Comments on: review of Jericho http://blog.mcstudios.net/2008/03/10/review-of-jericho Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:59:10 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mark http://blog.mcstudios.net/2008/03/10/review-of-jericho/comment-page-1#comment-1835 Mark Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:41:05 +0000 http://blog.mcstudios.net/2008/03/10/review-of-jericho#comment-1835 Since the only other thing I watch on CBS is sports (March Madness, occasional basketball or football game) I don't recall Jericho being mentioned or pushed. CBS doesn't have quite the repertoire that Fox or ABC has. In general you are right though, I usually wait until after the season is complete to watch it. However that is not always the case. Since I'm not a Nielsen household the only way my viewership is registered is by watching online, which I've done with Jericho Season 2 and Fox's Terminator series. Networks have to begin to realize that Nielsen isn't everything. Online viewers, DVD sales can also carry a show (albeit DVD sales are always at the end so its hard to sustain based on that alone). Personally, I feel very underrepresented in the Nielsen system =) While its true Jericho has a long-mythology aspect, I disagree it's anything like Lost (at least Season 1 wasn't). I think success of shows like Lost, Wire, BSG (and in minimal respect 24, which I agree is trash), you don't have to play the single standalone episode as the only way to be successful. You can have story arcs while still incorporating good individual episodes. I actually think Jericho will get another chance, given what happened with the writers strike. CBS purchased seven episodes, which is on par for what the rest of the shows on every network did this year. (Keeping my fingers crossed at least) Since the only other thing I watch on CBS is sports (March Madness, occasional basketball or football game) I don’t recall Jericho being mentioned or pushed. CBS doesn’t have quite the repertoire that Fox or ABC has. In general you are right though, I usually wait until after the season is complete to watch it. However that is not always the case.

Since I’m not a Nielsen household the only way my viewership is registered is by watching online, which I’ve done with Jericho Season 2 and Fox’s Terminator series. Networks have to begin to realize that Nielsen isn’t everything. Online viewers, DVD sales can also carry a show (albeit DVD sales are always at the end so its hard to sustain based on that alone). Personally, I feel very underrepresented in the Nielsen system =)

While its true Jericho has a long-mythology aspect, I disagree it’s anything like Lost (at least Season 1 wasn’t). I think success of shows like Lost, Wire, BSG (and in minimal respect 24, which I agree is trash), you don’t have to play the single standalone episode as the only way to be successful. You can have story arcs while still incorporating good individual episodes.

I actually think Jericho will get another chance, given what happened with the writers strike. CBS purchased seven episodes, which is on par for what the rest of the shows on every network did this year. (Keeping my fingers crossed at least)

]]> By: Jeff http://blog.mcstudios.net/2008/03/10/review-of-jericho/comment-page-1#comment-1832 Jeff Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:20:16 +0000 http://blog.mcstudios.net/2008/03/10/review-of-jericho#comment-1832 Now, now... to be fair, Jericho has had its chance. Can you really blame CBS' promotion? I caught plenty of exposure for Jericho leading up to its premiere in fall of 2006 (via HIMYM), and one of my friends watches it. Knowing you, I suspect you don't usually watch network shows as they air, which is the primary means for a network to advertise its shows. Were you even watching CBS during the summer/fall of 2006? I passed on Jericho though, because it's another long-mythology network show that sprung up in the wake of Lost's success. Lost is a fluke. These shows tend not to survive because it requires audience attention and retention, which does not translate into ratings. By contrast, 24 is well-disguised garbage and you don't actually need to pay attention to any particular episode nor details. If you don't have a strong Season 1, DVD sales are usually too late. Jericho had waning ratings through its first season, CBS cancelled it, a grassroots campaign prompted CBS to resurrect it, and then season ratings were even lower. Mistreatment like this (8 months between episodes) is typically a fatal blow, but it's not because the fans aren't watching. What fans need to realize is that telling people to watch a show does absolutely nothing to save a show at all. The only way to save a show is to get a Nielsen household to watch it. The lack of Nielsen viewers is what tanks the show in the first place, and it's what will still tank the show the second time around. Now, now… to be fair, Jericho has had its chance.

Can you really blame CBS’ promotion? I caught plenty of exposure for Jericho leading up to its premiere in fall of 2006 (via HIMYM), and one of my friends watches it. Knowing you, I suspect you don’t usually watch network shows as they air, which is the primary means for a network to advertise its shows. Were you even watching CBS during the summer/fall of 2006?

I passed on Jericho though, because it’s another long-mythology network show that sprung up in the wake of Lost’s success. Lost is a fluke. These shows tend not to survive because it requires audience attention and retention, which does not translate into ratings. By contrast, 24 is well-disguised garbage and you don’t actually need to pay attention to any particular episode nor details.

If you don’t have a strong Season 1, DVD sales are usually too late. Jericho had waning ratings through its first season, CBS cancelled it, a grassroots campaign prompted CBS to resurrect it, and then season ratings were even lower. Mistreatment like this (8 months between episodes) is typically a fatal blow, but it’s not because the fans aren’t watching.

What fans need to realize is that telling people to watch a show does absolutely nothing to save a show at all. The only way to save a show is to get a Nielsen household to watch it. The lack of Nielsen viewers is what tanks the show in the first place, and it’s what will still tank the show the second time around.

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