Whedonesque : Comments on 10562 : Dalton Ross incurs the ire of Browncoats.

This site will work and look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

June 10 2006

Dalton Ross incurs the ire of Browncoats. Last week, Entertainment Weekly senior editor Dalton Ross listed the five best TV shows to not make it past their first season. Firefly was not on the list, and fans took notice.

I suspect I'm the 5,652nd person to ask this, but... have you not watched the one season of Firefly? — Tanya

Actually, Tanya, you were more like the 8,732nd. I knew by leaving Firefly (another Fox program!) off the list I would invite scorn and ridicule, but for me, it just didn't make the cut. Not to imply I didn't like the show, just not as much as the others.

UnpluggedCrazy | Firefly&Serenity | 11:02 CET | 39 comments total | tags: entertainment weekly, dalton ross

, as far as I'm concerned.

[ edited by Simon on 2006-06-10 10:09 ]

Resolute | June 10, 12:06 CET

I'd rather we didn't resort to bashing the guy so I've edited your post. Play the ball, not the man.

Simon | June 10, 12:10 CET

What remains of that comment, which I never saw in its full form, is wonderfully non sequitur.

theonetruebix | June 10, 12:17 CET

Good find, UnpluggedCrazy! I haven't seen anything else this guy has written, but it's a little surprising, since EW was pretty supportive of both Firefly and Serenity, IIRC. (On the other hand, maybe Firefly would have been 6th on his list of 5?)

billz | June 10, 12:25 CET

hee, can I bash his choice of the live-action Tick's inclusion on the list? Because while I, as a die-hard Joss fan, don't demand anyone put FF on their subjective list, can I mock him for the lame choice he did make? Because while I liked the live action Tick, I never really regretted its cancellation b/c the cartoon version was utterly brilliant and perfect, 36 episodes all written or co-written by mastermind Ben Edlund, while the live action version felt like a weak sister in comparison.

It lacked Edlund's idiosyncratic and wonderful writing (something that Firefly didn't!) plus the lack of limitations the cartoon medium gave the superhero content. The live action Tick couldn't fly or save people or go up against evil super-villains... it devolved to a ensemble relationship comedy, which is not the point of The Tick.

dottikin | June 10, 12:32 CET

Gosh, so one person didn't enjoy Firefly and we must all condemn him to hell? My parents hate Joss shows and I still like them...sort of. One day I'll make them see! *maniacal laugh*

escapist_dream | June 10, 13:12 CET

I have to agree with dottikin. The guy's already said that he likes sci-fi westerns with comedy but he doesn't put Firefly up on the list while those other things are?

White Knight | June 10, 13:14 CET

a reality show better than firefly?!

eddy | June 10, 14:05 CET

Blimey, it's like he's expressing an opinion or something. But just look at the cheek of the guy, it's an opinion that doesn't match ours. Crazy. I just don't understand how he can walk around in public. ;-)

(I wouldn't have put the live action Tick in either, the comic then cartoon were vastly superior - I only have to think about the Ninja Hedge or Carpet Man to bring a smile to my face - but it is just one guy's point of view and of his other choices that i've seen I think most should be on there)

Saje | June 10, 14:46 CET

For the record, Dalton Ross is one of Entertainment Weekly's best writers -- a terribly funny guy. (He used to pen the mag's weekly TV listings, back when they were actually funny.) He's a fan of junk TV and carries an unhealthy "Survivor" obsession. Glad to see "Freaks and Geeks" and "Brisco County Jr." on his list. Damn, those shows were brilliant.

rbt | June 10, 15:52 CET

Chill, it's just the writer's personal opinion.

After all, there are still people who believes that Charmed was better than Buffy or Angel.
Scary, I know.

Numfar PTB | June 10, 16:03 CET

I LOVED the Live Action version of The Tick myself. I thought it was hysterical, I used to watch the repeats of the old Batman show all the time because I found how cheesey it was very entertaining, and The Tick Live Action Series just seemed to play off that. And the guy didn't like Firefly as much as the rest of us, I don't think it's worth being upset with him over. I personally can't stand Family Guy and I know I'm pretty much alone on that one. Doesn't mean I should be attacked if I make a list of my favorite shows and don't include it.

I actually finally got around to buying the DVD's in the recent DDD 20% off sale.

[ edited by Odysseus on 2006-06-10 14:32 ]

Odysseus | June 10, 16:26 CET

That's actually a real agreeable list of quick-cancelled shows, though I haven't seen Bands on the Run and can't judge. I would've put Firefly on the list instead of including Harsh Realm based on only having seen the first two episodes back when they aired. I keep meaning to rent the small set of DVDs, but I remember not liking it much. Just didn't seem to have all that compelling a cast of characters (though Scott Bairstow's been good in some supporting roles) and I was probably a bit burnt out on Chris Carter shows at the time having given Millenium a shot (which apparently actually was damn good and I maybe didn't give it enough of a chance) and getting increasingly fed up with The X-Files (though I'd still like the DVDs of that series some day).

Kris | June 10, 16:28 CET

I think he's right about Freaks and Geeks being the most painful loss on that list (Yes, even more then Firefly) and I also adore My So-Called Life. Firefly would have been in my top five too, but oh well. I've never seen Harsh Realm so can't judge, and as a huge Bruce Campbell fan, need to see more Brisco County. Bands on the Run WAS fun, though it would hardly be a loss I still feel.

I did enjoy the live-action Tick, but agree that it wasn't nearly as strong as the animated series. I did think the pilot was pretty brilliant though: "You never needed that magic hubcap. The magic was inside you all along."

Eric G | June 10, 19:04 CET

I hope people will cut this guy some slack. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. He said he liked Firefly, but it wasn't on his Short List. He liked the show! Good enough for me!
I would hate to see his opinion incure the kind of hatefest that the film reviewer from SF Gate got when he gave Serenity a glowing review. That behaviour made me embarassed to call myself a Browncoat.
I'm with you Odysseus. I was such a Tick fan, I taped each episode and kept those tapes until my sister gifted me with the DVD set.
(Now, if only Fox would release that one little season of Lucky on DVD. Then I'd be a happy girl.)

[ edited by AmazonGirl on 2006-06-10 17:05 ]

AmazonGirl | June 10, 19:05 CET

Onto Kris comments about Carter's series.
Am I the only one that though that The X-Files was a little bit overrated?
It was a good show, especially the first 5 seasons, and emphasis on the non-mithological episodes (you know sans Mulder whining about his sister, and the annoying Alien conspiracy things), it seemed overatted to me. It wasn't as much for me as some excers tried to show me (they might think the same thing with my obsession to whedon shows).
Personally, I did prefer Millenium over The X-Files.

There's actually a show that didn't go far, that I would've liked to go further. It wasn't an extremely clever show, but it made me extremely nostaligic, which was "Do Over". Don't know which was the network running it in the US, but as far as I remember, it was cancelled before completed the 13 episodes run ordered by the network.

Numfar PTB | June 10, 19:33 CET

I've seen all of Harsh Realm on DVD, and it certainly doesn't deserve inclusion on this list. I'm also not a big fan of either version of The Tick. I love Ben Edlund's Angel episodes, but for some reason that show never made me laugh. Firefly certainly isn't for everyone, but I think my list would include:

Firefly
Wonderfalls
My So-Called Life
Freaks & Geeks
Undeclared / Action

MindPieces | June 10, 19:42 CET

My list:

1. Firefly
2. The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
3. Invasion
4. Freeks & Geeks
5. Karen Sisco

rbt | June 10, 20:07 CET

I've seen all of Harsh Realm on DVD, and it certainly doesn't deserve inclusion on this list.

It deserves inclusion on this list, because it's the authors preference. He liked it.

gossi | June 10, 20:21 CET

Not a single show he liked that I did. I don't think old Dalton and I would be able to drink together. Another reason why I never ever read opinion columnists or personal blogs :)

Mort | June 10, 20:23 CET

While I might like to have Firefly on the list, he had Brisco County, Jr. That makes up for it, in my mind.

kishi | June 10, 20:40 CET

My list:

1. Firefly
2. The Tick
3. Greg The Bunny
4. Freaks & Geeks
5. Profit

Hoban Washburne | June 10, 21:31 CET

Dalton Ross is dangerous and has got to be stopped!!!

:)

wouldestous | June 10, 23:29 CET

Odysseus I don't like Family Guy either so you're not all alone there.

Here's my list.
1. Freaks and Geeks
2. Firefly
3. Profit
4. Undeclared
5. Miracles

Honorable Mention: Wonderfalls, My So-Called Life
Need to See: The Adventures of Brisco County Jr

Yefa | June 11, 01:30 CET

I was afraid to click on the link, because I feared it was yet another Attack of the Rabid Browncoats... thank goodness everyone seems to be taking things a little less seriously now.

gingeriffic | June 11, 01:37 CET

I'm just rying to get over this;

4) The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. (1993)
It's science fiction! It's a Western! It's a comedy! It's all three!

**scratches head with quizical look**

Is he sure he wasn't watching Firefly???? Cause I am trying to remember the sci-fi part of Brisco County.

RavenU | June 11, 01:51 CET

Only ever saw one episode of Brisco but didn't one of the characters invent various gadgets about 100 years ahead of time ? I'd say that probably qualifies as sci-fi (or maybe alternate history which is arguably a sub-genre).

(looking forward to catching the whole series when it comes to DVD)

Saje | June 11, 02:45 CET

Brisco's mythology centered around this metallic, rod-holding, blue-glowing, time-traveling magic sphere thingie. Man, just thinking about it makes me smile. I actually don't buy much TV on DVD, but I'll definitely be getting the Brisco box.

rbt | June 11, 03:45 CET

One of the best cancelled shows ever that everyone forgets about:

EZ Streets

(is it weird that I never liked My So Called Life? I find Claire Danes to be really irritating)

mosie | June 11, 06:53 CET

Thanks, my main twin billz!

I'm glad Dalton liked the show; to me, it's fine that he didn't put it on his list.

Here's a good show that was cancelled after one season and left a HUGE cliffhanger:

Now and Again! I really dug that show, and watching it on Trio's Brilliant, But Cancelled block a few years back just reinforced that.

UnpluggedCrazy | June 11, 07:39 CET

1. Sledgehammer
I still go around saying "Trust me, I know what I'm doing" but nobody gets me.

2. Wonderfalls
We've got two episodes left to watch. Then we are going to be seriously bummed.

3. Beauty and the Beast
I'm still waiting for a sequel.

4. Love Monkey
I was looking forward to it, watched the premiere, liked it, couldn't find it on the schedule again, and then I heard it was cancelled. Watching on VH1 now but its still cancelled.

5.The Phoenix
And I am reasonably sure absolutely no one knows what I am talking about.

I don't really like Family Guy either. My teenaged kids love it. That and Futurama it seems are always on the TV. I use that time on the computer.

And I also find Claire Danes irritating and overrated.

Xane | June 11, 13:16 CET

Bands on the Run was actually a really fun show to watch and I remember tuning in to every episode with interest. Okay, I'm rock music obsessed and will tune into pretty much anything that features a guitar on a regular basis but I can certainly see why Dalton would include it in his list. Some reality shows are actually worth your time. Also, the winning band, Flickerstick, were really good and it's a real shame that they didn't make it work, in my opinion.

I'm a really big Chris Carter fan and so I was a little surprised to not enjoy Harsh Realm at all. If I was going to put a Chris Carter show on the list it would have been The Lone Gunmen, a show that I though could have been pretty damn good if given longer to develop.

As for the non-inclusion of Firefly, well, that's up to him. Personally it would have made my top two (only beaten by American Gothic and followed by Earth 2, Brimstone and The Lone Gunmen) but I'm not going to lose any sleep if somebody else doesn't hold it in such high regard. Each to their own.

Buffysmglover | June 11, 20:03 CET

Oh, and how can some of you people not enjoy Family Guy??? Stewie alone makes the show worth watching!

I know I said each to their own but you guys not watching Family Guy are nuts!!! ;P

Buffysmglover | June 11, 20:06 CET

I'm with you, bobtaylor, loved Dalton's 'What to Watch' column and pretty much everything he writes. He's a very funny, self-deprecating guy and I miss his presence at EW. I know he's still there, just not often enough for me.
Hmmm...do I even have five shows for a list? Let's see.
Firefly
Profit
Homefront
Wonderfalls
EZ Streets (I didn't forget, mosie; I loved this show!)

I also think Eyes had potential but ABC pulled a Fox move and never gave it or the audience half a chance. Sigh.

Syren | June 11, 23:27 CET

Syren, was Eyes the show with Stamos and Melissa George? I liked it, too.

themayor | June 12, 02:02 CET

I really liked what I saw of Eyes. Wonderfalls is of course my favorite one-season show (and the only one I've ever campaigned for), and I also really miss Firefly, My So-Called Life, and... I would say Popular, but it got two seasons. It was still canceled before its time.

Also, I love Dalton Ross's writing, and I don't care whether he puts Firefly on his list or not (and I'm betting if he'd done a top 10-20, it would have been in there -- 5 is just such a small number). My best friend didn't like Firefly at all, and I don't hate her. ;)

Cranberry | June 12, 03:00 CET

hell hath no fury like science fiction fans scorned!

CaffeinatedSquint | June 12, 03:10 CET

I'm not sure of the show you're talking about, themayor. I can't remember one with Stamos and Melissa George. Maybe I missed that one.
Eyes was the one with Tim Daly, Laura Leighton, A.J. Langer, and Eric Mabius. It was about a corporate private detective agency that focused on high-dollar clientele. CEOs embezzling millions and that sort of crime. What I saw of it, I really enjoyed. There were only 3 or 4 episodes run and the last couple seemed out of order. Sounds familiar, huh? ;)

Syren | June 12, 03:13 CET

Does anybody remember 'Beggers And Chosers?'. It aired on Showtime (I think), and was about a struggling TV network and the executives and staff that worked at it.

gossi | June 12, 03:26 CET

You need to log in to be able to post comments.
About membership.

« Older BTVSFigs Ask Diamond 41. | More Drive Casting News. Newer »