The Sci Fi Guy

With apparently 50,000 pounds of peanuts and a lot of emails and letters, fans of CBS’s post-apocalypse sci-fi drama Jericho have brought this series back from the television version of an apocalypse - cancellation. Announced earlier today, CBS has confirmed that they will film at least 7 new episodes of this post-nuclear-war town drama, and they’ve signed on the remaining cast members, including star Skeet Ulrich (Jake). What’s also good news is that it appears CBS will be running the show as they always have, instead of giving the show to another network like Scifi Channel or USA, which might have meant a severely reduced budget, cast, and writing talent.

From this letter published on CBS’s website, and from CBS’s Showbuzz portal:

“You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard,” Tassler wrote, and seven episodes have been ordered for midseason 2007-08. “In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more ‘Jericho,’ we will need more viewers.” …

… Since “Jericho” was canceled last month the network has been deluged with calls, messages and shipments of nuts signifying viewer displeasure.

Score one for fans of compelling drama with a sci-fi edge, and I give a lot of credit to CBS for taking another chance on the show.

Well, if you’re one to follow TV gossip and rumors, it sounds like there might be some love for the nutzo fans of CBS’s Post-Apoc drama, Jericho. According to TMZ (surreptitiously filed in the “gossip and rumors” column):

CBS is steps away from sealing a deal to bring “Jericho” back from the TV graveyard for at least eight episodes, this according to TVGuide.com.

So perhaps there’s a chance for at least a resolution to the lives of our favorite nuclear-war-stranded Kansasians. Kansans. Jerichoans.  Well, whatever they’d call themselves, we were left on such a wicked cliffhanger, it’d be a shame not to get some sort of resolution. If they can only get 8 episodes cleared, that actually might be enough. While there’s plenty of great Jericho questions, the biggest question of them all is Does Jericho survive?

Here’s a few of my top Jericho questions, actually… (a la Lost Questions!)

• What’s the actual state of the US Government, and are there really multiple countries?
• What was the objective of the terrorists? Total anarchy? Militarization of the US?
• Who’s the man pulling the nuclear strings?
• Will the army be able to save Jericho before we lose more townsfolk?
• Who will Jake choose? The blonde he knows or the brunette he obviously has feelings for?

Oh and the list goes on and on. I personally really hope CBS takes a chance, and at least gives the Jericho fans that rode out the season a few more episodes just to wrap stuff up. I think they’d also be well suited to hold off on the DVD set until they figure out if they’ll cut it short, throw a few conclusion episodes in, or even get picked up for more than just th 8 episodes that TMZ mentioned.