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Firefly Marathon on SciFi, September 18th
kulakovich writes, "Hot on the heels of Stargate's cancellation, the SciFi Channel is running an entire season of Firefly starting at 8am (Eastern) on September 18th. This news is fresh from yesterday's posting on the Whedonesque blog. Start making space on the PVR!"
Doesn't anyone that remotely cares already have the DVD?
"an entire season of Firefly" - Not to say THE entire season! ;-/
*An* entire series? Shirley THE entire series?
THE entire season you mean? Or am I missing something here? *here's me hoping!* :)
It'd be awful nice if the word "new" was inserted between "entire" and "season"... but this is cool, too.
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"An entire season..."
That's great, except that, well, there IS only one season.
Start making space on the PVR??? How about buying the damn DVDs and in the process convincing the powers that be there's a market for good SciFi?
Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
so that'll take, ooh, a couple of hours?
/little/ bizarre ...
I kid, I'm a huge Firefly fan, but the wording of the summary is a
(suppose I should take this opportunity to pimp the UK Browncoats Forum. Consider it pimped)
"The dew has clearly fallen with a particularly sickening thud this morning"
I know technically y'all like saying 'cancelled' but on the basis that SG-1 ran for 10 seasons, I'd hardly call that 'cancelled'. It's more accurate to state that 'it ended it's run' or 'completed' or simply just 'finished'.
When something gets canned after just the first season (Firefly), then THAT'S 'cancelled'.
-Jar.
Together, We Can Make Slashdot Better. I Do NOT Mod ACs. - Check Me Out
This news is fresh from yesterday's posting on the Whedonesque blog.
dude
Not to flame or anything, but I don't get the Sci-Fi Channel (wherever that is).
How exactly is this news? ... I understand it's cool and everything, but this to me is more local news than slashdot front page.
I mean
I'm sure I'm not the only one having no contact whatsoever with Sci-Fi Channel.
Tie two birds together: although they have four wings, they cannot fly. (The blind man)
I'll agree that Firefly is awesome and all, but who hasn't already seen every episode? It seems that by now, everyone is in one of two camps with respect to Firefly:
-- Has seen every episode, many multiple times, and has seen the movie.
-- Has not seen every episode, and doesn't plan to.
Who will watch the SciFi Channel's marathon?
I really hope this series gets either a spin off or a (preferably) another season or ten.
Come on EVERYBODY NOW!
Take my love
Take my land
Take me where I cannnot stand
I don't care, I'm still free
you cant't take the sky from me
Air Guitar Solo
Take me out into the Black
Tell them I aint commin' back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
There's no place I can be
Since I found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me
daka-daka-daaaawww And Horses!
http://signal.serenityfirefly.com/
In the not too distant future, next Sunday A.D.
They must have spend millions on market research to have determined that we 'nerds' prefer B movies about giant insects and episodes of RAW to SG1 and Firefly, so who do they think will be watching this marathon at 8am on a Monday? Those of us with DVRs, who've probably already recorded it or bought the DVDs?
Sci-Fi Television network, decides to show a science fiction program.
/. let alone the global one.
Wow, I dont know if I can go on now, my vision of the world has changed so much.
This shouldn't even be an article on a local version of
If this were really happening, what would you think?
I think it's great that Fierfly is going to re-air, but how many times are we going to be able to watch those same initial episodes without wanting so much more? My hope is that they will air the pilot that they failed to air the first time. I know it's probably too much to hope for, but they should really get the cast and crew back together for some more episodes. I don't think it's too far gone yet to do so. I had fun listening to the firefly podcasts people were making. I think the series has a potential similar to starwars if it were developed further. They created the possiblity of a large universe with lots of characters, plot elements, and scenarios. All in all, I can't wait to see what happens.
That would be 'the entire *half* season'.
It never made a full season.
14 episodes. Ok *slightly* more than half a seasons worth.
"My john thomas is gonna pop off and fly around the room theres so much tasty in here!" -- Jayne.
I imagine that the network executives would have choked on their caesar salads hearing that line... they couldn't cancel fast enough.
In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
Seriously. I'd think that everyone who could possibly have liked the series already seen it.
Those who are fans have bought the DVD sets too.
Is there really a big turf to expand the number of fans?
Or could they have asked for the same "promotional mini-series" 3-4 minutes each, just like what they did with BG?
Hyperom.com
Also the Spacecowboy thing didn't appeal anyone outside the US.
Yeah, some people felt nuclear armageddon would be the preferred fate for humanity over cowboys in space. Yuck.
You can take you lameness filter and shove it...
Will they be airing the episodes in the right order?
I dunno, Cowboy Bebop was pretty darn popular outside the US, and it definitely had the whole "Space Cowboy" theme going . . .
Besides, good writing has a universal appeal.
You can also just download the bittorrent. Free, no commercials, how can you go wrong?
Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
when one of the most competent charachters is black? And married to a white man? And no one has a problem with it?
Philosophy.
I can see a bit of the historical parallel, but.. racist?
Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
I know technically you're saying 'cancelled' but on the basis that Firefly ran for only 1 season, I'd hardly call that 'cancelled'. It's more accurate to state 'it was ended prematurely'.
;)
When something that should have been ended 9 or so years ago is finally laid to rest, then THATS 'canceled'.
My hand touched her hand. Her hand touched her boob. By the transitive property, I got some boob! Algebra is awesome!
As a foreword, this comment is happily placed near the top so people can see it. It really only has to do with the overall subject.
// commitment] ...
--
Okay, so why is this so important to fans that own the DVD, have seen it, or can watch video streams or any other option that would mean they don't have to watch it on TV [regardless of ownership
Advertising.
What is probably one of the biggest parts of financing a TV network is securing advertising that pays well. If you buy the DVD, or watched it before, etc... yes you have made a commitment and helped them out. The problem is the same as with newspapers. They make SO MUCH of their money off advertising they would rather give away the newspapers in some situations to customers who don't want to pay than deal with their issue. Networks work similarly. If the show can't produce good advertising [TV spots in the tens of thousands] and they have one that can [TV spots in the hundreds of thousands] they will do what is financially the smart decision, even if viewers who are watching like the current content.
I could bet a good chunk of money that somewhere up there some people are watching this very carefully to see how it goes. They made a movie that did alright but not outstanding, but... it did good so it shows promise. The DVDs have sold well, but not in bundles... again, good but not outstanding.
What they're probably looking for is what kind of viewership they have during the marathon. This is the kind of event that could tip someone's opinion on their network into saying... hey... lets put together another season. This will get us viewers = dollars.
-TK
What the fuck?
:)
Time to put down the drugs and come back to the real world.
It has a southern tone, but absolutely no racism. Some elitism based on a class society established between rich (inner planets) and poor (outer planets), but no racism. They speak a combination of Mandarin and English for God's sake. They have two main black characters. About the only thing possibly racist is that the casting didn't have nearly enough Hispanic or Asian actors, and that is purely because in America the studios tend to only put in white Caucasian and black people and think they have diversity
You are either trolling or an idiot. If you're the first, I'm sorry I bothered to respond. If you're the second, you're probably one of those dumbasses who want 'manholes' renamed as 'personholes', or refuses to chain harddrives in a master-slave relationship - in which, case you're a lost cause.
I know it may come as a shock to nerdy Slashdot community, but there are people out there who hasn't seen Firefly yet. It is aimed at them and also the devoted fans who will take any excuse to see the series again.
I hope Firefly might acquire some more interest, enlarge its fanbase, and maybe one day we might see the continuation.
Anyways, this seems not too probable and (judging by "Serenity" movie) it might be better if there was no follow-ups, if they are to screw the ambience of the series.
Still, one can only hope. I really liked it a lot.
Have you seen the show, and do you know anything of the Civil War and American history in general?
Well I don't since I don't live in America
You know far more about the Romulan Neutral Zone than you do about the real history of the actual country you live in.
Fixed
In summery I don't have a clue what your on about
The thing is, this is actually a pretty typical move for the Sci-Fi Channel. Due to a lack of material (largely since they seem to spend most of their budget financing terrible B-movies) they will often fill just about every day of the week with a long 5-8 hour block of one show. Often this seems a bit random and haphazard as they do have a decent library of older shows and they sometimes take the time to revisit a series they haven't aired in a while. Since they bought the rebroadcast rights to Firefly they're simply doing a big block of Firefly episodes.
And likewise all the actors from Farscape and Star Trek they seem to like keep hiring and firing them.
I tried to think of a good sig, and this wasn't it.
but Stargate and Firefly are pretty much completely different shows.
+++ATH0
I'm as much of a leftie as you are, but there IS a conflict between us and the movement of violent Islamic extremism. Saying "you shouldn't believe in the war on terror" doesn't make any sense to a large majority of folks out there, and it isn't even really what you mean.
Apropos of nothing.
+++ATH0
Have you seen the show
Several times. It was a good show, though I've gotten tired of it.
and do you know anything of the Civil War and American history in general?
I know the highlights.
Firefly has absolutely no racist content. It does use the post-Civil War South as the setting, but it uses it the way it uses spaceships as horses. They're slightly different. The sci-fi version of the Civil War is a libertarian vs. authoritarian fight with the obvious parallels filling in mythology gaps. The genesis of the backdrop is not "I wish the south had won", it's "no one is ever 100% right".
One of the consequences of the Civil War, while obviously doing some fantastic things for human rights, was a reduction in states' rights. And that is the part taken for the show. In the US case, it was a trade worth making. In the show's case, what is exchanged for the elimination of states' rights is never made clear, so it's assumed to be something unworthy.
But again, there is no racism in the show. You need to learn what "sci-fi/fantasy" means, and not judge a guy based on a story that doesn't say what you've decided it probably says. If the setting had been based on the War of 1812 and starred guys with British accents, would you assume they hated America?
I hate Whedon, especially his script dialogue. His characters all seem to congeal together; they speak the same style over and over again. For example here's some typical lines:
"blah blah blah! OR blah blah blah..."
"BUT blah blah blah? Oh..."
He better not screw up Wonder Woman...
- sigh
Christ. Are you one of those idiots who think the civil war was about slavery? The civil war was about trampling on the rights of the states, and of strengthening of the federal government. Slavery was just a lame excuse (just like terrorism, war on drugs, etc.) for the powergrabbing, the mere thought of the south being able to continue using slaves had they survived the war is laughable. Get a clue, retard.
I switched to the channel listed on my guide, but they has "rassling", or something simliarly weird (definitely fiction, but hardly "sci").
What is the current name of the cable/sat. channel that specializes in "Sci-Fi" (outer space exploration/warfare/..., off-worlders visiting/invading, comedy/action/drama with elements of those)? Nearest I can find is Showtime Beyond, but a lot of that is lame.
BTW, what ever happened to "Space: Above and Beyond"?
Outlaw Star, too. Firefly struck me as a nifty live-action combination of them both.
Out on DVD! Rejoice! You can watch it whenever you want, advert free! :)
Yeahbutwhat?
A show where one episode (Shindig) opens with Mal starting a bar fight with some guys... because they were slave traders?
Where one of the crew is a hero to an entire town of indentured servants because of his (ok, misunderstood) actions? (Jaynestown)
A show where most of the episodes revolve around personal freedom? (River's in Objects in Space, the whores in Heart of Gold, the indentured servants in Jaynestown, Saffron's in Our Mrs. Reynolds (till the end, anyway), Simon and River's in Safe and Ariel, Mal's in Out of Gas, and the list goes on with many moments in every show?)
A show where the entire premise is, arguably, about freedom?
The crew of Serenity were on the losing side of the war, and that's where the similarities end. Comparing Firefly/Serenity to the South in the Civil war is one of the more whacked out things I've ever heard.
My script don't crash! She crashes, you crashed her!
I understand that the one season they made was so good it could count for more, but unfortunately that's not the case.
*sighs*
The whole LOST character-centric episodic concept reminded me of an episode of S:AAB - #13:"Who Monitor's The Birds?"
;)
The whole episode is basically centered on the character Cooper Hawkes, showing flashbacks to his early time at the secret InVitro academy.
The way he handles his present situation, and the choices he makes as a result, is reflected closely albeit in a different fashion in his flashbacks.
Although there is little dialogue, when used it's used for great effect - actions speak louder than words.
A truly classic episode, perhaps of the best episodes of any Sci-Fi series ever produced. They don't make'em like that anymore, except maybe LOST...
Okay, you made a great point about trying to show the popularity of the show by boosting viewership. Unfortunately, I don't have the SciFi channel, so I can't help out. However, a point continues coming to mind:
/., you think I rtfa? Probably was in there, wasn't it?)
How do networks determine viewership? Say a million of us tune in to watch the Marathon, half even stay for the entire thing. What is the process by which the networks discover this fact? I'm trying to figure out how much it matters what show I'm watching if I don't have some sort of Nielson box in my house.
Regardless, I'm very glad that enough of the popularity has gotten noticed so that it can be re-aired. And probably in the correct order, too. (This is
Someone tell me why this is even a Slashdot story? The SciFi channel runs marathons every weekday, running a different series every day. This will not be the first time they've run Firefly. Firefly was a sub-standard show that only managed to attract a handful of nerds and wasn't even able to stay on the air for an entire season, despite being the pet project of the network president. It is no wonder the movie bombed. On the other hand, maybe I'm just bitter that Fox cancelled Dark Angel (a superior show that had already lasted two complete seasons and was drawing decent ratings) to make room for this garbage. By the way, you can also find Dark Angel on the SciFi channel.
...didn't you?
Just admit it.
This particular marathon doesn't mean all that much, but starting on Sept. 24, Firefly will be broadcast in high definition on UHD, which is going to be awesome.
http://www.tvweek.com/page.cms?pageId=212
What is this? Slashdot, turning into digg? Slashdot hasn't been plagued by the FireFly zombies has it?
Thanks for remembering my birthday, SciFi Channel. Seriously.
Yeah, spacecowboy is purely a US phenomena.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_bebop
"The series has also been broadcast by the anime television network, Animax, across Japan, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and other regions,"
"A poll in the Japanese magazine Newtype asked its readers to rank the "Top 25 Anime Titles of All Time"; Cowboy Bebop placed at number two on a list that included Mobile Suit Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion.[1]"
-stormin
The Southern Baptist Convention has creationism. On Slashdot, we have porn.
heh... i've watched cowboy bebop and firefly all the way through, and i love them both. i've often described both shows to friends like this: "Cowboy Bebop is space cowboys. Firefly is cowboys in space."
The power of Christ compiles you.
A Random Blog
Dear Lord baby infant Jesus, we thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Firefly episodes on the SciFi channel. I just want to take time to say thank you for Joss Whedon.
Why? I'd much rather watch them on DVD so I don't have to mess with skipping commercials. Don't all the Firefly fans already have it on DVD?
Edward Burr
Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.
That's because cowboy bebop was actually a pretty good show.
I've tried to watch Firefly a couple of times but it's just like all the other sub-par scifi shows out there, bad acting, bad sfx, bad costumes/set. I really don't understand the charm of this show, can somebody please explain why this show is worth watching? What am I missing? Honestly if I get some good reasons I'm gonna try again, hell I might even buy the dvd box
The SciFi channel airs marathons every weekday. This isn't special, it's just Firefly's turn. They do the same thing for Buck Rogers, Kolchak, Galactica 1980, etc.
They are playing 8 hours of Amazing Stories today. Friday they are playing 8 hours of Outer Limits and yesterday they played 8 hours of Andromeda.
Marathons of shows is what they do. That they are playing Firefly means nothing. It doesn't mean that they are going to pick it up any more than it means they are going to start making new episodes of the Incredible Hulk starring Bill Bixby. Sadly, they are both dead.
http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
Firefly rocks.
- Bill
To be fair, Cowboy Bebop was more of a Western/Sci Fi/Kung Fu. If Mal had learned some Shaolin style, Firefly would probably still be on the air.
In all seriousness though, I think that Cowboy Bebop wasn't as Western as Firefly. When I first started watching Firefly, my mind always drew comparisons with Trigun.
My twitter
I'm not saying it's "as Western", I'm saying that it also had "spacecowboy" elements. Kind of like how almost every episode ended with the text "see you, space cowboy" onscreen.
-stormin
The Southern Baptist Convention has creationism. On Slashdot, we have porn.
You don't get it: it's Firefly! This alone makes it newsworthy.
There's a hidden treasure in Python 3.x: __prepare__()
I just read this little insight about TV a few days ago (maybe here on /.) that completely changed how I look at TV. Programs are made for the advertisers, and we the viewers are just the product. When it comes right down to it, the sucess or failure of a program is determined by the advertising revenue, not really viewership. It's the amount of viewers that draw the advertisers which pays the bills. Bascially only DVD sales and 'webisodes', which are marketed directly to the viewers, are the only place the advertisers are out fo the process.
I would compare it more to an Independence War gone wrong, with British Empire beating US forces.
A post that is obviously insulting to something that most Slashdotters love. Followed by a response that insults all of the aforementioned Slashdotters -- without providing any evidence to support the claims. 1 + 1 = Troll.
Have Scifi snuck hidden cameras back into my house? Bastards.
All I know about this show is it made me a lot harder to Google.
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
It's not an entire season. It is the first 11 episodes.
I just find it extremely fascinating that their are total rabid fans of something that existed for one season that wasn't even very good. I can TOTALLY understand Star Trek because even with the horrible effects, the stories at the time were different then anything else on tv and were actually good. Of course, I was never a huge Joss Wheadon fan, but come on....cowboy clothing on a space ship??
Personally, I wish that SciFi would show more classic stuff as well as repeat their good stuff more often (BSG is hardly on except when the new ones are coming out).
And then there's that wrestling thing....
Gorkman
...that Sept 18 is a Monday, not Friday? Talk Like A Pirate Day is the 19th, and that's a Tuesday. Arrr!!!!
but relatively pointless. I myself am new to the series and even I have the DVDs. Sci-Fi is just eating time with this, but hey whoever hasn't seen firefly (2 people) will enjoy it. Let's get this shindig started.
I wonder if it's a first step in a process of bringing the series back on SCI-FI? THe do need something cool now that SG1 is gone.
No more states' rights than the US Constitution, but it does enshrine slavery.
- During 'reconstruction' there was a large part of the US govt that wanted to punish the South for the assasination of Lincoln.
- Insane Taxes were used during reconstruction to begger most of the wealthy members of southern society. Carpetbaggers were able to come in and reap huge profits because they got govt subsidies paid for by special taxes against the southern land owners. In Firefly it seems smuggling is profitable not just because the product is illegal, but because it's got obscene import taxes on it.
- flat out harrasment of former soldiers - check
- placing unelected officials in charge of some of the southern states. Seems to also be the case w/ Firefly
It's one of the major reasons people from the south moved west during that period - they were looking for their freedom. Just because someone can draw parallels to the US Cival War, doesn't mean that it's about the same excuses. The cival war was never really about slavery - not at it's heart - it was about Federal vs State authority. It just happened to be slavery that catalized the issue.Serenity is set in a period following a civil war, with a strong centralized govt, that seems to have an attitude that the browncoats still need to be taught why they were wrong.
Or next thing you know, it'll become the "All Wrasslin, All the Time" channel... at least, that is, until it morphs into a cooking channel.
They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
Ol Mr Joss there has a formula. Look at Buffy, look at Angel, and look at where Firefly was heading. He was planting seeds in teh first 11 episodes for several aroty arcs all of which would take a season on their own right.
a) What did they really do to River? (i.e. operative comes to hunt River down)
b) How do we "fix" River so she can be a normal girl/woman? (i.e. deprogram her once the big issue is out of her head, leading to..)
c) Where did the reavers come from?
d) How/when will Dr Tam and Kaylee hook up (possible the jumping of the shark moment)
Those were basically 3-4 SEASONS of episodes, once you sprinkled in the side arc and humor episodes. Instead the series got cancelled. But then he got to make a movie. Realizing this was probably the last hurrah for Firefly he packs ALL of A-D into one movie.
To pick up Firefly now would effectively be about season 4 or 5. By that point in a Whedon series you have started to add in the "random new bigbad for this season" and have started killing off loved characters randomly (which he ALSO crammed into the movie already, maybe we're on season 6).
In other words.. don't hold your breath.
I'm a fiscal conservative, it's a pity we don't have a political party anymore
Firefly will start airing on Universal HD (in HD obviously) on September 24th @ 9PM ET (SERENITY - PART 1 & 2).
More importantly, Universal HD also airs the new Battlestar Galactica in HD on Sunday's at 8PM ET and 11PM ET.
http://www.universalhd.com/
George C.
That just happens to be my birthday. Thank you SciFi!
I was just alluding to the fact that Firefly may have been "too Western" (in multiple ways) for some people. Plus, I find people to be a lot more forgiving of "anime" in general. Especially the retards who equate anything Japan with quality. (Not saying anything against Cowboy Bebop, it is an excellent series with a very solid story laced throughout.)
My twitter
If you EVER want to see this show resurrected (I certainly would), then PVR recording the marathon is not the way to go. Buy the DVDs!!! They're not that expensive, you get all the shows, plus a few extra goodies, and the studio execs get a reason to talk to Joss Whedon about bringing it back! Money talks, PVR-ing just puts another coffin nail in.
The original point was this: Also the Spacecowboy thing didn't appeal anyone outside the US.
If you're just saying it might have been too much of a Western thing, I suppose that's different. I don't really know enough about Firefly's reception outside the US to comment. I just wanted to point out that Westerns may have originated as the prototypical American genre, but that doesn't mean other people don't appreciate the genre.
I find people to be a lot more forgiving of "anime" in general
Understatement of the year! I've never been a fan of anime, but my friend has been getting me to watch a bunch during lunch at work. I'd seen a few in the past (e.g. Akira) and thought they were OK. I realy liked "Nausicaa", but that didn't seem to be "anime" by most people's standards.
So we started with Cowboy Bepop and I like it a lot. Then we watched Trigun and I nearly strangled him. The first episode has to be the most painful 25 minutes of TV I've ever sat through. The rest of the series was very uneven, with some good parts but also incredibly poor animation, worse dialogue (we're talking subtitles, not dubbed) and even more pathetic attempts to use Christian symbolism the writers clearly didn't really get. The sad part is that my friend, who'd seen it through anime-tinted glasses originally, can't seem to like it as much as he used to having seen it through my eyes.
We're onto Macross Plus now, and it seems OK, but I think that - like with a lot of sci fi - the nerds just completely lose their sense of critical appreciation when you throw eye-candy their way (defining eye-candy as either nubile young anime girls or even just spaceships and kung-fu). Same thing for intellectual fodder - the candy seems to be enough for most people. Kind of depressing, really.
-stormin
The Southern Baptist Convention has creationism. On Slashdot, we have porn.
I just checked again on the list of bestselling DVDs on Amazon. The Firefly set is ranked at #59. That may not sound impressive, except consider the following:
This is about as low as I've seen its rank, as the interest is gradually fading. They update this list HOURLY, and I've checked on it quite frequently over the past year or so. It sat consistently in the top 20 for most of that year. The other thing is that DVDs come and go from that bestseller list frequently. The ones on there now are not the ones that were there 3 months ago, or 6 months ago, or a year ago. And yet Firefly has been on there all that time, mostly in the top 20. The Serenity movie was hanging in there about 10 spots lower than Firefly through most of that time.
There are some pretty impressive amounts of sales going on for it to sit in the best selling list that long. Also, I don't think the point is lost on the network people that this show has managed to build up a following much bigger after it was gone and off the air than it ever had in its short life. That shows that it's not just the hype and publicity and TV ads for it that are keeping up interest for it. It is actually people being introduced to the show by friends and loving it and telling others about it--THREE YEARS AFTER IT WAS CANCELLED!
I have been listening to a podcast about the Firefly universe called The Signal. One of the things they broadcast was an interview with Jewel Staite, who played Kaylee. She mentioned that the rights deal they signed for the making of Serenity options the cast for a trilogy of movies. Joss and Universal's deal to get those rights from Fox included that they cannot make more of the TV series for 10 years (from the cancellation in 2003). They do, however, have full rights to keep making movies. Also, if it does well, they could offer to buy out the remainder of that 10 years from Fox if they really wanted to.
If anything is going to float this boat, I think it will be the very strong DVD sales, which are already showing. They could even make more episodes to release straight to DVD. That probably wouldn't qualify as a TV show, so they could do that without running afoul of the Fox deal.
We may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode. -Capt. Mal Reynolds
Come on, most people that care already have the DVDs and Firefly is just another great sci-fi show that was cancelled just like a bunch before it. On Labor Day Sci-Fi ran marathons of Dark Angel which was my favorite show back in the day just as Firefly was. Guess what, Dark Angel isn't going to be making a comeback and neither is Firefly. Yeah, sure maybe in 20 years they will remake it just as they did Battlestar Galactica but I'm not going to sit in the basement with my 20-sided die and wait.
I've seen Firefly a bunch on my DVDs but I'm to the point now that I probably won't bother to take it off the shelf and pop it into the DVD player to see it *BUT* if I'm flipping channels and it's on I'll probably watch. *AND* if it's a marathon *AND* there isn't anything else on Sci-Fi probably just gained some extra viewers for that day.
That is it. No conspiracy, no ulterior motives to bring back the series or even another movie. *PERIOD*
"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." - Shepard Book Quoting Malcolm Reynolds
Both the SciFi and G4 networks seem to have abandoned their original mission, and now seem to want to be Spike TV for the still-living-at-home set. G4 killed the Screen Savers, went all gaming, all the time, then started playing stale frat-boy left overs like the Man Show. SciFi never really focused on much of anything, but with the wrestling crap seems intent on moving past its geek audience to something more advertiser friendly. With 500 channels, why does all cable programming have to converge to the same half dozen formats?
Advertising is the reason that the studios want to have DRM-and-no-commercial-skip viewers for their on-line-available content. I'm not opposed to having the commercials in the downloaded versions. I think that if they were smart, they'd have 5 second commercials (not long enough to skip, but short enough to not be bothersome) or "really good commercials" that people want to watch. It's the obnoxious commercials that we all hate. If there were 24 5-second commercials sprinkled throughout an hour and 2 really great commercials that were worth watching, they could probably sell the time for much more, because people would probably see them, instead of channel surfing for a few minutes, or getting up and going to the frig or potty. Four extra minutes in a 45 minute show would be fine. Everyone would win. The advertisers would have their commercials seen. The studios would get their advertising money. The people would get their programming. If they charged people $1.00 for an early download of the show (before the free version is made available, like two days before - If you just have to see what happens on Lost before the rest of the office), that would supplement things a little more, and people would not have to shell out $3.99 for a show, and they wouldn't have to use a DRMed, crappy, viewer. And they could use Windows, MacOS, Linux, iPod, PSP, whatever...
Can't people use a little common sense to come up with alternatives for the current tv model that isn't working for everyone? Give everyone what they want, but do it so that no one is feeling the pain. Common Sense!!!
... find it elsewhere so I'll say it: Its not the entire season of Firefly. There's five episodes missing. Does anybody know why this is?
Check out this link. It has a line by line comparison of our constitution and that of the CSA. Few rights are granted to the states, but many are taken away, not the least of which the ability to ban slaveholding. State's rights, while a true cause for some, is much more often an excuse to allow laws in some states that can't gain traction in the federal government. (see abortion) Those same people will turn around and when it's convienient, attempt to pass federal legislation for issues previously defined as "states rights" issues. (see gay marriage)
Because I have the boxed set, and too many people to loan it too.
And because the more people that see it and enjoy it, the more likely this momentum will continue to build and there will be new seasons.
Let's face it: Some shows have had more seasons than they should, while this show was put down with many years ahead of it. Sure, it wasn't for everyone, but Joss has left it open to a little creative re-working. There are character openings, and an opportunity to make Serenity a little less goose like in profile.
To be blunt: if SciFi wants money, they need to invest in this show. Buy it off Fox, and spin three seasons of Joss's production payroll. Look at the Trek phenomenon's origins as a lesson in profit if nothing else.
kulakovich
The world isn't this simple black and white place. It's prefectly legitimate for writers to draw on the romanticism of the antebellum South without themselves becoming...oooohhh...completely evil.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
actually, i believe that it parallels the war of independence much more
than the civil war. brown coats as compared to red coats, the colonies
fighting for their freedom, it speaks for itsself. the show certainly dips
into a southern feel with the speach patterns, and slang but your statement
of racisim is pretty much retarded. the show almost continuously preaches about
personal freedom. oh and not to mention the highly empowered black woman
who married the wimpy geek of a pilot white guy who worships the ground
she walks on. even if it is littered with bodies.
I think the only people who understood that Chinese were the scriptwriters... The Chinese in Firefly makes no sense. See my corrections and notes.
I Myth'd every episode, but only got through the first 3 or so before the premise got boring and the acting stale. Why exactly do people like this show so much? I don't get it.
This is news for Nerds. Stuff that matters.
If you have derived enjoyment from the space opera/trading game genre, then you will most likely enjoy Firefly - and you may not know that until you read it here. Joss Whedon has done a terrific job capturing the nature of these games, intentional or not. There are many other reasons to enjoy Firefly, this is just one. That SciFi is making a boost on this show again is worthy of note if you are science fiction fan of any sort.
kulakovich
"You can not stop the signal." =)
kulakovich
/guessing that simplified didn't show up but the pinyin did
//found at serenityfirefly.com
Why would I want to watch this when I have all the eps on DVD, so I can have them:
* in the creator-intended viewing order
* commercial-free
* with digital sound (though DD5.1 mix like HBO series' would be nice)
* with extra features
* with episode commentaries
?
Unless, of course, SciFi is gauging whether or not to bring the series back into production.
Hmm.
I don't have a problem with sci-fi enthusiasts clinging to older sci-fi some of it was indeed brilliant but I think it's sad when I hear them avoiding new franchises out of love for the old ones.
I don't like people complaining when the universes differ, that's part of sci-fi.
Anyway Eureka and Battlestar Galactica will be back soon...
And for action sci-fiers there's Dark Angel which many Firefly enthusiasts in particular seem to feel is totally anaethema.
brown coats as compared to red coats
Shouldn't that read "brown coats as compared to the Continental Army"?
Other than that, I completely agree with you...
See, browncoats aren't rabid... we're just pedantic.
but the only similarity is that Morena Baccarin is in both.
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
Meanwhile, Joss has specifically cited reading Gettysburg as an inspiration for Firefly ("That, of course, made me think of the Millenium Falcon, because most things do."), and the parallels with ex-Confederates moving West to start anew are quite obvious.
That said, in the world of Firefly, slavery is at least tolerated by the ruling authority, and it isn't racially motivated. Indeed, race is never explicitly or even implicitly mentioned in Firefly, and slavery is never linked with the war in any way. So while Firefly is obviously drawing on American history, dismissing it as Confederate appologia is absurd given the racial and gender equality presented in the show.
One of the things I love about Firefly is that it has adherents all over the political spectrum, and I've heard it dismissed as hopelessly biased both to the left (sexual freedom, distrust of the "rich and fancible") and to the right (guns as way of life, distrust of big government). It's interesting to note, of course, that Serenity got a lot of really positive reviews on Libertarian web sites...
Marathon? More like a 5K.
I understand you want more viewers, but you Firefly fans are making yourselves into the Jehovah's Witnesses of the Web.
Thin ice, my friend.
I think you mean the entire season of Firefly.
I really enjoy good sci-fi, but I will not watch anything which is sci-fi just for the sake of it being sci-fi. I am more interested in a quality piece of entertainment than in indulging the genre itself.
I watched a bit of Firefly because it was hyped so much, but to be honest I thought it was just as clichéd as 95% of the rest of the sci-fi tv shows/movies out there and I gave up on it. Perhaps it was marginally better or marginally more imaginative than most shows, but when a genre's fans start celebrating slight improvements or changes as if they were quantum leaps of imagination, then I think there is a problem.
Besides Firefly itself, sci-fi fans keep looking backwards (which funnily enough goes against the premise of being a sci-fi fan), and sinking more and more time and money into the old standards like Star Wars and Star Trek. Think about this; Star Trek/Wars are still at the pinnacle of sci-fi creativity, and they are 40 and 30 years old respectively. At what point do Star Trek/Wars become inherently too old? By its nature, sci-fi shouldn't be stuck in the same creative rut as the western movie genre is. How long will it be until really new ideas surface?
Sci-fi publishing is in marginally better shape with some creative ideas being presented, but there doesn't seem to be the same crossover from printed fiction to cinema in sci-fi the way there is in mainstream fiction. Why is this? Do sci-fi fans read?
For myself, an important part of sci-fi is imagination, and sci-fi tv/movies are no longer imaginative (there is some product which has imaginative concepts but suffers from poor plot/production/other dismal flaws). Sci-fi is a sick animal with its head up its ass, eating its own shit, proclaiming how delicious and nutritious it is. I would think more sci-fi fans would look forward to the day when something fresh comes along.
RTFM; please, I beg you.
See the daily Amazon.com ranking since 2003-07-22 at fff. The market for new straight to DVD episodes would be huge.
Thank you very much for the link to that sales tracker page. That was the information I really wanted, and I didn't know that had been stored somewhere. That is awesome, and I'm keeping that link.
We may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode. -Capt. Mal Reynolds