Runaway is an American drama series that aired on The CW from September 25, 2006, to October 15, 2006. The series was created by Chad Hodge and was produced by Golly and Darren Star Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television. Along with The Game, it was one of only two series on the new network not to be inherited as previously aired from either of its predecessor networks, The WB and UPN. The show was officially cancelled on October 18, 2006.
Synopsis
Runaway chronicles the life of the Raders, an average middle-class American family who just moved to Bridgewater, Iowa, from Potomac, Maryland. Though looking like the perfect family, the Raders are on the run from the law. Paul Rader, the patriarch of the family, was convicted for a murder that he didn't commit. In addition, the Raders are hunted by the real killer who had made good on targeting the family, especially the children. These reasons are enough for Paul to seek the evidence that will clear him and end his family's nightmare.
Characters
Main
Paul Rader/Jim Holland is the patriarch – husband and father of the family, a successful attorney. He was wrongly accused of the murder of Erin Baxter, a beautiful young associate in his law firm. The real killer's next move is to go after his three children, so Paul must relocate them.
Lily Rader/Brenda Holland is the wife and mother of the family who owned an art gallery near their previous home in Maryland.
Henry Rader/Jason Holland is the elder son in the family, high school sophomore. He misses his girlfriend Kylie in Maryland and sometimes takes rash risks in order to try and communicate with her.
Hannah Rader/Kate Holland is the only daughter in the family, high school sophomore, who seems to be the only one who prefers the possibility of creating a new life where she isn't the social outcast she was back in Maryland.
Tommy Rader/Michael "Mikey" Holland is the younger son of the family, eight years old. As the youngest, it is the most difficult for him to keep his lies straight.
Angela Huntley is the defense attorney assigned to the Raders' case and is considered one of the best agents in the U.S. Marshals Service.
Gina Bennett is the Raders' local realtor, a single mother with a law school education, who helps the Raders.
Recurring
Jake seen in the first episode taking an instant dislike to Henry and making his life at the new school difficult from running his car into the ditch and assault. Turns out later that he and his mother have been on the run from an abusive husband, with new identities and contacts that could have potentially also helped the Raders.
Brady Sullivan
Amber
Tannen
Erin
Cancellation
cancelled Runaway on October 18, 2006, four weeks after its debut. Runaway holds the distinction of being the first show to be canceled on the new network. The show never found an audience and had the lowest ratings of the programming on all 5 major broadcast networks.
Episodes
Thirteen episode scripts were ordered, and nine episodes were filmed, but only three were broadcast by the CW. The unfilmed scripts were named "They Say It's Your Birthday", "Dashing Through the Snow", "Trial and Error", and "Knock, Knock".
Broadcast
The series aired on both Global and CH in Canada. In March 2009 3e started showing Runawayfor the first time in Ireland. In June 2007, British Television channelE4 started showing Runaway. In the UK, the fifth episode was due to be shown on July 18, but was replaced by How to Look Good Naked; the episode was eventually shown early the next morning at 1:35am and since then had a very late timeslot of around 1 am, Thursday morning. The show's slot was moved from late evening to early morning due to poor ratings. All nine episodes were aired in the UK.
Ratings
For the season it was broadcast, Runaway scored dead last with a ranking of 142, and an average of 2 million viewers. In May 2007, the other new scripted CW drama picked up Hidden Palms would go to achieve a new CW record with even lower viewer turnout than Runaway even in the less competitive summer season.
