by TRAVIS
South of Nowhere, there is no doubt in my mind that simply reading those words made many of you smile, perhaps, without even noticing it. How many television shows can do that? Forget TV shows, how many things in your life can honestly make you smile just by being mentioned? That’s how special South of Nowhere, is to all who have been a part of it from its creator, Tom Lynch, to the staff, to the cast, all the way to the fans. Those three words can send a rush of emotions and memories flooding back into your mind as if you had just watched an episode.
Read our South of Nowhere Fanfiction from our old site, SouthofNowhereOnline.com, now here on LesFan.com.
It’s hard to pinpoint one specific thing about the show that still puts a smile on our faces. It has affected so many people in so many different ways, for so many different reasons. You could say that South of Nowhere was The L Word for a younger generation. The L Word was on a “premium channel” called Showtime. Having the freedom to do whatever they wanted allowed the show’s creative team to make the first show that gave adult lesbians the relatable characters that they had wanted for years, and South was the first show ever to have its main characters be a teenage lesbian couple which has helped hundreds if not thousands of lesbians at a time in their lives when they needed it the most. The fact that a show like S.o.N. existed within the constraints of a cable network, makes the accomplishment even more impressive.
If the relationship between Spencer, played by Gabrielle Christian, and Ashley, played by Mandy Musgrave, had been the entire focus of the show, it would’ve still been an amazing, groundbreaking show, but there was much more to it than that. While the show may be considered a “Teen Drama”, it dealt with so many topics that everyone could find something they identify with. There was homosexuality, homophobia, racism, religion, verbal and physical abuse, bullying, drinking, drugs, pregnancy, miscarriages, adoption, a school shooting, and more. South basically went head on into every major issue someone could possibly face in their lifetime.
It’ll be six years, this December, since S.o.N. went off the air, in the United States. So, if it seems like a long shot that a campaign like this could work, it’s because it is one. On the other hand, there are at least three factors that suggest it might be the perfect time. The first is that the country has changed greatly in that time. LGBT citizens are accepted and have more rights than ever before. While there’s still a long way to go, the slow trek towards equality has quickened. As the views of the country have shifted, so too have the views regarding what is acceptable on television. It’s fairly common nowadays to turn on your TV and find at least one LGBT character, or couple. Said character or characters may be a minor role, and almost never a main focal point, but nevertheless, there’s a growing number of LGBT storylines out there. The second reason South may be ripe for a comeback is that there’s a precedent for television shows being rebooted years after going off the air. Three recent examples of this are 90210 (Began in 2008, eight years after Beverly Hills, 90210’s final season. The newer version ended in 2013.) Dallas (was rebooted twenty-one after the original was done), and Veronica Mars ran from 2004-2007 Then, in 2014, thanks to funding from fans via a Kickstarter campaign, a Veronica Mars movie was released.
Veronica Mars, being successfully made into a movie proves that something like what we want to happen could, under the right circumstances. It took a lot of effort from everyone involved with the show, and the diehard fans. That’s exactly what we need to bring S.o.N. back. About that phrase, “bring S.o.N. back” There may be more ways to interpret what it means. Obviously, a new television series is the first thing that comes to mind, since that’s the form it originally took. Of course, it could also be a movie. Then there are more outlets that have been mentioned by South of Nowhere’s creator Tom Lynch, among others, such as books, or a Broadway musical. When I think about the phrase “bring S.o.N. back” I also consider the possibilities. I consider the phrase to mean, allowing it to continue giving to current and future fans. That expands the possibilities to include: reruns, putting all of the episodes on a website that can be viewed by people all over the world not limited to certain countries (All of the episodes are currently available on LOGO’s website, but only in the United States.) , DVDs/Blu-Ray sold in stores, not just online through Amazon, DVDs /Blu-Ray with special features such as the webisodes and behind the scenes footage, a web series, or new content could find a home on Amazon or Netflix as both are now producing original content. In fact, Netflix even resurrected Arrested Development for its final season in 2013 seven years after it had been cancelled by Fox. The possibilities are as endless as the amount of people South can help.
South of Nowhere made and is still making a huge impact on everyone who sees it. Think about the impact you’ve individually experienced because of the show, and the bond it’s created between you, your fellow fans, and the wonderful people involved with the show.(Not one of them has said they wouldn’t be interested in making a comeback.) Now, think about what it could mean to future fans and their loved ones if they have S.o.N. to help them through the tough times they’re facing just as it helped you when you needed it. South of Nowhere will always have a very loyal fan base, but there is no telling how much the fan base would grow if it did return. It may be the longest of long shots, but it’s still a shot. There’s still reason to hope because in South of Nowhere you will always find somewhere you belong.
So, take the first steps towards bringing S.o.N. back. Sign the petition, http://www.
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