Sci-Fi Channel Picks Up Firefly 406
An anonymous reader writes "Firefly, a science fiction series that was canceled midway through its first season on Fox, has found a new home on the Sci Fi Channel. Fans of the cult-hit series Firefly will be pleased to learn that the show has been picked up by the Sci Fi Channel--just two months before the release of Serenity, a Universal Pictures film based on the series. Looks like they'll be airing all the ones we've already seen, plus 3 that never got aired the first time around. A bonus - They'll be seen in the correct order."
Will there be more episodes? (Score:5, Interesting)
New? (Score:4, Interesting)
oh, *reruns*. (Score:3, Interesting)
As I understand it based on random internet rumor, Fox has the TV contract for approximately until the MP3 patent expires. So, if things go well with the Serenity movie this fall, we can maybe hope for a few more movies in the coming years, but no more TV series in the reasonable-at-all future.
Firefly Won't Be Returning To TV (Score:5, Interesting)
...at least not for a long while.
Universal produced the show, but as a condition of picking up a series, a network gains the exclusive first rights to air the series on television. The rights to Firefly are still held by Fox, and Fox has expressed no interest in transferring those rights back.
Universal retains all the other rights, which is why Serenity got made, but unless someone's willing to cough up a very large amount of dough, it's unlikely that Fox would let their first-run TV contract drop.
Gag reel (Score:5, Interesting)
Bonus, you get all the extras, like the gag reel, and the behind the scenes stuff.
Actually, the *full* gag reel is floating around on the 'Net. It's about 2x longer than what you saw on the DVD, and contains quite a bit of profanity and one bit (a play on the opening credits) that would have been hard-core copyright infringement had it gone on the commercial DVD.
It's quite amusing. You can find it floating around p2p land, and I'm sure there's a torrent out there.
Re: Zhe4 zhen1 shi4 ge kuai4 le4 de jin4 zhan3! (Score:1, Interesting)
pinyin (with tones):
zhe4 zhen1 shi4 (yi) ge kuai4 le4 de jin4 zhan3.
tian1 sheng1 de yi4 dui1 ben4 rou4
Re:Firefly Won't Be Returning To TV (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Will there be more episodes? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Will there be more episodes? (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, when Fox picks up a television program the contract that they make everyone sign says that Fox owns the broadcast rights to the series for ten years. This is Fox's idea of controlling what is shown on TV. If a show doesn't pan out the way Fox thinks it should, they can it, and no one else can pick it up. There was no stipulation about feature films in the broadcast contract, that's why Joss decided to take the story to the big screen.
If the Sci-Fi channel is showing the series, they would have had to buy out the broadcast contract from Fox. Assuming that the show pulls in some decent ratings, I wouldn't be surprised to see Joss writing a new season and production starting as early as this fall depending on availability of the cast.
Pass (Score:5, Interesting)
When I heard the phrase 'space western', I imagined that it was a bit more metaphorical - like, it was the Space Rush days and everyone was getting out into space, it was rough and tumble, and all that jazz.
However, I was (somewhat unpleasantly) surprised to see that it was simply that - a western, set in space. That was pretty much it.
I didn't dig the main character; I thought he was bland and boring. I hated the swearing in Chinese; after watching Deadwood I find just about everything else is completely boring if its sanitised for a G rating. The sexual tension between the main character and the 'companion' is like, straight out of a highschool TV series, dude. The only common thread throughout the whole story was the doctor and his sister, which didn't progress enough to keep me interested. Token lesbian scene was a bit lame, too.
Special effects were nice and some of the scripts were vaguely entertaining; the character of Jane (Jayne?) was the only one that I really WANTED to keep seeing.
Anyway, I'm sure this comment won't see the light of day as it seems everyone else on Slashdot digs it, but that's my 2c.
Re:Will there be more episodes? (Score:4, Interesting)
Of course, Firefly doesn't cost that much to make. But before Sci-Fi can make more episodes, they have to get Fox's permission, 'cause its their property. If Fox holds out for more than Sci-Fi can pay, that's the end of it.
You're saying, "But that's stupid! Firefly isn't making them any money for Fox sitting in a vault!" Perhaps. But media companies sit on properties all the time, and never give them up cheaply.
Re:Misleading (Score:3, Interesting)
Everyone I've heard from who saw the sneak preview (fan or not, regardless of if they'd seen the series or not) really enjoyed it. I think if anything could convince Fox to sell the series rights to the Skiffy channel, the reception this movie is likely to get is probably it.
Is everybody kidding? (Score:2, Interesting)
the whole cowboy theme -- if you watch past the 4th or 5th episode that's all explained -- the alliance terraforms then drops civilians on the planent with nothing...
Plus, it's intentionally cheesy at times.
I highly recommend the show -- okay, there's one or two stupid (A-Team hokiness) episodes, but overall a great series.
keep in mind too that they originally played out of order, so the storyline didn't really fit. Hopefully the movie will renew interest and get a second season in the works... Although the movie will probably be lame...
oh well
A stronger clue in a scene that was cut (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Can You Say Rerun Only (Score:1, Interesting)
Firefly cost about 2mil per episode to produce. This is why it was never picked up by another station. When Fox initially cancelled Firefly, Fox gave Whedon the option to shop the show around to be aired on another network. There were no takers because the ratings just couldn't justify the cost to produce.
Universal did not obtain the movie rights to Firefly because of DVD sales. They were interested in working with Whedon because of his talent. He has been a hot script doctor for years now and has two successful TV series under his belt. The deal to make Serenity was already on the table before DVD sales figures were even known.
Firefly DVD sales are in the 300k-500k range to date. Compared to Family guy which sold about 3MILLION dvd sets to date. This is why FOX began producing new episodes (3mil x 2 sets x $30). Chances of FOX producing new episodes of Firefly are highly unlikely unless DVD sales really pick up. Also keep in mind that if another network in the off chance picks up Firefly, it would still be produced by FOX. The new network would have to pay production costs and would only be able to make money off ad sales. DVD revenue of new episodes would go to the production company (FOX).
Re:Scifi's Priorities (Score:2, Interesting)
People caught on to how much they were making on MST3K and raised the price for useing their old movies. Not to mention the cast was getting burned out.