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Firefly: A Special Feature
Philip B. Gaines writes "Philip B. Gaines announces the completion of an independent multimedia commentary project, "Firefly: A Special Feature", a DVD based on the FOX television series created by Joss Whedon. A free examination copy of the project is available for those willing to provide feedback about this media experiment. "Firefly: A Special Feature" is a 3.5 hour multi-module review of Whedon's innovative space western series. The interactive review features a variety of interpretive and analytical components--all intended to further discussion of this seriously underappreciated show. The bottom line of the project is dialogue, not promotion. If you have seen "Firefly" before and found it intriguing--or even if you haven't--this project will make you think, argue, and perhaps even learn a bit. For "Firefly: A Special Feature", I have acted as writer, video/sound editor, and media producer, working with complete independence from the producers of the show or anyone else whose influence might bias the analysis. Plans are underway to do this kind of project again, so I would appreciate feedback on all levels. See the website for a formal description of the project Email pbgaines@pbgaines.com for a copy of the DVD."
I liked it too and don't even recall what replaced it . It wasn't a perfect show but I thought it had potential. A shame it was shot down after just a few shows. :-(
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How many angry readers will you censor by modding them down until you realized that you placed a disguised advert as an article?
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There were actually 13 episodes. The first 10 were aired in the states, while the last 3 were in the UK. Fox has to be blamed for its low Neilsen ratings since it aired the episodes out of order which probably confused the audience.
This is a test. This is a test of the emergency sig system. This has been only a test.
2) 7th Heaven is on WB.
I think you need to watch more television!
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
As seen with family guy, if a cancled series released on DVD gets a high volume of sales, producers start to catch on that they made a mistake .
I know I'll be purchasing my copy when it becomes available! It really was an interesting show, a departure from the typical StarTrek/Babylon5 mushy sci-fi.
Philip was kind enough to send me a copy of his DVD project a week and a half ago, and while I have yet to finish watching what is unarguably a massive project, everything I've watched so far is fantastic commentary. He exhibits extremely strong character analysis (essential for any discussion of Firefly) and is acutely aware of a plethora of layered subtleties in the show that I somehow completely missed, even having rewatched the episodes time and time again. Pay (if he's asking for money at all) whatever he's asking for material and/or S&H, because the project is well worth it. What I've watched of the DVD I've walked away from having an even greater appreciation for Firefly, and I didn't think that was possible.
Hopefully someone "up there" (that is to say, Whedon) will notice Philip's exemplary work and integrate it into the mythos somehow, because it deserves nothing less. Highly recommended.
Like it or don't like it, thats for each person to decide. Firefly hooked me with the first episode aired in the us. Can you imagine anyone at starfleet running the badguy through a warp engine on purpose? The actors were settled in thier roles much better than any other first season show I know of. The characters backgrounds and motivations were hinted at just enough to make you want to know more about all of them. And when you found out more, it just made you want to find out even more. I actually don't watch shows much, and I certainly don't watch to reward 'innovation'. When I watch, I want entertainment. Sometimes that comes from novelty, sometimes familiarity. Sometimes lots of different things at the same time. The only thing I think sucked about firefly was its getting canned.
No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.
For me what made it different, worlds different, than any other TV science fiction is that it actually had decent writing, well developed characters and something more humanly interesting to do than 'save the universe from the forces of darkness'. This was different because it was about an unheralded struggle to get by, something a little closer to home for most of us than the epic space opera we usually see. Not that epic space opera is bad, I'm just talking about what's different with Firefly, and what makes it special for so many of us.
Actually you've touched on exactly what I liked most about Firefly. The story of Serenity was about 'real' people. They weren't super-heroes in elastic suits fighting rubber suited aliens bent on human genocide. The stories didn't feature bigger and bigger weapons followed by bigger and bigger explosions.... (yawn).. How much of those do we need anyway. Firefly sustained and incredible hour of television drama on the simply premise of a minor engine malfuntion. That's drama. Admittedly, this draws a different audience than than the boom-boom action adventure stuff, and if anything, that's what Fox didn't get. They tried to sell it as some kind of kiddie show when it is just so much more than that. Look at the message boards. Firefly draws people of all ages, heck even girls like it! Just because this broke the mold on the epic 'splosions that you like doesn't mean it wasn't great, quite the contrary.