HBO has confirmed that its television adaptation of The Time Traveller’s Wife won’t be moving forward in time.
Based on the international bestselling book of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger, the six-episode series made its debut on Sky Atlantic and Now TV in May with the final episode airing on June 19. The show captures the intricate love story between Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire. In contrast to the more conventional obstacles of young married life, this couple face an unprecedented challenge: Henry’s uncontrollable time travelling.
The show starred Rose Leslie as Clare Abshire, Theo James as Henry DeTamble, Desmin Borges as Gomez, and Natasha Lopez as Charisse.
This non-linear romance was previously made into a film in 2009 starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana as Clare and Henry respectively. While it received mixed reviews from critics it was a commercial success grossing $19.2 million on its opening weekend.
The TV adaptation seems to follow a similar trend, receiving mixed or average reviews from Metacritic. One critic writes how the series “plays out like a passable Channel 5 daytime film, not a supposedly prestige series from HBO. The adaptation is so lazy that episodes begin with the lead characters reading lines straight into the camera, rather than anyone making the effort to work them into the script.”
Stephen Moffat, who is no stranger to the realm of time travel as a former Doctor Who showrunner, wrote the series with David Nutter as director. Sue Vertue, Brian Minchin and Joseph E. Iberti also acted as executive producers.
In a statement to Deadline, a spokesperson for HBO gave thanks to the cast and crew for all their work on the short-lived show: “Though HBO will not be moving forward with a second season of The Time Traveler’s Wife, it was our privilege to partner with master storytellers Steven Moffat and David Nutter.”
“We are so grateful for their passion, hard work and care for adapting this beloved book. We also thank Theo and Rose, and the rest of our brilliant cast for their heartfelt performances, which completely captivated audiences.”
Words by Katie Heyes