Update on Jericho
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
Wow! I am now through Jericho, and it has been an incredible ride!
In the first season, the stories dealt with logical and natural problems that would befall a small town after an apocolyptic attack, such as radioactive rain, food shortages and lawlessness. The stories were personal and real, as people dealt with the massive shift in their lives from civilization to survival.
The first season ends on a cliff hanger, and apparently the network did not renew Jericho for a second season. Fans were devastated, and took up a grassroots campain of sending boxes of peanuts to the network in support of the show. This “nuts” campaign pressured the execs to pick Jericho back up as a midseason show. They gave Jericho seven episodes to close the show (although I think they dangled renewal out there, it never happened.)
As a result, the second season of Jericho does in seven episodes what most series do over 21 episodes, so it has a fast-paced, world-coming-apart-at-the-seams feel. During the turning point episode midway through, I was shocked at the things that happened. Things they couldn’t come back from, that they couldn’t write around. It was risky, bold. It was “nuts”.
The show’s producers mentioned in the disc special features that they felt they had to be true to the story, that the fans deserved that, since they were the only reason Jericho made a second season.
It reminded me that when things are made more for the art than the business, great things can happen. Be true to the stories, to the audience, to thine own self! Not to the studio or the publisher or the agent. Or the disapproving aunt or whoever else is stifling your creativity!
And back to Jericho: I’m giving it five nods — well, maybe 4.75 but we’ll round up. Enjoy the ride, and tell me what you think!
BTW, family friendly, IMO. People die but nothing is very gruesome and there is tension without crassness. One scene mid-season 2 is harsh, you’ll know it when you see it, but it’s not graphic.
Best episode of the series is season 2, Sedition, with its WWII parallels. Wow!