Conversion - ain't happening here

POSTED BY: JenDandy
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 16:08
VIEWED: 10289
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JENDANDY

Saturday, September 11, 2004 1:49 PM

I was wondering if anyone else has run into some trouble when trying to convert.
I'm extremely shy, so I don't know a lot of people, mostly family to be honest. And I'm 100% sure if I tried to convert any of them to the wonder that is Firefly, I would get nothing. Why? Because everyone I know just ain't interested. I'm positive most, if not all of them wouldn't even give the show a second glance if I asked.
For example, my husband told me today that he just wasn't into that sort of show. I doubt he would watch only one episode, ever (maybe partially my fault though, I talk about it all the friggin time now and I think it annoys him).
So it begs the question - do mainly sci-fi and fantasy nerds (I mean the term 'nerd' in a good way, btw. I think nerds are awesome) or Buffy and Angel fans enjoy this show? How easily have everyone here been able to convert others?

-Sig Rebel-

BARB

Saturday, September 11, 2004 2:32 PM

I know exactly what you mean...BUT...I have managed to convert my husband and daughters both. Just pick a moment when he's kinda bored and suggest that he watch just one episode..pick something exciting like The Train Job ... that's got alot of action and is bound to get him interested.
As for people outside your family, I can relate. I converted a friend of mine, but he was already a sci-fi fan so it wasn't hard. He had seen a few of the episodes when it was on and after we attended DragonCon he went straight out the next day and bought the DVDs.
I do things like this: I was at an electronics store yesterday and before I left I had put all the display computers on Firefly websites. Also, whenever I'm in stores that carry the DVDs I move them in front. Sounds goofy, I know. But I can't help but think that at least one person comes along and says "hey, this looks interesting". Makes me feel like I've done my part.
I don't think you have to be a sci-fi geek (geek in a good way, too) to get this show. My husband didn't like Buffy or Angel and he loves Firefly. I think anybody that enjoys a good story and great acting will appreciate Firefly!

"It's pretty much down to ritual suicide, lambytoes."

WHISPERING

Saturday, September 11, 2004 3:17 PM

Usually when i say it doesnt have subtitles, people are like eh? and dont want to watch it. So its even harder for me. But when i got the DVD set, watched them all with a friend in a weekend, he loved it. After that have made one of my friend watch the first 8 episodes, she liked it. But i had to explane things every now and then. It should be released here too, so i could get the set with finnish subtitles :)

SHINY

Saturday, September 11, 2004 3:23 PM

You don't have to be a sci-fi fan to love the show but I agree it is a harder sell to get non-sci-fi fans to watch it. I almost feel like Serenity is the best ep to start with for sci-fi types who will sit through the slower first half and stay interested long enough for the HUGE payoff in the second half. For the reluctant non-sci-fi fan viewer, I usually have to start with something like Our Mrs. Reynolds (one of the funniest, and less of a spoiler if they go back to watch Serenity next because River and Book are barely in it -- although all the eps are going to spoil the Kaylee's dead moment...)

Jayne, your mouth is talkin. Might want to look into that.

SHINYDUDE

Saturday, September 11, 2004 6:42 PM

I understand...

What I have found myself doing when I am trying to convert a 'reluctant future fan' is to find out what they might be interested in. Or which actors they might be familiar with.

My wife started to give it a chance when I pointed out that Alan Tudyk was in it. She loved the characters he played in Knight's Tale and 28 days, not to mention his recent work in I, Robot and Dodgeball, so that worked. The rest of the cast all have impressive resumes also, I am I the only one who can remember going to My Bodyguard as a kid? Or would watch Barney Miller reruns when I supposed to be doing my homework?

You could also point out other things that Joss and Tim have worked on in the past as well, Buffy/Angel (of course), but also Alien 3, Platoon, Toy Story, Roseanne, X-Men, Lois and Clark, X Files, the list goes on. Not saying that any of their other writing or directing work reflects on Firefly, but if you liked that stuff, you might find something to enjoy in this.

But I think Firefly itself has enough to convince someone. You like Sci-Fi? Got it. Like Westerns? We got that covered. Action? Adventure? Romance? Love stories? Comedy? Firefly has it all. Everything but funky aliens with lots of latex and big foreheads, which is probably the first thing most people think of when they think Sci-Fi.

What about picking up a few select phrases in Chinese and throwing them out once in a while? Might intrigue a few folks. What kind of Sci-Fi show teaches you how to call your boss/teacher/guy who just cut you off in traffic a ‘Stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey’ or ‘Filthy fornicators of livestock!’ or other fun phrases? Heck might even get someone interested just for that alone! I know I have.

Anyway, hope some of this helps, or at least gives you some ideas of your own.

Good Luck and of course: Keep Flyin'!!

I'll be in my bunk...

EMBERS

Saturday, September 11, 2004 7:06 PM

I've had some problem with people who had already written it off as 'some Buffy thing' without listening to word I said about it...

my biggest successes have been w/people who do like Sci-fi, and I think men are more easily converted
(altho the cuteness of Nathan certainly worked with one friend!)

I've been giving the DVDs as gifts to a lot of friends and family and I have a better than 90% success rate, but that almost 10% rankles...
and I still hope that they will really give it a chance at some point
(I can't believe that they wouldn't love it if they would just give it a fair chance! LOL)

DIETCOKE

Saturday, September 11, 2004 7:19 PM

Well I could never convert my husband to watching Buffy or Angel and he suggested that I not tell any of our friends that I did.

That said, when I told him about Firefly, I asked him to agree to watch the first four episodes before making a judgement. He did and by the forth episode he was really into it and watched all of them.

It can be done!

SHINYHAPPYKLIN

Saturday, September 11, 2004 10:27 PM

Quote:
What kind of Sci-Fi show teaches you how to call your boss/teacher/guy who just cut you off in traffic a ‘Stupid son of a drooling whore and a monkey’ or ‘Filthy fornicators of livestock!’ or other fun phrases?

And those phrases would be what in Chinese? Inquiring minds want to know (and use...)

"We gotta go to that crappy town where I'M a hero..."
Shiny stuff for Browncoats at: http://www.cafepress.com/outtotheblack

JEBBYPAL

Saturday, September 11, 2004 11:04 PM

Huh, well w/ your husband you could try breaking all the tv's in the house except for one and watching a marathon on that....he'd probably get sucked in eventually. Or when he asks what you want to do on your birthday, say you want to watch 2 episodes of Firefly w/ him! (I think 2 will result in hooking even the most deadset-joss critic).

Actually had a friend that I didn't know if he'd like it or not. He's a big film buff and paints anyway so I figured I'd send it to him as a gift and maybe he'd appreciate it. If not, he'd probably give it to someone else and it would be shared. Turned out he LOVED IT. He can't wait for Serenity although he is majorly bummed to hear that Badger, Saffron, and Jubal won't be featured at all. ;)

The Strawberry Monkey who defends tight pants everywhere!

LITTLEMANLOVESFIRE

Sunday, September 12, 2004 12:37 AM

I have found people to be very sceptical but only until they are tied up and forced to watch an episode. Like all the best art it speaks for itself. I've converted about 20 people so far. I have lots of rope.

I can't stand prejudice in any form. Especially "Ugh, sci fi, that's crap." No, dickhead, only crap sci-fi is crap, just depends what you've watched. Crap soaps are crap, crap romcoms are crap, crap law shows are crap, doesn't mean they all are. Firefly isn't really sci-fi as it's not about science - the science is inconsequential - it is about human beings and we can all relate. Our Mrs Reynolds is a good ep to show to a woman (or anyone really) by the way - the whole scene at the beginning in the cargo bay (after Zoe calls everyone down) is about as funny as TV ever gets.

You think Firefly is hard? Try converting people to the second greatest sci-fi series ever - Babylon5 - you gotta watch a whole Season and 9 episodes before it really hits home how frigging awesome that is! I spent 5 years thinking "I'll never watch that shit" but I'm so thankful to the guy that practically forced me to stick with it.

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