Save Superman: The Animated Series!

As many of you know, Warner Brothers Animation has finished production of Superman: The Animated Series. They feel that they have enough episodes to show in repeats to keep the kids happy and make a profit. I'd like to show them that they're wrong, that there is an audience wanting new episodes of this great series. The final episode left the ending open, with the potential for some interesting stories. Producer Paul Dini has said that he would love to keep doing the series, but it's up to WB. So what I'm doing is starting a campaign to bring back S:TAS.

What can you do? Well, the first thing you can do is send me your name and also, optionally, your e-mail address or city and state. I'll compile all the names into a list that could be sent to WB. Second, you can tell others about the campaign's site, which is located at www.bigfoot.com/~savestas. And third, and really important, if anyone can help in finding an address for WB Animation where the list could be sent, I would greatly appreciate it and credit you on the site. This is a work in progress, but together we can reach our goal.

To the extent that I'd love to see more of the S:TAS, I'm happy to support you.

However, I see nothing in anything you've said that shows how you can insure that WB can find producing new episodes to be profitable. It seems to me that us shouting out the extremity of our fandom even implies that we may very well be continuing to watch the reruns and, as such, be as much a part of their current ratings strength as we would if they produced new episodes.

I don't for a second believe that we can make any difference with any of this.

I'm sorry.

think it's a myth that fan interest played a major role in the renewal of STAR TREK. Even if that's true, I question whether that's really happened since. (And, yes, I know there are cases where that's been claimed. When a network renews a marginal show for whatever reason, it's good public relations to announce, 'We're doing this because fans are clamoring for it.' But that doesn't mean it's so.)

There are a couple of things which might prompt WB to do more. One would be a huge surge in ratings...but not so huge that someone will figure that they can make a ton of money off reruns so there's no need to invest in new episodes. Another indicator might be a big jolt in merchandising based on the show. Whether we like it or not, a lot of cartoon shows stay on the air as 'support' for a big merchandising campaign. Or they might just decide that new episodes fit into WB's over-all programming plans. At the moment, none of these look likely.

ME: I'm not sure which generation you consider 'yours.' I would hope though, that no generation would consider a campaign to save a TV show

I sure can...and my support and desire for new Superman cartoons doesn't imply otherwise. The original poster thought it was worth giving a shot and chose the proper NG forums for for getting the word out. I promise you that most fans of Superman who admire the qualities the character embody are keenly aware of greater injustices than a lack of new cartoons.

Sorry, Mark. Your response just came off as kind of 'get a life'-ish to me. Nothing personal, just an opinion.

ME: Well, I didn't mean it precisely that way. I do think these Internet campaigns to 'save' shows are a waste of time and that someone oughta occasionally suggest that. I also didn't think much of the suggestion that, if someone does join in such a campaign, there's something wrong with them or their generation.

But what you are missing is that the WB doesn't care about the large teen to twenty-something audience. That's why Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain were shut down (and in the latter case 'dumbed-down'. They play the cartoons on Saturday morning and the 2 - 12 year olds are the only ones they care about.

That's how Batman Beyond came about. A younger hero for the younger kids to identify with.

Don't get me wrong, these aren't my feelings. I say, if you have an older audience, sell them acne cream and blue jeans instead of cereal and toys, but that's not the way the network looks at it.

I'm not saying it's important enough to waste energy on (frankly, I didn't much care for S:TAS). It was just a comment on the genuine lack of energy to focus on -any- cause.

Okay, I can accept that reasoning.

ME: I know you're just kidding...

But I should point out that the '65 episodes is enough' rule is not always firm. We did 121 half-hours of GARFIELD & FRIENDS, then turned down a contract to do 16 more for the following two years. And now, we are actually in negotiations (not with CBS) to do another batch of 'em. So you never know what will come back or when.

And how do you think your post came off as, Mr. 'A real fan would act just like me.'

Besides, this is all aimed at 8-11 year olds, right? Everyone here who's 8-11, raise your hand... (and then lower it, and post a message, because I can't see your hand)

Um... season 3 of Dragonball Fricassee? Beyond that, I'm stuck...