Fans Plan Rally to Save Moonlight
Wednesday May 21, 2008
Fan favorite Alex O'Loughlin stars as Mick St. John on Moonlight.
© Richard Cartwright/CBS
The rally will be held, appropriately enough, on Friday, Moonlight's transmission day. The rally is scheduled to take place outside the Warner Bros gate at the corner of North Pass and West Olive streets on Friday, May 23rd at 2:00 pm PST.
The goal is not so much to blame CBS as to find a new home for a show that, like many sci-fi / fantasy programs barely noticed by mainstream audiences, has developed a considerable and devoted cult following.
"This is a support rally for Warner Bros, Silver Pictures and Moonlight," said organizer Lisa Gerry, "not a protest against CBS." The group also placed full-page ads in the trade papers thanking the show's creators and promoting its future viability on another network.
"Potential networks need to become aware that there are approximately 8 million hard-core fans of Moonlight," Gerry added. Viewing figures for Moonlight started out the season at 8.5 million with a Neilsen rating of 5.7, but by the season finale had declined to just over 7.5 million, with a Nielsen rating of 4.9. (The troubled second season of Heroes, for comparison, averaged 11.5 million viewers and a 6.8 rating, while a show like Desperate Housewives gets nearly twice that.)
Generally speaking, the situation for saving canceled shows is not good. Jericho's revival was an unwelcome precedent for the networks, who will now be very leery of seeming vulnerable to fan pressure; and the fact that the resurrected version of the show failed in its abbreviated second season run only confirmed that fan drives to save canceled shows are actually fighting longer odds now than before Jericho.
However, getting a different network to pick up a canceled show with decent, if not stellar, ratings, may be more feasible; the main problem is that network execs know that 8 million viewers on CBS does not translate into 8 million viewers on The CW or Sci Fi or A&E. Still, a network switch, albeit for a much higher-profile show, has already happened this season: Scrubs is moving from NBC to ABC this fall.
In any event this rally is a great chance to show the support and passion that sci-fi / fantasy fans can muster for their shows. It's not a perfect show, but it's got a lot going for it and was definitely yanked before its time. Go out there and save it.
Comments
Mark… I like your combination realism and enthusiasm… all Moonlight fans can do is show support for the show, for WB, for Silver Pictures and try, try, try… until either WB or Silver says to stop… Thanks for not being one of the nay-sayers.
Thanks for the great article! All the Moonlight fans really appreciate this. This show managed to be amazingly consistent even when other established shows are losing viewers and there was a lot of backstage shake-up going on. With a chance, some stability and some support I truly think Moonlight can be a true hit.
I wish them all the luck in the world. When Moonlight started, I was worried that it was going to be a lame Forever Knight ripoff, but as it developed, it got better and had some unique attributes to offer viewers. Hey, Trekkies saved Star Trek; Buffy got moved from the WB to UPN and survived two more years; Farscape (I think?) found new life in webcasting…so why not try to show aw little support for Moonlight and hope for a similar outcome???
Thanks for a realistic, yet positive article. The fans of Moonlight realize we do have a very uphill battle on our hands, but it’s one we are devoted to fighting.
It’s time we stop letting network television dumb down the American public! When a show comes around like Moonlight that has so many excellent components we need to fight to keep them on the air.
Just a side note – many of the fans who donated money to fund the advertisements in the trade magazines also contributed equal amounts to charity….because that is the heart of a Moonlight fan..we fight for our show, but we also believe in helping others.
Mark…we appreciate your support and you are quite the clever writer. However, I do have to say while I understand not everyone’s favs can survive, I(writing as a devoted “Moonlight” Fan)DO in fact blame CBS. They AXED the “People’s Choice” Award Winner (& “Shark” which also has quite a devoted following)to “make room” for something “new and different” that sounds like every other show out there. What person or group of people makes a pathetically bad decision like that and on what basis? As I recall, “Numb3rs” wasn’t a first season hit either but they gave it a chance and it produced(Pardon the pun)giant numbers for them. This alone should’ve told CBS that they have tapped into a new market with the Chic Geeks (and I mean that in the most affectionate terms). Blame CBS? You better believe that I blame them & hope other networks aren’t as ignorant to pass on this show with these writers, these directors, this cast and these producers. This is a television dream team, let’s hope someone in the industry is bright enough to see it.Thanks for reading.
Thanks for your article recognizing the efforts of Moonlight fans! We are a determined, “rabid” group of fans that have a reputation in the media for our tenacity. Moonlight is a terrific show that has continually improved with each episode. It was consistently winning its Friday 9pm time slot (also considered to be a death slot) so I think you cannot compare ratings for this show to shows airing on different nights in different time slots. I appreciate your commentary and point of view. Please know, we Moonlight fans are willing to fight the good fight for as long as it takes – we are in it for the long haul! We want our Moonlight, Alex, Sophia and Jason back! The show has so many more stories to tell for seasons to come. It is too bad CBS didn’t consider this all factors as other networks will.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your support!
To be quite honest, I’ve never rallied for a show to stay on the air. I’ve always been the quiet mourner who sulks for a while, and then slowly moves on. I was a huge fan of Dead Like Me, which was pulled rather unexpectedly, and I didn’t go to this extreme.
There is something about Moonlight makes the fans want to save it. Moonlight fans raised SERIOUS funds in under 2 (two) days to place these ad’s in Variety and THR, and have been donating to charities as well, in light of the recent disasters. What other group has organized a blood drive for their show?
I think what you are seeing here is a group of people who are tired of having to suck it up when TV executives decide to pull the plug. I for one do not tend to watch TV, yet I tuned in for Moonlight.
Thanks for the article, we need much support from the news media….this show is great, I am well over 50 years of age and have never followed a show like this one…..and I am not a vampire lover….the show is just great with lots of action drama and of course a great love story….here’s hoping another netwrok picks ups Moonlight.
Thank you for your support. I’m adding you to my favorites.
Great positive article in support of Moonlight. Moonlight fans are working really hard to ensure a second season by any network that wants 8 million plus fans.
Mark,
Thanks for the great article and for mentioning Moonlight Fans. You are giving a voice to 8 million loyal and dedicated Moonlight Fans. Hopeful another network will realize this and pick up our show.
No offense, but shows like Firefly, Buffy, Jericho, Roswell were actually kinda good, so the shows of support were kinda warranted. Moonlight, to be very blunt, sucked. It had crummy writing, crummy acting, a horrible score and it was just a mess. Just let the show go, people Put your time and efforts into things that actually matter. Thanks.
In response to TeamRadio, I respect your comments and you are entitled to your opinion just as we are entitled to ours. Moonlight is a terrific show and continually got better with each episode. The show’s storylines are delivered very well but the strength is in the character development and in the relationships between the characters. Moonlight, Alex, Sophia and Jason are definitely worth the fight for a 2nd season and millions of fans think so too.
Becky, that’s totally cool. I saw every episode too (my girlfriend is a big fan) but I just didn’t see what you guys saw. To each their own though. Again, I think there are better things out there that are worth fighting for, but all the same, good luck to you.
Hi Mark, Thanks for the article about Moonlight. I like many others have never been so upset over a cancellation of a show before in my life. I think my husband thinks I have gone off the deep end. Any how I sure wish I could be there to support the show and meet other fans like myself. To all of you who are lucky enough to be there this weekend just know I am there in spirit up here in rainy Washington state. Thanks for getting the news out there!!!
Thank you for your article and support. I love Moonlight it is the first thing thats peaked and kept my interest for an entire season. I never missed a show or a rerun of it.
The romance on it is electrifying, I find the mysteries entertaining, and the cast absolutley amazing.
I am a mother of 3, Application Developer with a Masters degree. I have never blogged, emailed, called, regarding a show before Moonlight. I have even gotten a my space account, watched you tube videos, and even bought my first tv progam episodes.
The ratings never included non-Nielsen houses, on-line viewers, and DVR viewers who watched it on Saturday. Moonlight fans deserve and want to be counted. We want to save this show.
This show just has something special.
Moonlight got off to a rocky start, but the last few episodes simply rocked. I hope that another network picks it up, and I’ll follow it to its new home. I wasn’t a Jericho fan (not a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre), but I am a huge fan of Moonlight. Vampire solidarity, rah, rah, rah!
It is SO on!
http://weblogs.variety.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/19/moonlightcon.jpg
For those of you who can be in LA this weekend, you can show support by attending the “Moonlight” fan event above.
Also check out:
http://moonlight-united.com/
I only hope many people show up to this event, as it’ll absolutely KILL all efforts if only a few do so. Everyone outside of LA (incl. me) cannot attend. I PRAY this is a success and th riht decision.
I only wish I could be there to support my show. I am glad that fans that are there can do that and I love that they wont be there to bitch and complain about cbs. Go for it guys! bring Mick-Beth Back!
I’ a fan as well as an addict of Moonlight and will fight for it’s continuance for as long as it may take. I will follow the series wherever it goes, CBS does not know the determination of my fellow 7.5 million fans in the US as well as internationally, and will do whatever it takes to save our beloved series! We will continue to take action until the fat lady sings!
To All Moonlight Fans:
Vampire Solidarity!! Rah! Rah! Rah!
I have always loved Moonlight-all because of Blood Ties, might I add. While I have agreed that Blood Ties will not come back (if it does, it won’t be for several years and with a different cast) I refuse to give up on Moonlight.
I also find it interesting that out slogan of Rah! Rah! is my city’s new slogan as well…*giggle snort*
GO MOONLIGHT!
I have to concur with so many other Moonlight fans. I am NOT in the “target” demographic – a 40+ female college graduate with four daughters – but we ALL love Moonlight and have never missed an episode. As many have said, I have never been this passionate about a television show before and would never have thought that I would be writing letters, emailing and turning myself inside out over something like this – but Moonlight is SPECIAL and its fans just got a raw deal from CBS. Thank you for recognizing our efforts and we pray for success. I can’t imagine my Friday nights without Mick and Josef.
Vampire Solidarity, RAH RAH RAH!
Mark, Thank you for giving Moonlight a little nudge at the end of your article. Moonlight did have problems in the beginning, but it improved with time. Winning The People’s Choice Award for Best New Drama has to be worth something.
I have never campaigned for the return of ANY TV program. A lot of what is on TV is not worth watching, much less working your heart out day after day, hours at a time, trying to get a show renewed. I’m impressed by the online community and fanbase. These fans organized blood drives, raised enough money to place ads in two entertainment papers, wrote postcards, blogged, posted on forums, made hundreds of videos for YouTube and put together a convention that will take place this weekend in LA.
It is unfair to compare CBS’s experience with Jerico with what might happen with Moonlight. I’m not saying Jerico’s fans aren’t just as devoted, but there is so little similarity between the two shows. Nothing against the fans of Jerico, but I thought it was a great idea that somehow failed to deliver. It had a diverse cast with actors that I like. But it couldn’t beat Moonlight’s lead actor, who won TV Guide’s Sexiest Sci-Fi guy. Moonlight can speak for itself – comedy, great drama and a love story that left me in tears in the last minutes of the season finale. So, no, I don’t believe that history always repeats itself. But I do believe in ’self-fullfilling prophecy’. CBS is guilty of that. They may not have wanted the show to fail, but they did very little to help it succeed – little or no advertising and the worst time slot of the week. But, it still won its time slot in the last 4 episodes. And speaking of losing viewers, it is my understanding that a lot of bigger shows lost a million viewers, too, after the writer’s strike.
Sorry for the long post, but I’m passionate about this show and am very upset that it has been cancelled. The fans really appreciate the positive press we get, so again, thank you.
I am so ticked! Just when the show starts really heating up they’re gonna axe it. I think that the show was awesome. Some folks taste is all in their mouths.
CBS is a crappy network all around. The ONLY other show I even watch on it is Ghost Whisperer – which always led in my other CBS favorite, Moonlight. Now they’ve killed one of them, how long before Ghost Whisperer follows?
Personally, I feel the the writer’s strike killed all the new shows. It put a huge gap in what would otherwise have been an escalating, exciting season. To leave us hanging for months & then dangle the few remaining shows like bait before trout – that’s truly a rotten trick.
And now, just when it’s getting really good, they kill one of the best shows on TV!
Cretins!
As a loyal fan and an addict to Moonlight, I thank you for the nice article. You mention we don’t blame CBS. I DO BLAME CBS. They have no integrity! How could they justifiably cancel a good quality show – like Moonlight – after completing it’s debut season? Why? I mean why could they give shows that completed their first season another renewal? I tell you why! It was an “unjust cancellation”! I mean, how could they cancel shows that has outstanding ratings and keep the ones that has at the bottom of the ladder ratings? I am still shaking my head with that one. As far as I am concernd, CBS can start digging themselves a grave for the very near future. Because, as long as they continue to have stupid comedy shows with no storylines, stupid reality shows, and game shows, CBS better worry about tanking like CW. No body will watch CBS after all of the crime drama is off the air. Speaking of which, what’s with them crime drama shows? At least Moonlight was a fresh new drama with an edgy feel. Their replacement for next fall will sink faster than you can say Titantic!
It is weird to be fighting for such a good show, especially one that all the experts said would be around for a second season. My husband got me addicted to Moonlight and although I was in class on Friday nights, I downloaded every episode thanks to iTunes. (I wonder what the numbers are on that?) I do have to applaud the people at http://moonlight-united.com/ for being so positive and really finding unique ideas to campaign for a show I love.
Mark, thank you for your article regarding the efforts of so many to save my/our Moonlight! There are not enough words to say about this show! It had it all! Friday night was something to look forward to, now there is a gaping hole there. I, for one, will boycott CBS. I may not be missed, as “others” have so implied but I will feel good about myself. CBS chose to turn their back on me, a fan, and now I turn my back on them. There are plenty of other channels to watch. I don’t think I am alone in my actions!
Thanks for your even-handed article. This show has so many story lines worthy of exploring. There are now so many shows based on what forensic science can do, but they are becoming formulaic and not necessarily as interesting as the possibilities available in Moonlight. Not to mention the fact that Alex O’Loughlin displays more pertinent facial expressions in any five-min segment than David Carusso does in a season, and is better looking. Appreciate the talent.
You’re so right, Pauline. I think Alex O’Loughlin is probably the best facial actor on the planet. Moonlight is an exceptional show with something for everyone: Action, Romance, Angst, Humor, Talented Actors, Terrific Writing, Beautiful Sets and Lighting plus great story-telling across the board.
It was just hitting it’s stride after weathering the writer’s strike. Everyone associated with producing this fabulous show….not to mention the devoted fans….deserves better than what CBS dealt them. I fervently hope another network will realize what a gem it is and give it a new home. This is such a good show!
Moonlight may not be a perfect show but has the potential to be pretty darn close. With its stellar cast, witty dialogue and unfolding drama getting better and better as the series continues, Moonlight has all the needed tools. All it still needs is some time. And now, a new network. But hope is not lost. We fans will continue to fight the good fight!
Mark,
A well written article… you did your homework. Thank you.
As others have pointed out, we do blame CBS. What they pulled was inexcusable… teasing us with promos (”did you miss me”), updating the website, not to mention the actors attending comic cons, and Alex O’Loughlin appearing on The Early Show to promote the rest of the season (looking quite proud, I might add). And don’t get me started on why they axed the show. It’s all lies.
Thanks for letting me vent, and again, good job on the article.
Vampire solidarity! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Thank you so much for your positive comments about Moonlight and about the Fans eforts to save the show. I have read other “news opinions” and they were dismal to say the least. If a network doesn’t have viewers than they might as well just close up shop. CBS told 7.9 million people you are meaningless to us, yet they renewed shows that had half the viewing audience. Is anyone else scratching their head? Everyone holds so much stock in the Neilson ratings How accurate are they in this day and age with TiVo, DVR, and media like Unbox. You can’t truely judge ratings just by how many tune in at the time a show is actually aired. I personally never watch a show when it is aired. I didn’t watch the season finaley of Moonlight until 5 days after it aired. I am sure I am not alone it my viewing practices. Maybe it is time to find a new way to judge ratings rather than base it on the Neilson rating system.
Thanks for the update. I love this show.
it wouldn’t matter to me,but some station like the sci-fi channel should pick this show up. I was extremely upset when I found out the show was cancelled. Were there not enough people watchin? Like I said sci-fi or even the CW should pick it up. BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The characters and story line of Moonlight were great. Moonlight was different from the majority of network shows. The networks don’t give the good shows a chance anymore. So many of the shows I liked were cancelled. I hope we can save at least one of them.
What a con!
http://www.lisagerry.com
I watch this guy for year, yea he do a lot of crazy stuff, but I know he is a really good and nice person. My boyfriend got his all best fights and we probably going to pray today and watch his in ring – so sad love you Mike.
I just came back from vaction and my boss surprised me with a lay off. So I’m pretty depressed right now and looking for another damn job. I got plan to make some money and got my self in Hawaii, I just dream about that wonderful place in the world.