[phrelin]

From the LA Times article Comic-Con: Joss Whedon thanks Browncoats at tearful 'Firefly' reunion:

​

The emotional panel, which started and ended with tears and standing ovations, reunited most the main cast of the short-lived but much-loved series. Creator (and "The Avengers" director) Whedon; actors Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin and Sean Maher; and writers Tim Minear and Jose Molina took photos of one another and the crowd as they entered the stage, greeted by deafening applause.

"Firefly," which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, chronicles the misadventures of Capt. Malcolm Reynolds (Fillion) and his ragtag crew as they scavenge and steal to keep their bucket-of-bolts spaceship Serenity afloat. In creating the series, Whedon rejected typical sci-fi tropes like "purple lights" and "aliens with big green heads" and aimed instead for "something that felt real, like a piece of history," he said. "I wanted to tell an immigrant's story."

Fox canceled the show short of a full-season run, but the feature-length sequel "Serenity" hit theaters in 2005, largely because of relentless support from singularly devoted fans who call themselves "Browncoats" after the former resistance soldiers in the series.

It's been ten years since I was firmly convinced the we needed a new economic model for TV, preferably one that excluded News Corp.:sure:

 

[RunnerFL]

Man, it's been 10 years since FOX started screwing us. Seems like just yesterday.

Burn in hell FOX!

 

[klang]

Nah, It started for me with Space: Above and Beyond back in 1996. On the other hand without Fox we wouldn't have had Fringe.

 

[djlong]

Keep going - Their handling of Alien Nation even before then was the start of my dislike of Fox.

 

[dpeters11]

I still think HBO should give him a chance.

 

[Drew2k]

I think the Science channel will be running a one-hour special on the Firefly reunion at SDCC - can't wait to see it.

In a TV Line interview with Michael Aussiello posted today, John Noble of Fringe said it was the fallout from Firefly that contributed to keeping Fringe on the air and allowing there to be a conclusion to the series. I personally don't think Fox learned any lessons, but Fringe did seem to have more lifelines than you'd have expected.

 

[phrelin]

Perhaps it would have been better if the broadcast nets hadn't tried science fiction leaving 10 million fans from which the old SciFi could to try to find a reliable core audience of at least 4 million for each new show. Of course, "Lost" could not have been the hit it was.

Also, I've never figured out why Sci-Friday died a slow death.

 

[tsmacro]

It kills me whenever I watch an ep of this show. I just end up thinking all over again "how could've they canceled this, it's so awesome!" Great characters, great universe and the dialog was (pardon the pun) out of this world!

 

[The Merg]

I think the Science channel will be running a one-hour special on the Firefly reunion at SDCC - can't wait to see it.

In a TV Line interview with Michael Aussiello posted today, John Noble of Fringe said it was the fallout from Firefly that contributed to keeping Fringe on the air and allowing there to be a conclusion to the series. I personally don't think Fox learned any lessons, but Fringe did seem to have more lifelines than you'd have expected.

If you find out when that is, please let us know.

- Merg

 

[Drew2k]

You got it Merg... The reunion will air Sunday, November 11th!

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/11/firefly-reunion-tv-special/

 

[Henry]

With so many networks in existence, I wonder why none of them have picked up this sure winner? Is it a rights thing? Are there contractual roadblocks? What?

 

[RunnerFL]

With so many networks in existence, I wonder why none of them have picked up this sure winner? Is it a rights thing? Are there contractual roadblocks? What?

The cast are all busy doing something else now.

 

[Drew2k]

With so many networks in existence, I wonder why none of them have picked up this sure winner? Is it a rights thing? Are there contractual roadblocks? What?

Are you asking about picking up rights to re-air the original Firefly series? The Science channel has been airing it for quite some time and will continue doing so, running a marathon on 11/11 just before the Comic Con Firefly Reunion special.

 

[Henry]

Are you asking about picking up rights to re-air the original Firefly series? The Science channel has been airing it for quite some time and will continue doing so, running a marathon on 11/11 just before the Comic Con Firefly Reunion special.

No, Drew ... even classics get old after the 25th viewing ... I was thinking more in terms of a continuation series or movies.

 

[Henry]

The cast are all busy doing something else now.

Not sure I buy that, Runner.

Last I checked, they were all working for money. I think a network could make them a substantial offer to resurrect a sure thing.

I was thinking more about legal barriers (Producer/Writters/Actors/Studio/Financial backers) who might legally object to the series being resumed.

 

[RunnerFL]

Not sure I buy that, Runner.

May want to re-think that...

Last I checked, they were all working for money.

My point exactly, they are working on other shows and/or movies.

I think a network could make them a substantial offer to resurrect a sure thing.

Doesn't matter what offer they get, they are under contract with other networks and/or studios. I also wouldn't call it a "sure thing" either really.

I was thinking more about legal barriers (Producer/Writters/Actors/Studio/Financial backers) who might legally object to the series being resumed.

I would be willing to bet Joss Whedon would object. Last I heard he had "moved on". He wouldn't even sell the rights to Nathan when he inquired about them. Not to mention I'm sure ABC would have something to say about Nathan Fillion, USA about Gina Torres, Showtime about Morena Baccarin, CW about Jewel Staite, ABC Family about Sean Maher, etc. Not to mention the movies that the entire cast has lined up. See my point now??

The time has passed, let it go...

 

[The Merg]

You got it Merg... The reunion will air Sunday, November 11th!

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/11/firefly-reunion-tv-special/

Thanks Drew!

- Merg

 

[Henry]

May want to re-think that...

My point exactly, they are working on other shows and/or movies.

Doesn't matter what offer they get, they are under contract with other networks and/or studios. I also wouldn't call it a "sure thing" either really.

I would be willing to bet Joss Whedon would object. Last I heard he had "moved on". He wouldn't even sell the rights to Nathan when he inquired about them. Not to mention I'm sure ABC would have something to say about Nathan Fillion, USA about Gina Torres, Showtime about Morena Baccarin, CW about Jewel Staite, ABC Family about Sean Maher, etc. Not to mention the movies that the entire cast has lined up. See my point now??

The time has passed, let it go...

Ask a question. Get an answer. Thanks, Runner.

 

[djlong]

I wouldn't be too sure that Joss has the rights. When the same questions surrounded the Babylon-5 spinoff series "Crusade", JMS (J. Michael Straczynski, the creator and executive producer, writer, etc) made it clear that Warner Brothers had the rights and wouldn't sell to anyone.

I suspect the same is true in Firefly's case. Fox has the rights, since they financed it, and won't sell to anyone. And there's a reason for that.

Firefly was a failure on Fox - and we all know why - but the 'why' doesn't matter to the Fox suits. Now, if Fox sold "Firefly" to, say, HBO or someone else - consider what happens if it succeeds. The Fox has to tell their stockholders that they had a hit property and it was THEIR incompetence that caused the show to fail.

If it fails on another network, there's no gain except "I told you so".

So, Fox has no possible gain and only a downside if they sell the property.

 

[RunnerFL]

I wouldn't be too sure that Joss has the rights.

You're absolutely right, I had my facts confused. At one time Nathan said he'd buy the rights to Firefly if he won the lottery. Based on that statement fans started a website to help him buy the rights but Joss denounced the site and put an end to what he saw as fans trying to gain control of the show's rights.

http://screenrant.com/nathan-fillion-firefly-reboot-joss-whedon-mcrid-105215/