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Date Posted: 10:51:03 10/11/02 Fri
Author: TRM
Subject: Re: With no episode, new or old, to talk about this week
In reply to: Cactus Watcher 's message, "With no episode, new or old, to talk about this week" on 07:49:34 10/11/02 Fri

I was wondering about the people watching Firefly and thought a survey might be in order.

1. Are you watching Firefly primarily because of
a. Joss' track record.
b. I like sci-fi.
c. I like westerns.
d. other (explain).

(a)

2. Are you a fan of Star Trek? If so, what do you like and dislike about the franchise? Feel free to talk about individual series, and the movies separately or to lump them together.

Mmm... not really, maybe when I was younger but the franchise lost some interest to me -- I would sadly probably have to accredit it to a social stigmatization thing. I watched it infrequently at best, and I thought that it had its moments, but it was a little too moralistic to me at times. tNG was my favorite, I think because of Picard's persona and mysterious Guinan. Yes, I think that was perhaps one of Whoopi's best roles... DS9 I got bored with because they didn't move! The whole Bajoran / Cardassian thing seemed too heavy handed. Voyager was okay at points, but generally pretty dull as well. I did like one of its episodes when the entire clone crew died -- it gave the show a bit of the not-so-happy ending that the franchise tends to avoid.

3. Are you a fan of Star Wars? What do you like and dislike about it.

Not really this either. I think the originals were certainly much better, but I accredit it largely to the special effects. The originals did have some facets of philosophy -- Yoda seems to take a very Taoist approach to many things, but they seemed to destroy this by trying to put a "scientific" argument for the force. I don't feel the whole epic nature of the peice either, though I acknowledge that its meant to be.

4. Are you a fan of Babylon 5? Are all 'deep' sci-fi TV shows doomed to both low ratings, and to being pushed to the margins of broadcasting?

I think you have a very specific target you want to get with these questions, since I'll have difficulty answering this one. No, I've seen it all of one time, so I can't judge on the quality of B5. I will put a pretty low probability of 'deep' sci-fi lasting, for two reasons. First, the general populace doesn't like to think of sci-fi as being deep (despite the fact that it provides one of the best mediums for discussing philosophical and social ideas) -- so audiences won't turn to sci-fi shows if they want to find an intellectual venue. On the other hand, they do tend to think of sci-fi as being good for action -- and 'deep' sci-fi shows (I believe) are much less on the action. So when they do turn to these shows for action, they get put off by its lack thereof, and they switch off. Not that I believe that all 'deep' sci-fi shows are doomed to failure, it would just take time for such preconceptions of the genre to fade and for viewers to adjust.

5. If you like sci-fi, what are some of your other favorites, TV, books or movies?

As per my previous questions, I'm not a crazy science-fiction fan. Though in general, I like anything that is slightly unsettling, and many sci-fis fit into this category ranging from Donnie Darko to The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Brazil.

6. Westerns have mostly faded from the tv screen. Do you have any old favorites? Do you have any favorite Western movies? Do you think the genre is worn out?

I know even less of Westerns than the average Joe.

7. I would say that Buffy and Angel are about complex relationships and tearing down fixed ideas about good and evil. Assuming Firefly gets the chance to develop do you think it will follow the same pattern?

Yes, I am particularly interested in noting Joss's comment that he wants to treat the Alliance not as some evil empire, but as the US (I can see how he might not want to say this too much in this day and age though). The Alliance is supposed to be sometimes good and sometimes bad (WWII, Vietnam, ...); and Mal is supposed to have a hard time seeing this. I actually believe that there will be episodes where Mal's myopia will have him acting as the "evil" one without him knowing it. Complex relationships will certainly arise, noting the size of the cast and it comes part and parcel with grey moral areas.

8. Play Joss for a moment. Where do you think the meatiest potential parts of Firfly lie?

Largely in what I answered in the above. Clashes within Mal's crew are likely to be common and I'm sure to increase exponentially as we progress. I don't think this is going to be the Scooby gang who sticks together regardless if Buffy tried to kill everyone. People will argue ideals, people will argue emotions, people will leave and come back. I think Firefly has the opportunity to be a little more dynamic than Buffy and Angel, if Joss plays his cards right. As I used the word above, I want the show to be epic, to interweave upon itself and to challenge everything all at once. Serenity can fly, and can undertake both literal and figurative journeys, and I think that presents it with a great opportunity for exploration, that the Joss's slightly more landlocked shows might not.

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Replies:

  • Oooh! Fun! I am so going to fill this out when I have time tonight! (NT) -- Rob, 11:08:32 10/11/02 Fri
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