SFX Review of Firefly DVD + One Page Serenity Head's Up by NervousPete

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SFX Review of Firefly DVD + One Page Serenity Head's Up

POSTED BY: NERVOUSPETE
UPDATED: Monday, May 3, 2004 11:34
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VIEWED: 4738
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Thursday, April 29, 2004 10:58 AM

Hello folks!

The Brit sci-fi magazine 'SFX' - by a significant margin the best and most read sci-fi magazine in the country available in all newsagents - has reviewed the Firefly DVD giving it five stars out of five, and the extras get five out of five too. It basically states that it is one of the best SF shows ever, certainly Joss's best show ever (and they loved Buffy and Angel) and that it is a mandatory purchase. They implore, they beg, for people to buy it. They go on to say that people shouldn't mourn for the passing of 'Angel', as it has had five series and is akin to crying out against the universe when a 102 year old grandmother pops her clogs. They then compare this to the 'bright, promising, well-loved teenager who gets knocked down by a drunk-driver' that is Firefly. They advise that all rage against network and revitalisation efforts are kept in Firefly's ball-park.

They also have a one page news article on Serenity at the front of the magazine, involving a little interview with Joss where he says that the DVD sales have been great, the fans wonderful and that he hopes and prays that the film might lead to a new series. SFX glowingly bang on about how great Firefly is some more at this point.

The above is pretty sketchy in my memory, but all the emotions are exactly as printed. I'm really pleased that the Firefly DVD has done so well. From what I hear it is doing pretty good over here too. I'm hunting for an online version, and if I can't find one, and if you beg hard enough, then ask me and I'll buy it and laboriously type it in.

I am a martyr to this cause.

(Oh, and SFX get bonus points from me for the Babylon 5 thing. They loved it, celebrated it, and then came crappy season 5. They panned that and got snippy comments on boards from JMS as a result. SFX acted aloof. JMS's head inflated and he went on to do a very bad thing (Crusade) and a very good thing (supporting rather fine mystery and sci-fi radio shows) This marked my growing disillusionment with B5 and its obsessed fans. But I still have a fondness for the show. Gosh, what a digression)

Anyway, Joss sounded hopeful and I will not cease my mighty evangelising about this work of aceness until there has been a beautiful, completed story from him.

Pete

"If you can keep your head whilst others... eurgh! Ack! I've spilt my ink! Ugh! Ink on my trousers! Agh! Ink on my shirt! My only hope! The window! Aieeeeee!" (Falls to death)
- Jonathan Nash

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Thursday, April 29, 2004 11:22 AM

SHINY

Quote:
I'm hunting for an online version, and if I can't find one, and if you beg hard enough, then ask me and I'll buy it and laboriously type it in.

begbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbeg
begbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbeg
begbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbeg
begbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbeg
begbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbegbeg
begbegbegbegbegbegbegbeg... (that enough for ya?)

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 1:43 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Quote:
Originally posted by NervousPete:
(Oh, and SFX get bonus points from me for the Babylon 5 thing. They loved it, celebrated it, and then came crappy season 5. They panned that and got snippy comments on boards from JMS as a result. SFX acted aloof. JMS's head inflated and he went on to do a very bad thing (Crusade) and a very good thing (supporting rather fine mystery and sci-fi radio shows) This marked my growing disillusionment with B5 and its obsessed fans.

I'm not too sure, but I think in fact there was a falling out of some kind before season 5, possibly before or during season 4, and SFX turned on what till then was their favourite show - though you are correct that JMS did rather go off on one and now refuses permission for any of his posts to appear in the mag - which is a damn shame because it really is streets ahead of anything out there and I don;t buy any of the others (but used to).

I think I recall the article that I assume caused this (as I recall, I read a tag line paragraph about his personal life which was totally out of place for SFX, and shortly after the feud began). May be wrong though, I've never really heard what the "true" story is.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 1:54 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Btw - WT...? with the format of this thread being all stretched?

"I threw up on your bed"

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 2:07 PM

NOOCYTE

the issue with the page format is SHINY's multiple "beg"s. If SHINY would care to edit that post, inserting a couple of carriage returns, the enthusiasm would be preserved, but the page would likely return to normal....

Department of Redundancy Department

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 9:04 PM

QUICKSAND

I'm thinking, the WB just got nervous about "Angel" going on after "Buffy" had been cancelled by That Other Network.

Also, pay no mind to some Brit magazine not minding Angel got canceled after 5 seasons. In England, shows run for 2, 3 seasons max. If only America had applied that rule to "Friends..."

\ o /
------------ (Qs)

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 10:33 PM

3OF19

Shiny, edit your post! It makes the topic screw up.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 4:40 AM

DAELUS

I have typed the review and am currently doing the article and they are up at this site

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowForumThread/showid-7097/Firef
ly/

The article will be up soon.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 4:51 AM

NICOLACLARKE

[edited because somebody beat me to the typing-up part

]

The review is suitably glowing, and the article full of praise/excitement. The latter, besides the Joss' words and a few comments on the strong US DVD sales, also includes that casting sheet info that circulated a little while back (was a consensus ever reached here on how genuine that was/was not?).

One other piece from the same issue that may be of interest. In a set-visit feature on the final few episodes of Angel, there's a sidebar with a short interview with Shawna Trpcic, ex of Firefly. She mentions the latter's cancellation, adding:

Quote:
"There was this really great thing happening with Inara, getting this sort of mysterious box in the mail. And then we got cancelled. We were just like, 'What was in the box?' We didn't know, because I don't think even Joss knew. It's like, 'Argh!'"

That's all there is, sadly. Might be nothing in particular, but what if it was more of her illegal drugs/superpower vitamins/whatever from the pilot? (Or maybe she just has a dead war buddy of her own.

)

As for the SFX/JMS thing. Not sure how exactly it started (although SFX not mincing their words about season 5 being dreadful certainly played a part...), but it escalated into, and persisted as, a strange tit-for-tat slanging match. SFX laid their side of it to rest some time ago; I've no idea if JMS has done the same. On a related note, the situation probably isn't/wasn't helped by the fact that SFX's conventions are run by a guy (I forget his name) who royally pissed off JMS some years back. Don't know the details on that, though IIRC there was some stuff in Ansible.

/ pure, intentions, juxtaposed /

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 5:08 AM

DAELUS

Ah, I have just finished typing the article, and it is at that link too.
I am just praying it was the right article.

By the way, this is only my second post, so yeah, new.

"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 5:35 AM

NICOLACLARKE

Yep, that's the right one. And hi!

/ pure intentions, juxatposed /

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 6:36 AM

DAELUS

Hi, heh.

That site is sometimes(including now) down for a few hours, I don't know why. So the link might not work.

"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 6:37 AM

SHINY

Quote:
Originally posted by Noocyte:
the issue with the page format is SHINY's multiple "beg"s. If SHINY would care to edit that post, inserting a couple of carriage returns, the enthusiasm would be preserved, but the page would likely return to normal....

Department of Redundancy Department

Sorry 'bout that...it's been fixed.

Please help Haken keep this site running by occasionally clicking on some of the sponsored ad links on the side of the page!

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 8:09 AM

MAKEROFPATHS

Many thanks for posting those SFX reports.

B5 vs SFX: Have to admit that JMS's ban on SFX republishing his words caused me to abandon the magazine. I do seem to remember something about claims that a UK convention fell far short of its charitable promises and so JMS investigated and responded. I don't know the truth of it. I admire that JMS is a man who acts on his words. So few people seem able to do so.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 8:32 AM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

A previous SFX article was scanned so that we could read it that way.

Sounds great, Firefly getting proper attention from the media!! I'd LOVE to read this.

(beg)

EDIT : Read the typed article and review. Very shiny!

Keep flying

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 11:59 AM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Quote:
Originally posted by NicolaClarke:
As for the SFX/JMS thing. Not sure how exactly it started (although SFX not mincing their words about season 5 being dreadful certainly played a part...), but it escalated into, and persisted as, a strange tit-for-tat slanging match. SFX laid their side of it to rest some time ago; I've no idea if JMS has done the same.

Seems like its still going on both sides - SFX very rarely feature any JMS stuff (Jeremiah got little or no coverage even to report its existence, albeit that JMS presumably gave them no access) except in passing. Does seem odd, as I'd guess there has been an almost whole scale editorial change at the magazine in the past few years.

On a related note, the situation probably isn't/wasn't helped by the fact that SFX's conventions are run by a guy (I forget his name) who royally pissed off JMS some years back.

Yes, I recall that, and think I know who you mean - but as I can't recall will not speculate any further. Sounds like two feuds have crossed paths, which may explain the longevity.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 12:00 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Quote:
Originally posted by Quicksand:
Also, pay no mind to some Brit magazine not minding Angel got canceled after 5 seasons. In England, shows run for 2, 3 seasons max. If only America had applied that rule to "Friends..."

SFX didn't mean it as a criticism, but they took the news very much as I did - had half been expecting it and thought the show had at least had a 5 year run.

British shows also have "seasons" of fewer episodes - most in the region of 6-10 a year.

"I threw up on your bed"

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 10:31 PM

NICOLACLARKE

Quote:
Originally posted by Misguided By Voices:
Seems like its still going on both sides - SFX very rarely feature any JMS stuff (Jeremiah got little or no coverage even to report its existence, albeit that JMS presumably gave them no access) except in passing. Does seem odd, as I'd guess there has been an almost whole scale editorial change at the magazine in the past few years.

Well, the overall editor is still the same guy (who has, incidentally, been giving the B5 DVDs good reviews on their release - possibly because season 5 ism't out yet? :-D). As to Jeremiah etc., I *think* the problem is JMS blocking things (I vaguely remember them having trouble getting even a freelancer onset towards the end of B5), but I may be wrong.

/ pure intentions, juxtaposed /

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Monday, May 3, 2004 11:34 AM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Quote:
Originally posted by NicolaClarke:
Well, the overall editor is still the same guy (who has, incidentally, been giving the B5 DVDs good reviews on their release - possibly because season 5 ism't out yet? :-D).

True, to give them their due there hasn't been a revisionist history about B5.

Besides, I still like Season 5. Ignoring Sleeping in Light as it was really a season 4 episode, it still has some great episodes - the final 5 + SiL being some of the best stuff in the arc. Not so fond of the Lennier arc, and yes it would have been better had the episodes been split between two seasons as would more likely have been the case, but its still pretty darn good.

"I threw up on your bed"

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