Retooling Firefly
POSTED BY: Hobbes
UPDATED: Monday, November 18, 2002 09:30
VIEWED: 10275
PAGE 2 of 3
I think the "spirit" of the show is "rawness", a sense of limits/adversity. It doesn't matter WHERE it takes place. It's a brilliant idea (and if you look at our world, a realistic one) to create worlds that can be at the pinnacle or at the bottom. The implied complexity is a terrific place for creativity. And thank goodness there's no uppity holodecks!
But except for three episodes, I really don't think that spirit came through. "Raw" doesn't mean western, and tossing chunks of undigested hillbilly ignorance into a script just doesn't seem to work, at least not for me. My first wish is that the show stay on the air (!!!) but my second wish is for scripts that integrate that sense of limitation w/o resorting to stereotypes.
DUH to me. I just figured out why some shows clicked with me and others didn't. The shows that I liked showed the Serenity crew dealing with THEIR limits. The shows that didn't work so well for me showed the Serentiy crew dealing with the limits of the "ignorant" population.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I don't think fox is going to do anything but take a hurry up and wait attude with firefly!!!
The really good thing about the show is that thier is something's not all together there yet and is building on a foundation a reality that has not come to life yet (the 500 year thing) so its all up to interpitation of the creator (love Joss work) and not up to you ,me or a corprete suite!!! 
I love the flavor, I love the look,I love the feel,I love the way its all one story and not a dozen story that you can't get your head around (( the Battle Star Galatica thing)) for missing five minute!!!
I say if they touch the show, we the loyal viewer should find the FOX prick's and slice of there balls ((WHO'S WITH ME) and then send them to there stock holder at fox and tell them is a money thing!!! 
It's good however to see the WB network and Joss have made friends again ,who know it may go to them(one can only hope and pray to the SCI-FI GOD'S)because they are always looking for an off the wall show that can make money,.
And Joss knows how to make money from his creatitions 
Please note that if Fox dosent change a thing and pick's the show up for this season and next,the sliceing of there nuts thing is out!!! 
And one more thing PISS on the SCI-FI GODS they dident answer my prayers with FARSCAPE!!! 
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:Hey, they could always go the Andromeda route and turn it into Mutant X...
P.S. Science Fiction is Ok. Don't make it Star Trek.
I thought Whedon had a contract that didn't allow anyone to meddle with the show, sort of like Straczynsky with Babylon 5. Is this not the case?
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by Delvo:
I thought Whedon had a contract that didn't allow anyone to meddle with the show, sort of like Straczynsky with Babylon 5. Is this not the case?
This may be the case, but perhaps Whedon would prefer to tell stories with these characters before throwing them into the dumpster. He may have a contract that says "no meddling in my story," but that doesn't mean FOX won't threaten cancellation.
On one hand, I utterly dispise the idea of networks touching any creative aspects of any show. On the other hand, if there is an option to keep the characters alive and still tell the stories that Joss would like to tell, but with more subtle western aspects, I'd rather that option than the complete destruction of the world altogether.
It's a touchy situation, but if they tell Joss "Find a way to tone down the western, or you'll get cancled," I have faith that he'll deliver the same amazing material... only with Mal wearing less tight pants and spouting fewer "ain't"s.
I absolutely loathe the thought of creative censorship, though... it tends to ruin a story no matter how minor that censorship is. But, I don't want to give up these characters yet... and I have a feeling Whedon feels the same way. So... it's a sticky situation... I can't decide how I feel.
--Dylan Palmer, Pretentious Bastard at Large--
"Oh my god, I'm a hack!" - Joss Whedon
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
You know people the babylon 5 route is a possibilty, if FOX say's it's DUMPED it could go to syndication!!!
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Was it just me, or did tonight's episode seem much more science-fictiony? I liked the cool toys they had in this one... body bags changing color once they had approval to enter was a very cool, subtle idea.
______________
Sorry sir, didn't mean to enjoy the moment.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Hopefully thing will turn out fine. But the fact is, if FOX do decide to retool the show, hopefully they ONLY retool the western bits, not the characters. For all we know, FOX will ask for more sex and action. Which means, alot of unneccesary sex scenes and alot of silly whooshing sounds and sparks flying everywhere. Basically a Andromeda type of show. Characters will become stale, and dull, almost 2D-like. Because FOX wants a silly sci-fi show with alot of special-effects- like a mini-starwars-prequels.
Tv execs should never touch the creative-side of any show, look at Roswell, that show that was on The WB, then UPN. If you watch the first like 16 episodes of the first season. They were fun, refreshing and the drama, characterisations were brilliant. Then hit the 17+, it became lame scifi, with silly alien storylines, and alot of stupid dialogue flying about.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by William:
Tv execs should never touch the creative-side of any show, look at Roswell, that show that was on The WB, then UPN. If you watch the first like 16 episodes of the first season. They were fun, refreshing and the drama, characterisations were brilliant. Then hit the 17+, it became lame scifi, with silly alien storylines, and alot of stupid dialogue flying about.
Hmm. I watched all three seasons of Roswell(maschostic, little ol' me) and while I agree that there was some goodness in the first season it was never, ever brilliant. Nobody had to mess with it to make it bad. Of course I cherish all three season precisely for their utter lack of brilliance, so who am I to judge?
I don't see Joss standing for much retooling of one of his "children". Hopefully, FOX will re-up and then ask Joss for changes, that way Joss can tell them shove it after they've already got that back nine in the can.
"I was gonna get me an ear, too." - Jayne
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I think Joss is a professional, and wold thus, if asked by the network to make changes, do it. Look at his early screenwriting jobs sometime. Look at how readily he wrote Train Job to replace Serenity as a premiere.
If Fox asks him to retool it, he'll probably do the best he can with what they give him. Because it's his job. And good writers/producers/etc will do their job.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by William:
Hopefully thing will turn out fine. But the fact is, if FOX do decide to retool the show, hopefully they ONLY retool the western bits, not the characters.
Explitive DELETED!! Fox already retooled the show and damaged it! During this "hiatis" get the original pilot finished and polished and play the series in the order it was intended.
Jeff
Who once called a local TV station to complain they were playing STARBLAZERS out of order. Response: "It's a cartoon. There's no order!"
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME