In a business that lives and dies by counting millions of viewers, this was a rare instance where the personal touch made a difference.

"The one thing that happened over the fight to save 'Jericho' was that our audience became faces and people and lives, and it became real," James said. "It wasn't just a number that appears in the fast nationals (ratings) or whatever it is the next morning. These are real people kind of going, 'Hold on a minute. This is my show. I enjoyed watching it. Stop treating me like I'm just kind of a part of a number."'

He said it was "incredibly humbling, in a weird way" to discover that so many people had so much passion for "Jericho."

"It reminded all of us in this kind of this rarefied world of television ... of who we make it for and who are the people that it's actually about, really," James said.

For Ulrich, who's starring in his first TV series, it was "an eye-opener."

"I've done a number of movies through the years, and some of them have done really well. And I don't think I've had the kind of reaction ... and the amount of people that come up to you and talk about the show and ask about the show," he said. "It's been interesting to see and to become aware that actually, to many people, the show really mattered in their week and they really were looking forward to seeing it."

"What was just so beautiful for me (was) to see the fans really caring and making a stand and taking back what they want," Scott said.

Cast members have posted online thank-yous to the fans, but Ulrich thinks there's a better way to express their gratitude.

"The best way we could thank them is to continue to make the best show we can make and to push this story forward," he said.

Executive producer Carol Barbee is "very grateful" and more than a bit surprised herself. And she's got a bit of advice for other TV producers.

"I highly recommend inserting the name of some sort of mail-able food product in the season finale," Barbee said.

If you watch ...

What: The second season of "Jericho"
When: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. beginning Feb. 12
Channel: CBS/Ch. 2

---

E-mail: pierce@desnews.com