ThisMercurySteam said:
But ya its pretty much because of what people are saying. The pilot was actualy the last episode that was aired.
Poll: Why was Firefly canceled?
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But ya its pretty much because of what people are saying. The pilot was actualy the last episode that was aired.
I've never seen Firefly and I couldn't give a rat's ass about it.
But it's cancellation did result in everyone constantly whining about it.
But it's cancellation did result in everyone constantly whining about it.
I agree that the wit was a matter of opinion, no doubt. It's worng of me to try to provide that as an argument. I've just always found Whedon's writing style to draw its comedy from its sarcasm and situational quirkiness ("Firefly" included) and I've found this rather cheap.Slimshad said:
Still, as for the lack of originality, I attribute this more to the fact that the setting is something I've always loved, a space western. I'm not going to impaly that the settign was unoriginal because of that. But after rewatching it quite a few times, primary story elelments, characters, plot twists, almost everything major that developed in the story was taken almost DIRECTLY from other space-westerns. I guess it's not fair to try to detatch a live-action show from a bunch of Japanese cartoons and movies fro mthe 70s, but i'm afraid that that seems to be where all of the ideas came from.
Can you honestly NOT parallel "Firefly" to "Outlaw Star"?
Firefly was cancelled for the same reason that most of Whedon's other shows got cancelled: IT WASN'T VERY GOOD. Yes, the whole 'cowboys in space' thing had it's appeal, but when it comes right down to it series with ensemble casts require three things: 1)Good plots, 2)Interesting characters, and 3)Excellent actors. Firefly had one of the three, and it wasn't One or two. The plots were stale and just about every member of the cast suffered from whedon's inability to write any characters other than ditzes, badasses, and characters that flipped back and forth between one or the other.
I've never seen it myself, but I would like to, as I've only heard good things on this forum.
Any leads people? dvd box sets? [sup]even shady internet downloads?[/sup]
Any leads people? dvd box sets? [sup]even shady internet downloads?[/sup]
I don't think Firefly is the Holy Grail of TV, but it deserved better that FOX gave it. The Executive Meddling killed it, as FOX's Executive Meddling has killed many, many shows (personally, I'm still most pissed about Drive, with no one remembers).
I recall one of the FF episodes was pushed back to about 2 AM after being pre-empted by sports. There was no sign that the show would come on and not ads going "hey, uh, it's gonna be on after the game". IMO, FOX just wanted to air the episodes they were contractually bound to air and then drop it for whatever bullshit replacement they could throw together.
And then Whedon created Dollhouse, which got picked up instead of the superior (or so I've heard) Sarah Connor Chronicles. FF fans should let it go. You got a fucking movie, for god's sake.
I recall one of the FF episodes was pushed back to about 2 AM after being pre-empted by sports. There was no sign that the show would come on and not ads going "hey, uh, it's gonna be on after the game". IMO, FOX just wanted to air the episodes they were contractually bound to air and then drop it for whatever bullshit replacement they could throw together.
And then Whedon created Dollhouse, which got picked up instead of the superior (or so I've heard) Sarah Connor Chronicles. FF fans should let it go. You got a fucking movie, for god's sake.
To answer your title question, low viewership obviously, it is the reason any show gets cancelled.
Also keep in mind that FOX is the most ad-revenue-oriented of the networks. They would never have given Pushing Daisies that second season. They would have killed Chuck early in it's run. FOX shows have to make money right off the bat or be canceled. Other networks sometimes have a little leniency and a small appreciation for good TV. FOX doesn't.mattttherman3 said:
Yes that could be, but Fox has some of the best shows on tv imo, like House, Lie to Me and 24. Screw American Idol though.LadyZephyr said:
Firefly had bad ratings.
Money comes from advertising revenues, and the amount that can be charged for advertising depends on how many people watch a programme, not how much they like it. A show with 15 million viewers who watch it but don't much care is going to survive where a show with 5 million viewers who would name their babies after the main characters will not.
I'd be a little circumspect rather than blaming it all on Fox, as that's just the sort of thing fans will naturally try to do and hype up. However, it's quite reasonable to believe Firefly had cult appeal but not mass appeal, and was never going to do better. If Fox suspected this, it made more sense for them to treat it casually rather than throw resources at trying to push what was never going to be a massive popular hit.
Money comes from advertising revenues, and the amount that can be charged for advertising depends on how many people watch a programme, not how much they like it. A show with 15 million viewers who watch it but don't much care is going to survive where a show with 5 million viewers who would name their babies after the main characters will not.
I'd be a little circumspect rather than blaming it all on Fox, as that's just the sort of thing fans will naturally try to do and hype up. However, it's quite reasonable to believe Firefly had cult appeal but not mass appeal, and was never going to do better. If Fox suspected this, it made more sense for them to treat it casually rather than throw resources at trying to push what was never going to be a massive popular hit.
It got canceled because like Buffy in the beginning it attracted a small cult following, rather then a large moderate following like most shows. Unfortunately Fox didn't bother to give it the chance to grow and increase it's following.
As for complaints that it wasn't original. Find me one show that is completely original. Everything has been done before in some form or another. Personally I thought the show was original and witty.
As for complaints that it wasn't original. Find me one show that is completely original. Everything has been done before in some form or another. Personally I thought the show was original and witty.
It's well known that Firefly was screwed by the network, but I for one blame the show Enterprise for sucking so hard it ruined sci-fi shows on TV in general. Firefly's problem was timing; there just isn't much audience on mainstream TV for sci-fi anymore. The show would have done better on cable like Battlestar Galactica--come to think of it why didn't the sci-fi channel ever pick up Firefly?
I was one of the few that seems to have actually watched it from the first time it aired on Fox on friday evenings...
It really was a case of the friday night death slot and Fox just not knowing how to properly handle a show.
They did that with Tim Minear's "Drive" (also starring Nathan Fillion) as well.
Fox is just basically about the worst run network out there. The problem is they also tend to take chances on shows with radical concepts that interest me, so i keep being forced to give them a chance..
It really was a case of the friday night death slot and Fox just not knowing how to properly handle a show.
They did that with Tim Minear's "Drive" (also starring Nathan Fillion) as well.
Fox is just basically about the worst run network out there. The problem is they also tend to take chances on shows with radical concepts that interest me, so i keep being forced to give them a chance..
Because Fox was dumb as hell and Whedon was stupider than shit for going with Fox. Yup, I said it. Joss Whedon was a huge dumb ass for not putting then show on Sci-Fi Network when it was first made. If he had done that the show would have been still going.
