All my articles ended up having a benefit, much to the surprise, I suspect of those who've to slog though them. And it's that they came to the attention of Manilow and Sussman, and last Thursday, I spent time talking with them about the show -- it's history, the changes they've made, how they were able to get over the 17-year hurdle, what caused it and more.
I'm working on the article, and should have it here fairly soon. What I can say at this point is how enthusiastic and personable the two writers are, and how much they're dearly in love with the show, which is why they've stuck with it this long.
Watch this space.