Is the CBS TV show Jericho a Hidden Message?

Has anyone been following the CBS Show Jericho?

This show is about a small town survival after a Nuclear War.

As I watched last night’s episode, some thing came to mind when going over the plot.

The show showed what could be done prior to fallout coming into their town.

It showed that the Town Fallout shelter has not been updated since 1957. And the Hospital Shelter was useless.

Is this a message from the government to local officials to get their Shelters in order for a future event?

Based on this does anyone see their local government taking action today or talking about it?

Also the use of alternative fuels and energy, Are you capable in using them when the grid goes down?

Do you have a Ham Radio?

Many questions from one show to my mind.

Are you ready?

I am 50% Ready. Working on a ham radio.

I think it's an interesting show and one that's apropo (sp) for the time we are in.
Unlike the alien shows that have been and are now on this is one threat that is real and could happen at any moment or perhaps not at all but lends thought to how prepared we aren't.

The show drove me a little batty last night though because they made the actors appear stupid. Last week they get nuked and last night most were going about their business as if that was all that was going to happen.
Did anyone of them not hear about radiation? Fallout?
It just annoyed me because they appeared so useless and stupid.
Ok I realize it's the way the show was written but it made me wonder just how many of us would really know what to do or where to go.

The time line for the show is day by day I believe. The last show was the day of attack up until the night time. The next show is the next day when the people are getting into survival mode when it is noticed the storms are coming. I dont like the Idea that they had to blow the front of the mine when mines are designed to keep rain out. Also it showed the selfish nature of people and how we like to keep secrets and be in denile.

It was interesting at the end the Character listening to the Short wave radio denied hearing what is going on. Then has a map full of pins to show where the nukes went off.

Also did you catch the plastic sheets and duct tape line. HAHAHAHA! Didn't we hear that before from our government!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I did. I don't know what his deal is or who he is. They led the viewer to believe last night that he may be a spy or bad guy. I think he is and will be instrumental in the show for these people's survival.

It's also worth noting the small details of how they survive. If anything like that does happen to us one day it will be these small towns as most of us come from that are going to have to band together without freaking out and killing each other because of lack of supplies.

The show has great potential

I didn't make a list, but a lot of things were not technically correct.

One of them, something as common as a mine that requires blowing the entrance to keep the rain out . . . c'mon now.

Pretty obvious the next problem will be people trapped in the mine.

What turned out to be an interesting premise with good actors is rapidly turning into a script by committee series.

One more viewing - if I can get through it - and if it's not improved or at least believable, I'm gone.

The reason for the script oddities is because CBS is apparently in a dispute with the WGA, so they don't always have the same writer for each show. Or that is at least what I have heard.

But Jericho is a very, very good show in my opinion. Well some of it seems un-realistic, remember, there is only so much the can fit in 45 minutes. (15 minutes of commercials)

The last show had the private security company named Ravenwood helping the government?

Would you fight them?

Fight Ravenwood? I think you would have to, wouldn't you? It seems as though they are the "bad guys" in this show . . . I suppose it would depend on exactly how a group like this would appear in a real life situation. The thought of trying to survive after something like this is scary enough - to think government employees might try to make that difficult for citizens by taking their supplies is even scarier. Makes me want to buy some land in the mountains and hide out there in the event of attack.

I skipped this show mostly do to my work hours.
But I just recently bought season 1 and to me the best way to watch any season is in one sitting or across a couple of days (since we too need sleep) like a movie. This is how I watch TV shows. However, after watching the first 19 episodes I've come to realize that we Americans are not ready for this type of disaster. Mostly cause of mass panic chaos and greed we all have within us, even if we are the nicest of people. The mom on this show (wife of the Mayor that was mayor for 28 years) has the strongest of wills and heart. But those types of people are far apart. We may all have to hope that our little neck of the woods has this type of person if this scenario were take place. This show like most others do have hidden messages, IMHO. I know I’m unprepared, I would like to think that I am, but I’m just a lost soul like many of the mass of this nation that relies on help from friends and family from time to time and will probably need it when and if this scenario were to ever take place, or any other scenarios that are widely discussed on these boards. But I also believe that it’s a wake up call for the old towns of this nation. They do need the supplies and democracy will be the only way to survive through the mass chaos that will be in the now (when that happens).

I enjoy this show, and someone told me that there is a Season II Coming or has started.
I can’t wait to view it.
In my opinion as humble as it may be, we do need to prepare ourselves and by getting the word out. In some ways, it’s best to see it in TV Shows to show us how screwed we really could be or are.

Realistic or Not, Scenerios could cause or effect the way we prepare.

[edit on 9/7/2007 by wyldwylly]

Just a reminder to all. Jericho season 2 starts next month. I believe Feb. 12th is the starting date.

Who's going to be watching?

I've not seen it yet, but it sounds very similar to several other 'after-nuking' style programmes and films.

I'll name a few and post the links for your browsing pleasure :-)

Threads
www.imdb.com...

When the wind blows
www.imdb.com...

The last train (Cruel Earth in Canada and America)
www.imdb.com...

The Changes
www.bbc.co.uk...

I've got Threads on DVD. When the wind blows was released on video only. I've been hoping they would release it on DVD but I still don't think it's available yet. Music was done by Roger Waters (Pink Floyd).

The Last Train is not available on video or DVD, but you can get it on Torrent downloads from the net.

I've no idea about availability of the Changes. But I see a couple of video clips on the link.

Threads is very good. It's a step by step 'happening' of what's most likely to occur. Very dark and a bit disturbing in places. The dead guy on his pushbike up a tree gives you an idea of some of the images in the film.

When the wind blows is one of my all time faves. Superbly animated and such a lovely story of this old couple who have really no idea about what's going to happen. The elderly gent reminisses on WW2 and does all he can to get a grasp of things. For the soft hearts of you out there, get the tissue box ready for this one.. Brilliant film.

The last Train is a little bit of a sci-fi thing, but it has splatters of possible reality plastered all over it. The pack of hungry dogs that eat the man at the train station is a dark reminder of how serious the outdoor environment can become. They say that every dog is one meal short of being a wolf...

I'll be watching Jericho sometime soon and it will be nice to compare it to the others.

I do remember seeing one American film many years ago about a nuke strike in the states (film was aired on Brit TV sometime around late 70's early 80's) but I cannot recall the name of it. It was the only American film I'd seen on this issue that was rather realistic for my young mind at the time.

You should be able to view Jericho Season One here

Otherwise it is now available on DVD.

When The Wind Blows is out on DVD, certainly in Europe, I bought it from the Amazon UK site a few months back.

The rest you'll probably know ... Dr. Strangelove, The Day After, Fail-Safe (2 versions, original probably better), On The Beach (original much better), The War Game, Death Train, By Dawn's Early Light. There's also a couple of specialist DVD's out in the UK showing the emergency broadcasts the BBC intended to show in the event a nuclear war seemed likely, entitled "Protect And Survive", which tied in with HMG's notorious information booklet for householders ("in the event a nuclear bomb explodes near you, do not light cigarettes, you may start a fire .... LOL)

One of the most thoughtful "nuclear war" films I've seen, and the one which best compares to "Jericho", is also the one you'll have the hardest job to find ... Testament. It's a very bleak movie, similar story, small community left isolated after a nuclear attack against the USA. I won't spoil the ending ... but it's safe to say its ending is not as shiny and happy as Jericho's will ever be.

As to Jericho itself, I gave up on that ages ago. The storyline became so convoluted and the characters so unappealing I just gave up altogether. If it was a government sponsored campaign to highlight the need for civil defence, for me it failed miserably.

reply to post by Niall197


I remember those HMG adverts on what o do if a nuke war starts. I'm pretty sure they actually broadcast them. A very close relative used to work for the government and I kinda grew up with all the hatred, lies and nuke threats of the 70's-80's.
I know I've seen thos ads on tv, can't remember if they were part of late night news education slots or sown on progs like panorama etc.

And, WOW...when the wind blows on DVD..oh my gosh oh my gosh..
Gotta get me a copy... can't wait.. Shame I don't live in UK anymore and I threw away my credit card...

Brilliant film.

reply to post by Sanity Lost


Blast.
It says "this content is currently unavailable"

Never mind I'll try again later or find another way to see it.
Thanks for the link though. Not often you get to see full series shown online like that.

Nice bit of freedom there..less of the copyright protection rubbish.

reply to post by Extralien


You do know "When The Wind Blows" is a cartoon, huh ? I haven't actually watched it yet .... might give it a spin this weekend.

I think the US movie you were thinking of was "The Day After", with Jason Robards playing a medic in a bombed out St Louis ? You should be able to get that on DVD quite easily in UK and USA.

Many of those films mentioned are on google video, or youtube ... but Protect And Survive I'm sure you've never seen, it was never broadcast by the BBC cos obviously we never got nuked ... although you might remember Patrick Allen reciting part of his spiel from Protect And Survive in the Frankie Goes To Hollywood tune "Two Tribes" ... or maybe not, depends how old you are

Try googlevid/youtube. There's loads out there.

reply to post by Niall197


Yes I know it's animated. The animation was highly regarded. You'll understand when you see the camera panning around the rooms.
And check this link (I'll paste a quote from it too)
www.imdb.com...

Jim: [reading from pamphlet] During this period, reduced external stimuli may produce problems of group behavior.
Hilda: Oh yes, I see, Dear.
Jim: [reading from pamphlet] Steps to combat this may include the following: At intervals, stimulate group activities...
Hilda: Don't you dare start stimulating, James. I'm not in the mood.

I distinctly remember seeing the adverts. Mostly done with what seemed to be cardboard cutouts to help simplify the instructions.
Always reminded me of those felt cloth picture boards we could get as kids.

And yes it did come with messages in the "Frankie goes to" style of...

"If any member of the family should die whilst in the shelter, place them outside, but remember to tag them first for identification purposes".

It all got drummed into me.

If you are not in the blast zone, head into the wind.. any fallout will be blown in the opposite direction.

reply to post by Extralien


I assure you, they were never broadcast as intended ... you've maybe seen clips in "Threads" or documentaries discussing the pros and cons of civil defence, but they were never broadcast "in anger".

The only reason I'm 100% sure is because from 84-89 I worked for a specialist RAF team which liaised between Strike Command, the national broadcasters, ROC, police & "others" ... we were the "four minute warning guys" who could initiate mass panic at the flick of a switch.

In practise however you'd be lucky to get any warning at all. I think the very best estimate was for a 2 to 2min 30sec warning for a missile attack.

In the early 90's UK civil defence was largely abandoned, the warning siren system was removed (ostensibly because many folks had double glazing and couldn't actually hear it), the ROC disbanded and the network of protected shelters were left to rot.

How will Brits be told about a nuclear attack now ? By tv/radio obviously ... although rumour has it in the mid 90's the Home Office looked into the possibility of an emergency autodialler system, which would instantly phone everyone with a recorded message as soon as missiles were tracked approaching UK ... but it came to nothing. Would've cost major ££.

Peter Donaldson, the former BBC Radio 4 announcer, was the "doomsday announcer" ... here's a little audio file you might find interesting.

BBC Doomsday Planning

reply to post by Niall197


Yes it was most probably the clips discussing it all on programmes such as Panorama or Horizon or it was videos my dad had brought home to watch (part of what he had to know).

I'm almost certain I saw this stuff before the Falklands war.

The clips in Threads are not what I remember seeing. I remember seeing a house to the left of the screen, one person standing next to 3 or 4 'bodies' on the ground at the right side of the screen. Also some shots of antenna or towers giving out signals or warning sounds. My dad used to talk about how long it would take him to get to the munitions storage in case of invasion.

There were also visuals on what happens when missiles are launched, distances and estimated times of arrival etc.

It's been almost 30 years since i saw all that. cleaning the cobwebs out of my head or old memories

If you can't view Jericho season one from the CBS website, the main reason may be that it's only available in the US if I remember correctly. You may fine some of it on YouTube if you have the time to look for it.

Threads is such a dark movie that I would not want to live in the world it represents. It's just too depressing. For those who have not see it, it is available to watch free here on the internet. I don't have the link but I'll search if anyone wants to watch and can't find it themselves.

Testament shows up everyone once and a while on the cable channels such as TNT and USA.

I'll admit that Jericho has had it's ups and downs with the story line. It's not bad at the start and the end but a bit weak in the middle. I understand season two will cut most of the bs and stick to an action style show. Jericho suffered the curse of placing the show in the early evening timeslot. It could be a bit more gritty placing it later in the evening.