One of the shocks of the recent cancellations was that CBS’ drama Jericho was let go after one season. The Skeet Ulrich series did well in the ratings initially but, like Lost, took an extended hiatus during the winter months. When it returned earlier this year, many of the show’s casual viewers didn’t.
The series finished its freshman year on May 9th with a number of storylines unresolved, so fans were understandably upset to learn the series wouldn’t be returning. They’ve been very vocal about it and apparently, CBS has heard them loud and clear. CBS recently announced the following statement on the Jericho messageboard:
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
Score one for the fans but, it’s unclear what Tassler means by “developing closure.” A full second season or just a handful of episodes? A two-hour movie or webisodes? A novel or a short story synopsis?
It’s hard to say at this point but, its doubtful that the most devout of fans are going to be satisfied with anything less than a sophomore year. That could prove rather expensive and difficult for the network to provide since they officially cancelled the series. The cast was likely released from their contracts and would have to be renegotiated.
Will we see the residents of Jericho again? This story’s just getting interesting so, stay tuned! 
I recently became a fan of Jericho by watching the episodes on the CBS website. Its a great show with lots of potential for more episodes. Its rare that we see a great idea as well as such a fantastic cast. You have my support for a finale as well as another season. Nuts!
Thank you for your article. CBS did not consider alternate means of viewing when the cancelled “Jericho.” We are waging this campaign to let them know that there are many people watching who have never been counted. I am a 61-year-old white female in graduate school who watched when I could, and appreciated the quality of “Jericho,” and the posts by families (on the Jericho page) that this was a program that they could actually watch with their children without being embarrassed by nudity, profanity, etc. CBS CARES? Well, bring back “Jericho!”
Jericho is a CBS show that is out of their norm and for once is really good. It’s good that CBS is thinking about something for our fans. Let’s hope that CBS uncancels the show!
Jericho is a great program. When it is put up against other programs, all a viewer sees in the other programs are Doctors, Lawyers, Reality junk, and an occasional Sci-Fi bit. Then you see the doctors humping each other, the lawyers humping each other, the gosh know what humping each other on Sci-Fi show. Jericho has not sold itself for the sex and drugs of television. It is a smart program that actually has a positive message. People who work together can over come all adversity. Please do not cancel a show that displays these basic, positive themes. We will… Read more »
PLEASE give us some sort of closure!! There are just to many loose ends. Hawkins up on the hill with the tank waiting on the train, the military swooping in to “save the day”, the big gun fight in the middle of the road. Not to mention the character story line uncertainties. COME ON, you can’t leave ALL that just dangling in mid air. At least a 2 hr. movie finale or something!!!
Jericho was the most intelligently written series to appear on tv in over a decade. Please, if I want reality tv, I watch the news. Bring back Jericho, PLEASE.
I think Jericho is one of the best shows on Cbs. It has definately been my favorite. Please do not take this series off the air. I was hooked the first episode. There are so many other shows that dont even compare to Jericho that should be taken off the air. I will not waste my time getting hooked on any other show that cbs airs if they cancel Jericho. I can not believe Cbs would even consider this. The ratings have to be excellent, everyone I know practically watches it.
This is exactly what they did last year with Invasion. They are just crazy. They take a HUGE break & pit it against the biggest show on TV. If it was against almost any other show it would exceed their expectations. CBS just has really unprofessional schedulers. That is who should be fired. I donated my NUTS today through nutsonline.com, which is trying to save Jericho by letting them know in a BIG way how much we love Jericho.
How are these decisions get made? It must be made in a vacuum without checking out what the viewers want or like.
We want a second season.
Return to Jericho!
I am very disappointed that Jericho will not be returning next year. I loved the show and watched it every week. Every time a good show comes on it is taken off.I hope you will consider reinstating it for next year.
The most outrageous part about this is the fact that CBS cancels the show because of stupidity in their own scheduling. How does penalizing a show with a many month hiatus imposed by the network make ANY kind of sense? To build a series that fans will stick with a follow there has to be continuity, both from the scripting & storyline, and ALSO from the release schedule. People should be losing their jobs at CBS’s scheduling department as a result, NOT the cancellation of one of the most compelling shows I’ve seen in many years. A show that actually… Read more »
I am a die hard fan of this show. This is one of the few shows that would really dissapoint me if it didn’t come back.
I don’t know who to write to about not cancelling ‘Jericho’.
Would you please forward this to the appropriate address, or even e-mail me the address I can e-mail my request to.
Thankyou,
John
It really makes you wonder just who makes the calls at CBS. Dropping a show like Jericho is a very poor managment decision. Keep that up CBS and you will be 4th in the network ratings.