by Sherry Ginn
Those familiar with contemporary fandom know that Farscape fans are not the first media enthusiasts to engage in save-a-show kinds of activism. As scholar and fan of the series Sean Morey notes, the Scapers’ campaign “shared its roots with the letter-writing campaign to save Star Trek from cancellation in the 1960s” (83). When after only a season and a half the U.S. television network National Broadcasting Company (NBC) announced plans to cancel Star Trek, several fan leaders, specifically John and Betty Jo “Bjo” Trimble, stepped forward and began to organize additional devotees. The Trekker community then successfully employed the most effective existing technology to make their discontented voices heard: hardcopy letters written and addressed to network executives. Accordingly, the Trimbles have gone down in fandom history as the show’s saviors—even though only one additional season aired (StarTrek.com Staff). When the series was syndicated, the cult fandom multiplied exponentially. Today, the franchise’s global success strongly suggests the Trekker community exemplifies the famous Vulcan blessing: “Live long and prosper.” In Scapers’ case, surface mail to Syfy executives was never going to achieve the same results that Trekkers had achieved so many decades before. Rather, Scapers’ letters were “more symbolic in nature” (Morey 83). This homage to the past, though, signals how the myth of fan power may have begun—an origin story. Particularly, grand tales of Bjo, “the woman who saved Star Trek,” inspire Scapers and many other fan communities. The legend of Bjo also continues to give fans and their communities a sense of identity, a historically- and culturally-situated model, and the hope of potential triumph. Yet the myth of fan power does not begin and end with Trekkers, although it would be easy to assume the tale of saving Star Trek is powerful enough by itself to encourage future fan campaigns. Trekkers’ victory arguably serves as the essential story that forms the foundation of the myth; however, many other fan success stories provide necessary scaffolding.
Though not as well-covered by the press or discussed among scholars as Trekkers or Scapers, several fan communities have in the past applied enough collective pressure to save their own objects of fandom while simultaneously strengthening the myth of fan power. For example, Rati Bishnoi places Farscape in a lineup of fan-rescued series beginning with Star Trek and followed by Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988), Designing Women (1986–1993), and Roswell (1999–2002). Regarding the female-centric police procedural Cagney & Lacey, Bishnoi attributes the show’s survival to fans’ letter-writing campaign as well as “growing ratings for reruns and an Emmy for Tyne Daly [who played Mary Beth Lacey]” (9E). The official website for Cagney & Lacey confirms both that low ratings caused U.S. television network CBS Broadcasting Inc. (CBS) to cancel the show in the spring of 1983 and that devotees ultimately helped reverse that decision. Showrunner Barney Rosenzweig received thousands of protest letters when the news made its way to the mostly middle-aged, female audience. Of course, much like Farscape’s Kemper, Rosenzweig himself had no control over the network’s decision. As a result, he encouraged fans to write even more letters, yet instead of sending them to the network, he advised devotees to target local newspapers. “Studio heads do not necessarily read their viewer-mail but they do read their daily papers,” argued Rosenzweig (qtd. in “About Cagney & Lacey”). In the end, the series was renewed and spent seven seasons on the air. During that time, it was nominated for 36 Emmy Awards and won 14 (“About Cagney & Lacey”; Bishnoi 9E). The example of Designing Women, says Bishnoi, involved Viewers for Quality Television lobbying CBS and eventually securing a short reprieve for the series; Roswell fans, “as part of a ‘Roswell is Hot’ campaign, sent network execs thousands of bottles of hot sauce,” a strategy that ostensibly convinced The WB Television Network (The WB) to order a second season (9E).
In the midst of “Watch Farscape” campaign, Herald Sun television critic Robert Fidgeon “received several letters ... from readers wondering if campaigns by viewers to ‘save’ shows after they have been axed are ever successful” (47). One of those readers was Lauren Parker, a Scaper. Would her and fellow enthusiasts’ activism be in vain? In fact, once in a while fan lobbying does work, notes Fidgeon, but it works best when shows under threat of cancellation are still on the air. As does Bishnoi, Fidgeon comments on the success stories of Cagney & Lacey, Designing Women, and Roswell and to that list adds China Beach (1988–1991), The Sentinel (1996–1999), The Pretender (1996–2000), and Once and Again (1999–2002), all of which received extended lives—whether by means of additional episodes, seasons, or telemovies—as the result of viewer interventions (47). Again, these narratives of passion and successful activism are important because they add texture and detail to the fan-spun myth of power, tales that echo Trekkers’ love for their series and their salvific letter writing.
For Farscape lovers, hardcopy letters were a nice touch, a traditionally tried and true approach, but letters were going to be neither the first nor the only approach. Scapers, who had found each other not in local fan clubs but on World Wide Web message boards and blogs, immediately turned to the technologies they had been using all along. Only hours after the online chat with Kemper, Manning, and Browder, fan-built websites and fan-initiated web petitions were up and running, demonstrating “that people from varied backgrounds all over the world can come together using the Internet to fight a common goal,” argues Laskin (54). The variety of supporters is evidenced by examining the electronic signatures on one of the very first petitions. Using iPetitions, Evan Berman started “Save Farscape!” on 6 September 2002. Within a day, 6500 people had added their names and comments, and within six days, 30,000 had pledged their support. In the end, however, Hollywood still counts viewers; numbers usually matter more than a micro-cult’s intense passion. For instance, “in Australia, Farscape battled to attract 500,000 nationally, which is simply not enough” (Fidgeon 47). Coupled with a small viewership, the growing popularity and ease of using the Internet to register one’s distaste or distress has made devotee campaigns in general and online petitions in particular an all-too-common response, observes Fidgeon (47). Of course, all-too-common fan responses run parallel to all-too-common network responses.4 Therefore, fans must continue to innovate to make an impact.
In the last decade or so, one of those methods for getting noticed by networks has involved fans using the Internet to coordinate the selection of an object that symbolizes their beloved series or character and the subsequent en masse shipping of that object to physical addresses for television studio offices. As mentioned above, Roswell fans chose hot sauce, a favorite food item of the show’s alien, teenaged main characters. Enthusiasts of The X-Files (1993–2002) selected sunflower seeds, the preferred snack of central character FBI Agent Fox Mulder; Browncoats, fans of Joss Whedon’s Firefly (2002), picked khaki pants in honor of Captain Malcolm Reynolds; and Veronica Mars (2004–2007) fans purchased Mars chocolate bars. Even this strategy, though, has become almost commonplace as it has been used quite a few times to arrest the attention of decision makers. Fans understand that these tactics do not work every time and certainly do not work well if predictable. For example, Veronica Mars fans hired a small plane to fly from Los Angeles to Burbank with a “RENEW VERONICA MARS!” banner in tow (“About Cloud Watchers”; Cochran 172; Turnbull 320). Though Veronica Mars was canceled after three seasons, innovating remains essential for each new campaign. As Fidgeon observes, “Farscape fans knew that the usual outcry probably wasn’t going to be enough to bring back the show, so they came up with BraScape, their most creative moment” (47).
Agreeing with Fidgeon, Rob Salem calls BraScape the fandom’s most “clever ploy,” one that “had women fans demonstrating their gender-specific ‘support’ by mailing their bras in to [Syfy]” (C04; see also Holder and Toy 13 as well as “Trying to Save” 87). According to Salem’s interviewee, Canadian Scaper Nicola Wood, both the undergarments and the manner in which the female fans organized themselves gave a unique and feminine touch to the wider campaign: “Women are taught from a very earl
y age a different way of problem-solving than men... Female methods of problem-solving involve co-operation, communication, and non-hierarchical thinking. Women are taught to co-operate with each other, rather than compete” (qtd. in Salem C04). Wood goes a step further than commenting on cooperative strategies. She directly attributes BraScape to legendary Trekker activist Bjo Trimble, calling her “a perfect example” and noting that Trimble herself “networked with Farscape fans very early in our campaign efforts. She and her husband shared inspiring words and gave us good advice” (qtd. in Salem C04). Importantly, the undergarments were being sent to Syfy president Bonnie Hammer, and by April 2003, “more than 200 bras [had] hit Ms. Hammer’s desk” (Holder and Toy 13). Both Hammer’s gender and the network’s stated desire “to expand the channel’s viewers beyond the typical male audience” invited such a response (Fidgeon 47), one both distinctive and intimate. Rather than the more typical mailing of objects related to a particular television show or character, female Scapers chose symbols that represented themselves; regardless of their small numbers, many of the women who love Farscape made sure their undies were seen and their voices were heard. Surely, BraScape was clever and creative, but just like letter writing, it alone was not going to save the series.
While some were engaged in BraScape, other Scapers were busy organizing and implementing a wide variety of other approaches (Boshra D4). In addition to a “furious e-mail and letter-writing campaign” (Strachan D9), online petitions, and BraScape, convention appearances, DVD drives for public libraries and the U.S. Armed Forces (The Jim Henson Company), “picketing of production offices” (Cunningham 20), print and film advertisements, and fundraising were all in the works. David Simerly, a Scaper and computer programmer for Apple, was skimming message boards when he stumbled upon fans talking about making a Farscape advertisement (Anderson). “I had a digital camcorder and a Mac and Final Cut Pro editing software, so I had all the equipment to put the video together,” he told Adweek (qtd. in Anderson). Because rallies for the series were popping up all over, Simerly attended several near his home in California. From the gatherings he put together a 30-second spot of “fans espousing their love for the show.... The ad’s purpose, said Simerly, [was] ‘not only to show new people that Farscape is pretty cool, but to show advertisers that we are an intelligent, affluent audience’” (qtd. in Anderson). Intelligent and affluent, “hearty” (Boshra D4) and “almost supernaturally passionate” (Bianco 9)—this combination of characteristics catalyzed several more extraordinary and unparalleled moves. For instance, one group of Scapers “bought the cover of American Variety magazine in protest, as well as doing radio and TV commercials across the U.S.” (20). Yet another strategy to save the series involved some devotees uniting themselves as the Viewer Consortium, an independent organization whose purpose became exploring how they themselves might “directly finance quality television shows such as Farscape” (Fidgeon 47). According to Strachan, “unnamed investors raised some $20 million U.S. on behalf of The Jim Henson Company to pick up the story where it left off” (D9). In light of this long list of efforts, some of them involving substantial time and financial investment, it sounds silly and even patronizing for a network spokesperson to go on record claiming, “There are no bigger fans of Farscape than we here at the [Syfy] Channel” (qtd. in Petrozzello 72).
The ultimate televisual result of these collective efforts—Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars—can definitely be considered significant; however, the media’s validation of Scapers’ success, I posit, is even more significant because that validation fortifies the myth of fan power for many generations to come. Notably, journalists and critics around the globe claim a direct cause and effect relationship exists between fan activism and the telemovie, again, confirming fandom’s influence:
• USA Today—“Farscape is just the latest show to be brought back to life by passionate, committed fans” (Bishnoi 9E).
• The Gazette (Montreal)—“Farscape aired on Space in Canada and on [Syfy] in the [United States]. Cancellation, when it came, was abrupt.... and Farscape fans went nuclear.... The two-night, four-hour miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars (Space, 9 P.M.) is the result” (Strachan D9).
• USA Today—“After [Farscape] was canceled in March 2004 without an ending, fans organized a campaign at savefarscape.com and paid for TV and print ads to save the show. As a result, Jim Henson Productions made a four-hour miniseries called Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars to resolve the story lines” (Snider 6D).
• The Australian—“Emails, widespread publicity and newspaper advertisements paid for by fans forced the network to review its original decision to cancel” (“Home-Grown Sci-Fi” 4, emphasis added).
• Daily News (New York)—“The rebirth of Farscape, an imaginative sci-fi series returned from the dead by fervent fans, dedicated collaborators, and a few passionate investors, is an amazing story” (Bianculli 110).
• The Observer (London)—“Space opera Farscape deserves to be celebrated purely for the way in which it shows that occasionally TV executives listen. The original series ... ended in 2003, but continued pressure from the programme’s dedicated fans ensured that TV executives bowed to pressure and brought back the original cast for this mini-series which ties up all the loose ends” (Hughes 72, emphasis added).
• Daily News (New York)—“When [Syfy’s] Farscape was canceled ... hopeful viewers sent the network flowers, singing telegrams, a Halloween jack-o’-lantern that resembled one of the characters, cupcakes, and more. They also used the Internet to try to find financial backers for the program.... Their year-long effort paid off. A four-hour Farscape miniseries will air this fall” (“Trying to Save” 87).
• USA Today—“Never underestimate the power of a committed cult. This small-but-mighty band of ‘Scapers’ has forced [Syfy] to bring the unreasonably canceled space adventure Farscape back from the dead... The result of their near-ceaseless efforts is Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars” (Bianco 9, emphasis added).
The language of power and success came not only from these print sources but also from Farscape producers themselves. According to Brian Henson, for example, “‘The only reason we’re making the miniseries is because the fans found me a consortium of partners who made it possible to put together’” (qtd. in “Trying to Save” 87; see also “If It’s Good Television” K10). In an official press release for The Jim Henson Company, Scapers received public thanks for their activism on behalf of the series and news of a significant donation to the “Watch Farscape” website:
HOLLYWOOD, August 23, 2004—The Jim Henson Company has donated six autographed props used on the set of Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars to the fans of Farscape as a thank you for their tireless efforts in making the next chapter in the Farscape saga a reality. The announcement was made today by Brian Henson, director and executive producer of the television event and co–CEO of The Jim Henson Company. Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars is scheduled to premiere on [Syfy] on October 17th 9/8C and the props from the production will be given to the online community at www.watchfarscape.com, a grassroots fan website that receives an average of 400,000 hits per day and has been a leader in the campaign to get Farscape back on the air.
Brian Henson said, “It is because of the tireless efforts of the fans that this epic television event is a reality. Your commitment to invite new viewers into Farscape’s universe has been seen around the world. With the airing of the miniseries coming up fast, your support means more now than ever before and I am grateful for the unending dedication you have all shown. Thank you for all you have done to continue the Farscape adventure.”
Henson uses a key word that returns this consideration of Farscape enthusiasts and their activism to the hero’s journey. That word is adventure.
As scholars at the University of California-Berkeley summarize, the Campbellian hero follows a path that involves various stages within three major rites of passage. The hero’s life usually begins under “fabulous c
ircumstances” (e.g., the immaculate conception of Jesus the Christ), although many contemporary hero journeys start not by being born but by being called to adventure. Such a call usually comes by way of an event or a messenger. For Scapers, the heroes of their own legendary tale, the call to adventure came in the online chat with Kemper, Manning, and Browder. While some heroes respond reluctantly to their calls, Scapers were willing from the outset. Once on the journey’s path, early on the hero often receives assistance and even protection from a helper, group of helpers, or special amulet. Arguably, Trekker Bjo Trimble filled this role, particularly for the women of BraScape and generally for the wider community of fan activists. The concept of an amulet can be seen in Trimble’s example and advice as well as in the “forefans” who had in the past successfully saved their own televisual objects of desire. Not too long into the journey, the hero must cross some sort of threshold, leaving behind the everyday world and the option to turn back. The crossing can happen either with ease or with great difficulty; either way, the contrast between the hero’s home life and adventure life is clear. For Scapers, several different events could be read as the threshold, but I suggest Kemper, Manning, and Browder’s confirmation of the series’ cancellation serves both as the call to adventure and the threshold because that event marked, for the majority of active Farscape fans, “the point of no return.” Past the threshold, the hero, accompanied by helpers, withstands many trials and tests: “monsters, sorcerers, warriors, or forces of nature” (Monomyth). Though most of their foes were intangible and not-altogether evil, Scapers faced a variety of obstacles, including Syfy’s claim of low ratings and high production costs, their own small numbers, and the understanding that to significantly influence network decisions they were going to need emotional endurance and financial fortitude. With each test, though, Farscape enthusiasts proved they had both and that they were each other’s helpers, always already working in solidarity and exerting their collective energy.