Just finished watching Jericho a few weeks ago and found out why the 2 seasons failed. The producers, writers, and director pushed the story too hard into one season. And 2nd season was just a cleanup. Majority of the story and side stories could have been spread out through many seasons.
Here are my thoughts on what Jericho TV series should have been for each season
Season 1
Like in Jericho (2006) keep the story on the nuclear bombs being the catalyst to start the chain of events. Next towns are relying on each other for supplies and help. Each episode should be with different characters trying to survive in Jericho. Then late in the season advance those characters to have some inside drama like affairs, divorce, food scarce, marriages, and killings. Trading among towns are getting scarce until air supplies begin to drop.
Season 2
Introduce a few military factions trying to take over Jericho because of the farms and salt mines. Then some of the characters join the military factions that will start a civil war. Suddenly, the town is doing hard labor from winter heading into summer with little to no crops. Introduce the new government’s military to fight off the other military factions.
Note: The nuclear bomb that was supposed to go off ends up being in Season 3 with two FBI agents (disguised) to investigate what went wrong.
Season 3
Refugees hear about towns having food, shelter, and medical facilities. A return of an ex-girlfriend seeing her ex- boyfriend now married in Jericho with someone else. She becomes in rage and wants revenge on him. Another small story is a serial killer enters with the refugees and begins the killing sprees. Then FBI agents Jericho (2006) enters with what happened to the nuclear bomb that did not get delivered to one of the major cities in the Midwest. A spy from another country enters Jericho to find the FBI agents trying to locate the nuclear bomb.
Suddenly the refugees start to form their own government inside Jericho to overthrow the mayor. Then the citizens start to fight back, and bloodshed begins. Out of nowhere an airplane crash lands in between the city borders of Jericho and South Brooke.
Season 3
This new virus kills off animals and forcing the inhabitants of Jericho and South Brooke to find a cure. The citizens try to survive the winter without meat as the crops are thinning out. Furthermore, the salt mine around Jericho is depleting slowly while Dark Haven 150 miles away wants the rest of it.
Season 4
News on the TV introduces a new America group trying to create a different country. Forming its own country Texas breaks off from the United States. Next other countries try their best to enter the United States and to take the country over. While in Jericho and other towns try to hold them off.
Season 5
Then Texas forms with Kansas and Oklahoma to take shape. Three states going against the United States trying to be put back together. And then develop a better way to have a season finale.
Overall this could have been a great TV series if the story wasn't pushed too fast and hard. Give time for stories to develop and then push for twists during each season. I will give this 5 stars since watching Jericho during this Covid-19 was good to occupy my time.