Jericho

A couple of weeks ago, NBC officially announced that they would be bringing back Friday Night Lights for a third season thanks to a new deal with DirecTV.  Though the critically acclaimed drama gets low ratings, NBC found a way to make the show profitable by selling the rights to run original episodes to DirecTV.  The exciting agreement between the networks allows DirecTV to air the third season beginning in October, while NBC will repeat it in 2009.

This last minute save of Friday Night Lights proved that there are still numerous ways to keep a low-rated show alive.  Now word has come out that Comcast may be interested in resurrecting Jericho in a similar deal.  Could the twice-canceled CBS drama rise from the dead yet again?

Before Jericho fans start tossing nuts into the air, I should mention that this deal is still in the very early stages and may not happen at all.  However, it is a possibility.  If the deal goes through, Comcast cable subscribers would get to see the third season of Jericho first through an exclusive Comcast network.  The episodes would later air on CBS, making it very similar to the deal between NBC and DirecTV.

While this would be a great idea, it may be tough to pull off.  As Jericho executive producer Carol Barbee has pointed out, Friday Night Lights has a much lower budget than the CBS drama, making it somewhat easier to renew.  Comcast would have to pay more money to keep Jericho alive.  Would they be willing to do that for a show that has struggled in the ratings for two seasons?

As is always the case with the networks, this will all come down to money.  If CBS and Comcast think they can still make money from Jericho, it'll get a third season.  If they don't think they can, this deal will go nowhere.  We'll just have to wait and see.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: SyFy Portal
(Image courtesy of CBS)