In defense of….This series is the latest addition to LSUReveille.com’s blogosphere. Each week I will be choosing a celebrity or a fictional character that has been torn apart or ignored by the public recently and I’ll try my best to convince you why they deserve a break. 
Gone are the days when normal soul mates like Cliff and Claire Huxtable dominated the images of love on television. By normal I mean their love didn’t involve terrorists, the CIA, or drug lords (a la “Homeland,” “Scandal,” and “Breaking Bad”). Today’s television landscape is largely overrun by brooding antiheros and their melodramatic, and mostly toxic, relationships.  
We’ve had a few realistic love stories over the years including characters like Marshall and Lily on “How I Met Your Mother,” which ended earlier this year. However, the fall 2014 TV season introduced us to a new adorable couple to fill the void.

Ben Feldman (“Mad Men”) and Cristin Milioti (“How I Met Your Mother”) play Andrew and Zelda, young professionals navigating their respective love lives without much luck. While Andrew is a hopeless romantic, Zelda is quite cynical about love and yet they still manage to have a connection. This may sound like almost every other rom-com you’ve watched over the years, but this one has a unique twist.
Each episode begins with a voiceover that says “Andrew and Zelda date for eight months, three weeks, five days, and one hour. This television program is the comprehensive account of their relationship from A to Z” (Yes, there are many alphabet puns related to this show). Each episode is even titled according to the letter of the alphabet it falls on (“A is for Acquaintances,” “B is for Big Glory,” etc.).
NBC decided that “A to Z” didn’t make the grade after just 4 episodes and decided to cancel it. Thankfully, the network will allow the show to run until the letter M before it officially gets the axe.  
This blog is the comprehensive account of why NBC made a huge mistake, and so did you by not tuning in.
First off, the chemistry between Ben Feldman and Cristin Milioti is undeniable. Even though Milioti played one of the most anticipated characters in television’s recent history as the mother on “How I Met Your Mother,” she is truly able to shine as a real lead on “A to Z.” Feldman, whose stint on “Mad Men” ended with that awkward nipple moment, is much more fun to watch on screen when he’s playing a lovable, yet nerdy, hopeless romantic.
Despite the obvious cheesiness that comes with this show, just like most rom-coms, its unique framing device sets it apart from the rest. As a viewer, we’re well aware that this couple isn’t going to make it. We’re reminded at the beginning of every episode. But, that’s what makes it realistic and refreshing.
Sometimes you find yourself dating someone that you know from the beginning isn’t “the one,” but that’s okay. You enjoy the relationship while it lasts and move on with your life when it’s over.
And bear with me while I let my inner hopeless romantic out, but what if they actually end up together? There’s a chance that after they “date for “eight months, three weeks, five days, and one hour,” they don’t breakup, but they get engaged. Maybe “Z is for Zestful” and it’s a look at how enthusiastic they are to start their lives together. Or maybe Z is for Zombie and this show takes an even more surprising turn at the end. Sadly, we’ll probably never know.
There could be countless reasons to why this show was actually cancelled. The obvious reason is that ratings have been pretty low, but maybe NBC just isn’t the right network for this show. I don’t buy that people just aren’t tuning in to relatable shows anymore. Down to earth series on other networks like “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS), “Modern Family” (ABC), and “New Girl” (FOX) have continued to flourish over the years.
Executive producer of the show, Rashida Jones (aka Ann Perkins from “Parks and Recreation”), has started a mini social media campaign with the hashtag #saveAtoZ and urges fans to continue watching the last scheduled episodes.

If you love #AtoZ keep watching!!Because YOU can save us!! @NBC_AtoZ #saveatoz This Thursday 9:30pm. F is for Fight for the show you love.
While it seems unlikely now, if the show is able to gain momentum, there’s a slight possibility it may get picked up by another network or a streaming service like Netflix. However, with a rating of under 1.0 in it’s target demographic, there’s not as much hope as fans would like just yet.
If you haven’t seen the show, I definitely urge you to check it while it’s still airing on NBC on Thursdays at 9:30p.m./8:30c.