I somehow managed to miss the news that one of my favorite shows, The 4400, was not renewed for a new season. This is annoying to me on several levels, not the least of which is that now I'll never know how the overall story arc was going to be resolved. I am glad to see that the shows' fans are not taking this lying down.
A sunflower seed company says it has shipped nearly 6,000 bags of its salty snacks to USA Network to try to save a science fiction show. And the actor whose seed-spitting character inspired the campaign is loving every minute of it.Fans of "The 4400" asked Wahpeton-based Giants Snacks LLC to help with the campaign after the cable network dumped the show in December. Many of the sales of Giants Sunflower Seeds are international orders, which the company does not normally accept.
"I'm sure by Monday afternoon, the mailroom at USA Network will be getting somewhat full," said Tom Schuler, who handles Internet sales for Giants.
The campaign, modeled after one by fans who sent peanuts to keep the CBS show "Jericho" alive, has the support of 4400 actor Jeffrey Combs. His character, Dr. Kevin Burkhoff, was the inspiration for the sunflower send-off.
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Network spokeswoman Kristin Schulman said its New York offices had received about 30 pounds of seeds by Wednesday, before Giants sent its first shipment. The company has since shipped about 650 pounds of seeds, with orders from about 30 states and a dozen countries, Schuler said.
"We love hearing from our viewers and appreciate their enthusiasm for `The 4400,' a series we're extremely proud of, but it would be very difficult logistically to bring the show back," network officials said in a statement.