Comments on: Politreks

By: GaterNate

GaterNate — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:14:17 +0000

Thank you Joe Meils for your polite and informative reply. I will give it another try next time there’s a Firefly marathon on the Sci-fi channel.

And thanks to Quiet Desperation as well. I hope it is, in fact, fun.

By: Joe Meils

Joe Meils — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:22:02 +0000

When Firefly first came on, I was sooo ready to hate the show. A space western? A ship running on an engine that looks like a combination washing machine and jet engine? Ha! But then… I watched a little more. The characters, as in most of Josh Whedons work, were hypnotic. Then things started to make sense: this was all taking place in a solar system with hundreds of teraformed planets. No warp drive, no teleporters, no aliens. It was almost the anti-Trek. As such, it told stories about these people who build a life together, and who cherish freedom more than taking advantage of living in an advanced society that curtails your opportunities.

Sure. Tons of scientific errors. Like every other sci fi show on TV. (Except maybe the NASA channel) But they were telling us some damn good stories.

That’s the appeal of Firefly. It was something other than the sensory dully conformity of Roddenberry’s universe. (Same with the much missed and lamented Farscape.)

By: Quiet Desperation

Quiet Desperation — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:37:24 +0000

I would loooooove it if someone would explain to me the appeal of Firefly.

It was fun.

By: KaiYeves

KaiYeves — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:19:21 +0000

Yeah, but is he a Star Wars fan? If not, I don’t know what the other kids see in him?

By: Calli Arcale

Calli Arcale — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:41:52 +0000

I have to agree with John F Kennedy and Chip — B5 fandom would be a better indicator of a politician’s quality than Trek fandom, all else being equal.

Mind you, Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi) did run for Senate in California. Alas, he did not win.

Of course, I’m the sort of nerd who thinks it’s even MORE important to ask — which of the candidates are Whovians?

By: Moose

Moose — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:37:36 +0000

John W Kennedy: To return to the original point, “Firefly” was canceled because it was expensive to make and appealed to only a few fans, even though those who did like it were wildly enthusiastic.

It was canceled because Fox was looking for another X-Files to magically appear, while completely botching the homeopathic quantities of marketing there was. If Firefly wasn’t wildly successful out of the gate, it was canned. Like so many other shows on Fox, some good, some not so good.

By: Sue Mitchell

Sue Mitchell — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:21:57 +0000

Jens, you are a Reaver and I claim my £5.

B.A., I appreciate your enlightening our darkness about the scary way your country is heading back into mediaevalism. Keep up the good work in both that and astronomy.

P.S. Mal’s tatt. is real…
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