Why is Firefly a 'Hard Sell'?

GIRLIE

Wednesday, January 8, 2003 10:12 AM

Silly me! I watched "Train Job" and thought- 'Not their best work but willing to stick with it.' (Huge with the not knowing about the pilot.)After that I only caught a couple of episodes(only 4 in all) due to schedule difficulties but was hooked and said --'I knew they could, this is more like it.' I was content because I thought I could catch up on those midseason reruns. Arrrggghhh! Then after watching "Ojects in space" and rewatching immediately I decided this show was too good and sure to be cancelled. I quickly went to my internet and guess what I found....That's right, I am Psycic!(and now psyco) However I am thrilled that the first time I have decided that a show is worth the effort to save, I would find so many other first timers. I am less embarrssed each time I post (never even knew how)- or see some other neewbie taking the chance to share.(Feel the love!)I became a Buffy fan on accident and quickly filled my house with them. I have been hooked on Joss and team ever since and will continue to support anything he does but in the future I will be more careful about my viewing habits.
In answer to the question "Hard Sell?" I think it's because small minded people need catagories, and if things don't fit they squish it until it does or they break it. There are still too many small minded people running things. I say, "Color outside the lines of life as much as possible children. Let the teacher conform to you." And Screw that whole spelling thing too!

"Objects in the mirror may not be as smart as they appear!" --Mine I think.

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GUAILO

Wednesday, January 8, 2003 4:28 PM

I think that's the real shame. Had Fox advertised Firefly as a western and nothing else, I'd bet we'd have much the same result anyway. But the marketting strategy they decided on didn't help.

I too grew up on John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies (the latter of which were very dark and sinister and heavy but seem to have done pretty good by ol' Clint) as well as Wild, wild west on TV. Star Trek and Space: 1999 didn't come into my life until later and so I really got started with western themes and the idea that good guys may win in the end, but it's not usually the way one might expect.

To me, that's Mal and the gang to a "T" and had Foc tried harder to represent that facet, sort of ignoring the "...in space" part of the scenario in the promotion of the show, it may have gone better.

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SENSOU

Thursday, January 9, 2003 3:18 AM

New theroy, new theroy, and this one holds up to the light of day!
Not enough deceit by the 'good guys.' They are basically honest with each other and they know it. The crew also knows when people are not being honest. Thus, there are no unexpexted betrayels and while we may see them coming, we don't know exactly what is going to happen.
Also, the peole, as real as they seem, are fictional. Our society is entertained the cheapest by the suffering of others. If people are not real, they cannot suffer. Thus, we are not entertained (according to the model).
And, for the third strike, Murphy's Law. Everything that can go wrong will, and at the worst possible time. When our country is in danger of being deluded into going to war, we need something to:
a.) Show us what could happen in a form we can easily comprehend. (dead guys, Blue Hands, rotton treatment of vetrans)
b.) Strip our illusions. Good guys don't always win, monkey-man.
c.) Remind us of the dangers of big government.

It is a proven fact that people schedule there lives around TV. Let's take advantage of that. If Firefly is good enough and not in THE TIMESLOT OF DOOM, we could improve humanity with it. (Can you tell I really want it back on? Gettting off the rabid-hamster-wheel-cum-soapbox and getting the pretty purple pills now.)

Sensou
P.S. This is what I sound like when I'm awake. Other wise it would come out as: "people are bloodthirsty morons and only care when the pain is real." If I was feeling particlualrly cynical, I would have added "and we don't mind fake blood if that means we get more. Take the army monkey-man is sending to the Middle East and send it to FUX headquaters."

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GUAILO

Thursday, January 9, 2003 4:12 PM

Intersting...um....theory?

Not sure I followed too much of that.

I dont' feel "deluded" into anything, but I can say that entertainment by default can teach. If you look at the intended airing order of the episodes, the moral statement makes much more sense. Violence is bad, but for in the defense of one's family, which Mal considers his crew.

Being from Texas, I felt drawn to Firefly as a post civil war story where it focused (finally) on the losing side, having lost in spite of all thier good intentions and hard fough war against the corporate boot-heel twisting Allience. The Allience wanted to suddenly control trade and government in full on colony worlds, and the colony worlds fought back against that cause. South vs. North, except this show put the South in the spotlight. That alone is unpalatable to many average Americans.

It goes back to the story order though. Had the war come first, then the loss, then the reaction and forming of the crew, the morality of the characters would have been more clear and the show would probably have established more viewership.

I could be wrong, but the logical progression of events is sometime pretty crucial to telling a story...(lol)

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MOJAVERATTLER

Saturday, October 4, 2003 10:04 PM

Anyone who plays and enjoys Deadlands will enjoy firefly. Nothing like putting spins on westerns.

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