Tru Calling
Season 1 DVD box set
Genre	Drama
Running time	42 minutes
Creator(s)	Jon Harmon Feldman
Starring	Eliza Dushku, Zach Galifianakis
Country of origin	USA
Original channel	FOX
Original run	October 30, 2003–April 21, 2005
No. of episodes	26 (List of episodes)
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Tru Calling is an American television series which was first broadcast on the Fox Network in September 2003. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (500x704, 86 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Dushku as the slightly non-conformist cheerleader Missy Pantone in the 2000 comedy, Bring It On. ... Zach Galifianakis with singer Fiona Apple in the music video for her single Not About Love (2006). ... The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually referred to as just Fox (the company itself prefers the capitalized version FOX), is a television network in the United States. ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually referred to as just Fox (the company itself prefers the capitalized version FOX), is a television network in the United States. ...

The show's cancellation was officially announced at a press conference in January 2005, but Gail Berman, then president of Fox, insisted that the network intended to broadcast the remaining six episodes filmed for the show's second season. Season Two of Tru Calling (such as it was) aired in New Zealand beginning on February 4, 2005, in Croatia the following March and April, and finally, after nearly a year-long hiatus, in the U.S. beginning on March 31. The last episode filmed was never broadcast in the U.S., presumably because the show had a Christmas theme and the episodes were broadcast in the Spring. The complete series was aired in Malaysia, Germany, Brazil and Portugal as well. DVDs of both seasons of Tru Calling have been released in the United States and the United Kingdom. The second series began airing on Sky One in the UK, starting on Thursday 12 October 2006. Gail Berman (born 1956) is the president of Viacoms Paramount Pictures. ... February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... Sky One is one of British Sky Broadcastings entertainment channels in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Premise

The lead character in the series is Tru Davies, played by Eliza Dushku (also seen in Buffy the Vampire Slayer), a young woman working the night shift at the City Morgue. Every now and then, the corpse of a newly dead person appears to awaken and ask Tru for help; she then awakens with a start at the beginning of the previous day, compelled to try and stop the death (often taking the opportunity to rectify various personal situations involving family and friends along the way). Reasons for the death include murder, cancer, suicide, etc. Other characters in the series include Harrison Davies (Shawn Reaves), Tru's irresponsible younger brother (who later becomes a loyal asset to Tru at the end of the first season), and Davis (Zach Galifianakis), her friend, confidante, and supervisor at the Morgue. It is eventually revealed that Davis had several years earlier had a fateful encounter with Tru's mother (who had apparently been the last person to receive the "calling" before her daughter). Dushku as the slightly non-conformist cheerleader Missy Pantone in the 2000 comedy, Bring It On. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Shawn Reaves is an American actor. ... Zach Galifianakis with singer Fiona Apple in the music video for her single Not About Love (2006). ...

Supporting characters who only lasted for a portion of the series included Meredith Davies (Jessica Collins), Tru's drug addicted sister, Lindsay Walker (A. J. Cook), her best friend in the first season, Luc Johnston (Matthew Bomer), her love interest in the first season, and Gardez (Benjamin Benitez), her former co-worker at the morgue. A.J. Cook portrays Fiona Kennedy in Bloodsuckers Andrea Joy Cook, more commonly known as A. J. Cook, is a Canadian actress. ... Matthew S. Bomer (born October 11, 1978) is an American actor. ...

Jack Harper (played by Jason Priestly), a counterpart to Tru's character, is introduced midseason as a foil and possible love interest. He is there to make sure fate got its way, and introduces a philosophical aspect to Tru's endeavors: should she be saving the lives of people who may have been intended to die? In the second season, Tru and Jack compete to get to a person first — she to save them, and he to restore the order of fate, and maintain what he believes to be the balance of the universe. Jason Priestley (born August 28, 1969), actor, was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ...

Episode List

Season 1: 2003-2004

Season 2: 2005 October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 4 is the 338th day of the year (339th on leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the Gregorian Calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), at which point there will be 13 days remaining to the end of the year. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Controversy and cancellation

Eliza Dushku as Tru Davies

Tru Calling has been cited by television critics, bloggers, and science-fiction fans as an example of a series that was not given time to find an audience, or adequately to develop its premise^{[citation needed]}. On the other hand, some websites refused even to cover the show in their "spoiler" listings, claiming that it was too contrived and difficult to watch, and the addition of Jason Priestley to the cast arguably failed to increase ratings. Further hype and speculation was generated by the show's season-ending cliffhanger, with Jack revealing himself to be Tru's nemesis, and even having a working relationship with her father. This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Aerith dies at the end of disc one of Final Fantasy VII. A spoiler is a summary or description of a narrative (or part of a narrative) that relates plot elements not revealed early in the narrative itself. ...

After this cliffhanger, spoilers and inquiries began hitting industry magazines, with the promise of great plot developments in store during the second season. Even odder given the series' eventual fate is a Season One DVD release with commentary by an enthusiastic cast and crew talking up the second season of the show. In fact, Ain't It Cool News, which hated the show in its first year, claimed that the second season deserved praise for being the "Most Improved" show of the year^{[citation needed]}. Fox Television could not decide what to do with Tru, however, first renewing it for a second season, then shortening the length of its series to 13, and eventually 6, episodes, not to mention moving the season's broadcast date from November 2004 to an indeterminate time in 2005 and after that happened there were rumors that The WB was going to pick up the series but it never happened. After storing the show's set for an indefinite period of time, word finally arrived that it was being torn down, and Tru's fate appeared to be sealed. In the end, Fox replaced it with another science-fiction genre entry, Point Pleasant, which suffered even lower ratings than Tru Calling. Screenshot of Aint It Cool News. ... Point Pleasant was a television series that first aired on the Fox Network in January 2005. ...

Jason Priestley as Jack Harper

Finally, after almost a year's gap, Fox Television started broadcasting the last six filmed episodes of Tru Calling in March 2005, in place of Point Pleasant, which had been cancelled. Ironically, these episodes achieved better ratings than Point Pleasant during their run, with practically no advertising. The second season also did very well in New Zealand during its run there in February and March. This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ...

On April 20, 2005, Fox announced that the sixth and final episode would not be aired, and that the series would end its run one week early with the episode that had been intended to be shown the following evening. Network executives felt it would be peculiar to show an episode with a partial Christmas theme (the show had originally been planned to debut on November 4, putting the sixth episode near Christmas) in late April. Instead, they showed in its slot two episodes of The Simple Life. April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... The Simple Life is the name of a reality television series originally broadcast on Fox in 2003. ...

Comparisons

The series' use of time travel as a weekly device led some viewers to compare it to two other television series that fans feel were unfairly cancelled – Quantum Leap and Sliders – as well as the film Groundhog Day. Critics of the comparison note that while Tru Calling's "rewind" format is similar to the notions of time travel or parallel worlds, the series stayed clear of using its format to address philosophical or social issues, until near the end when it touched broadly on the notion of fate. Quantum Leap is a science fiction television series that ran for 97 episodes from March 1989 to May 1993 on NBC. It follows the adventures of Dr. Samuel Beckett (played by Scott Bakula), a brilliant scientist who after researching time-travel, and doing experiments in something he calls The Imaging... This article is about the sci-fi television show. ... Groundhog Day is a 1993 comedy film and box office hit starring Bill Murray as Phil Connors, an egocentric Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania TV weatherman who, dreading his hated annual assignment covering Groundhog Day (February 2) in Punxsutawney, finds himself repeating the day over and over. ...

What Might Have Been

After the show's cancellation, writer/producer Doris Egan posted information on LiveJournal detailing how the mythology of the series would likely have been developed, had it continued. Some salient points include: Doris Egan is an American screenwriter and producer. ... LiveJournal (often abbreviated LJ) is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal, or diary. ...

• There are two great Powers in the universe concerned with humanity's fate; one that laid out the original plan that history has been following since the beginning of time, and one that wants to change that plan (what ultimate goal either side is working toward remains unknown, possibly even to the show's creators). The first power is more strict and authoritarian in its view of humanity, whereas the second is "more accepting of individual freedom and choice."

• Whenever someone dies who may be important to the overall scheme of things (and, presumably, in a way that would serve the second power's purposes), an agent of that power approaches the person and offers them a choice- they can either move on, or return and have a shot at resuming their old life. If they want a second chance, all they have to do is ask for it. If they do, Tru goes back and relives the day, with a view to saving that person's life.

• Every time Tru saves someone who has asked for her help, she steers the destiny of our world a little farther away from what the first power intended, and a little closer to what the agents of the second power want.

• Jack, Tru's nemesis, has a very big advantage over her — his mentor, her father (who was Jack's predecessor, just as Tru's mother was hers). Tru is working in the dark, learning as she goes along, but Jack has an older, more experienced counterpart who can share knowledge and wisdom from a long line of predecessors with his young protege. Tru, of course, was robbed of this potentially crucial advantage because of her mother's untimely death.

• Jack became Tru's counterpart after being approached by agents of the first power during his near-death experience. They offered him a choice: he could either die, or return to Earth to do their bidding. Once he got back, his memories of the encounter were hazy, and he didn't initially understand what was happening when his days started rewinding (at around the time that Tru's did). He eventually wound up in an asylum, which is where Tru's father found him.

• The central conflict of the show's mythology was never meant to be perceived as a simple, straightforward "good versus evil" scenario. Rather, the creators intended to portray the battle in such a way that either side could conceivably be right — and, at the very least, to show that the soldiers on both sides certainly believe that what they're doing is right. Jack and Tru's father truly believe that she is disrupting the balance of the universe by doing what she does; Tru, of course, believes otherwise. Who would have turned out to be right? These are the questions the producers of the show meant for us to ponder.

• A future storyline on the show would have dealt with the possible repercussions if Jack ever decided that he no longer wanted to fulfill his end of the bargain (i.e., to continue doing the first power's bidding).

• Another storyline (which was actually in progress when the show ended) would have dealt with the consequences of Tru's saving someone who hadn't asked for her help. Because that person was either never given the choice to come back, or was and chose not to take it, he would have essentially lost his soul after being saved by Tru, and would then have begun spiralling into increasingly menacing behavior as his humanity faded away and his personality began to disintegrate.

Season 2 DVD Set

Image File history File links TruCalling_S2. ... Image File history File links TruCalling_S2. ...

The Relive a Day Foundation

Fans have created a site to continue the series. Episodes are written and posted regularly, and the writers are doing all they can to remain true to the show. The third "season" will have sixteen episodes. When added to the six episodes that were actually shot in the second season, the total number is twenty-two, which is the standard number of episodes for a television season.

The title of the site, "Relive a Day Foundation", is a reference to a fake charity that Tru set up in the second season, the "Relive Your Day Foundation".

Cast

• Eliza Dushku (Tru Davies)
• Zach Galifianakis (Davis)
• Shawn Reaves (Harrison Davies)
• Jason Priestley (Jack Harper) (Episodes 14-26)
• A. J. Cook (Lindsay Walker) (Season 1)
• Jessica Collins [1] (Meredith Davies) (Episodes 1-13, guest starring afterwards)
• Benjamin Benitez (Gardez) (Episodes 4-13, guest starring previously)
• Matthew Bomer (Luc Johnston) (Episodes 6-20, guest starring previously)

Dushku as the slightly non-conformist cheerleader Missy Pantone in the 2000 comedy, Bring It On. ... Zach Galifianakis with singer Fiona Apple in the music video for her single Not About Love (2006). ... Shawn Reaves is an American actor. ... Jason Priestley as Jack Harper in Tru Calling Jason Priestley (born August 28, 1969), actor, was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... A.J. Cook portrays Fiona Kennedy in Bloodsuckers Andrea Joy Cook, more commonly known as A. J. Cook, is a Canadian actress. ... Matthew S. Bomer (born October 11, 1978) is an American actor. ...

Special guest stars

The second season featured some recurring "Special Guest Stars" that probably would have been considered part of the main cast had the series lasted longer (the way Matthew Bomer and Benjamin Benitz were recurring guest stars before being added to the main cast in the first season).

• Cotter Smith (Richard Davies)
• Liz Vassey (Dr. Carrie Allen)
• Eric Christian Olsen (Jensen)

Tru's two Medical School friends were also recurring characters in the second season, although because they were only listed as "Guest Stars", it is unknown whether they would have eventually joined the regular cast or not. Cotter Smith is the name of the actor that portrays Meredith, Tru and Harrison estranged father in the 2003-2004 series, Tru Calling. ... Liz Vassey as Captain Liberty in The Tick. ... Eric Christian Olsen (born May 31, 1977) is an American actor. ...

• Lizzy Caplan (Avery)
• Parry Shen (Ty)

Elizabeth Anne Caplan (born June 30, 1982 in Los Angeles, California), better known as Lizzy Caplan, is an American actress. ... Parry Shen (born June 26, 1973) is a Chinese-American actor, best known as the lead actor in the 2002 movie Better Luck Tomorrow. ...

Trivia

• The first character to ask for help was played by Hudson Leick who also appears in the opening credits saying "Help me!", and the last by Debbie Brown.
• The Ask Ausellio TV Guide column received so many inquiries regarding Tru Calling that it became a running gag, until Fox finally announced airdates for its second season.
• Jensen Ackles was the producers first choice to play the part of Jensen the love interest in season 2. Ackles turned the part down for unknown reasons and the part went to Eric Christian Olsen. A year after Tru Calling was canceled Ackles would star in his own show with a very similar plot and genre called Supernatural. Fans of both shows have made cross over videos on Youtube of the shows characters, Calling's Tru Davies and Supernatural's Dean Winchester.
• This is also the second time that Zack Galifianakis and A.J. Cook have worked with each other. The first time was in the snowboard comedy Out Cold

Hudson Leick as Callisto in Xena: Warrior Princess. ... he is the sexiest actor of all times. ... Eric Christian Olsen (born May 31, 1977) is an American actor. ... Supernatural is an American paranormal drama television series that debuted on September 13, 2005 on the WB Television Network, and is now part of The CWs lineup, where the second season premiered on September 28, 2006. ... YouTube is a popular free video sharing web site which lets users upload, view, and share video clips. ... Dean Winchester is a fictional character on The CW Television Networks Supernatural, played by Jensen Ackles. ... Out Cold has several meanings: Out Cold (2001 film) is a 2001 film with Jason London & Lee Majors Out Cold (1989 film) is a 1989 film with Teri Garr & Debra Lamb This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same...

U.S. Broadcast History

• October 2003 - April 2004 -- Thursdays 8:00pm/7:00pm
• March 2005 - April 2005 -- Thursdays 9:00pm/8:00pm

External links

• Tru Calling at EpisodeWorld.com
• TV.com | Tru Calling
• LiveJournal Tru Calling page Tru Calling staff writer Doris Egan reveals where the Season 2 story arc was to go.
• Relive A Day Foundation A virtual continuation of the series. The site was moved from http://reliveadayfoundation.com/ to livejournal on 6/28/2006.