It’s Better to Burn Out, Than to Fade Away
In my usual amazing ability to be on the pulse of all things other than computers (as long as on the pulse means about 5 years behind), I recently discovered an awesome little TV series called Firefly. Indeed it kept me glued to my TV for almost an entire day (yes one of those brain has gone to mush after a previous nights over indulgence).
Western and Sci-Fi were not (to me) the most obvious of bedfellows. The only other thing I can muster from the old cranial archives is Cowboy Bebop (also fantastic!). But this got me thinking, Firefly’s really a Western with a few Sci-Fi trappings. Most of the characters use old six-shooter style guns (except for in a very few episodes), people ride around on horseback and most of the worlds they seem to set down are all dustballs with the usual western selection of gangsters, whorehouses and wotnot. We’ve even got Red Indians (the Reapers).
Don’t get me wrong, this is far from a criticism. I think taking the classic Western formula and injecting it with some Sci-Fi has produced something much fresher and more interesting. Star Wars did a similar thing. Taking the classic fantasy adventure and giving is a thin Sci-fi wrapper. Works a treat! What else could they do? Perhaps a Sci-fi coming-of-age road film, yeah that could work… ‘Road Trip in Space’! Or a futuristic courtroom drama?
Well now I’ve drifted properly in to Off-Topic Rant mode. What I originally wanted to bemoan was that it only lasted 14 episodes! They were not even allowed to finish the season. Left right in the middle of several nicely building sub-plots / character investigations. Damn them! When rubbish like Lost drags on for years with no obvious direction and this doesn’t even get one run! Never mind. I’ve still to see the film they made afterwards (‘Serenity’ for anyone else who’s been living in a cave like me). So maybe it will tie up some loose ends.
Or maybe its actually a semi-blessing, too many TV shows are milked way past their sell by date. I think Kurt Cobain said it best…
The Writing Desk and the Raven 
That’s Fox for you, Firefly was cancelled before it could even take off. It’s honestly one of my favourite stories.
You should check out the follow-up movie “Serenity”, the story of it’s making is a story all it’s own. Check that out too.
Looks like a new recruit will soon be joining the Browncoats. 😉
Got it all lined up on Boxee! 🙂
It’s amazing how enthusiastic the fan community still is when they haven’t had anything new for five years. Hopefully one day Fox (or someone else) will take notice.
Well that’s exactly how “Serenity” came to be! Universal Pictures picked it up and worked with the few rights that Fox gave up. There are also some great comics offered by Dark Horse Comics…including one coming soon written by Patton Oswalt. I can’t wait to read it.
WARNING: Don’t touch the comics until after the movie. Don’t even look them up. 😉
The way I see it, Fox is still blind to what they have. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Do you have a favourite episode?
Probably ‘Our Mrs. Reynolds’. I think Saffron was one of the more interesting characters. Although Jubal Early was wonderfully odd too. 🙂
Watched Serenity yesterday and have mixed feelings about it. It suffered from the classic (and catchy) ‘Plot that was meant to take place over a long period of time forced in to two hours’ syndrome. It was still great to get anything more at all though! Whedon seems great at slowly building up characters. Probably that is why his shows keep getting cancelled… People just don’t have the attention span.
Have you seen Dollhouse? I’m considering purchasing that too.
Had never heard of Patton Oswalt, just found his ‘Sky Cake’ bit on YouTube. Awesome! 😀