FIREFLY DOWN: What can be done to revive shows?

by David Blackwell



It seems like FIREFLY has joined the hall of Canceled and Short-lived series. Could more have been done other than Sci-Fi and UPN picking the show up (both turned the show down)? The people at Mutant Enemy figured syndication wasn't an option. I do disagree with that option. Personally they could have produced 15 new episodes to package with the 15 hours shot already for a weekend syndication package, but they made their choices. I think more could have been done to save the show and bring it back. I think production companies need to be more aggressive with trying to bring back a show and consider more options than a select few options (other network, select few cable channels, and syndication). We see shows go and fans campaign to bring said shows back.



IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DOWN TO SAVE A SHOW OR BRING IT BACK? That's a tough question that most times ends up in a no. You have politics within each channel to deal with and the mindset that looks for something that brings in the viewers which means higher ad rates they can charge. Of course that way of thinking can cause resentment and makes older viewers wonder when something good will be on.



IS IT POSSIBLE FOR NEW EPISODES TO BE MADE OR WOULD IT BETTER TO GET THE EPISODES THAT WERE MADE SHOWN AGAIN?

It is hard for a show to get new episodes made again because usually the actors move onto other projects. It is easier to get the episodes that were shot shown again, but the way it is being done is going down the tubes. Cable channels seem content now with showing fewer choices than before for repeats of TV series. It baffles the mind. Cable channels are more content on showing the popular few and programs they had made for their channel.



DO WE NEED MORE CHANNELS TO OFFER THE VIEWERS WHAT THEY REALLY WANT? Yes, it looks that way since the channels that are out there aren't going to satisfy the viewers anymore. We need an ad supported Mystery/Action channel. Encore is bring some interesting stuff to their channels if you subscribe to the Encore channels. There is a big market of stuff made in the US market that is never shown again after the shows and TV movies are aired.



CAN A SHOW LIKE "THE CAPE" BE REVIVED? To tell you the truth, the best chance for people to see the syndicated show THE CAPE that lasted for one year is try to convince a venue like PBS to air the show and offer to sell the show's first season on DVD. The other more likely way is to write companies like Anchor Bay to acquire the rights to put the show's first and only season on DVD. That holds true for shows like SPACE; ABOVE AND BEYOND, EARTH 2, and FOREVER KNIGHT which have still have fan followings since each show was canceled years ago. The best way to get people interested in a show that is canceled is to push for it to come out on DVD. If the show does well on DVD, it may open a market to revive the show as a series, TV movies, or a mini-series.



WHY ARE NETWORKS AND CABLE CHANNELS NOT SHOWING OR BRINGING BACK SHOWS? It comes done to them wanting to use the programs they have acquired and each management wants to put forth their own agenda. It also comes down to what show can bring more ad revenue with the best ratings. See first question again.



More questions will be added later as they are asked. I have covered the important ones. Sometimes no matter how much you love a canceled show, sometimes it will never be shown on TV ever again. Maybe DVD is the way for fans to see canceled and sometimes forgotten shows again. Have a better one.



this article is (c)2003 David Blackwell. finished on 2-23-2003.

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