The Eleventh Hour is back just in time to face its own eleventh hour.

The CTV drama about Canadian investigative broadcast journalism debuted earlier this season to rave reviews, but struggled to find an audience.

Tonight, the series premieres the remainder of its first-season episodes, with the intention of airing the entire first season without interruption this summer.

At least that was the plan.

And for now, says executive producer and former Calgarian Semi Chellas that will stay the plan.

She just isn't sure how.

With this week's announcement from the Canadian Television Fund that it had to turn away 64% of all subsidy applications submitted, the future is suddenly very dire for Canadian series.

"It's a terrible thing for the whole industry and for The Eleventh Hour," Chellas says.

"But we're writing scripts, working away on the second season. And I know the network and Alliance Atlantis (which produces the show) are totally committed to finding a solution ... They are at a loss to figure out what will happen, but they love the show."

Loyal viewership

She admits not helping was that, despite all the hype about the show when it premiered initially, the numbers fell short.

"Our ratings were less than what maybe people were hoping. But we have a loyal, enthusiastic audience. CTV got the highest volume of response to this show than any show they've ever done. And it was all coast-to-coast acclaim.

"But even if you look at a show like Seinfeld, the ratings can take a while to build. And I think we've gotten better and better."

Which is among the reasons it's so frustrating to have the show's fate thrown into doubt.

"The series is very very timely and very specific to Canada. It's stories about Canada and about things that could only happen in Canada ... because we have a stellar tradition of journalism in Canada.