GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Will Firefly Beat the Friday Night Trend On FOX?

POSTED BY: HAKEN
UPDATED: Friday, July 26, 2002 07:55
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VIEWED: 1797
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Monday, July 1, 2002 9:49 AM

HAKEN

Likes to mess with stuffs.


Saw the following on Media Week:

Quote:


Firefly (Fox, Friday 8 p.m.)
Although Fox would like to think new Joss Whedon sci-fi drama Firefly is the answer to its Friday 8-9 p.m. woes, this is the 11th consecutive year that the network has opened the fall season with a different show airing in the time period. Take a look:

Friday 8-9 p.m. on Fox
2001: Dark Angel
2000: World's Wildest Police Videos
1999: Ryan Caulfield: Year One
1998: Living in Captivity/Getting Personal
1997: The Visitor
1996: Sliders
1995: Strange Luck
1994: M.A.N.T.I.S.
1993: Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.
1992: America's Most Wanted

Considering that five of the above 10 titles were science fiction, is there any reason to believe that Firefly will reverse this negative trend?



The only show I haven't seen is Living in Captivity/Getting Personal. I guess it was that bad.

The only shows on the list that I actually liked was Sliders, Dark Angel, and The Visitor.

The full article can be read here:

http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/search/search_display.jsp?vnu_conte
nt_id=1531065


Beware, mediaweek is into fragging readers with massive amounts of Flash popup ads.


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Monday, July 1, 2002 10:21 AM

ZICSOFT


And so what? Notice that they didn't say that all these shows failed. Many of them lasted several seasons. It's just that none of them kept their original time slot for more than one season.

This is actually a good thing. Even if Friday/8-9 really is the TSoD (I'm still not convinced), all the list tells us is that as soon as a show starts to develop some buzz, Fox moves it to a better slot. And trust me, Firefly will generate buzz. Or rather, it will generate more buzz, once it's actually on the air!


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Monday, July 1, 2002 11:56 AM

HAKEN

Likes to mess with stuffs.


If the plan all along was to eventually move Firefly to another night, why even have it air on Fridays in the first place?

They should have started on a night that was best for Firefly and stick with it so that:

1. Fans know when to expect it.
2. Potential fans will know where to look.

I just can't see how playing musical chair with a show can help the show build viewership. If there is one thing I look for in a show to determine how well it is managed and produced, it's how consistent it is. Good shows are consistenly good and viewers know where to expect in on the tv schedule. Bad shows are inconsistently bad and makes you want to whack it like a mole.

So, if a series becomes inconsistent in any manner, there's a good chance that something is amiss.


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Monday, July 1, 2002 1:10 PM

MOJOECA


Quote:

Originally posted by Zicsoft:
And so what? Notice that they didn't say that all these shows failed. Many of them lasted several seasons. It's just that none of them kept their original time slot for more than one season.


I think you're wrong, there.

2001: Dark Angel (dead in its first year on fri)
2000: World's Wildest Police Videos(not really a show)
1999: Ryan Caulfield: Year One(DOA)
1998: Living in Captivity/Getting Personal(never heard of either)
1997: The Visitor(DOA)
1996: Sliders(moved to fri in 2nd yr, I think; canceled; picked up by sci-fi; cancled again)
1995: Strange Luck(canceled after first year)
1994: M.A.N.T.I.S.(ditto)
1993: Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.(canceled after first yr, I guess?)
1992: America's Most Wanted(moved to sat; only show still on the air)

The main point is that no sci-fi show has lasted more than one year.

--- Joe

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Monday, July 1, 2002 1:22 PM

HAKEN

Likes to mess with stuffs.


You would think that someone at FOX would get the hint and try some other types of programming for Friday night.



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Monday, July 1, 2002 1:45 PM

ZICSOFT


Quote:

Originally posted by Haken:
If the plan all along was to eventually move Firefly to another night, why even have it air on Fridays in the first place?

Not what I said. Fox will end up moving it, but they're not planning to move it. God knows if they're planning anything. Probably there are people at Fox who think Firefly will succeed, others who think it will fail, or even want it to fail. You're expecting rationality and forsight from a TV network? These are the last word in disfunctional organizations!
Quote:


They should have started on a night that was best for Firefly and stick with it ..


Hey, I know that a consistent schedule is good for a TV show. Most TV viewer know this, 'cause they know that if they can't remember when a show is on, they probably won't watch it. But nobody who actually works for a TV network seems to understand this simple logic.


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Monday, July 1, 2002 2:01 PM

ZICSOFT


Quote:

Originally posted by mojoeca:
Quote:

Originally posted by Zicsoft:
And so what? Notice that they didn't say that all these shows failed. Many of them lasted several seasons. It's just that none of them kept their original time slot for more than one season.


I think you're wrong, there.

2001: Dark Angel (dead in its first year on fri)
2000: World's Wildest Police Videos(not really a show)
1999: Ryan Caulfield: Year One(DOA)
1998: Living in Captivity/Getting Personal(never heard of either)
1997: The Visitor(DOA)
1996: Sliders(moved to fri in 2nd yr, I think; canceled; picked up by sci-fi; cancled again)
1995: Strange Luck(canceled after first year)
1994: M.A.N.T.I.S.(ditto)
1993: Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.(canceled after first yr, I guess?)
1992: America's Most Wanted(moved to sat; only show still on the air)

The main point is that no sci-fi show has lasted more than one year.

--- Joe


So about one in three lasted more than 13 episodes, though most of those episodes were shown on another night. One chance in three may not be perfect odds, but they're good enough for a decent show. And I think Firefly will be rather more than decent.

And I say again, Buzz Factor. Word of mouth has kept Buffy going for six years, despite being pegged as a silly horror soap opera for teenagers. Firefly has less baggage, better writers (actually the same writers, but they've had practice), better production values, more exposure, and its genre (Space SF) is considered more "adult" than horror-with-teenagers.

Firefly may not be an instant classic, instantly renewed for 2 or three seasons. (Possible, but not likely.) But I'm gonna be very very suprised if it doesn't survive at least one full 20+ ep season.


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Thursday, July 25, 2002 5:05 PM

JORGASNAROVA


Quote:

Originally posted by Zicsoft:
Quote:

Originally posted by mojoeca:
Quote:

Originally posted by Zicsoft:
And so what? Notice that they didn't say that all these shows failed. Many of them lasted several seasons. It's just that none of them kept their original time slot for more than one season.


I think you're wrong, there.

2001: Dark Angel (dead in its first year on fri)
2000: World's Wildest Police Videos(not really a show)
1999: Ryan Caulfield: Year One(DOA)
1998: Living in Captivity/Getting Personal(never heard of either)
1997: The Visitor(DOA)
1996: Sliders(moved to fri in 2nd yr, I think; canceled; picked up by sci-fi; cancled again)
1995: Strange Luck(canceled after first year)
1994: M.A.N.T.I.S.(ditto)
1993: Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.(canceled after first yr, I guess?)
1992: America's Most Wanted(moved to sat; only show still on the air)

The main point is that no sci-fi show has lasted more than one year.

--- Joe


So about one in three lasted more than 13 episodes, though most of those episodes were shown on another night. One chance in three may not be perfect odds, but they're good enough for a decent show. And I think Firefly will be rather more than decent.

And I say again, Buzz Factor. Word of mouth has kept Buffy going for six years, despite being pegged as a silly horror soap opera for teenagers. Firefly has less baggage, better writers (actually the same writers, but they've had practice), better production values, more exposure, and its genre (Space SF) is considered more "adult" than horror-with-teenagers.

Firefly may not be an instant classic, instantly renewed for 2 or three seasons. (Possible, but not likely.) But I'm gonna be very very suprised if it doesn't survive at least one full 20+ ep season.




With the possible exceptions of BRISCOE COUNTY, DARK ANGEL, and STRANGE LUCK, almost all of the shows on your list were lamentably mediocre and very forgettable. I still shudder at the memory of certain episodes of THE VISITOR and M.A.N.T.I.S. Ugh.

I think it would be vital for FIREFLY fans to bombard the network with cards, letters, and e-mails the moment it airs to let FOX know an audience exists, and that it would be worth their while to consider a better timeslot.


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Friday, July 26, 2002 7:55 AM

HJERMSTED


Why isn't X-Files on this list?

That show debuted on FOX on Friday nights way back when.

I liked The Visitor. I also got a kick out of VR5 which also debuted on Fox Friday but was squashed rather quickly.

These studios are way too reactionary. Some shows need time to evolve. The execs want instant success. I hope they enjoy their constant migraine headaches.

mattro

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