Recoil
Regular
A lot of us say "why do all the good shows get cancelled while the shitty ones stay on the air for years and years?"
I've given a lot of thought to this, as much thought as I give anything on TV anyway, and I've noticed something. Yes, I'm sure many of you would give the quick answer of "TV Execs are stupid" but I'm not convinced that things are entirely the fault of the TV Networks.
I just finished watching my DVD Set of Firefly, by Joss Wheadon. Amazing show. Really well written, cool characters, and an interesting premise/back story. Cancelled by FOX after only 13 episodes, nevermind that Wheadon has pumped out 7+ seasons of Buffy and 5-6 seasons of Angel. You would think a guy like that would have some credibility that he can write some good and popular shit right? I remember reading that they kept asking him things like "why does it have to take place in space?" (sound familiar?)
Then it occurred to me. Buffy and Angel were on WB network. Firefly was on FOX.
Other crap TV shows that seem to air forever, like Andromeda (yea I know there are a few fans of this on this site, but even you have said how bad its gotten lately) also air on these other networks like WB and WGN.
So I guess the question is, if you are a guy like Joss Wheadon, and you have a new TV show you want to do, you have had 13+ years of success with WB, why do you go on another network like FOX where unless your show is either a HUGE success like 24 or a "Reality TV Show" (or "shit tv" as I call them) it will get cancelled after one season. You dont have to be a genious to figure this out. Good shows on the main networks WILL NOT SURVIVE. So why even bother? Why didn't he take Firefly to WB or WGN or one of those networks he could have, and been on the air as long as he needed and have had another huge cult success on his hands?
Can someone explain this to me? I really dont get it. I would think that even folks like JMS or WB or whatever should have been marketing B5:Rangers on WB Network on WGN instead of not-really-scifi channel.
For that matter...why couldn't Wheadon try to re-market/sell Firefly to one of these other networks instead of letting it die. And by die, I mean die as a series, I do realize there is a movie in post-production already that is due out this year.
Thoughts?
I've given a lot of thought to this, as much thought as I give anything on TV anyway, and I've noticed something. Yes, I'm sure many of you would give the quick answer of "TV Execs are stupid" but I'm not convinced that things are entirely the fault of the TV Networks.
I just finished watching my DVD Set of Firefly, by Joss Wheadon. Amazing show. Really well written, cool characters, and an interesting premise/back story. Cancelled by FOX after only 13 episodes, nevermind that Wheadon has pumped out 7+ seasons of Buffy and 5-6 seasons of Angel. You would think a guy like that would have some credibility that he can write some good and popular shit right? I remember reading that they kept asking him things like "why does it have to take place in space?" (sound familiar?)
Then it occurred to me. Buffy and Angel were on WB network. Firefly was on FOX.
Other crap TV shows that seem to air forever, like Andromeda (yea I know there are a few fans of this on this site, but even you have said how bad its gotten lately) also air on these other networks like WB and WGN.
So I guess the question is, if you are a guy like Joss Wheadon, and you have a new TV show you want to do, you have had 13+ years of success with WB, why do you go on another network like FOX where unless your show is either a HUGE success like 24 or a "Reality TV Show" (or "shit tv" as I call them) it will get cancelled after one season. You dont have to be a genious to figure this out. Good shows on the main networks WILL NOT SURVIVE. So why even bother? Why didn't he take Firefly to WB or WGN or one of those networks he could have, and been on the air as long as he needed and have had another huge cult success on his hands?
Can someone explain this to me? I really dont get it. I would think that even folks like JMS or WB or whatever should have been marketing B5:Rangers on WB Network on WGN instead of not-really-scifi channel.
For that matter...why couldn't Wheadon try to re-market/sell Firefly to one of these other networks instead of letting it die. And by die, I mean die as a series, I do realize there is a movie in post-production already that is due out this year.
Thoughts?