Television: 'Jericho' nuts save the show -- for now

The resurrection of "Jericho" this Tuesday speaks volumes about the power of the Internet and snack food.

The drama was officially canceled on May 15 of last year, a decision that launched a barrage of e-mail complaints to CBS headquarters, as well as more than 20 tons of peanuts, a reference to a moment in the season finale in which lead character Jake Green utters the word "nuts," which qualifies as a swear word on broadcast television.

Shortly after axing the freshman series, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler was getting a medical checkup when a new doctor entered the examination room. Before sharing her results, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a bag of peanuts.

Within three weeks of the May announcement, the network changed its mind.

"What we saw was a huge segment of the population that really felt they were not being counted," Tassler said. "More specifically, they had a knowledge and awareness of the show that was so detailed, so committed, so passionate, we said, 'Look, this is a rare opportunity for us to really interact with our audience. Let's take another shot.'"

Lennie James, who plays Robert Hawkins on the show, said the cast was completely taken by surprise.

"I was in London, dodging raindrops, when someone called me and said, 'Are you aware of what's happening on the Net?'" he said. "Gradually everybody was hearing different bits and it built up until you're thinking, 'No, it couldn't happen. It couldn't. It is? We're doing it?' But that always happens, right? Get canceled. Fans kick up a fuss. You come back."

This is the most significant flip-flop since a 1984 letter-writing campaign saved "Cagney & Lacey." But that show had been on the air for two years and was coming off an Emmy win for best drama. "Jericho" faced even tougher odds of returning.

It premiered in fall 2006 with impressive numbers, but after 11 episodes and a drop in ratings, the network put the series on hiatus. The main story line, how a small town reacts after a nuclear fallout, spotlights dozens of characters and interweaving plots, the kind of combination that usually can't survive a vacation just as the audience is getting hooked. On top of that, the show had killed off one of the show's best characters (for those still catching up with the series on DVD and on the Web, we won't reveal the name), a strategy that adds to the suspense, but also has the potential to turn off some viewers.

"Even though we were a bit of a hit in the fall, we were gone so long that people just thought we were gone and those people went elsewhere," said executive producer Carol Barbee. "But I will say that when we came back, we had a core group, a core audience that we never lost. We also got this huge Internet fan base."

People who view shows on iTunes or websites are considerably less valuable to networks, simply because it's difficult to turn that kind of popularity into profits. It's one of the reasons CBS is hesitant to throw "Jericho" an all-out welcome-back party.

Instead of a full order of 22 episodes, the network has committed to only seven, which means writers were forced to scale back its stories and focus on fewer characters. Due to budget cuts, each episode had to be shot in seven days as opposed to eight last season. Tassler has also made it clear that if TV ratings aren't strong in this shortened run, then the show will not be given another chance, no matter how many Planters you send her way.

Skeet Ulrich, who plays Jake Green, said that cast members are more than willing to do their part.

"This has been an amazing journey, from the lows of cancellation to the fans rising up for us," he said. "The best way we can thank them is to continue to make the best show we can make and push this story forward."