A Fanatic is Born

POSTED BY: Ifurita
UPDATED: Sunday, December 30, 2007 16:57
VIEWED: 6253
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IFURITA

Saturday, December 22, 2007 10:25 AM

(I have already posted this on another Firefly board, but since I'm looking for a forum that's a good fit for me, I don't mind repeating myself until I find the best one for me.)

I beg your pardon, but I am brand spanking new here. First post and everything. Please forgive any hints of newbiness. :p

I just discovered Firefly a few days ago, when the SciFi Network aired the first four episodes in order. I had been aware of the show ever since it debuted, but I had never given it a chance, since by 2002, I had already lost all interest in prime-time television. I had figured that Firefly was another disposable Star Trek ripoff, of the Voyager and Enterprise mold; i.e. an unambitious show that panders to an undemanding audience (apologies to joint Firefly/Voyager fans, but those are my feelings on the matter, and I mean no offense, I just mean to vent my disappointment with the state of contempoary televised sci-fi). Even with Joss Whedon's name attached, I wasn't interested, as Buffy just hadn't been my kind of thing; teen/horror/camp kinda show that it was. Because of this, I had steadfastly refused to give Firefly a chance, even after a few online contacts of mine had gushed about the show and urged me to give it a chance. I hadn't seen a single minute of any episode or even considered seeing Serenity, and I hadn't thought twice about my choice until just recently.

But after just 30 minutes of Firefly's pilot episode (the first episode SciFi Network showed), I was already kicking myself for having ignored it. I fell in love with the show bigtime. I fell in love with every character. I fell in love with the writing, by far the best I've heard in any television show...perhaps ever. I fell in love with every part of the show, from the tight direction to the wonderful use of special effects (given what I've heard was a tight budget). I went from a casual disinterest in the show to mad obsession. When the four episodes had finished, I was desperate to learn everything I could about the show. I wanted to see every episode, and to learn all the little intricacies that the show's long-time fans had probably come to know over the last few years. And mostly, I felt horrible for not having given the show a chance when it had debuted. Had I simply come into a show in its third or fourth season (as I have with other shows past and present), I probably wouldn't have felt so bad, but since Firefly had been cancelled for want of ratings, I felt really bad for never giving it a chance. I love this show, perhaps more than any show I've ever seen before, and I dearly wish I had been more open-minded from the start. I've never before felt bad for having missed a cancelled television show, but I feel bad now. I wish I had been there from the beginning, to support the show as best I could and stand with its fans in urging FOX or another network to renew it. In retrospect, I feel I missed out. I have never felt so good about any show as I do about Firefly. It is, quite simply, the best television show I have ever seen. It has everything I love about drama or comedy, and nothing I don't. I've never had any reason to gripe about any part of any of the four episodes; they've been flawless. I've never known a show so perfect for me. And having just discovered it, I, perhaps belatedly, feel awful for having only fourteen episodes and a movie to enjoy. I wish I had several seasons and a couple hundred episodes. I won't pretend to know what you long-time fans must have felt when going throught the show's cancellation, but I really wish I had been with you from the start. I wish I hadn't spent the last five years ignoring what I now believe might be my favorite series of all time.

I have already ordered the DVD of the series as well as Serenity off of Amazon. I haven't seen the other ten (eleven?) episodes or the movie, but if they are anything like the four episodes I saw, I'm sure I'll love them. I hope my purchase supports Joss and the others in some small way, and goes to support the show in its struggles

WYTCHCROFT

Saturday, December 22, 2007 10:48 AM

hey welcome this shiniest of sites!:) i hope you stick around!

IFURITA

Saturday, December 22, 2007 10:57 AM

I hope I do too. I would love to make an online home here among Firefly fanatics.

So...since I've only seen the first 3-4 episodes (I don't know how you guys view the pilot), is there anything you wish to tell me about the show? Any interesting links to behind-the-scenes hijinks? Any lil' teasers regarding the DVD set? Anything at all you wish to say to a new aspiring zealot? :)

LWAVES

Saturday, December 22, 2007 11:37 AM

Welcome fellow Browncoat.

Glad you found us, hope you stay, you are most welcome.
The folks on this 'ere board are mighty fine, decent folks who live just about everywhere you can think of.
I've said this in other posts but this is still the only forum I keep checking on. Some good stuff on here.

If the first four episodes have got you just wait till you see the rest.

Feel free to post on the episodes/movie. We LOVE to talk about the 'verse and all its contents, sometimes in a very analytical way and not always in agreement with each other. But everyone pretty much has respect for each others opinions.

Enjoy.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

GROTZ

Saturday, December 22, 2007 11:46 AM

Welcome
I can only say, I wish I was you.
Think about it, a 'verse virgin.
You are in for many hours of shiny firefly goodness, the DVD set is amazing.
I am not gonna tell anything just watch and enjoy.
I can only say, that the outtakes of Serenity the movie is the best I have ever seen.

Vote for BDM/FF at http://stargate-news.com/

Never kiss'em on the mouth.

IFURITA

Saturday, December 22, 2007 12:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:
Welcome fellow Browncoat.

Glad you found us, hope you stay, you are most welcome.
The folks on this 'ere board are mighty fine, decent folks who live just about everywhere you can think of.
I've said this in other posts but this is still the only forum I keep checking on. Some good stuff on here.

If the first four episodes have got you just wait till you see the rest.

Feel free to post on the episodes/movie. We LOVE to talk about the 'verse and all its contents, sometimes in a very analytical way and not always in agreement with each other. But everyone pretty much has respect for each others opinions.

Enjoy.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

It's good to hear that this is a friendly, respectful board. I've been on and off forums and chat rooms and such, and I've grown sadly used to people being a-holes just for the sake of it. I hope my experience here is a lot more pleasant than it was at any of those places.

I can't wait for the Saffron episodes; they sound like the most interesting ones, if only because of her character (who I suspect will be quite diabolical and deceptive). But all the others sound great, even Jaynestown, which I must admit I'm a little worried about given Wiki's synopsis.

Quote:
Originally posted by Grotz:
Welcome
I can only say, I wish I was you.
Think about it, a 'verse virgin.
You are in for many hours of shiny firefly goodness, the DVD set is amazing.
I am not gonna tell anything just watch and enjoy.
I can only say, that the outtakes of Serenity the movie is the best I have ever seen.

Vote for BDM/FF at http://stargate-news.com/

Never kiss'em on the mouth.

A "'verse virgin"? Well, that sounds pretty odd, I must say. But if my enthusiasm is exciting to you, I'm glad. I was hoping that I'd rub off on others here.

I am so excited about these other episodes. I really don't know whether to expect them to be as good as the first episodes or possibly even better.

If you don't mind, is there a lot to discover about the Firefly universe other than the fourteen episodes and the movie? Is there a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff? I've heard about the River Tam sessions. Is there anything else like them? If I were to watch each of the new episodes (and the ones I've already seen for good measure) really carefully, would I know about as much as you guys, or is there a whole other 'verse out there online, filled with more extras? I know this may sound silly, but since I'd love to learn as much as I can about this show, if there's anything other than the DVD set and the movies, I'd love to hear about them ASAP. It is my desire to become as knowledgeable about the series as I can be in as short a time.

SISTER

Saturday, December 22, 2007 12:45 PM

Welcome! There are three books you might be interested in acquiring. they're the "Firefly Visusal Companion Vols. I and II and the Serenity Visual Companion. Scripts from each ep with lots of behind the scenes stuff and comments from cast and crew.

MUGGI

Saturday, December 22, 2007 3:24 PM

Welcome!

Other good books..

Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds, and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly

Serenity Found: More Unauthorized Essays on Joss Whedon's Firely Universe

both are edited by Jane Espenson, one of the better-known writers from Firefly

also...once you finish all the video and need something to feed your addiction, check out Virtual Firefly ( www.stillflying.net), a continuation of the series via fan-fic, but based completely off hints and such given by Joss and the writers in interviews and convention appearances. They're just about to finish up Season 2, so there's 30ish episodes available to read. It is NOT what you usually find in fan-fic.

The episodes are really easy to read, as they're formatted for television (ie they're SCRIPTS, not prose), so you can blow right through them. Very, very impressive website.

Have fun!

ECGORDON

Saturday, December 22, 2007 3:35 PM

Hey, Ifurita.

I've already responded to your post over on the scifi.com boards. "ECGordon" and "easygordon" are both me.

Great to have another passenger on this boat, you are in for a wonderful ride.

I would suggest that you hold off on your internet explorations for now, since there are a lot of spoilers out there, and you most definitely do not want to be spoiled for the movie.

Afterwards though, please let us know what you think about everything, we love to discuss the show.

Along with the books that Muggi mentioned, there also companion volumes to the movie and series (two in the case of the series) that have the full scripts plus tons of interesting background information and interviews with everyone involved. There was also a three issue comic book mini-series which bridged the gap between the series and movie, now collected in trade paperback or hardback (since the sales were phenomenal) called "Those Left Behind." There will be another comic entitled "Better Days" coming out in March. Plus we've got action figures and Serenity ornaments, a postcard series from Quantum Mechanix, collectable card sets for both Firefly and Serenity from Inkworks, t-shirts, and all sorts of shiny stuff. You'll have plenty to feed your obsession for a long time.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Saturday, December 22, 2007 4:15 PM

Welcome here, we're weird.

Quote:
Originally posted by Ifurita:
Right now, there is nothing I want to see more (media-wise) than a Firefly return, be it in network, syndication, or movie form. I just want to see more of these characters and more of their adventures. I want to see everything that the show and its creators have done, including every deleted scene and behind-the-scenes moment. I want to learn everything I can about this show. And, perhaps more to the point, I want to talk with other fans of the series. I want to learn what you've already learned about the show. I want to be able to understand and appreciate every inch of this show

I doubt there's a person here who feels any differently.

All I can tell you is to tell people about it. If you can think of something that someone could have said to you that would have made you watch sooner then say that to others.

Even if you can't do that spread the word, share the joy, and help make sure that the number of people who want more continues to grow.

Quote:
But, short of waiting for the DVD to show up at my door, I don't know what I should do. I'm open for suggestions. :)

Not much you can do really, there are things you can read, and things you can look at, but I really think if you want to experience Firefly as it should be experienced you should wait to do anything extra until you've seen what there is.

-

I've been away a while, I just don't ever seem to have much to say anymore, so I can't be sure but unless things have changed a lot FollowMal will come by (perhaps before I finish typing this) and give you your browncoat. That's as close to an official welcome as we have.

We don't always agree here, but we do all care about one another. One of the things I love about this places is that I've never seen anyone given less respect for being new, instead every new member is welcomed with open arms. You will find that this is a great place filled with good people who care about what you care about.

Welcome home.

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