Firefly: The Train Job

[altariel]

Courtesy of katlinel and Sugoll, I am watching Firefly over lunch each day. Today: The Train Job.

Mal: "Nice shot."
Jayne (drooling): "I was aiming for his head."

Remind me again - exactly why did they cancel this show?

Comments

[genarti]

Because they're morons?

I got nuthin'.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ah, good point.

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Not even a hamster? Or a dumb stick that sounds like rain?

[genarti]

*giggles*

No! *sulks and feels left out*

Though I do have some rather nice tea. *kneels and pours into little cups* *offers around*

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you are watching this. My liking for this show developed a bit slowly, but now I've got the hang of it as you know I really love it.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I really like the dialogue. I'm always happy if the dialogue is good. I think SF/Western is a really good idea too. I've only watched the first 3 episodes, so I hope it holds up.

[trixieleitz]

In my arrogant opinion, it gets better.

[genarti]

I'd agree. Some of the later episodes (Objects in Space! Objects in Space!) are the best.

Though, really, I haven't found a single episode I don't like.

[spacefall.livejournal.com]

Because they are evil, and wouldn't know a decent show if it bit them on the arse? (Not that Firefly would bite anyone on the arse. It would probably go for somewhere more amusing and/or reliably lethal.)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It really does seem a bizarre decision. It's so stylish and funny. Oh, and the performances are great.

[spacefall.livejournal.com]

I'm boggled by it, really. Something really decent comes along for once ... and gets axed. Well, I suppose there's always the film to look forward too.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I've got as far as buying it, now! Just that last little step to go, you know, actually watching it....

Glad you're enjoying it!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think you'll rush through them when you get going - they're very watchable.

Love the new Moony icons, btw. He's just scrumptious.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Thank you! He is, isn't he? I want to give him such a big hug at the end. :-( I have another pic as well, but no caption for it yet. I might just use it without.

And I love your new O'Brien ones. Self-sealing stembolts indeed!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

And reverse ratcheting routers!

[melinafandom.livejournal.com]

I've been watching the Firefly DVDs recently, too.

The people at Fox are total idiots is why they canceled the show... they might as well have canceled it before it ever aired, for all the abuse they heaped on it.

I think if they had shown the actual pilot first, the show would have performed much better in the ratings.

(The two Joss Whedon commentaries on disc 1 -- the pilot and Train Job -- are well worth listening to, btw.)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I read that yesterday, that they didn't transmit the pilot first - what a bizarre thing to do!

Hopefully the film will happen.

Thanks for the heads-up on the commentaries, I'll look forward to them.

[melinafandom.livejournal.com]

The film is definitely happening, I'm happy to say. They started shooting this month.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-D

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Heheheh. Another potential audience member for my B7xFF crossovers.

However, I was somewhat disappointed by the extent to which the members of the Firefly cast actually like each other. After B7, I have high standards.

If I were you, though, I wouldn't listen to the commentary for Objects in Space, because even though I adore Joss Whedon he sounds like a complete nitwit there.

And the deleted scene for Our Mrs. Reynolds is essential viewing.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Another potential audience member for my B7xFF crossovers.

:-D I have to get you watching DS9, then!

[executrix.livejournal.com]

There's a distribution glitch now, where older shows are freely available on DVD for sale or rental...for their later seasons, but the earlier seasons are only on VHS, which nobody has for rental and which are too expensive to buy on spec.

why did they cancel this show?

[forodwaith.livejournal.com]

Because Fox executives like to greenlight wonderfully quirky television series, stick them in deathtrap timeslots like Friday night, and cancel them just as they are beginning to hit their stride and find an audience. See also: Wonderfalls.

Can't wait to see what you think of "Out of Gas".

Re: why did they cancel this show?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I just read the episode summary for 'Out of Gas' and it sounds brilliant. But I'll be patient and watch them in order!

[kathyh]

I was going to say "because they're morons" but someone already has. The real reasons are probably to do with the fact they couldn't recognise a good show if someone hit them in the face with it, and money, and the fact that it didn't build an audience because they kept moving it, and money, and the fact the episodes were shown in an incorrect order, and money... I'm thrilled about the film but it won't really replace the longer more layered effect of a TV show. They're morons...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The completely-without-basis-in-any-fact theory that we had here was that perhaps JW was being seen as a bit too successful, that he was no longer flavour of the month.

I read at the weekend that the new season of Battlestar Galactica has only got made because Sky came in with some last minute money. And the pilot for that was cracking.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*sigh* It's a real shame. Oh well, there's still the film. But, as you say, it's not the same as letting JW build up a plotline over a whole season.

[trixieleitz]

So glad you are finally watching this :) Definitely listen to the commentary for The Train Job, it explains a lot. I wish I could see it as Joss and Tim had originally conceived it, before they had to turn it into "Firefly 101". They did a damn good job, considering, but it could have been so much better.

And why it was cancelled? I have my opinions, but they would be feeble paraphrasings of many of the other comments. Fox suit=moron would be the gist.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm spoiled for DVDs, me ;-D I'm definitely going to listen to these commentaries.

[manna]

Because the show didn't exactly fit The Fox Formula for series. So they fucked around with it and tried to force it to be something it wasn't, and finally killed it because they didn't understand it and they'd done their best to make sure noone else did either.

We can only hope that the film does reasonably well and someone is willing to pick up the series again.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's a real shame. Apparently the new 'Battlestar Galactica' was saved by money from Sky One - it would be great if a British channel coughed up some cash!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I ordered the DVDs off Amazon last week. I'm really looking forward to seeing this.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ensemble cast on the run in a spaceship - what's not to like?! ;-D

[trixieleitz]

Ooo, brilliant! Another new soul :) I really hope you like it.

Which region DVDs are you getting?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

US, whatever that is. I doesn't matter to me--we can play anything on our player which means we can buy anywhere in the world. I just choose the cheapest price.

They should arrive soon. :-D

[trixieleitz]

Region 1.

We have a multiformat player as well. Sometimes the extras are different on the different regions, which hasn't made a difference yet, but may in the future.

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

*hands over a browncoat*

Welcome to the ranks, my friend. :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hey there! :-D

[stultiloquentia.livejournal.com]

Glad you found this. One more person I can squee with when the film comes out.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Looks like my friends list will happily squee too :-)