Wonderfalls canceled by trekkerj

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Wonderfalls canceled

POSTED BY: TREKKERJ
UPDATED: Friday, February 25, 2005 12:27
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Sunday, April 4, 2004 10:34 AM

Breaking news: The last bastion of quality television has fallen!

Let me just say that Wonderfalls was the best thing to hit television in a long time. This season has had no great new shows in the cult TV segment. Where did all our favourite shows go, I ask? All ended, cancelled and seriously, I can live it. All good things have to come to an end, everything must, eventually, die. But there just doesn't seem to be anything new coming in. Soon there'll be nothing left worth watching.

Wonderfalls was a breath of fresh air. I salute Tim Minear for creating such a wonderfull show, I thank Caroline Dhavernas, William Sadler, Katie Finneran and all the rest of the Wonderfalls cast for mesmerizing performances. This really was the best show of the 2003/2004 season, it was sweet and funny, symbolic and sarcastic, touching and intelligent. No wonder it got cancelled. I want to encourage Tim Minear and Joss Whedon not to give up. I know it's been a hard time for them, but if they don't continue their work I will simply have to give up watching TV altogether.

P.S. Does anyone understand why Joan of Arcadia is doing so well? I admit it was quite clever in the beginning, but if a show feels old and repetitive after half a season something is seriously wrong. Oh and also, why does God care about one teenager and not the other 2 billion or so (some of which are starving, fighting in wars or forced into prostitution). It just doesn't make sense....

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 10:47 AM

LINDLEY

Well, I'm a bit mystified about Joan's success, but it at least it *is* a success. That's something. At least one half-decent show will be back next year.

Wonderfalls was more entertaining overall, but Joan still beats 95% of TV.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 11:05 AM

OPPYH

THIS IS SCARY.

I just have to say that Fox is evil. Why would they cancel a great series after only 4 episodes? After the cancellation of Firefly, I vowed to never watch another show on Fox again. I caved, and this is my thanks for putting trust in Fox once again. Ok, the scary part. That horrible reality show (don't know the name, don't even care) that aired before Wonderfalls, on it's original Friday timeslot. will finish it's run in June. Why??? I am almost certain Wonderfalls will be released on dvd, with a big sticker on the package informing us that it contains 9 never before seen episodes. Thanks Fox.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 11:21 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by Coward:
Does anyone understand why Joan of Arcadia is doing so well? I admit it was quite clever in the beginning, but if a show feels old and repetitive after half a season something is seriously wrong. Oh and also, why does God care about one teenager and not the other 2 billion or so (some of which are starving, fighting in wars or forced into prostitution). It just doesn't make sense....

Who's to say that God isn't speaking to others at the same time? This is Joan's story, not the whole world's. I like the show even though I am an agnostic, because it basically boils down to this - "Pay attention to what is going on to the other people in your life and help them out when you can." A fairly simple and easily understood concept, and it is doing well in the ratings even on Friday nights because it appeals to a wide range of ages; teenagers and younger who identify with Joan and her friends, as well as adults who appreciate the nuanced performances of the exceptionally gifted actors who play the parents.

In contrast, Wonderfalls deserved to be on another night so that its target demographic of 18-35 year olds would be home to watch it. As Tim said in his post, when FOX scheduled it for Friday night he knew the handwriting was on the wall. Then when they decided to move it to Thursday night too late for the print version of TVGuide to be changed, putting it up against CSI and Apprentice, it was obvious they were only making a token effort to find an audience. They should have moved it to Sunday because all of their Sunday night lineup except for Arresting Development are in reruns at the moment.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 12:34 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by bamadave:
1)3.4
2)2.6
3)2.3
4)2.1

fuck the tv viewing public.

tru calling 3.5
wonderfalls 2.1

fuck tru calling fans for not sticking around to watch.

And fuck Bamadave for once again presenting a simplistic view of a complex series of events which seem obvious to me to have been purposefully designed by FOX to make sure this show failed, just as they did with Firefly, and just as he expressed a similar opinion on a recent "Why was Firefly canceled?" thread.

FOX did not promote the show properly, stuck it on Friday nights when the demographic audience aimed at are not around, move it to another night without warning and without time for the print version of TVGuide to be changed, put it up against two of the highest rated shows of the year and only give it one airing on that new night before axing it. This is another one you cannot lay at the feet of the viewers, so go back to your office tomorrow and suck up to the execs who pay you to be a syncophant.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 12:38 PM

TALLGRRL

Quote:
Originally posted by BoomerGoodheart:
I'm watching 24 until the end, and then I'm done with Fox. Fucking bastards.

BoomerGoodheart
"I love my Captain."

I second that (e)motion.
Actually, I'm thinking that this will be the last season for 24. (Can Jack Bauer really have this many bad days in his life?)
After that, my complete boycott (which began last year during football season)of Fox begins.

I truly hope that maybe Tim & Co can find another network to air all 13 series as a sort of mini-series. And maybe, just maybe there'll be a DVD set.

"Take me, sir. Take me hard."

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 12:58 PM

ORANGERFUL

apparently the FOX executives assume that our attention spans are as short as theirs. It's amazing anything airs on that channel.

What is going on in television? Why do these stations not give shows a chance.

It's sad that USA or a network with a more open mind couldn't have picked up the show. If FOX had any brains, they could at least let the 13 episodes they've already paid to be produced air.

This is so sad. I wish I could send Tim Minear and the cast and crew a big hug. What a clever show. What a stupid network.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 1:02 PM

BAMADAVE

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Fuck Bamadave for his simplistic view of a complex series of events which seem obvious to me to have been purposefully designed by FOX to make sure this show failed, just as they did with Firefly. They did not promote the show properly, stuck it on Friday nights when the demographic audience aimed at are not around, move it to another night without warning and without time for the print version of TVGuide to be changed, put it up against two of the highest rated shows of the year and only give it one airing on that new night before axing it. This is another one you cannot lay at the feet of the viewers, so go back to your office tomorrow and suck up to the execs who pay you to be a syncophant.

ecgordon,
syncophant? really?

my post is no more simplistic than all of the fuck fox posts. in fact, in case you missed it, my point was that there were other reasons that this show failed. just read the thread. how many people here have said that they didn't watch the show? then what the hell are they complaining about? the fact that a network cancelled a show that they didn't watch anyway?

and this notion of just boycotting fox and not watching anything that they make ever again. yeah, that's a good plan. how did that work for firefly when the dark angel fans did it? and how did it work out for wonderfalls when firefly fans did it?

i don't think that fox is innocent in this. they did mishandle the show. but i am not going to just jump on the fuck fox bandwagon because that is what everyone else is doing. am i the only one that notices that when things go right, i.e the dvds and the movie, everyone shouts look what the fans did. but when things go wrong, both of these shows getting cancelled, it is look what they did to us.

so yeah, if all you want is another passenger on the fuck fox bus, then fuck bamadave. because i ain't buying it.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 1:15 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I've never said Fuck Fox in any post on this board or any other, but you are the one who said fuck the tv viewers, so I was just giving you a little bit of your own medicine.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 1:19 PM

FIVEBYFIVE

I won the pool.
I was on a bet that the show would be cancelled before we ever saw an episode with Jewel Staite on it (supposed to be ep. 6 or 7).

So sad i'm right....

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 1:47 PM

SUCCATASH

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
I've never said Fuck Fox in any post on this board or any other, but you are the one who said fuck the tv viewers, so I was just giving you a little bit of your own medicine.

The only TV viewers we should be fucking have Nielsen boxes. Where are they?

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 2:14 PM

TMURRIE

Well, I never saw an episode of Wonderfalls...or even heard of it. But if Whedon fans, brilliant people who love his brilliant shows, love this show so much,it must be good. So, for the sake of making myself feel better about Fox cancelling another show I can tell was good... kehem...

FOX GO FUCK YOURSELVES UP THE ANUS!!

there we go

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 2:30 PM

GTHING

Well, no matter what, Fox is one network I won't be watching much of anytime soon. Hell, I used to enjoy Boston Public too. That show was a success for Fox, and they've treated it like a waste of time and money, when it's really an intelligent piece of television.

So, I guess if a show is going to succeed on Fox, it has to be trash.

Excerpt from My Genre Geek Resume:
~huge Odyssey 5 fan (despite its cancellation)
~dangerously obsessed with BtVS and Angel
~former Andromeda fan

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 2:53 PM

PALADIN

I only got to see the second and fourth (now final) episode. But they were great. I'll miss the show, and what was almost Fox's night of girls who hear voices.

------------
"If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of Hell, a level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater." -Book

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 3:19 PM

UMINOKEN

Well, not to go into a politics debate, but if you think about it, Firefly seemed pretty damn conservative to me - the bad guys are the "interfering" federal (universal?) govt, and the good guys want no part of them in their lives - our heroes seem much more right-wing than left.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 4:33 PM

GOJIRO

A sudden, but inevitable, betrayal.

The best thing FOX could have done was leave WONDERFALLS on Fridays at 9:00, hoping to attract JOAN OF ARC viewers from CBS (or whatever network it's on). The two shows were tres similar -- perhaps a little too similar, but that's another discussion.

But here's the shiny side: Tim is now freed up to work on the Firefly movie, and here's hoping he does.

As for boycotting FOX, I promise to only watch the Simpsons, and that's it. Sorry, just can't do without my Simpsons fix. FOX sucks. They're most successful program ever, The Simpsons, has made them millions, yet they won't pay the voice talent decent money. They failed to support Firefly, Wonderfalls, and Futurama, then cited poor ratings as the reason for killing them. Buncha gorram jerks.

FOX makes me

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 5:05 PM

KAYTHRYN

Now I don’t know about Futurama, but Wonderfalls was getting some pretty bad ratings. If you were a TV station and a show you put on air was getting crappy ratings, what would you do? Most stations don’t put tons of money into these shows just because they’re smart and entertaining, they want money. If one of the shows you were paying for got crappy ratings on the pilot and then the rating just continued to drop, well then that show doesn’t appear to be a good investment. They don’t have any reason to keep paying. True, some of the shows that got bad ratings in the beginning continued on because of the fan base and got a movie, (yay for us), or the show was able to come back on as a series but I believe that only a few out of dozens or hundreds or…a really… big number.

I don’t like any of this because Wonderfalls was quickly becoming a favorite of mine, but that’s how it is. I agree with Bamadave, for Wonderfalls to succeed, more fans would have had to watch. And it can’t all be blamed on fans with Nielsen boxes, (as much as I‘d like to have a concrete person or company to blame it all on). If more fans, with Nielsen box or without, had watched, the word would have gotten out. People talk about TV at work, at school, in chat rooms, etc. Those Nielsen box folks would have heard about it, and come on, we all know it was great, they would have loved it like the rest of us.

-------------------------------------
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 5:13 PM

TOM

Anger, remorse,and surprise....not really. Fox has been a Fairweather friend to too many shows. Firefly was poorly advertised and tinkered with but they were at least able to begin to develope their plot. This is a travisty, taking a show of the air after 4 episodes makes me sick. Even crappy sitcoms get 5 episodes. When will they learn they are disavoying their public.

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Sunday, April 4, 2004 7:42 PM

ANJIN

You know, I have had a bad weekend. So I come to FFF.net to get a little cheering up, and this is what I have to put up with. Brilliant. Thanks Fox.

---
Raven's Prayer
http://webpages.charter.net/anjinm

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Monday, April 5, 2004 3:43 AM

HATEHATEHATEFOX

I don't mean to kick Tim when he's down but WTF was he thinking? Why would he sell WF to FOX after their dealings with FF?

I agree with Tim that WF being cancelled is the biggest non-shock of the tv season. As soon as I heard that WF was coming to FOX I could see the red shirt from a mile away.

Which is not to say that I didn't watch it - I did.

Which is not to say that I didn't hope some miraculous deus ex machina event might save it - I did that too.

Well, creative people just need to NOT NOT NOT sell their projects to that sucking, gaping, pus filled hole that is FOX.

Sure does make me glad I cancelled my cable.

~~~~~~~~
Nothing is ever so profoundly regretted as a kind act.
Robertson Davies

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Monday, April 5, 2004 3:52 AM

UNICORN

Quote:
Originally posted by uminoken:
Well, not to go into a politics debate, but if you think about it, Firefly seemed pretty damn conservative to me - the bad guys are the "interfering" federal (universal?) govt, and the good guys want no part of them in their lives - our heroes seem much more right-wing than left.

True, in the classical sense of conservatism, to which I have no major objections at all. Actually, I had considered that the crew of Serenity were really Space Libertarians (maybe FFF should form their own political party?) and thought that was pretty funny. Libertarians... In... Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!

I object most to the closed-minded bigots (I assert that Fox Execs fall into this category) who think that just because they live a certain way (sexual preference, religion, profession) everyone should, and the people who don't are wrong. I'm talking about the extreme right wing when I go off on my not-very-Firefly-related-tangent.

I spoke up at all here about my inflammatory and probably rude theory that Fox has political motivations because I figured anybody who loved Firefly or Wonderfalls enough to be here discussing it would be okay with the content of those shows, which was overtly sympathetic to a large number of people who had "alternative lifestyles."

As of last night, my TiVo still had information about two more upcoming episodes of Wonderfalls, but I don't know that it had updated since the announcement. Fox SUCKS!!!!!

There is no such thing as a weed.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 4:22 AM

GORRAMREAVERS

I love Firefly, I love Buffy, I love Angel, I even like Tru Calling. I tried to watch the premire of Wonderfalls and I just didnt get into it. I think I changed the channel 1/2 way thru. This Thursday I was thinking I would give it another chance after Tru Calling and watch a whole episode. My friend who got me into Buffy/Angel was over and we really tried...I mean we really tried to get into it. About 20 minutes into it we both were like...this sucks, change it. Im sorry but my goodness was it flat and boring. I know this wont be a popular opinoin here but just my 2 cents.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 4:51 AM

PALADIN

Quote:
Originally posted by gojiro:

As for boycotting FOX, I promise to only watch the Simpsons, and that's it. Sorry, just can't do without my Simpsons fix. FOX sucks. They're most successful program ever, The Simpsons, has made them millions, yet they won't pay the voice talent decent money.

My friends and I agree that in a world where the Simpsons had never existed, yet Fox was still the same as it is now, and they were to premiere the Simpsons...it would be gone within a month or two.

------------
"If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of Hell, a level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater." -Book

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Monday, April 5, 2004 5:08 AM

BLACKOUTNIGHTS

I, unfortunately, somewhat agree with GorramReavers. I watched the show—and laughed quite frequently, but there was something missing. The direction was excellent; I especially liked the lighting. I know most people don't pay attention to that kind of thing, but I took cinema in college and am now forever doomed to critique things like that (dammit, Neupert! I still say a C doesn't reflect how much I learned in your damned class!).

The acting was...hmmm. There it is. No not the acting. I believe the actors/actresses were doing the best they could with what they were given. It's the characters. I really couldn't care less what happened to any of the characters. Actually, I don't recall really identifying with any of their traits—though some of the things the leading lady said were hilarious.

That being said, though I didn't really like the characters, I watched the show because there wasn't anything else I usually watch in that time slot—and out of respect for Minear.

Sorry the show failed Tim, best of luck on your future endeavors.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 5:09 AM

GHOULMAN

when was the last time the Simpsons were funny? FOX is a VERY different place (and new CEOs) since the first Simpsons seasons and X-Files.

FOX is a dead cable distributer flying on vapours and investor money. I give 'em one more year then they will 'restructure'.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 5:49 AM

BROWNCOAT1

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

As much as I would like to say I am surprised, I am not. I told my wife when I saw the repeat of the first episode that Fox would kill the show before it ever had a chance. Why? Because it was witty, funny, and a break from the norm; those god forsaken reality shows that Fox feeds the public.

To be perfectly honest, Wonderfalls was the only reason my family tuned into Fox at all. We do not watch Fox, and have not since Firefly was cancelled. Imagine that, a second show that was to brilliant for Fox, the Reality Network.

Tim, if you see this thread, I want to thank you for trying. Wonderfalls was great. My entire family liked it. Too bad Fox never gave it a chance.

May Fox rot in the special Hell.

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

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Monday, April 5, 2004 5:53 AM

LISSA

i read this last night and was too upset to post anything coherent. well, fox SUCKS again. what a surprise. i really hate them. sorry tim, i tried. i had a friend tape the wps for me every week since i don't have fox. i told people at school to watch it. and now...i'm very very sad.

oh ya, i voted and signed and i'm gonna call in just a few.

~lissa, spwhore

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Monday, April 5, 2004 6:05 AM

SAMURAIX47

I thought I heard that 24 was getting renewed for 2 seasons...

The people who watch Joan of Arcadia are the same ones who used to watch Touched by an Angel. That audience is what's carrying that show.

It's a shame about Wonderfalls... That last episode was hi-larious.

Jaymes

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Monday, April 5, 2004 6:22 AM

ARAWAEN

Let us know who those advertisers are. I for one feel like boycotting. I will be removing Fox and Fox news from my tv tonight. This was the proverbial straw to my proverbial camel.

Arawaen

Um, I'm lost. Uh, I'm Angry. And I'm Armed.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 6:26 AM

MAUGWAI

Quote:
Originally posted by BlackoutNights:
I, unfortunately, somewhat agree with GorramReavers. I watched the show—and laughed quite frequently, but there was something missing. The direction was excellent; I especially liked the lighting. I know most people don't pay attention to that kind of thing, but I took cinema in college and am now forever doomed to critique things like that (dammit, Neupert! I still say a C doesn't reflect how much I learned in your damned class!).

The acting was...hmmm. There it is. No not the acting. I believe the actors/actresses were doing the best they could with what they were given. It's the characters. I really couldn't care less what happened to any of the characters. Actually, I don't recall really identifying with any of their traits—though some of the things the leading lady said were hilarious.

That being said, though I didn't really like the characters, I watched the show because there wasn't anything else I usually watch in that time slot—and out of respect for Minear.

Sorry the show failed Tim, best of luck on your future endeavors.

Honestly, I think what was missing was hotness. We've come to expect a really hot main character out of our shows. Jaye is not hot. She can be pretty, but never hot. Even the bartender is cute, but not steamy hot. I didn't have a problem with it after I realized it and accepted it. I just started to like the show after I saw this past episode. But I think a lot of people subconsciously missed the hotness.

"Dear diary, today I was pompous and my sister was crazy."

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Monday, April 5, 2004 6:48 AM

SAMURAIX47

Originally posted by maugwai:

I don't judge a show by the hotness level of the actors. If I wanted T&A and hot bods I would be watching all those reality shows that seem to put people w/ fake breasts into skimpy bikinis. But I'm not into superficialities. I prefer people who look like regular people, and can actually act. That's the whole point of having shows like Wonderfalls and Firefly... tell great stories with great acting.

Jaymes

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Monday, April 5, 2004 6:51 AM

DUCESTECUM

Way to go SEVENPERCENT, give them HELL! I agree with you 100%!!!

And I'm thinkin' you weren't burdened with an over-abundance of schooling...

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Monday, April 5, 2004 7:41 AM

This really sucks. I'll admit the first episode I didn't really like. It just wasn't that great, but the last episode was very good. It really pulled me in.

I mean dang they didn't even give it ten episodes. I would have went for out of order and time-moving (oh wait, they did move it

). Good grief. I guess we have to push for dvds now. This is so crappy.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 7:41 AM

). Good grief. I guess we have to push for dvds now. This is so crappy.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 7:47 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SamuraiX47:

The people who watch Joan of Arcadia are the same ones who used to watch Touched by an Angel. That audience is what's carrying that show.

Jaymes

That's absolutely untrue! I wouldn't dare watch touch by an angel. That show was ghastly. Most of the people I know were afraid to even check out Joan (I was one of them) for fear that it would be like TBAA and most of the ones I know that watch it, view it because it's NOT TBAA. Please never utter those words again.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 7:47 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SamuraiX47:

The people who watch Joan of Arcadia are the same ones who used to watch Touched by an Angel. That audience is what's carrying that show.

Jaymes

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Monday, April 5, 2004 10:05 AM

GOJIRO

Quote:
Originally posted by Ghoulman:
when was the last time the Simpsons were funny? FOX is a VERY different place (and new CEOs) since the first Simpsons seasons and X-Files.

FOX is a dead cable distributer flying on vapours and investor money. I give 'em one more year then they will 'restructure'.

Did you see The Simpsons doubleheader on Sunday? Pretty damn funny, even if they were both repeats.

I hope you're right about the restructuring. They need to burn out the dead wood.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 10:33 AM

3OF19

Ugh, guess what's replacing Wonderfalls in the "new" Thursday slot: "encore" episodes of "The Swan".

"THE SWAN
SELF-PROCLAIMED UGLY DUCKLINGS GIVEN UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE THEIR DREAMS IN “THE SWAN,” PREMIER THURSDAY, APRIL 8, ON FOX [Encore]

THE SWAN, a new unscripted series, turns a fairy tale into reality and mirrors the classic tale of the ugly duckling who transforms into a beautiful swan. THE SWAN offers women the opportunity to undergo physical, mental and emotional transformations and follows them through the process. Following cosmetic surgery, contestants must go through an intensive “boot camp” of exercise, diet, therapy and inspiration to achieve their goals. During the three-month transformation process, the contestants will not be permitted to see themselves in a mirror until the final reveal. Two women will be featured in each episode; one of them will go home, and one will move on to the 1st Annual Swan Pageant, beginning with the series premiere episode of THE SWAN Thursday, April 8 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (SWA-101) (TV-PG; D).
Host: Amanda Byram"

I need a barf bag. Honestly, I feel like throwing up just reading about that show.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 10:46 AM

SUCCATASH

Yeah, let's encourage women to cut up their faces, just great.

Fox has moved fast - the offical site for Wonderfalls has already been removed.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 11:13 AM

KELLAINA

Ok, now I'm no conspiracy theorist or anything but it seems awfully coincidental that The Swan gets not only a pretty big promotional push (commercials every break, pop up ads on the net) but it is also gets to inherit a newly opened time slot for encore episodes. And that spot just happens to open up in time to reshow the premiere. Grrrr.

And as for ratings... yeah they weren't good, but some of the best shows in tv history didn't debut to stellar ratings. Its only in the last couple of years that nets have become quick to pull the plug (especially with critically praised shows).
The only shows that seem to pull in ratings right away at the moment are reality shows - why? I can only guess but it's probably the fact that the premise and characters are explained in the beginning and there's a feeling that something will be missed by not catching the first ep (not that they're ever complicated). People also don't want to be left out when everyone they know starts blabbing on about the hot new reality show (I didn't start watching the Apprentice until it came up in one of my poltical science classes). As for other shows - was there even a break out drama this year? Joan of Arcadia, maybe.

What can we do? Watch the shows we want to watch. Boycotting, as tempting as it may be, does nothing (unless its on a massive scale) except show that you're not part of the target audience in which case the net doesn't care whether or not you watch. So if I ever see a show on Fox that looks decent (is Still Life ever going to air?) I'll watch it, but I'll keep in mind that its not likely to last.

Sorry for the lengthy post, once I started writing it kinda got hard to stop :)

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Monday, April 5, 2004 11:13 AM

3OF19

Damn! I knew I should have never closed that flash window with the Wonderfalls music video.
iTunes doesn't work for people outside the US yet, but it seems to be the only place to get "I wonder why the the wonderfalls"

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Monday, April 5, 2004 12:17 PM

UNICORN

Quote:
Originally posted by SamuraiX47:
The people who watch Joan of Arcadia are the same ones who used to watch Touched by an Angel. That audience is what's carrying that show.

Jaymes

Touched By An Angel debuted with an ad in which the angel asked God why bad things happened to nice people. So, as at the time I was a religion major, I tuned in to see if this show had what it took. It didn't. When the angel asked that wonderful question, God relented and a miracle happened and I wanted to vomit out through my nose. Just because you ask a good question doesn't mean that reality alters just for you, and it was a dishonest choice that caused me to turn off the TV and never tune in to that show again.

Joan is better than that. Although the writing often leaves me wanting very much for the Joss Whedon team to be working on it, the show makes mostly honest, real choices about the kinds of things that happen. It can at times be a bit Brady-Bunch with its endings, or somewhat forced in its plot and/or character development, but basically the show tries pretty hard to stick to the idea that there are no easy, pat answers to the best questions.

And Joan is completely cheeky with God, all the time. She is written very well. In the tradition of Jonah, who was disobedient for as long as he could hold out, Joan questions and gets frustrated, at times openly irritated, with God, and really struggles with the basic unfairness of life. She's very real.

The actress playing Joan and the general honesty of that show are what has somehow preserved it. That, and it's not a Fox show. (FOX SUCKS!!!!!)

What made Wonderfalls better was that you never knew or understood what it was that was speaking to Jaye, and it was pretty much left open to the viewer's interpretation whether there were religious, spiritual, supernatural, or merely mental illness reasons for the phenomena Jaye experienced. But it seemed that when Jaye obeyed the suggestions from the animals, good things happened, and watching her struggle with the weirdness of it and the frustration at not knowing was very interesting.

There is no such thing as a weed.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 2:38 PM

FAHE

OMG!!! OMG!!! F*CK YOU FOX!!! This is like my third time saying this! First they cancelled the only show i truly fell in love with: JOHN DOE, then they killed Keen Eddie. They didn't even get Wonderfalls a CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!! HYSTERIA is setting in!

F*ck you FOX!!!

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Monday, April 5, 2004 2:41 PM

LTNOWIS

Quote:
when was the last time the Simpsons were funny?

Either yesterday, when they had the mildly funny recent reruns, or today, when I missed it and ate dinner. I usually see which episode it is, usually in the first minute or so, and then watch it if it's a good one.

I watched Wonderfalls and enjoyed it, but I missed the last three episodes due to my vast incompetence. The cancellation news is sad, but doesn't have the "The world is bleak and gray" feeling that the Firefly cancelation did, possibly because I hadn't yet grew to love the show and see the characters as real people. While I wish they had played all 13 episodes, I bet cancellation would hurt a lot more if they had.

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Monday, April 5, 2004 4:16 PM

KALEIGH1292

I am SO pissed! I was just getting into this show. But, I have to say, I'm not surprised. After all, it wasn't reality TV. Plus, it was witty, intelligent and intriguing. Hmm..a lot like another show that Fox treated like crap! Go figure...

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Monday, April 5, 2004 4:54 PM

OUTLANDER

For people who want to download the episodes.

I posted on another thread a way of downloading Widescreen versions of the four Wonderfalls episodes aired. Here is the link to that thread.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=4598

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Monday, April 5, 2004 10:49 PM

JNNONFFF

Uh-huh. Minear, Whedon and Co, and all of us, need a home. ABC is desperate. UPN even more so. Please, guys! Why FUX? At any rate, I wrote the following to FUX after viewing the first episode of this beautiful, enchanting series:

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

Wonderfalls is wonderful!

I fully expect it to go the way of FireFly.

How can a network get it so right with original programming and sports presentation, and yet so utterly wrong with original programming SCHEDULING and sports PRE-GAME shows?

Friday night DEATH slot? Yeah. Brilliant.

And your NFL pre-game is abysmal.

You folks are too tricky by far.

But Wonderfalls, FireFly, and NFL game coverage are positively brilliant.

Your network has become, consequently, true appointment television. I ONLY tune to Fox when you somehow manage to attempt something truly fine, and I tune in like clockwork. Missing my child's birth clockwork. Wonderfalls clockwork. All the while dreading the inevitable, unfathomable cancellation. The inevitable DISappointment television.

Because of this, unless its something as inspirationally beautiful as Wonderfalls, I now avoid your network like the plague.

MASH, the most powerful revenue generator in the history of television, would have been canceled by your brilliant programming department after, what, the third, maybe fourth episode?

Think Programming will ever get a clue? My money says, oh, fuck no.

Regards,
J N Nestor

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 5:43 AM

DRAGONLORD

Quote:
Originally posted by trekkerj:
http://www.buffistas.org/showthread.php?thread_id=71&post_id=9310

Tim Minear - Apr 3, 2004 5:56:32 pm PST #9310 of 9405

Well, not sure what to tell ya'll -- but we're cancelled. Effective at once. The cow creamer will be silent this Thursday and forever forward. Once we recover from the not-shock, Todd, Bryan and I will see if there's some venue in which to air the remaining episodes. As I have said from the start, the thirteen taken as a whole tell a story and go to a place, so a run of this "limited" series would not be unsatisfying elsewhere. It's a question as to whether the studio will want to invest in a DVD release of a failed series. Maybe the episodes will sit in a warehouse someplace with that sled and the arc of the covenant.

Thanks for all the support and enthusiasm.

Tim

aw man! This bites!

I love that show!

And once again FOX has screwed the fans over!

FOX, this is for you...

Dragon Lord

Summer: Jane's a girls name
Jayne: Well I ain't no girl! I can prove it!
Simon: I'm trying to picture you more vulgar... but, I can't

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Tuesday, April 6, 2004 11:51 AM

KARENKAY99

we were very saddened at our house to hear of this latest tv death.

it does boggle the mind to try to understand the fox network. they have 13 episodes. what would be the harm of showing them and letting this show find it's audience? do they really think they have something better that will draw a bigger crowd? we won't be watching.

but we will await the dvd's. i was really looking forward to seeing what jewel would bring to the party.

ol well. i say there always something on tv. i put in my firefly dvd and look there something i want to see on the tv! shiny.

"They say the snow on the roof is too heavy. They say the ceiling will cave in. His brains are in terrible danger."

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Wednesday, April 7, 2004 12:03 PM

TALLGRRL

Quote:
Originally posted by trekkerj:
http://www.buffistas.org/showthread.php?thread_id=71&post_id=9310

Tim Minear - Apr 3, 2004 5:56:32 pm PST #9310 of 9405

Well, not sure what to tell ya'll -- but we're cancelled. Effective at once. The cow creamer will be silent this Thursday and forever forward. Once we recover from the not-shock, Todd, Bryan and I will see if there's some venue in which to air the remaining episodes. As I have said from the start, the thirteen taken as a whole tell a story and go to a place, so a run of this "limited" series would not be unsatisfying elsewhere. It's a question as to whether the studio will want to invest in a DVD release of a failed series. Maybe the episodes will sit in a warehouse someplace with that sled and the arc of the covenant.

Thanks for all the support and enthusiasm.

Tim

My favourite TV critic, Tim Goodman of SFGate.com talked about why Wonderfalls died.
Here's a partial quote and link to the whole article. He starts out by saying that the reason the show died was simple. Fox.

"No, this is more complicated. Start first with a lack of faith in the show at the network. Yes, they liked it. But faith is a different thing entirely. So it came out of the gates after CBS had established its own Joan of Arc-type series, non-ironically titled "Joan of Arcadia" (in "Wonderfalls" the main character, Jaye, was actually going to be named Joan). Even though Fox had its series first, it held back on a fall release and opted instead for midseason, which isn't a bad strategy if three things happen: 1) You put it on a good night, 2) You promote it heavily and accurately reflect the content, and 3) You give it a good lead-in. Fox did none of those things and gave up."

Read the whole article here:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/04/07/DDGGH60UQK1.DT
L

Kinda like what happened with Firefly...only there was NOTHING like it anywhere else on TV.
Gorrammit.

"Take me, sir. Take me hard."

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Wednesday, April 7, 2004 3:00 PM

DORAN

The only kind of show that could withstand this type of thresing is a reality tv show. It's no wonder that's the type of show that is moving into foxs line up. They have no patience to let anything gain an audiance.

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Wednesday, April 7, 2004 4:05 PM

EVILMIKE

Normally I don't see conspiracies in show cancellations (as I write it off to 'corporations are dumb'), but I did notice something that struck me as odd -- the Wonderfalls page on the Fox website disappeared within 48 hours of the news breaking. It's not just the link from the main Fox page -- the page itself is gone. When was the last time you saw a corporate website update that quickly?

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