Why not give "Firefly" another go? Or at least try. by Hathos

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Why not give "Firefly" another go? Or at least try.

POSTED BY: HATHOS
UPDATED: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 10:04
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 1:32 AM

Maybe this was covered on another post at another time, but I'm asking anyhow.

Until recently I had never heard of "Firefly" or "Serenity". But sinse I've bought both the movie and the series, I cant seem to get away from the question..."Why not try again?" I'm very aware that its not as simple as it sounds, but hear me out.

I personally believe that in this particular series, it was simply too ahead of its time. And when I say that I mean only by a couple of years. Lets go back in the "way back machine" and remeber what happened to "Star Trek" when it first aired.....BOMBED! Then a couple of years later, after a couple of current events took place in real life, what happened? They aired "Star Trek" again. And Hey, 5 series and 10 movies later, we're still watching it on TV.
Now...All Im really saying is that "Serenity" is now basically a cult sci-fi classic. Not to mention the series. With the dvds success, maybe its worth another shot. Oh yea and for future reference, spend the money on advertising. Cuz I'm sorry, I didnt know the series even existed until the extras on the "Serenity" dvd told me so. No publicity is worse than bad publicity.

I may be wrong, but I'm willing to bet that because of the movie's popularity and better future advertising, they could re-run the original episodes at a peek hour and have a hit on their hands. The "human interaction" in the series and the movie can grab the viewer hook line and sinker...it got me. And I'm grateful.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 1:53 AM

BROWNCOAT1

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

Welcome to the site and to the ranks of the browncoats Hathos. We're glad to have you onboard.

Many of us have asked that question; "Why not try again"? As you said, it is not that simple. Two of the cast members are currently cast in other shows. Joss is wrapped up in Wonder Woman. There is also the fact that several of the cast have brought up references to a contract with Fox that basically prohibits Firefly from being on television. The exact wording and specifics of the alleged contract have not been divulged, but certainly any sort of legal agreement would hinder a revival of a television series. Add to this the less than stellar performance of the movie at the box office and the odds don't look good.

Don't get me wrong, I ain't giving up. I'm a browncoat. The longer the odds, the harder I'll fight. That's what we do. I hold out hope every day of movie sequel, books, etc. I would love a return to television. How vindicated would Joss, the cast and all the browncoats feel if a new series aired? I don't think words could describe it. The issue here is that Joss is in charge. If anything is to be done with our 'verse officially it is up to him. The proposals for two novels are dead in the water over at Pocket Books waiting on Joss's approval. They have sat there for about a year. Not sure why Joss has not given them the nod, but my guess is that the man has a lot on his plate.

I guess timing really is everything. We need to keep the faith until Joss thinks the time is right to continue the story. We have to keep doing what it is that browncoats have been doing for four years now: spread the word, convert new fans, and push the dvds.

I know the story isn't over yet. We just have to keep the faith.

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

"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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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:21 AM

BROWNCOAT555

I am also curious about what, exactly, FOX owns with regard to this franchise. We know they own the term "Firefly", at least with regard to it being the title of a show. We don't know much else.

As I have said in previous threads, I truely believe that the Serenity 'VERSE is the greatest, most plausible sci fi setting to date. It would be a CRIME to let the setting die.

I would like to see the Malcolm Reynolds story arc resolved on the silver screen. I think that is the best place for it given where the story is and the fact that Nathan has a full-time gig.

What we need is a new show set in the 'VERSE with the same focus on the outer planets, same rich/poor axis, whether or not the Alliance is still running the outer planets (depending on what might happen on the silver screen).

I do think that Firefly's demise was not just limited to FOX mismanagement. I think it was a little to out of the mainstream for widespread, commercial success. The new show would probably need to be a little more mainstream to succeed, which is fine with me as long as the writing remains as strong as it has been with Firefly.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:50 AM

WHOISRIVER

"Serenity" (the movie) was an attempt to give Firefly another go, effectively, just in a different format. It failed, in terms of market acceptance.

The simple way of looking at it is this: if there was a huge audience like Lost, it'd still be on the air, and probably have spin offs. It wasn't. The movie wasn't either.

It's a great creative show, but it struggles to find people to watch it. The ultimate problem with Firefly is not how to bring it back, it's how to _market_ it.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:38 AM

BROWNCOAT555

remember when the Reimagined Battlestar Galactica was a miniseries? The miniseries whetted the appetite and had people clamouring for more.

but as good as BSG is, the show is still not the commercial success that a "Friends" would be...it is still a very nichey show.

perhaps a miniseries on the SciFi channel (with a brand new cast and story arc but set in the 'VERSE) is exactly what is needed to bring it back in some form or other.

I don't think that SciFi geeks would be interested in BSG if the protagonists were thieves and prostitutes. I really think the new show has to be a bit more mainstream...gritty, yes, but the protagonists have to be a bit more mainstream.

meanwhile, Browncoats have only one alternative: buy the Firefly DVD set, give it to a friend that you think will watch it, and then buy another copy for yourself. hard currency will speak louder than anything else.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:52 AM

HATHOS

Yea....I agree. How do you market a believable sci-fi/western-set series in a world of the fairly new found reality tv Phenom? Lets face it folks, for the larger portion, imagination is dead or dying. All present of course are exempt from that coment.

Ya know, about those books, if you think about it. One very possible reason for those books that have been sitting for a year is, the "Firefly/Serenity" story line isnt dead to Joss just yet. You don't approve novels about one of your "babies" when you yourself aren't finished with it quite yet. I think he knows that he's got something here and the fact that it didnt reach the potential that he believed it could have or should have bothers him in a big way. I honestly dont believe that he's even remotely finished with kicking ideas around. Oh well.....guess we'll see. Now if there can't be something done with those pesky copyrights and contracts. Hmmm.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:54 AM

SABRI3L

Does less gritty mean no more space whores, interracial marriages, people being a bit sly, and merc's? Cause I like gritty, if Lost can have a whiny heroin addict, and annoyingly skinny women, then why can't I watch the violence and sex the way I like it....

Knitter of Cunning Jayne Hats

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 4:01 AM

PURPLEBELLY86

I don't know if I'd be able to call myself a Browncoat, but I do know that Firefly is one of the best sci-fi TV shows I've seen in a long damn while, and that the movie (if it was even possible) one-upped the TV show and turned it from a cult phenomenon into a potential sci-fi classic.

But it seems to me that the Browncoat community needs to do some soul searching. I personally think that the Firefly / Serenity franchise, as is, is already on its way to becoming a classic. I love the character interplay that the TV show made its mainstay: not a single character was left untouched - every one was put through loss, danger, grief and joy both out on the ragged edge, and we saw them for who they truly were, warts and all. And then, Joss made a movie where there were deep philosophical questions at stake: what is the nature of sin? What is the nature of humanity? Can people truly be made better, and in whose hands does the responsibility lie? Personally, I think that a lot of the questions were left unexplored (I didn't agree with a lot of the libertarian political philosophy that Joss was promulgating in the movie, but kudos to the man for bringing it to the forum). I would have liked to see more, but 'Serenity' was a brilliant finish to what was already a solid franchise.

At this point (and people are welcome to disagree with me on this), adding more would be, as the Chinese put it, 'drawing feet on the snake'. I think there is more potential for failure and ruining of the franchise in making it longer than there is for improvement. And we have only to look at other TV shows with strong starts and trace to where they jumped the shark. Short and sweet may disappoint some, but I have to say that for me, it's a formula that works, that preserves artistic and intellectual integrity.

Not to say that I wouldn't like to see more along the same lines as Firefly. We've seen life in this 'verse from one ship's perspective, but Joss created a rich and intriguing world (many of them, in fact, in the 'verse) in which there is plenty of room for play. But it would have to include as exquisite an attention to the subtleties of the human characters that Joss lent Firefly, and I would like to see some of the same deeper themes explored that Serenity delved into, on human nature and on political philosophy.

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006 10:04 AM

BROWNCOAT555

I agree with the last poster....the "magic" of Firefly is not that the protagonists are criminals but that none of the characters are hat racks. There is no "generic preacher" or "generic pilot" or "generic merc". They are all highly believable, highly flawed individuals with stories to tell.

This kind of writing could be used for a show that is more mainstream but with a strong "main story" (like Firefly has). Main stories help prevent a show like this from becoming a soap, which is the Achilles heel of a character-driven show.

And, the new show could use some more Asians and Latinos. It's not a huge deal for me but it would make for a more believable, futuristic human culture.

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