Has Firefly influenced your takes on pilots of new shows? by Sundance

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Has Firefly influenced your takes on pilots of new shows?

POSTED BY: SUNDANCE
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:44
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Thursday, January 12, 2006 11:37 PM

Phew! that was a long'un! Morning all hope everyone's settled in to 2006 and counting down until pay day, hot damn i'm broke!

Anywho a thought occured to me last night whilst watching the pilot episode of Bones on Sky One. I think it was the pilot, as there was much much much exposition and rubbish dialogue to help any poor old thickys sat at home trying to read between the oh-so thin plot lines and characterisations!

Yep i thought it was a bit rubbish, even with the exciting prescence of David B who is always a good watch, but his geeky partner i didn't like and the writing wasn't that good either. Also what's with the worlds most enormous warehouse to work in as well?? If anybody else saw this they know what i mean, how expensive must it be to work in that lab with hug lighting rigs and absolutely ridiculously massive light boxes full of "bones"? Sorry if you haven't seen the pilot (if it was that) then you won't know what the hell i'm ranting for so i'll get back to my point!

I sat there and thought, this is not that good, but what if it could've been better but the big chiefs upstairs made the creators make it rubbish to suit their intended audience a-la Firefly and the Train Job. Don't get me wrong i really liked that episode but Firefly was not originally presented as it was intended, so has this happened with other shows?

I have discovered Firefly impacting on my brain patterns in all sorts of strange ways, this being one of them - but that's kinda cool - has anyone else found themselves giving shows a more open mind after the tragedy that was Fox programming?

So i'm giving Bones another shot to see if it improves, although i have to be honest i have low hopes for it, it seems like a mixture of Cold Case and CSI (which i both love) which is a shame, hate to see good talent wasted on rrrubish writing!

Be safe, be seen!
s-rant
xxx

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 1:02 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Totally.

It's very difficult to watch bad TV when you've been watching good TV. I find it very difficult to watch most of the other dramas out there (mostly cop shows). And don't get me started on Hex! Absolutely brutal! And all the worse for the actors and writers claiming it was "much more adult and less silly than Buffy." Spoken like a bunch of wannabes who never watched the show...

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Friday, January 13, 2006 1:11 AM

SUNDANCE

Howdy do!

Yes the rubbish that was Hex, it was truly silly and not at all grown up, another brit disappointment! Ahh the worst form of defence - slating the very show that made it's creation possible (what demons and chicks - surely an original idea!) How grown up of them!

But as you say let's NOT get into that debate, no doubt there is a fan out there somewhere and when we find them, we will have to destroy them and erase the horribleness forever!
xx

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 2:42 AM

HAWK

I never used to place so much emphasis on character and sense of humour in my genre TV before Firefly!

This is why I find it hard to get into shows with staid characterisations and archetypes nowadays. Damn you Firefly, and damn the lot of YOU!

You at home, dripping melty cheese, or cheeses, onto the keyboard, spreading your poisonous love and affection! You have made me one of your own!

(jumps out of an open window)

(discovers we're on the fifteenth floor. Damn you Firefly!)

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Friday, January 13, 2006 2:53 AM

SUNDANCE

Nooo! what a tragic waste! Unless of course you were collected safely with Wash's careful piloting moments after you leaped (or is it lept??) into oblivion!

I would've followed but i'm a bit busy today, things to do, cheese to melt etc etc.

Do you have the eyes of a Hawk? Ears of the Wolf, or Speed of a Puma?? I guess the first judging by your name!

Be careful out there and mind those ledges!
x

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 2:59 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Actually, that reminds me that I was ruined at a very early age because of a cartoon I watched called Mysterious Cities of Gold. Brilliantly written, beautiful characters and a rip roaring adventure story. Also my introduction to sci-fi. After I watched that I kept expecting ~every~ cartoon to have a coherent story and developing characters. Not something that happened a lot in '80s cartoons!

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Friday, January 13, 2006 3:06 AM

SUNDANCE

Excellent - at last i'm not alone! I absolutely loved Cities of Gold (hums theme tune "ahhahahah, someday we will find the citi-es of golllld!") happy happy memories! I watched every episode i think, thank you bbc broom cupboard! It seemed to be on for ever and ever but the story was so interesting that you didn't want to miss them getting to the end of their journey! But i think i might have - damnation! What happened in the end, was it the bit with robots in the mountain? It's all a blur now....

It was definately leagues ahead of all other cartoons esp the awful Ulysses 31 (??) and Belle and Sebastian (large mouths), also loved Dungeons and Dragons (but who doesn't ;)) except when they went back home and everything was back to normal - rrrrubish!

Thanks for keeping the dream alive!
x

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 3:21 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Yes! Someone else out there!!!

The ending had the Olmeks, an alien looking race who wanted the children's DNA because they were infertile. They had radiation technology, but it had altered them.

You also got to meet Esteban's father.

There's a DVD available, made by a fan. I'll try and get the details for you. It's free as far as I know. He gets very cranky when people try to sell it on ebay! It even has Philip Scofield singing the theme tune when the last episode was screened! It's priceless! And pretty good quality too.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 3:33 AM

SUNDANCE

Hurrah - that makes 3 of us then! Ah yeh the aliens in the mountain (is that right?), bit of a heavy story line for a children's cartoon, and we met his father blast, i definately don't remember that! I really need to see that if you can pass on details that'd be great thank u!

Seeing as we're taking a punt down memory lane i don't suppose you can remember the name of the Aussie sci-fi teen show with Todd Landers from Neighbours in it can you? He was an alien with a spaceship travelling in time or something? I really liked that show - so much i can't remember it's name, but it was good. Oh yeh and is it just me or is Jim Robinson now taking over American TV?? How weird!

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 4:01 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

The Tommorow Children or Tomorrow People, can't remember which. I know there was a British show in the 70's with the same name, but that's all I know. I saw a few eps.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 4:22 AM

GWEK

Here's how Firefly has impacted my take on pilots: I don't watch new shows on Fox, because they're just going to be cancelled.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 4:35 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Mornin' Sundance.

I haven't seen "Bones" so I can't comment on it. What I can comment on is that Firefly has influenced how I judge tv & what I decide to watch & not watch.

Firefly raised the bar for television as far as I am concerned. Buffy & Angel really didn't influence me that way, so it must be that the concept of Firefly, the writing, and the cast really clicked for me. I have found my taste in shows has changed, becoming more discerning of what I will invest my tv viewing time on.

I have found I watch a lot less tv than I used to before Firefly. Guess you can say that Firefly ruined me for other programming.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org

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Friday, January 13, 2006 4:46 AM

SHIELDMAID

Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
Here's how Firefly has impacted my take on pilots: I don't watch new shows on Fox, because they're just going to be cancelled.

I read this and promptly startled to laugh so hard I snorked my morning coffee up my nose.

This is SO true!!! It's literally gotten so bad that everytime we see a new show there, if hubby or I says, "Gosh. That might be interesting," the other immediately begins the Cancellation Countdown. How pathetic is THAT?!

Firefly is *absolutely* one of the yardsticks for originality and excellence by which I measure everything else, now.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 4:54 AM

GWEK

Since "Firefly", I've given Fox three more chances:

"Tru Calling"
"Point Pleasant"
"The Inside"

Do I need to say anything more?

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Friday, January 13, 2006 4:56 AM

SUNDANCE

Mornin' yourself BC1, is it really that early where you are? Shouldn't you be tucked up having pretty frontier dreams by now?

Anyways i think you are right, i definately don't watch as much TV now as i used to before FF, even though i was a late comer and only caught re-runs on Sci fi, it still made some crazy impact on my mind and spirit, which is an impressive task for any person let me tell you!

It was a similar feeling when Buffy finally ended, i didn't know what the hell i was going to do with my time and i knew nothing i ever saw would match up to it, until i saw FF of course - yes i really did pitch in late! I then only bleedin' discovered it had been cancelled, thanks a lot, oh how the TV Gods mocked me! Thank chreeist for DVD is all i can say, happy days live on.

So as a matter of interest, what do you make an effort to watch now?

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 5:15 AM

JAYRO

Just a quick thought.

Anyone else think that if Firefly were released as a new show now, it would be given more of a chance by the studios?

The huge success of 'Lost' has shown that slow-burning shows with ensemble casts are suddenly de rigeur. Suddenly the channels are full of new sci-fi/dramas - Threshold and Invasion, for example (and yes, not all of them are much cop). The point is, the very things that F*x counted against Firefly seem now to be back in vogue.

What do y'all think?

------------------------

I don't care, I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 5:31 AM

STEALTHGUY

I would say that Joss Whedon and not just Firefly in general has affected the way I watch TV. I used to be a big fan of a SciFi show that many people have criticized. I am almost embarrassed to say what it was, but it rhymes with Bar Deck Koyager

Anyway, I started watching Buffy since its inception, and I was just blown away by the story telling and dialog (I also liked the music and the girl power theme). I then went back to watch the other show with the higher expectations that Buffy had instilled in me, and that other show didn't seem all that great anymore. The quality of the first 4 or so seasons of Buffy also caused me to be critical of Buffy seasons 6 and 7. They didn't come close to measuring up in my opinion.

Now, I have recently enjoyed Stargate: Atlantis. However, here comes Joss again with the greatness of Firefly, and now I don't enjoy Atlantis as much as I once did. Thanks a lot!!

Ever since Joss opened my eyes with Buffy, I have often thought that most people are missing out because they think they are watching great TV shows, but they just don't know what great TV really is. They need to be Whedonized.

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Friday, January 13, 2006 5:34 AM

SUNDANCE

Hey thar, that is a damn fine question and worth a ponder.

Trouble is now we're already at the stage where the sci-fi-esque shows are saturating the market so there may be more heavy fall out rather than less. Also most of the "new" shows out seem to be trying to re-hash tried and tested methods, harking back to the X-files and such but we've kind of been there and done that. It's like before Buffy you probably would never have had shows like Charmed or Alias, Dark Angel etc - everyone likes to jump on that bandwagon and roll with it.

Unfortunately Firefly is in a bit of stick re this as it's entirely new and original and basically in a league of it's own. But that scares people, they like to watch something new, but don't like the challenge of the untested, familiarity is a happy home or some such rot if you get my drift. So in a wordy way i'm saying i'm not sure it would survive along with all the other shows...but what the hell do i know.

I really like Lost, but i love FF why is one hugely successful and the other not? I just don't get it - does it have something to do with marketing and the "who you know" not "what you know" scenario. More to the point, will we ever get over the fact that we woz robbed??

x
x

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"

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Friday, January 13, 2006 6:08 AM

QUEENOFTHENORTH

Yes, Joss Whedon and my own brain have almost entirely ruined tv for me. The only things I can watch with any regularity anymore are animes (because they have episodic story lines and funny stuff just like Joss shows), Supernatural, which is actually pretty good, and Young Blades. The last one is a Canadian made show about the next generation of Musketeers. The main character is a girl posing as a guy so she can be a Musketeer. Anyway, it's absolutely hilarious and is almost like supernatural musketeers, cuz they have to deal with cults and magic and stuff. It's really good.

But other than that, I can't stand to watch anything else on TV anymore. Even the new Simpsons eps suck nowadays. It's very disappointing.

"I'm having one of those things - a headache with pictures."

"Sucker! Competitive violence, that's why you're here!"

Like books? Go to this thread: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=14862
to find out how to buy mine!

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Friday, January 13, 2006 6:54 AM

CLIOMUSE

I am in the same camp as Browncoat1. "Firefly" really influenced how I watch television. Before "Firefly" I never really paid much attention to who was at the wheel, so to speak. The Jossverse has been educational as well as entertaining (over, over, two-shot). I find myself watching fewer shows more intently, if that makes sense. I am also a lot more forgiving about pilot episodes if they are followed by something decent. You never know what was going on behind the scenes. Though I have to admit my husband and I are frequently guilty of asking each other, "Now how would the good folks at Mutant Enemy have handled this?" when we are watching something that isn't fulfilling its promise.

Before Serenity I had never followed the production of a film. I just new LotR, or whatever, was coming and waited for it. Now I find myself looking to see what particular writers and directors are up to.

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Monday, January 16, 2006 12:51 AM

HAWK

Quote:
Nooo! what a tragic waste! Unless of course you were collected safely with Wash's careful piloting moments after you leaped (or is it lept??) into oblivion!

I would've followed but i'm a bit busy today, things to do, cheese to melt etc etc.

Do you have the eyes of a Hawk? Ears of the Wolf, or Speed of a Puma?? I guess the first judging by your name!

Be careful out there and mind those ledges!
x

"Who would want a motorised rock?
Another motorised rock?"[quote/]

Whoa... Sundance, was that a Bravestar reference?

Marshall Bravestar battles the evil Tex Hex (Tex Hex! Cause he's Texan and Hexish!)with the aid of his trash talking robot horse and a small gopher man type thing called Fuzz!

Somebody should make a pilot of that beauty!

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Monday, January 16, 2006 1:08 AM

MEENOL

But Bravestarr... a horse with a futuristic blunderbuss... what were they on?

Firefly hasn't really influenced my viewing habits, as I don't watch TV at all any more, aside from occasionally to catch the news. Although it has restored my faith in the American media. What with Buffy (teen soap opera with female eye candy and some weird jazzy bits), Angel (the same, but with male eye candy on every episode) and Lost (adult soap opera with a load of cheesy Lord of the Flies references), I could've sworn that they were all on the way to the special level of Hell. But now I try to keep an ear to the ground.

And yes, I'm aware I'm a heretic for slamming other Jossviewing, but that's the way I feel. Also, slightly more forgiving of the above; they were growing pains before the birth of Firefly.

Oh, and does the term "soap opera" exist in the American TV vocab? Admittedly the series above are slightly different beasts (partly by virtue of having series rather than just being constantly on), but they seem "worthy" of the title.

-----------------

No, THIS is what going mad feels like.

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Monday, January 16, 2006 6:44 AM

CYBERSNARK

Quote:
Originally posted by Meenol:
But Bravestarr... a horse with a futuristic blunderbuss... what were they on?

The 80s.

(Growing up in the 80s was unspeakably awesome, I recommend everyone try it.)

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Tuesday, March 20, 2007 6:01 PM

BROWNCOAT2007

Anyone here have crazy mental breakdowns thinking they are watching Firefly, when their friends all notice that your staring off into space and crying watching some lame new show on fox? I DO!!! lol, I'm even complaining screaming random things like "WHY FOX WHYYYYY?!?!?!?!" Needless to say, they don't like watching tv with me much =D

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Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:44 PM

ZEROKIRYU

Someone needs to destroy the evil that is "According to Jim".

Oh no, I think A repeat is coming on.
(Runs to shut off the T.V. in hopes the evil will not escape.)

Too late!!!

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