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Cnn article

POSTED BY: atomicblonde
UPDATED: Saturday, January 4, 2003 17:41
VIEWED: 6729
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Friday, December 27, 2002 3:09 AM

you guys probly already saw this but.... i copied this from cnn site today
HOLLYWOOD, California (Variety) -- Rabid fans of canceled series "Firefly" and "Birds of Prey" are pushing for a Christmas miracle.

Never mind that neither show pulled much of a Nielsen rating during its short life this fall. Supporters of the two shows are hammering email boxes at Fox, which recently doused the flame on "Firefly," and the WB, where "Birds" flew the coop.

Hoping to convince network Scrooges to reconsider, the well-organized fan groups also are taking a page from past "Save Our Show" campaigns and asking viewers to mail quirky packages to the networks.

Fans of the superhero-themed "Birds of Prey," for example, have been egged on by the webmasters at http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com to send in Batman comic books.

As for "Firefly" devotees, organizers of that show's campaign have asked viewers to send e-mails that include their demographic information. One e-mailer specified that she was a 33-year-old female and homeowner in central Ontario whose annual household income ranges between $50,000 and $60,000.

Fans have plenty of precedent on their side. Networks have been known to give a series another shot after an overwhelming response from viewers. The WB, for example, decided to pick up a second season of "Roswell" after drowning in an avalanche of Tabasco bottles sent by fans trying to make a point. (The aliens on that show loved the spicy condiment.)

Still, even as they pony up another couple thousand dollars to buy an ad in the Hollywood trade papers, fans behind these campaigns know the odds of success are thin.

"It's gratifying that so many fans are speaking up for these shows," said one network executive. "But where were they in October?"

Grrrrr where was the dam advertising in october??? jerk face!!!!



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Friday, December 27, 2002 4:46 AM

"It's gratifying that so many fans are speaking up for these shows," said one network executive. "But where were they in October?"

Man, that line gets me fired up!!! Where were we in October? We were watching the show, you jerk! We were in online message forums trying to piece together the plot because what we had seen so far was OUT OF ORDER!!! We were spreading the word and trying to convince our friends to give the show a chance and coming up against the same response every time, "Isn't that the show that they had to re-do the pilot? I thought it would suck..."

Geez, you idiotic network execs want INSTANT GRATIFICATION and are willing to take NO RESPONSIBILITY when you screw up!

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UFO
Friday, December 27, 2002 6:30 AM

Had no idea someone was actually trying to save Birds of Prey.

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Friday, December 27, 2002 8:12 AM

You know, I don't want this to sound mean or anything, but I'm sort of concerned that the Firefly campaign is being paired with the Birds of Prey one. Not to offend any fans, but I watched it a few times and didn't think much of it, and, from what I can tell, neither did the critics. It just seems like the media might start to think that a postcard campaign is just a knee-jerk reaction of sci-fi fans when their shows are cancelled, regardless of the show's quality. You know what I mean? It just seems like it's sort of taking some of the 'punch' out of our efforts. I could just be crazy, though.

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Friday, December 27, 2002 8:57 AM

Quote:

I'm sort of concerned that the Firefly campaign is being paired with the Birds of Prey one... It just seems like the media might start to think that a postcard campaign is just a knee-jerk reaction of sci-fi fans when their shows are cancelled, regardless of the show's quality.
That is very true. There are even people in deep, sick denial still trying to "save" Dark Angel. It happens EVERY SINGLE TIME now. There's nothing special about it anymore. They all shout the war cry "Remember Star Trek!" but that was long ago, before Star Trek had given fans of low-rated shows the weird idea that they matter. The article gave the only example in recent times that it's worked. There's a litanny longer than I could ever write of cases in which the fans' efforts accomplished nothing. It just gets ignored because it's so common now it's mundane. They go right on their merry way cancelling (Farscape) or destroying (Andromeda, Earth: Final Conflict). And the fans of even the crappiest, sorriest shows always insist that their show is just unique and too clever for the masses and misunderstood.

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Friday, December 27, 2002 2:21 PM

Yes, but on the bright side, CNN has recognized our efforts. I just hope the dinks over at FUX do too and reconsider they're mistake--OR--Firefly is picked up by another Network that doesn't suck as bad as FUX. What can we do to make our campaign original?

Viva Firefly!

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Friday, December 27, 2002 2:21 PM

Yes, but on the bright side, CNN has recognized our efforts. I just hope the dinks over at FUX do too and reconsider they're mistake--OR--Firefly is picked up by another Network that doesn't suck as bad as FUX. What can we do to make our campaign original?

Viva Firefly!

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Friday, December 27, 2002 6:42 PM

I'm with you, johnnyreb.... how do we make our campaign original? What cool thing can we do to stand out from the other campaigners out there? I don't like the idea of being lumped in with Birds of Prey supporters. I haven't watched anything after the pilot. I didn't hate the show, it just didn't hold my interest. Firefly is special. We have to let them know it. I had no idea that they saved Roswell by sending in tabasco bottles. that's hysterical. Makes you wonder what they did with all the tabasco.

______________
RIVER: Permission to come aboard?
MAL: You know, you ain't quite right.
RIVER: It's the popular theory.
MAL: Go on. Get in there. Give your brother
a thrashing for messing up your plan.
RIVER: He takes so much looking after.

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Friday, December 27, 2002 8:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bobknaptor:
I'm with you, johnnyreb.... how do we make our campaign original?



I agree. I say we all send in a pair of blue gloves ;)

------------------------------------------
-=ZERO=-
Check me out on WinMX, I have all the episodes in SVCD format. Any Firefly fans get free starts, just msg me.

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Friday, December 27, 2002 9:50 PM

I LIKE IT! I'm sending blue gloves to everyone I've already written letters to. (I hope they don't take it as a threat.) I'll have to be extra nice in my next round of letters--except FOX. Who cares what they think? They don't care what the fans think.

Viva Firefly

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