Joss Whedon's 'Firefly'

dolores haze said:

My hubby kept saying that a woman like Zoe would never choose a man like Wash, but I think he was just really jealous.

Click to expand...

I agree with your husband. That was one of the aspects of the show that just didn't work for me.

Well, in all fairness, my wife chose me, which is about the same thing.

She hasn't actually killed anyone, but I do get nervous occasionally...

Shadow_Ferret said:

I agree with your husband. That was one of the aspects of the show that just didn't work for me.

Click to expand...

Actually, strangely enough, I'm former military and knew several Zoe types, they all had husbands like Wash so that actually panned out.

Opposites attract



I will also add, I think people don't put things in their proper perspective. As a SEASON ONE, Firefly was a great show. Look at all the other season ones of other shows and you'd be hard press to find an equivalent.

A few come to mind. But compare Firefly to Season one of Star Trek Next Gen or Babylon 5 and it is like night and day.

Imagine what they would have been able to do had they had another season, hell if they were just allowed to finish thier first season.

I loved that show

Damn you Fox, Damn you to that Special Hell Shepard was talking about!!!

Mel...

Loved Firefly. Didn't like the movie as much. Inara & River were on my least fav characters list. I didn't like Inara's relationship with Mal. It was too messed up for me. 'Course I just have to deal with that. I liked the character dynamic and the camera work. I'm still doing missionary work for the show and forcing friends to watch it. Went too far on this last one and have yet to pry the DVDs out of the latest convert's hands. It's proven to be as addictive as Eddie Izzard to the pack I run with.

and ooo gush gush gush.

Cheers!

Watched it from the pilot right through to it's untimely cancellation. Immediately joined the other brown coats in their campaign to get it picked up by another network, the result of which was the release of the entire series on DVD and eventually the release of Serenity. Bought the DVDs and have sinced watched it another eleven times. Saw Serenity in the theatres twice, bought the DVD and watched it another five times. I think it's fair to say that it's my favourite show of all time, and I want more.

Joss Whedon is one of the best television story tellers out there. The problem is he doesn't load up the first episodes with a ton of hooks to get the audience, he paces himself. That's why most of his shows have tremendous staying power, if they're given the chance to run their course.

Fox screwed up one of the most refreshing, unique shows to come along in a very long time. They didn't air the shows in sequence and they messed up the time table for when the show was supposed to air, and then they had the balls to say that 3.5 million viewers wasn't enough and cut it in favour of more reality shows. Thanks for nothing, Fox.

You're damn right I'm still bitter about it.

I tried watching it when it aired, but the wonky sequence (perhaps) confused me and made the show kind of stupid and unlikeable. I couldn't believe it was Joss Whedon at the time. Flash forward a couple years, the show hits DVD, and I finally go, Ohhhhh, it IS a good show.

So, yeah, Fox royaly screwed that up.

Another problem was the far cry from his vampire shows. Everyone expected another horror-type story, but got this sci-fi western. Too different, I guess.

Now we have Dollhouse to look forward to next year. Who cares what it's about if we get to see Eliza Dushku every week. (Yep, I even followed Tru Calling for that one.)

"Zoombie, I want to see eight thousand words. Printable words! I still remember that essay you wrote when Firefly got canceled. I do NOT want to see the word "fuck" typed eight thousand times again."

((If anyone gets that, I'll be a happy Gonzo style journalist from the future))


On a serious note, I'd just like to say...everything Mel just said!

Firefly has been one of the most frustrating experiences for me. I loved the show. Loved it. And I don't care for science fiction. The setting, the characters, and the stories were all amazing. Beautiful work.

However, the fact that the show was canceled in such a terrible fashion infuriates me. Fox had the idiotic idea to rearrange the episodes and then terminate the show because of low ratings. Who would read a book that had pages randomly rearranged by the editor? Unless, you know, it was something like the sequel to House of Leaves.

If I ever become independently wealthy, I'm paying Whedon, Fillion and all other parties involved way too much money to churn out another 30 or 40 episodes. Kidnapping may need to be utilized as well. And I may need a team of people as off-balance as me to pull this off. Sort of like Cecil B. Demented but a little more nerdy. I'll start taking applications as soon as I earn my first $100,000,000.

crimsonlaw said:

If I ever become independently wealthy, I'm paying Whedon, Fillion and all other parties involved way too much money to churn out another 30 or 40 episodes. Kidnapping may need to be utilized as well. And I may need a team of people as off-balance as me to pull this off. Sort of like Cecil B. Demented but a little more nerdy. I'll start taking applications as soon as I earn my first $100,000,000.

Click to expand...

It can air on my independently wealthy television network where excellent shows that are canceled get a second chance. (And also where I can infinite reruns of my favorites. Whedon Central it shall be.)

ReneC said:

Watched it from the pilot right through to it's untimely cancellation. Immediately joined the other brown coats in their campaign to get it picked up by another network, the result of which was the release of the entire series on DVD and eventually the release of Serenity. Bought the DVDs and have sinced watched it another eleven times. Saw Serenity in the theatres twice, bought the DVD and watched it another five times. I think it's fair to say that it's my favourite show of all time, and I want more.

Joss Whedon is one of the best television story tellers out there. The problem is he doesn't load up the first episodes with a ton of hooks to get the audience, he paces himself. That's why most of his shows have tremendous staying power, if they're given the chance to run their course.

Fox screwed up one of the most refreshing, unique shows to come along in a very long time. They didn't air the shows in sequence and they messed up the time table for when the show was supposed to air, and then they had the balls to say that 3.5 million viewers wasn't enough and cut it in favour of more reality shows. Thanks for nothing, Fox.

You're damn right I'm still bitter about it.

Click to expand...

Tell us how you really feel...

My AW name is NOT my state of mind or being, if that's any hint about my feelings for the show. Firefly rocks. 'Nuff said.

Worst show on TV. Ever.


Noooo - hold the execution, I jest, I jest!

I'm going back home in a month - my family think it's to see them. Actually, I just want to pick up my Firefly DVDs as I didn't bring them over with me and haven't watched the show in over a year.

dolores haze said:

Inara (sp?), the courtesan character, drove me nuts. She reminded me of Counsellor Troy, of whom I have a completely unreasonable hatred.

Click to expand...

Inara was an interesting idea, but didn't really go anywhere. She never did quite have much of an agenda. The show was episodic (not surprisingly), but had a good overall feel. I liked the slightly overdone
comedy more than anything else.

Perhaps if things had developed....It was a good start.

The movie Serenity shows that the set up had some epic potential....maybe too much epic potential...like any saga of the old west.

I like the tied up ends in the Serenity movie and River going super reaver on the reavers warmed the cockles of my heart. Out bad assed the bad asses!

dgiharris said:

Actually, strangely enough, I'm former military and knew several Zoe types, they all had husbands like Wash so that actually panned out.

Opposites attract



I will also add, I think people don't put things in their proper perspective. As a SEASON ONE, Firefly was a great show. Look at all the other season ones of other shows and you'd be hard press to find an equivalent.

A few come to mind. But compare Firefly to Season one of Star Trek Next Gen or Babylon 5 and it is like night and day.

Click to expand...

Opposites might attract but they don't stay together very long. You need some commonality. Sorry, it just didn't ring true. Might simply be because Wash was my least favorite character.

And I disagree with your assessment of season ones. All seasons ones are pretty good, otherwise they wouldn't hook us and get us into season two.

Bad season ones end up being canceled.

Anyway, I'm not much of a Josh Whedon fan. Didn't care for Buffy and this was just too hit and miss for me.

So, I bought the Firefly Series a year ago,

Watched it twice, and cried

then threw it into the DVD a month ago for a third viewing. Turns out for some wierd reason, on the first disk I skipped episode 4 (guess the title layout somehow made me think 3 and 4 were the same title).

So in effect, I saw a brand new firefly episode.

I was so warm and fuzzy in pure Serenity afterglow and bliss. ANd then when it was over, I died a little bit inside.

Like my mind can't get over the fact that such a great show was cancelled. I have fantasies about becoming wealthy and hiring Whedon to finish that show.

Another fantasy I have is about going to Fox, finding the people that are responsible for cancelling the show, and kicking them in the groin so they can feel my pain!

And I disagree with your assessment of season ones. All seasons ones are pretty good, otherwise they wouldn't hook us and get us into season two.

Bad season ones end up being canceled.

Click to expand...

Let me add a correction, season ones aren't usually as good as seasons 2+.
Season one of Babylon five was horrible. I barely got through it.

Usually, season ones are good 'enough' to not get cancelled, but no matter how brilliant the staff, it always takes the a season's worth of writing and audience reaction to 'tweak' all the characters until they are just right.

Look at the Simpsons, Homer wasn't near the idiot he is now, they didn't figure out how to effectively use Marge until later, and later they figured out how to expand and utilize all the other characters in Springfield.

Interestringly enough,

THere have been some BRILLIANT season ones that have gotten cancelled.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (or Studio 60 for short) was f-ing genuis and I couldn't believe it got cancelled.

Anyways, Firefly rocked. To say otherwise is blasphemy

Mel...

Shadow_Ferret said:

And I disagree with your assessment of season ones. All seasons ones are pretty good, otherwise they wouldn't hook us and get us into season two.

Click to expand...

Oh, if only this were true. Then I wouldn't have to fight my way through the abysmal laughability of Buffy's short season one to get to the goodness that is Buffy season two.

But then, you don't like Buffy, so your mileage clearly varies.

Don't like the Simpsons, either.

"Willie, Izy, grab 'em, while I get the rope!!!"

Shadow_Ferret said:

Opposites might attract but they don't stay together very long. You need some commonality. Sorry, it just didn't ring true. Might simply be because Wash was my least favorite character.
.

Click to expand...

I think you're missing the fundamentals of the character of Zoe. She is not the "warrior princess" because she enjoys it. It's a job and a simple matter of survival. She wanted a quiet life, but life had other plans. She loves Wash because he isn't dark and broody. She wants a man who Can and Does laugh. Shes the classic reluctant warrior. She's good at it, but it wasn't her choice.

Re: Another poster's comment of "Inara = Troy"? (shudders...no comparison)
Inara's character had a brain. Troy's head was simply to hold up her hair. Again, it's the basic question of why is the character in that setting. Troy's character chose to be a bimbo. Inara's character chose her life as a means out of the squalor. It was a means to an end, not the end in itself.

I liked Firefly because it was fun And believable. I hated Star Trek NG. I watched the first season of NG out of disbelief that it had to improve. I wanted Warf to pull out his weird Klingon sword and assassinate Pickard and announce, "Take that Busdriverman!" Then I wanted him to kill Riker and announce, "That should teach you to think with the brain above your neck instead of the one betweeen your legs!" Then I wanted him to put the blade against Jordie's neck and demand, "Disable this holodeck permanently or I shall show you just how replaceable you are!"

Firefly had characters that were doing their best in a bad situation. Star Trek NG's characters had a great situation and they were simply incompetant. In an effort to probably give emotional depth to the characters their foibles became their dominant personalities on what was supposed to be the flagship of the Federation. Did nobody review their personell files before hiring these characters? What does that say of the Federation?

I purchased the DVD's of Firefly. I only watched NG movies as they came on TV and then found them less than rivetting and found better things to do than finish watching them...like clip my toenails

dgiharris said:

Usually, season ones are good 'enough' to not get cancelled, but no matter how brilliant the staff, it always takes the a season's worth of writing and audience reaction to 'tweak' all the characters until they are just right.


..

Click to expand...

If that were true, then good shows like Firefly and Farscape would have had a longer run and these "reality shows" would have died a quick death. The sad fact is that studio exectutives by and large aren't interested in good stories .

I liked Firefly, but it just wasn't as good as Cowboy Bebop. And having watched Bebop first, it's impossible not to compare.

It was good, though. Definitely a shame it was cancelled.

GeorgeK said:

I think you're missing the fundamentals of the character of Zoe. She is not the "warrior princess" because she enjoys it. It's a job and a simple matter of survival. She wanted a quiet life, but life had other plans. She loves Wash because he isn't dark and broody. She wants a man who Can and Does laugh. Shes the classic reluctant warrior. She's good at it, but it wasn't her choice.

Re: Another poster's comment of "Inara = Troy"? (shudders...no comparison)
Inara's character had a brain. Troy's head was simply to hold up her hair. Again, it's the basic question of why is the character in that setting. Troy's character chose to be a bimbo. Inara's character chose her life as a means out of the squalor. It was a means to an end, not the end in itself.

I liked Firefly because it was fun And believable. I hated Star Trek NG. I watched the first season of NG out of disbelief that it had to improve. I wanted Warf to pull out his weird Klingon sword and assassinate Pickard and announce, "Take that Busdriverman!" Then I wanted him to kill Riker and announce, "That should teach you to think with the brain above your neck instead of the one betweeen your legs!" Then I wanted him to put the blade against Jordie's neck and demand, "Disable this holodeck permanently or I shall show you just how replaceable you are!"

Click to expand...

Star Trek would have been a lot better if:
a) the Klingons had been more flexible and less fixated on being Klingons
b) they had subjugated the Federation
c) the show was about their poorly-funded Alien Contact bio-science
Contact group
d) and/or if the Klingons had had a Contact group like the Contact group in some of Iain Bank's novels....
f) or just forget the Klingons and 99% of star trek (cowboys in space again remember "TreK" wagon train etc. saga of space...egad! ) and have the Contact group and the associated machine minds be the focus of the show...

dolores haze said:

While you're on your rampage, Mel, could you pop over to HBO and inflict some serious hurt on the bastards who cancelled Rome Carnivale? I'd appreciate it.

Click to expand...

Fixed.