Not only did Fox cancel Firefly too early, but they aired the episodes out of order confusing the audience and ensuring most of them would stop watching the show. They also put the show on Friday night (the death slot) against other popular sci-fi shows. Further they often preempted the show to air sports events. Nowadays you can watch the first season in the correct order including episodes Fox decided not to air as well as the film Serenity that ties up many of the loose ends created by Fox's cancelation of the TV series.
Well imvho I still think humanity as a whole is very sort term focused. Not the better long term focused. Hell if humanity was willing to suffer in the mid term, with the long term welfare of our species in mind a lot of our problem can still be solved. But that's not in our nature for the most part unfortunately.
1, the guy that took over hated the show and wanted it to fail. 2, they didn't air it to confuse people. They aired what they thought were stronger episodes to hook people in.
When Gene Roddenberry first came up with Star Trek, he pitched it as Wagon Train to the Stars, since he started as a writer for TV westerns in the 50s. It's interesting how the parallels worked out. Science fiction has a unique perspective on what the future might be.
Wow. I love this franchise but probably because it has such limited product I never went too deep beyond some BTS material to suss out the details of the setting. Looks like there's definitely some stuff for me to look into on my own. The chart itself opened my eyes to a lot. I thought it was just one solar system with some planets and moons terra formed. It was a lot bigger and more complex than I assumed. Good work as always Orange River.
I liked that humans are the only species in the 'verse. The notion that we are very much alone in the galaxy is unique for a lot of sci-fi that I've seen.
@@ThommyofThenn so true! There were so many great plot threads and unanswered questions for season 3 to deal with. As far as I know, they were under the impression they WOULD have a season 3 at the time, so these things would have been dealt with. I’m not actually sure if the showrunners ever answered any questions after the show was cancelled. Maybe there’s some answers out there somewhere? But yeah, Really was a great show imo!
About three months after its cancellation I was making toast in the kitchen and was wondering about a specific plotline in the series and had to remind myself that it was still cancelled. The feeling of sadness that hit me actually made me chuckle out loud, because my grief over the loss of the show the same was as with a dead pet. You think you're over it finally, then you absentmindedly go to refill your pet's food bowl months later and the pain hits you all over again.
Thanks for such a great video about my favorite science fiction series. You taught me a lot of background information about the universe that was all really interesting. To answer your questions, my favorite thing about Firefly is the characters. They're all so different and feel like real people who have come together to make a found family. I really like the universe, but I love the characters. It was definitely cancelled too early. I could imagine it going for at least 7 years. I'm grateful for the movie, but it could have been so much more. I hope you make more Firefly videos in the future.
Firefly deserved at least a second season. I know we got a movie to help tie things together but it needed more. Still one of my all-time favorite series though.
A very, very good - and promising - first season. And, I loved the ‘Firefly’ movie. Most of the ‘Firefly’ cast have gone on to have exceptional careers, deservedly so. I am not a linguist but the cadence, syntax and vocabulary of ‘Firefly’ is unique, memorable, genuine. After 500 years of language drift, I found the dialogue compelling and believable. Sure, everything wasn’t always “shiny,” but it sure was interesting and exciting. RIP, Ron Glass. You were the “Shepherd” we all need.
Because we can't have nice things like critical thinking. I'll even add to your excellent observation - If we have the tech to make generation ships, why don't we just make orbital habitats and park them around THIS sun? It's not like there is a shortage of every single material resource we could ever use in this solar system. Heck, if they left Earth behind, they also left behind almost 100% of its resources, since the overwhelming majority of those are in the mantle and the core. But let's not tear Earth apart when we can disassemble a useless planet like Mercury or Mars.
If I remember correctly, they wanted the characters to speak Cantonese but they didn't have any writers or producers who spoke Chinese, so they ended up with a mix of Mandarin and Cantonese accents.
This is another great video. It's been so long since I've watched firefly it was nice to finally piece together the lore. I think it was cancelled too soon. It was a show that given the right shot should have had many seasons.
I completely agree that Firefly was cancelled too soon, due to the extremely limited "vision" of FOX executives (similar to TOS). I loved the series!! As with TOS, there was sooooo much untapped potential here for story development. Shame on FOX for hot only cancelling the show too soon, but for failing to recognize its potential due to their own bungled handling of the show.
Hey recent fan, been watching through all of your Trek content while playing the FTL multiverse mod. Also got me on a voyager rewatch. Thank you. Firefly would be such a cool universe for a game.
Many thanks for this dive into Firefly, much appreciated! I always wonder why Firefly humans didn't just terraform Earth, instead of terraforming distant barren worlds.
Your explanation of the series actually gives me enough background that I would like to try watching it again. As mentioned by other commenters, it was confusing to watch because the episodes aired out of order, so it felt like it came with its own well-known canon that everyone knew but the first-time watchers, which explains why fans would tell me that it makes more sense when you re-watch the series. I tried to hang on but couldn't make it past the second episode.
If it had been just a TV show it would've easily been better and lasted longer. The continued push for tie in everything, play this, read this, there will be a movie killed it. As it stands, I think it's mostly above average but once all the tie in's Sci-fi banked on failed they let it die instead of shoring up the show.
I didn't get into Firefly when it was on Broadcast TV. I remember my parents telling me how good it was and I gave excuses not to watch it. It just sounded so silly.. cowboys in space. Yeah. Sure. When the movie came out, I hadn't been in the mood to watch any dramas or police revenge movies. I'm a sucker for Sci-Fi and so I decided "What the hell... i'll go check it out". I came out of the theatre, made a bee line for Best Buy and bought the entire box set of Firefly. On faith that it was as good as the movie. It was way better. I've had hopes that another production group might pick it up and continue. I know that Mal and his shipmates couldn't be salvaged but since Star Trek did so well, FireFly could expand too. Alas, no one took up the mantle. I had seen the comic books come out... twiddled my thumbs hoping to hear a new movie might emerge. No chance. I heard that someone was making a video game...oooh.... nope, fell through... then another group was making a video game.... haven't heard anything more about it. I love that group of characters. I would devour more if I could get more stories out of whoever. It's sad when i've turned to fan-fic and god there are some horrible amateur writers out there. There are a few notables.
So, yes, I think Firefly was canceled to early, but that's also not the same as saying I want more seasons of it, either at the time or now. As it is, it's a near-perfect set of episodes that tells a small part of a larger story, and while it would be amazing to actually get more of that story, the near-perfect nature of the 13 episodes we have makes that very tenuous IMO. The Firefly we got is so close to perfect that I am loathe to ask for anything more that might diminish what we were actually given. I'd love to see more, but it HAS to be as perfect as the original 13, and that feels like it's not possible, or at least VERY hard to pull off. And in the absence of more content that equals or surpasses the original, I'd rather not have any more than have something that doesn't quite rise to the level of what we already have. Your mileage may vary, of course ...
I found Firefly when on a DVD buying binge, I really loved it. A fantastic setting that mixed genres. Archetypal characters that still felt vibrant. All of the characters and actors were great, although Simon Tam was only at his best during the Serenity movie. I'm undecided about the streamlined facial hair...
Yes I do believe they canceled Firefly too early. The aspect of the show I loved was found family. Everyone lived their lives up until that point that they're now family and living with and for each other.
I love the show and movie. I truly feel that it being canceled before its time and was short that makes it so great. I feel the longer a show goes on the more it suffers from the weight of all backage from its storytelling.
As mentioned elsewhere many times, the show never had a chance to show it's potential. I kind of have to wonder if the TV execs didn't decide that Josh had to be taken down a peg and so they let him create Firefly, then sabotaged it in every way they could. It didn't have a chance, and it absolutely should have been treated much better.
I wish Firefly had continued, but this video made me realize something. Thousands of years later, what if Humanity had become so complacent in this new star system that their own creations drove them off their worlds. Lets call them... I don't know.. 'Cylons'. Could Firefly be considered to be a sort of unofficial prequel to Battlestar Galactica? They even find their way back to Earth to discover it's a ruined, used up world.
So like. Okay. About 3 weeks before you put out your Expanse video I had finished watching it for the first time. I just watched Firefly & Serenity for the first time... last week. Mr. River, are you reading my mind?
I learned about the show after I watched the movie in the theaters, and I enjoyed both a great deal. If there had been a full first season I may not think it ended to early, but only 14 episodes barely wets the whistle. There is however some decent stories in comics and novels (more so the comics IMHO).
There is a SYFY series called Killjoys that always heavily reminds me of Firefly. I enjoy both shows but in recent years Killjoys has become a comfort watch for me with its space bounty hunter story that just kept getting weirder and weirder.
I think if Firefly was aired on Sci-fi it probably would have at least lasted 4+ seasons! But, a lot of great shows were cancelled too early; John Doe and The Pretender to name a few.
I love sci-fi, Firefly was wonderful! You got to love fantasy, just like the fantasy of climate change. I don't know if it's so much as fantasy or just another religion, I'm starting to think it's just religion you got your priests your scripture oh and don't forget canceling those who disagree with you. I'm just glad they put the climate change stuff in a fantasy setting and didn't talk as if itis a real thing.
In my opinion the most unrealistic part of the show is that humanity survives that long lol. But really firefly is one of the best sci fi shows in the 2000s
Confederates...in space! Seriously, the alliance is depicted as "changing how people think" Yankees and the sympathetic portrayal of the brown coats is reduced to "meddling" by the alliance. No self awareness.
Just to be clear, I actually can't stand Firefly, and your statements are why I believe why Fox cancelled it: there was too much baggage abound within the show.
Firefly (TV series) 2002 - I just got the 4 DVD set - with all 14 episodes! Joss Whedon had designed the show to run for 7 years, it lasted only 3 months. FOX didn't like Whedon's original two-hour pilot "Serenity". (Movie 2019) It became "The Train Job", 1 of the 10 one-hour episodes aired on friday 20:00. No one knows why FOX aired the show in this order: 02 - "The Train Job" ---[FOX 01 - September 20, 2002] 03 - "Bushwacked" [FOX 02 - Sep 27] 06 - "Our Mrs. Reynolds" [FOX 03 - Oct 04] (NOW SHOW - Oct 11) 07 - "Jaynestown" [FOX 04 - Oct 18] 08 - "Out of Gas" [FOX 05 - Oct 25] 04 - "Shindig" [FOX 06 - Nov 01] 05 - "Safe" [FOX 07 - Nov 08] 09 - "Ariel" [FOX 08 - Nov 15] (NOW SHOW - Nov 22) (NOW SHOW - Nov 29) 10 - "War Stories" [FOX 09 - Dec 6] === SHOW CANCELED BY FOX === 14 - "Objects in Space" [FOX 10- Dec 13] 01 - "Serenity" --------[FOX 11 - December 20, 2002] They aired this 2 hour episode on friday at 21:00... 11 - "Trash" [NOT aired by FOX] 12 - "The Message" [NOT aired by FOX] 13 - "Heart of Gold" [NOT aired by FOX] It has a continuing storyline. I will try to watch the series as FOX had intended to...
Hey, Tyler, another great video. Question for ya, the statue of the black Star Trek Science officer, who is that, and where'd you get it? I'd like one.
I really loved Firefly. I watched it when it originally aired, and I bought it and watched it on DVD. But I never realized that all the planets in the show existed in the same solar system. Even though FTL travel was never mentioned, I just assumed the ships must have had a way to travel faster than light because if they couldn't, how could they visit so many planets? Finding a solar system with that many habitable planets seems highly unlikely, but at least such a system is at least possible under known physics. If we found it necessary to abandon Earth, I don't think terraforming Mars or Venus would be the way to go. It would probably make much more sense to build rotating space habitats. O'Neill Cylinders or even McKendree cylinders should be able to use solar panels to generate more than enough energy for the habitats since they could place as many solar panels as required, and those panels wouldn't have cloudy days or nights interfering with power generation.
I recommend checking out Starhunter, a show that's also a space western in the vein of Firefly, but is more in line with Cowboy Bebop, and predates Firefly by 2 years.
Firefly was definitely cancelled too early. It still hurts to think of what could've been. I wish that the SyFi channel or some other network would've jumped in to save this show. Joss Whedon had 2 hit shows under his belt and if only he was given time this show would've been a hit. The few episodes we received is proof of that.
Such a cool show. Also, I myself am a sucker for realistic levels of eco collapse lore, it always gets me, I'm sick like that. ^^' But hey, as you explained, its unfortunately quite effing topical... I wonder how close to collapse the Firefly universe is at the point the show is set. Since many of the old problems persist, just on a interstellar level, it almost seems like its inevitable. It is really notable, also, now that I hear you go over the lore, how much inspiration Starfield actually took from Firefly.
Perhaps the control fetish of the Aliance with regards to the outer Systems was influenced by Chinese Experiences with their northern Neighbors At least that would explain the obcessive Waste of Resources
So no one gonna talk about his glow up? Na ? Ok Londoninum is the original Roman name for London by the way people OMG ok!!! I will watch firefly again… I’m not sure the crew know they have the Orasi! Onboard :-/ hallowed are the ori!!!! Sex work is legal in Europe right now too by the way
would i have liked even 1 more sesaon? of course. glad we got the movie. lightning in a bottle though and those asking for a revival or something are just inviting disappointment
Here's a question I've yet to hear and answer to. The characters all speak Chinese, but there isn't one Asian actor in either the series or the movie. WTF?
I hear you! As a person of Asian heritage, I was cringing that there were no Asian people in the main cast or even as antagonists. They didn't even bother to hire Von Flores, one of my favorite Filipino-Canadian actors.
I wish I could have gotten more firefly tv shows and movies 🎬. I do think the final tv show was anti-black. I don't like it . Other than that I loved the tv shows and movie firefly.
Canon??, unless the shows original creators lay claim to a shows specific details, the fan base will do it for them. Once this occurs, do the original creators have the right to complain? NOPE.
I think Firefly was a great show and Fox was incredibly stupid to cancel it... That being said, after finally watching it for the first time a couple years ago, I think it is the most overrated Sci-Fi show of all time. There is nothing new in Firefly, but there are great characters and even better actors playing them. To me a lot of its fame comes from the anger and shock of its abrupt cancellation, not the staying power of a unique premise or writing.
More like FAILfly! I tried, by god (though I am an atheist!) I tried getting into that, I watched it in order of release and in the suggested order and I still think that show is a jumbled mess! Give me Babylon 5 or Farscape or Star Trek TNG any day over this crap!