If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the past couple of weeks, it’s that determination and creativity on the part of fans can have a HUGE impact. Loyal ‘Jericho’ followers banded together and, facing enormous odds, raised an uproar so loud that CBS had to listen. Tons of nuts, dumped at the front door of CBS, convinced the network that the show had enough of a following to merit a second chance at air.

But the fight isn’t over. In her letter that we covered yesterday, CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler said this:

In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more “Jericho,” we will need more viewers.

A loyal and passionate community has clearly formed around the show. But that community needs to grow. It needs to grow on the CBS Television Network, as well as on the many digital platforms where we make the show available.

We will count on you to rally around the show, to recruit new viewers with the same grass-roots energy, intensity and volume you have displayed in recent weeks.

So a large part of the burden is on you, the viewer. With that in mind, here are a few things you can do to keep ‘Jericho’ saved.

1. Watch the show!
It falls under the “duh” category, I know. But watch the show, and watch it soon after it airs. Even though Nielsen is now taking into account DVR viewings, the importance of DVR viewers, ratings-wise, drops dramatically once you get three days past the show’s airing. So, if Jericho is on Wednesday night, and you don’t watch it until Saturday or Sunday night (which I’ll admit I’m guilty of), you’re not doing the show as much service as you would if you caught it later Wednesday night or Thursday afternoon.

2. Watch the show…legally!
Yeah, there are tons of “underground” ways to put your eyes on the show. But pulling it off of BitTorrent isn’t doing any good for the draw of the show to advertisers. So, if you can’t catch it live or DVR’d, get it from iTunes, or if nothing else, stream it from CBS’s site. (You can even have it pop up in its own player so you can go about your work while you watch.)

3. Patronize the advertisers…
…and I mean patronize in a good way: support the advertisers. If you’re watching on TV, take a moment to catch a few of the commercials, and then go out and buy the product. If it’s a restaraunt, go eat there. Then write the company and tell them that you have done so. It may sound a bit corney, but it is a great way to let them know that the advertising dollars that they are spending on Jericho are having an impact.

4. Participate in online forums…
There is a huge community of fans out there, and CBS is starting to really get a taste of it. Start at the official Jericho site, since, obviously, that is the board most closely monitored by CBS, but don’t stop there. Here are a couple of places to start.

5. Spread the word…
Word of mouth is the best advertiser. Benjamin Franklin said that. Look it up. Okay, so he didn’t really say that, but it’s the truth. I’ve gotten several of my friends hooked on the show, and they’ve become bigger fans than I am. So tell others that they’re missing out. Get them to watch the reruns that are coming on this summer. Buy them the DVD boxset when it comes out and give it as Christmas or birthday gifts. Do what it takes, but let people know that they are missing out on some very compelling television.

Jericho is a show that would have worked well on the macro level, where we see how the politicians and the generals and the nation as a whole reacts. (Cue the inspirational music) But it’s a much more personal show. It’s a show about how a nation’s people react when everything they know is ripped away from them. It’s about your neighbors and your friends and you. We’ve gone the first step…now we just have to finish the race.

Way to go, ‘Jericho’ fans.

CBS has released an official confirmation, in the form of a letter addressed to fans from CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler, that ‘Jericho’ will return next season. 

June 6, 2007

To the Fans of Jericho:

Wow!

Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.

As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of “Jericho” for mid-season next year. In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more “Jericho,” we will need more viewers.

A loyal and passionate community has clearly formed around the show. But that community needs to grow. It needs to grow on the CBS Television Network, as well as on the many digital platforms where we make the show available.

We will count on you to rally around the show, to recruit new viewers with the same grass-roots energy, intensity and volume you have displayed in recent weeks.

At this time, I cannot tell you the specific date or time period that “Jericho” will return to our schedule. However, in the interim, we are working on several initiatives to help introduce the show to new audiences. This includes re-broadcasting “Jericho” on CBS this summer, streaming episodes and clips from these episodes across the CBS Audience Network (online), releasing the first season DVD on September 25 and continuing the story of Jericho in the digital world until the new episodes return. We will let you know specifics when we have them so you can pass them on.

On behalf of everyone at CBS, thank you for expressing your support of “Jericho” in such an extraordinary manner. Your protest was creative, sustained and very thoughtful and respectful in tone. You made a difference.

Sincerely,

Nina Tassler
President, CBS Entertainment

P.S.    Please stop sending us nuts

I love the wording of this.  It’s not condescending, it’s not reluctant, and it puts a burden on the fans that I’ve never really seen before.  CBS is saying, “We’ll do what we can, but we need help from you guys, too.”  There’s a respect of the fans there that I’ve never really experienced from a network.

So your efforts and your nuts paid off, fans.  Good work!

TVGuide reports that CBS is on the brink of renewing ‘Jericho’.

The rumor is that the post-apocalyptic drama could come back for at least eight episodes, and more than likely at mid-season.  There’s not any official confirmation, but it could happen as early as the end of today.

The show had a serious lack of network support, with it suffering through an almost three month hiatus, and then going up against ‘American Idol’.  When it was not announced in CBS’s fall slate, fans revolted, sending literally tons of nuts to the CBS Corporation’s headquarters.  Here’s hoping ‘Jericho’ will join the slim ranks of shows saved from cancellation by a rabid fanbase.

UPDATE:  I appreciate all the comments, guys.

I didn’t dig as deep as I guess I should have.  I DID try to contact Jeffrey Braverman at the number provided on the page, but didn’t get an answer there.  In the archived blog on the NUTS for Jericho site, they do discuss what will happen with all of those nuts:

I just received confirmation from CBS that the peanuts will be donated to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and possibly food banks, homeless shelters, and maybe even the Bronx Zoo.

I wish there had been something about that on the main page there, before you actually buy the nuts.  So, sorry for misspeaking yesterday.  Go buy some nuts.

ORIGINAL POST:
I’ve had a few people asking me why I haven’t done any coverage on the recent “NUTS for Jericho” campaign, so let me elaborate on that a bit.

‘Jericho’ was one of my favorite new shows of the season last year.  While I agree that it did hit a bit of a slump mid-season, which wasn’t helped by the ridiculously long hiatus that the show took, the show did manage to remain compelling virtually every week.  It didn’t pull in huge ratings by anyone’s standards, but it did as good a job as any show can do when up against a behemoth like ‘American Idol’.  And when the news came in that it was not going to be in CBS’s schedule next season, I was incredibly upset, especially considering the cliffhanger that the finale left us with.

The NUTS for Jericho campaign comes from a story that was told in the ‘Jericho’ finale.  In World War II, a U.S. general was surrounded by the Nazi army, who sent him an offer to surrender.  His one-word response:  “Nuts.”  This has become the battle cry of Jericho fans who demand that the show be picked back up.  The website Jericho Lives reads like a newsletter for a rebellion, with daily “Mission Orders” and inspirational quotes from the likes of Winston Churchill about never giving up in the face of overwhelming odds.

Taking it to the next step, several fans have entered into the NUTS for Jericho campaign, in which they purchase quantities of roasted peanuts to be sent to CBS headquarters.  At the time of this writing, the NUTS for Jericho site has sold 14,154 pounds of nuts, which will be sent to CBS in protest of the show’s cancellation.  That’s $19,377 worth of peanuts!  (Actually, at the time that this story was posted, I refreshed the page…the actual count is now 14,396 lbs at $19,707.)

Look, there are many things that a fan can do to protest to a network.  Sign a petition.  Write or call that network and express your feelings (civilly).  Find out who the biggest advertisers are on the show, and give them your business, then write them and tell them that you’re giving them business because of the show.  These are all things that I believe in, and have done in the past.

But don’t waste your money.  The sensationalism of thinking about 7 tons of nuts laying on CBS’s doorstep is, I’ll admit, kind of satisfying.  But at the end of the day, that’s a LOT of food that could have gone to feed the hungry, and a lot of wasted that could have done a lot of good elsewhere. 

I believe that we need to start a new campaign in which, rather than buying something that will be rotting in a landfill this time next week, we turn our efforts to something more substantial.

That’s where you, dear readers, come in.  What can we do that will send a message to CBS that we want this show back, but, at the same time, will allow us to be sensible with our money?  Maybe have some kind of set up where the money is donated to a charity, but have it known that it’s done in the name of protesting for Jericho? 

This campaign shows something that I’ve always known…when fans set their minds on something, they can have a tremendous impact.  But it’s time to show that we can have a smart impact, too.

Late Friday evening, this was posted on the official ‘Jericho’ message board:

To the fans of Jericho:

We have read your emails over the past few days and have been touched by the depth and passion with which you have expressed your disappointment. Please know that canceling a television series is a very difficult decision. Hundreds of people at the Network, the production company and the incredibly-talented creative team worked very hard to build and serve the community for this show — both on-air and online. It is a show we loved too.

Thank you for supporting Jericho with such passion. We truly appreciate the commitment you made to the series and we are humbled by your disappointment. In the coming weeks, we hope to develop a way to provide closure to the compelling drama that was the Jericho story.

Sincerely,

Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment

While the last sentence is non-committal at best, it is nice to hear some official response to the public outcry.  As SyFy Portal points out, the rally after ‘Farscape’ was cancelled brought about a telemovie to close out the series, and the outcry after ‘Firefly’ was cancelled resulted in the feature film Serenity.  Heck, even the original ‘Star Trek’ was cancelled, and fans demanded that the show return, which it did, to moderate success. 

Jericho - Why We Fight - CBS - 8/7c

‘Jericho’ leads the way into finale season tonight with its season one send-off.  According to TVGuide, a major character will die tonight…”somebody who had a deal to be here for the next five years.” I really, really feel like it will be Jake (Skeet Ulrich).  If they’re looking to send the show in a completely different direction, what better way than to kill off the show’s main star?  On the other hand, the new storyline “will get past who dropped the bombs and focus on the rebuilding of the country.”  Since Hawkins’ story is focused heavily on that aspect of the show, the news may not bode well for him.

American Idol - Results Show - FOX - 9/8c

Everyone seemed to turn in fairly weak performances last night.  I’m still pulling for a Jordin/Melinda finale, but I think that we might see Blake sneak in there.  I would expect for Lakisha to be at the bottom tonight, for sure.

Lost - The Man Behind the Curtain - ABC - 10/9c

Bad weather is in the forecast for me again, which makes me very nervous…because this is the most anticipated episode of the season.  I mean, it’s a Ben flashback episode…how can questions not be answered?

According to Doc Jensen over at EW, Locke will hear two words tonight that will change his life.  Over the past few weeks, this show has just gotten so good…I can’t wait to see what we’re building toward.

Jericho - Coalition of the Willing - CBS - 8/7c

CBS says:

When the town of New Bern begins bombing the streets of Jericho with mortars, Mayor Gray Anderson is faced with the decision to fight their formidable opponents or surrender in order to save lives.

I’m loving this civil war aspect of Jericho.  Tonight is the last episode before the big finale next week, so strap in…it’ll be a blast.

American Idol - Results Show - FOX - 9/8c

I would have never, ever, ever expected Jordin to give the weakest performance…but last night she did.  In fact, she was the only real weak performance of the night.  But her votes from last week should prove to be her saving grace.  I’m kind of expecting Lakisha and either Chris or Phil in the bottom two.

Lost - The Brig - ABC - 10/9c

I love Locke episodes.  They always seem to maintain the perfect balance between island intrigue and informative flashbacks.  Tonight is Locke-centric episode number three for this season, which I think is a first for the show…previously they’ve maxed out at two episodes per character in a season, by my count.  Anyway, tonight’s episode deals with the time between John finding Cooper tied up on the island and the present.  And tonight, we’ll have what Ausiello at TVGuide calls the “one of the most, um, twisted Lost deaths ever”.

Regarding the revelation that Naomi gave last week about the finding of the wreckage of Oceanic 815, Ausiello confirms from producer Damon Lindeloff that this is NOT the game-changer like I thought it was.  Lindeloff’s exact words were: “Nope. Not yet. Trust us: YOU. WILL. KNOW.”  Okay, Lindy, just don’t let me down.  Tonight, she is supposed to expand on last week’s revelation a bit more.

As for tonight, ABC says:

A newly focused Locke breaks away from “The Others” in an attempt to persuade Sawyer to help rid them of a great nemesis that has caused nothing but pain in both of their lives. Meanwhile, a new island inhabitant discloses some shocking information about Oceanic Flight 815.

Now, if you know your island history, that should be a clear-cut sign about what to expect tonight.  But, just in case you missed it, [highlight to read]Locke’s father, Anthony Cooper, was the original Sawyer, who conned the Sawyer we know’s parents, causing his father to kill his mother, and himself.  Should be a fun time tonight.

Jericho - One if by Land - CBS - 8/7c

Tonight, the escalating civil war between Jericho and New Bern heats up, as citizens of New Bern are shot while trying to steal salt from Jericho’s mine.  If you’re not watching the show, that probably doesn’t sound very compelling, but Jericho does a tremendous job of racketing up the tension every week as we build to a big finale.

American Idol - Results Show - FOX - 8/7c

I talked about Idol at length this morning, so I’ll just say that tonight is bringing some huge names to the show.  Tune into the two hour results show with special appearances by Bono, Celine Dion, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Josh Groban and the African Children’s Choir, Annie Lennox, Il Divo, Hugh Grant, Helen Mirren, Rascal Flatts and Keira Knightley.

Lost - D.O.C. - ABC - 10/9c

After discovering that all of “The Others’” pregnant women died before giving birth on the island, an extremely reticent sun allows Juliet to examine her — and uncovers the identity of the unborn child’s father. Meanwhile, Desmond allows an unlikely nemesis to help save the life of a new, mysterious island inhabitant.

What I imagine will be the big spoiler hit the internets yesterday.  While Spoilerfix said that it would be appearing on next week’s episode, TVGuide’s Ausiello, eOnline’s Kristin, and Entertainment Weekly’s Doc Jensen all hint at it being tonight.  Be sure to check back here tomorrow for our recap and some discussion about what this twist could mean for our Losties.

Jericho - Casus Belli - CBS - 8/7c

I really like where this season is heading.  After some deep investigative reporting (i.e. Wikipedia), I’ve found that casus belli means, loosely, “cause of war”.  Jericho has done a fantastic job this season of showing people desperately trying to hold onto civility while the world literally falls apart around them.  Tonight, when Eric doesn’t return from New Bern, tensioins begin to mount.  Expect it to build to near-full scale war.

American Idol - Results Show - FOX - 9/8c

Finally, Sanjaya gave the performance we all knew he could…a terrible one.  His days are definitely numbered on this show…I’m predicting tonight is the one that sends him home.  On the other hand, Jordin delivered the performance of the night.  The first time I saw her at the audition, I had a gut feeling that we would be seeing her in the finale.  Melinda has since overshadowed her, but I’m starting to get that feeling back again.

Lost - Catch 22 - ABC - 10/9c

If you somehow, unfortunately, missed One of Us last week, be sure to to tune in at 9/8c to catch up…it’s one of the best that we’ve seen.  (Don’t worry about Idol, I’ll catch you up tomorrow.)  Tonight, we have a Desmond oriented flashback.  The last Desmond flashback we had, Flashes Before Your Eyes, was probably one of my favorite episodes of the series, the previous Desmond episode, the season two finale, was fantastic, also.  Let’s hope they can go three for three on this one.  Apparently, tonight we’ll be introduced to a new character who is not an Other, not in a flashback, and not a survivor of 815.  Some say that she is some subterranean character…I don’t know if that’s literal or not. 

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s one of the fullest nights of the week.  Here’s what’s on:

Friday Night Lights - State - NBC - 8/7c

Friday has some great news this week, with the order from NBC for six new episodes.  And tonight, they head into the season finale, with the Panthers heading to the state championship, and with Coach Taylor considering a move to coach a college team.

Jericho - A.K.A. - CBS - 8/7c

Still loving the heck out of Jericho.  I think one of my favorite moment of the series came last week, and it was just one of those ‘little’ moments.  At the end, when they’re picking up the radio news transmission, one of the characters recognizes the guy doing the news report as the old “farm reporter” or something like that.  I wish the show would highlight more moments like this, with ordinary people being forced into roles they never expected they would have to take on. 

American Idol - Results Show - FOX - 9/8c

So, who’d have thought that Sanjaya would actually put on a competent performance, huh?  In fact, it seems like last night the girls were somewhat overshadowed by the guys for the first time this year.  Someone’s on their way out, tonight, though.

Lost - One of Us - ABC - 10/9c

I hate to have my expectations raised.  Hate it.  But these folks who have seen tonight’s episode don’t make it any easier. 

Exhibit A : Ausiello from TVGuide had this to say:

I feel it’s my responsibility to tell you that this is easily the best Lost episode of the season. Bar none. You want answers? This one’s got ‘em in spades. Not only will we find out how Juliet came to the island, but we’ll learn why she stuck around and the reason her people gassed her. And unlike some of the show’s other “answers,” these make perfect sense in the context of the overall narrative.

Exhibit B : Doc Jensen from Entertainment Weekly:

A couple years from now, when the series is done, I’m certain there will be a DVD product that will collect the 20 or so episodes that represent the Definitive Lost Saga, and this one will be on it.

Exhibit C : Herc from Aint It Cool give it 4 1/2 stars:

We get answers this week to questions we’ve been asking since early season one.

The hype!  Must…not…buy…in…