Go to CBS.com/primetime/jericho and join in the battle...

Send in feedback to CBS..contact CBS affiliates..call into their programming department..send in peanuts with real, styrofoam or pictures..fax in your opinion...

The time to act is now before Wednesday is here..

Rumor on the NET is a 13 episode mid-season replacement. We'll find out in a few days.

"Jericho" fans: Nut cases for a cause

Re-Save Jericho? - Article in Media Daily News

'Jericho' Looking For A New Cable Network Home
by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, May 6, 2008 7:45 AM ET
"Jericho" could rise from the ashes--again. This time it could air on a traditional cable network.



Cable network programming executives say CBS Paramount Television, the producer of "Jericho," has been casually asking about resurrecting the show--after two on-again, off-again seasons at CBS.

Executives say Paramount has been talking to a number of networks--including Sci-Fi Channel and Hallmark Channel. Paramount could be looking at three partners for a new deal, perhaps including a cable operator such as Comcast in the mix--as well as trimming back production costs for the show.

The New York Times recently reported that CBS Paramount was possibly looking to start up the show with cable system operator Comcast Corp., perhaps running it on one of its VOD channels.

Experts liken a possible Comcast deal to one that NBC recently made for "Friday Night Lights" with DirecTV to air first-run original episodes on a satellite distributor's channel called The101, which airs a variety of series programming, with NBC getting a second run of the show.

A CBS Paramount Television spokeswoman had no comment at press time. Comcast and Sci-Fi Channel executives did not return phone calls by press time. A Hallmark spokeswoman had no comment.

Paramount wants to salvage "Jericho," according to the executive, to sell it as a Monday-to-Friday series in domestic and/or International syndication markets. Historically, off-network shows have had to accumulate four seasons of shows--or around 100 episodes--to enter syndication or other after-TV markets.

After its initial season, the 2006-2007 broadcast year, CBS did not initially put the show on its schedule for the 2007-2008 season. But after a vigorous online-fan campaign that culminated with over 20 tons of peanuts being sent to executives at CBS, the show returned for a second season.

Then after a few new episodes starting this January--and low ratings--CBS pulled the show again.

The problem with re-starting the show is the show's high $2-million-plus-per-episode price tag. But having two or three partners--possibly co-running the series--would make the financial model work.

During the past couple of seasons, the networks have created new sci-fi shows which they cancelled after one or two seasons, or even after just part of one season. When they did that to Journeyman, it was the last straw.

I will never again take the time and effort, to even attempt to watch any new sci-fi offerings on network TV, no matter how tempting they may be. I will not be part of that target audience for big business to pitch their products to.

If I do not watch any of the shows to begin with, and when they yank them off the air, then I can never be disappointed, let down and upset.

Sci-fi shows have a dedicated and intelligent audience, and shows of that type, without huge campaign and advertising blitzes (like Heroes), do not do well in a network TV environment. Haven't they learned that by now? Does anyone seriously think that Battlestar Galactica would have survived on Fox, CBS, ABC, CW, or NBC?

Until Sci-fi becomes more widely accepted, and the general public can broaden their horizons beyond mindless reality TV (not to include legitimate talent competition shows, which are done a disservice by being labeled as "reality"), these shows belong on the Sci-fi Channel (which we all know is owned by the network NBC), on other cable channels, and in syndication where everyone is much less worried about their shows being in the top 20 or so.

If those who do not want to see any newly created classy sci-fi shows suffer the same fate as Jericho, Journeyman, and the like; then you need to do as I plan to do, and to post that intention on every related forum/discussion board you can think of. If enough of us do this, maybe future sci-fi show creators and producers, will get the message and avoid network TV all together.

In this manner, massive campaign drives to save shows by signing petitions, writing letters, sending Rice-a-Roni to production companies and network offices, and other related efforts, will became mostly unnecessary and rare events. I am thinking however, of starting one on-line petition, aimed at production companies, for those of us to sign who have the same desires and intention. Hopefully that will be the only petition we will ever again need.

If any new sci-fi shows, no matter where they are aired, do not meet our standards, then the powers that be will know, and they will be phased out or canceled. In this way, shows that are so well written, produced and which have so much potential, like Journeyman, will not go down the network drain, while they experiment and search for the biggest corporate bucks. We, as a dedicated and knowledgeable audience, enjoy watching science do the experiments, not at us being the corporate experiment.

I suggest that all sci-fi fans who care about what's presented to them, and who want to see quality prevail; get started on this venture, and don't let up. It's the only weapon we have to wield, in the quest for quality Sci-fi programming.

By the way, in reference to "Dollhouse"; I have no intention of even giving it a chance. If it or any other sci-fi shows are quality shows and manage to survive on network TV for more than four years, then I will consider buying them when they are released on DVD.

May quality science fiction television, live long and prosper.