joss wheddon meeting with FX about new projects.

POSTED BY: BrownBug
UPDATED: Friday, February 12, 2010 00:46
VIEWED: 8092
PAGE 2 of 4

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 NEXT PAGE

KWICKO

Thursday, January 21, 2010 4:15 AM

And don't forget, they could also do miniseries, AND show the episodes of Firefly AND the Big Damn Movie as tie-ins. Their geek cred would thus be strong... :)

But yes, while I don't expect any of the crew to drop what they're doing and rush back, I could see some sort of movie or miniseries being workable.

And if Joss wants to go off in a completely different direction, that's fine too. I tried Dollhouse, found it wasn't for me, but I'll still try anything Joss wants to make. Maybe he'll hit the marks for me, maybe not, but it's sure a fun ride to try!

BLACKOUTNIGHTS

Thursday, January 21, 2010 8:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
... despite the love many have for demonizing Fox - they canned the show because it wasn't pulling ratings high enough to make it a viable show. They're in the business of making money, not placating and/or screwing Joss fans just because.

There is, like it or not, a ceiling on his fanbase. The fanbase is big enough to make a cable show a hit - but not a network one.

Don't misunderstand me, I think the network did a dandy thing by not only purchasing Firefly, but also extending Dollhouse for a second season when there was every reason to cancel it after the first.

You're right, those are business decisions pure and simple and I don't have a problem with that.

However, when corporate heads start meddling with the story because they think it'll work better as they see it is an entirely different matter. Sometimes their tinkering actually works, but more than often often, it doesn't. Example - changing the Firefly pilot and giving 48 hours to come up with a new script.

Do they have a right to do that? Absolutely. Should they? Probably not. Market it and broadcast it and leave the rest up to the show crew.

I don't know whether Whedon's ideas will work on networks outside of say, the Syfy channel. Most of the series are detective-type themed. Come to think of it, it's the same for regular networks.

I wonder how much viewer base has been lost to the video game industry.

Oh well, back to World of Warcraft.

"I aim to misbehave."

PEACEKEEPER

Thursday, January 21, 2010 11:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
And don't forget, they could also do miniseries, AND show the episodes of Firefly AND the Big Damn Movie as tie-ins. Their geek cred would thus be strong... :)

If I had my way, it would be to re-run the original 14 eps,which would tie in to a brand new 8 eps that would finish the series off as originally intended.(and I realise there would have to be some explanation of the age difference).Then re-run the BDM, and then------????

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

ZEEK

Thursday, January 21, 2010 11:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Yes, Fox did indeed cancel Firefly AND Dollhouse. But you know what else, people? Fox ALSO was the only network to BUY Firefly or Dollhouse, and the only way we ever got to see them in the first place. Nobody ever commends them for that, do they?

And they took a chance on Firefly because Joss had a couple of hits on his hands with Buffy and Angel. BUT - and isn't there always a "but"? - remember that what was a hit for the fledgling WB network wouldn't have qualified as a hit for Fox, CBS, ABC, or NBC. As has been pointed out, there's a large gulf of difference between the ratings required for a hit on a major network and what passes for a hit on cable.

The way I hear the story told Fox was really hyped up about Joss's success with Buffy and Angel. Since Joss was working with Fox Studios, Fox Network was giving right of first refusal to buy anything Joss came up with. So, they bought Firefly on the Buffy and Angel hype without any concern about what they were actually buying. Then they got the pilot and were not at all impressed. They started giving Joss notes and getting him to alter the show. Sorry but I don't see that as something that should be praised. They were mindless fools.

The Dollhouse story seems to somewhat follow the same mold. They didn't like Firefly, but the DVDs had a decent success for them. They were willing to give Joss another chance and this time they were basing it on Firefly's DVD success. So, when they got the poor ratings this time around they decided to misinterpret them again and assume the DVDs would sell like hot cakes. Somehow I doubt that worked out for them.

If Fox wants to be praised it would sure help if they'd look at a show and decide if they want it. Not a director. Not a producer. Not the writers. Not an actor or actress. Look at the show itself and base decisions on that.

If they had done that of course they likely would have passed on Firefly. My hope and assumption is that some other network would have seen the potential and picked it up.

KWICKO

Friday, January 22, 2010 9:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by peacekeeper:
Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
And don't forget, they could also do miniseries, AND show the episodes of Firefly AND the Big Damn Movie as tie-ins. Their geek cred would thus be strong... :)

If I had my way, it would be to re-run the original 14 eps,which would tie in to a brand new 8 eps that would finish the series off as originally intended.(and I realise there would have to be some explanation of the age difference).Then re-run the BDM, and then------????

Peacekeeper---keeping order in every verse!!!

Yeah, I think I like your way. Sounds like a plan!

POLYMER

Monday, January 25, 2010 3:29 PM

Maybe we can get firefly back. All the stuff that happens before the movie :O

MISSTRESSAHARA

Monday, January 25, 2010 11:24 PM

Ok, I just have to correct the OP on the title name. It's Joss Whedon, one D. I don't mean to sound picky but it bugs me when people spell his name in-correctly.

<<<"You want to rule the world. What you don't understand is, there is no world anymore, only corporations.">>> Dr Evil's #2

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 12:33 AM

The T.Rex they call JANE!

SHINYGOODGUY

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 5:12 PM

Good points by all regarding our BDH, but Zeek makes for a strong case.

Fox saw dollar signs based the success of Buffy and Angel rather than look at the show to see if they wanted to support it (I'm pretty sure the same is true for JJ Abrams with Fringe).

Yes, Fox did buy the rights to the TV show Firefly and put it on air in the first place but they absolutely threw a monkey wrench into the pot and screwed things up royally. With Dollhouse, they had Eliza under contract and, well the rest is history. So I agree with Zeek that Fox went shopping with their eyes closed and then complained when they didn't like the color of the sweater they bought.

BTW the Big Bang Theory took a shot at Fox and Rupert Murdoch in yesterday's episode of TBBT.
Sheldon and Leonard were in the car and here's how it went:

S: "Oh, I have a good game for you. List the worst villian from these - Darth Vader or Rupert Murdoch."

L: "Rupert Murdoch?, why him?"

S: "Because he owns Fox and they cancelled Firefly."

I busted out laughing way out loud that my niece looked at me funny. I told her it was an inside joke and left it at that (I tried showing her Firefly once). Imagine my delight at the mere mention of this gem. The writer/co-producer of the show Bill Prady, from what I understand, is a California nerd, hence the tone of the show and the casting of Summer as a guest star and now this delicious tidbit.

SGG

Tawabawho?

STORYMARK

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 5:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:
Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Yes, Fox did indeed cancel Firefly AND Dollhouse. But you know what else, people? Fox ALSO was the only network to BUY Firefly or Dollhouse, and the only way we ever got to see them in the first place. Nobody ever commends them for that, do they?

And they took a chance on Firefly because Joss had a couple of hits on his hands with Buffy and Angel. BUT - and isn't there always a "but"? - remember that what was a hit for the fledgling WB network wouldn't have qualified as a hit for Fox, CBS, ABC, or NBC. As has been pointed out, there's a large gulf of difference between the ratings required for a hit on a major network and what passes for a hit on cable.

The way I hear the story told Fox was really hyped up about Joss's success with Buffy and Angel. Since Joss was working with Fox Studios, Fox Network was giving right of first refusal to buy anything Joss came up with. So, they bought Firefly on the Buffy and Angel hype without any concern about what they were actually buying. Then they got the pilot and were not at all impressed. They started giving Joss notes and getting him to alter the show. Sorry but I don't see that as something that should be praised. They were mindless fools.

The botched their handling of it, yes. But I don't see how this changes the fact that we wouldn't have had the show AT ALL had they not given it a chance - even if it was a slim chance.

Quote:
The Dollhouse story seems to somewhat follow the same mold. They didn't like Firefly, but the DVDs had a decent success for them. They were willing to give Joss another chance and this time they were basing it on Firefly's DVD success.

This is just incorrect, though. They didn't come to Joss at all. Dushku had a development deal with them, and they were excersizing it - but they let her choose her showrunner. She chose Joss, who then came up with the concept just for her.

Quote:
If Fox wants to be praised it would sure help if they'd look at a show and decide if they want it. Not a director. Not a producer. Not the writers. Not an actor or actress. Look at the show itself and base decisions on that.

If they had done that of course they likely would have passed on Firefly. My hope and assumption is that some other network would have seen the potential and picked it up.

A hope and assumption that doesn't have much basis in reality. The other networks greenlight scifi shows even less often that Fox. Had it not been for Fox, none of us would be here talking about the show we love - as it very likely never would have existed.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 NEXT PAGE