SCI FI Channel Acquires CBS' Jericho

It’s a little Valentine for Jericho fans.  SCI FI Channel has acquired seasons one and two of the CBS cult fave drama.   The series launches on Monday, February 11 with a four-hour marathon from 7p-11p.

A week later, Jericho settles into its regular time slot - Mondays at 10p. 

SCI FI says the series will be simulcast in HD on SCI FI HD.

On February 12, at 10p, the day after SCI FI’s marathon, Jericho returns to CBS Television for a truncated seven-episode second season. 

The series, which tracks life in a small Kansas town post-apocalypse, did well in the ratings initially but failed to bounce back (off a reported 25%) after a long hiatus.  The show also aired opposite American Idol.

CBS cancelled it but the fiercely devoted fan base mobilized.  Referencing the "Nuts!" line spoken by hero Jake Green in the finale, fans dumped over 40,000 pounds of peanuts, or about 8 million peanuts, on CBS.

Skeet Ulrich, who plays Jake Green, holding a peanut.  (Photo/banner courtesy of nutsonline.)

Finally, CBS capitulated and renewed the series for a minimum of seven episodes.  CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler posted online, crediting the fans with an “impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a primetime television series…you got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.”

Fans went bonkers over the cancellation for good reason.  The series ended with a cliff-hanger.

In the final episode of Jericho, the town is under siege and surrounded by their bigger, more aggressive neighbors..

When asked to yield, Jake Green (Skeet Ulrich) has a one-word answer, "Nuts!" (a familiar reference to Gen. Anthony McAuliffe’s legendary response to a German surrender demand)  topped off by "you can go straight to hell."

The residents of Jericho rally to save their community against overwhelming odds.  But then…

Viewers never saw the outcome.   The season, and the show, ended abruptly and inconclusively.

CBS drove the fans…nuts.