Seymour

Web posted on: Wednesday, June 17, 1998 5:20:41 PM

From Correspondent Sherry Sylvester

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Don't ask Jane Seymour why CBS canceled her popular show "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." She can't figure it out, and besides, no one at CBS has contacted her.

She says she heard news of the show's demise through a film editor.

"A while later, someone from CBS was obviously told they had to call me, but it was long after the event," Seymour said. "I wasn't officially told by anybody at CBS."

Seymour on the set as Dr. Quinn

Advertisers' influence

CBS replaced "Dr. Quinn" with the series "Martial Law," which is expected to draw more young male viewers to the Saturday night time slot. Executives at the network say Seymour's 6-year-old show fared poorly among the 18-49 age demographic. Advertisers, which court that younger group, paid little for commercials on "Dr. Quinn."

"Now I guess they've decided no one is watching us, but that's a little odd because we do win our time slot every week and always have done, and I'm being told that only people over 55 are watching it and of course advertisers don't care about those people," Seymour said.

"Quinn" fans have responded, and their efforts to reinstate the show are garnering attention.

'It's amazing'

CBS chief Les Moonves has said that reaction from the show's fans is the biggest backlash he's seen, with calls, letters, and page views on the "Dr. Quinn" Web site racking up into surprising numbers -- its CBS Web site alone has recorded 2 million hits.

"You should read these letters," Seymour said. "It's amazing what they're saying and I think they're saying more than this particular show. What they're saying is, 'How can we expect our young people not to become violent? How can we expect not to see the 15-year-olds killing one another in schools in high school if all we feed them is violence?'"

Another network may pick up the series, and CBS now suggests a two-hour "Quinn" TV movie might be in order.

Seymour credits the fans for speaking out.

"If the fans want the show I'll be the first to be there, absolutely," Seymour said. "In fact, I've already made sure that when they dismantle everything that I have my hat, my coat, my bag and the sign, so I figure Dr. Quinn could practice anywhere."