[Deathstalker]

QUOTE:

"After watching 'Firefly', here are some of my observations...

#1. Cowboys in space. This has been done before, and is actually presently being done. Something called "Donte Montana" is out there on the Space network, which has a very similar cast, except that their spaceship is a bountyhunter vessel instead of a trading vessel, but very similar clothes and universe.

#2. The 'evil empire' is pretty tame. Watching the discussion on that battleship, or whatever, between the military crew, these guys were more casual then the orignal Star Trek crew.

#3. Too many humans of 2 dimensional characters. You have your self centred crewman, your physically strong woman, your mentally strong woman, your weak woman, your smart yet wimpy doctor, your old guy, your pilot, and your tough, yet downright morally good, lead character.

#4. Their ship effects are good, but any show can have good effects.

#5. The episode I saw was a combination of Aliens, Alien Reserection, Event Horizon and The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

#6. Basically, it another "Andromeda", but with 'attitude' and 'proactiveness' (something Simpsons followers might find amusing).

I heard that the show is already in trouble, having even lower Ratings then Farscape (which had a very loyal following). "

Just to slightly defend (first off, I am a great fan of Joss Whedon, really like his directing)

1) There are NO original ideas any more. Just original ways to implement them. To take a look at another genre (say comic books) you can say that every hero is just a copy of Superman. (ie. The Flash, both him and Supes have superspeed, it's how the writer/artist pull it off that is different.)

2) Did'nt see the pilot (unfortunately, worked and missed it.) but I did enjoy the second episode. That and the pilot was not the original one that was to be showed (kinda like Star Trek, the first show was considered too 'cerebral' for us poor viewers to 'get it', so the network had Joss do a different pilot for its opener. We may see the 'origin episode' around episode 4 or 5 I think).

3) Again, all shows have basicly the same characters. Compare 'Chicago Hope' and 'ER', same basic characters. Totally different result. Or even take a look at 'franchise'shows like the 2 or 3 Law and Order's that are out there. Same characters really (how many times have we seen a 'slightly bad-good-harrassed but morally right cop'?) but its up to the writers to pull it off (which I think Dick Wolf lets them do nicely).

4) True, any show can have good effects. But we as fans really are to fault here. One of the best and longest running sci-fi shows is Dr. Who (IMO of course, but running 20+ years IS a major feat). But if you put out a show with it's effects/budget tomorrow it would die a horrible Ratings death really fast! I mean, really, would you watch your favorite sci-fi show it they had effects that looked like that? (or if say the new Star Trek movie came out and you could see the strings holding up the ship {which you could in an old episode IIRC} how upset would you be no matter how good the acting?)

5) Whedon wrote Aliens:Ressurrection, so its natural he may want to carry over some of his 'themes'. Look at 'Buffy' and 'Angel'. Both his shows, both can be argued as the same (one evolved from the other) but actually watching them you see they are totally different. (he must be doing something right, for a mid season replacement 'Buffy' just started its 7th season!).

6) Don't watch Andomeda so I can't comment.

7) the show is in trouble? where exactly did you find the figues? (I'd love to see them out of curiositys sake).

Personally I'm just gonna trust a writer I admire and watch the characters develop over the next season to make my full judgement (just like I'm saving my final view of the current Star Wars trilogy till the next one is done, when viewed as a whole even Jar Jar might make some sense!)

(hope I dont sound like a flame, just trying to defend the show somewhat. Even if I did only see one episode).

[ October 01, 2002, 10:24: Message edited by: Deathstalker ]