After tons of nuts and millions of fan responses, the powers that be over at Viacom/CBS have bowed to the wishes of the faithful viewers of “Jericho” and will bring it back during the network’s 2007/2008 midseason for 7 concluding episodes of an abbreviated Season Two.
More news on this breaking story on our Slice of SciFi Show this Wednesday, June 13.
Finally one of the big the networks listen to the viewers…now if we could only get F*X to do the same.
Fantastic! The first season really ended so strongly, it was sad to see it killed off.
Congrats to Jericho fans. I haven’t seen the show, but from the fan response, I plan to.
http://www.nytimes.com
LOS ANGELES, June 6  Three weeks after CBS’s cancellation of the apocalyptic drama “Jericho†set off a sustained and creative protest by fans of the first-season series, the network reversed course and announced on Wednesday that it had ordered seven new episodes for broadcast late this year or early in 2008.
In a letter to “Jericho†fans that opened with “Wow!,†the president of CBS Entertainment, Nina Tassler, praised the “impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion†evident in the effort to save the series. Ms. Tassler added that the series could be extended further if fans help recruit more viewers. The letter is posted on the message board at CBS’s Jericho Web site.
The reversal and Ms. Tassler’s reaction were in response to a campaign that led to thousands of pounds of roasted nuts being sent to CBS executives by viewers of the show. The nuts were a reference to the first-season finale, in which Jake Green, the character played by Skeet Ulrich, uses a somewhat outdated expression to refuse his enemy’s suggestion that he surrender.
The expression led to a “Say ‘nuts’ to CBS†campaign that Ms. Tassler called “creative, sustained and very thoughtful and respectful in tone.â€Â
While thanking fans for their passion, Ms. Tassler also had a few words of warning. “For there to be more ‘Jericho,’ we will need more viewers,†she wrote.
She added, “We will count on you to rally around the show, to recruit new viewers with the same grass-roots energy, intensity and volume you have displayed in recent weeks.â€Â
CBS has yet to set a date for the show’s return, which will probably depend on how new series on the network’s fall schedule fare. In the meantime, CBS will rebroadcast some of the first season’s 22 episodes this summer. CBS Paramount Network Television, which produces the series, will release the first-season DVD on Sept. 25.
The president of CBS Paramount, David Stapf, said in an interview that the sets for the show were still in place in a studio in Van Nuys, Calif., making it relatively easy to restart production. Because the show was close to being renewed until only recently, many members of the show’s cast and production crew are still available to return.
When CBS was considering whether to renew “Jericho†for a second season, the studio and the show’s producers sketched out “a fairly specific plan†of the character arcs and storylines for a second season, Mr. Stapf said. That plan will be the basis of the seven-episode season.
“Jericho†was shown on Wednesdays at 8 p.m., a spot that next season will be occupied by “Kid Nation,†a reality show featuring a group of children who form their own society in a town without adults.
Last fall, “Jericho†regularly ranked first or second in that time period. In its initial weeks, it drew an estimated 11 million viewers each Wednesday, according to Nielsen Media Research, second to the “Dancing With the Stars†results show on ABC.
But “Jericho†was far weaker after it returned from a hiatus that lasted from late November to mid-February. In its first few weeks, it went head-to-head against the “American Idol†results show, drawing only about eight million viewers. And in March and April, it was handily beaten by the Fox drama “Bones.â€Â
This makes my day, it really could not end as it did.
WOOHOO!!!!!
This is great ! Now if only we could get those guys at
NBC/SciFi to renew Stargate SG1
Marko Says:
“Finally one of the big the networks listen to the viewers…now if we could only get F*X to do the same.”
They did the same for Cagney & Lacey back in the day (and we all know how that went) but I am glad they’re at least letting the show wrap itself up.
This show is so wonderfully creative, a scenario that all too possibly could come true in the future. The writers and actors of Jericho did an explosive job with the subject material. We need more shows like this one that gets you to think, and I am so glad it has been renewed for another seven episodes – I’ll gladly take whatever I can get!
I’m thrilled that they’re bringing back Jericho. Now we just need to get the ratings for the 7 episodes they’re going to show to be high enough for them to consider bringing it back for a full season, instead of just wrapping the story up.
My faith in CBS has been restored and F*** F*X!!!
Sing it, sister.
F*** F*X indeed, Kari.
CarrieP, I second that (e)motion.
I’m thinking that the people at Viacom/CBS know what happened with the Firefly debacle at Fox, and decided that it’d be better just to run the remaining episodes, finish the series…and then make bank on the DVD boxed set right away.
Hell, maybe the Jerico-heads’ll get a movie too!
Good on ya, Jerico-heads and Viacom.
Frack you, Fox!
I AM SO THRILL THAT THEY HAVE DECIDED ON BRINGING JERICHO BACK BUT DISAPOINTED THAT THEY ARE ONLY LOKKING TO WRAP IT UP IN ONLY 7 EPISODES WHEN THIS SERIES SHOULD GO ON FOR MANY MORE SEASONS, I REALLY HOPE THEY REALIZE THEY ARE MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE BY CLOSING IT UP. SAVE JERICHO FOR EVER!!!!!
JERICHO may come back after the 7 episodes IF the ratings are good. So pass the word everyone!!
WATCH JERICHO!!
JERICHO ROCKS!!
Write to: Nina.Tassler@cbs.com and let her know why you enjoy the show so much. Ask her to keep the show on.
Thank you for all your help.
A JERICHO RANGER
The best sci fi written and acted in years. Right up there with Star Trek years ago when it came out. It is so real you believe it is happening, could happen, or has happened. Outstanding acting, the best in years. This could be a number 1 show.
This is the first show (EVER) to draw me to the screen EVRY WEEK !!!! I feel I speek for the non-vocal, preoccupied majority of working adults who earn the dollars your advertisers thirst for, when I say …” WERE SICK OF THIS FAKE-REALITY,CHEESY,BEVERLY HILLS BASED, TEENYBOPPER, ULTRA-CELEBRETY, WITH A TOP-40 SOUNDTRACK GARBAGE,THAT PERMIATES THE AIRWAVES BETWEEN HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF KID BASED COMMERCIALS:.. I WORK HARD TO FINANCE A HOUSEHOLD WITH A 56″HD,,,, DAMMIT, GIMME SOMETHIN WORTH WATCHING!!!”
I will miss Gerald McRaney. 🙁
Yes I agree with Grace, I liked Gerald McRaney alot even when he was on that detective show. But he made Jericho what it was …… I miss him. I hope this show continues for years to come. It is one of the best shows on CBS besides CSI Miami……. 🙂
SAVEEEEEEEE JERICHO FOREVER….. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST SERIES EVER……. I LIKE IT…… I LIKE IT….. I LIKE IT…… AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE DO AS WELL…….. PLEASEEEEEE KEEP JERICHO 🙂
JIM 🙂