'Jericho': Who -- or what -- is to blame?

Now that we officially know that tonight's second-season finale of "Jericho" will also be the series finale, it's tempting to try to find someone or something to blame for what went wrong.

How did such a hyped achievement -- CBS' decision to "un-cancel" the series due to overwhelming fan response -- result in a return that faded away so unspectacularly?

Let's look at the prime suspects:

The strike
Conventional wisdom reckoned that the WGA strike and the resulting dearth of scripted shows during the winter would help "Jericho" stand out among weakened competition. But the winter's reality-heavy environment might have made it even more difficult for "Jericho" to connect with audiences. Viewers were tuning out in droves and CBS took one of the biggest ratings hits among all networks, leaving a limited audience to promote the "Jericho" return to. Even freshly written episodes of "Late Show With David Letterman" struggled due to the overall decline in CBS viewership.

The time slot
CBS moved the series out of the family-friendly 8 p.m. hour to 10 p.m. and there's the possibility that many of the original viewers were unwilling to follow. In defense of CBS, part of the plan was to give "Jericho" an established lead-in. Unfortunately (due in no small part to the strike) that established lead-in was the sleaze-tastic reality show "Big Brother 9," which had never before aired outside of the low-expectations summer season. The audiences were, to put it kindly, completely incompatible and for a few weeks "Jericho" wound up with slightly better numbers than "Big Brother" anyway.

The network
Everyone's favorite scapegoat. Clearly everything that went wrong with "Jericho" was entirely CBS' fault! Never mind that they took a big, and welcome, risk by bringing the show back in the first place. Let's face it, a serial drama was always going to have a rough go of things on the network's current schedule. "Jericho" didn't repeat its plotlines every week, or solve a problem within the hour, and that seems to be the only way to find success as a scripted drama on CBS right now. Hopefully the experience doesn't discourage the network from taking similar chances in the future, but stepping back and looking at the whole picture I'd say that both the network and the producers tried their best to make an unlikely marriage work. Some couples just aren't meant to be ...

Alternative means of viewing
Some people will point to how popular "Jericho" is with TiVo users, or how high it ranks among iTunes downloads, or how well the Season 1 DVDs sold on Amazon.com. That's all great as an after-market for a show that draws an audience to its ad-supported broadcast airings. CBS isn't HBO. The amount of people who watch on live TV (and the age and income level of those people) really does matter. And if you downloaded "Jericho" through BitTorrent, it's really not a good idea to go crying to CBS about how much you'll miss the show.

The fans
A controversial argument to be sure. But if only the "Jericho" fans had shown a little bit of passion ... oh forget it, no one's gonna buy this one.

The ratings
Last season, "Jericho" averaged 9.5 million viewers and a 2.8 in the 18-49 demo. This season, the show averaged 6.8 million viewers and a 1.9 in the 18-49 demo. The defense may raise mitigating factors, like the shady way Nielsen measures the audience or everything else mentioned above, but the bottom line is that those numbers are barely acceptable on NBC. On CBS, they'll get you a death sentence. Case closed.

-- Geoff Berkshire

Comments

[Claude Demers]

Your analysis is quite right. sadly for myself and a lot of other people, one of the few shows that could entertain and also challenge your mind will disappear tonight. It may in fact say a lot about this new age we live in where everything has to be solved immediately, preferably in less than an hour.

I would hope that another network would pick up this show, but if not, I will remember a very entertaining and stimulating hour on TV every week.

[Robert]

So, Geoff:

Have you heard any scuttlebutt about Jericho moving to another, possibly more cable-oriented network? (SciFi, maybe?) Or is it just wishful thinking?

Thanks!

[DennyWilson]

The problem with JERICHO was the network gave viewers TOO MANY options not to watch it "Live".

I don't think ANY Tv show so far in the "new media" era has been immeditly avaialble on all LEGAL platforms - Streaming on CBS.iTunes,Amazon.com,X-Box and On-Demand.

By pushing the show to a 10pm slot,THEY pushed the viewers to alternative viewing.

[Dee]

This is why I am becoming reluctant to get invested in new shows... NBC's cancellation of Journeyman is another example. I really like New Amsterdam, too, but we all know Fox. For every X-Files, there's a Keen Eddie or Firefly....

[mpbnice]

The answer is: all of the above. The strike could have helped Jericho, but unfortunately all TV viewership is down. The time slot is terrible and the lead-in in worse. CBS waited almost a year to show the last seven episodes instead of using at least some of the publicity from the nuts campaign and scheduling the show last fall as soon as one of their shows tanked. CBS did not have any of the cast of Jericho promoting the show until the week before episode six! CBS wants the younger demographic, but take it from a mother of a 21-year-old, they're watching online or by Tivo or any number of ways. The bottom line is, a great show is finished - at least on CBS - but I hope it will find a home someplace else.

[KIC]

You might find this interesting:

http://copywriteink.blogspot.com/2008/03/closing-case-study-jericho-ends.html

I really hope we make history again and a successful transfer to another network. It's well worth it. I've never like a show this much.

I do think most people did not believe CBS would renew it from the start, so that even IF they knew where to find it and IF they were willing to wait out BB and the timeslot, most people don't want to invest in a show they think has no future.

[Lance]

It's sad a quality show goes the way of the dodo, but the viewing audiences in the end get what they deserve: Are you smarter than a 5th grade bachelor who's dad is better than your dad at not forgetting the lyrics deciding to deal or no deal during the moment of truth. Hence the dumbing down of America.

[Robin]

It's sad that yet another great show will be pushed to the wayside. I, like so many others, made sure to be home in front of the tv each week for Jericho and during commercials, spent time on the telephone discussing the current epside with family. Each episode kept us glued to our seats as we tried to figure out what the next move would be. This is one of the most interesting new shows in a very long time and it's a shame that it's going to fall by the wayside. I thought the writing was very fresh and current and looked forward to each new episode. Disappointing to be sure that CBS is going to let it go, but hopefully one of the cable shows will pick it up and prove to CBS that they tossed away a winner.

[TroyJMorris]

Pretty spot on. That's why true fans of the show have given up on CBS and are asking other networks to pick it up.

http://jericho.wetpaint.com/page/Save+Jericho+II

[Smurfsahoy]

I'm not following the "ratings really DO matter" logic here. Why? A business is about making profits. If a network is relying on ratings that only take into account live viewing, and maybe cable boxes, while revenue is coming in from ALL legal viewing methods, then that reliance on the ratings is IN ERROR. It's not a matter of opinion. It's just wrong. It's wrong for everybody - viewers don't get the shows that really fit them, CBS loses money, advertisers are told the wrong demographics and pay too much or not enough.

Saying "Oh well. Ratings. Case closed" Is exactly the problem mindset here that causes all of these networks to cancel things that end up having huge backlashes, or selling record numbers of DVDs. The data doesn't match reality, and everybody refuses to change the data. 12 year old science students can figure this out, why not network execs?

[Casey]

I am now going to spend the evening crying!!! I was so happy it was brought back and now this...ah...nuts!

[Roy Bray]

I, too, believe that something of value will never hold up in this current environment of "don't make me think, just give me something behind closed doors that makes me feel like I'm not screwed up like them" mentality. Wake up CBS! Give this one time and it WILL produce for you.

[Jethro]

The problem with Jericho is that it took a compelling concept and turned it into run of the mill melodrama.

[Anne]

Another fantastic show is going the way of the dinosaurs!! Sadly, our society seems to prefer the mindless dribble of so called "reality" and "talent" shows to true quality shows like"Jericho". And people wonder why Johnny can't read ,write or think ! "Jericho" always kept you not only on the seat of your pants wondering where the plot lead but it made one really think"What if".
I hope one of the cable channels picks "jericho" up.It would be a smart move for them!!

[Gwen]

Jericho has ended on CBS, but that doesn't mean that Jericho can't continue. There are already two interested networks - Sci Fi and The CW.
There is a list of things the fans are being asked to do:
http://www.jericho-kansas.com/Community/Forums/tabid/74/forumid/27/postid/2148/view/topic/Default.aspx

Gwen
http://www.jericho-kansas.com

[suzy]

I got some information this is off an e-mail I received that : Caol Barbee, Jericho's Executive Producer, has confirmed that CBS Paramount is in negotiations to sell Jericho to another network -- Sci Fi Network or The CW have been mentioned. Right now we need to get the word out to Jericho fans to write all three companies anask for a third season of Jericho. No venting, we need positive letters.
You can find out all the information you need on this thread :
http://www.jerico-kansas.com/Community/Forums/tabid/74/forumid/27/postid/21
48/view/topic/Defalt.aspx
Petitions are not as useful as actual letters - letters get noticed.
Thankjs in advance for your support of Jericho.
Gwen
Secretary
Jericho Kansas Inc.
http://www.jericho-kansas.com

This is the actual reading from the e-mail I received after I sent an e-mail that I was upset that CBS had given it the ax again.

[Vic Archer]

Well, I hate that its over, but I don't think ANY network has quite figured out how to do the serial drama thing. Plan for the series to have a limited (1 - 2) year run, DON'T break up the story with long hiatus' (except the standard, seasonal ones) and maintain some consistancy in terms of time slot. Plan for it to end from the beginning of production. I've been lost on "Lost" for some time now, had just gotten into "Heroes" when the writers strike...struck... But a planned 1-2 year run, sort of an extended mini-series (whatever happened to THAT genre, anyway?) where a rich, in depth story is started, developed, and concluded - without absurd breaks - I think holds promise. With Jericho this kind of happened by accident but may artistically be the best. I was having a bit of a hard time seeing where it would go from here, to be honest, and a future DVD release including these last seven episodes would be nice too...

[Liz]

Too true, all of it. Let's hope two good things come of this: First, that Jericho has a shot at a home on a cable network where it can really shine (are you listening SciFi?) and gets the REAL chance it deserves. Second, that the movement to set aside the Nielsens in favor of a truly comprehensive ratings system (one that includes ALL methods of TV viewing) grows and gains strength. I'm a viewer and I want to be counted, too!

[vince52]

Some people interpret the decline in ratings as a response to the show's ideological direction. Here are some examples noted at instapundit.com

"Many of you have lamented the disastrous left-turn the television series Jericho took last season. Well, it was awarded with spectacularly low ratings and now cancellation.

A military reader emails with similar sentiments:

Just saw your post on Jericho's cancellation and think the producers have no one to blame but themselves. I liked the first season, but the 2nd season has gone off the rails. Let me count the way:

1. The bombs were an old white guy conspiracy set in motion by facist conservatives and a big, bad corporation. God forbid that they say it was a foreign power or terrorists, nooooooo.

2. As a soldier, I found it very offensive that the military is now the oppressing enforcer. How many times I have seen what was happening in the show and saying, "There's no way we'd do that." Jake's interrogation, not punishing Getz, shooting at civilians for violating "curfew." The list goes on and on.

3. So many holes in the military aspect that it was pathetic. Here's the most obvious - MAJ Beck says he's from the 10th Mountain Division, but they're stationed at Ft. Drum, NY. In order to join with the ASA military, wouldn't he have had to have sought them out by finding a way across the "blue line?"

This was possibly the most offensive aspect, as if we would just throw allegiance to some new government outside of the constitutional line of succession in Cheyenne, under a new flag and new name. Pray tell why we wouldn't have fallen in line with whoever actually had succession, since the entire line is never together in the same city because of just such a possibility. It's not like we would have said, "ASA, USA, no big difference."

In short, who wants to watch a show that denigrates their country, denigrates their military, and seems to blame the possible evils of the world on corporations? Wouldn't a show about how we pulled together and united against an external threat been a little more palatable?

Not to Hollywood in an election year, I guess.

UPDATE: Reader Ed Stephens emails:

I echo your other reader's comments about the reason for Jericho's demise. Perhaps only blue staters could imagine that scattered nukes would cause the dissolution of the United States. That American's would suddenly decide they need a "new" constitution? Personally, I would have liked to see more emphasis on the recovery efforts, setting up windmills, solar power, etc (now that the bureaucracies hindering it were gone). Think Gilligan's island/McGuyver on steroids highlighting "yankee ingenuity" and Heinlein's quote about specialization.

A more probable scenario would involve an invasion by Mexico into CA, AZ, NM and Texas (if not UT and CO) to capitalize on a weakened US; but I'm sure that would be too un-PC.

CBS's "THE UNIT" also similarly went off the rails the same way, but maybe Mamet's turn from liberal orthodoxy will cause it to change.

Have not these people learned anything from "24"?

Indeed. Related thoughts here.

posted at 04:00 PM by Glenn Reynolds"

[Annie]

How naive I am. I didn't know this was the last of Jericho until I read all these other comments. This is the PITTS! My husband and I have tuned in EVERY week and thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue. We are so tired of reality shows, we don't watch but one. We've sure gotten alot of reading done due to less TV, looks like we'll be reading more!

[Riley]

Just saw the last episode on TV here in Texas. All the shows I watch tend to just stop. Maybe another network will pick it up and it will still be good. At least there was some sort of closure to the show. I'd really like to see how it all ends.

[Dee]

It amazes me that they keep the Big Brother show.. A bunch of idiots lying to each other to be each others ally... What a joke....

Jericho has an interesting story line, with a great cast and awesome writing...

It's sad and I hope a smart network will take the show and make some money off of it.. It's hard to believe CBS is stupid enough to get rid of a great show...

If the previously noted explanations are correct, maybe they should try moving the time/day. There are several evenings I go channel surfing for a show that is not "reality"... I put reality in quotes because we know that the most of the "reality" shows are also not reality... it's all backstabbing and mean spirited "voting' each other off the show to get money....

Sad.. NBC or ABC or any other network, please add Jericho... I am definitely a fan of Jericho and would happily switch networks to see it.

[Sharron]

The same thing happened to Studio 60. You have to be a reality show to succeed these days.

[Hruska]

You've missed the primary cause.

Halfway through the first season, the show went on a holiday hiatus. Not the usual 3-4 week hiatus almost all shows go into in December and January, but one that lasted about two and a half months. Then, when it finally returned, it was up against the monstrosity known as American Idol. Thee ratings in that second half of the first season were down a quarter from what they were pre-hiatus.

I don't know at whose feet the blame for that hiatus falls, but that was what ultimately led to the show's death, in my opinion.

[NiaTrue]

I've never been as engaged in any show as I've been in Jericho. CBS made a slew of errors after deciding to bring the show back: waiting a year, bad time slot, bad lead in, no promotion. I can only shake my head and wonder why they didn't commit to the show the way viewers clearly did. I'll add my voice to the many who are hoping to see it picked up by another network, and I'll follow the list of things fans are being asked to do to make that happen.

[Suzanne Lanoue]

I think the main reason Jericho's ratings sank is that by only ordering 8 episodes for this season, they sent a clear message that they did not have any faith in it and would not be continuing the show (long before they announced their actual decision). Shows like this need time to grow and gain an audience. People do not like to start watching a show that they know is going to be canceled. The timing of the strike and the timeslot of the show did not help, nor did the fact that they had to streamline the story and cut out a lot of the cast.
I really hope that some other network picks it up because it is just so good. Loved the season finale. I am still welling up!

Suzanne Lanoue
The TV MegaSite
http://tvmegasite.net

[Sandra]

Jericho is an exceptional show. I think I will give up CBS, if they "can" a show like
Jericho, then the next really good show might be canned. What is the point of getting involved in a CBS series. Sorry CBS, I just can't trust you anymore.

[WYOMAN]

Remember Fox's "Millennium" starring Lance Henriksen (1996-1999)? I spent 3 years watching that show and was left high and dry. Now CBS has done the same thing to me with Jericho. I have just finished watching my last Millenium / Jericho type TV series.

[Clint]

Americans are getting stupid and the TV shows prove it. It's a crying shame when idiots choose mindless reality junk, staged game shows, and singing/dancing skits over quality thought provoking stories and great actors. Viewers today have no class or brain cells to speak of. Other than Jericho, Lost, and the News, I usually only watch PBS, Science channel, History channel, or TLC. Maybe Family Guy for a laugh at worst. I thought our species was supposed to be getting more intelligent, not brainless. Evolution is creating idiots, not Earthlings. FSM help us all, and watch some educational programming for once in your life, stop the Idol idiocy.

[chris]

WHAT KIND OF SPECIAL KIND OF F*CKING STUPID DOES IT TAKE TO CANCEL A SHOW THAT INSPIRED SO MANY TO UN-F*CKING CANCEL IT ONCE BEFORE? IF A CABLE CHANNEL, WHERE MOST CREATIVE AND INVENTIVE AND QUALITY SHOWS EXIST ANYWAY, HAS THE GENIUS TO PICK UP JERICHO, THEY WILL SEE INCREASED VIEWERSHIP, REVENUE AND EXPOSURE FROM A FAN BASE WHOSE PASSION FOR THIS SHOW CAN NEVER BE OVERSTATED.....JESUS H CHRIST, CBS F*CKS IT UP AGAIN!

[justyn winner]

I am so tired of the networks deciding to kill quality programs like Jericho in favor or total garbage ...reality this or....celebrity that!! Furthermore, don't the executives realize that there is an increasingly larger demo out there that doesn't watch live TV and downloads, Tivos or rents their content. CBS, SHAME ON YOU!

[Jesse]

I think it's stupid of cbs to cancel a show this good that actually makes you think instead of all those idiot so called "reality shows". It seems that many people are getting dumber every day with all those reality shows and many people now a days are very ignorant especially some teenagers that i see at school and this is coming from a 17 year old. Hopefully another cable network picks this show up.

[greg]

This show was all too realistic and topical for the network handlers to allow to continue. I can't believe it was actually on TV in the first place, especially the second season where the implied criminality of the government went from passive to a mantra. Loved it. Enjoyed it while it lasted and hope it woke some people up to the reality of our times.

[putoff56]

Not to disrespect Mr. Military vince52. I support our military and believe that the provide a vital role in keeping it so that I can even write this, but you need take 2 or 3 steps back and calm down.

Reasons.

1 its a tv show. Facts are missed every day in every tv show more so the news than any
other.

2 The military is very good at following orders. The show never puts them as the enforces as much a obedient. The "enforcers" are the private contractors from JnR.

Oh and your foreign power or terrorist argument what the news. They will fill you with enough drama about that. And better yet it wont get cut. I support the writers of Jericho for taking a look at an existing problem from a different not mainstreamed version of the issue. Why couldn't one of "Us" organize something like that? How is that harder or less "entertaining" then some country attacking us.

My last thought "denigrate" our country and our military. I don't think this show denigrates our country so much as pop the invincible mindset bubble of a nation. If a fictional writing, movie, etc.. has the ability to denigrate our military more then their sacrifices then we are closer to some kind of a end of days then I thought.

Sorry for long post I hate seeing people take fiction as real life.

[Evan]

CBS has no idea how mad I am. They need to make a movie or sell it off to another network. This is so ridiculous, how can they just end it like this? I am legit upset, maybe if it wasn't at 10 pm on a tue. night they would have a few more viewers, or if they even advertised it. We as fans did our part, CBS pays us back by giving us seven, only SEVEN excellent episodes, at 10 and not even trying to keep the show by pushing behind it. Sweet now I have Big Brother to look foward to, I'm super excited. This was one of the few good shows on television, and its going to be replaced by Jessica Simpson asking what tuna is.

[Marty Jackson]

I work in the evening and so I have to Tivo my shows. Jericho was on the right track, but unfortunately "Nielson Ratings" is "Old School". I hope some other network will have the sense to pickup "Jericho". I am sick and tired of reality shows. We need real story lines. But in the end TV will suffer and the viewers will move on. Good Luck ABC, CBS, and NBC, you are all LOST.

[Don Garza]

Yep!!! lLl this season I watched every episode at CBS.com. I am a downtown dweller and chose between cable and DSL. I chose DSL. SO I watched Jericho online, primarily because of the time slot. SO I would wait until I could watch it online.

Great show by the way.

Now Lost and Boston Legal will be the only shows I watch. Nothing good on tv anymore.

[Nipshot]

So it's all about the ratings..............which is really too bad because the current ratings system does not depict the true picture of how many people are actually watching. As a fan, we were asked by CBS to get more viewers........we did this, all of us did this. We pestered everyone we knew.....we approached strangers! But, with all that, it didn't matter anyway because if they didn't have a little black Nielsen box, they were counted anyway....so what difference would it have made to get more viewers. Obviously there were a lot of viewers to begin with or there wouldn't have been such a huge revolt. Also, the time slot was not the best. It was hard for me to stay up that late but I did it.........I watched live............no, I am not a Nielsen family either so I didn't count. Other ways of viewing should have been considered as well. Not only was there 6-7 million viewers live, but on top of that, several million viewers more using the alterate means of viewing. I just think it's horrible that it has been canceled again. What really puzzles me is that we all complain so much about all the reality crap on TV.........well, we must love it because the ratings are huge and they keep making more of them! How can we hate it so but watch it at the same time?
I will not give up the fight............we have to get another Network to take over Jericho.........they will not be sorry!

[Mitch]

I believe there were several factors that caused this show to be canceled, but plot, writing and acting were not any of those reasons. I believe Jericho was canceled for 2 major reasons. First, it was mainly about traditional American values. Although none of the characters were perfect and most had some major character flaws, most were good, average, all american people who; for the most part, believed in doing the right thing. Unfortunately, this just doesn't appeal to most of the people in America this day and time. But, it does appeal to a large group in this country based on the reaction of Jericho's die hard fan base. Morals in this country have just about disappeared completely. This doesn't bode well for shows like Jericho that have morals and human decency as it's main theme. The second reason, I believe, is the lack of sex on the show. Take a good long look at most of the shows on t.v. with the highest ratings and you'll see that majority of the episodes has something to do with sex. Whether it be a couple jumping in bed or, with the "crime dramas", some sort of sex crime. I don't know about everyone else, but if I want to watch something "ripped for the headlines" I'll watch CNN. I may be wrong, but I've always been under the impression that television shows are supposed to be for entertainment, not rehashing what we see on the news day in and day out. I'm not saying that shows like Jericho could get this country back on track as far has morals and basic human decency is concerned, but it couldn't hurt. That's why I don't believe any shows like Jericho will ever last, most people in America don't want to have morals, because it would mean that they couldn't do a lot of the things they do with a clear conscious.

[James Murphy]

So sorry to see Jericho end. One of the most engrossing shows for ages. As for Mr Military vince 52, pull your head in ! It's FICTIONAL. Maybe the writers intentionally made the bad guys domestic to reinforce the fictional aspect of the show, too many real foreign possibilities out there,(although I think perhaps having the attacks in September was not well thought out) maybe that would have actually frightened people off.

[N2N2]

The Neilsens rating system killed this show plain and simple. And all this crap about a certain demographic being a more "valuable" group to advertise to!!

[Anthrodiva]

I was one of the guilty Tivo viewers. But c'mon, I'd never seen the show until SciFi started broadcasting it simultaneously with the new season. I had to watch on SciFi/Universal HD and stockpile the new season. I still haven't started watching the new ones yet!

On the other hand, maybe we just need to move to a more British understanding of a series as having 6-7 episodes? Cracker, Prime suspect...

[JC]

I can't believe it's over AGAIN.
It was the best show on TV.
I'm a big fan of BSG and 24 but honestly they both have become stale.
Jericho was the only show that kept my interest for the entire hour.
I didn't even channel surf through the commercials.

CBS has become the reality TV channel or maybe they should change their name to CSI since that is most of their programming.
CSI was interesting the first two season. It quickly became laughable.

I would boycott CBS but honestly, Jericho was the only show they had worth watching.

[Jay]

I can't believe it's over AGAIN.
It was the best show on TV.
I'm a big fan of BSG and 24 but honestly they both have become stale.
Jericho was the only show that kept my interest for the entire hour.
I didn't even channel surf through the commercials.

CBS has become the reality TV channel or maybe they should change their name to CSI since that is most of their programming.
CSI was interesting the first two season. It quickly became laughable.

I would boycott CBS but honestly, Jericho was the only show they had worth watching.

[Sean]

As well as putting it after a lousy reality (pardon the redundancy) show, putting it opposite the popular Boston Legal can't have helped. Not exactly the same demographic, but that was the biggest obstacle I found in recommending it, or even being able to watch it myself (except later, on iTunes) sometimes!

[Fanshawe]

Five reasons and not one of them has anything to do with quality.

Will content ever be king on television?

[Thomas Conner]

Sifting through the ashes of "Jericho"
http://blogs.suntimes.com/tv/2008/03/sifting_through_the_ashes_of_j.html

[ParisLibra]

Broadcast TV has changed, and not for the better. Jericho was handicapped when CBS decided to put 3 months between the first 11 episodes and the last 11 episodes, especially when the collective IQ of the viewing audience seems to decay since the advent of Reality TV. Had Skeet Ulrich been married to any relative of Les Moonves, think of how Jericho would have thrived.

I'm eager to see Jericho find a home where it will be truly appreciated, where the cast and crew will be better protected from network politics, where quality is more of a concern. If justice prevails, Jericho will rise again from the ashes. CBS was smart in uncanceling Jericho the first time, but stupid in not making more the fans' passion for the show they have canceled for the last time. What CBS has shown in canceling Jericho is that they need to be canceled as well. CBS now stands for Catering to Bull and S...

[Jeff]

Let me start by saying that overall, I really liked the series and will miss it if not picked up by another network.

That said, I do think it took a very specific type of fan to watch the show because they so many things to push people away. To really enjoy the show you have to be able to do the following:
a) ability to suspend reality, and realize that some things are done for showmanship and not reality. I do not believe that any corporation would nuke 25 cities in order to gain power. They already buy power. I dont see our military personnel following orders from a startup government that was fighting the constitutional government. I dont believe that most people would have a houseful of burning candies left months after electricity was cut off.
b) you had to like love triangles because Jericho gave us 3 of them. Show almost lost me there, but the Stanley/Mimi budding relationship really intrigued me.
c0 you had to love HUGE casts. You had to be able to sit thru alot of characters you didnt care that more about to get to the ones you did.

Alot of my friends who couldnt wait to watch the show, tuned out very quickly because they couldnt/wouldnt do these things. At one point the show nearly lost me, and I had even taken it off my DVR for recording, but luckily I still managed to watch it live and it eventually drew me back in.

As strange as this will sound, I did not like the major plotline at all in the 2nd season, yet I enjoyed it more than the 1st season because the episodes flowed really well. Watching an hour of Jericho seemed like 20 minutes and boom it was over and left you wanting more.

[Patricia Roels]

I loved all of these post - what other show draws such an interesting and diverse group of people who have taken the time and effort to comment here. The pattern to all of them was that they had been starved for thought provoking viewing and this show gave them something to think about - even if some of it is negative - there was still a reaction. Why are we treated like the poor relation by the networks because we want something more than mind numbing, dumbed down, fake reality shows? It is time for change.

[Claude Demers]

I just finished reading all the comments made since yesterday and except for some off the wall remarks, they were quite good.

Was Jericho worth watching? For me yes. For once, it was something I could analyze, think about, laugh and a few times cry. I am over 50, an antique some would say, but although I do not mind watching insipid reality shows, I also want to be challenged. And Jericho did that.

Was the show too left leaning? Perhaps, although it did not agree with everything I consider "liberal". I am not a fan of the military, but the portayal of the soldiers, especially in the last few episodes, was very good. Just read the news from Iraq, Afghanistan and other places.

The potrayal of Major Beck by Esai Morales for me was what a soldier is about, doing his job, following orders, sometimes wondering. But at some point one cannot just say "I follow orders".

The discussions about the history of the US, the constitution, the role of big business and government, it is happening today. Look around you.

I was not expecting a 10-15 years series, but something good, entertaining, with some some kind of closure... I got it last night and perhaps in the future we will see another chapter.

[shari]

I was a Neilsen family. Jericho was not on at the time so I wrote it in as my favorite show. Then I recorded the rest of my week. This was the same week I learned that Jericho had been canceled. Let me tell you, my comments regarding the cancellation got rather lenghty. I attached more paper.

As for the other shows that were on, well I didn't watch much that week because it was mostly junk.

Hey Neilsen! I am the right demographic. I love Jericho.

[Teresa Rothaar]

Bottom line: "Free" network TV is worth exactly what we pay for it. Shows like "Dexter" and "Monk," hits on cable, would never survive on free TV. The same goes for Brit series like "Torchwood" and "Life on Mars."

Series like this are too smart for the majority of "free" TV viewers, who would rather tune into insipid reality shows and innumerable rip-offs of "Law & Order." I for one am stunned that "24" and "House" are still on the air. They are the exceptions.

If you want quality TV, you have to be willing to pay for cable. Otherwise, have fun watching shows like "CSI: Cardiff" and "Dancing with the Stars' Dogs."

[John Small]

The reason behind the cancellation is simple - CBS is obviously a cog in the “Jennings and Rall” corporate conglomerate. Some of the corporate skullduggery this show depicted is really going on in the world (can you say “Halliburton,” boys and girls?) and the powers-that-be are still doing anything they can to keep a lid on it. The thing that makes “Jericho” so compelling is that of all the “nuclear apocalypse” stories to have come out of Hollywood since the 1940s, this one is the most plausible.

[John Small]

The reason behind the cancellation is simple - CBS is obviously a cog in the “Jennings and Rall” corporate conglomerate. Some of the corporate skullduggery this show depicted is really going on in the world (can you say “Halliburton,” boys and girls?) and the powers-that-be are still doing anything they can to keep a lid on it. The thing that makes “Jericho” so compelling is that of all the “nuclear apocalypse” stories to have come out of Hollywood since the 1940s, this one is the most plausible.

[Jeff Keene]

The L A Times failed to mention the real problem with the time slot. In the first half of the first season, Jericho aired in November and ratings were awsome. In the second part of the first season, in the same Wed. night at 8 pm time slot, Jericho went up against Amerian Idol. That is when live ratings started to decline, and downloads started to increase. When CBS brought Jericho back for the second season / seven episodes, they changed the night to Tuesday, and the time to 10 pm. The problem was still the same. Once again American Idol night. Even though American Idol ends at 10 pm, you still have the two hour period where 25 to 30 million people are pounding their phones, trying to vote for their favorite idol. A show like Idol almost has to be watched live. Jericho, a continuing drama can be downloaded by tivo, dvr, itunes, etc.... That is exactly what happened. If CBS would have aired Jericho on Mon. night at say 10 pm after the comedy line up, and not during the fall because of football, it would have been a huge success. It was one great show, I will miss it.

[Jeff Keene]

The L A Times failed to mention the real problem with the time slot. In the first half of the first season, Jericho aired in November and ratings were awsome. In the second part of the first season, in the same Wed. night at 8 pm time slot, Jericho went up against Amerian Idol. That is when live ratings started to decline, and downloads started to increase. When CBS brought Jericho back for the second season / seven episodes, they changed the night to Tuesday, and the time to 10 pm. The problem was still the same. Once again American Idol night. Even though American Idol ends at 10 pm, you still have the two hour period where 25 to 30 million people are pounding their phones, trying to vote for their favorite idol. A show like Idol almost has to be watched live. Jericho, a continuing drama can be downloaded by tivo, dvr, itunes, etc.... That is exactly what happened. If CBS would have aired Jericho on Mon. night at say 10 pm after the comedy line up, and not during the fall because of football, it would have been a huge success. It was one great show, I will miss it.

[Kim Y]

I am VERY SAD to hear that Jericho has been cancelled - AGAIN! I have been waiting for news on when it would pick up again - what an ending! geeze! I've watched it several times over on the download. My son and daughter-in-law have the Neilsen box - and very rarely pay attention to it. It's a shame to think this may be what's happening all over America - determining what we can watch and what is taken away - because the Real Fans of certain shows Do NOT have that box!