical response

Season 1 of Aquarius received mixed or average reviews, with a Metacritic score of 58/100, based on 36 critic reviews. Glenn Garvin of Reason praised the series for going beyond the typical retelling of the Charles Manson story, highlighting its portrayal of the 1960s' epic social battles around race, gender, drugs, and the Vietnam War. He also commended the show for its "killer 1960s soundtrack."[32]

Ratings

These Nielsen ratings reflect the regular TV broadcast, but do not include the online binge-watching that was made possible by releasing the complete series on demand even before the TV broadcast. Those online view numbers, however, are not publicly available.[33] NBC claims they helped gaining insight into online viewing behavior.[34]

Season 2

Awards

Aquarius was among the eight series to win the Most Exciting New Series at the 5th Critics' Choice Television Awards in 2015.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pederson . Erik . April 19, 2016 . 'Aquarius' Season 2 Gets Two-Hour Ad-Free Launch on NBC . April 19, 2016 . Deadline Hollywood.
  2. Web site: Petski . Denise . May 26, 2015 . Critics' Choice TV Awards' Top New Series Revealed . February 11, 2017 . Deadline Hollywood.
  3. Web site: Kelley . Seth . October 1, 2016 . NBC Cancels 'Aquarius' After Two Seasons . October 1, 2016 . Variety.
  4. Web site: Ausiello . Michael . October 1, 2016 . Aquarius Cancelled After Two Seasons . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161002024823/http://tvline.com/2016/10/01/aquarius-cancelled-season-3-nbc-savid-duchovny/ . October 2, 2016 . October 1, 2016 . TVLine.
  5. Web site: Game of Thrones Vet Cast as Charles Manson in NBC's Aquarius; FNL, Bunheads Alums Also Join Drama. Ausiello. Michael. TVLine. June 20, 2014. July 7, 2014.
  6. Web site: The Originals' Claire Holt Joins NBC Drama Aquarius as Series Regular. Swift. Andy. TVLine. July 29, 2014. July 29, 2014.
  7. Web site: Goldberg. Lesley. NBC's Charles Manson Drama Adds Michaela McManus, Two More (Exclusive). . August 10, 2014. July 14, 2014.
  8. Web site: Shows Episode Schedule Page. NBCUniversal Media Village. June 14, 2015.
  9. Web site: Tara Lynne Barr Joins NBC's 'Aquarius'; Kahyun Kim In 'Mysteries Of Laura' . The Deadline Team . . July 28, 2014 . August 3, 2014.
  10. Web site: Ausiello. Michael. Michael Ausiello. Grey's Anatomys Gaius Charles Joins NBC's Charles Manson Drama Aquarius . TVLine. August 10, 2014. July 14, 2014.
  11. Web site: Fowler. Matt. Aquarius: "A Change is Gonna Come" Review. IGN. May 29, 2015. June 14, 2015.
  12. Web site: Brian Gattas Cast In 3 Projects; Brian Dare Joins 'Jane The Virgin'. Deadline Hollywood. June 17, 2015. September 5, 2014.
  13. Web site: Fowler. Matt. Aquarius: "Never Say Never to Always" Review. IGN. May 29, 2015. June 14, 2015.
  14. Web site: Aquarius: "Cease to Resist" Review. IGN. Fowler. Matt. May 31, 2015. June 3, 2015.
  15. Web site: James Martinez Joins 'Aquarius'; Melinda Page Hamilton In 'Dig'. Deadline Hollywood. June 15, 2015. November 12, 2014.
  16. McNamara . John . John McNamara (writer) . Danielle Turchiano . Aquarius Boss Says NBC's Charles Manson Drama Is "Historical Fiction" . June 18, 2015 . . May 27, 2015.
  17. Web site: Stanley . Alessandra . May 27, 2015 . Review: Mulder Meets Manson in NBC's Compelling Aquarius . June 18, 2015 . The New York Times.
  18. Web site: 1967 Blog . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150619011543/http://www.nbc.com/aquarius/blog/aquarius-this-week-in-1967 . June 19, 2015 . June 18, 2015 . . mdy.
  19. Web site: The Music of Aquarius . June 18, 2015 . NBC.
  20. Web site: Aquarius Censorship . April 26, 2018 . Movie Censorship.
  21. Web site: Bibel . Sara . June 25, 2015 . Aquarius Renewed for Season 2 by NBC . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150626130806/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/06/25/aquarius-renewed-for-season-2-by-nbc/422770/ . June 26, 2015 . June 25, 2015 . TV by the Numbers.
  22. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . June 25, 2015 . David Duchovny Drama Aquarius Renewed For Second Season By NBC . June 29, 2015 . Deadline Hollywood.
  23. Abrams . Natalie . June 25, 2015 . Aquarius lands second season at NBC . June 29, 2015 . Entertainment Weekly.
  24. Web site: "Ratings: Aquarius Returns 'Up,' But Low". TVLine. Webb Mitovich. Matt. June 17, 2016. June 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160618144736/http://tvline.com/2016/06/17/aquarius-season-2-premiere-ratings/. June 18, 2016. live.
  25. Web site: Aquarius - Full Episodes, Clips & Videos . . June 17, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150616230850/http://www.nbc.com/aquarius/video . June 16, 2015 . live .
  26. Web site: Bibel . Sara . March 6, 2015 . NBC Announces Summer Premiere Dates for 'Hannibal', 'Aquarius', 'America's Got Talent' & More . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150309002103/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/03/06/nbc-announces-summer-premiere-dates-for-hannibal-aquarius-americas-got-talent-mor/372145/ . March 9, 2015 . June 14, 2015 . TV by the Numbers.
  27. Web site: May 11, 2014 . Fresh Comedies, Captivating Dramas and Highly Popular Returning Series Highlight NBC's Well-Balanced and Dynamic 2014-15 Primetime Schedule . dead . https://archive.today/20140512035009/http://thefutoncritic.com/news/2014/05/11/fresh-comedies-captivating-dramas-and-highly-popular-returning-series-highlight-nbcs-well-balanced-and-dynamic-2014-15-primetime-schedule-98403/20140511nbc01/ . May 12, 2014 . July 7, 2014 . The Futon Critic.
  28. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . March 31, 2014 . NBC Orders Charles Manson Drama Series Starring David Duchovny From Marty Adelstein & ITV Studios Who Eye Alliance . July 7, 2014 . Deadline Hollywood.
  29. Web site: Bibel . Sara . April 29, 2015 . NBC Will Release All 13 Episodes of 'Aquarius' Online The Day of the Show's TV Premiere . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150502175132/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/04/29/nbc-will-release-all-13-episodes-of-aquarius-online-the-day-of-the-shows-tv-premiere/397043/ . May 2, 2015 . June 14, 2015 . TV by the Numbers.
  30. Web site: Knox . David . May 10, 2015 . Airdate: Aquarius . August 19, 2015 . TV Tonight.
  31. Web site: August 18, 2015 . Airdate: Aquarius . August 19, 2015.
  32. Web site: Garvin . Glenn . May 28, 2015 . NBC's Aquarius Has David Duchovny As a Sixties Cop Tracking Down Charles Manson . November 17, 2016 . Reason.
  33. Web site: Adalian. Josef. NBC Won't Say If It Will Share Aquarius Bingeing Data. Vulture. July 8, 2015. May 28, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150709053517/http://www.vulture.com/2015/05/nbc-wont-say-if-it-will-share-aquarius-data.html. July 9, 2015. live.
  34. Web site: Bibel . Sara . Aquarius Renewed for Season 2 by NBC . . June 25, 2015 . June 25, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150626130806/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/06/25/aquarius-renewed-for-season-2-by-nbc/422770/ . June 26, 2015 . dead .

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