A cracker attack for 'The Black Donnellys'

First everyone was nuts. Now they're crackers.

A small number of die-hard fans of NBC's recently canceled drama "The Black Donnellys" plans to ship nearly 300 pounds of Zesta crackers (about 45,000 crackers) to HBO executives beginning next week in hopes of persuading the premium cable outlet to pick up the moribund show.

Fans of "The Black Donnellys," a serialized drama about four Irish brothers and their involvement in organized crime in New York's infamous Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, were inspired by the recent success of "Jericho" fans and vow to keep sending crackers to HBO as long as donations hold out. In June, "Jericho" fans inundated CBS with tons of nuts, eventually persuading the network to exhume the post-apocalypse drama after it was dropped from its fall schedule.

"Donnellys" fans, whose website can be found at http://www.savetheblackdonnelys.net, said they chose HBO because the cable outlet is a better fit for the "Donnellys' " grittier themes. Also, they selected Zesta crackers because they are featured in a lounge sign belonging to  one of the show's main characters.

HBO offices were closed todayfor the holidays and officials were unavailable for comment.

-- Martin Miller

(Photo: Virginia Sherwood / NBC)

Comments

[mar san]

Crackers! Brilliant! Cheez-Whiz! Ooops. I guess I mean, Jee-whiz. Sorry about that.

[anso]

thanks for the article. The black Donnellys is one of the best shows ever and it deserves a second season

[lulafortune]

I'm obviously all for saving great shows, and The Black Donnellys is one that absolutely deserves new life, however, I'm not sure if hbo is the place to plead your case. Anyone remember Carnivale? Deadwood? Hbo can't even take care of their own original programming, much less take on foster shows.

Signed, a broken-hearted Carnivale fan

[Tammy]

I hope this show gets picked up by HBO!!

[Jack Nock]

The Black Donnellys is really an amazing show and deserves another chance. I really hope HBO picks this show up.

[tammy]

Nice Job!! Thanks for the article on The Black Donnellys. It's so important that fans know about the efforts being made to get a second season for the show.

[Joe Bua]

Enjoyed the show, but I can't save every show just by buying snacks and sending them off to people who probably aren't eating them.

Hopefully, my many blog posts about the Donnellys brought people to the show initially and they continue to soldier on. After all, I gotta watch all these other shows.

You can read my Black Donnelly's posts at this link:

http://iamatvjunkie.typepad.com/i_am_a_tv_junkie_a_blog_f/the_black_donnellys_tv_show/index.html

[Megh]

Thanks so much for the article, The Black Donnellys never got the chance it deserved and you're helping that much.

[Mary]

I watched The Black Donnellys religiously, both on tv and online. I think this was the best show on television and I hope the series can contimue on another network, like HBO. It should have been on cable in the first place. The Black Donnellys is the same genre as the Sopranos, but it is its own show and does not attempt to copy The Sopranos in any way. If you haven't watched The Black Donnellys yet, go to NBC.com, watch the episodes, and get drawn in by a story with a plot that thickens.

[Mike]

This show had a great first episode. It began with a good story and good characters. It wildly spun out of control by the second episode. Lets be real: An 18 year old whacks the Italian and Irish Mob bosses and becomes "King of the Neighborhood"? What a bunch of nonsense. This show was destined to be canceled after the second episode. Also, there was no real struggle. A bunch of poor, white, Irish screw ups in New York? That isn't entertaining. It was a rip-off of a Mafia movie, except with weak, boring characters.

[lisa laura]

This is one that some network should jump at-it already has everything you need in a quality show-- as much as I love it-HBO or some similar network would be a better place for it. It does have violence but also the storyline is pushing family first, the music is great and the actors seem to be made for playing these particular parts. NBC is a great network, but they dropped a big ball by letting this one go without a fair chance.

[don]

hell yeah dope article
the black donnellys is such a great show
please keep it alive

[Gabi]

I love The Black Donnellys. I so hope for a second season. NBC never gives new shows the chance. If Jericho can come back, maybe they can too. I need to see the brothers take back thier neighborhood.

[Deutsche]

Many thanks for the article.

The DVD's are now availible for pre orders at amazon!

Long live the Donnellys.
Remenber,
Family above All.

[snakelady]

Thank you for the article about the efforts to save this great show. Very dissapionting that it was cancelled and hopefully it will get brought back.

[Tygue]

Someone needs to recognize the brilliance of this show.

Slainte

[Johnny C.]

Bring it back...with all this reality crap on TV and shows about THE SAME THING (husband and wife have kids, get into fights, usually because the husband did something dumb, gets yelled at and the show ends...so another one just like it comes on.
This is gritty, intersting and unique TV...how does the Bachelor survive and not TBD? Let me guess, in the episode of the bachelor, girls argue over the guy, guy pretends to be torn, a girl cries, professes her love and then goes home...BLAND!

[Michal Domogala]

HAs there been any word on the Black Donnelly's back? I cannot find any additional information anywhere. THe are bring Jerico back which I liked as well. I anyone has info please email and post!!!

[Brandi]

Please HBO bring the Black Donnellys! This show is incredible and I can't believe it was cancelled. My husband and I are addicted to the Black Donnellys, love them! Give them a chance.

[Adam]

You know you want to bring the show back, its awesome. I already bought the DVD.