Poll: Why was Firefly canceled?

[MercurySteam]

Just about everyone who's watched Joss Whedon's Firefly has fallen in love. So what I'm struggling to understand is why they only got an average amount of viewers. And don't even get me started on how awesome Serenity was. My theory is that if they'd shown it on free TV as well as pay TV it would've gotten all the viewers in the world. And let's not forget to mention that DVD sales went through the roof!!!

Can you think of a way that Firefly could've stayed on the air?

 

[Teh_Doomage]

Also, they targeted the wrong demographic for advertising.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Just about everyone who's watched Joss Whedon's Firefly has fallen in love. So what I'm struggling to understand is why they only got an average amount of viewers. And don't even get me started on how awesome Serenity was. My theory is that if they'd shown it on free TV as well as pay TV it would've gotten all the viewers in the world. And let's not forget to mention that DVD sales went through the roof!!!

Can you think of a way that Firefly could've stayed on the air?

Firefly was on free TV, what are you talking about?

 

[Will of One]

Hm. Could I get a "never heard of it" option over here?

 

[TheScarecrow]

Apparently it was axed because new Fox producers took over, and as the last ones had given this one the go-ahead before being kicked out, they wanted to make sure it failed. Hence why the episodes weren't in any order, or on a set day etc.
Damn shame if you ask me. Best Sci-fi show I've seen, and I've seen almost all of them.

That's basically the jist of it. New guys took over and kciked it, idiots.

 

[Tron900]

So basically they took someones hard work and messed around with it....nice one FOX....

 

[AxelMiller]

Isnt there a thread for closed shows already?

 

[Fumbles]

Hm. Could I get a "never heard of it" option over here?

What?

 

[Avaholic03]

Hm. Could I get a "never heard of it" option over here?

No, but you have my pity. Just go buy the first (and only) season. After you watch that, watch the movie (Serenity). Then you'll be just as obsessed as everyone else who got hooked on the show, and would still like to see it come back.

 

[MercurySteam]

Firefly was on free TV, what are you talking about?

Firefly premiered in the United States and Canada on the Fox network on September 20, 2002.

Was it? Then why they hell didn't I hear about it sooner...........

 

[Slycne]

I love Firefly, and its amazing DVD sales should be more than enough for studios to considering bringing it back(despite a less than stellar box office for Serenity), but for all the finger pointing about Fox airing them out of order, wanting to change the shows directions, etc - it all comes down to the simple fact that not enough people watched it when it was running on TV to warrant its big sci-fi budget.

 

[MercurySteam]

Isnt there a thread for closed shows already?

Yes but Firefly is so well know it deserves its own thread

 

[Avaholic03]

Isnt there a thread for closed shows already?

There's also a thread for "use the search bar", dedicated to you mini-moderators who feel they have to point out everyone who makes a duplicate thread. If you feel like you've read it already, then move on.

 

[GDW]

Why?

It wasn't very good.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't like the show (own the series and "Serenity"), but, in truth, it just wasn't anywhere near as creative as so many of the fans would like to think it is. I know in truth that it was cut because of the producers pulling a switch on us, but I can't attribute the series' lack of commercial success on anything other than no demographic picking up on Joss Whedon's apparent need to keep a faux-witty series on the air, regardless of how utterly unoriginal it was (How long did "Buffy" and its spin-off run?).

Sure, I'm about to get flamed by the ridiculous amount of brown-coats I'm sure there are here, but, face it, it wasn't a very intellegent show. It wasn't a very well-written show. And it CERTAINLY wasn't a very original show.

I really, REALLY wish people would stop whining about it.

 

[AxelMiller]

Isnt there a thread for closed shows already?

There's also a thread for "use the search bar", dedicated to you mini-moderators who feel they have to point out everyone who makes a duplicate thread. If you feel like you've read it already, then move on.

Gee, well excuse me for asking. And id never want to be any kind of moderator anyway. To much responsibility for me.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

I love Firefly, and its amazing DVD sales should be more than enough for studios to considering bringing it back(despite a less than stellar box office for Serenity), but for all the finger pointing about Fox airing them out of order, wanting to change the shows directions, etc - it all comes down to the simple fact that not enough people watched it when it was running on TV to warrant its big sci-fi budget.

There's a bit of chicken-and-egg debate on that; was the audience low because of slot-shuffling, out-of-sequence airing, etc, or was all that the result of low viewership making Fox decide to deemphasize it?

I'll admit that I was not a fan of the first episode that Fox aired... then again, since it wasn't advertised I didn't catch it from the beginning so I had nothing invested in any of the characters, and it was easy therefor for my anti-Starship Troopers bias to leap to the foreground and tune out because of the recycled costumes.

Then I saw Serenity and understood what all the fan excitement was about, and turned around and bought the DVD set and saw the original premiere episode that did a much better job of setting up the characters and background.

So I come down on the side of management meddling being the problem, myself. I'll admit that it isn't clear-cut, though.

-- Steve

 

[Slimshad]

I, for one, loved this show. I was sad that fox &@#&*@*%&@ it up. Did you notice fox hasn't kept a single Scific show on the air for more than 1 season? (Exception fringe) but that's because most scific directors are idiots when it comes to making deals. It probably wouldn't of gotten so much ratings if it wasn't on fox, but damn Whedon was an IDIOT.

Why?

It wasn't very good.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't like the show (own the series and "Serenity"), but, in truth, it just wasn't anywhere near as creative as so many of the fans would like to think it is. I know in truth that it was cut because of the producers pulling a switch on us, but I can't attribute the series' lack of commercial success on anything other than no demographic picking up on Joss Whedon's apparent need to keep a faux-witty series on the air, regardless of how utterly unoriginal it was (How long did "Buffy" and its spin-off run?).

Sure, I'm about to get flamed by the ridiculous amount of brown-coats I'm sure there are here, but, face it, it wasn't a very intellegent show. It wasn't a very well-written show. And it CERTAINLY wasn't a very original show.

I really, REALLY wish people would stop whining about it.

not original huh? Not that I'm going to flame you, it's just where does your argument stand? How many other scifiction shows are out there with southernesque ship party not searching the known universe, but trying to stay alive. The basis isn't very original, but the setting is. As for witty, that's a matter of opinion. I thought the jokes were hilarious. I don't want to start a flame war, I just wanted to point out a few things. Also, there is a lot of people who whine about Star Trek being canceled, and since Firefly only lasted one season, I think a lot of people should have the right to whine.

 

[Simriel]

It was cancelled because the advertising was sold to male product companies however the audience was 40% female, therefor the sponsors pulled out.

 

[Monshroud]

*Cough* Search Bar *Cough* =)

The show didn't last for a variety of reasons.

First and Foremost, it didn't get high ratings. That could be due to it's bad time slot. (Firefly, John Doe, and a 3rd show I think) were in the Friday Night slot. Most shows on Friday Nights don't do well since that is a typical US 'Go out and Party' night.

Some have said that it was advertised poorly. I wouldn't know, I saw advertisements and watched the show from beginning to end based on seeing the commercials.

Some have said that because the Pilot wasn't aired first. The first episode shown was 'The Train Job' which drops you in the middle of the action, but doesn't do much for back story, so you had no idea who these people were and what was really going on. Strangely the Pilot episode was the last aired episode...

Also, as much as I love the show, I can understand where many people don't think the idea of Cowboys in Space is appealing.

I could go on, but this is probably more than enough for now. I think we should be happy that the DVD release had the un-aired episodes, and we should be greatful that we got Serenity. For all the bitching that people did to get that show back, the fact we got a movie was amazing.

The more amazing thing is that the people who whined and complained couldn't be bothered to see the movie a couple of times in the theatre and drag their friend so it could actually be a commercial success. I can't tell you how pissed I was at a group of friends who downloaded the movie. I saw it on opening night in a packed theater, then again the next weekend in a 1/4 filled theatre...

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

Fox are evil.
That is all.