Government afraid of T.V. program?

This is my first post to ATS, although I have been lurking here off and on for awhile now, more heavily in the past month or so.

That aside, I would like to consider the thought of the Television program Jericho. I, for one, love this show. I was surprised from the get-go that such a program would be allowed on network television due to the dramaticized yet potential realistic potential of the premise. I was surprised to notice that the show was slated to be taken off of the air after the first season when nobody even realized that the government could be involved in the plot.

Now that the plot has thickened, and more support generated, we realize that, while the government was not directly involved in this plot, it has become a pawn of corporate interest trying to, literally, take over the country (planet?).

Enough rambling. I enjoy the program and I have thought from the very beginning of it that the government must HATE the potential result of such a story. 1. that the government is simply a pawn of corporate interest 2., and MOST importantly, that in the end, people still have the power to overcome.

Alas, it is leaving the air once again. Hopefully for just a shortwhile

It makes for a very good show and I am wondering if people will demand it rise again

reply to post by IsGodET


I am also a big fan of this show, and I've had the same thoughts you've mentioned.

Sometimes, when I'm thinking dark thoughts, I think that the governement asked them to pull the plug on the show because it was hitting to close to home (someone's agenda).

For me, it isn't dark thoughts, as I have very few (unless the booze is talking, haha). Anyhow, it just seems odd that they pulled it last season inexplicably and there was actual VIEWER OUTRAGE. Enough to make them bring it back and now that the plot has thickened they are pulling it again??! It is really puzzling to me. Well, not so much maybe. Maybe I should say it is really typical.

And to think, as I read the synopsis to that program, I was listening to a song.. and the lyrics at that moment said "And here we go again with all the things we said. And not a minute spent, to think that we'd regret. So we just take it back,"

Wierd or what!

It could indeed be a Government agenda, to cancel the show. But again, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that they wouldn't already be monitoring t.v shows. They wouldn't allow such a thing to hit the airwaves, or whatever you call it, if they knew it'd release secret information. I'm not saying it isn't possible.. but still.. with the technology they have now, i'm damn sure that if they wanted to, they'd be monitoring all of t.v! Very easily, at that.. consdering the technology in black ops e.t.c..

Still, almost anything is possible.

So a TV show gets low ratings, and all of a sudden it's cancellation is due to the government getting scared of a TV show?

If it didn't cause so many problems for the legitimacy of the field, these sorts of theories would be hilarious.

From Nina Tassler, CBS entertainment boss:

Without question, there are passionate viewers watching this program; we simply wish there were more. We thank an engaged and spirited fan base for keeping the show alive this long, and an outstanding team of producers, cast and crew that went through creative hoops to deliver a compelling, high-quality second season.... We're proud of everyone's efforts.

So what should we believe? Either:

A) A run-of-the-mill TV show hits the nail squarely on the head, and the government didn't notice this until now, and didn't try to deal with it more quietly, instead opting to cancel the TV show, by somehow manipulating the TV ratings to imply a less-than-desired viewing figures. For the first time in history.

B) A poorly-performing TV show was cancelled, as has happened many times before.

Oooh! It MUST be A! It can't possibly be B, because it doesn't involve a cover-up or mass-conspiracy.

It's just a tv show with some creative writers and producers. I lost interest in the show after about three shows. Just not exciting enough I guess, now LOST is a different story and very exciting and mysterious. And where did you get the idea that the government is scared of the show.

[edit on 3/25/2008 by Solarskye]

reply to post by dave420
Hi Dave,

In all fairness, the ratings are skewed, they don't take into account, those that tivo and dvr the show, we do, and I'd be willing to bet that tens of thousands and perhaps, hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of others do too.

My wife and I love the show, and we will miss it, but they did film 2 endings, and maybe a different network will pick it up last minute, we shall see, depending on the ending.

I don't remember the name of the show, but it wasn't on long, and it was abruptly cancelled too. (the show that had a passenger jet heading for the world trade towers prior to 9/11) some of those shows do hit too close to home, and the fact is, IF and yes it's a huge if, the government were to suggest the show be pulled, do we really think, the network would say, the government told us, to pull the plug? I don't think so. still, it's one of the better shows on tv imho.

The airline show - if it existed was probably cancelled due in a moment of sympathetic sensitivity. How can a nation's wounds be opened so soon after the dreadful tragedy that occurred that day? (or was it that episode of The Lone Gunmen you're thinking about? The X-Files spin-off was tragically lo-fi, hence its timely demise.)

Jericho, I've never seen, though I saw it trailed somewhere and it didn't thrill me. I'm old enough to remember The Fugitive, The Invaders and The Incredible Hulk.

Lost is a cynical ratings exercise that lost its legs half-way through the first season (presumably around the time the writers were told they were going to have to spin it out for another season - and another - and another .....zzzzzzz).

There was a time not so long ago when good Science Fiction was a rare and treasured commodity. The original Star Trek was famously resussitated by fan intervention. The non-SF-series Fame, which grew out of the Alan Parker film, died in the US and only ran its final season because of the intervention of British fans - I believe the BBC co-produced that season, but I might have that wrong.

Now every channel has a sci-fi-slanted show of some kind. Over here, in among the standard American fare which will soon include Bionic Woman and the Sarah Connors Chronicles, it's Dr Who, the lamentable Torchwood and the exquisite Primeval. I might be the only one to mourn the passing of Sea Of Souls, but it was pretty damned good, too. Terrestrial TV in the UK never even saw Firefly, to my knowledge.

It's hard to make a mark with Sci-Fi TV. The competition is there and it's good (Heroes being a recent benchmark example). People involved in creating real-life conspiracies couldn't care less if some fiction writer descibes their every move. No one is going to take television seriously, and the conspiracy theorists already know much, much more than the TV writers can even suspect.

The X-Files was probably the most credible and credited series of recent times. It lasted 9 seasons. If the PTB ever had anything to fear, it was from that one programme. The truth (I can't believe I'm saying this) was in there (I think I'm gonna puuuuuuuuke ...)


[edit on 25/3/08 by hidatsa]

[edit on 25/3/08 by hidatsa]

reply to post by saturnsrings


The ratings are definitely skewed, but that doesn't instantly discount the fact that executives still pay attention to them.

Jericho sucked to most people, and because it's on a commercial TV station, it had to be cancelled. Bad TV = Cancelled. That's it. End of story.

Originally posted by saturnsrings
reply to post by dave420

 

Hi Dave,

In all fairness, the ratings are skewed, they don't take into account, those that tivo and dvr the show, we do, and I'd be willing to bet that tens of thousands and perhaps, hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of others do too.

My wife and I love the show, and we will miss it, but they did film 2 endings, and maybe a different network will pick it up last minute, we shall see, depending on the ending.

I don't remember the name of the show, but it wasn't on long, and it was abruptly cancelled too. (the show that had a passenger jet heading for the world trade towers prior to 9/11) some of those shows do hit too close to home, and the fact is, IF and yes it's a huge if, the government were to suggest the show be pulled, do we really think, the network would say, the government told us, to pull the plug? I don't think so. still, it's one of the better shows on tv imho.

The show in question was "The Lone Gunmen" which was an X-Files spin-off.

The episode in question was the pilot and it was made way before 9/11.

I'm also a big fan and am disappointed. It truly is a great show and the plot line has developed nicely this (shortened) season. CBS has, in my opinion, a pretty weak programming schedule. Jericho is no Lost but it had/has viewership.

When they brought it back and scheduled it opposite American Idol you could pretty much put a fork in it from that point forward. Jericho appeals to a 'boutique' demographic. I get to DVR it here but there's no way my wife would pass-up Idol to watch Jericho if we didn't have that DVR option. I would think the show would have done relatively well had it been scheduled into a a less competitive timeslot. But they're the network executive geniuses. at least they'll be keeping the 8 crime dramas they currently run. Who needs Court TV?

Originally posted by Solarskye
It's just a tv show with some creative writers and producers. I lost interest in the show after about three shows. Just not exciting enough I guess, now LOST is a different story and very exciting and mysterious.

And where did you get the idea that the government is scared of the show.

[edit on 3/25/2008 by Solarskye]

urgh... dont tell me you watch Lost....
Actually, I cant believe anyone on this site would waste time watching that sort of thing, and then simultaneously put "Deny Ignorance" on their avatar... It's just sorta ironically funny *dont shoot*

J

It ended because of the one classic line.

This isn't a country anymore its a corporation!

That single Halibuton/Blackwater reference got it shut down in 24hrs.

Originally posted by mortalengine

Originally posted by Solarskye
It's just a tv show with some creative writers and producers. I lost interest in the show after about three shows. Just not exciting enough I guess, now LOST is a different story and very exciting and mysterious.

And where did you get the idea that the government is scared of the show.

[edit on 3/25/2008 by Solarskye]

urgh... dont tell me you watch Lost....
Actually, I cant believe anyone on this site would waste time watching that sort of thing, and then simultaneously put "Deny Ignorance" on their avatar... It's just sorta ironically funny

*dont shoot*

J

What, exactly is wrong with Lost? I find it amusing that some people try to be "cool" by going against something that is popular. Lost is a TV show, it is entertaining....

I fail to find what watching Lost and posting on a site like this have to do with each other, or what "Denying Ignorance" has to do with a TV show. Please enlighten me.

reply to post by mortalengine


I like your avatar mortal. I just like the way Lost is going. Now I wanted Jericho to do better and be more exciting but it just didn't do it for me. But I still don't understand why the government would be afraid of a TV show? And I wonder if they do take dvr and recording of the show into consideration when they do the ratings?

LOVED the show "I guess my screen name might just give it away huh?" And honestly I don't think the government had much to do with this one. What I DO think is that no one was interested in it beacause it was too much of a comentary on what was going on today. Escapeisim( did I invent a word?) is one of the reasons people watch tv and to be reminded of what could (or is) going on today , oh what people deep down inside think is, well thats just not entertainment. If you wonder why people want to ecape reality by tv but yet watch so many reality shows...well your just gonna have to work that one out yourselves.

Originally posted by PokeyJoe

Originally posted by mortalengine

Originally posted by Solarskye
It's just a tv show with some creative writers and producers. I lost interest in the show after about three shows. Just not exciting enough I guess, now LOST is a different story and very exciting and mysterious.

And where did you get the idea that the government is scared of the show.

[edit on 3/25/2008 by Solarskye]

urgh... dont tell me you watch Lost....
Actually, I cant believe anyone on this site would waste time watching that sort of thing, and then simultaneously put "Deny Ignorance" on their avatar... It's just sorta ironically funny

*dont shoot*

J

What, exactly is wrong with Lost? I find it amusing that some people try to be "cool" by going against something that is popular. Lost is a TV show, it is entertaining....

I fail to find what watching Lost and posting on a site like this have to do with each other, or what "Denying Ignorance" has to do with a TV show. Please enlighten me.

Sorry, chum, but nobody can accuse me of being cool.

A quick summary of what I find wrong with LOST:

The flashbacks.
The simple story that has been extended over - how many seasons now?
The consequent lack of any credible storyline or sense of journey.
The cynical introduction of invisible monsters just to keep people viewing - they did nothing in the first season but rustle trees and scare a few suggestible airplane passengers - seriously. Summarise the first season without mentioning them, and then explain why anyone should be interested.
The other examples of tacky audience manipulation that went on far too long before they even hinted that they might have a real plotline behind all this.
Those gawdawful advert lead-ins they had over here where supposedly real people supposedly suggested what they supposedly thought the series was supposedly about. When all the time, we all knew it was about nothing.
The fact that it had good bits lasting about fifty seconds in every episode, making you think they had more good bits up their sleeves when the only other good bits they had were the shots in the prologue.
And the flashbacks.

I stopped watching after Season 1. "Life has to offer more than this dross," I thought. "Maybe I'll start collecting toenail clippings." And as exciting as that was for a while, I soon discovered the lures and attractions of switching off the TV completely.

[edit on 1/4/08 by hidatsa]

Originally posted by IsGodET
Now that the plot has thickened, and more support generated, we realize that, while the government was not directly involved in this plot, it has become a pawn of corporate interest trying to, literally, take over the country (planet?).

Actually, I think you are a bit confused about what was going on. First, the government is not the pawn of a corporate interest. It is the government of the ASA, based in Cheyenne that was "involved in the plot." The government of the USA, as in the one analogous to our real-world government, now based on Columbus, OH was not involved in the plot. In fact, that government (our real-life government), along with the San Antonio government of the Independent Republic of Texas are portrayed as the "good-guys."

And even the corporatocracy of the ASA was not really involved in the plot to destroy the United States. As shown in the penultimate episode, it was a far-leftist, disgusted by the ties between J&R and the US government, that perpetrated the September attacks. Though John Smith worked for J&R he did not orchestrate the attacks on the behalf of J&R; rather, he used J&R to further his goals.

J&R and the ASA were innocent, as far as the September attacks go. However, they still covered-up who was responsible for the attacks since John Smith was someone high-ranking in the J&R structure, and used their resources to conduct the attacks. Where J&R and the ASA are not innocent was in the deaths of millions in North Korea and Iran to maintain the cover-up, and taking advantage of the attacks to take over the Western US.

While I loved Jericho, particularly the 2nd season, it did have low ratings. Despite the fan-push to bring the show back, it's ratings were lower in the 2nd season than at the lowest point of the first season. There was no conspiracy to take Jericho off the air, unless you count unless you count CBS conspiring to fill the time-slot with a show that generates more revenue. Oh, and then there was the silent, unadvertant conspiracy by the viewers to not watch it.

What killed Jericho was the first season of the show. It was solid when dealing with the attacks, the aftermath, and the mystery of why the attacks happened. However, there were too-many soap-opera elements and other sorts of fluff, used as filler. This, combined with what the British call the "cozy catastrophy" nature of the show instead of something similar to Threads or The Day After, turned off many of the target audience. Compare it to the second season of the show; because of the abbreviated season, the soap-opera and fluff elements were at an absolute minimum, and it focused on the plot. And the show benefitted, at least critically. If the first season had been as tight and well-written as the second, Jericho would still be on the air.

But, there is still hope. The season did end on a cliffhanger of sorts (the opening salvo of the 2nd Civil War), and there is talk of moving the series to Sci-Fi or CW. While the ratings sucked for CBS, they pulled in what would be good ratings at CW. If those venues don't work out, there is a chance Jericho may be developed into a mini-series TV movie (as originally concieved).

Just let that sink in for a moment; if there was a conspiracy by the powers-that-be to take Jericho off the air, why would there be talk of it moving to a new station? Plus, why would they allow Sci-Fi Channel to re-run it, or allow the DVD to be sold?

[edit on 1-4-2008 by SaviorComplex]

Originally posted by SaviorComplex


Just let that sink in for a moment; if there was a conspiracy by the powers-that-be to take Jericho off the air, why would there be talk of it moving to a new station? Plus, why would they allow Sci-Fi Channel to re-run it, or allow the DVD to be sold?

[edit on 1-4-2008 by SaviorComplex]

Even though you didn't direct the thought at me, and nor have i had any input in the thread so far, i know exactly what you're talking about.

Originally i was going to write a post along the satirical lines of the government setting an example of being afraid of T.V, and that we should all be afraid of T.V, but it seems things have taken a turn to a more serious and curious leaf.

How many times has this happened before with shows that have characters in them with anti-capitalist agendas?

Originally posted by Throbber
How many times has this happened before with shows that have characters in them with anti-capitalist agendas?

How do you mean?

Do you mean to suggest Jericho was removed because it had an anti-capitalist characters/agendas?

If so, even that doesn't compute. Jericho isn't pro or con capitalism. The man who perpetrated the attacks is himself anti-capitalist, and while J&R is certainly a corporation, the nature of their control over the ASA makes them very anti-capitalist.

And even if you still consider Jericho "anti-capitalist," it still doesn't compute. 24 is still on the air (even if the current season has been delayed); time and time again it is shown that an eeeeeeevil corporation has been behind or had a hand in the threats on the show. Often, terrorists are just a pawn or a tool of these corporate interests.