Firefly.. Serenity.

LikeAnOcean

I cannot believe this show got cancelled. My mom actually got me to start watching this show on DVD a few weeks ago and I am hooked. I saw the movie first and was blown away!.. Supposely it has a "cult following" and I think I just signed up.. Can anyone tell me why this show and movie flopped?

RonForchette

LikeAnOcean wrote:

I cannot believe this show got cancelled. My mom actually got me to start watching this show on DVD a few weeks ago and I am hooked. I saw the movie first and was blown away!.. Supposely it has a "cult following" and I think I just signed up.. Can anyone tell me why this show and movie flopped?

Because Fox tv and Universal pictures didn't promote it well enough to the right audiences, and when they tried, it was a little too little too late. Plus unfortunetly, Buffy, Angel, etc. has a bad stigma to it for people who've never actually gotten into it. I personally believe Firefly, Angel, Buffy, are the best genre shows to ever hit the airwaves (along with Lost). Oh well, we'll have to live with knowing what the best series is that no one has ever heard of.
If one is reading this and likes sci-fi of the Star Wars, Star Trek, (new)Battlestar variety, I know that Blockbuster and Netflix has the entire series(Firefly) and the movie(Serenity) for rent. Check it out, ya might find something new ya like.

bobbyd3

I thought I read that the movie wasnt a flop, but cant remember.

As to the reason the show gets canceled, well thats easy, It was actually good. Can you think of any quality show that lasted more than 1 or 2 seasons?

RonForchette

I wouldn't say the movie was a flop either. Just the opposite, I thought it was great. But for studio big wigs, if it doesn't make $100 million in the first week it's considered a flop, which is bullshit. The only thing that matters to me is if I like it, and I did. I know the actors had sequels in thier contracts, and the studio said that if it made $80 million domesticlly that they'd be down for another. Who knows, the first Star Trek movie was made about 12 yrs. after the that show was cancelled, so I guess there is hope.
All I know is that I loaned my dvd sets out to every friend (and some not-so-friends) and everyone loved it and the film. True greatness can only be judged by time.
It'll keep flyin'. I still believe.

RonForchette

Enjoy:

http://www.session416.com/mirrors

(you may need to cut 'n paste)

MookieBlaylock5v1

I freakin' love Firefly & Serenity.

Fox dropped the ball on this series on too many levels. First, they placed the show on Friday nights, not the greatest TV night there is to begin with. Second, their marketing campaign was piss-poor and ill-sighted. They tried to advertise the series as being about "a hooker in space" or "a girl in a box". Third, Fox expected the series to achieve instant cult status, whereas shows like Buffy and Angel needed at least a couple seasons to develop properly. And most importantly, they showed the episodes out of order! The first episode to be broadcast was "The Train Job". Fox didn't air the introductory two-part "Serenity" pilot until the end. Needless to say, the combination of all these factors through viewers for a loop and the show never had a chance to succeed.

Thanks to the DVD sales of the series and a grass-roots campaign by fans who spread word about the series, Universal picked up the movie rights to Firefly and produced the movie "Serenity". Depite good reviews and opening at #2 during its first week, domestic ticket sales amounted to about $25 million (the film's budget was about $40 million). Haven't heard much about it's international sales or DVD figures, but hopefully the studio greenlights a second movie. Doesn't seem very likely though.

Now I need to go home tonight and watch the movie again.

Keep spreading the word about this great show!

Yefa

I'm a huge fan of both Firefly and Serenity. I saw Firefly when it was on Fox. I missed it sometimes though due to it being on Friday and being preempted by baseball. I own the DVD set and love it.
I saw Serenity six times on the big screen including last month at a charity screening for the organization Equality Now. See the link below for more details on the screenings.

http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com

I own Serenity on DVD too of course. Like Firefly, it stands up well to repeated viewings.

MookieBlaylock5v1

Yefa wrote:

I'm a huge fan of both Firefly and Serenity. I saw Firefly when it was on Fox. I missed it sometimes though due to it being on Friday and being preempted by baseball. I own the DVD set and love it.
I saw Serenity six times on the big screen including last month at a charity screening for the organization Equality Now. See the link below for more details on the screenings.

http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com

I own Serenity on DVD too of course. Like Firefly, it stands up well to repeated viewings.

Thanks for the link Yefa. I'm bummed that I missed the Chicago screening.

PJfanFORlife

yeah i liked it too. and the movie was great. you can get the unaired episodes on dvd. they were good as well

Yefa

MookieBlaylock5v1 wrote:

Thanks for the link Yefa. I'm bummed that I missed the Chicago screening.

You're welcome. There is talk of doing the screenings again next year so check on that site periodically to see what's the what.

RonForchette

There is a really good doc. about Firefly/Serenity and the fandom that surrounds it called "Done The Impossible: The Fans' Tale Of Firefly & Serenity". Great production values, and I highly recommend it. I got mine in the mail today and quite enjoyed it. You can check out their site and order it here: http://www.donetheimpossible.com/index.php

LikeAnOcean

RonForchette wrote:

There is a really good doc. about Firefly/Serenity and the fandom that surrounds it called "Done The Impossible: The Fans' Tale Of Firefly & Serenity". Great production values, and I highly recommend it. I got mine in the mail today and quite enjoyed it. You can check out their site and order it here: http://www.donetheimpossible.com/index.php

Very cool! Thanks for the link..

dawnsister

I got my DTI dvd the other day - and took it to a friend's to share the goodness. I've got three sets of FF dvd's for loaners, and I'm missing a set. Hmmm.

RonForchette

dawnsister wrote:

I've got three sets of FF dvd's for loaners, and I'm missing a set. Hmmm.

Well, hopefully whoever has your missing set will share them with others, they'll enjoy them, and keep on spreading the 'verse to someone else.

Edit: Dawnsister. mmm, I've heard of a Dawns' sister, goes by the name Buffy, and I close?

Hitch-Hiker

Serenity Now!!!!



...sorry, I just came from the Seinfeld Thread

MookieBlaylock5v1

RonForchette wrote:

There is a really good doc. about Firefly/Serenity and the fandom that surrounds it called "Done The Impossible: The Fans' Tale Of Firefly & Serenity". Great production values, and I highly recommend it. I got mine in the mail today and quite enjoyed it. You can check out their site and order it here: http://www.donetheimpossible.com/index.php

really cool! I'll have to order one.
Thanks for the link!!!

brainofPJ

Brisco County was good too

Yefa

Serenity won the Hugo Award for best long form dramatic presentation this past weekend at WorldCon in Anaheim, CA. Check the links below for more info.

http://whedonesque.com/comments/11219
http://whedonesque.com/comments/11238

LikeAnOcean

Yefa wrote:

Serenity won the Hugo Award for best long form dramatic presetation this past weekend at WorldCon in Anaheim, CA. Check the links below for more info.

http://whedonesque.com/comments/11219
http://whedonesque.com/comments/11238

Very cool!

HeadlongRush

Love this show! I got my sister hooked on it one of the times SciFi ran all the episodes back to back .

I wasn't sure how the Serenity would go over with viewers who hadn't watched FF and didn't know the back story. I saw it with a friend who had never seen the series, and she loved it; it prompted her to go back and watch the series. The movie explained enough to make sense to a first-time viewer, although I think being familiar with FF made it even more enjoyable.

LikeAnOcean

HeadlongRush wrote:

Love this show! I got my sister hooked on it one of the times SciFi ran all the episodes back to back .

I wasn't sure how the Serenity would go over with viewers who hadn't watched FF and didn't know the back story. I saw it with a friend who had never seen the series, and she loved it; it prompted her to go back and watch the series. The movie explained enough to make sense to a first-time viewer, although I think being familiar with FF made it even more enjoyable.

My mom and a friend of mine kept bugging me to watch it about 6 months ago. I had no desire to see it. I never even knew it was in the theatres..

My friend eventually just left the movie at my place and I gave it a shot one evening. I liked it so much I went out and bought the series!.. I actually liked the series even more. I'm ashamed I didn't catch on earlier. It would have been cool to have already been a fan when the movie was released in the theatres.

Yefa

There are of course the big online Browncoat boards such as:

http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly
http://www.fireflyfans.net
http://www.serenitymovie.org

There are also many smaller groups of Browncoats which meet in their communities. Here's a page that lists many of those.

http://www.bigdamnboard.com/websites/groups/

MookieBlaylock5v1

LikeAnOcean wrote:

My friend eventually just left the movie at my place and I gave it a shot one evening. I liked it so much I went out and bought the series!.. I actually liked the series even more. I'm ashamed I didn't catch on earlier. It would have been cool to have already been a fan when the movie was released in the theatres.

I saw Serenity three times in theaters, including once on an IMAX screen (very cool, especially during the climax).

As far as being a fan of Firefly early on... it sure wasn't fun being a fan when FOX royally screwed and cancelled the series... then waiting FOREVER for Universal to pick up the movie rights and release Serenity.

... other than that, being a Browncoat is awesome.

Yefa

This is a heads up for all you Chicago-area Browncoats. There will be 2 Serenity screenings the first weekend of November. More details at linkage below.

http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com

LikeAnOcean

This sucks. :(

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/737/737413p1.html

The story was just getting started. What was going to happen with the relationship between Malcolm and Inora??.. Where will River and Simon end up???

Grrr!!! Buy the TV series and DVD people! Give this thing hope! Really good show/movie. You won't be disappointed. You don't even have to like Sci-Fi to like it.

intodeep

I never watched this show so i can't comment on it. although what i know about it sounds cool, but I have to say everytime i see this thread i see firefly and i think it is about the GI JOE figure.... i'm a dork

LikeAnOcean

intodeep wrote:

I never watched this show so i can't comment on it. although what i know about it sounds cool, but I have to say everytime i see this thread i see firefly and i think it is about the GI JOE figure.... i'm a dork

Rent it!.. You'll probobly like it enough to buy it. The movie is good, but I actually like the series as a whole, better. VERY good chemistry amongst the cast. They are very easy to relate to. The show and movie addresses real life social/political issues set in a space/western environment. I actually never even heard of it until long after the movie was released. My mom recomended it. I borrowed the movie and series from her, and liked it enough to buy it myself. I never even knew it was on TV. It was given no chance and cancelled pretty quickly. Its become a cult classic.

gang green disease

Joss Whedon is a friggin genius and Buffy, Angel, and Serenity/Firefly are the most amazing genre series of all time. I'll watch anything he has his incredible vision attached to.

Serenity was more entertaining/thoughtful than all three Star Wars 'prequels' put together and better than any scifi movie since....gosh...alien or aliens? That's a long time...and Serenity was brilliant with a relatively small budget as well.

The reason the show/movie never caught on is that it's too intelligent for people since most of them have a five second attention span and his work actually requires you to PAY ATTENTION to get the full meaning. I know that sounds elitist as hell but it's basically true.

Nathan Fillion will be appearing on Lost this season if I'm not mistaken.

Hitch-Hiker

Ok, I just started watching this. Bought the whole series on the reccomendation of a friend and I frikkin love it. There isn't one bad thing about this show. I'm gonna finish watching the series before I watch the movie. Can't believe it was cancelled. It's a travesty.

RonForchette

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

Ok, I just started watching this. Bought the whole series on the reccomendation of a friend and I frikkin love it. There isn't one bad thing about this show. I'm gonna finish watching the series before I watch the movie. Can't believe it was cancelled. It's a travesty.

There is a grachic novel that takes place in between the series and the movie. It's good, and written by series creator Joss Whedon. I recommend checking it out.

http://www.amazon.com/Those-Behind-Serenity-Joss-Whedon/dp/1593074492/sr=8-2/qid=1160424496/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-6859408-5221750?ie=UTF8&s=book

Hitch-Hiker

RonForchette wrote:

There is a grachic novel that takes place in between the series and the movie. It's good, and written by series creator Joss Whedon. I recommend checking it out.

http://www.amazon.com/Those-Behind-Serenity-Joss-Whedon/dp/1593074492/sr=8-2/qid=1160424496/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-6859408-5221750?ie=UTF8&s=book

Yeah, I heard about that. Must pick it up. Thanks for the link.