‘Longmire’ season 4: Fans create petition in hopes A&E will renew show

How do you know that there is a TV show with a devoted fan base? There are really a few signs: Twitter outcry, actual conventions that people attend, and also online petitions that are created to ensure that the show comes back for more in the future.

In terms of “Longmire,” A&E can really celebrate in that it has all three. We’ve written extensively about the Twitter outcry already, and the Longmire Days convention has grown every year that it has taken place in Wyoming. Now, we present the icing on the cake: A petition to get the show back on the air.

This one (which you can see over at the link here) is still pretty new, but there are already a couple of hundred signatures on it with a goal for much more.

In the end, are petitions really the sort of thing that networks determine for a renewal? If executives are feeling very pessimistic about a show’s chances, it will most likely not make much of a different or sway their opinion dramatically. However, if they are somewhat on the fence, little things like fan campaigns, DVR viewing, social media outreach, and petitions do have at least some impact. There is already enough evidence to prove that grassroots campaigning can work for a show. This is what helped to get “Community” and “Chuck” safe for many years, and there is always the classic example of CBS renewing “Jericho” to give fans a shot to spread the overall viewership (and to probably get them to stop sending nuts to their headquarters).

So sign the petition if you’re so inclined, since every little bit can help, even if it is just a small degree. We’ll continue to have fresh news here until a decision is reached one way or another. (You can see the latest by clicking here.)

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Photo: A&E