Fresh off atoning for their Qwikster shenanigans by ordering new episodes of “Arrested Development,” Netflix is looking again to please fans of another cancelled show, albeit a show that may provoke a reaction of, “Oh yeah, that did exist, didn’t it?”
TV Guide reports developments began when Netflix approached CBS Television Studios about creating and streaming new episodes of their Skeet Ulrich drama “Jericho,” which premiered in 2006 and was cancelled in 2008 due to low ratings. The show followed the residents of a small Kansas town in the wake of a nuclear attack, and gained notoriety mainly for its fan base, who protested the first season cancellation by way of mass peanut shipment to the studio, with reckless disregard for CBS employee allergies.
The peanut campaign worked however, as the show came back for a second season, but celebrations were short-lived since ratings dipped again, and it was cancelled after the finale. However, Netflix have found success in the past few years with “Jericho” re-runs on their service, so it’s understandable that they would be interested in restarting the series.
Of course, fan response has also been favorable toward the revival, but there are still quite a few obstacles before a deal can be struck. Jericho’s cast, many of whom are busy on other projects, will need to be cajoled, and negotiations between CBS and Netflix, who are working on David Fincher’s drama “House of Cards” in addition to 'Arrested,' are still in the beginning stages. Netflix is eager to establish itself as a force in television production though, so a “Jericho” season 3 may be exactly what the company needs.