Firefly Dead

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Ok, let me get this out of the way first.  Firefly was the best new show of 2002's season on Fox or any other channel.  It may have been the best piece of televised genre fiction in a decade.  Though, it appears not many viewers agreed with me on that point, and certainly even fewer television executives.  SciFi.com is reporting that several television networks have turned down Joss Whedon's bid to resurrect Firefly after Fox cancelled the show last December and replaced it with Fastlane.  Those networks passing on the offer include all three major networks, UPN, and the SciFi channel.  Click on the read more button for additional information.

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Christopher Buchanan, president of Josh Whedon's production company, Mutant Enemy, is quoted as saying the following:

"We've explored some of the networks and haven't really made a lot of progress," Buchanan said at UPN's winter press preview. Why? "The cost of the show, the timing, the fact that we didn't finish a full season and have other networks out there figuring out what they have in terms of pilots, what they have in terms of their own series cancellations. Timing is just horrible."

While there seems to be little life left for the ailing series, Whedon is determined.  Still planning talks with cable networks, and considering a significant cut to each episode's two million dollar budget, Mutant Enemy has not given up all hope.  Even offering (threatening?) to move the endeavor to Canada if need be, it seems clear to me that these guys will do anything to keep Firefly flying.

Canada?  *shudder*

- Elysium

Comments

First Farscape, now this.

Why is it that people clamor for something original and cool all the time, yet when presented with something that fits the bill they tend to ignore it? I've noticed this disturbing trend everywhere. Games, Tv shows you name it. If your going to only support generic products, companies will obviously go where the money is and put out generic products.

For the record though Firefly is not the best fiction show of the decade. That honor definetly goes to Farscape.

Hat, you've pretty much summarized my thoughts precisely.  It's almost frustrating enough to drive a man to get on his Soapbox on the issue! 

-Elysium

I just don't get Farscape. I watched a few episodes and I had to wonder why geeks everywhere were up in arms about its cancellation.

Firefly on the other hand, that was some good TV. I wonder if they'll aire the last two episodes?

Well, bear in mind that in Firefly's case, at least, a large, LARGE part of the problem was Network incompetence...

The pilot episode for the show wasn't shown until like the 3rd to last in the air schedule. If that isn't the single-most colossal screw up in broadcast scheduling history, I don't know what is. You'd think SOMEBODY over there would be rational enough to figure out you'd want to air the show that explains the characters and sets up the universe, oh, let's say FIRST. >=[

The show had other problems (the whole "western" approach was a good idea but was applied in an entirely too heavy-handed manner, IMO), but nothing that couldn't either be fixed or ultimately accepted bythe audience, and once you get past those hurdles, it was fine sci-fi.

Something else that really surprises me is that UPN took a pass on it. If there was ever a network that needed to buff up their content with a show like Firefly, it's UPN. I suppose they just don't want it competing with their homegrown Enterprise (which, BTW, is REALLY testing my "wait till season 3" procedure), but damn, they need something good really fast, and Firefly would be an easy hook, especially if they ran it before or after Buffy (which would also probably let them keep a lot if not all of their Buffy audience once that show's done).

The real heartbreak of the year, though, will be the final Farscape episode. Man, I just can't believe Sci-Fi pulled the friggin' plug. I understand there was a sudden crisis budget-wise when the other folks pulled out their financing, but COME ON! What kind of {ableist slur} network cancels their #2 show?

Farscape doesn't "gel" for a lot of people unless they start out close to the episodes where Scorpious made his debut. That's really when they start getting a coherent, arching storyline.

it definitely was a shame the show is having a hard time finding a new home.  i wasnt a huge fan.  however, the excitement of a few of my close friends towards firefly was contageous.  it was flawed.  some of the characters werent great.  but it was different and joss wedon will have to do a lot of consistent tripe before i stop watching his programming.

i was very late in the game when i started watching farscape.  it hit me right away however.  it was during the farscape marathon so i assume it was the shows best material.  the multi-episode story of the planet that entombs their leaders as statues for 80 years was fantastic.  the episode with the religious fanatic that hides out on a space station causing massive solar flares to crash into it was good also.  you are probably going to become a fan of the show if you watch 4 good episodes in a row.

Absolutely loved the show. It got better and better with every passing week. The last 4 eps we ever got to see were the finest bits of Sci-Fi television that I have seen since at least Season 1 X-Files. The budget always did strike me as being a bit over the top though. Lots of needless money-lobbing when it was the more personal and intimate moments such as the scenes with the bounty hunter in the last episode or the argument between Jayne and Malcolm at the end of episode 8 that made the show truly brilliant.

>>or the argument between Jayne and Malcolm at the end of episode 8 that made the show truly brilliant.<<

Oh, I remember exactly which scene you're describing.  I thought it was great having a truly mercenary central character.  I tend to think about how other shows would have sugar coated Jayne's character - the dark guy with a heart of gold! - and it really makes me long for more Firefly all the more.

 

- Elysium

And to replace it with Fastlane,  that's a real slap in the face.     I am sure Fastlane has it's audience but to me it just seems like another clone show.

The part that makes me really mad is, there are still 3 episodes left and I don't think we are going to get to see them :(. Fastlane is lame and represents everything bad with TV IMO. Bah dumb old fox. Ok I'm done now, had to get that out of my system.

Move to Canada eh? If that happens I hope they decide my home town is a fine place to shoot! It would make sense budget wise to shoot up in Canda I might add. If Joss could get some investers interested they would save a lot of money fillming up here and there are some really talented people in Canada who would, I am sure, clamer to work on a show like this.

"Firefly was the best new show of 2002's season on Fox or any other channel.  It may have been the best piece of televised genre fiction in a decade."

I agree with Elysium 100%, Firefly had the potential to become one of the best Sci-Fi shows of the decade! It was original top notch TV.

I would just like to say one thing to any FOX execs out there. I hope your network dies a horrible painful death. They have bungled so many great series and it seems the bungling hasn't stoped.

Am I the only one to notice the ever quickening pace Fox has replaced story driven TV with absolutly usless reality drivel! WTF is up with sh*t like Joe Millianaire, Man VS Beast and all the other simillar shows that were their predecessors, and why do millions of people sit and watch it. WAKE UP, IT IS TRASH TV!

I can guess the responses Whedon got while shopping it around:

NBC, ABC, CBS: A sci-fi show set in outer space?  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

WB: Wait, there's no superheroes on your show.

UPN: Look pal, we have enough trouble keeping Enterprise afloat without another spaceship show showing it up.

Sci-Fi: We're broke.  Besides, it doesn't fit our new image [namely, idiotic shows about dreams and practically everything else besides science fiction].

Maybe USA will pick it up. They're having good luck with Monk and Dead Zone.

Your pal,
a.