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Critic's Notebook: Shield finale, Jericho Revival
Michael Chiklis in The Shield by Prashant Gupta/FX
In all of the hubbub being made over anticipating Sunday’s final episode ever of The Sopranos, it seems unfair to let The Shield end its penultimate season without some fanfare.
As I noted when both shows returned within a week of each other in April, these dark dramas are among TV’s best. As their seasons unfolded, they lived up to my expectations. Quoting myself at the time: “The Shield is first-rate pulp fiction, blisteringly intense as it grabs you by the throat. The Sopranos is more like classic literature, achieving a level of artistry with its aching yet witty realism while delivering violent jolts that sneak up on you like a sucker punch.”
Both of these series ask us to empathize with pretty despicable characters, no doubt. But it’s hard to imagine any Shield fan not cheering Tuesday night for Vic when he realized he’s now sitting on a trunk full of leverage, the key to save his job. Likewise, who didn’t cringe as Shane fell further into the abyss in his dealings with the Armenians? The sequence in which Shane basically kidnapped Vic’s frantic wife and daughter, locking them up for their safety (though it felt to them they were being held for a much darker purpose), was unbearably intense. Even when Shane tries to step up to do something heroic—taking out the hitman who came to Corinne’s house, leaving a blood trail that understandably freaked Vic out—he comes off looking worse than ever.
My notes for this episode are full of exclamation points, an indication of how breathlessly things unfolded. And yet there was time for emotional reflection, in the sad story of homeless Miracle Joe, whose fate led Dutch to tears—and into a passionate clinch with Danny. Who knew this sad sack could score by revealing his sensitive, rather than smarmy, side? Meanwhile, Claudette kicked Hiatt out of The Barn (the actor has another gig lined up, as the lead of CBS’s Moonlight), setting the stage presumably for Vic’s triumphant return.
Unlike Tony Soprano, who last we saw was curled up in an unmade bed in a dark room with only a gun for comfort, Vic appears to be sitting more prettily as we head into The Shield’s final stretch next year. Bet that won’t last.
Speaking of betting on things, I’m currently in the process of eating my words for having bet against CBS reviving Jericho. Guess what? Those words taste kinda like Skippy. (As in peanut butter. As in nuts. Get it?)
The crusade to keep Jericho alive, including a highly publicized stunt involving mailing nuts to CBS headquarters, was without question the hot fan campaign of this cancellation season. And while few columnists or critics, having lived through these things before, were in the business of giving these fans false hope, in retrospect this is one of those cases where giving a show like this a second shot actually makes sense.
From the start, I felt it was short-sighted of CBS to cancel this show, despite slipping numbers in the back half of the season (a result of a long hiatus and a return on a night then dominated by Fox and American Idol). Jericho, unlike nearly anything else on CBS’s schedule, has a cult vibe, one that resonated on the Internet and the blogosphere. For a network that’s trying to increase its buzz quotient while building its online business with the Innertube outlet, Jericho is precisely the sort of show CBS should be nurturing.
I say this as someone who’s not exactly a fan of Jericho. I hated it at the start, but stuck with it and felt it got more compelling when the townspeople had to confront some dicey ethical survival issues in the post-nuclear winter, and it moved on from letting Super Jake save the day each week. The show built to a strong cliffhanger climax as the neighboring cities of Jericho and New Bern engaged in open warfare over the region’s limited resources. In some ways, it’s the heartland version of Lost (a lot more square, a lot more ordinary, but not without points of interest).
Reviving a show after its official cancellation is very rare, and I wouldn't expect to see others following suit—so no, fans of The Black Donnellys, Veronica Mars, What About Brian, etc., who keep writing me, I wouldn't get your hopes up. So how to explain this possible resurrection? In part, I'm thinking if CBS were more confident about its new lineup, featuring several shows so risky (Viva Loughlin, Moonlight) they make Jericho look run-of-the-mill, the network might not feel the need to have this as backup. But also look at all the free and positive publicity CBS will enjoy by giving Jericho a new lease on life.
Whatever happens next, whether Jericho returns at midseason as a limited series (more like a miniseries continuation) or if it ultimately has an even longer life, there’s no way to look at this situation as anything but a triumph for the fans.
How rare is that? And how fitting for a show that, at heart, is about surviving against the odds.
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Jun 6, 2007 1:40 PM
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I'll agree that Jericho started off a little slowly, but I stll watched.
It was a nice change of pace from all the Acronym shows. As the season progressed, I became engrossed. Sure it had slow points and some WHA?! moments, but overall I found this show to be original and intriguing.
I sent CBS a bag o' nuts, not only because I like the show, but mostly because I thought they dropped the ball, not the viewers. Although I did get the impression from CBS that it was our [the viewer's] fault anyways. 6 months is a long time to wait for any show, in-between seasons included, but they broke this up in the middle of their first season.
I hope it gets another shot, or at least the chance to complete what they started.
As always, you're a great read, thanks!
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Jun 6, 2007 3:28 PM
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I hope they renew it - Jericho was my favorite show this fall season. I had to watch it on my DVR, but I looked forward to Wednesdays so I could see what happened next. Not too many TV shows are entertaining AND make you think. Plus if they renew Jericho I can unblock CBS from my TV and enjoy CSI and Craig Ferguson again : )
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Jun 6, 2007 4:35 PM
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Thanks Matt, I found the show grew on me too. Also, the writing and acting were top notch, so it was an easy call.
I frankly would have tuned in for Stanley and Mimi alone (and moments like Mimi with the chicken!).
Its not official yet is it? Here's hoping.
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Jun 6, 2007 4:38 PM
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Matt,
I know Jericho wasn't your favorite show, but thanks for giving it (and its fans) some nice feedback here.
Nsgal.. Stanley and Mimi were awesome. I love them together.
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Jun 6, 2007 4:52 PM
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I myself thought that the season finale of Jericho ranked right up there with my other favorites, including Lost, Heroes, FNL and The Shield.
As for the finale of The Shield, I felt kind of like Vic Mackey hanging onto the outside of the car as it was speeding down the street! Wow - great ending, and I can only contemplate how this will all end for Vic, his friends and his enemies. Much like The Sopranos, wondering how it will end almost makes up for the loss I will feel after it is over. Unfortunately that will come very soon for The Sopranos!
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Jun 6, 2007 7:22 PM
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I don't know why people act like this is unprecedented. Family Guy had been canceled for several years before it was revived. There was a huge internet community where people shared low quality videos (technology wasn't as good at the time, and FOX refused to release DVDs) just to continue to rewatch the show. I guess the difference between these cases is that Family Guy was renewed because of good DVD sales and Cartoon Network repeat ratings, while Jericho did so primarily because of a protest campaign.
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Jun 6, 2007 7:51 PM
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I didn't know What about Brian had been cancelled!...guess I'll take it off my season pass.
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Jun 6, 2007 7:54 PM
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We are huge fans of Jericho and we were very surprised to hear that CBS cancelled it, but they can redeem themselves and thrill their viewers if they bring the show back, we love it.And it's excellent for CBS as well as the fans, people love contuining shows and stay loyal to them, so thank you CBS for listening to the Jericho Fan base . I agree Stanley and Mimi are the best couple . I really like Jake he has such a strong presence.
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Jun 6, 2007 8:19 PM
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Matt, you're one of a kind. I always look forward to reading your latest posts and was very excited to see what you wrote about Jericho.
I was completely sucker-punched when CBS cancelled Jericho. At least when ABC cancelled Invasion, I already knew it was coming.. although I kept hoping for a last minute reprieve.
I know you're not a great fan of the show.. but for some reason, Jericho had me hooked from the beginning. Here's hoping the buzz around CBS's only cult show can continue to grow to give it a fighting chance this next season. I for one, will be watching it when it returns.
WOO HOO for Jericho's return!
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Jun 7, 2007 12:49 AM
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Family Guy is a completely different thing. It was a cartoon, so you don't necessarily need the same cartoonists, just other good ones. And Since Seth McFarlane does a lot of the voices, and voice acting is less time-consuming, it's easier to get the actors back. It would be impossible to bring back something Arrested Development because the actors have moved onto other things, as have the writers. It's partially the reason the CW hasn't officially cancelled Veronica Mars yet. It has equally passionate fans as Jericho, and by holding off they sort of eliminate some of the backlash. Once June 15th hits though, it's over, because all the contracts offically void if there is no new season. Once that happens, all the writers and actors are free to persue other oppurtunties
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Jun 7, 2007 1:35 AM
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Since we're talking about show resurrections, let's not forget about Futurama.
I thought at most Jericho would get a TV movie to wrap up the storylines (similar to Homicide). And while I'm happy that Jericho is returning as a series, I worry how the show will fare now that Papa Green has been killed off. Regardless, with Jericho and TAR returning in midseason, I'll actually have a reason to watch CBS.
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Jun 7, 2007 6:48 AM
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This is a pretty spectacular result and more than I hoped for when I e-mailed and phoned CBS. "Jericho" was never as brilliant as something like "Lost," but it had grown enormously on a creative level and developed into one of the shows I never wanted to miss. And I think this outpouring of support may demonstrate that the Nielsens really were wrong on this one.
For my part, I am going to direct as many friends as possible to the summer repeats, the streaming episodes and the DVDS -- a lot of people I know who never watched the show are now curious about it and eager to give it a shot. By responding positively and intelligently to the fans, CBS has gotten itself a lot of goodwill and free publicity. This is a win/win situation.
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Jun 7, 2007 8:40 AM
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I'm not sure anyone is acting like it is unprecedented. I have seen many acknowledgments of Family Guy and Roswell, which was also saved by fan outcry. I think it is just the fact that it very rarely works.
As I read from a poster in the Ausiello blog, I hope this works out. If Jericho does not bring in the ratings, I cannot imagine a campaign like this working with any network for some time to come if ever. I will certainly do my part by re-watching episodes online and viewing the new episodes next season. Unfortunately, my friends are not quite the TV nuts (pun intended) that I am (except when it comes to the Thursday night comedy block); so I doubt I will have much luck in converting people. No harm in trying though!
Kudos to CBS for the second chance.
As for Papa Green, I hope it is now well-known (I know nsgal mentioned it yesterday) that Gerald McRaney quit the show, so they were forced to write him out; his manager confirmed that. It was not a creative decision by the creators and writers. I agree he will be missed, but I will still enjoy the show equally as much.
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Jun 7, 2007 12:52 PM
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Man The Shield finale rocked. The whole season has been terrific and intense. I already can't wait for next season!
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Jun 7, 2007 6:50 PM
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