Best Scifi Series ever, canceled! (OT)

[Captain Kwok]

Originally posted by Crazy_Dog:
For me, the best is B5 because is the one that have a real plot, great acting and consistency.

Great acting is always relative in Sci-Fi TV...

[Major Tom]

Here is a link to another BB that I found, which does discuss posted information on some Internet news sites.

http://trekbbs.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/012606.html

Basically, it states the history of Fox dumping shows that require time in order to gain a following. Sci-Fi shows are never ever going to give you a high loyal following right away. They require years of individuals watching in order for them to really become fans. Having the show on Fridays is a definite bad sign, as ever since TGIF bombed, TV watching on Friday nights is one of the lowest. They moved the show 'John Doe' to Mondays, when it was on Friday. The longer that Firefly stays on at 8:00 on Friday, the better chance that it has in dying off. It would have a much better chance in surviving if it was given a place on Sunday night TV, where FOX makes its killing.

Basically, FOX has a history of cancelling shows that do not immediately show financial promise. They have one of the highest rates of TV cancelling, close to ABC, and they have probably the highest rate of cancelling quality TV. Indeed, there is a lot of hype around this show being a good seller primarily because Joss is involved in it. However, it took a long time before Buffy the Vampire Slayer became a hit, and it was primarily a hit because there was nothing else like it, and it was very well written (however, the Last few seasons have been dragging on...). Firefly may be well written, but I don't think it will get enough time in order to develop into a good seiries, given FOX's track record.

FOX basically wants every show to be as immediately popular as comparable shows. When the Family Guy and Futurama failed to meet the same following as the Simpsons, they were cut, even though it took the Simpsons years to get to the point that they currently are. The Lone Gunmen was cancelled when it did not grab the attention of the entire X-Files community, even though the X-Files did not become a major hit until well into its second season.

Recently, I am noticing more and more television shows flopping year after year, with more reruns being put in their place. I think that TV corporations are getting way too greedy in that they expect that if a show is not immediately a hit, it will never be. Most of the great television, especially Science Fiction, requires years of development before they gain a large and loyal audience.

Star Trek the original series, was cancelled after 3 years, primarily because of the same problem that Firefly is facing, it was put in a bad timeslot. Firefly may make it, if they are given enough time to develop, and a better time in which to show it.

It is amazing the number of high quality Science Fiction television shows that we get up here on the Canadian Space Channel, like G. vs. E., Harsh Realm, Third Wave, etc.. that when we get them they were already in syndication because they were cancelled in the US. Seeing what was cancelled by FOX in the past, it really does not give Firefly much of a fighting chance, unless Joss uses his clout to keep the show afloat (however, even Chris Carter, the creator of the biggest FOX moneybag show, was unable to keep Lone Gunmen and Millenium on TV).

[ October 01, 2002, 15:30: Message edited by: Major Tom ]

[Major Tom]

Originally posted by Captain Kwok:

quote:

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Originally posted by Crazy_Dog:
For me, the best is B5 because is the one that have a real plot, great acting and consistency.

Great acting is always relative in Sci-Fi TV...

---

This may just be my ignorance, but I just found out that Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan of B5) and Melissa Gilbert (Captain John Sheridan's dead wife on B5, and Little House on the Prarie star) are actually married. Just found out on a preview of Melissa Gilbert's biography the other day. You learn something new all the time...

[Major Tom]

The other reason why I do not think Firefly will Last very long on Fox, is due to its unoriginal subject matter.

When the Simpsons, X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (even though this is on WB) came out, there really was not anything on TV like them. Because they were really individual shows, without comparison or real competition, they were able to flourish much better then shows that have a lot of competition over similar subject matter.

Firefly has a lot of competition out there. Enterprise, Farscape (especially due to the fact that 50% of the already completed episodes have yet to be released in many areas), Andromeda, that Montana show, along with the recent memory of DS9 and B5, the theme of a science fiction show based around a crew on a spaceship is heavily covered. Something really new has to be done with this show in order for it to Last in the face of an already swamped theme. For its first few episodes being very clicheish and with topics that have been done before (even though they were done by the same artist), Firefly does not currently offer its viewers anything they cannot get from any other show out there.

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Major Tom:
I think that TV corporations are getting way too greedy in that they expect that if a show is not immediately a hit, it will never be

IMHO, the blame doesn't completely belong to the networks. Some TV shows have gotten way too expensive. Early in the run of Farscape the special effects were more immaginative than visually dazzling. Heck, even the first two seasons of Next Gen had pretty simple sets and spaceshots.

Years ago there was some show that was about teenagers in a high school. They were canceled after a year, depite critical acclaim. Basically they said at some ridiculus price, IIRC 1.2 million an episode, they couldn't take it to the networks or PBS, and the cable network (HBO I think) didn't want it anymore.

And I thought "1.2 million?!? The teen actors are unknowns, the set is hallways and classrooms, what is money for. Was the catering that good? I know an episode of NextGen doesn't cost that much -- not early in it's run. Are the writers and directors really worth that much?"

[Major Tom]

One also might assume that it is the fault of the show that becomes entirely reliant on its success primarily due to particular actors. Indeed, certain actors do a very good job, but, the sign of a good show is to survive the loss of some of your main actors. NYPD Blue lost actor after actor, but still remains a top show. Law and Order does not have a single original actor left, but is still very well done.

However, 'ER' will bust after losing all of its actors due to the hype placed on the importance of its actors in the success of the show. Just like 'Friends' would never survive the loss of just one of its cast members.

The problem arises is when the 'Shelly Long' syndrome arises. When a successful TV actor then believes that they are great because their show is successful. They then demand extraordinate amounts of money, hoping to break their contract and end up in movies where the big money and fame is. However, most tend to flop, and end up on the latest CSI spinoff.

It sort of reminds me of the show "News Radio", which was an awesome piece of Television. When Phil Hartman was murdered, the show lost a lot of its already small audience. However, the quality of the show really didn't suffer, and was as funny in its Last episode as it was in its first. The problem is, is that the individuals of shows are hyped well beyond the actual show itself.

Indeed, good shows do get expensive to run. But where are all of the Francis Ford Coppolas? The guys who spend all the money they make on blockbusters (Godfather series) on works of movie/television art (Apocalypse Now). It seems like all of the profits of television corporations are to be spent purely on making even more profits, and not using these profits to provide good programming that may not earn you a lot of money, but earn you a very loyal fanbase.

[Wardad]

I heard it was canceled because it was not canon.

No, please, put down that rock. Eeeehhhhh!!!