General Discussions

Just an average show

POSTED BY: ladyhawk33
UPDATED: Friday, February 26, 2010 12:41
VIEWED: 9398
PAGE 3 of 4

STORYMARK

Thursday, February 25, 2010 5:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Yeah, heavy realism in a show set aboard a space freighter just isn't very... realistic, ya know what I mean?

I disagree. It's perfectly reasonable to have an outlandish setting, and still treat it realistically - within the context of the given setting.

I've always found the "it's scifi/fantasy/etc.... so they don't have to worry about realism" a very lazy argument, one which most successful writers in those genres would disagree with as well.

"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."

STORYMARK

Thursday, February 25, 2010 5:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ladyhawk3:

But I guess when you hear other people talk about a show and use terms like "perfect" or "best show ever" (not anyone on this thread mind you) you expect something more.

I think it's a show that is perfect for a certain mindset/taste, which is why so many of us love it soooo much. But if you are not of that mindset, I could see it being a bit grating and cheesy.

"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."

THESOMNAMBULIST

Thursday, February 25, 2010 5:58 PM

Originally posted by Kwicko:

Quote:
Yeah, heavy realism in a show set aboard a space freighter just isn't very... realistic, ya know what I mean?

THESOMNAMBULIST

Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:02 PM

Originally posted by ladyhawk33:

Quote:
When realism isn't respected, it makes it hard to feel real dread in the moments of the show that we're suppose to.

Never let reality get in the way of a good story.

STORYMARK

Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by boris:
It's not the same old same old formula and frankly I see that as refreshing not limiting.

Yeah, it kinda is. It's a bit of a newish spin on established formulas - but damned near every character and episode plot is based on some standard trope of the western genre.

"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."

PIZMOBEACH

Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:45 PM

I was skeptical of Firefly for the first 3 episodes... a show I knew nothing about and that was taken off the air so quickly really needed to win me over. Whedon? Who's he? By the 4th episode it felt like I had no choice, I was completely hooked. I just kept thinking about it - only a couple shows have ever come close (The Wire, The Shield, Homicide, Life on the Street - all so diff). And I did see some of the same things you mentioned, but it just didn't matter. I've given up trying to explain it!

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

SHINYGOODGUY

Friday, February 26, 2010 12:07 AM

Storymark makes an excellent point:
--------------------------------------------------
I think it's a show that is perfect for a certain mindset/taste, which is why so many of us love it soooo much. But if you are not of that mindset, I could see it being a bit grating and cheesy.
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Plus, I find the comparison to other shows rather unfair.............to the other shows. It is very much like falling in love, you know it when it happens, and there's no sense in fighting it.

What I find particularly interesting in the show was the character's growth and development. It was like peeling an onion - layers, my friends, layers. It is unique to find so many fully realized characters in one show. 9 people look out into the black and see 9 different POV. As far as sci-fi goes, Firefly was an odd creature, a hybrid if you will, a western set far into the future but with themes built upon humankind's mistakes in the past.

The dialogue and the bantering was what made the show "fun" and set it apart from the CSIs and BSGs. The greatest show on earth? Maybe not, but to us Browncoats it comes pretty damn close.

There's so much more that I want to say but,alas, I must prep for work tonight. I leave u with this: Doth hath compared apples to oranges, though our little story be but a peach.

SGG

Tawabawho?

KWICKO

Friday, February 26, 2010 12:17 AM

By the way, I'd rank your list thusly:

Macgyver < A-team < Xena < Northern Exposure < BSG < The Lost Room < Rome < Firefly < Band of Brothers < The Wire

... but that's just me.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

BIGRICHARD

Friday, February 26, 2010 12:33 AM

Gotta add my thoughts to the already long list, but I have to agree that Firefly is for those with a certain taste. I personally didn't like BSG. I watched the first 5 or so episodes and found it rather boring. I have many friends who love it, and I can't understand that, but good for them.

In response to your point about the humour, I'd say it's realistic and makes it MORE interesting as a drama. The light-hearted scenes which surround, prelude and intersect with the drama are what made me care more about the characters, and like them more, which made the drama all the more...dramatic. Humour occurs all the time in real life, even in dramatic situations, it's how people cope with things, and this shows in Firefly, so I would argue that it was very realistic a lot of the time.

And yeah, you clearly didn't quite 'get' the torture scene. Mal wasn't bickering with Wash to keep the audience laughing, he was bickering with Wash to keep Wash concious, alive, and sane.

As others have said, that feeling of dread would've come had it had more time. I hadn't seen Buffy when I watched Firefly so I didn't know of Joss' love for killing, but I still got a sense of it, coming toward the end of the 14 episodes. Then of course you have the movie...and..well..yeah.

Btw, I love Lost. The show rocks. But some/most shows need a few more episodic episodes to be able to gain the audience to continue a serialzed format, which we would've seen eventually.

Honestly, I've gone on long enough already, and I don't want to criticize you, you're welcome to your opinion (and I like ANYONE who loves Band of Brothers!) but I just feel that you didn't quite 'get' the show. Wasn't your 'cup of tea' as my mum says. :)

But hey, come back when The Pacific (Band of Brothers sequel...ish) is over, and we can discuss that at length!

BORIS

Friday, February 26, 2010 1:39 AM

I agree Rome was just mindless entertainment with soft porn thrown in but it was entertaining on a primal level.
I don't mind people posting who don't get Firefly. It's healthy to get an alternative opinion, and it encourages the rest of us to re-establish what we love about our show. It also reveals that there's an untouchable something that links us...links are good, save us from drowning.