Dear Vice President:
Over the years, the Fox Broadcasting Network has become infamous for its shortsightedness in programming decisions. Thousands of us have felt we had no choice but to stand idly by while intelligent, thought-provoking shows were discarded in favor of vapid crowd-pleasing fluff.
We protest now for a return of the days of ENTERTAINMENT -- when television programs were intended to engage the mind, warm the heart, clench the soul. When you became emotionally involved with a character, laughing and crying along with them. When entertainment was meant to entertain, not just pacify.
The Lone Gunmen was one of the few new programs this season with the potential to do these things. After a rocky first couple of episodes, the writing became a beautiful blend of drama and whimsy, of heart and truth. It made us laugh, it made us cry -- but most importantly, it made us think.
Our definition of "entertainment" is "engagement" -- provoking the mind to move to keep up with the plot and characters, and to impart some kind of wisdom into the life of the viewer. Whether you learn to hold onto your dreams, rely on your friends, or not to run with scissors, you learned something.
The drivel that passes for entertainment today is, on the whole, pathetic. A little brain rot is well and good at some times, but the consistent flow of mindlessness that we're receiving from the networks creates just the kind of monotony that multiple networks were created to avoid.
We refuse to sit down and let Fox's infamous mindless cancellation dictate our entertainment. This program has been airing for two and a half months in the worst time slot on television with little to no promotion. It has done nothing to deserve cancellation.
The X-Files was a Nielsen disappointment for its first two season, but it held onto the schedule. Now, eight years later, it is arguably the most profitable show Fox has ever aired. Chris Carter and Ten Thirteen Productions came through for you last time. Who's to say they won't do it again?
All we ask is one more season, even a partial one. If not, then at least give us a second half to the cliffhanger series finale. This television show -- and intelligent programming in itself -- does not deserve to die.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned.
