Joss Whedon's FireFly - New Series

[Highlander II]

interesting info --

Friday nights aren't really all bad for TV shows in the US -- L&O:SVU is on Friday's - at 2200 even - among others --

it depends on the show - sometimes networks place 'weak' programming on Fridays - dunno why - guess they figure no one will be at home watching tv on Friday nite -- not necessarily so -

guess we'll have to wait and see -------

 

[Tabitha]

I was reading somewhere that the only Fox show (series) to gain viewers with a Friday night time slot was the X files. But then - as Vampyre suggested somewhere else, I probably shouldn't believe everything I read on the net!
I am a bit bummed though cos we probably won't get this show back in the UK for ages - if at all I am really looking forward to it.

 

[Dave]

Originally posted by Tabitha
I am a bit bummed though cos we probably won't get this show back in the UK for ages - if at all.

Sky One is heavily advertising itself as "SciFi One" at the moment, and while it does show these shows well before the terrestial channels, I've noticed that they do seem to be taking longer to arrive --

Enterprise was pretty quick, they are first with Stargate, but the X-Files (season 9) will not start until [June] next month, we still haven't had The Lone Gunmen, and no word at all on anything new such as Jeremiah. So, I would tend to agree with you.

 

[kelsi]

Dave, I think you are being hard to Sky. I think they have more in their favour than against:

They air, almost parallel with the US:
- Stargate
- Buffy
- Angel
- Enterprise
- Futurama, if that counts.

Behind the US:
- Earth Final Conflict
- Cleopatra 2025
- Andromeda
- Constant reruns of ST

There seem far less series that Sky can guaranteee will be worth it that it hasn't got.
- Jeremiah hasn't proven itself to be a success in the states yet, has it?
- The Lone Gunamn I'll conceed as I know nothing about it
- X-files is perhaps only got a smaller audience, Sky are biding their time? (Yes, I agree, unlikely)

So, hopefully, if FF is a hit in the US Sky will nab it too. Do you know how long Sky usually waits from when a scifi programme has aired in America before it buys the right as well?

And failing that, seeing as Buffy is such a hit (it is, isn't it!?) BBC2 might try it.

 

[Tabitha]

Jeremiah is running on SciFi isn't it? I have a feeling that we might have to wait a while for that - and that it might premiere on the UK SciFi channel, like the Dune Mini series did. It took some 8 months to cross the Atlantic. I know that season six SG1 is going to be showing on Sky One as usual, rather than on Sci Fi, but I chalk this down to existing deals that were transferred to Sci Fi from Showtime. Basically, I wouldn't be holding my breath for Jeremiah - especially if Channel Four gets a hold of it - look what they did to Crusade after all.

As for the X Files - the series finale is showing here this weekend and Sky One are only beginning season nine in June? That's outrageous! I wonder what they are up to with that?

So, hopefully, if FF is a hit in the US Sky will nab it too. Do you know how long Sky usually waits from when a scifi programme has aired in America before it buys the right as well?

I would imagine that they would have deals with TPTB that own the shows for broadcast rights. Sky One seems to have quite a good relationship with Fox (although C4 are moving in on Futurama and The Simpsons), and with the demise of Dark Angel (which, as I recall, Sky One advertised quite heavily) perhaps they will pick up FireFly in its stead.

Having said all that I don't see Sky taking an (early) chance on a completely untested product. Obviously with something like Enterprise, they could take an educated gamble that it would work out - and they were advertising it heavily along with teasers for Voyager's finale. This could be a situation where they have a presumably good relationship with Paramount.

I am keeping my fingers crossed - if Firefly shows in the Autumn in North America and does well, we have a pretty good chance of seeing it on Sky One by January.

 

[Tabitha]

Firefly new news...

Found this at scifi wire

Scifi Wire Article


Maher Previews Firefly

Firefly co-star Sean Maher provided a glimpse of things to come on this fall's new Fox series from Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "It's very hard to explain," the actor said in an interview.

Maher added, "There's no more Earth. We're all colonizing other planets. There are two major ruling planets and there are also little planets. My character, who is the doctor on [the small, highly mobile spaceship] Firefly, is from one of the bigger, more privileged planets, but his sister has been used for this government experiment. So he paid all of this money to get his sister out and now he's a fugitive running from the law. He gets on the Firefly and joins up with the crew of this ship." Maher's character is named Simon Tam.

Maher reported that he only found out at the last minute that the series, from Whedon's Mutant Enemy Productions and 20th Century Fox Television, would debut in the fall; Fox had been expected to renew Dark Angel and deploy Firefly as a midseason replacement. The actor also acknowledged he's unsure if the two-hour Firefly pilot Whedon directed will air as is, be shortened to an hour or be entirely re-shot.

"I actually got back from Italy two days ago," Maher said. "I was on vacation and then I got home and heard there was all this hoopla about the show. Then I found out yesterday that we were going in the fall. I've heard a bunch of different things [about how the show will start off], but I don't know what's confirmed and what's not." Fox has tentatively slated Firefly to air Friday nights at 8 p.m. ET.

Some interesting tidbits there that I haven't found anywhere else.

Gotta run, but Joss also make mention of his 'third show' in this Buffy season six comments thread - thanks to obcooke. Spoilers there - you've been warned

 

[Highlander II]

Jeremiah airs on Showtime - so that might skip over the ocean faster -


as for FireFly -- it's starting to sound really intriguing - looking forward to it --

 

[kelsi]

Joss is pretty well known/sucessful, so I'm sure a lot of channels would be prepared to give him a chance...

 

[Dave]

Everything about the series sounds good.

Earth is no longer populated, destroyed by a global war. The other planets that have been colonised are not on good terms with each other. It is a very much darker future than other recent space-based shows.

It's a pity about Dark Angel though, many fans will see Firefly as the cause of that cancelation.

 

[Tabitha]

Originally posted by Dave

It's a pity about Dark Angel though, many fans will see Firefly as the cause of that cancelation.

I never really thought about it that way - I hope this doesn't mean they will switch channels on principle

I am really looking forward to it too. I recently watched Titan AE again, and while it is obviously a different story, if that's how Joss writes space SciFi then I think we are in for some fun...

 

[kelsi]

Joss wrote Titan AE?

 

[Tabitha]

Yes he did indeed. You can see all the other stuff he is involved in at his IMDB ENTRY.

Fox have released some cast photos, as shown below

I got these from www.insanity.com.au - pretty good site, check it out if you get the chance.

www.fireflyfans.net also has a bunch more stills - they really aren't kidding about the western theme, horses and everything will be turning up!
The pics there are really great, and making me even more excited about this show. It certainly looks the part - the small pictures seem to be showing us a pretty polished set and backdrops.

In related news, SciFi has also picked the show up - it will apparently show the eps a few days after their premiere on Fox. Looks like a verypromising sign to me.

 

[Tabitha]

Does anybody else think that the dude with the ginger/blonde hair in the above pics looks just like the engineer guy on Andromeda?
I have only seen one or two eps of Andromeda, but there is definitely a similarity imo.

 

[Tabitha]

Good news for Canadians

Firefly will air on Global!

This is the channel that is currently running SG1 (not too far behind the US either - apart from the last few eps).

Looking forward to hearing that SKy One has picked it up in the UK.

*crosses fingers*

 

[Tabitha]

Joss posts on the FF board & official site now Up and running

www.fox.com/firefly is up and running, if a bit light on content at the moment.

It adds some character info above what we have had so far though.

Set 400 years in the future in the wake of a universal civil war, FIREFLY tells the tale of Serenity, a small transport spaceship without a homeport. Captain Malcolm (“Malâ€) Reynolds commands Serenity for legitimate transport and salvage runs, as well as, more “entrepreneurial†endeavors.

On Serenity, crew and passengers live together in close quarters as they shuttle between the Alliance governed galaxy and the border planets that delineate the new frontier. The crew undertakes almost any job -- legal or not -- to stay afloat and put bread on the table. Each of the passengers has his or her own motivation for being on board - some honorable, some more questionable. All have unique pasts and different reasons for wanting to get to their destination.

Serenity and its crew flies to the border planets, many of which are barely inhabited, because they want to stay away from the Alliance and below its big radar. Thrust together by necessity, the disparate men and women of Serenity face constant challenges, which test and reveal their true identities. FIREFLY is about their unpredictable lives and relationships, as well as their search for meaning in a very uncertain time.

CHARACTERS

“You’re probably safer on the move,“ the captain of the Serenity tells a reluctant, new crewmember, “and WE NEVER STOP MOVING.â€

Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds – “The Captainâ€
Mal is the Serenity’s captain. He is a defeated soldier who opposed the unification of the planets by the Alliance to no avail. The world he called “home†now gone, Mal does what he needs to do to keep Serenity flying and its crew intact. Uncertain of his role in peacetime, Mal wants a normal life, but at the same time knows he'll probably never have one – an ongoing internal conflict.

Zoe – “The Soldierâ€
Zoe served with Mal during the war and is very loyal to him. She owes her life to Mal and is torn between that debt and her future with her husband Wash. Zoe has the strength and experience to take command of the ship, if necessary.

Wash – “The Pilotâ€
Wash flies Serenity and is Zoe's husband. He is unassuming, self-deprecating and not at all the fiery hero type. He is the calm one with a sense of humor.

Kaylee – “The Mechanicâ€
The ship's engineer and bright light, Kaylee is more comfortable on “her†ship than on the ground.

Inara – “The Ambassadorâ€
A “Companion†by trade, Inara has her own space on the ship’s shuttlecraft. She is a high-class courtesan in a time when prostitution is perfectly legal on most planets. Why she is on the decidedly working class Serenity remains a mystery.

Jayne – “The Mercenaryâ€
Big, tough and unpleasant; Jayne’s a loyal soldier… until he gets a better offer and for now, the best one he’s got is Serenity’s. For now.

Simon – “The Doctorâ€
Simon is the doctor on board Serenity. He comes from a wealthy background and has had a privileged upbringing. He constantly disagrees with Mal and the captain’s decisions.

River – “The Fugitiveâ€
Borderline psychic, River can read most minds and tends to speak not only what is on her own mind, but others' as well. The Alliance is eager to “recover†their genius.

Book – “The Shepherdâ€
He is a priest, older and a little wiser than the rest of the crew. It is unclear if Book on a mission to spread the word of God throughout the universe or on a personal “walk-a-bout.†He’s found God, but he still needs to find himself.




It also has a section called "Joss Speaks" that currently says "Coming soon" - what a let down.
On the other hand, if you really want to hear what Joss has to say, pop along to www.fireflyfans.net where he has posted a brief message regarding the lovely site and the show.

 

[tokyogirl]

while i am excited about the new show, i have to say that i'm kind of afraid for it too. friday night is NEVER a good slot for a show. look at what they put there already! the only thing worse is to put it after Friends

 

[Tabitha]

Yeh - I have seen a lot of people saying that they have put Firefly in the slot of Doom!

Although.... bear in mind the X FIles did pretty well for Fox in the same timeslot - you never know, Whedon could strike gold and it could really take off!

New eps of Buffy and Angel show in the Uk on Friday nights and from what I can tell it hasn't done their ratings too much harm - but I gather it is a very different story in the USA.

 

[tokyogirl]

it really is. friday night shows tend to get cancelled pretty fast. if you move a show onto sunday that already has viewers, you lose ratings. if you go after friends you're a goner. monday's ok but not great. tues can either be really really good or the kiss of death. wed usually pretty good, but you're up against dawsons creek on the wb and the nbc line up (ed, west wing, and l&o). thurs pretty good, fridays are generally doom and pretty much only movies go on sat.

 

[Dave]

from SciFi Wire:

Whedon Details Firefly Flap

Joss Whedon, creator of Fox's upcoming SF series Firefly, told SCI FI Wire that Fox and he disagreed over the tone and direction of the series' pilot, and that he and producer Tim Minear had a weekend to come up with a new one-hour premiere episode script before Fox green-lighted the series. That new one-hour premiere episode may replace the original two-hour pilot episode, and the original two-hour pilot may wind up airing later in the season, Whedon said in an interview at the Saturn Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

"We did [write a new premiere episode], because they wanted to make sure we could deliver the ... show with a little more action and humor than what I had originally pitched," Whedon said. "So Tim Minear and I wrote a script over the weekend. They told us on a Friday night that they wanted it ... in order to decide. ... They said, 'It needs to be on our desks before we get there in the morning on Monday.' I didn't realize it would be so instrumental in them actually picking up the show. But, yeah, a little pressure. But I love pressure. The two-hour [episode] might be a special event in the middle of the season, instead of shown as a two-hour pilot. I'm not sure if that's a final decision or not."

Whedon added that the original pilot "is not in fact lost. The story on the Firefly pilot is, part of the back and forth ... between me and Fox ... has been about a drama vs. an action show. And although I pitched more of a drama with action, they wanted to up the action a little bit. We're doing some reshoots along those lines. ... But they also felt that they wanted to start the show with a one-hour pilot that showed everybody in place, instead of doing a movie in which you have to go through the whole thing and get everybody there. And while I don't know if I agree with that necessarily, they will show the pilot during the course of the season as an origin special if they decide not to show it at the very beginning. Either way, it works." Firefly, set in the aftermath of a galactic war, is slated to premiere on Fox in late September, Whedon said. "Just today, [we're] coming back to the story-breaking process. We start shooting in July."

 

[Tabitha]

I noticed that story today - thanks for posting it dave. It makes me wonder if this is an exercise in spin control (the original idea wasn't rubbish, honest guv) or whether the people at Fox are as crazy as they seem...

Still, I think the script for the pilot is available on the web somewhere - I'll have a look. I have read postings in places that sound as if the poster has seen it, so maybe some parts are (somehow!) available for download.