Friday, March 11, 2011

Want to SAVE CHUCK? Here are actual things you can do.

This pic has nothing to do with this article. I am male. -- Property of WB

I see so many people on different sites talking about what can be done to save the show from cancellation.  I haven't really wanted to get too involved in it since I already spend way too much time on this fandom (poor widdle me), and was heavily involved in the season 2 into season 3 "save CHUCK" movement.  Not to mention the whole Chuckfest charity stuff (which still has me feeling shell shocked).

But there is so much misinformation and disinformation around, mostly from well meaning people, about how we can keep the show going that I felt I needed to once and for all point out what WILL make a difference.  So, put away your flash mob signs and your plans to march on NBC and start doing these things:

1. This first one is the MOST IMPORTANT but can only be accomplished by about 1% of US dwellers and likely 1% of people reading this right now.  WATCH CHUCK LIVE... especially if you are a NIELSEN FAMILY MEMBER.  If you are not one, or don't understand what that means, don't worry about it.  You are not one of them.  You don't need to know what it means.

But if you are a Nielsen family member, here is what you have to do to make sure your viewing of the show counts, and counts for as much as possible:

  • DO tune into NBC early (at least a minute before the episode begins).
  • DO have your button nearby... and click it when it blinks.  Click it every time it blinks.  Have friends and family over and have them click their buttons.  Give guests their buttons and teach them how to use them.  Remember, the ratings Nielsen wants is from people 18-49 (18-34 is even better), so if you have to lie, then your guests are males between the ages of 18 to 34.  Not that I recommend lying... but hey, SAVE CHUCK!
    • If you don't have a button, then you are wearing your device.  So, ignore the button pushing part.
  • DO record the episode onto your DVR (if you have one) while you watch the episode live.  I will explain why this is important to do in a few steps.
  • DO NOT switch channels during commercials.  This is extremely important.  If you do, then your view will not be counted.
  • DO NOT pause your live viewing (for those with DVRs) and then fast forward through the commercials.  If you do, then your view will not be counted.
  • DO leave the damn remote alone while you are watching CHUCK on NBC LIVE!
  • DO, I say this again, click your damn buttons when they blink, every damn time!
  • DO, and this is really important, watch CHUCK again, once the live viewing is over, on your DVR.
  • DO NOT, and this is really really importanter (I am just making up words now), fast forward through commercials while watching it on your DVR.  Treat it like you are watching LIVE.  
  • DO watch the episode on your DVR before 3am if you missed a live viewing, while not fast forwarding, since viewings before 3am WILL count toward the overnight ratings.
  • DO watch several more times within three days WITHOUT SKIPPING COMMERCIALS. In fact, if you only watch the commercials and you watch them several times, you will count towards the C3 every time (thanks dkd).  

Let me just explain that third to last point a bit more.  It used to be that if you watched the show twice (live and then on your DVR) that it was only counted once.  But Nielsen is now counting multiple viewings, provided that those viewings include all commercials without fast forwarding through them (called time shifting).  So, if you are a very dedicated Nielsen viewer, please do that.  You will make a big difference.

2. Go to WeGiveAChuck.com and follow through with the letter writing campaign.  Sure, executives at NBC might not read every letter, and they might not even receive all of them, but they do get some of these and someone reads them, and that still means something to the network.  It means a lot more than online petitions and most other fan efforts.  Hand write your letter if you can.  It means a lot more to them if you do.

3. Watch CHUCK episodes on NBC.com and not on Hulu (if you can).  When Comcast acquired majority holdings in NBC, they had to give up controlling interest in Hulu.  That means NBC makes their online viewing ad money from NBC.com.  It may not be a lot of money, but when you watch it there, you do help offset some of the cost.  This helps whether you are a Nielsen member or not.

4. Go to RewardTV.com and create an account.  Then, on Tuesdays, following a new episode of CHUCK, play the game(s) related to the episode.  Make sure to PAY ATTENTION to things in each episode and to the commercials.  This site is owned by Nielsen and is used to qualify audience engagement with ad related events throughout the show.  So, try to answer every question correctly.  Anyone can get involved.  You do not need to be a member of Nielsen.

5. Follow @ChuckMeMondays on Twitter and do everything you are told to do without question!  If you don't, then the show is cancelled.  So do it! (update: at least one brilliant mind didn't get that this was said humorously, so check out the comments section for that one and giggle mockingly)

6. Buy CHUCK gear from the official NBC Store.  And while you are at it, follow @NBCStore on Twitter.

7. Watch CHUCK On-Demand on your cable system.  It should be a free viewing with commercials (you usually can't fast forward through them).  You don't need to be a Nielsen member to have this matter.  Don't know how to do this?  Call your cable company and ask.  That is why you pay the big bucks, so make them teach you.

If I think of something else, I will add it to this list.  If it doesn't end up on this list, then it is a waste of your time.  Now, go spread the word.  If this article doesn't get 200,000 hits by the end of this month, then we are all doomed.

74 comments:

  1. I would add to the Nielsen instructions to watch several more times within three days WITHOUT SKIPPING COMMERCIALS. In fact, if you only watch the commercials and you watch them several times, you will count towards the C3 every time.

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  2. Thank you for clearing the air of mis-information!!!

    TS

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  3. Nielsen needs to change their policies. Fast forwarding commercials doesn't mean I don't like the show, it means I don't like my time being wasted by commercials.

    Also, Cable company's need to start helping out. Every time you change channels on your cable box, the cable box asks for authorization to do so. It even needs to ask for authorization to record, fast forward, rewind, or do anything with the PVR function. It shouldn't be entirely difficult for the cable companies to log when users change channels, and sell that stuff to count towards the viewership. I'm not a Nielsen family, but I do have 3 cable boxes.

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  4. Kevin, Nielsen is not changing their policies since ADVERTISING PAYS FOR THE SHOW. Nielsen isn't counting ratings so it can find out what is popular. It counts them so advertisers can justify what they pay to the networks.

    So, Nielsen viewers either watch the commercials or the advertisers STOP PAYING to advertise on the show, or pay very little for it. And the way networks pay for the shows to be made is through the AD DOLLARS they make from people watching commercials.

    There is no way around it, for at least the foreseeable future. Ads pay for your show... not your enjoyment.

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  5. I'm not a Nielsen viewer, so my viewings of Chuck won't when I watch it live on television. However, I CAN get on the RewardTV website and have my viewings count there.

    I'll try to buy stuff from the NBC store website, though.

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  6. melwicker, THAT is what I meant to include. Thanks! I am adding the RewardTV stuff now!

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  7. You're welcome, Magnus.

    Of course, some of us can't really afford to buy stuff online from the official store, no matter how much we want to.

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  8. As long as you do as much as you can with what you have, that is all one can ask. But if you can do more and you don't, then you shouldn't complain if the show is canceled (not directed at anyone specific).

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  9. Thanks for all the info. Being a poor college student right now the only thing I've really been to do is nbc.com. Whenever I know I'm going to be working on the computer for a while I pop on over and turn the eps on and then turn the sound off my computer. Since it continues automatically to the next episode it couldn't be less of an inconvenience. I'm doing it right now.

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  10. For what it's worth, I was going to rewatch some Season 4 episodes that I have saved on my DVR, but I think I'll watch them on NBC.com instead.

    Thanks for the reminder.

    You know, I noticed today that some of the ads that run before the episodes on NBC.com have links to click on. I wonder if that would help, too.

    The particular one I noticed was eharmony.com

    Surely, some Chuck fans could use a dating service. :-)

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  11. Good point, clicking on those ads nets more cash.

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  12. and for the couple of billion or so that dont live in the US download a proxie (I use ultrasurf) and watch NBC online from a US ISP. I have a PC playong chuck episodes loads. It would probably help if you could buy a season pass off Itunes too - I certainly did but then Im sad compulsive little bit annoying, no friends

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  13. Friends are overrated. All you need is CHUCK.

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  14. You forgot what probably could be the most effective method......buy comcast or NBC or wb. That way if you owned them you could keep chuck on indefinitely, you never know one of your readers could be a fan of chuck and a billionaire.

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  15. I knew I should have banned you, ZLP.

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  16. Maybe those Greedy bastards of the NFL made the NBC decision easier. :-)

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  17. Another method is to ask the wife/husband of whoever is in charge at nbc/comcast/wb to put in a good word for chuck :) I mean back in the day when mash the tv series started, before it became a massive ratings hit, it was close to being cancelled and the only reason it stayed was because mrs cbs or the presidents wife told her husband that she liked it and it had to stay! Never under estimate the power of a good woman!

    Just look at what Ron Swanson ends up doing everytime Tammy comes back into his life, oh and poor chuck! No matter how awesome he becomes, how better/hotter he looks by the episode, how many organisations he takes down and how awesome a hero he becomes.....he is still under sarah's thumb, she is in charge!

    Behind every great man is a great woman controlling him! lol!

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  18. ZLP, coming up with the worst ideas ever.

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  19. I know this is a bit off topic, but how will the impending NFL lockout affect CHUCK's future? You mentioned it a bit in the podcast and basically said that it would mean renewal for CHUCK. so now that the lockout has become more of a reality, does that bode well for CHUCK overall?

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  20. Yup... but the lockout would have to last through May and look like it was not going to end anytime soon. If that is the case, then I see NBC renewing CHUCK (unless it drops down to something like a 1.3 for the rest of the season).

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  21. I'm not from the US, so i can't watch it LIVE, I can't even watch it in nbc.com =(

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  22. the fans that are outside of america..how can we help?

    ellen53

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  23. Do non-Nielsen DVR numbers count at all? I got the impression from the above that they do not, but I wanted to make sure I understood. Seems to me those statistics are easy for TiVo or the cable DVR people to gather whether you have Nielsen equipment or not. Basically, I'm just looking for clarification on whether to keep fast forwarding through commercials on my TiVo or not :)

    Jim

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  24. I want to know how one becomes a Nielsen viewer. I want to know what the requirements are and how the Nielsen company chooses its viewers.

    Can one ask the Nielsen company if he or she can become a member?

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  25. Nielsen finds you. You don't apply.

    And if you are outside of the US, you can still write those letters.

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  26. See, I asked my mom and one of her friends if I could ask the Nielsen company to make me one of their viewers, and they BOTH said the same thing you did.
    Of course, Nielsen asked my mom's friend to become a viewer, but chose not to make the friend a viewer because she worked for a local PBS station. My mom's friend says that working for a TV station (like PBS) automatically disqualifies one's eligibility for Nielsen viewership, because there is a chance of bias on the part of that potential viewer.

    So if Nielsen decides to make YOU one of their viewers, and you accept, be sure you DON'T volunteer to work for PBS or another local network affiliate, because it will disqualify you.

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  27. Sarah's outfits are stil prettyl sexy , but this year they have dressed her more "older" than previous seasons when she's around castle and the apartment . They need to dress her more in a " youthful " way .

    -Bring back the OO ( or at least the sexy tank top and pig tails look for Sarah )

    Or

    Get Sarah a cover job at Underpants etc . where she has to walk around in lingerie for at least 5 mins a show = 18-34 males returning in droves to the show = big ratings !

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  28. Sarah's hottness level can vary depending on the hot cousin's rule/effect/urban myth.......Since she has been with chuck, she has suddenly become less hot! or that is what I heard on episode 33 of CYT. Maybe fans will never find her hot again, I mean the chase is now over, the geek got the girl. I know crazy! but who understands the human brain?

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  29. CYT33 was sooooo long ago.

    Sarah is still super hot.

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  30. I just think you let your opinion/feeling/attraction to Hannah cloud your judgement. But your awesome so we can forgive you your brief belief that sarah is anyones hot cousin! But yeah, the makeup team must be listening to your podcasts because they have been on fire this season. I think only once in the first episode did they put on that stupid red lipstick that definatly makes her less hot!

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  31. Magnus, Before I ask, I know it is a random and wierd quesiton but I have to ask: I have just seen photo's of mandy moore and zach levi at the oscars and is it me or is he way darker then her. I always thought that yvonne was just naturally lighter skinned and he had a slight tan, but man he is darker then everyone! Do you know if that is natural or has he been to one too many spray on tan salon's recenty?

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  32. Nigel, I think you took something too literally... but like I said, it was a long time ago.

    Gina, what does this have to do with renewing CHUCK? In any event, to humor you, I am pretty sure that was makeup.

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  33. Tv By the Numbers have put up an article about the lockout and how it might alter Chuck's renewal chances. Should become an interesting comments section!

    Not that it matters one bit, but I remember in a TV Guide interview with Zac and Yvonne when the show first started she was asked why Zac was handsome and she refered to his olive skin complexion.

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  34. If Chuck does get renewed I so hope that they announce it as the last season with 22 episodes and a proper first season budget. I know it is a lot to ask but let this series go out on a high! I mean us finding out that one of the cast has to pay for breakfast is really, really sad!

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  35. Zach, I don't see any way that they will announce a 22-episode pickup for a 5th season (if it is even picked up). I don't see them announcing it as the final season (even though they should). And I have no doubt in my mind that they will not increase the budget, and certainly not anywhere close to season 1, season 2, or even season 3 levels.

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  36. Oh and that cast member doesn't HAVE to pay for breakfast. He just does.

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  37. Jim wrote...
    "Do non-Nielsen DVR numbers count at all? I got the impression from the above that they do not, but I wanted to make sure I understood."

    In the Nielsen numbers, only DVR owners who have the Peoplemeter count.

    "Seems to me those statistics are easy for TiVo or the cable DVR people to gather whether you have Nielsen equipment or not. Basically, I'm just looking for clarification on whether to keep fast forwarding through commercials on my TiVo or not :)"

    Tivo does collect your data and sells it as an alternative ratings service for the evaluation of commercials. See info here: https://stopwatch.tivo.com/home/index.html

    As with RewardTV, it is nice for Chuck to be seen as a good environmnent for ads. So, don't FF. I wouldn't if I was still a Tivo person.

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  38. There was a time when I discussed with some people the idea of promoting TiVo to CHUCK fans as a way to improve our chances of being counted. Maybe in season 6. ;)

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  39. Looks like Paul 80 is leaning towards Chuck getting cancelled and he works for Chuck. This gets more depressing. :-(

    His post on TVBN says the NBC has alot of comedy pilots and there will be not Football or Chuck. It's getting worse by the min. :-(

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  40. What would Paul 80 know that my source wouldn't? Paul works for the WB. He has no idea what is happening scheduling and renewal wise.

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  41. Oh Paul 80 followed up. Whew! He had me scared. Still not liking Chuck's chances. His theory is that Chuck is better off with the NFL than without because NBC won't put their 20 million dollar flop Wonder Woman against MNF.

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  42. That makes no sense. Paul 80 should stick to working with props.

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  43. If NBC cancels a show at season 4, they need to really take time to think about it. Quite a few shows even with mediocre season 4 ratings will make it to season 5. Why? After season 5 the shows have enough episodes for syndication (aka, they make money without having to spend more). I don't think Chuck is Doomed...I think there is a chance, even without awesome Nielsen ratings that Chuck could make it to season 5. I am in no way saying that we shouldn't do all of the above, but I am saying that at season 4, it is easier to renew. So, go to nbc.com and have your computer stream episodes of Chuck...and, you know, when you need to go grocery shopping, you might just accidently leave an episode of Chuck running that you started right before you left.

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  44. Greg, NBC doesn't own CHUCK. So they don't care about syndication.

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  45. Well, in that case, WRITE A LETTER FOR YOU, YOUR MOM, YOUR EX WIFE, YOU DEAD CAT, AND YOUR ANNOYING NEIGHBOR!!!

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  46. "Nielsen finds you. You don't apply."

    rich says
    So I'm just going to lay out how Nielson relies on completely random sampling so anyone who is interested (its how nielson works!) can understand.

    Nielson is about random sampling. When you want to find something out about a large number of iterations of something, like television viewing habits, you don't go and measure everyones viewing habit. You take a sample. If this sample is large enough, it can accurately reflect the preferences of the entire population. Accuracy is a function of sample size, that's why on campaign polls of preference for a candidate, you will see "%55, +/- %3". If they took a huge sample, it could be "%55 +/- %0.5" or smallsample "+/- %6". the actual mathematical function is confidence interval = 1.96*sqrt((percentage*(1-percentage))/sample size), so larger samples will create a smaller (more accurate) confidence interval.

    However, this requires a Perfectly random sample. A perfectly random sample, if large enough will accurately reflect the demographics of the population, like 60% white in the population and close to that in the sample also, and also age, gender, etc.

    This is why Nielson does samples, to save an immense amount of money for only slightly less accurate results than surveying the entire population.

    people requesting to be part of the sample, or being in the television industry will introduce bias, making results less externally valid, or generalizable to the entire population, But because Nielson relies on such strict standards for randomly selecting people thier results really are representative of the entire population.

    So when magnus tries to get neilson viewers to watch chuck, that is actually "hacking neilson" as people pretend to want to try to do, because it is messing with the accuracy of the sample and making it look like Chuck is more popular than it is in the entire population.

    I hope someone found that helpful

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  47. "Nielson" doesn't care much about ratings or sampling. However, Nielsen does. :) But thanks for the explanation.

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  48. rich says
    oops, and sure!

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  49. It's not a random sample at all, it's a cross section of criteria .. Race, location, education, household size, income etc etc. For example Nielsen looks for a Latino 4 member household with x education and y income in Phoenix, they look around, find 4-5 suitable candidates and then invite them and pick one. Most houselholds that end up getting a Nielsen box have first gone through the journal stage AND they fit the criteria of what Nielsen needs demographically at a specific point in time.

    And you guys are definitely over-estimating the value of syndication for a show like Chuck.

    And yeah my name really is Anonymous

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  50. You guys? You mean the fans who pay no attention to what has been said 500000000000 times in the past 3-years? ;)

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  51. rich says
    ok so they look at demographics and select a representative sample instead of relying on randomness to do it for them. I stand corrected. but all the stuff I said about generalizing, error, and saving money still applies

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  52. This blogger is a fool. Yes I love Chuck, BUT I will not give in to your DEMANDS. If this blog post doesnt get 200,000 hits, then you know why: You're a fool.

    "Do everything you are told to do without question! If you don't, then the show is cancelled." - Haha, are you serious?!

    He runs this blog for extra cash, thinking that if he screams at us, we'll donate to him.

    #nuffsaid

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  53. #nuffsaid, you figured me out. I do this for the money. Nothing gets by you.

    You are obviously a genius.

    Alright everyone, pack it in. The scam has been discovered! Burn the records!!! Shred the documents!!!!!111one

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  54. Wow you allowed this nutjob to post the above comment and you left out my awesome one regarding how to make chuck sexy again and awesome in the dangerzone! What is up?

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  55. Because you used an expletive. The rules state, no expletives in the comments section. And one word you used is not appropriate for kiddies to read.

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  56. I happily approve criticisms of me, even idiotic ones. I have nothing to hide. But I have always maintained this board as curse free (for the most part, I have missed one or two here and there), so I stick to it when I see it. The podcast is noted as containing expletives up front.

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  57. Ok then I will try again, here we go... To make chuck more sexy, you do not need to show the sexy all the time just infer it....for example when casey said in honeymooners "I would say he has got something else rested in his hands." What a great line! It also lets the audiences mind wonder as to what he means!

    As for the chuck not firing a gun, well that can be got around by making as if chuck has to take a shot because it can only be made by the computer in his brain because it is a tough shot and a tranq gun will not do... and the team will die if he does not. For example if a sniper has them pinned down and he is too far away for a tranq gun, and all they had were handguns then chuck would have to take the shot and it would be ok with everyone because he trying to save his team and school bus with children inside are inbetween the team and the sniper....chuck can use a gun!

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  58. James Bond, for a Chuck kill to have the emotional weight it deserves, he has to do it on his own. An Intersect kill could be interesting if it begins to weigh on him that his "power" is making him a killer, but otherwise I don't think it works.

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  59. Everyone for luck wear something to do with chuck plus also watch and do 1 of the 7 things magnus says today.

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  60. Greg, no... do ALL of the things I say! Come on!

    Now, I am off to roll around in my bed with the $30 I made in donations this month (thanks, Tim, even if you don't like me much). :)

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  61. Come on Chucksters!! Bring us a S5 it's all up to us!! Watch Chuck tonight live (I know I am) :) Wear the gear, support Team Bartowski!! And if your on Twitter....please please please follow @ChuckMeMondays and @NBCStore!!! I follow them and it totally gives Chuck publicity :) remember to do what your told! And watch Chuck!!! Also be fans of Chuck and it's cast on FaceBook!! Support the show, and bring the raitings sky high tonight!!! :) it's up to us

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  62. New idea:

    Hulu added the Isaiah Mustafa/Josh Gomez video. I know it's not owned by NBC, but if enough people watch it, it may appear on Hulu's "most popular" list and get people's attention.

    I just watched it even though I've seen it already.

    Worth trying and it only takes a few minutes.

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  63. Maybe having prospective viewers stop bootlegging and illegally downloading and pirating episodes will help the ratings as well. Viewers have to watch the episodes LEGALLY to help the show get another season.

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  64. melwicker, it would be nice if they stopped doing it, but will they? Shrug. I think it would help if people in this fandom stopped publicly encouraging it, though (like some fan sites that link to illegal downloads).

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  65. Well, the people in the fandom who DO encourage illegal downloading of episodes often do it because overseas fans want to watch the episode and they don't have access to the legal options like we do.

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  66. So, for those who thought... what difference can we make? Well, the ratings went down but PURE LIVE ratings increased. Hmmmm.... I wonder how THAT happened. ;)

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  67. There is a problem with #3 because us canadians or at least people in my part of canada because I have tried viewing episodes of Chuck on NBC and it says I am in the wrong location.

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  68. Greg, the viewing stuff is mostly intended for US viewers since they count the most toward renewal. But the letter writing can be done by anyone.

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  69. Does having a VNP with an IP base in the US, help those non-us viewers to watch Chuck from nbc.com and therefore count as an online view?

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  70. Does On Demand Count too?

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  71. hey guys, if you love chuck, you'll want to read this: http://www.safeauto.com/blog/post/2011/05/10/Our-Top-5-Favorite-Moments-From-e2809cChucke2809d.aspx we'd love it if you can link it :)

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  72. I have only just started watching chuck missed most of it as in Australia it is on at a stupid time. I have really enjoyed it alot and have gone out and purchased the seasons I have missed now that I have gotten really into the show I have just found out that they have cancelled it after the fifth season. They cant do this there is so much more stories to tell and it is starting to get really good there must be a way to save and get them to make more seasons. This show is gave me hope I was a nerdy guy who just sat around playing video games all day now I have decided to change my life and my Girlfriend is happier for it. If that is how it has helped me imagine what it has done for others around the world. I know its just a TV show but it is a great TV show and has a great story and even better cast who deserve great things.

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No flaming, baiting, trolling, expletives, or racism allowed. And NO DISCUSSIONS of the actor's personal lives ever.