CBS Canceled a 19-Year-Old Fan-Favorite Sci-Fi Hit Because of American Idol

The fate of science fiction on television is always unpredictable, but for the most part, all shows in this genre fall into two large groups: either the series immediately fizzles out and ceases to exist, or it becomes a cult and lasts for many years.

Even after the release of the first episodes, no one can predict which group a new project will go to. But there is an example of a sci-fi series that got stuck somewhere in the middle.

Jericho was released in 2006 and immediately attracted sci-fi fans. Beneath the label of a post-apocalyptic series was a powerful social drama: Jericho is a believable chronicle of the collapse of a society in the absence of power and communication.

What is Jericho About?

Jericho is a small town, so life there goes on quietly: people sell vegetables at the seasonal fair, watch TV in cozy living rooms, and children play in backyards. This peaceful existence comes to an end when a nuclear mushroom cloud appears over the nearest city, Denver. Communication with the outside world is cut off and panic sets in.

The citizens learn that a nuclear explosion has also occurred in Atlanta, and that the people of Jericho may be the last survivors. The threat of infection looms over the city, and food is quickly running out. All of this causes not only panic, but anger among the residents.

Jericho is being attacked by looters, the infected are entering the city, and there is no government to solve the problem. To eliminate the threat, the mayor's son, Jake Green, takes charge of the city.

Jericho Is Not Only a Thrilling Sci-Fi, But Also a Strong Social Drama

Jericho is a thrilling immersion into a post-apocalyptic town torn apart by conflict and the struggle for survival. The series explores the complex social and political aspects of living as a survivor in a world filled with unknown threats and dangers.

The characters are forced to fight not only to survive, but also to find meaning and hope in a world where every decision can have dire consequences. Sci-fi projects don't often have such strong social undertones, but even a strong script couldn't help Jericho last longer than two seasons.

Jericho Was Canceled After Season 1, But Saved but Fans

In fact, Jericho has been closed twice in its short history. First, the winter break in the middle of the first season lasted up to three months. When the show returned from hiatus, it was scheduled to compete with American Idol, which started airing at the same time, and viewers preferred musical reality to lessons in survival and building democracy.

CBS canceled Jericho, but persistent fans wrote petitions and sent dozens of tons of peanuts to the network (a reference to the first-season finale, in which one of the characters says "Nuts!"). The show eventually returned from the dead with a short second season that was supposed to be the conclusion of the story.

But fans were still unhappy, and CBS was not about to back down. Talk of a feature film never materialized, and the third and fourth seasons were released in comic book format.

Where to Stream Jericho?

Now, you can watch both seasons of Jericho on Apple TV and Prime Video.