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For 'Jericho,'
a much darkened skyline

Fans waged an impressive campaign to get it back

By Diego Vasquez
Feb 12, 2008

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“Jericho” returns to CBS tonight at 10 p.m. for its second season, nine months after the show was famously canceled and uncanceled following a campaign by rabid fans.

Whether it will see a third season, however, remains very much in question.

CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler revived the post-apocalypse show after fans sent two tons of nuts to the network’s offices in protest. But she made it clear that “Jericho’s” ratings would have to show substantial improvement for the network to stick with it beyond this year’s seven episodes, saying, “For there to be more 'Jericho,' we will need more viewers.”

That could be a tough order.

“Jericho” moves to a new, much later timeslot after seeing its ratings plunge during the second half of the season. It’s a slot, Tuesday at 10, where CBS has long struggled to find viable programming.

Earlier this season, the Jimmy Smits drama “Cane” averaged just a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating in the slot, with more recent episodes falling below a 2.0. It’s not expected to return.

CBS has rotated more than a half-dozen shows through the timeslot with no luck in the past three seasons, even with minimal competition from ABC’s “Boston Legal” in the slot.

“Jericho” averaged a 2.8 last season on Wednesdays at 8 p.m., though its season finale managed a mere 2.1, off almost 40 percent from the show’s debut. In tonight’s premiere, the town of Jericho attempts to restore communications with the outside world and makes peace with nearby New Bern.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Actresses Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johannson both guest.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Welcome to Hollywood, baby! The audition survivors fight for a place in the final 24.
8 p.m.	NBC	“The Biggest Loser” (R)	Doctors tell the contestants how their health has improved so far.
9 p.m.	CBS	“Big Brother” (R)	Season premiere. The 16 contestants will form eight pairs and compete with their teammates.
9 p.m.	CW	“One Tree Hill” (D)	It takes a while, but Mouth realizes he’s been set up on a blind date.
10 p.m.	CBS	“ Jericho” (D)	Season premiere. The ultra-fans saved the show, now let’s see how many of them watch.
10 p.m.	FX	“Nip/Tuck” (D)	Matt bonds with one of Christian’s patients.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 p.m.	ESPN	“College Basketball” (S)	Good ACC game between Maryland and Duke.
8 p.m.	CW	“ America’s Next Top Model” (R)	The second half of a rundown of the series’ most memorable moments.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Twelve females and 12 males are selected for the final 24.
9 p.m.	Fox	“Moment of Truth” (G)	Ratings have fallen each week but it’s still killing the competition.
9 p.m.	ESPN	“NBA Basketball” (S)	Shaq and his new team, the Suns, take on the Warriors in Oakland.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Law & Order” (D)	A protestor at an immigration rally is killed, and the police may be to blame.
10 p.m.	MTV	“Real World/Road Rules Challenge” (R)	A female alliance is formed, but these things are rarely successful.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Ryan Reynolds and Jane Fonda both make appearances.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Survivor” (R)	With Johnny Fairplay already out, who’ll be next?
8 p.m.	Fox	“NAACP Image Awards” (A)	D.L. Hughley hosts the 39th annual event.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Lost” (D)	Locke continues to hold a hostage, so Kate and Sayid search for him.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Celebrity Apprentice” (R)	The contestants try to run a horse and carriage business in Central Park.
10 p.m.	ABC	“Eli Stone” (D)	Before helping a National Guard soldier in a custody battle, Eli has visions of World War II.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Lipstick Jungle” (D)	Wendy finds out that a not-so-nice novel is being written about her.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 p.m.	ESPN	“NBA All-Star Celebrity Game” (S)	All-Star Weekend festivities kick off with an exhibition celebrity game in New Orleans.
8 p.m.	NBC	“1 vs. 100” (G)	Oscar the Grouch and a few Playboy bunnies are among the mobsters.
9 p.m.	CBS	“Celine Dion: That’s Just the Woman in Me” (A)	Celine performs a concert in Los Angeles.
9 p.m.	NBC	“ Las Vegas” (D)	In tonight’s two-hour episode the casino is held up and staffers held hostage.
9 p.m.	USA	“Monk” (D)	In the first of a two-part season finale, Monk is accused of murder.
10 p.m.	Discovery	“Fight Quest” (R)	Jimmy and Doug go to Rio de Janeiro to learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	NBC	“Ironman Triathlon” (S)	Athletes swim 2.4 miles and bike 112 miles before running a full 26.2-mile marathon.
3 p.m.	CBS	“PGA Golf” (S)	Third-round coverage of the Northern Trust Open.
8 p.m.	ABC	“Miracle” (M)	If you need some inspiration, check out the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team.
8 p.m.	Fox	“Cops” (R)	Edition No. 11 of the “Cops” Bad Girls series.
8:30 p.m.	TNT	“NBA All-Star Saturday Night” (S)	Various events including the three-point shootout and slam dunk contest.
11 p.m.	Fox	“Mad TV” (C)	The crew pokes fun of the BBC and the show “Women’s Murder Club.”
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	Fox	“NASCAR Racing” (S)	The 50th running of sport’s biggest race, the Daytona 500.
3 p.m.	CBS	“PGA Golf” (S)	Final round of the Northern Trust Open, won last year by Charles Howell III.
3:30 p.m.	NBC	“NHL Hockey” (S)	Two of the league’s best teams, the Red Wings and Stars, battle in Dallas.
8 p.m.	Fox	“The Simpsons” (C)	Valentine’s Day episode could be highly rated following the Daytona 500.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Knight Rider” (M)	New TV movie based on the classic show, but KITT’s now a Mustang. What’s up with that?
10 p.m.	CBS	“Dexter” (D)	The Showtime program makes its broadcast debut. Thanks, striking writers!
10:30 p.m.	E!	“Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood” (R)	Snoop and his wife look into some new business opportunities.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.