What did FOX have? by TPage

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

What did FOX have?

POSTED BY: TPAGE
UPDATED: Monday, November 27, 2006 05:27
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Saturday, November 25, 2006 1:11 PM

Through many threads and many questions about our 'verse, people have raised the point that FOX didn't know how great this show was going to be... hence the preempting, bad advertising, etc.

But if that is true what do you think FOX thought it was? I doubt the show changed from when FOX saw it to when we saw it. It's not like your TV has a special filter to improve the shows you watch.

So forget that FOX screwed around with the show, why did they screw around with the show? What did they see in it?

And if someday on some little piss-ant moon/My hand is a little too slow, or my aim a little bit off/At least I’ll go down fighting, not lying abed surrounded by quacks - "Sir Warrick" by Geezer

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Saturday, November 25, 2006 1:32 PM

SILENCE

I think they just expected a funny and really silly Joss Whedon show. Lots of jokes, good humor, maybe some fun killing.
Look! It's a space western, there's fighting, killing, a crazy girl and a whore!

Fox are just idiots

***************************************************
"Listen, if you got guests I can come back later."

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Saturday, November 25, 2006 1:52 PM

WHOISRIVER

I've just had a look around, but I can't find the article. Firefly was originally announced in 2001 by FOX, and I believe the article had quotes from execs about the show. There's other material out there on the run up to the launch in 2002, also.

Ultimately, they thought it would be a hip, funny show which would appeal to FOX's younger demographic, which at the time the network was desperately trying to attract. Think: Buffy viewers. Which is fine.

It's worth noting that in 2001 FOX had signed up for 13 episodes, before they even saw the pilot (before it was even shot...). That's rare - doesn't normally happen. After they got the pilot, some of the execs freaked - see the famous "There's horses in it!!?!" quote from one of them.

I firmly believe had HBO or Showtime had the show, it would have run for a number of years. Those networks rarely attract over a million viewers, and their shows tend to run for a long period.

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 6:23 AM

THEREALHEROOFCANTON

Quote:
After they got the pilot, some of the execs freaked - see the famous "There's horses in it!!?!" quote from one of them.

Presumably Joss at least pitched the idea to them, unless he outrigt lied in order to get them to commit I find it somewhat schocking that they would be so surprised upon seeing the finished article

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"I could stand to hear a little more"

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 7:01 AM

WHOISRIVER

I very much doubt Joss had to lie to sell the show to FOX. They really wanted a show from him, hence funding 13 episodes up front. I think at that point he hadn't even written the pilot script, but I could (and probably am) be wrong.

FOX did get various changes made to the show along the development path - it was originally 5 main characters, and there wasn't the mythology of Blue Sun etc. Once they saw the pilot, they asked for the tone of the show to change to be happy happy, they wanted Mal to be happy too, and more jokes and such. For anybody who hasn't seen it, there is a copy of the original Firefly pilot online somewhere for download - Mal isn't as nice and the war is a lot grimmer.

I think it's fair to say, anyway, that FOX weren't expecting what Joss had in his mind with Firefly. This isn't the first time it's happened to Joss - The WB shut down production on "Angel" at the beginning of it's first season, as they thought the show was too dark to what they had envisaged. As a result a few of the opening episodes were rewritten (originally, Kate was a crack whore and all that joy). The difference in that situation was that The WB kept behind Angel at the beginning, whereas FOX went on to mistreat it shamefully.

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 7:50 AM

EMBERS

Personally I think they were expecting a humorous version of Star Trek...
they didn't want so many Western touches, they wanted it more like the other sci-fi shows (with aliens and big space battles)
and they didn't want a dark angst ridden bitter Captain, they wanted Mal to be funny and friendly...

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 8:04 AM

SIMONWHO

I think the execs look at the shows and try to find one that'll be a ratings winner and generally that's the show that 1000 like rather 100 love.

Ironically, Fox's pre-season launch choice was Fastlane - that was what got all their available hype and marketing drive.

But you know, they might have a point - is Firefly a show that would ever have gotten ratings in the ten million plus range?

Of course, this year Fox is dying on its arse - its old shows aren't doing as well and not one of its debutants has broken out. There is a word for that and it is "bwahahahahahahahaaahahaahaaha!"

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 1:55 PM

ASORTAFAIRYTALE

Quote:
Originally posted by embers:
they didn't want so many Western touches, they wanted it more like the other sci-fi shows (with aliens and big space battles)
and they didn't want a dark angst ridden bitter Captain, they wanted Mal to be funny and friendly...

Yeah, you can really tell in their advertisments that they weren't too thrilled about the western part of the show, they almost portray it as an average sci-fi show!
Another thing is that they wanted the crew to be more like the Star Trek crew...as if they were on top of everything and all.

Clearly they were idiots...

---------
Love keeps her in the air when she outta fall down, tells you she's hurting before she keels. Makes her a home.

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 2:08 PM

LOOPY

If Fox is so f@#*ed up this season, why don't they make nice with Joss and get the show back up and running? They would have a built in audience. Please forgive me if I'm being naive( I'm fairly new to the Firefly/Serenity movement). I know of a number of people (myself included) who have only discovered the greatness in the past coupla months. I know that they have loved as well and all of them are turning people on to the 'verse and such. I literally bought 12 copies of Serenity and 2 Firefly sets for friends and family this year. Once again, go easy on me if I'm being stupid or naive. I just know this is the most unique thing I've seen in years! I'm now officially hooked.

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 2:35 PM

KELAI

Quote:
there is a copy of the original Firefly pilot online somewhere for download - Mal isn't as nice and the war is a lot grimmer.

Oh, I want to see it! Where can I get it? Was it actually filmed or was it just a script? 'Cause I've read script.

--

//breathe today So many lies s w i r l i n g
All A R O U N D You
you're S U F F O C A T I N G
the e m p t y shape in Y O U
s t e a l s your b r e a t h

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Monday, November 27, 2006 5:27 AM

CANTER

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonWho:

Of course, this year Fox is dying on its arse - its old shows aren't doing as well and not one of its debutants has broken out. There is a word for that and it is "bwahahahahahahahaaahahaahaaha!"

Let's all join in...Mwahahaha!

I'm thinking we'll rise again!

Dec 1st: Big Damn Browncoat Vote http://richlabonte.net/tvvote/index.html

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