There's a large and growing fan base for a show that never aired.

[Psionicist]

This is cool: http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,67986,00.html

How's this for irony?

A sacked TV pilot about a large number of people who stay in touch through an underground data network has popped up on ... well, an underground data network.

The WB television network passed on the pilot for Global Frequency, a sci-fi adventure series based on the graphic novel by English scribe Warren Ellis.

But that didn't stop someone from leaking the pilot on the internet. The file eventually found its way into the BitTorrent network.

Over the last couple of weeks, enough people have downloaded and viewed the pilot online to give producers hope that TV executives might take a second look at the show.

"There's a large and growing fan base for a show that never aired," said John Rogers, the show's writer and executive producer, on Wednesday. "Now I have an extra 10,000 hits a week on my website, and I've got to figure out what to do here."

Rogers, who said he had nothing to do with the leak, has already received 350 e-mails from people praising the show. He said he would like to release the pilot as a DVD.

"If that's successful, that's a pretty good argument to pick up the show," he said.

...

 

[TheBadElf]

I'm not surprised to see this; Warren Ellis has a pretty large following, and the show turned out remarkably well. If WB isn't going to be smart and reconsider picking the series up it would be a great fit for Sci-Fi or FX.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

I'm not surprised to see this; Warren Ellis has a pretty large following, and the show turned out remarkably well. If WB isn't going to be smart and reconsider picking the series up it would be a great fit for Sci-Fi or FX.

You know, FX doesn't have a Sci-Fi show at all and could probably use one... I've not seen the show, I do know of the GN it’s based upon but have not given it a read either but I would like to see the show given a second life.

To many great shows have been ended to early.

 

[TheBadElf]

You should read the GN. It's really good, and you'll see why it would make a great TV show. Now that I think of it, it would make a good RPG campaign too. Gotta work on that...

 

[Hand of Evil]

I just wonder if it is not being noted in the hopes it generates interest to have the show picked up or generate rating when it is, much like the Blair Witch internet promo.

 

[Henry]

"There's a large and growing fan base for a show that never aired," said John Rogers, the show's writer and executive producer,

Well, lookee who...

I hope this does get a greenlight - I've liked a lot of John's work (Jackie Chan Adventures, The Core, Drunk Southern Girls with Guns...)

 

[GlassJaw]

Wow, this is very cool. I've been reading the Planetary series and it's awesome. I definitely want to check this out.

 

[reveal]

[sarcasm]A bunch of computer geeks download a show about computer geeks and watch it. Wow. Ya, that'll make the WB put it on the air.[/sarcasm]

Seriously, though, it doesn't matter. First off, saying you get an extra 10,000 hits on your website doesn't mean anything. It's a website so, by the very nature of the internet, these hits could be coming from anywhere, not just the US, which is where the WB's target audience lives.

Secondly, 10,000 hits, even if they did all come from the US, does not translate well into ratings and that is all the WB is concerned with.

Third, Fox brought back Family Guy because it made a lot ton of money in DVD sales. This show hasn't made any money. Why should the WB put it on?

They've put out, and cancelled, too many crappy shows that have a core audience that probably makes up the bulk of the people who downloaded Global Frequency. You don't see WB clamoring to put those shows back on the air, do you?

 

[GentleGiant]

Well, lookee who...

I hope this does get a greenlight - I've liked a lot of John's work (Jackie Chan Adventures, The Core, Drunk Southern Girls with Guns...)

Just to get people hooked on John's excellent Story Hour "DarkMatter D20: Drunk Southern Girls with Guns, Zombie Toddlers" - here's the link:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=4912

 

[Psion]

Nice catch Henry... I wouldn't have noticed it was "one of our own" if you hadn't have pointed it out.