Posted on 06/06/2007 3:18:54 PM PDT by Momaw Nadon
LOS ANGELES — "Jericho" fans who slammed CBS with protests over the drama's cancellation have won the battle: It will return next season, the network said Wednesday.
It was an unusual display of viewer might since networks usually put ratings ahead of even the most passionate, well-organized fan base. But CBS said the show deserved another chance, while cautioning that it must prove it has wider appeal. "Wow! Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series," CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler said in a letter to "Jericho" boosters.
The letter was released to The Associated Press.
"You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard," Tassler wrote, and seven episodes have been ordered for midseason 2007-08. "In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more `Jericho,' we will need more viewers."
Fans must do their part to rally interest while the network does its job, she said.
CBS is planning a campaign to reintroduce "Jericho," including rerunning the show on CBS this summer, streaming episodes and clips online and releasing the first season on DVD on Sept. 25. The show's return date and scheduling has yet to be determined.
CBS had to complete deals with cast members, including star Skeet Ulrich, before announcing its decision.
Networks rarely reverse a show's axing but CBS has proven its flexibility at least once before. In 1983, after "Cagney & Lacey" was canceled and the network was bombarded with protests, the police drama was brought back in 1984 _ and ran successfully to 1988.
Since "Jericho" was canceled last month the network has been deluged with calls, messages and shipments of nuts signifying viewer displeasure.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Hurray. I’m so glad they are bringing it back. I was bummed...I wanted to see the big battle/show down/war that the season ended on...
I wouldn’t say unprecedented, Twin Peaks was brought back from the grave as well in 1991.
And we'll see the Army kick the crap out of Phil Constantino.
The geniuses who schedule shows on CBS could do Jericho a favor and not run it up against American Idol. What would folks rather watch—a fun, talent show or an end of the US as we know it show?
We never watched AI until half-way through this past season. We started watching Jericho via On Demand one night when there was nothing worth watching on tv. We were hooked after two episodes. But our children always wanted to watch American Idol rather than Jericho. We had to watch Jericho via cbs.com or On Demand.
I hope they go back to having at least one “survival tip” each week.
They can start by showing that taking cover behind an old Ford is not much use against rifle fire.
That does drive a person nuts. You see a movie or a TV show...They start shooting at a car, and the Bullets spark off the fender or door.
Geez....dont they have Tech Advisers?
What else drives me nuts, when they put a silencer of a revolver...
I think you've identified the problem, albeit not in the way that you intended.
Fun? Talent?
TV is driven by children and adults with children's mentalities (not that there's anything wrong with that, although I find it remarkable that children would decide what the adults watch).
I believe that Jericho was the only NBC show I watched in years, so I set out to identify a typical week's schedule on NBC. It quickly became clear that it has chosen to be the Nincompoop Broadcasting Company quite deliberately.
I was hoping that a truly versatile channel like the Scifi channel would pick up Jericho.
I made a mistake in identifying it as NBC. Apologies. I should no longer rely on memory for everything.
OK.
How about Clueless Broadcasting Company?
It's a pretty good show. I hope they don't ruin it with liberal crap and PC story lines.
Yeah!
(CBS receptionist was heard to say: “Just ... no... more ... NUTS!!”)
LOL - just saw the PS from Nina. No more nuts!
I think waiting until September to put the DVD out is ridiculous. That is when all the new shows start on network. I usually watch all my tv shows I missed on DVD over the summer, when I have more time because nothing else is on TV to DVR. I hate when shows wait so long to release the season.
IIRC, I believe the fans saved Veronica Mars from cancellation as well.
As well as Star Trek and of course Firefly Browncoats got ourselves a "Big Damn Movie" full Of "Big Damn Heroes" when we all "aimed to misbehave" as one.
lol
Our children are the tv watchers around here. But they don’t watch it all the time. Until this year, I don’t think American Idol had ever been played on our tvs. Our teenaged daughters have friends who watch AI, so the girls decided they would see what it was all about. Plus, they are Carrie Underwood fans, and they wanted to see if another Carrie would come of this year’s competition. Since the adults in our house do not watch much tv and since we can watch Jericho at times other than during AI, we did not mind waiting. If you watch it On Demand, you can skip the commercials. And you can watch it with or without other children present.
I invariably miss an episode or two every season.
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