COULD they relaunch the series in 10 years?

POSTED BY: danfan
UPDATED: Monday, July 26, 2004 21:24
VIEWED: 7570
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DANFAN

Saturday, July 24, 2004 4:13 AM

I have seen the comments (from the cast) that Fox put a poison pill into the sale of Firefly to Universal… it can’t come back to television for 10 years.

So the consensus of the crowd here has been, “OK, make three great (and hugely successful) movies, then relaunch the series after a decade!” But is that really possible? Part of the strength of the story that we were being given by Joss was the dynamic of these specific people at this specific time in their lives. There was mystery to be solved with Simon/River, Inara, and Shepherd Book. There was character growth to be had with Mal, the Wash/Zoe marriage, and Jayne. What would happen to the family if its heart (Kaylee) were emotionally damaged in some way? In a weekly series, they could develop these story threads gradually and we could see them develop and resolve. Then as they resolved these threads, they could introduce new ones that dovetailed with the threads just resolved… and it would be seamless. We saw this happen several times over on Buffy and Angel.

But that cycle has been broken. Suppose we get 3 movies over the next 10 years instead of a series. That will be about 6 to 8 hours of storytelling (instead of 100 to 200 hours of storytelling). Then if the series is restarted in a decade, where do they start it? Where does it go? Mal, 10 years older, still bitter and dark… still flying a tramp smuggler? Inara, 10 years older, still plying her trade. Jayne, still struggling to define some humanity in himself? Won’t it feel artificial and unrealistic?

Or alternatively, they try to do what Star Trek did when faced with a very similar problem (first movie came out a decade after the series ended). With all of the actors obviously older, heavier, more lined, they couldn’t show them all still together on the same starship, holdin’ all the same jobs, scootin’ around the galaxy showing the youngsters how it’s done. So instead, Kirk was an admiral and everyone else was a commander. And they had to cobble together what (to me) seemed like fairly weak rationales for why commanders would all walk away from their duties and take up jobs that they left behind 10 years earlier.

In this scenario, Firefly is relaunched with an older Mal, who’s resolved some (many?) of the issues he had in the original series. And he embarks on new story threads that we haven’t been gracefully led to. Same for the other characters. Would it feel somewhat jarring?

These are just some fairly downer thoughts I’ve been entertaining. I fully expect to see one or more hugely entertaining, thought provoking, and beautiful movies. And I would LOVE to see a new series at any time. But I wonder how they could pull it off after 10 years…

What are your thoughts?

Danfan

ILLBEINMYBUNK

Saturday, July 24, 2004 5:07 AM

Sadly, i doubt in ten years that Joss and the whole cast will want to do a tv series. Theyll prob want to move on to other projects. ten years is such a long time. in my dream world Serenity makes so much money that Fox, being the profit whore they are, figure out some deal to bring Firefly back to tv while at the same time Universal puts out the movies. So lets make sure Serenity hits 300 million :)

NEROLI

Saturday, July 24, 2004 5:24 AM

Call me a cynic, but I really do believe that Fox could be bought out at the right price if anyone was willing to pay it.

The Old Broad Monkey

http://p221.ezboard.com/bfireflyfanficawards

OUTSIDER

Saturday, July 24, 2004 8:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Neroli:
Call me a cynic, but I really do believe that Fox could be bought out at the right price if anyone was willing to pay it.

I think so too. It is to FOX's benefit right now that they wait and see how successful the movie is. The DVD sales were tremendous (for an axed show) but they can only prove so much. But if a movie makes a ton of money, FOX might be persuaded to see that there is a new - and larger - audience for a Firefly or Serenity TV series.

And if, heaven forfend, the BDM is not that successful, FOX can sit back content that they made the right call when they cancelled the show.

Which is basically my roundabout way of saying we all need to make sure that the movie is successful as it can be. Assuming, of course, that people would rather see the cast back on weekly TV than they would in a series of movies?

Something to think about.

------
"Today we were kidnapped by hill folk, never to be seen again. It was the best day ever."

PURPLEBELLY

Saturday, July 24, 2004 8:59 AM

Before deciding what is going to be the content, perhaps we should discuss what the economic model of tv is going to be in ten years time? Will be possible to produce scripted, crafted tv series at all?

DOUBLESHINY

Saturday, July 24, 2004 10:07 AM

One word : cryogenics

Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!

NWUKSTEVE

Saturday, July 24, 2004 12:49 PM

I guess in 10 years time we'll have "Firely: The Next Generation".

Seriously, as much as I would really, really, REALLY love to see Firefly back on TV, I doubt it will happen. I'm just hoping that we get 3 movies, which, as Joss might say, is not a crazed pipe dream.

(sorry if anyone thinks this post is a bit negative)

Whadyall order a TV series you don't want for?

ECGORDON

Saturday, July 24, 2004 2:33 PM

The key to the whole thing is the success of the BDM. Then all bets (and contracts) are off, and anything could happen. IMO, if the series is not relaunched within three years time, it will not happen, mainly because all of the actors will be highly sought after for many other film projects. But, if a deal can be made after the blockbuster success of the BDM, then we could see the series return either just before (ideal) or just after the third film.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

PYROPHORUS

Saturday, July 24, 2004 3:01 PM

Why relaunch it to television?

Television is a sespool of crap, latelly anything good seems to be cancelled and thrown out. Crap thats cheap to produce seems to remain and its spreading.

I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of cable and just living off the dvd's I get and downloads of good tv I can't get in Canada.

Now, Joss seems to be into doing new things and pushing the edge. So why not, after the three BDM's, continue the series on a month to month release of smaller budget movies straight to DvD. The production cost would be just as little as the tv show, and they could produce it as you would produce a miniseries. They could still advertise on tv, and it would get around fox's evil hold.

PURPLEBELLY

Saturday, July 24, 2004 3:43 PM

And giving up your tv doesn't actually hurt. I've not had a tv in the house since 1984, and still became aware of Firefly somehow. Of course, if no-one had a tv ... So, thanks everyone

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