So, What's Up with CBS Television?
On May 9, 2007, CBS announced that its freshman series, "Jericho", would not be renewed for the Fall 2007/2008 season.
I was very disappointed (but not shocked based on the posts from Jericho message boards) by the cancellation.
CBS' first blunder was to greenlight the series in the first place. The creative team and cast involved in the pilot were first-rate; how would this drama fail to find an audience? I started watching for Skeet Ulrich but stayed because of Gerald McRaney, Pamela Reed, Sprague Grayden, Ashley Scott, Alicia Coppola (even before this, one of my "must watch actors), the intense Lennie James, Brad Beyer, Shoshonna Stern, and eventually David Meunier and others, as Jericho's story unfolded.
CBS' second blunder was the intense Internet content available which includes episodes, wikis, playback of interviews with actors, producers, writers, and most of all, the Jericho Message Boards. CBS created a time bomb for itself. More than any other television show, "Jericho" has touched so many of us, and the Message Boards have been a way for us to touch other fans. We poured over each of the first eleven episodes many, many times during the (CBS' third blunder) hiatus, discussing actors, scenes, future storylines, characters' backstories, and sharing fan fiction intensely, on a daily basis, for months. Our community has laughed, cried, mourned and kvetched together. Despite widely differing opinions, many of us have become friends. None of us wants the show to end.
Fourth blunder, CBS? Setting Jericho up to fail, against the ratings juggernaut, "American Idol." Not my cup of tea, but it draws the viewers, without a doubt. But "Jericho" had no chance to hook the casual viewer who was most likely Idoling away on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Fifth blunder was the cancellation of the show abruptly. We knew the show was "on the bubble" but many of us believed the unique content and superb cast and crew would swing the decision in our favor. We were wrong. Despite an email and letter-writing effort prior to the upfronts, CBS ignored our voices.
So NUTS to CBS, I say! Even if you were only a casual viewer, if you're at all interested in quality television, let CBS know it was mistaken:
Ms. Nina Tassler, President
CBS Entertainment
7800 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036-2112
(323) 575-2747
nina.tassler@cbs.com
Mr. Kelly Kahl, Exec VP
CBS Programming
51 West 52nd Street
NY, NY 10019
323-575-2442
kelly.kahl@cbs.com (honcho of programming)
Other CBS Main #'s to call:
212-975-3247 / 212-975-4321
212-975-3241 / 212-975-3245
For more information on the fight for Jericho:
nutsonline.com (part of the NUTS to CBS drive)
jericholives.com
jerichorallypoint.com
and, while it lasts:
cbs.com/primetime/jericho
I was very disappointed (but not shocked based on the posts from Jericho message boards) by the cancellation.
CBS' first blunder was to greenlight the series in the first place. The creative team and cast involved in the pilot were first-rate; how would this drama fail to find an audience? I started watching for Skeet Ulrich but stayed because of Gerald McRaney, Pamela Reed, Sprague Grayden, Ashley Scott, Alicia Coppola (even before this, one of my "must watch actors), the intense Lennie James, Brad Beyer, Shoshonna Stern, and eventually David Meunier and others, as Jericho's story unfolded.
CBS' second blunder was the intense Internet content available which includes episodes, wikis, playback of interviews with actors, producers, writers, and most of all, the Jericho Message Boards. CBS created a time bomb for itself. More than any other television show, "Jericho" has touched so many of us, and the Message Boards have been a way for us to touch other fans. We poured over each of the first eleven episodes many, many times during the (CBS' third blunder) hiatus, discussing actors, scenes, future storylines, characters' backstories, and sharing fan fiction intensely, on a daily basis, for months. Our community has laughed, cried, mourned and kvetched together. Despite widely differing opinions, many of us have become friends. None of us wants the show to end.
Fourth blunder, CBS? Setting Jericho up to fail, against the ratings juggernaut, "American Idol." Not my cup of tea, but it draws the viewers, without a doubt. But "Jericho" had no chance to hook the casual viewer who was most likely Idoling away on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Fifth blunder was the cancellation of the show abruptly. We knew the show was "on the bubble" but many of us believed the unique content and superb cast and crew would swing the decision in our favor. We were wrong. Despite an email and letter-writing effort prior to the upfronts, CBS ignored our voices.
So NUTS to CBS, I say! Even if you were only a casual viewer, if you're at all interested in quality television, let CBS know it was mistaken:
Ms. Nina Tassler, President
CBS Entertainment
7800 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036-2112
(323) 575-2747
nina.tassler@cbs.com
Mr. Kelly Kahl, Exec VP
CBS Programming
51 West 52nd Street
NY, NY 10019
323-575-2442
kelly.kahl@cbs.com (honcho of programming)
Other CBS Main #'s to call:
212-975-3247 / 212-975-4321
212-975-3241 / 212-975-3245
For more information on the fight for Jericho:
nutsonline.com (part of the NUTS to CBS drive)
jericholives.com
jerichorallypoint.com
and, while it lasts:
cbs.com/primetime/jericho
posted by Mary at 4:30 PM
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