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JOURNEYMAN: Why NBC Cancelled It

Journeyman - Cancelled

Lynette Rice, a Senior Writer from Entertainment Weekly, surmised that the Writers’ Guild strike was the ultimate reason why shows like JOURNEYMAN were ultimately cancelled. She made that comment while being interviewed on KCRW’s “The Business”, hosted by Claude Brodesser-Akner.

According to Rice, the Writers’ strike actually had positive and negative effects for shows that were on “bubble” (ie on the cusp of getting cancelled). On one hand, it saved shows like Dirty Sexy Money from being cancelled and on the other hand, it was the death knell for shows like Cane or Journeyman.

Here’s a clip of Lynette Rice’s KCRW interview talking about Journeyman.

If you want to listen to the entire KCRW show, click here.

Is Lynette Rice right? If she is, would Journeyman have survived the cut if not for the strike? Please share your thoughts.

By | March 22, 2008 | 203 Comments
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  • Dana Manley

    What were you thinking? I have been waiting for your best show to come back and now I hear it’s canceled? Why is it all the best shows get canceled and the mundane keep going well past their hayday? Life on Mars is trying to pick up the place where Journeyman left off but by the time it gets tight it will probably go off too! In our age of technological advancement the issue of parallel universe and time travel are on track! What will be the morals of changing things! We need you to show this dilemma! and man is an image of the big guy so when is it appropriate? As in the words of a series that will be really big in theaters in 7 years, The Enders Game series do Satriagaha!!! yes! I have been there! You have a responsibility to let this topic out NOW! The super H Collider will bring news of time space intervals and time and or space travel. Get on it, don’t make the same mistake Twice! Please!!!
    Sincerely
    Dana P Manley SR

  • C Sallu, UK

    Just watched season one again after a long time and I am even more convinced that pulling the plug on this show was a gross injustice.
    I am so proud that up till now fans are still calmouring for this show. I have done my bit by contacting NBC and expressing an opinion regarding Journeyman as one of the best new shows on television over the past few years. I truly hope that if we persist, they will come to their senses.

  • G Tyler

    Journeyman was my favorite show. The impossible choices that he had to make every episode were amazing. I asked myself what would I do in that situation. It makes you realize how your life is a product of all your choices – good ones and bad ones. The only other show that came close to this was “New Amsterdam” and “Tru Calling” which got cancelled. I have the worse luck with my favorite shows :(

    Since I record all my shows on the DVR, I don’t even remember when they are on or even which network. It turns out that the only other show that I have been watching on NBC is Crusoe.

    I am going to tell NBC that I am boycotting their network. I’m not going to miss Crusoe cause the plot has been going nowhere. Gee I wonder what will happen this week. Maybe some people will find the island and try to kill Crusoe and Friday. He can build a giant treehouse and not a boat? Give me a break. He likes Friday a little too much if you know what I mean….

    Thanks to FiOS TV Remote DVR, I just did my own ‘cancelling’ of Crusoe right from this computer. That’s 45 minutes a week back. Email me if you’re thinking of getting FiOS TV and I can tell you how great it is.

  • G Tyler

    Here’s what I send to NBC in case you want to borrow…

    You made a giant mistake killing Journeyman. It was by far my favorite show. I could feel how difficult every choice was for him to make. But he had to make a choice and hope for the best. I am so upset about this that I have stopped watching your network completely. I won’t miss Heroes or Crusoe because the plot lines are getting silly and I don’t relate to any of the characters. You are the bottom network because of your bad choices. Anyone who watched Journeyman would be hooked. Maybe you could have had less ads for Heroes and more for Journeyman.

    Here’s my demographic: Male, 40-45, income >$100k
    Let me know if you get another show worth my attention – just make sure you keep it on for more than 13 episodes.

  • Dan Perez

    We have people commenting on this blog from the U frickin K. It has been almost a year since this site was created and we still have people commenting on it. When is NBC going to wake up? I mean seriously. I meam how can you tell me that this show was not the greatest thing NBC had to offer? Heroes was absolutely great for the first three seasons. Now, it’s just hit the proverbial wall, and it has no chance once it comes back after the S.B because it will be up against 24 in the 9 o’clock time slot. yeah good luck NBC, your lead show will go down in flames when the next nielsen ratings come out.

  • HaohmaruHL

    That show was very good, interesting, with good plot and characters, i won’t buy any stupid explanations about cancelling good shows and leaving to breath some stupid money-cloning shit like Lost, Sex and the City, CSI and other utter cheap crap..that’s rediculous. Now i have all the feelings towards Journeyman hanged in the air.. i just pray that someone will go and continue to film it sometime -_-

  • toma

    Excellent show! I became a fan when watched it in M’sia’s TV2. The show was very good, interesting, with unique but good plot and characters. Then I never stop watching it every week and just plan to download journeyman episode online. But now it canceled and I just hope any other company will continue this. Agreed with HaohmaruHL, “leaving to breath some stupid money-cloning shit like Lost, Sex and the City, CSI and other utter cheap crap”.

  • Nate

    I have been sitting here reading everyone’s posts on this topic and I am amazed at how a show with such (low ratings) could maintain a stedy flow of comments for this long it boggles the mind at NBCs executives ineptitude at there jobs they are complete and utter fools that shouldn’t be let near any kind of Iintellectual property this site proves that this show had a devoted fan following you all are proof. NBC needs to get their heads out of their collective @sses and get a more acurate form of measurement of ratings because the nielsen ratings are flawed and outdated any one with a DVR or Tivo aren’t even measured and that demographic is too large to ignore hell the vast majority of people may be in that demographic the bottom line is this NBC is as stupid as they are incapable. Any thing they touch dies and they wonder why they’re loosing more viewers than they can replace my finale words are these THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL for the network executives that cancel shows on cliffhangers!!

  • MARCIA

    What an incredible show!! How could NBC make a decision to cancel Journeyman?
    It was one of the few really intriguing creative shows. What a new concept with the different dimensions, time warps. The writers strike interferred and didn’t give this show a chance. Give it another chance. I vote YES…bring this great show back!

  • Robert Petravic

    I don’t understand how can you pull a plug on a show like this and i never will. It IS, not was a great TV series! I don’t know who’s deciding about what will go on air and what wo’nt in the US (i’m from Europe), but those people are idiots, probably 70 year old men wit canes going around the set and saying “how can he go to the past, that’s not sane, cancel that show…” but if you see a boob… WOW, that show will make it, sex sells! Well… we have sex at home, MOST of us don’t need it at TV (i know that the ratings was low but you’re not alone, Europe buys lots of crap from you, i’m sure that they would buy that shows for what you’re thinking it’s crap, please sell them to us so we can make some money). Same thing happened with the show from Showtime, “Dead like me”. Both shows were huge in Europe (Journeyman still is, and the new movie Dead like me) and all of my friends were talking about them all the time… until they were canceled. Why burn something that you can sell? But believe it or not, there are even bigger idiots in the world, RTL TV house have bought both of them and put them on air(full), although they knowed that the show won’t be finished. What the f…? Damn those executives, another inquisition is needed, but now for the fools that takes all the good things from us! BURN!!!

  • darrin anderson

    bring back journey man great show

  • Kate

    I just watched the entire season again on hulu. What a great show! How could this possibly have been cancelled?!? Whoever cancelled it should be cancelled!

  • val

    to whom it may concern after 13 episodes of the greatest show ever assembled on tv history i was left speechless to find it out that it was cancelled a very bad decision on nbc part u dont come about shows like this one if your life depends on it JOURNEYMAN to me it was like casablanca full of action yet very romantic mr.president of nbc dont u see a good thing when u make one? so without anymore delays bring it back to us we all miss it u guys at nbc started a great and wonderful show with journeyman pls continue to do so make more seasons the story is magnificent the cast is great we all like to believe we can escape to the past to our youth to fix things to amend broken promises. ciao regards.

  • Lex

    “on the other hand, it was the death knell for shows like Cane or Journeyman”

    and Bionic Woman

    NBC: National Broadcasting show Cancel

  • Dan Perez

    Amazing! People continue to comment on this great show. How is this not trickling down to NBC? How has Heroes worked out for you this year NBC? How about Chuck? My own worst enemy? Medium? NBC, you cease to amaze me. Why you granted Knight Rider another season and not Journeyman is beyond me. USA and TNT owns you in dramas. They should be the ones to purchase Journeyman and put it back on the air. Just to shove it back in your face.

  • BRIAN

    If you miss Journeyman, go to hulu.com- they are all on line, with short comercials every 15 minutes. It’s just great. NOT so great that Journeyman got cancelled. Supposedly it was the second most expensive show to produce (think about all the period stuff they had to haul around) next to Heroes. Considering that it must be a bunch of frat boys at NBC doing the programming, what would one expect? : Mindless crap…….American Gladiator rules, dude!

  • Jing Garcia, Phils

    I think cancelling Journeyman was a big mistake! The first time i watched the series on DVD, i got hooked! It’s addictive and you just can’t wait for the next episode! When my dad saw the series, he liked it too! He even told me that for sure, there will be a next Season. Sadly, he’s still waiting for it…. :( NBC, please…please…please reconsider another Season since many people are clamoring for it.

  • P-PreTTy

    I agree Journeyman was an ExcellenT show and So was MOWE and They cancel The besT shows and keep The crappy 1′s why iT should b like a bloG or some kind of way 2 ask The public if a show should be canceled or NoT B4 They do so, BuT PLEASE PuT Those 2 Shows Back on THANK U!!!

  • P-PreTTy

    I Think Journeyman was an GreaT show and So was MOWE and They cancelrd The besT 2 shows and keep The crappy 1′s besides My oTher Fav Heroes buT iT should b like a way 2 voTe or some kind of way 2 ask The public if a show should be canceled or NoT B4 They do so, BuT PLEASE PuT Those 2 Shows Back on THANK U!!!

  • http://www.myspace.com/magical_carly carly

    please bring journeyman back on tv make new episodes and play old episodes please take my concern u dont need to take off any other shows just bring journeyman back it was a good show!!!!!!!

  • http://www.myspace.com/magical_carly carly

    im gonna hate u people untill u put journeman back on tv!!!!!

  • http://www.myspace.com/magical_carly carly

    please bring it back

  • Gui-Brazil

    It’s so damn rare a real good tv show … and when we get one they cancel it!! Bring it back!!!

  • Sheila

    I am disappointed in the cancellation of Journeyman. My family really liked the show. Yet, another good show gone by the wayside too early.

  • Mogu

    I’m watching JOURNEYMAN Season 1 via cable tv (FOX TV) in Japan. Besides the Law & Order series, it is one of my favorites and I am very, very disappointed to heat that it has been cancelled by NBC. NBC, please come to your senses!

  • Kathy

    Now that movie ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’ is coming out next month, maybe one of the networks will reconsider how profitable this show could be for their network, especially if the movie does well. The biggest hurdle might be rounding up most of the original cast members which have most likely signed contacts for the work they’re involved in currently. I too really enjoyed this series and thought the story line lent itself for the potential of almost an endless number of possibilities for weekly plots. One can only hope that if we don’t see the return of this golden series, that it might at least provide a future lesson for some network executives on how not to evaluate and value a series.

  • Joe

    These days, it seems that storylines for tv series are used over and over again. Most “new” shows just don’t seem new at all. As I result, I really don’t watch much television these days

    The show Journeyman seems awfully reminiscent of Quantum Leap and maybe also Early Edition. Somehow, that is not a problem. All of these shows were great shows that got canceled. Quantum Leap and Early Edition at least had time to run their courses. Journeyman is different. Only 14 episodes and then you just kind of get left hanging. Something just doesn’t seem right about that. I mean if you consider the original Star Trek, for example, there were at least enough episodes that for some years after production was canceled, every now and then I’d just happen upon an episode I hadn’t seen yet. Kind of like finding that last few french fries at the bottom of a McDonalds bag… not a big deal maybe, but still, a delight.

    With Journeyman, that isn’t going to happen. I feel like I got ripped off, some how. I’d like to see the show started again. If there were any movies made of Journeyman, the chances of my missing it are about as great as the chances of my skipping the next Star Trek movie. I am sure lots of viewers feel the same way because it truly was a great show. So why isn’t something done about it? I mean, there is money ready to be picked up and no one seems interested.

  • Ron

    I was definitely a fan of Journeyman. I cannot understand why this show was cancelled. It had a lot of potential. It was the only show on NBC that I watched. Please bring it back and bring back the original cast if you do.

  • Jean

    Okay, here it is, Journeyman was a show that caused you to wonder, kept you asking questions, “why is this happening to him? what will happen next? who is she? How is he going to explain that one? Etc… That is the recipe for a great show, something that keeps you coming back for more, keeps you talking to others and telling them about it. Good actors/acting, great stories, great hook, adventurous, male & female draw, young and old. I mean really what more could you ask for in a successful show?! It is unfortunite that those of us that keep the fires burning for great television have so little say in a shows success in the end. It is very disheartening that the networks ask for our support but care so little about our interests in the end.

  • Cole

    I watched this show a little when it first came out and I just watched the whole thing on hulu. It was an amazing show with an epic plot like Lost, so many unanswered questions. Its really disappointing when great stories like this get dropped. Everyone thats been complaining about the lack of quality shows on NBC is totally right. Heroes has been terrible since the second season, the plot has become absolutely rediculous and the acting is terrible. Journeyman had great acting and the presentation of the story was great as well. They didn’t give away too much too fast. Bring this show back!

  • Evan

    It is a shame that this show was cancelled. Its amazing how the worst shows seem to always make it to another season and then the great ones like these always get cancelled. Maybe, unfortunately, the majority of america truly does not want to think, and just wants to watch stupid “Reality (scripted) TV.

  • Steve

    Just to say it was a shame it got cancelled..using the writers strike as a reason for pulling the plug is just garbage otherwise there would have been more casualties.Like Evan has pointed its so much easier to go for reality TV..no scripts..no actors/agents fees which unfortunately Joe Public like which would have been a better reason for pulling the plug on shows

  • psbeck

    I just saw The Time Traveler’s Wife. Ten minutes into the movie I turned to my wide and said, “This better get better real fast.” It never did. However, I loved Journeyman. The show handles the illogic of time travel in a human and almost believable way.

  • NismoSkylineGTR

    Looks like it has been awhile since anyone said anything. I just watched Journey Man on my DVR “again”. I don’t understand why NBC cancelled a show with suspense, action, romance all in one? I hope season 2 will be around the corner soon.

  • Joaquim

    I was wondering what happened to Journeyman. I didn’t realize that it was cancelled! I found it on Hulu.com and was shocked that there was only one season. I thought to myself, “Self, you will have to search the web for the rest of the seasons.” I consider myself a bit of a “TV-phile” and I have seen a lot of mistakes made with shows. The cancellation of Journeyman is one of the BIGGEST mistakes I have ever seen! If NBC won’t take it, maybe someone else will! SCI-FI network, that’s your queue.

  • Ricardo V

    Here is another vote for Journeyman. We want him back! My wife and I constantly go back to old episodes through Hulu, and every single time, the question pops up: what were they thinking when they canceled this show?

    I hope we can make a difference by posting here… keep them coming.

  • helen

    Just watched Journeyman on Sky 3. I can’t understand why they cancelled this show, my son and I are gripped to it every week. Why do they always get rid of the good shows and keep the bad ones. Now there is a new programme airing called Warehouse 13 which is absolute rubbish. There are other programmes too numerous to mention that have been going for several seasons that do not even compare to the quality of Journeyman. I agree with other comments put forward on this site that there are far too many reality programmes on that are just so boring! Bring back Journeyman, I want something interesting too watch on tv not drivel.

  • Kirsti

    It’s not like me to comment on things like this but i’m in the UK watching Journeyman on Sky 3 and i’m loving it. Can’t believe the idiots cancelled it, why oh why would they do that? Does anyone know of any plans to bring it back? This is the 2nd American series that has been cancelled that I love what’s going on!

  • Blaine Knutson

    Yeah they never said why it was happening a key thing for that jeanera isn’t it?!!!……………

  • Blaine Knutson

    Nate is right many a show I liked and watched growing up was short lived oh I am 30 years old by the way and watched way too much t.v.. But there you have it……….

  • Andrea

    After all time, I’m still very disappointed that I will never see another episode of Journeyman! Why don’t NBC open their eyes, cut Jay Leno’s nightly disaster, and give us shows we can actually enjoy! Like ‘Journeyman’! I still hold a little hope that one my fantasy husband will be back on the air!

  • Rick

    As good a show as Jorneyman was. It really was. There are plans to make a series from “The Time Traveler’s Wife” aka TTW.
    Again as much as I really liked Journeyman, I belive the potentialand the way TTW ended, they left it wide open for a potential series, as well as having (providing the writers are really good) to write a show that could blow Journeyman away IMHO. Also in Journeyman, a machine was likely being used (not specifically stated but was getting to that) where TTW was a genetic thing with the Time Traveler. What they had going on with his daughter, who was time traveling and getting to know her future older self showed some incredible possibilities with time travel story telling which has never been done before.

  • Jennifer

    Great Show! Baaaaaad move NBC!!

  • Cynthia

    I, too, miss Journeyman. Even after all these months my family still talks about that show. It was fantastic and I don’t understand why they cancelled it. I agree they should replace Jay Leno with Journeyman. There is absolutely nothing on at 10:00 on NBC, why not Journeyman? Why not something we can enjoy?

  • Lorenzo

    I do not understand how a show like journeyman can get cancled. Definitely a clear lack of understanding what the people want. But of course they’ll think we’re all nutcases and after all, the board of directors or whatever always know best. Bullshit! Bring the show back guys! It is one of the best you have and actually the only one I watched!

  • jonathan Saenz

    I just finished watching season one today because i finally caught up with it. Myself and many other soldiers as well.
    I looked online to find out when season 2 will be out and find this. why???

  • Shama

    This is yet another reason why I jumped to the other networks. NBC has no consistancy when it comes to good shows that have a strong following. After watching Percy Jackson, I googled work that McKidd did, after Journeyman,hmmmmm ABC’s Greys Anatomy, silver screen Made of Honor and now Percy Jackson – gosh definitely your loss NBC. I think he is gonna soar!

    Get it togehther NBC, Heroes is good but its really getting to corny to keep up with it. There is a complete disconnect with possible reality and if it wasnt for hayden, zach and milo…dude!

    • Bud O

      He also did the miniseries ROME which is a must-see if your a McKidd fan

  • Anika

    I lost respect for NBC since they canceled this show… I cant believe that they disappointed so many viewers. It was the only show that kept me on the edge of my seat trying to guess what will happen next. It will be great if the writer can publish the rest of it as a book or some other network continues this show!

  • Genise

    I LOVE THIS SHOW. TOO BAD IT GOT CANCELLED ….

  • ripped off

    I loved this show and I’ve HATED NBC ever since they canceled it – just finished the original 13 episodes “archived” on hulu.com (I mean if it was worthless enough to cancel – why the heck is it even kept?!?), and its almost more disappointing now then it was then!

    …meanwhile mindless garbage like “America’s Got Talent” still airs. Television and television executives are abysmal!

    -ripped off

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