SENTINEL RENEWAL LEAD ITEM ON ULTIMATE TV - July 3 1998

News of the renewal of The Sentinel is one of the lead stories on the Ultimate TV website (site does not exist anymore). Visitors to the site will see the graphic (at left) as one of the cycling stories at the head of the front page of the site, linking off to the feature article (see below).

Ultimate TV also carried the complete text of the UPN Press Release announcing the return of The Sentinel due to "popular demand".

Media Commentator Marvin Kitman had some words to say in an article about the cancellation of Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, and while not a direct comment on our situation with The Sentinel it is an interesting viewpoint on the machinations of network television.

UPN RESURRECTS THE SENTINEL - June 30 1998

Ultimate TV
By Nadine Mendoza, and Shelly Lyons

The Sentinel fans waged a phonecall and letter-writing campaign to resurrect the canceled UPN action-adventure series -- and it worked.

UPN will bring back the drama about James Ellison, a police detective with heightened senses, for its fourth season beginning next midseason.

Although similar fan efforts to revive CBS' Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and ABC's Prey, were not heeded by the networks, fans of CBS' The Magnificent Seven will see the drama back this next midseason, and Sentinel fans can count their organized campaign, which even included a website, a success.

"The outpouring of fan support . . . has been tremendous," says UPN entertainment chief Tom Nunan. "Now, if some of them could just get their hands on those precious Nielsen boxes."

"Aside from the legion of loyal Sentinel fans who have bombarded our office with tens of thousands of phone calls," explains Nunan, "I think the happiest person to hear the news is the UPN switchboard operator."

The network also ordered two new sitcoms: Nicki, starring Airplane's Julie Hagerty, and Home Team, about a basketball coach with four daughters.

SENTINEL REPORT ON CNN - June 30 1998

Merry reports: Dennis Michael's Hollywood Minute on CNN Headline News ran the following report:

"The Sentinel can also be called "the survivor". UPN has ordered up 13 more episodes of the action series for next season after dropping the show from its prime time schedule. Daily Variety reports the network was the target of a fan campaign to save the show."

This overlaid a series of clips from Switchman which showcased Jim in Kevlar and that wonderful ballcap, the infamous Carolyn kiss scene, several "sense" moments, the fine work of our beloved Special Effects Crew (BOOM!), and approximately 1.5 seconds of Blair standing there looking amazed while Jim sniffs a piece of yarn.

It was a great action/adventure promo. We couldn't have paid for better, and they ran it once an hour.

SENTINEL FANS TAKE PROTEST TO USA TODAY - June 30 1998

Science Fiction Weekly News
 

"Fans of UPN's TV show The Sentinel took out an ad in the June 15 edition of USA Today protesting UPN's decision to remove the series from its fall lineup in favor of the freshman SF drama Seven Days. The fans, who have organized a campaign called Support Our Sentinel or SOS, were particularly aggrieved by The Sentinel's season finale, a cliffhanger episode that promised viewers the story was "to be continued."

The USA Today ad ran with the slogan "When UPN said no...the fans said no way!" and directed readers interested in keeping The Sentinel on air to the SOS Web site. In response to the SOS campaign, UPN set up a Sentinel Hotline that, as of June 16, simply said there was no further information available on the status of the show.

Last month UPN released a fall programming schedule that did not include The Sentinel, but UPN has since ordered 13 episodes of the show as a mid-season replacement. A UPN spokesperson said the network was aware of the SOS campaign and that "all of that has to be taken into consideration. It's appreciated."

WELCOME BACK SENTINEL - June 30 1998

CopTV
Greg Baerg

So it's happened again. A TV show has been brought back from extinction by nothing more than sheer fan support. Hey, miracles can happen.

Earlier today, after several weeks of relentless phone calls, emails and even a USA Today ad, UPN finally listened to the fans and brought back the super-cop drama The Sentinel for a fourth season. UPN's entertainment chief Tom Nunan even acknowledged the heavy fan support in the official press release announcing the return of the show.

"The outpouring of fan support . . . has been tremendous," says Nunan. "Now, if some of them could just get their hands on those precious Nielsen boxes."

"Aside from the legion of loyal Sentinel fans who have bombarded our office with tens of thousands of phone calls," explains Nunan, "I think the happiest person to hear the news is the UPN switchboard operator."

The story began earlier this year -- much earlier -- when The Sentinel found itself slipping from the comfortable position of being the second-highest-ranked show on UPN. UPN had little to be happy about with the season in general, with its new series tanking, and the only bright spot being the mid-season series, The Love Boat: The Next Wave. Even that show started with mediocre numbers, and slipped from there. However, when The Sentinel slipped, it gave the network enough reason to consider the show had run its course.

However, fans could tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. Though The Sentinel has never had a large following, it has been a very loyal, almost fervent bunch. There are at least 40 websites dedicated to the series on the Web, and many of them include fan fiction, in which fans spin imaginary tales of their own involving the characters.

When UPN decided to cancel the show, the response was almost immediate. Not only did fans, on their own, call the network, they also started to talk with one another, on the net and on bulletin boards and newsgroups. Soon, an organized website, the Support our Sentinel page, was up and running with the one goal of getting The Sentinel renewed.

The fans soon found hope, after CBS succumbed to fan pressure and renewed the mid-season western The Magnificent Seven, even though it was not the highest-ranked show to have been cancelled on the network (Dr. Quinn fans will be quick to point out). One of the big things that caught the eye of CBS in that case was the ad taken out by fans in the USA Today. Sentinel fans took note, and it wasn't long before a similar ad showed up on the doorstep of Hollywood.

UPN was already showing signs of bringing back The Sentinel, but the ad might have been the last straw. Those who were unaware of the fight, were now invited to join right in, and some did. UPN finally realized that the value of loyal fans is worth something, and decided to renew the show as a mid-season replacement. Judging from the quality of most of the network's new fall line, Sentinel fans may not have to wait that long for stars Richard Burgi and Garett Maggart to come back -- and come back they will. Even with an ending that left viewers hanging on the thought of Blair (Maggart) dying from drowning, the actor has been signed to another year of the series.

Regardless of what happens next season, fans should be proud of their accomplishment. The Sentinel is a good show, delivering quality action every week on a growing network. Getting UPN to change its mind was an impressive feat, although it might take a lot more action next year if The Sentinel's numbers don't go up as a result.

VIGILANT FANS HELP SAVE THE SENTINEL - June 30 1998

St. Petersburg Times
By ERIC DEGGANS

Normally, fans hoping to protest the end of a TV show they love are just plain out of luck.

When even the lowest-rated series draw millions of viewers, someone's bound to speak up when a show goes the way of all things -- even if it's Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place.

So imagine the surprise in TV land when executives at UPN announced Monday that the action-adventure series The Sentinel would be among four shows tapped for its midseason slate of TV programs -- projects held in reserve to replace other series that wash out between January and May 1999.

UPN executives say the massive, worldwide campaign by fans to save the show, which included a June 15 advertisement in USA Today, helped them decide to keep the show alive.

"I think the happiest person to hear the news is the UPN switchboard operator," cracked Tom Nunan, president of entertainment for the network, who acknowledged receiving "tens of thousands" of telephone calls regarding the series -- to say nothing of the faxes, letters and e-mails that deluged the company.

The fan response started last month, when UPN announced its programing schedule for this fall and The Sentinel wasn't on it. But network executives say they had never officially canceled the series.

"They were negotiating and considering where to put the show," says Patti McTeague, a spokeswoman for UPN. "The fans must be happy; they sent a bouquet of flowers to our receptionist for being nice about all the calls."

Steve Wagner, a graduate of Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg who now lives in Cary, N.C., was among about 100 fans who contributed money to help pay for the USA Today ad (he sent $75; total cost was $5,000) and also passed along e-mail publicizing the group's efforts.

The group plans a follow-up ad July 7 in the Hollywood Reporter to thank UPN for resuming production on the show.

Wagner says the Internet proved an invaluable organizing tool, providing Web sites that could relay information and attract fans -- some from as far away as Australia and Canada.

"This is a victory, but we have to stay involved," he adds, noting that some viewers were angered by a final episode in May that seemed to show a central character's death -- a cliffhanger that now must be resolved. "I know I will keep an eye on things."

The Sentinel, a show about a police officer with enhanced senses, is among UPN's highest-rated dramas for viewers aged 25 to 54. It joins three new comedies -- Julie Hagerty's Nicki, Greg Evigan's Home Team and an animated version of the comic strip Dilbert -- as midseason replacements, with several episodes of each produced.

SENTINEL FANS: REJOICE! - June 29 1998

Cinescape Online Insider reports:

UPN has caved into the demands of Sentinel fans and ordered up another slate of 13 episodes. The network came under fire from viewers when the series was canceled after it ended with a cliffhanger last season. The Sentinel faithful organized a Support Our Sentinel website and even advertised in USA Today to make sure the show remained on the air!

In an official press release, UPN Entertainment President Tom Nunan announced several programs for the network in the fall, taking time to comment on The Sentinel phenomenon. Nunan joked, "Aside from the legion of loyal Sentinel fans who have bombarded our office with tens of thousands of phone calls, I think the happiest person to hear the news is the UPN switchboard operator." The press release adds that the reason behind The Sentinel's impending return was "popular demand from its fervent fans."

UPN has indicated they plan to show the series as a mid-season replacement.

FROM USA TODAY - June 29 1998

From the USA Today Inside TV column:

UPN has renewed the sci-fi drama The Sentinel for mid-season. "The outpouring of fan support... has been tremendous," says UPN entertainment chief Tom Nunan. "Now if some of them could just get their hands on those precious Nielson boxes."

UPN NEWS FROM HOLLYWOOD REPORTER - June 29 1998

By Lynette Rice

NBC Studios comedy In the House which bowed on NBC in April 1995 before moving to UPN will make a brief return to the peacock, the studio confirmed.

In other news from UPN, the emerging network has assembled its midseason crop of shows, ordering two new comedies and bringing back veteran drama The Sentinel.

Though UPN ultimately passed on ordering In the House for a third season, NBC Studios and Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment will produce six more episodes to possibly air on NBC during midseason, a studio spokeswoman confirmed.

With 70-plus episodes already in the can, the short order will help NBC Studios roll out In the House for syndication. The series that also stars Alfonzo Ribeiro and Kim Wayans ran for a little more than a season on NBC before UPN ordered 44 episodes of the comedy that premiered on that network in August 1996.

Though production for the latest episodes will be brief sources said it should only take three weeks to complete the order LL Cool J is expected to earn nearly $1 million for his services.

For midseason, UPN has ordered six episodes of Nicki, a Castle Rock TV comedy that's executive produced by Dee LaDuke and Mark Alton Brow from Designing Women. Julie Haggerty stars as a mother who reunites with the acid-tongued daughter she gave up for adoption.

A six-episode order was made on Home Team, a sitcom from Henson Prods. that revolves around a widowed basketball coach/father and his four daughters. It is executive produced by Russell Marcus (Married ... With Children).

Paramount Network TV's The Sentinel, which just finished its second season (sic) on UPN, will make a return visit for midseason. As previously reported, UPN has ordered 13 episodes of animated show Dilbert from Columbia TriStar TV.

UPN comedies not renewed for fall are Sparks and Good News, both from MTM Enterprises.

SENTINEL BACK AT POST - June 29 1998

New York Daily News

Having gotten calls and letters numbering well into the five figures, UPN has decided to renew it's drama The Sentinel for midseason. The sci-fi adventure series had been left off the upstart network's fall schedule when it was announced in May. That omission resulted in an online and newspaper campaign that was launched by fans to get UPN to changed their minds. It worked"

SENTINEL, TWO OTHERS IN UPN BULLPEN - June 29 1998

Variety
By Jenny Hontz

Fans revive cop drama

HOLLYWOOD - UPN ordered three midseason series on Friday, including one returning show dropped from the fall sked: The Sentinel.

Fans of the drama The Sentinel, which ended last season with a cliffhanger, had organized a campaign to get the show back, and UPN has now obliged with a 13-episode order.

The netlet also ordered six episodes of two new midseason comedies. Castle Rock TV's Nicki stars Julie Hagerty (Airplane) as a woman whose daughter she gave up for adoption reappears in her life as a teenager. The sitcom is executive produced by Dee LaDuke and Mark Alton Brown (Designing Women).

UPN also picked up the Home Team from Jim Henson Prods., which is about a widowed basketball coach with four daughters. That comedy is executive produced by Russell Marcus (Married ... With Children, Malcolm & Eddie).

"Home Team and Nicki give us strong midseason comedy bench strength from veteran producers," said UPN entertain-ment prexy Tom Nunan. "And aside from the legion of loyal Sentinel fans who have bombarded our office with tens of thousands of phone calls, I think the happiest person to hear the news is the UPN switchboard operator."

The netlet previously ordered 13 episodes of the midseason animated comedy Dilbert from Columbia TriStar TV, bringing the complete midseason backup bench to four shows.

UPN REVIVES SENTINEL - June 29 1998

Ultimate TV - News Daily

This was the lead item in their 'Daily News' listing on the front page of the website:

The Hollywood Reporter reports that UPN has renewed the cop drama The Sentinel for midseason. The show, which stars Richard Burgi, has consistently been the network's second-highest rated show. "The outpouring of fan support . . . has been tremendous," says UPN entertainment chief Tom Nunan. "Now, if some of them could just get their hands on those precious Nielsen boxes."

The network also ordered two new sitcoms: Nicki, starring Airplane's Julie Hagerty, and Home Team, about a basketball coach with four daughters.

UPN ORDERS EPISODES - June 26 1998

Word has come from The Sentinel production office that UPN has placed an order for 8 episodes!!!

This is a first step to seeing more, and that will depend on how the show rates when it returns to air. So it means it is very important that SOS turn our attention back to a concentrated effort to raise awareness of the show over the summer and when it returns to air.

The cast and crew of The Sentinel can now return to work. Start date is set for sometime in August. Stay tuned for more details.

SOS FEATURED IN GERMANY'S TV HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE - June 25 1998

The monthly German TV guide for SciFi and Fantasy shows, TV Highlights featured the following write up and graphic in their current (July) issue:

The Sentinel met a similar fate. When fans learned by the end of May that there won't be a new season, UPN's phone lines broke down with calls. If you want to help you can either contact us or join the Internet rescue campaign under: http://world.std.com/~sentinel/index.html - SOS SAVE OUR SENTINEL!

(Thanks to Steffi - for the article and the translation)

ELECTRONIC MEDIA ARTICLE - June 23 1998

Electronic Media magazine's 'Insider' column ran coverage of the campaign to save The Sentinel, complete with a rerun of the ad from USA Today.

The article by Michael Schneider, described the efforts of SOS, the ad, and included the following quote from series Executive Producer Paul DeMeo. "I knew we had a pretty strong hard-core following out there, but this is much bigger than anything we'd anticipated."

(Ed: We'll bring you more details on this article when we get them)

MEDIA REPORTS - June 23 1998

Articles and reports continue to be generated across the internet and in the printed press. We have updated our media reports section with further reports of media coverage on the plight of The Sentinel.

AUSTRALIAN FANS ALERTED TO SERIES CLIFFHANGER - June 22 1998

TV Week - Jun 27 - July 3 The following article appeared alongside a pic of Garett Maggart.

Australian fans of The Sentinel will be eagerly awaiting new episodes of the show after the US season ended with a cliffhanger.

Shocked were left wondering if anthropologist Blair Sandburg, played by Garett Maggart, will survive and apparent drowning.

The episode ended with his partner, Detective Jim Ellison (Richard Burgi), trying to revive him.

But the episode did end with the message "To be continued". Stay tuned.

SENTINEL LEADS SIGNED FOR MORE EPISODES - June 22 1998

In the first steps toward the return of The Sentinel, it has been confirmed that Paramount has renewed Richard Burgi and Garett Maggart's contracts for 13 new episodes. News of the signing of the remaining contracts is still forthcoming.

UPN is still not making any official statements as to their position, but there may be an announcement in the next few days.

DIAGNOSIS MURDER? - June 19 1998

The plot of this episode of one of Paramount Television's 'other' series, seems to strike a strange resonance for fans of The Sentinel.

A television network executive is nearly killed by a fan of a show she has just canceled. She comments, "I didn't just cancel their show, I killed their friends!" The cancelled show is described as: A science fiction cop series. The action appeals to the teenage boy audience, while the leads' rugged good looks attracts female viewers aged 25-40.

UPN UPFRONT SALES LESS ROSY THAN REPORTED - June 19 1998

By Richard Katz

NEW YORK (Variety) - UPN's performance in the recently completed advertising upfront was not as rosy as previously thought, according to sources close to the weblet and media buyers.

Ad sales sources at UPN floated a figure of $200 million and price increases in the mid-single digits. However, UPN's actual upfront take was closer to $135 million-$140 million, which means the weblet was flat with last year's upfront performance.

In addition, some buyers reported paying prices that were flat or slightly less than last year.

A UPN spokesman said the weblet never comments about upfront money.

Another UPN issue that caught media buyers' attention was the awkward timing of the departure of UPN account executive Rich Forester, who quit right after the upfront to join Spanish-language network Univision as an account executive.

"Of course, it's not a good thing that (he) was looking for a job during the upfront," a UPN insider said.

UPN's sales staff, headed by senior VP Perri Stein, was selling the first schedule put together by the weblet's new president Dean Valentine. Under Valentine, UPN is aggressively expanding from three nights a week to five.

Valentine is trying to shift UPN's target audience from young, urban viewers to a broader, middle American audience. Media buyers, however, gave UPN mixed reviews on its fall schedule.

UPN's sales staff's task has been made more difficult because the weblet's ratings decreased from last season and it also lost some national penetration because of affiliate switchouts. Compounding the problem is the perceived success of competing weblet the WB, which increased its upfront ad sales to $300 million from $150 million last year.

Until this year, UPN had higher ratings and was considered the superior weblet.

"As far as the weblets go, everybody's in love with the WB because people think they've got hot shows and UPN doesn't," said Gary Carr, senior VP, group director, national broadcast and programming for Ammirati Puris Lintas.

One UPN show that media buyers did praise uniformly was Legacy.

The UPN representative maintained that Valentine was more than satisfied with his sales staff's upfront performance, but sources close to the weblet said Valentine was not pleased.

"Dean wasn't happy and he wants to know why agencies aren't buying him," a source close to UPN said.

Valentine declined to comment.

Last upfront, sources close to UPN said, the network made the mistake of selling too much inventory, and when the schedule didn't generate ratings the network had very little inventory left to sell in the scatter market. The source said there could be a similar problem this year.

No other personnel moves have been made UPN's ad sales department, but an inside source said, "There are more changes to come."

(Thanks Barb)

MORE MEDIA REPORTS - June 17 1998

Articles and reports continue to be generated across the internet and in the printed press. We will continue to update our media reports section with reports of media coverage on the plight of The Sentinel.

INTERESTING UPN MEDIA COMMENTS - June 17 1998

There was an article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel about the new fall season, with a very interesting comment about their chances this time next year.

"Note the absence of Fox, UPN, and ratings champ NBC for this list of series that (veteran media analyst, Steve) Sternberg, an executive with TN Media, credits with 'an excellent chance' of renewal for Fall 1999."
 
 

(Thanks Karen)

From TV Guide:

Apparently Soul Man (starring Dan Ackroyd) was in contention as a mid-season replacement on UPN, but now, apparently, it is not.

Reason given? Money. However: "But a source at Wind Dancer says money wasn't the problem Or at least not entirely. "The problem was Dan,' says the insider. "He said he didn't want to do the series anymore if it was going to UPN'."

(Thanks Holly)

TUESDAY WRAP UP - June 16 1998

In the wake of the distribution of the SOS Press Release, media interest is on the rise. Several more very good articles about the SOS campaign have appeared in print and our media contacts have been fielding enquiries for more articles every day. Pet Fly has also reported that they are receiving enquiries. Huge kudos to EVERYONE who was involved in sending out the SOS Press Release. So far it has been a major success.

The following is an overview of Tuesday's highlights. By following the Mailto: links below, you can take a minute to write to the editors of the articles and thank them for their support and in this way perhaps encourage follow-up coverage down the track.

The Vancouver Sun cjcampbell@pacpress.southam.ca ran a very interesting interview with The Sentinel Producer Bob Hargrove (SENTINEL FANS PUSH TO SAVE TV SHOW) who talked about the fan campaign. "The great amount of support doesn't really surprise me." Said Bob, "it's a great show. It's the intensity of the support that I find surprising."

Aaron Barnhart barnhart@kcstar.com of The Kansas City Star talked about the show's cancellation and the "to be continued" promise, also directing viewers to the Wednesday rerun, The Trance. Mr Barnhart asked UPN about "a one-time TV movie that would wrap up the loose ends" and a UPN "spokesman" responded, "That would be so premature to contemplate."

The Support Our Sentinel campaign was the front page leader on the Sci-Fi channel page and they also approached UPN for comments on the non-renewal for their article entitled: SENTINEL FANS TAKE PROTEST TO USA TODAY. Unfortunately, Sci-Fi also experienced the fans' worst nightmare, the "hotline shuffle" and report at the end of the article, "calls to UPN from Sci-Fi Wire scifiwire@scifi.com were directed to the Sentinel Hotline".

Over at UPN itself, callers on Tuesday were met with a much more polite response than during the Monday deluge. It appears word *did* come down from Tom Nunan's office to clean up the act.

One one more positive note, today's most spectacular win for the SOS campaign was FINALLY getting Yahoo, after *six months* of attempts to register the SOS website on their search engine, to honor us with a reply. Steve at Yahoo responded:

"The URL you submitted has been added to Yahoo! It will appear after our next update which will probably occur within the next 2-4 days."

Thanks Steve. IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!

(Thanks Mike, Roger, Claire, Tonya, Gloria and Betsy)

SENTINEL FANS PUSH TO SAVE TV SHOW - June 16 1998

(Vancouver Sun)

The producer of the Vancouver-based television series The Sentinel said he's overjoyed by the grassroots campaign to save his show.

"It's wonderful to know so many people care about the show and are being so persistent in their efforts to keep it on the air next season," Sentinel producer Bob Hargrove said Monday from his Vancouver office.

Since the sci-fi show disappeared in May from the United Paramount Network's fall schedule, heart-broken fans have banded together in a save-the-Sentinel campaign.

To date, the grassroots movement has waged a war of words against UPN executives via the Internet, fax machines, telephones, the postal service and most recently by taking out an ad in the newspaper USA Today.

"When UPN said 'No,' the fans said 'No Way!' Help The Sentinel get back on the air -- contact UPN and let your voice be heard," read the June 15 ad.

Hargrove said the fan reaction was spontaneous, making it even more impressive in these days of orchestrated media events. "The great amount of support doesn't really surprise me -- it's a great show. It's the intensity of the support that I find surprising."

Hargrove said the Internet has made grassroots fan campaigns possible, pointing to the Save the Sentinel Web site, which racked up more than 13,000 hits since it was posted just two days after the show was dropped from the lineup.

The show was cancelled despite a cliffhanger "to be continued" ending to the last episode.

Hargrove has yet to hear if the groundswell has reversed the show's fate. "I don't think the network knew they'd be facing such a public outcry over this -- but whether or not it will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard anything."

Hargrove said the network would give him its final decision by the end of the week.

UPN HEADS FOR MIDDLE OF THE ROAD - June 16 1998

From Ultimate TV - TV News Daily

UPN will change gears this fall, moving away from sci-fi and urban fare and closer to a middle-America programming agenda as part of the network's image overhaul. UPN's new slogan, "You'll Find Yourself on UPN," attempts to solicit a broader audience, and implies less "Klingon" and more "John Doe." Look for commercials of average folk on lawnmowers and the like as UPN strives for a more inclusive demographic.

(Thanks Jean)

(ED: What happened to wanting to cultivate the "loyal, articulate, sci-fi fans"? or the urban markets to whom the rest of network TV has said "Go away, we don't want you." And did anybody pass this on to the people producing Mercy Point, Seven Days and the Way Out There movie night, not to mention the network's flagship, Voyager, or to the people at Moesha, Malcolm & Eddie, DiResta, and the highly anticipated (sic) Secret Diaries of Desmond Pfiefer?

Yo Dean. It's *ALL* urban and sci-fi, because that's what you told everybody you wanted.)

ANOTHER WIN - CONTRACTS EXTENDED UNTIL JUNE 19 - June 15 1998

As mentioned below, on June 15 the contracts that the actors had with UPN were set to expire. In recognition of this date, the Support Our Sentinel group pooled money from online fans to initiate a media campaign to inform America of The Sentinel's fate. 

In addition to the first in a series of planned advertisements about the SOS campaign (see below), a Press Release was forwarded to nearly 500 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations around the country.

The national ad appeared in the LIFE section of USA TODAY on Monday, June 15 and as a consequence the UPN phone lines were flooded and the "Sentinel Hotline" that UPN have created to handle viewer enquiries reported that it was full. Angry receptionists started to tell callers that The Sentinel had been "officially cancelled" and that this decision had "come down from management". 

Complaints from distraught online fans prompted a call to the office of Tom Nunan, in his new position as President of Programming. 

The official position apparently was that the show was NOT cancelled, and the receptionists were directed not treat callers in that manner. 

Halfway through Monday, the offices of Pet Fly, producers of The Sentinel, received an official contract extension from UPN for a further week. This contract now expires on Friday 19th June so Sentinel fans, cast a crew are back in limbo and thrown back into the campaign in earnest. 

If you would like to help UPN make the right decision, go to the Targets page.

MORE AFFILIATE NEWS - June 14 1998

KASN UPN38 has added the following message to the main screen on their website.

To voice your views about UPN dropping The Sentinel from the fall schedule, please call 310-575-7000 and ask for the Viewer Hotline.

(Thanks Yvonne)

THE SENTINEL DOWN, BUT MAYBE NOT OUT ... - June 14 1998

The following article was found on the Cop TV website:

No sooner did the networks announce their fall schedules than did the rallying begin. Among the shows with some strong fan support are CBS' Brooklyn South, Magnificent Seven and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. The cancellation of Dr. Quinn was a real surprise, since the show consistently won its time slot, while Magnificent Seven did well enough to be a surprise. However, one of the other surprises was UPN's cancellation of The Sentinel, which was one of a few series that helped christen the network two years ago.

The Sentinel's never been a huge hit, even its biggest fans will admit that, but the series was the second highest-rated show on the network, and appears to have held that position even with the new Love Boat premiering to much hoopla. So word that the series was gone hit those loyal viewers hard, and they have let UPN know.

UPN was flooded with phone calls and emails after the announcement, and fans on the net promise to do even more to try and get the show back on. And it be working. Recent word from sources at UPN is that the series may return as a mid-season replacement. Stay tuned for more details... 

Discussion of The Sentinel's fate is now also a topic on Cop TV's bulletin board.

(Thanks Susanne and Kay Lynne)

SENTINEL CAMPAIGN GROWS - June 13 1998

Cinescape Insider

Cinescape again features a front page news item on The Sentinel:

While the grassroots effort to persuade UPN into re-thinking the decision to cancel The Sentinel in the middle of a cliffhanger continue online and in an advertisement that will appear in Monday's USA Today, TV Guide Online reveals that one fan has enlisted none other than the Dalai Lama for help.

"I got a metaphysical thumbs-up," Jamroz told the website. A Buddhist monk replied via e-mail that "they would honor my request to have them meditate and pray for our common goal."

To read the latest press release from the coalition of Sentinel fans pressing the issue, click here.

Click here to discuss in the Sentinel forum (site does no longer exist).

MARK CONRAD NAMED CHAIRMAN, UPN AFFILIATE BOARD OF GOVERNORS - June 13 1998

From UltimateTV

LOS ANGELES, CA, June 11, 1998 . . . Mark Conrad has been elected Chairman of UPN's Affiliate Board of Governors. Conrad is Vice President and General Manager, WJZY-TV, Charlotte, North Carolina, a Capitol Broadcasting station, and has been a member of UPN's Affiliate Board of Governors since 1995.

Conrad, whose term is for two years, succeeds Michael Lambert, President & CEO, Lambert Television, who has been a member of the Board of Governor's since its inception and served as its Chairman since June 1996. Lambert will continue to serve as a Board member for another two-year term.

New Board members elected for two year terms are David Hanna, President & General Manager, Lockwood Broadcasting Inc.; and Randy Rigby, General Manager, KJZZ-TV, Salt Lake City.

Rip Riordan, President & COO, Clear Channel Television, will serve as the Board's Vice President; Susan Jaramillo, Station Manager, WRBW-TV, Orlando, will serve as the Board's Secretary and Marty Ozer, Vice President & General Manager, KAME-TV, Reno, will serve as its Treasurer.

In addition to the above, the following Board members were re-elected for two year terms: Al Devaney, President & General Manager, WPWR-TV Chicago; John C. Chaffee, Jr., President & COO, Malrite Communications Group, Inc.; and Jerry Braet, Vice President & General Manager, Chris-Craft Industries, Inc.

(Thanks Ann)

PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS AMERICA - June 13 1998

As part of the Press Release campaign, timed to coincide with the national SOS ad in USA Today on Monday 15th, Sentinel fans staged a coordinated effort to distribute the press release to as many national wire services, newspapers, radio and TV stations and other media interests as possible.

By the close of Friday, over 200 different newspapers and other media targets across the country had received the press release, with some early expressions of interest in the story already forthcoming.

As Monday is also the day that the actors' options are due for renegotiation with UPN, it is hoped that the increased media and public attention will force the network into giving a firm commitment on the future of The Sentinel to the loyal cast, crew and fans of the series, who wait in limbo.

MORE FROM AFFILIATES - June 12 1998

Responses to fan enquiries to UPN affiliates continue to come in following their meeting with UPN in California last weekend.

Here is another sample:

I just returned from the UPN meetings in California and the word is that The Sentinel will be treated as a mid-season replacement show. Many stations were not happy with this, but there is little we stations can do other than to voice our complaints and we certainly did.

HELLO, DALAI - June 12 1998

TV Gen Sci-Fi What's Hot
By John Walsh

When you're up against a TV network, you need all the help you can get. And Sentinel fans, it seems, now have a friend in a very high place.

When Deana Jamroz joined the grassroots effort to get UPN's supernatural cop show back on the air, she turned to the Dalai Lama for help. No pilgrimage necessary - the marketing writer/editor just filled out a form at the Tibetan holy man's official web site.

"I got a metaphysical thumbs-up," Jamroz reports happily. A Buddhist monk said by return e-mail that "they would honor my request to have them meditate and pray for our common goal."

Now what can His Holiness do to help bring back Mama's Family?

SENTINEL AD CAMPAIGN - June 11 1998

Cinescape Insider

You don't have to tell the Insider how serious Sentinel fans can be, but even we were surprised when we heard what a group of diehard fans is doing. According to the Ultimate TV website, a Save the Sentinel ad will appear in Monday's USA Today.

SENTINEL FANS RAISE THE STAKES - June 11 1998

Mania Magazine 'Daily Buzz'

The following news item was linked from Mania's front page:

Sentinel fans are taking their battle to USA Today and other newspapers. In protest over UPN's cancellation of the one-hour drama series, fans have taken out an ad in USA Today for Monday. The series, which debuted in 1996 and starred Richard Burgi, focused on a detective with heightened senses.

Check out Mania's interview with Sentinel sidekick Garett Maggart.

Mania also ran the following article on the new UPN schedule:

With two new nights of programming, UPN has cancelled almost its entire line-up, including The Sentinel (who knows what will happen to the cliff-hanger ending, but there is talk of bringing the series back for mid-season replacement). The long-awaited Dilbert animated series will premiere in January. Meanwhile, several new SF series will debut, as well as the Thursday night science fiction movie every week!

UPN Mondays
8 pm: Guys Like Us (NEW)
A six-year-old moves in with two older men and wacky hijinks ensue. Spare us, please. It stars Maestro Harrell, Bumper Robinson, and Chris Hardwick.

8:30 pm: DiResta (NEW)
A sitcom about the real-life adventures of New York ex-transit cop John DiResta.

9 pm: The Secret Diary Of Desmond Pfeiffer (NEW)
A sitcom about a cook in the White House during the Abraham Lincoln administration. Surely one of the weirdest ideas for a television series I can recall.

9:30 pm: Malcolm & Eddie (Returning)

UPN Tuesdays
8 pm: Moesha (Returning)

8:30 pm: Clueless (Returning)

9 pm: Mercy Point (NEW)
This science fiction series is about an outer space hospital with a busy ER. Originally called "Nightingale One." Joe Morton stars as a doctor, alongside Brian McNamara.

UPN Wednesdays
8 pm: Seven Days (NEW)
This drama pilot is a time travel series (because Timecop was such a big hit?) starring Jonathan LaPaglia as a man who comes from the past to prevent tragedies in the future. Huh? Chris Crowe, of The Untouchables series, is executive producing.

9 pm: Star Trek: Voyager (Returning)

UPN Thursdays
8 pm: Way Out There Movie Of The Week (NEW)
Every week, a new science fiction movie! Some will be failed pilots, while others will be stand-alone films, or made-for-TVs.

UPN Fridays
8 pm: Legacy (NEW)
This western drama series is set on a post-Civil War Kentucky horse farm, from Chris Abbott, one of the guys who brought us Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

9 pm: The Love Boat (Returning)

SENTINEL FANS TAKE ACTION - June 11 1998

Ultimate TV Daily News

The following news item featured a byline as one of the four lead news stories on the front of Ultimate TV's TV News Daily.

Sentinel fans are mad as hell and they're taking it to USA Today and other newspapers. In protest over UPN's cancellation of the one-hour drama series, fans have united, taking out an ad in USA Today for Monday. The series, which debuted in 1996 and starred Richard Burgi, focused on a detective with heightened senses.

NEWS UPDATE - June 11 1998

As we approach the third week since UPN's announcement that they had pulled The Sentinel from their fall schedule, we reach the first real deadline in the campaign for the show's renewal.

Several sources have confirmed that the actors' current contracts expire on 15th June. Should an official announcement to return to filming not be made until after this date, new contracts would have to be negotiated with the actors and this presents a whole new set of difficulties.

Mindful of the approaching deadline, irate viewers rallied for the UPN Affiliates Meeting, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dana Point, CA on Monday and Tuesday. Resourceful fans, armed with all the dedicated fax line numbers set up for UPN executives at the meeting, bombarded CEO Dean Valentine with cries of outrage about The Sentinel's fate. By Wednesday however, calls to UPN's head office were still met with the "no news" response, and were promptly forwarded to the now rather luke warm "Sentinel Hotline".

Affiliate representatives returning to their regional offices today, acknowledged that they made their viewers' dissatisfaction known to Mr Valentine, and mentioned the significant viewer response to the non-renewal. However they could not provide any new information.

All is quiet in the Pet Fly offices in Vancouver, where cast, crew and producers alike await a decision from UPN. Many crew members have apparently rejected offers of other work to be ready to return to production if the word is given. In the meantime, there is a report that the USA Network has purchased the rights to the series in syndication beyond its life on Network TV. So this is where fans will turn their attention for a further life for the series should UPN drop its option.

Until the 15th, the ball is in UPN's court.

SENTINEL FANS PURCHASE NATIONAL AD IN USA TODAY - June 10 1998

Following on from the success of the Magnificent Seven fans ad campaign, Sentinel fans have also created an advertisement to run nationally in USA Today's "LIFE" section on Monday 15th June to coincide with the UPN deadline.

Co-ordinator Barbara Nice-Miller collected donations for the ad from online Sentinel fans, and produced the artwork herself, and the advertisement was also faxed to all UPN's affiliate stations.

If you would like to follow up the ad placement with a call to USA Today, the number is 1800-872-3433.

(The final copy of the ad appears at left.)

ANOTHER DEADLINE FOR SENTINEL FANS - June 10 1998

On a lighter yet bittersweet note, Garett Maggart's agent reported that there is yet another deadline approaching. 

Many fans are aware that Garett Maggart has been keen to lop off Blair Sandburg's trademark long, silky locks for over a year now, yet has been denied by studio executives aware of the fan outcry at the suggestion.

Word is that if contracts are not renewed on 15th, Garett is taking advantage of the freedom and going out on the 16th to get a much desired haircut.

(GM publicity photo from 1994. What do you think? Can Blair get by without the hair? Can we?)

(Thanks Mega)

TEXAS FANS COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE SENTINEL - June 10 1998

Texas Sentinel purchased the following ad in The Dallas Morning News. It appeared in the TV Schedule for Wednesday, the day The Sentinel screens on UPN and was prominently featured across the centre of the page.

The Dallas Morning News has a circulation of millions within Texas and an out of state readership of over 400,000.

EMAIL CAMPAIGN SAVES MAGNIFICENT SEVEN - June 10 1998

USA Today

In the pre-electronic age, fans supported their favorite TV shows by writing to the networks, where mail-room workers tallied the response.

That's a sharp contrast to the Internet fan campaign that helped save The Magnificent Seven, which CBS renewed this week for midseason. Fans coordinated their efforts through a Web site, e-mailing CBS executives and affiliates and raising $5,000 for ads in Variety and USA TODAY.

"When you see that you have 100 messages, which is a lot more than I usually get in an average day, it's an eye-opener," says CBS vice president Kelly Kahl. "It's more immediate and personal."

Letter writers helped bring back canceled shows such as Cagney & Lacey and Remington Steele, but this is the first successful campaign in which the Internet was a factor.

Patti Kleckner, a Chicago fan, began the campaign after Seven completed its midseason run on CBS. "They never stopped," Kahl says. "They were at it from the beginning."

"If I were a politician, I'd want these guys running my next campaign," says John Symes, president of MGM/UA Television, which owns Seven. "They're so well organized."

Fans of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman have also bombarded CBS via the Internet, but Seven had a better case for renewal. Seven is a younger show with growth potential (airing only 10 times vs. six seasons for Dr. Quinn) and earned higher ratings than Dr. Quinn in Quinn's time slot. To renew Quinn, CBS would have had to commit to 22 episodes, but Seven could be brought back for 13 because it was a new show.

Would Seven have been renewed without the Internet campaign? "I don't know," says executive producer John Watson."But it certainly didn't hurt. . . . That our fans refused to give up and spent their own money to keep us alive certainly brought our spirits up."

Kleckner says the Internet offered fans immediacy. "When we decided to contact the CBS affiliates, we put up their e-mail addresses, and within minutes, thousands of people had access to that information and could act on it. That would have been impossible to do any other way."

In appreciation of Kleckner's efforts, Watson has offered to fly her to California to make her TV debut with a walk-on part in an upcoming Seven episode.

UPN AFFILIATES RESPOND TO VIEWERS - June 10 1998

We have collected a random sampling of UPN affiliate responses to our queries about The Sentinel prior to the big affilaites meeting in LA. Most confirm that The Sentinel's fate is still undecided, though it is being considered as a possible mid-season replacement. Read their responses. (Names have been removed to protect the innocent.)

THE SENTINEL FRONT PAGE ON ULTIMATE TV AGAIN - June 10 1998

The rerun of Prisoner X was listed in Ultimate TV's "What's On Tonight" listing on the front page of their website.

We suspect that this 'new' coverage of The Sentinel is due in no small part to the large showing the show received in Ultimate TV's recent poll which asked: "Which cancelation are you the most upset about?". The Sentinel received 40% of the over 20,000 votes cast.

RICHARD BURGI TO STAR IN UPN 'WAY OUT THERE' MOVIE - June 9 1998 Richard Burgi will star in a remake of the 1950's cult classic, I Married A Monster From Outer Space, as part of UPN's new 'Way Out There' movie night. Also starring in a 'way out there' movie with be Star Trek: Voyager's Kate Mulgrew. She will be starring with Corbin Bernsen in Riddler's Moon is about a physically disabled teenager who receives telepathic messages from a strange force.  The 'Way Out There' movie night will premiere on UPN on Thursday night, October 8 at 8pm. Left: the poster from the original 1958 movie of I Married A Monster From Outer Space.

(Thanks Derek, Maureen, Sis and Linda)

UPN TARGETS MIDDLE AMERICA - June 9 1998

Reuters/Variety
By Jenny Hontz

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - UPN will widen its focus to "the American middle class" when it kicks off its new season later than usual on Oct. 5, the fledgling network's new CEO Dean Valentine said Monday.

In his first address to UPN affiliates at their annual confab in Laguna Niguel, Valentine admitted that the network had made its "share of mistakes" by not always defining itself to the entertainment community, advertisers and viewers.

He spent much of his speech outlining the UPN's new direction, with the target audience being the American middle class -- "all of those people who live between the coasts in what's sometimes disparagingly called 'flyover country."'

Valentine added, "I believe there is opportunity for UPN to reach all those people to whom the networks have said, 'Go away, we don't want you. You don't live in the right area code, go away. You have kids, go away. You're overweight, you're a minority, you're not chic, go away."'

UPN also unveiled its new fall lineup and a humorous new marketing campaign featuring the slogan, "You'll find yourself on UPN."

Part of the reason behind UPN's October season launch is to guarantee original episodes throughout the three major sweeps periods, Valentine said. It will also sidestep the clutter of September launches for the other networks.

Mercy Point will debut with a two-hour episode Tuesday, Oct. 6, with its regular lead-ins, Moesha and Clueless getting their season premieres the following Tuesday. Seven Days will also have a two-hour premiere Wednesday, Oct. 7, with Star Trek: Voyager returning the following week.

Affiliates generally reacted well to UPN's new strategy.

"I like the direction the network is taking," said Bob Jenkins, programming director at KAIL in Fresno, Calif. "The whole middle-class focus is more salable."

"It's a nice blend," added Brad Moran, president of Ramar Communications. "The shows that feature mixed racial casts are very accessible to those who aren't African American."

Although UPN screened only half its schedule on Monday, comedies Guys Like Us and Diresta received the most favorable responses.

UPN GOING MIDDLE CLASS? - June 9 1998

The Hollywood Reporter

UPN unveils a new lineup that's strictly middle class:

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. -- Less than seven months after joining the United Paramount Network, Tom Nunan was upped Monday to president of entertainment for the fledgling net. Nunan's promotion from executive vp entertainment was announced during UPN's annual affiliate conference at the Ritz-Carlton, where his first fall schedule was showcased to station executives.

The new lineup will debut Oct. 5 with a package of three new sitcoms: Guys Like Us, DiResta and The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, followed by the returning Malcolm & Eddie. Two-hour pilots of new dramas Mercy Point and Seven Days are slated for the following two nights.

The new, original UPN Way Out There Movie will debut Oct. 8 and the new series Legacy will premiere Oct. 9, followed by the returning Love Boat: The Next Wave.

Moesha and Clueless return Oct. 13 and Star Trek: Voyager begins its new season Oct. 14. The network scheduled a relatively late start to the season in response to stations' needs, Nunan said.

"We heard you loud and clear when you said you need all original episodes in sweeps," he said. The new schedule reflects a change of direction for the 4-year-old network, president and CEO Dean Valentine told station executives.

"We're going against the current -- but we're headed for the mainstream," Valentine said. "Because in the obsessive quest for the 18-34 demographic what's being ignored is the largest 'niche' audience in the country. A niche so large it's not a niche at all, because it constitutes the majority of people in this country. I'm talking for lack of a better term, about the American middle class."

Affiliates, for the most part, seemed pleased with the new schedule. "I think it's really fresh and exciting," said Brad Moran, general manager at KUTP in Lubbock, Texas. "Desmond Pfeiffer is like nothing else out there and DiResta has a real working-class appeal to it."

Valentine vowed to put an end to the war of words between UPN and rival new network the WB. "At a time when broadcasting is under attack from cable, satellite, the government and special interest groups from the left and the right, we should be united in protecting and promoting this great medium of network television," he said. "We want to take the high road. When we kick their ass, we'll be gentlemen about it."

Executives at the WB recently made similar promises not to continue the feud. "They've finally figured out that they don't need to be fighting with each other for viewers," said one station goup chief. "The other networks are losing enough audience for both of them."

GARETT MAGGART INTERVIEW - June 5 1998

Mania Magazine have published their lengthy Garett Maggart Interview where he talks about his role as Blair Sandburg, his approach to acting on the show, as well as his first convention and his hopes for the future. Mania also have a message board where you can leave comments.

FANS WIN SIGNIFICANT VICTORY AT PARAMOUNT - June 2 1998

Sentinel fans apparently won a small but decisive victory today. On the weekend fans noticed that the official Paramount website had removed the link to The Sentinel from their TV/Action section. As The Sentinel is currently still showing in summer reruns and is not "cancelled", we felt the link should remain so that new fans could continue to find information on the show.

Our concerned emails and calls to Paramount on Monday were met with the response that as The Sentinel was not on the fall schedule at UPN, it had been removed from the website, and would only be re-instated if new episodes of the show were scheduled.

However today, the link is back up. Congratulations to all the SOS supporters that got on Paramount's case right away. If you would like to email and thank them, you can contact the webmaster bruceh@pde.paramount.com directly.

ADVERTISERS SEE UPN'S NEW FALL LINEUP AS A 'PROBABLE MISS' - June 2 1998

USA Today reported how advertisers are feeling about the new lineups for next season. In general, they are underwhelmed. The paper listed the advertisers predictions in 3 columns--Probable Hits, Probable Misses, and Too Soon To Tell. UPN's new shows were rated as follows:

(Thanks Ruth)

THE SHOWS UPN REJECTED - June 2 1998

Ultimate TV reports on the UPN pilots reported earlier in the year that didn't make it. Notice that the drama Desert Heat is still in consideration for mid-season. Boston Grace and Joy Street Station sound like the same thing ??? Lots of pairs of detectives in there. (We think they oughta stick with the pair they got).

UPN

Comedy
Emily's Men (Columbia TriStar) Three different male perspectives about women, family and home are examined.

Extra Sauce (Viacom) Two full-figured femmes who are local cooking show hosts buddy-up.

Furry Creatures (Touchstone) An animated comedy ala South Park.

Nicki (Castle Rock) A mother is reunited with the child she gave up for adoption 20 years earlier.

Redneck Riviera (Castle Rock) About the offbeat people who live at a seaside trailer park on the Southern Gulf Coast.

Drama
Hotel del Sol (Greenblatt/Janolari) Formerly called "Walking on Sunshine," which brings to mind that annoying pop song. About the staff and guests of a resort hotel in the Caribbean.

Joy Street Station (All-American Television) Follows the lives of two female Boston police detectives.

Martian Law (Rysher Entertainment) A sheriff patrols the high-tech frontier of Mars and busts the outlaws.

Boston Grace (All American) A drama from Martha Coolidge (Vally Girl, Rambling Rose) about two female cops in Boston.

Desert Heat (Touchstone) Pushed to midseason, this is a drama about two detectives in, that's right, the desert.

LATEST FROM CINESCAPE ONLINE - June 1 1998

Good News: Sentinel?

Good news for fans of The Sentinel: although the series does not appear on UPN's existing fall line-up, it has NOT been canceled. UPN vice president of media relations Patti McTeague explains the popular television show is "up for consideration as a mid-season replacement;" a decision should be finalized in the coming weeks... As for the tremendous outpouring in support of the series, McTeague says, "It's been a steady communication with its core group of fans, especially this season."

Erin Derme, a writer's assistant for The Sentinel told Cinescape Online that the series' production house, PetFly Productions, expects a decision by the end of the week. Should the series not return to UPN, it will likely look for a new home, Derme says. "There is a possibility that it would go into syndication with somebody else, but Paramount would handle those negotiations," she says, adding that fans of the show should continue to show their support with letters and via e-mail.

"[The show of support] has been really wonderful," she says. "Both [executive producers] Danny [Bilson] and Paul [De Meo] have been really touched by it, too. Who knows how they make the decisions over at UPN, but it certainly has been really, really nice [to hear from so many fans]."

SENTINEL CAMPAIGN COVERAGE IN CHICAGO'S DAILY HERALD - JUNE 1 1998

The Daily Herald - Chicago
Written by Ted Cox

Reports Barb: The article was quite large, two columns wide and running almost the entire length of the back page of Chicago's largest suburban paper, .

It spoke of Dr. Quinn, Magnificent Seven and The Sentinel and the fans efforts to get our shows renewed. Here are the parts where he spoke of The Sentinel:

"It happens every spring; this year, three cancellations seem to be generating most of the gnashing of teeth. CBS is responsible for two of them: Dr. Quinn and Magnificent Seven. UPN takes the blame for the other, The Sentinel, and although that show was the least popular of the three, for various reasons its cancellation has prompted the most viewer outrage."

[snip Dr. Quinn stuff]

"Yet fans of UPN's Sentinel made the CBS viewers seem like wimps. The Sentinel was ranked 147th among prime-time shows this season, attracting an average of 3.7 million viewers, so you wouldn't necessarily think fans had all that strong a case for keeping it on the air. Yet, even while it was on shaky ground in the ratings, The Sentinel had the nerve to end the season with a cliffhanger that killed off a main character and seemed to take for granted the show was coming back in the fall.

"They can't possibly leave it with Blair being dead!" e-mailed Gloria Ainsworth. "No one is that cruel (I hope)."

"We need closure, (and another season or two would be great)," added Cheryl Freeman of Buffalo Grove.

Other Sentinel fans took issue with the UPN network as a whole.

"To see it lose its time slot when a show like The Love Boat stayed on the schedule is perplexing to say the least," Tracy Ritter wrote.

"Now I can understand a show has to end someday, but to do it in this cruel way certainly speaks volumes about UPN's interest in its loyal viewers," added a couple who signed themselves only Keith and Susanne. "It's going to be hard for this struggling network to attract new viewers or keep its old ones if people have to fear that their favorite show might meet the same fate."

The networks are used to this sort of criticism. What they may not be used to is the way the Internet has quickened the backlash. As I mentioned, most of the above comments came to me via e-mail, and all of the above shows are organizing protest campaigns on the Internet. The Save Our Sentinel web site is: http://world.std.com/~sentinel.

[snip a bit more Dr.Quinn stuff]

The article ends with him listing both UPN's and CBS's snail mail addy then concludes with this line:

"Good luck, but the sad news, Gloria Ainsworth, is that there are people that cruel, and many of them grow up to be TV executives."

(Thanks Barb)

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