J. Michael Straczynski delivered an excellent post-apocalyptic tale with Jeremiah, but tinkering by the studio and network derailed the show in its second year and also cut it short.
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What Is It?
This post-apocalyptic series, loosely based on the French comic book of the same name, takes place after a plague known as the “Big Death” that has wiped out most of the world’s population over the age of puberty. Starting fifteen years after the pandemic, it follows the survivors–now grown up–who are trying to find their place in this now devastated world. Luke Perry stars as the titular character who teams up with Kurdy (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) in his travels through a devastated world. The two then decide to join up with a group that has taken refuge in “Thunder Mountain” (NORAD) and who have a plan to rebuild the country.
Aired: Showtime, 2002-04, 2 Seasons Totaling 35 Episodes
Starring: Luke Perry, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Peter Stebbings, Joanne Kelly, Sean Astin
Created By: J. Michael Straczynski
Why Was It Cancelled?
J. Michael Straczynski ventured far from his Babylon 5 universe with this post-apocalyptic entry, though sadly it has not received the recognition it deserves. The show definitely excelled in its first season with some first-rate storytelling that offered the type of complex tales rife with moral quandaries that shows like Battlestar: Galactica, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones would later be celebrated for. Its second season was a bit uneven in a large part due to studio tinkering, but it still had its moments and it brought Joanne Kelly and Sean Astin into the cast.
JMS had a five-year story arc planned for the show, but when a new regime took over at Showtime they decided to clean house and Jeremiah was cancelled before its second season began. (Odyssey 5 also fell to this purge, more on that at this link.) Fans mounted a campaign to convince the network to keep the show going for a third year, but nothing came of that. Straczynski knew about the cancellation in advance, though, and it gave him time to wrap up the ongoing storylines so that the series had a resolution of sorts, though he still had plenty more story to tell. Since then the show has unfortunately dropped off the radar, though it is definitely a genre gem that is worth seeking out (you can read more about it at this link).
Should It Be Rebooted or Revived?
Jeremiah was definitely cut short, and it would certainly be nice to revisit this series, but a complete reboot would be unfortunate considering how good the show was when at its best. Sadly, Luke Perry passed away in 2019, so a revival would be difficult without the show’s lead character. But there is one potential approach that would be interesting. A second wave of the virus could have come through and wiped out much of the older population again, but some of the lead characters from the original series could have isolated themselves in Thunder Mountain or another location and survived. They could then work with the next generation that lived through the pandemic and try again to rebuild the world. Essentially, that would give us Jeremiah: The Next Generation and could bring back some of the original actors. However, since this show never developed much of a following and has been mostly forgotten, it seems unlikely that one of the networks or streaming services would have an interest in reviving it. But if JMS got behind it, maybe something could happen. Or perhaps at some point he could continue on from the original series in graphic novel format, though there would certainly be rights issues to resolve there.
Where Can You Watch It?
The series was released in two DVD sets, but those have since gone out of print are are fetching pretty high prices from third-party sellers. The second season is available for streaming on Prime Video, but you are going to have to pay for the first season VOD if you want to watch both from that provider. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming for free (with ads) on The Roku Channel, though for some reason it indicates three seasons, breaking out the second into two batches of episodes.
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This was a good show with interesting ideas and characters. Odyssey 5 was another one. It was a shame they got cancelled – and remain among the shows I still lament to this day along with Crusade and SGU among others
The tv show is eerie because the way our world works a pandemic will happen, ready or not. It will kill billions. Everyone fears nuclear holocaust, when the biologics of mankind will come under attack without a political or military reason. Man has invaded places on our planet that could unleash diseases not seen since the great plague. We are experimenting with rna, dna, bacteria, and other biological manifestation that if unleashed have no remedy.