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Please Save Chuck

NBC: How Can We Make Chuck Work for You?April 29

It is my hope that this letter reaches the decision-makers at NBC, and soon, given our extremely tight window (NBC’s upfront is on May 5). I’m hoping the collective efforts of all you can push it onto the desks of the movers and shakers at the network. Thanks for your help.

Dear NBC,

What can we do to keep Chuck on the air? Clearly we love the show, and from what we hear, you do, too (creatively speaking). But, we also know that’s not enough. We know it’s going to take money to keep the show alive. For all of your admirable support of quality television (see exhibit A: Friday Night Lights), we know that such deals are only possible because they make financial sense.

That’s why I’m asking you specifically how we, the indomitable fans of Chuck, can make the show work for you, a corporation that by definition is in the business of making money. With the help of an astute fan (thanks, David), I submit the following suggestions:

  • Provide widgets to fan sites featuring sponsors of the show. Do so aggressively, not from the “wow, this ad is really annoying” perspective, but from using the advertising space in creative ways. Generate advance buzz for products (gadgets, video games, etc.) that will be premiering on the show. Award special promotional offers to Chuck fans for their support via these widgets. We could take this in any number of directions. I don’t even run a proper Chuck site, but I would absolutely create one if it meant the show was getting the support it needed. Such is the depth of my fondness for Chuck’s exploits.

  • Leverage Chuck’s fantastic music. I imagine the idea of releasing a compilation CD has been kicked around, but maybe we could investigate a different approach. Admittedly, I know nothing about the specifics of acquiring music for a television show. Obviously, you pay licensing fees in order to use the music, but would it be possible for you to receive a portion of its sales if it could be directly attributed to the show? Say, though some sort of widget made available to fan sites?

  • Develop an iPhone application for the show and use it to drive viewership and open another channel for product placement and advertising. Given how often Chuck and Sarah flash their iPhones and the Apple support that permeates the show, this idea makes perfect sense. It could include weekly or monthly updates centered around minigames that reward viewers for following the show. For example, the game could be a simple puzzler that incorporates trivia from episodes each week after they air. The top 10 weekly high scores could receive a free $5 footlong sandwich or various Chuck paraphernalia. (Credit, again, to David for coming up with this terrific idea)

If the Subway campaign showed anything, it proved that we’re willing to plunk down cold, hard dollars for the Chuckster. We may not be the largest group of viewers out there, but I’m willing to bet that we’re the hardest-working, most loyal fans you’ll come across. And not only that, we’re uniquely talented: a show like Chuck has to attract a more technology-savvy crowd than most. Not only do we respond well to innovation, we breed it.

I’m an iPhone developer, and I would be thrilled to work on an iPhone application for the show. The fans heading The Save Chuck Movement run a design and business services firm in Arizona. I imagine there are hundreds like us who make a living developing software (or are otherwise involved in the technology arena) and who love the show with a passion. You have a cadre of talented folks who are also incredibly committed to the show. Please, use us.

It’s as James Poniewozik of TIME said:

Maybe it’s heresy, but I don’t think our hope is to convert these people [who don't watch Chuck], God bless them. It’s for Chuck to be able to survive without them. I think that’s possible, in a network world of smaller audiences, in which NBC has little to lose and more product placements to gain.

You have a real opportunity with Chuck to display a recognition of our culture that’s unprecedented in the industry. Show us you can be creative with your marketing and promotion efforts, and I guarantee we’ll bite.

And, please, don’t hesitate to ask us for our help. There are so many moving parts in the television business that it can be hard for us to know how to materially affect things, but point us in the right direction and we’ll be more than happy to oblige.

Thank you.

27 Comments

  1. Steve Apr 30 2009

    Now, I must admit that due to in the military and being stationed overseas for the entire run of Chuck so far I haven’t been able to pull my weight ratings wise due to only being able to watch on hulu or on AFN (military ratings don’t count towards Nielsen).
    However the after I saw the pilot of Chuck on AFN long after the season one finale I immedeiatly went to the exchange on base and bought it on DVD, and watched the rest of the season in the same night (overslept and was late to work the following morning, but so worth it).
    Why hasn’t converse started advertising on Chuck, it almost seems perfect. Chuck always wears his Chuck’s, and every Chuck fan I know has strapped a pair of Chuck’s on in support of the show. I bought my first pair since junior high cause of this show.
    SAVE CHUCK!!!!!!!!

  2. Sophia Apr 30 2009

    Hey guys, I am a BIG fan of Chuck, from Argentina.
    I am very worried about this show being cancel.
    That wold be really sad, because it is a GREAT SHOW.
    I just have an idea, I am a user of Second Life, and I know that there is an NBC location there.
    I think that it would be a great idea to meet in that SL location to show NBC how we care about the show.
    If you don´t have an account in Second Life (it is a 3D virtual world), you can create one, it is very easy, and FREE.

    This is the location of the NBC building

    http://slurl.com/secondlife/NBC%201/128/128/43

    Just click it or copy paste it in your internet browser once you have installed Second Life, and it will teleport you to that place.

    Let´s SAVE Chuck!!!!

    We can have virtual meetings there and show our support.

  3. Durham Apr 30 2009

    I live on a beach in Thailand and by chance a tourist had Chuck on a DVD. The local expats who live here were hooked immediately. All of us ( Canucks,English,Irish,Thai, Swedes,etc…) are now disciples and not a day goes by where one of us will give a ” Chuckism”. “awesome”, ” mind-cheater”, ‘lady Big Mike”, ” I like pineapples…my Dad used to throw them at me” and of course our fav band right now is Jeffster!
    Seriously, with about a dozen nationalities watching ( and we get together in the beach pub for “An evening with Chuck”) it’s the only show we all agree on and love unconditionally.If there is any justice in the world this show, which does everything ( action, comedy, romance, pop culture references, whip-smart dialogue…..hell, just name it!) to such a high level, and better than anything else on tv, will be renewed through the 2112 season ( a bit of a “RUSH” reference for those Canuck Chucksters) Long Live Chuck!!!!!!

  4. Pam Miller May 1 2009

    My husband and I love this show. Please keep it on the air. Thanks,
    Pam

  5. Kaitlynn May 1 2009

    SAVE CHUCK!!!! Glad that is looking up, but we only have a few days left so let’s do everything we can!

  6. Michelle May 1 2009

    My 15 y.o. duaghter and I started watching when it first aired. Now we all watch. That makes 6 viewers (ages 36 to 2.5) in one little family that love it and that should count for something. I agree on the product placement… all 4 of my kids have converse and I’ve been eyeing a pair and I haven’t had a pair since the 80s. I don’t think it is by chance. Who doesn’t want to be a cool like the Nerd Herders.

  7. Crystal Berger May 1 2009

    Please please please please save this AWESOME series! Have a heart! There’s not a lot of good news out there right now. Times are hard. Please don’t take our CHUCK away! Have some mercy!
    SAVE CHUCK!!!!!!!

  8. alba May 2 2009

    I really really want NBC to renew Chuck for a third season. It’s the best show on TV, how can you not?

    Do what’s right, now! <3

  9. Beth May 2 2009

    E! just reported that it will be another week or two until “Chuck” news is announced. What say we to another Footlong Day at Subway?

  10. Mike McFadden May 2 2009

    I’ve been wanting to develop a Chuck game for the iPhone for quite some time now. I think it’d be fun having a few addicting Chuck mini-games that remind people to watch the show and can take them to NBC.com or whatever. The only problem is that the game would have to be REALLY good for it to be beneficial to the show.

  11. Albert May 2 2009

    I’m all for another subway run or maybe mailing them boxes of nerds…what other ideas do people have?

  12. izhan May 2 2009

    Hi im a 16 year old kid from UK and i love chuck. and behalf of every chuckfan wishes that this show stays alive ):

  13. Sahar May 3 2009

    I am a seventeen year old female, who is writing to you about a particular show name Chuck. I live in British Columbia, Canada and I absolutely love the show. I have never written a letter to anyone regarding a TV show, but Chuck means a lot to its viewers. Although there are a few of us, we are a completely devoted bunch. I have never ever wanted a show to stay on air as badly as I want this show to. Chuck is such a unique show; there isn’t a show on TV quite like Chuck. The writers and directors are “awesome” (Chuck reference); they have a combination of genres throughout the episodes and not to mention the actors who have done an amazing job portraying such relatable characters. There is just something I love about this show; it’s just a breath of fresh air from all the teenaged life storylines. It is so hard to find shows such as Chuck; many of the shows on television are badly written and have hot young stars to attract viewers. Chuck is different, it is beautifully written and the actors look like they are their character. When I watch this show I do not think about the actors acting in the scene, I get caught up in the suspense, humour, and drama that is occurring during the show. I am a fairly new fan of this show, and before I always wondered what it was about. I am a HUGE fan of the show Gossip Girl, and since Josh Schwartz is also involved with this show I thought I should give it a try; and I’m glad I did. I fell in love with every aspect of this show, it’s funny and it just makes me happy. The last time I felt this way about a show was when Pushing Daisies was on air, and when that was cancelled I was heartbroken. I would be very disappointed if it were to be cancelled. So please do not cancel this show because it is amazing!

    Sincerely,

    Sahar.

  14. Michael Kostrov May 3 2009

    Me too!!!
    Michael, Kazakhstan.

  15. Elisabeth Jacobs May 3 2009

    Chuck is a show tha just makes me happy when I watch it, and very few other shows even come close. Please renew it for another season!

  16. Nicole May 3 2009

    How can you think of getting rid of Chuck!!!! OMG I am outraged that you would cancel such a good and kid friendly show. My whole family gathers every Monday to watch it. It is funny and enthralling at the same time. I would be very disappointed that you would cancel Chuck over some other show that I can’t watch with my family! I mean why do we keep cancelling shows that are available for the whole family to watch. Evenings are family time and half of the stuff on TV is inappropriate for children under the age of 15. Do you remember the ABC “Pushing Daisies” fiasco. It was a great show that I didn’t have to send my kids to bed to watch. I hope that you don’t take Chuck away. He is a hero to my family. My kids think it is great that an everyday person can save the world. My better than your show “Heroes.” Which I watched 1 time. SAVE CHUCK- SAVE THE WORLD!!!!!!!!

  17. Önder May 3 2009

    Hello, i am a 23 year old guy from Turkey. And i love this show very very veryyyyy much. Definetly Chuck deserves a 3rd season!!! NBC should do the right thing!
    !SAVE CHUCK!

  18. Ayeska May 3 2009

    Please NBC renew Chuck!

    This show it´s amazing!!!
    I love Chuck so muck, and a KNOW …
    Chuck need one chance!

    Save Chuck, Casey, Sarah, Morgan, Elle, and the Buy More time!
    Save Stephen!!! (I Love Scott Bakula!)

  19. Ayeska May 3 2009

    P.S.: Sorry for the englesh, I´am a Brazilian Girl!!!
    And I Need Chuck….
    CHUCK…”May the force be with you”

  20. karina May 3 2009

    I have pledged to use my traditionally movies-only review forum to review the season 1 DVD (blu-ray) on my site. I am actually TRYING to spend money on show merchandise but the shirt I like best is sold out. AND some cheesy clones are online (just google “nerd herd shirt”) stealing sales from NBC. I want to pay $25 for the real shirt and show my support not $7.99 for a semi-professional knockoff. I want a soundtrack! I spent $48 on iTunes just trying to approximate one. I want other fun promo items I can buy. I want Chuck branded Converse Chuck Taylors! I am a nerd with money who wants to give you zillionaires my thousandaire’s money to support your show. I would buy any iPhone app related to Chuck. I am buying an iPhone before ComiCon in hopes - HOPES - of running into Chuck cast members and getting their picture. I am so not even kidding. This show is very special and I cannot express how stupid it would be to cancel it, especially considering what’s being renewed! LET US support you and you will be amply rewarded. Thanks for listening.

  21. Lisa May 4 2009

    Please renew Chuck!! It is my highest priority show on my DVR. It is funny, dramatic, well-written, and has great actors. It is also one of only two shows my 13 yr-old and I watch together!!

  22. kate May 4 2009

    Please save Chuck, this is THE best show on tv. I DVR all my shows, but this is the only one I watch live or that same day. It is written so well and Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski are awesome. Please don’t cancel my favorite show. I will have to stop watching all the other great NBC shows too.

  23. Grant May 4 2009

    I haven’t loved a show this much since the X Files when I was a kid.

    Now I’m a neuroscience grad student and I don’t own a tv, but I’ve been watching Chuck on hulu and bought season one on amazon. It improved my whole first year of PhD studies. I don’t know if a funnier smart show or a smarter funny show has ever existed. As the reviewers have said, it’s just unbridled fun.

    And I also found myself buying all stars last week- it just felt right. Advertising is really all about priming the mind to accept a suggestion.

    Come on NBC, don’t let us down!

  24. Jackie Sternfels May 5 2009

    “Chuck” is one of the funniest most creative shows on television. I will DVR it and a few others, but this is the only one I make sure to watch that same evening. This is a show that is intelligent enough to appeal to adults and fun enough to appeal to kids.
    There are so few truly intelligent and creative shows left, it would be a shame for NBC to pull the plug on the best thing to happen to television since “MASH”.
    Please don’t cancel “Chuck”.

  25. Hamzah May 6 2009

    Dear NBC, please don’t chuck out Chuck! It’s the best show ever. This is probably your best ever series I’ve seen. Save this series. It can be huge… Please save this series…

    Save Chuck!!! Come on NBC, don’t disappoint us!!!

  26. Josh May 6 2009

    I’m writing from England, UK. Chuck is an amazing show, it has everything one would want. Sure, it doesn’t appeal to everyone but not everyone has tried watching it. I know several people who don’t watch the show live but always catch up with it on hulu, nbc and a few people who live abroad watch it on other sites on the internet. If you involved all the online ratings then you’d see the fanbase is huge. Also, it’s on at primetime (Monday 8pm-10pm) if you tried moving it to a more TV-friendly day, I would put money on the fact that it would get A LOT more viewers due to all the other TV shows not being big names.

  27. Anne May 13 2009

    NBC just cannot loose this great show with fantastic writing and wonderful actors! This is one hour every week that my parents, my ex-husband and our two boys (13 &8) can all enjoy one show together. In todays over reality exposed programming, we can’t get enough Chuck! We never miss it, either in real time or with DVR. Hopefully the execs at NBC are smart enough to see that they just can’t ditch the Nerd Herd…Please! Maybe a tweek in the schedule may help but there is truly nothing wrong with day and time slot. Chuck is perfect the way he/it is!

Comments are closed.

Renewal Status

Head on over to Does Chuck Have a 3rd Season? for a realtime update from Matt Barber, one of the editors on Chuck.

How You Can Help

  1. Re-watch the finale and tell all your friends about it!

  2. Join the We Heart Chuck effort by donating to The American Heart Association.

  3. Participate in The Finale and a Footlong Campaign (check it out on Facebook). Buy a $5 footlong from Subway on April 27th in support of the show! Update: thanks to everyone who participated!

  4. ChuckTV.net has a ton of great suggestions including some great tips if you want to go the letter-writing route.

  5. Advertise your support for Chuck. Go beyond signing a petition of anonymous supporters. Post about it on your blog, evangelize it to your friends, do whatever you can to generate buzz for the show.

    Invest quality time and effort, and someone will notice. With enough of us rallying behind Chuck, maybe, just maybe the right people will notice.

  6. Send news tips to me at james@pleasesavechuck.com. I'll post them here as I receive them. I'm also on Twitter.