Congratulations, you nut-lovin’ Jericho fans! Now that your deluge of legumes may have convinced CBS to bring your favorite show back from the dead, there are still some questions. First, is it really happening? (UPDATE: Yes, it is!) Second, will seven episodes be enough to tie up all the plot’s loose ends, or is there another nut-shipping campaign in CBS’s future? If I were a CBS exec, I’d be asking: Where was all this fan enthusiasm when the show was struggling in the ratings? Did we underestimate the support because we haven’t yet figured out a reliable way to count those who DVR’d the show or watched it online? And how can we translate those viewings, which don’t help our advertisers much, into the kind of revenue stream that justifies bringing this show back to life?
What say you, PopWatchers? Do you have the patience to wait until 2008 for more Jericho? Or are you burned out on this and other serial dramas that require you to invest a lot of time and emotion in return for gratification that may not come for years, or at all?
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Yay! I’m first! J/K! Personally, I was shocked when this was cancelled. I can’t wait for it to come back on! If all they’ll give us is a half season at first, then I guess it’ll have to do. This is one of the best new shows around, it’s a fresh idea, not just the same CSI/crime mold. Bring it on CBS! Bring it on!
Good for CBS for listening its fans! Jericho deserved to be renewed.I can’t wait to buy the first season dvd.
I am thrilled for it’s fans. But I can’t help wondering if it was a mistake. Now I loved it as a fan, when Roswell fans saved that show two seasons straight, convinced UPN to take it on when WB gave up. But isn’t the reason Jerico was cancelled because no one returned to watch after the hiatus. Do you think people are going to tune come in January or whenever the show returns. They need more viewers. Now die hards will be back. But I just don’t know if it was a good precedent to make. Because if this fails, like 7th Heaven failed this year once it got a renewed lease. Shows down the line might not get the chance.
But good-luck to the fans, and maybe it will work out. But I have doubts!
Woo-hoo! Yes, the show lost about 2 million viewers after the hiatus but the networks need to learn that you can’t leave a show hanging for 2 months and expect to get everyone back. Quality has to count for something to these network execs. NBC got the picture in renewing Friday Night Lights. As the article stated, the networks need to figure out a way to count viewers who watch at a later time. Most of the shows I watch don’t do well in the ratings (The Office, Jericho, FNL) but if there are millions of people like me, I can see why. I tend to Tivo and watch later so I can skip the commercials. So it doesn’t necessarily mean that people aren’t watching; it may mean that people love the show so much that they would rather watch it with only a few, if any, interruptions.
Way to go CBS! Thanks for listening to the fans. Takes a lot of guts to admit a mistake. Maybe that’s why you are the number one network!!
I don’t believe serial dramas were the point in this fight. It’s all about revenue… and high DVR and online viewing weren’t being taken into account. The final straw for renewal may have been the Nielsen data placing Jericho in the Top 10 for DVR commercial viewing. Advertisers, Nielsen and the networks are still trying to figure this out and the loyality shown by Jericho fans had to impress. In Jericho terms: Today is the last ordinary day… for traditional ratings number crunching. As The Office and 30 Rock have shown (and mocked), the “NASCARization” of television sponsorship is upon us. More product placement within shows is inevitable. I am actually willing to withstand gentle product placement if it will keep quality programs in production and rid us of reality shows (talk about product placement!). Now, if we can just find the right tie-in for Jericho. So far, I only remember Tang and Costco being mentioned within the show… do they still even make Tang?
I look at this as combined with the renewal of Friday Night Lights — giving low-rated shows a chance. It’s a subversion of the bottom-line-only mentality that has haunted broadcast TV since the mergers of the last century, and which of course in a broad context (the corporatization of everything, from politics to health care to religion, with money as the defining factor — a weird homage to Marx) is one of the scourges of our time. And on that note, I am off to buy that divine new rug I saw at the consignment shop…
I am thrilled that Jericho is coming back. I know there are a lot more important things in life than crusading for the return of a TV program, but I think this one is worthwhile. It’s not just entertainment, it’s a social comment and if we pay attention, we may learn something about ourselves.
I’m glad to hear it is returning even if I have to wait for it. What I liked most about Jericho’s story line is that it is plausible and timely. The way we keep heading towards “blowing up what we don’t like or don’t understand” may mean we take a step backward in the way we live. This could be the future, folks, if we don’t wake up now.
Very glad Jericho will be back next year. I’ll go one step further, Jericho should be on pay cable and as Pink Floyd sings “we’ll find out where you fans really stand”.
I never watched Jericho but I think it’s great that it will be back. Too many shows have been canceled without ever been given a chance while other mediocre shows stay on for years. Because the strong fan support has piqued my curiosity, I will watch Jericho when it comes back.
Hooray! I think Jericho is a great show that improved and got more exciting with every episode. Everyone I know that gave it a shot, ended up loving the show. I don’t mind waiting until 08 for quality TV…Lost, 24, good things come to those who wait:)
Gary, in response to your question about where the fans were: we were there all along. CBS acknowledged it made a bone-headed mistake with the three-month winter break. The show was going great before the break. Then the juggernaut called American Idol came along.
I never stopped watching the show. I signed the petitions. I’m glad the campaign paid off for the fans. I’m glad CBS saw their mistake. And I can’t wait for the new episodes.
I am glad CBS listened to the fans. I will be more inclined to watch shows on that network as opposed to other networks (ABC and fox) who cancel shows after a couple episodes if everyone in the world doesnt watch them. I had told so many people to start watching Jericho and then it was cancelled! So glad it will be back! Power to The People!
It’s not viewers the show has to get, it’s Nielsen viewers — that tiny selection of the U.S. population given little black boxes to record their viewing habits, which are then statistically extrapolated to calculate the larger viewing audience as ratings. So what Jericho fans really need to do is take their peanut shipping money and place an ad offering bribes to Nielsen viewers who are willing to set their t.v.’s to Jericho, especially the ones in the key 18-49 demographic. Fans of Friday Night Lights can also do this. They could also offer a deal to advertisers — force the network to keep the show on the air and we’ll buy your products.
It’s not viewers the show has to get, it’s Nielsen viewers — that tiny selection of the U.S. population given little black boxes to record their viewing habits, which are then statistically extrapolated to calculate the larger viewing audience as ratings. So what Jericho fans really need to do is take their peanut shipping money and place an ad offering bribes to Nielsen viewers who are willing to set their t.v.’s to Jericho, especially the ones in the key 18-49 demographic. Fans of Friday Night Lights can also do this. They could also offer a deal to advertisers — force the network to keep the show on the air and we’ll buy your products.
Last night after reading about this, I started to watch the videos of Jericho on CBS.com … guess what! You can count me in as a ‘ New Fan ‘ … what a great show! I had never seen it ( heard about it) but until last night … NOW I understand why people want it back … I mean WE want it back ;o)
Count me among those that DVR’d the whole season. With two kids – and admittedly both of my teams in the NHL and NBA playoffs – something had to give. Jericho is awesome – and I didn’t miss an episode. IMHO – this is a problem that many ‘good but not – must watch-live’ shows are going to face in the long-term tech savvie watcher future.
I’m glad it will be back, I think that if networks are going to try to do serilized shows, then they need to be prepared to wrap them up if they don’t renew them. At least a 2 hour wrap up, while not perfect, it would at least provide closure, and with DVD, they’ll eventually make their money back, and earn a lot of good will with the viewing public.
Now, what do we need to send ABC to get them to wrap up The Nine for us, maybe Nine Inch Nails CDs?
In response to them underestimating support of a show — of course they do! No one in the idustry ever asks me what I’m giving up precious time to watch. And I’m so fed up with my favorite shows getting cancelled simply because we have satellite, DVR, and children –a triple-reason why Nielson doesn’t care about what we watch in our home.
I’d happily pay to subscribe to a full season of a show to offset loss of advertising if it means I get to watch the shows I love (w/o commercials and when it fits *my* schedule) and won’t lose them. I’m still mourning Studio 60…
I personally think that any show that makes it past December in its first season should be guaranteed a second season to allow viewership to pick up over the summer via DVD, downloads, and word of mouth.
It’s time for the bigwigs to start thinking outside the box — cause the box ain’t working anymore!
How can you say that people that DVR Jericho (I did) or other shows don’t contribute to revenue like someone who watches it live?!? Because they fast forward through commercials?!? NEWS FLASH: people without DVR don’t watch commercials either. They change the channel or go get popcorn or whatever. I can’t remember the last time I ever sat through a whole commerical break on live TV. Long live Jericho!! And by long live I mean rap it up in the remaining seven episodes. The first season was great but now I just want a resolution.
I don’t watch this show myself but I would be very willing to buy the season 1 DVD. But that just brings up another question. Why don’t they tally the success of a TV show via DVD sales as well? There tons of shows that I buy on DVD because I don’t really have the time to support my shows during the work week. But on the weekend I turn into a machine and watch to my hearts content. I agree tv networks deffinatly need to come up with a better rating/voting system.
Way to go fans! I have 5 words:
Wedding of Stanley and Mimi. I am serious showrunners!!
I’m one of those who always watched online… I don’t have cable and find that frankly, most TV isn’t worth watching. However, Jericho NEEDED to be renewed. It was unfortunate to have suffered a “Perfect Storm” of factors that negatively affected how the ratings *looked* to the CBS execs. But clearly, the fans are out here, showing that CBS just needs to move itself boldly into the 21th century. Looking forward to new episodes!!!
I hope to see Season One out on DVD soon… this is one show that’s *definitely* going to be part of my DVD collection. YAY Jericho!!!!
Well, here it is in the Fall – no Jericho. But I am still looking forward to the 7 new episodes!!! So yes, I have the patience to wait.
Vicki
radiofreejericho.com