We’ve had a couple requests via Twitter from fans of Flashpoint in the United States looking for some way to take action to bring the show back on the air. But before we bring you a few helpful hints, guidelines, and people to contact, we need to remind you all of a few things.
The show is coming back to CBS. Likely no earlier than January 2010, unless a show on CBS’s upcoming Fall lineup gets the axe, fast. Some critics are calling the network’s very morbid sounding Three Rivers as the first one. This is a medical drama about the relationship between organ donors, organ receivers, their families, and their doctors/transplant team. I’m sure most of us readers have experienced some of this in our lives and it’s not an easy thing to have to watch something like this on a TV show. Some critics are also wincing at Accidentally on Purpose. So ideally, it might be better to just wait and see… but, there’s the other issue of episodes. CBS has committed to 9 episodes of Season 3, whereas CTV in Canada has committed to 13. CBS only has until October 1st to decide if they want the next 4 (or any more after that). It’s here that you Badgers and Doves might be able to make an impact. So this letter writing campaign has two objectives for you guys. The first is to try to bring the show back earlier than January 2010, and the second is to get these four episodes to the USA!
When you write to CBS, don’t flame or be mean (or send spam)! Begin with who you are, where you are from, and that you have been a fan of Flashpoint since _______ (fill in the blank). After this statement, write words that read something to the effect of: If this isn’t meant for the person I am addressing this to, please forward it to the right person and apologize for the inconvenience. Then, share a story about your experience with Flashpoint. For example, are you a member of the Armed Forces, Police, or other Government service? How did the portrayal of the SRU hit home with you? Or was there a particular episode that really hit you? Are the issues realistic to ones you might have heard about in your community? These are but a few ideas to jumpstart your minds about what kind of a story to share. Something like this is likely to keep the reader interested!
Then, detail briefly, why you want to see the show return to the airwaves sooner than later. Maybe you could make a few comments how you’re a little jealous your neighbors to the North in Canada are getting it in the Fall on CTV? We’ll leave it up to you to come up with the words for this. Some articles suggested fans might forget about the show since it isn’t going to return for a long time – is this how you feel too? Do you plan to not watch CBS on Friday nights in protest? Are you unimpressed by CBS’ Friday lineup? Have you had too much of The Ghost Whisperer? Are you not a fan of Medium or Numb3rs? Are you also tired of having Flashpoint air on Fridays instead of another day? Also, maybe a few words about how you don’t mind that the show is Canadian and not American might help to warm the reader to the idea. These are only a few suggestions to get you started. Talk about why you think it would be a bigger success if it came back in the Fall! End the letter nicely, and send it off!
Some other things you might want to include in your letter might include an opinion on the episodes being split apart and not aired together (such as how the last four episodes of Season 1 became the first four of Season 2, but this was not the case with international broadcasts of the show), and also how Canada is getting a Blu-Ray release, and the US isn’t. You may also want to send a copy of this letter to CBS Consumer Products. For those of you in the US who are planning to order a copy of the Blu-Ray release from Canada, don’t be afraid to let CBS know that, and if you really want to be strong with your argument, submit a pre-order receipt or a copy of your receipt once it arrives (with personal information etc. deleted or blacked out). A picture of you holding the boxset works too! For those of you still a little unsure over if what you will order will play in your DVD player, Canadian DVDs are all Region 1, and Canadian Blu-Ray discs are all Region A – and these are the same region codes for North America, so yes, they will play in your U.S. purchased player!
And if you want an even MORE creative idea, when you snail-mail your package, send something “uniquely” Canadian that you can find. Maybe some maple-syrup candy? A cheap toy that looks like an RCMP Mountie? A Canadian flag? Or above all else, a cheap toy car that looks like the Black SUVs they drive in the show.
Ready for your contacts? Here they come! We’ll warn you, CBS’s website didn’t specifically list where people’s offices are. If there is a star next to their name, it’s highly likely you have a better chance of letters getting to them if you send it to New York.
People to address your letters to:
President, CBS Entertainment: Nina Tassler
President, CBS Television Studios Entertainment Group: Nancy Tellem
Senior Executive Vice President, CBS Primetime: Kelly Kahl
Senior Vice President, Current Programs, CBS Entertainment: David Brownfield
President, Network Sales, CBS Television: Jo Ann Ross
President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation: Leslie Moonves *
And a special note about Mr. Moonves. Be careful if you choose to write to him! He has a Twitter account, but we won’t post the address here.
Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Consumer Products: Liz Kalodner
(CBS Consumer Products has a specific address)
Snail Mail (probably more effective than E-mail):
CBS Paramount Television/CBS Television Studios Entertainment Group (new name for Fall 2009, same company):
5555 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
90038
U.S.A.
CBS Television
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY
10019
U.S.A.
CBS Consumer Products
1700 Broadway
New York, NY
10019
U.S.A.
**Write here to inquire about Blu-Ray**
E-mail:
Go here and select Flashpoint.
If any of you do hear back from CBS, we'd love to hear about it - send us an email (moonchasers@NOSPAMPLZKTHXWITHSPRINKLESANDACHERRYONTOPgmail.comREMOVEALLCAPSPLZ) or DM us on Twitter.
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