Word on the street(future possibilities)

POSTED BY: FightingCrouton
UPDATED: Sunday, February 19, 2006 23:15
VIEWED: 35127
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SICKDUDE

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 6:34 PM

I think we all would be overjoyed if this were true. But here's a thought: we should get ready. Even if CW doesn't offer "Serenity: the Series" this fall, it's still a good idea. We all want the verse to return to either the small or big screen. And more Browncoats never hurts (unless they're all in a crowded elevator together).

We all know that Firefly got cancelled for bad ratings, and Serenity did okay but not great. With $25 million in domestic box office, at an average of about $7 a ticket, that means 3.5 million tickets. Since many of us saw it numerous times, that implies less than 3 million 'original' viewers. When CW forms, they're gonna add affiliates from both UPN and WB, and presumably get close to FOX viewership numbers. That means they'll want to see viewers! Considering the genre shows that got cancelled with below 6.0 ratings, we'll need at least 6 million viewers to keep Serenity: the Series on the air. Or to make any future incarnation of the verse viable. And the higher the ratings, the better!!

In short, we need to keep recruiting, same as we have been! Now's not the time to stop lending out DVDs. Even if it takes years, we'll eventually need more Browncoats.

Off on a rant again SickdudeIsAll

SICKDUDE

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 6:37 PM

In other words, the WORST possible outcome is to see a second show cancelled also!

"It's a cow."

GUN4HIRE

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 6:57 PM

sometimes hope is all we need. I've loved firefly since i watched it on the evil Fox Network way back when. I gave up on it returning until Serenity came out. That movie rekindled my love affair with it. Even if this turns out to be nothing, I'll take a little hope over a lot of nothing.

STORYMARK

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 7:32 PM

I'm not getting my hopes up too high, but I think it could be a real possibility, regardless of naysayers - including some things Joss has said.

As someone mentioned above, if something was in the works, even if it was only being discussed, Joss may not say anything for a number of reasons. One of those being that if he said so much as "it might, maybe, probably not, but possibly happen", there would be a lot of Browncoats cheering in the streets (figuratively....in most cases at least). And if that deal then fell through, there'd be a LOT of very depressed Browncoats.

A second reason is, it's often a contractual agreement not to talk about a show under consideration untill all the ink is dry.

And sure, Joss said the phone wasn't ringing, but that doesn't rule out email or face to face conversation. As streatch, I admit, but I also wouldn't put that type of subterfuge past Joss.

"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."

DOG13000

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 7:34 PM

AIIIN'T THEY JUST!

"Someone Ever Tries to Kill You, You Try and Kill Em' Right Back"

DOG13000

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 7:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sickdude:
We all know that Firefly got cancelled for bad ratings, and Serenity did okay but not great. Since many of us saw it numerous times, that implies less than 3 million 'original' viewers. When CW forms, they're gonna add affiliates from both UPN and WB, and presumably get close to FOX viewership numbers. That means they'll want to see viewers! Considering the genre shows that got cancelled with below 6.0 ratings, we'll need at least 6 million viewers to keep Serenity: the Series on the air. Or to make any future incarnation of the verse viable. And the higher the ratings, the better!!

Ratings. Ratings, Ratings, Ratings. Networks do not have some magic system of counting how many TVs are tuned into their shows. They grab random people, shove them in a room and see what they think.

With that said, I would like to say a few things.

First off, WHO THE HELL were the 'random people' that originally saw Firefly, and DIDN'T give it a good rating. EVERYONE who gives the show the time of day loves it.

Second Off, Movie Sales. There are a lot of people who are fans, but didn't go see the BDM in theaters. Some people can't afford it (the show wasn't on cable after all...), others might not have a movie theater for miles, and others yet might just not be the movie goin' type. I know people in all of these situations.

Third OFf, Fan Base. In the time between the cancellation of the show and the BDM, the fan base probally quadruppled. In the time since the BDM was released, that number has at least doubled. With all these fans AND advertising on TV, the show could probaly have more fans then Supernatrual, West Wing, Everyone hates Chris, and most of the other garbage that is on Network TV combined. All that has to be done is putting it in a good time slot. NOT wendsdays at 7 when half of america (everyone but me) is watching American Idol, and Not Fridays at 8, when nobody is watching TV, ect.

now, that's a rant....

"Someone Ever Tries to Kill You, You Try and Kill Em' Right Back"

AMITON

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 8:28 PM

I'm not trying to speak in absolutes, and I claim no extensive knowledge beforehand! Layman with a poor memory writing = me!

Anyway, I read an article a few weeks back that didn't necessarily have to do with Firefly, but it made me draw the eventual parallel conclusions. They were talking about ratings and show success. The thing that caught my eye was that what really mattered to the networks (by way of what's important to the advertisers) was a specific demographic. The 16 to 29 year old demographic if I remember correctly. They want success with this demographic for two reasons...they spend money more freely, and they tend not to have predetermined buying habits or brand loyalty.

The article went on to say from a few different ways that a network would consider a program a failure if it didn't catch this demographic, even if it did extremely well with other demographics, again, because older viewers control their money a lot more and tend to already like certain products over others. Advertisers obviously don't like such behaviors and as such wouldn't be as interested in buying time on that particular broadcast.

That made me think about two other things - the broad demographic appeal of Firefly, and what exactly is "doing well" on TV. We all complain that TV seems to cater to the lowest common denominator and throws itself shamelessly at the MTV crowd. Well, yes, it does exactly that, and this is why. Reality shows, celebrity mindbilge, and investivative cop shows all fit that demographic extremely well, too, for the same reasons that advertising is more effective. School sucks, there is a ton of encouragement to grow mentally, and in direct contrast, mindless entertainment is a great break from mind-numbing homework and papers.

I'm not trying to demean the younger set of flans, nor am I trying to say that this is absolute truth or that I can honestly say I have a clue about the reality of the business. What I am inferring is that we may be fighting an even harder battle than we thought.

We constantly ask ourselves "How could Fox cancel such a great show??" as do several other fandoms (but we're special and the best =p). Well...we have a lot of diversity in our little band here. Not to mention, we have a significant presence from outside the US as well. I'm worried that part of the reason we're not more effective or convincing is the very basis of our strength - we're all over the spectrum of humanity.

In as far as the Nielson ratings, I'm convinced it's more than a little dodgy. I was in the random sample of the Nielson ratings about ten years ago (a product, I trust of my wife at the time registering for every product survey and ad campaign that spammed our email). We got a little book that told us to write down what we watched on TV during a specific period of time. Not how was it, not have you watched it before...just a TV log. After that, we never heard hide nor hair about anything again. They don't care if you like it, they just want to know if it's on your TV.

Amiton.

MILFORD

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 8:35 PM

I also received a Neilson booklet. They told us to write down everything we watch on each TV. At the time there were three TVs in our home (not all working, but that's irrelevant). Even though FF was cancelled by then I did take the opportunity to write a the end of the diary in the "Comments" section that had FF been on I would still watch it and that I loved it, and so on. I think I filled all three diaries with FF propaganda. And what happened? Nada. They are the fools. We are the mighty.

Remember, that but for one trifling exception, the entire universe is made up of others.- Oliver Wendall Holmes

DOG13000

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 8:37 PM

Hey! Being 16 i take offense to that!

Quote:
Originally posted by Amiton:
The 16 to 29 year old demographic if I remember correctly. They want success with this demographic for two reasons...they spend money more freely, and they tend not to have predetermined buying habits or brand loyalty.

Oh...wait...
*Puts away wallet buying random crap, and a Jayne Hat* Yep. Spending money more freely and buying more firefly stuff is what I do....

"Someone Ever Tries to Kill You, You Try and Kill Em' Right Back"

TRIBES

Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:03 PM

Joss quote on Whedonesque

"Serenity sequel! My phone is silent and withdrawn."

Maybe this is a bit of a stretch, but... meaning... no ph. calls from 'versal for a Serenity sequel DOES NOT mean no ph. calls from CW for a return of Firefly to TV in some form. Maybe he just could not say anything at the time.

Maybe just Maybe.
Just like that raw gutsy bluesy Janice Joplin song.

MAYBE
"All that I could pray
And I try Dear
Ya might come back home ... home to me"
MAYBE

Just sayin and hopin.

Peace
Serenity

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