CBS’ decision to bring back the post-apocalyptic drama “Jericho” (airing Tuesdays) for seven episodes after announcing its cancellation last spring was a vindication for dedicated fans who fought hard for their show.
Possibly the only people happier than the fans were the cast, for whom the show about survival in a Kansas town after a terrorist nuclear attack had become much more than just a job.
During a break in shooting, Sprague Grayden, who plays teacher Heather Lisinski, says, “I’m thrilled to be back. As an actor, anyway, I’m always thrilled to have a job, but to be able to come back in this way, to be able to be part of TV history … and on top of that, we have this incredible connection with our fans that I’ve never experienced before.
“No. 1, I’m usually the character people love to hate, because I used to play bad girls all the time. Our fans are so loyal and enthusiastic and engrossed in the characters, they’ve become part of our creative process, which is phenomenal.
“I’ve never been on a show with that kind of relationship. It’s really amazing.”
This season on “Jericho,” the shattered U.S begins to reassemble itself. Part of that involves a military presence in Jericho.
As a veteran of the FX Iraq War series “Over There,” Grayden likes that development.
“One of the great things about ‘Jericho’ that is a parallel with ‘Over There’ is, in this country, we tend to forget the news we don’t want to know about. We’re so oversaturated with media and other images that we can turn our head a little bit.
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TV cred: “John Doe,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “Six Feet Under,” “Over There,” “Weeds.”
Film cred: “Dad,” “Biohazardous,” “Six Months Later,” “Mini’s First Time.”
Stage cred: “Hopscotch: The New York Sex Comedy,” Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” Sam Shepard’s “Fool for Love,” “Hamlet,” Clifford Odets’ “Waiting for Lefty” and “Ordinary Day.”
True confession: “I’m a history dork and a sci-fi dork.”
