Whedonesque Mobile : Comments on 20930 : "SyFy" actively looking to develop the next space opera.

Or they could commission a few Serenity tv movies? Seeing as Firefly is dead as Wash and SyFy is owned by Universal.

Joss on cable...I'm in my happy place. : )

"Serenity: The Series". Let's keep telling Stories from the 'Verse.

Be careful what you wish for, everyone. If the folks at Syfy realise that Firefly is popular, they might decide to make a rebooted version of it ;)

ruuger | July 09, 11:55 CET

Be careful what you wish for, everyone. If the folks at Syfy realise that Firefly is popular, they might decide to make a rebooted version of it ;)

You mean doing a Kazui on Firefly? F that!

Where are the people with the papers to sign and the offers of money for Joss?

Nebula1400 | July 09, 12:18 CET

Y'know, if they'd actually bought up Firefly when it was offered to them, instead of turning it down for being "too sci-fi" (like, huh?), they might not be in this pickle.

daylight | July 09, 12:48 CET

hee, Nebular1400 i like the verb to Kazui...

Bluey | July 09, 14:04 CET

Sci-Fi, or SyFyLus or whatever, had their chance on Firefly and passed back in the day. Now we have rasslin' and ghost hunting. Hooray.

tinktanker | July 09, 16:03 CET

Wait, what? They seriously said Firefly was "too sci-fi"?

Also, Serenity TV movies? Best idea ever.

(Or at least best idea that is sounds both possible and plausible, but still won't happen....except maybe the last sign of the apocaplypse, by which point we won't care.)

erendis | July 09, 16:07 CET

Just do it syfy... offer the boss and the cast can't say no to $$ and bring it back - we'll watch, we'll buy dvd's and tshirts, and lunchboxes... :-)

refuge5 | July 09, 17:17 CET

No offense, but aside from the Dune miniseries, what "original movie" has SciFi/SyFy made that hasn't completely blown chunks?

What makes anyone thinks that just having good source material, writers, and a fan base would change that outcome?

jclemens | July 09, 17:20 CET

SyFy should just stick to wrestling and crappy C movies.

Chewy | July 09, 17:39 CET

jclemens, didn't SciFi co-finance the update of Battlestar Galactica with the BBC or some other Brit channel ? The mini-series that started it off could count as a "Sci-fi movie original", maybe. But yeah, their entirely home-grown productions have always sucked, from what I've seen.

Nathan's got Castle and some of the rest of the cast is busy with other projects, but aside from some potential red tape in terms of rights and financing, I don't see much that would get in the way of making more Serenity TV movies (okay, Joss availability). Just film it in the off-season next year and we'd have Serenity 2 by Xmas 2010.

I've let go, I mean the Firefly cancellation sucked, but we could see it coming a mile away. The surprise of a movie continuation/conclusion was a long-shot bonus, I felt very satisfied after things were more tidily wrapped up. But when the president of SciFi makes comments like that, the logic follows...why not just make more Serenity ?

Kris | July 09, 18:13 CET

No offense, but aside from the Dune miniseries, what "original movie" has SciFi/SyFy made that hasn't completely blown chunks?

Its the Vancover BC Scifi/Horror puppy mill that's to blame. For the past 20+ years Vancover's been the source of all things mediocre when its come to SciFi...Highlander: The Series; Tek War; Andromeda; most of the Friday the 13th movies, not to mention the series; The Outer Limits, etc., etc. They use the same Actors, Settings and Writers over and over again. Its tough to come up with anything new if you're too busy repackaging the same crap you produced the year before.

mangydog | July 09, 18:14 CET

That guy makes it all seem so easy. I want his job.

Jayme | July 09, 18:47 CET

I thought the Tim Man miniseries they did was excellent.

TamaraC | July 09, 19:00 CET

For the past 20+ years Vancover's been the source of all things mediocre when its come to SciFi...Highlander: The Series

Bite your tongue! :p

Jobo | July 09, 19:05 CET

Give Joss money.
Give Joss creative control.
...
Profit.

Mort | July 09, 20:45 CET

As much as I would love for SyFy to pic up Firefly or maybe even some manner of spin off ( someone mentioned "Tales from the 'Verse"?), I don't think it's plausible. Also, I'd be a sad Browncoat, because I lack cable currently, and wouldn't be able to view said awesomeness if it was a possibility.

Astonishing_Chaos | July 09, 20:50 CET

That SighFi movie about a mystical hotel room was pretty good. But I wouldn't wish for any show to end up on a low-budget channel like that.

will.bueche | July 09, 20:52 CET

Good for them, actually planning on making a genre show. Now, if they make a good genre show it'll be even better.

Craig Oxbrow | July 09, 21:18 CET

If Joss was at the helm of a made for TV movie to air on SyFy I have no doubt it would easily be the best ever shown on the channel. If control was given to someone who has done SyFy movies before, I would burn down the studio before they could touch it.

But really. Please Joss. With sugar on top. You need something else to do. There is not too much on your plate.

doyn | July 09, 22:03 CET

They want to do Space Opera. Mike Shepard's (oka Mike Moscoe) Kris Longknife series. She's going to save the universe, even if it doesn't deserve to be saved!

htom | July 09, 22:26 CET

Two words: Frankenfish, Mansquito.

*shudder*

bojojoti | July 09, 22:51 CET

Because its really really cheap to make a scifi show with horses instead of spaceships, he added of the record ;-)

Hunted | July 09, 23:05 CET

The very awesome Battlestar Galactica, and equally awesome Farscape both came from the Sci Fi Channel. I'd love to see them pick up a Firefly spin-off. It's too bad they didn't take Firefly when they were offered the series, but that was also the same year they canceled Farscape. :-(

AnotherFireflyfan | July 09, 23:24 CET

Tales from the 'Verse.

Put it into production now!

Hjermsted | July 09, 23:40 CET

HaHaHa!!! Thanks for the laugh, mangydog! I thought I was the only one that was sick of all the bad scifi coming out of Canada! Also, when a US based show's production moves to Canada, they end up firing the more skilled American actors (Fringe I am looking at you) and replacing him/her with a Canadian who's only acting experience is holding a suitcase on a game show!!!

Little Green Kid | July 09, 23:46 CET

It would be wonderful if they could continue the Firefly verse somehow. Maybe a few of the original actors who are available? Just a shared universe with allusions to the original would still be great if Whedon was involved.

silent knight | July 09, 23:55 CET

They HAD it and canceled it. What the hell was Farscape?!!!

Vinity | July 10, 00:31 CET

They HAD it and canceled it. What the hell was Farscape?!!!

What you said ... which is why I haven't watched anything on SciFi since then. (I may go back if Tim's Alien Nation makes it to air)

resa | July 10, 00:55 CET

I second TamaraC's endorsement of Tin Man. SciFi is capable of producing quality film work when investing the money and talent... the fact that they only do that for one of about every thirty five or forty movie projects has just sullied their rep a bit ;) Seriously, between Tin Man and similar upscale productions and the quality of many of their original series, added to the theoretical involvement of Joss/Tim/the BDHes/other vital staff and writers who loved the show? I really like the chances that "SyFy" could produce quality Firefly/Serenity material.

[ edited by LKW on 2009-07-10 04:04 ]

LKW | July 10, 03:59 CET

Hey now, enough with the Canada bashing, lol! We only get the crap 'cause we're cheap. ;)

Aurra | July 10, 06:25 CET

Can we just bash the absurd new "SyFy" designation? Possibly the worst idea in the history of ever.

And bad shows filmed in Canada aren't exclusive to "that" channel (Smallville). Nor excellent ones, from X-Files to BSG.

There you go, Canadian guys - you have the good, the bad, the ghastly and the sublime, just like every other location. ;)
And what gorgeous physical locations you have (thinking mainly of BSG).

Shey | July 10, 11:27 CET

Also, when a US based show's production moves to Canada, they end up firing the more skilled American actors (Fringe I am looking at you) and replacing him/her with a Canadian who's only acting experience is holding a suitcase on a game show

Exsqueeze me? That's my country and my talented base of actors you're bashing.

BTW, the Fringe pilot was filmed in Toronto.

[ edited by redeem147 on 2009-07-10 15:56 ]

redeem147 | July 10, 14:14 CET

Yeah but you're meant to be too polite to point stuff like that out. Kindly refrain from destroying my long cherished national stereotypes and insinuating that 'Due South' was in any way an inaccurate portrayal of Canadians. It makes me feel scared.

jclemens, didn't SciFi co-finance the update of Battlestar Galactica with the BBC or some other Brit channel ?

It was Sky One but yep. In fact they co-financed at least series 1 to boot (which was great since it meant we were, at most, a few weeks behind the US broadcast and may even have been ahead at times).

Sci-Fi (i'm boycotting the new "name") have the potential to tap into one of the most loyal audiences TV has to offer (and we also spend a lot of money on, basically, let's be honest, shite) and yet, articles like this aside, seem pretty determined to alienate them. Their "strategy" seems all over the map and their original movies are laughable (the only plus with most of them being, our Whedonverse peeps pop up fairly often and are almost always the very best thing in the movie).

And they killed 'Farscape' despite having promised a 5th season (part of being loyal is having a long memory - which cuts both ways).

Saje | July 10, 19:19 CET

There you go, Canadian guys - you have the good, the bad, the ghastly and the sublime, just like every other location. ;)

Plus we have the best weed. Take that!

I don't get the new name. Why did it change and what does it mean? And do we all hate it because it looks silly or do we have other reasons? (Not that I need other reasons, I'm happy to jump on the hate-bandwagon just for fun).

catherine | July 10, 19:39 CET

I hate it because it gives you cancer. And yet I like the sun. People eh, we're sort of weird.

(to me it's very clearly saying "Ugh, sci-fi is so not cool, if we don't change our name we'll get picked on by the jocks. Also if we don't have 'sci-fi' in our name we can fit in more wrestling and ghost hunting" - it's distancing themselves from the genre and viewers that put them wherever they are. Kinda face slappish IMO)

Re: best weed, I would humbly submit Jamaica. But a cross between Canada and Jamaica would surely win hands down, not least because you could call it Jamada and that's just made of win.

Saje | July 10, 19:45 CET

I hate it because it gives you cancer.

OMG, I totally hate it even more now!! Also, Jamada, hee hee hee.

catherine | July 10, 19:50 CET

I think the Sci-Fi/SyFy Channel is experiencing adolescence. It's got all the classic signs: weird name changes, caving to peer pressure, trying out different identities, and now with Alien Nation it's apparently going to break out in spots.

Whadda ya think it'll be when it grows up?

BreathesStory | July 10, 19:55 CET

...and now with Alien Nation it's apparently going to break out in spots.

;-)

If it engages in petty crime in a bid for attention we'll pretty much know I reckon. And if you believe the more sensationalist UK newspapers, pregnancy is also an indicator.

Saje | July 10, 19:58 CET

Nice to see you about again, Saje. :)

I liked Tin Man as well, TamaraC. BSG was excellent and their original programming is good as well. SyFy like most of us are full of good, bad and indifferent. I'll take the good when it's on and enjoy it. :)
More FF/S ( I hope in the form of tv movies ) would be wonderful.
Win/win for fans and crew and network IMHO.

I won't hold my breath though. ;)

FollowMal | July 10, 20:06 CET

Whatever they do, I won't believe it until I hear Mark Sheppard has been cast (He's in everything, don't'cha know?) And no, Syfy is not shorthand for syphilis.

peacemonger | July 10, 20:56 CET

*chuckles*

I'm on the 'wagon because this is the impression I get from the interview:

"I loved Firefly! We want to go in that Firefly direction. But... we don't want to bring Firefly back."

And everything else that has been mentioned here (Jamada!), syphilis, adolescence, etc...

Hits the mark to me. I have trouble with a studio that can't make up their mind and go with it. No wonder they're lacking in our loyalty.

korkster | July 10, 21:29 CET

Saje said:

But a cross between Canada and Jamaica would surely win hands down, not least because you could call it Jamada and that's just made of win.

My early plans for whe Switzerland attached Brazil were the name became Helvetic-Brazilian Confederation, but now I should change to Braziland or Switzil :(

Brasilian Chaos Man | July 10, 22:49 CET

Heh ;).

I'd move to Switzil (and maybe summer in Jamada).

Saje | July 10, 23:21 CET

Why Sci-Fi didn't just change to something more sleek, like "The SF" is incomprehensible to me. All SyFy says to me is that they can now justify having other genres on their channel, even though, it's still the same channel. Just with an ugly name and logo. Also - Imagine Greater - is horrid. A channel really doesn't need a tagline like that.

They should have just got Terminator: TSSC and moved it to Canada since it has no sets. Can't imagine Dekker, Glau and Heady costing any more than Edward James Olmos.

If they want ratings: Just use a existing popular franchise and make a frakking TV series, SyFy!

Me wants my 'Verse stories.

Jayme | July 11, 00:06 CET

Plus we have the best weed. Take that!
catherine | July 10, 19:39 CET

Excuse me?? Never been to outer-island Hawaii, eh? ;)

Shey | July 11, 15:46 CET

July 09 2009