Understand that you over-estimate the power of fandom in the current TV
market.

For starters the studios have gotten used to letter writing campaigns by
SF fans, and no longer give it the same weight they used to.

If WB decides to drop year 5, it will be an internal business decision,
and will not be subject to appeal. About one-third of all new shows
presented at NATPE this year to the stations either aren't going or are in
serious trouble because WB, UPN and FOX are grabbing more nights of
committed programming at local stations...in simple terms: there is no
room at the inn.

That's the single biggest obstacle right now to WB renewing the show, I'm
told. That the market has changed, and the stations either have other
commitments, or are tempted by new, highly-promoted shows, as opposed to a
fifth year of a show they know.

I've had to make adjustments to cover my bets in either direction; if I
did what you describe, and there ended up not being a year 5, the story
would not have an ending, and the thing would be pointless. It's not a
matter of "sticking to one's guns." It's a matter of protecting the fans,
and the story, because I have no control whatsoever over what's going to
be decided shortly. Neither do the fans. It ain't the same world as when
ST was saved for one more season. We've been told, point-blank, that WB
*wants* to do the show next year, because they're making a LOT of money on
it...but if there's no room for the show at enough stations to make it
viable, they won't be able to do it. (And they can't take it to cable, we
found out this week, because the PTEN contract for the show expressly
forbids it).

I've isolated the threads that would go into a year 5; if we get year 5,
I'll pull the triggers on that, and we'll do those stories. If not, those
threads will go into the sequel. Either way, we're covered...because I
can't ask fans to stick around for 4 or 5 years of a show, and not achieve
resolution. It would be thoughtless and cruel.


jms