Great little interview.

And what is going on with tv today is indeed pretty bizarre. Whenever my mom sees commecericals for season premieres in June, or for a "Fall Season finale" (like with Lost), my mom still gets all confused. I can't seem to get it into her head that the fall-through-spring tv season just doesn't exist anymore.

sorethumb | February 07, 03:35 CET

"JOSS: I’d love to do TV, because I just think it’s the most beautiful way to explore the human condition. You can just go on with the characters and watch them grow in a way that, as much as I love them, you can’t do with films. It’s in my blood, figuratively and literally"

Well, that just makes me happy that he said that. It's so true. I could never love a movie the way I loved Buffy. A two hour movie is like a one night stand, a short one, while Buffy was a seven year relationship. Of course it also hurt a lot more when it was over.

Xane | February 07, 04:13 CET

I agree. The question of networks has definately come into play. The idea of ratings has been completely revamped, now that the internet provides shows for free whenever you want, itunes can download the next day... And all the higher costing shows are paying.

I heard an executive of HBO talk about Six Feet Under, saying how the cost of the show is still too high, they cant sell it on itunes at 99 cents because of it, so they sell it on DVD's instead. And TV is >---< this close to going on cellphones. What next? My prediciton is that networks start requiring a membership fee to get specific shows. However, back to Joss...

I think that he is trying to play it safe in a quicksand environment. He sounds like a scared kid who is eyeing the high diving board after getting bellyflopped. I know that having a family does change your priorities, and the necessity of providing comes top worry but I dont know if the world can wait for him until thing settle.

THAT's why I cannot WAIT until Goners comes out. I think that this movie is going to be piviotal because it will test the waters for future projects.

Joss speed.

Sania Delian | February 07, 04:17 CET

Great interview.

I'd just like to add that so many Mutant Enemy alumni on myriad shows across the networks truly have raised the level of quality programming. I give all credit to Jon Anderson, obviously! ;-)

fanbuoyant | February 07, 04:57 CET

I like how he doesn't throw out the idea of a Buffy movie...but I wouldn't mind seeing him do a series about Watchers (more to the point Giles) or even something around Willow or the new Slayers that have been awakened. But I admit whatever Joss decides to do I will read or watch or buy a ticket what ever the case may be.

LadyLaFae | February 07, 05:28 CET

I dunno, Xane...

I think most fans would be thrilled to get even two more hours of the Buffyverse. Some prefer it to come in the guise of a Spike or Anya or Faith movie...

Me, I'd love a big screen Buffy/Angel movie - it's not like a one-night-stand....rather like the dessert after the meal.

The perfect yum.

Now, if ONLY....

Still, I love that Joss talks about it and would be open to it and I also love that he mentions both David and Sarah as important components to it. I can't say I'm disappointed though, that both of their respective careers are going so well either.

The sentiment is still lovely and it still makes me ache with that "I WISH" kind of feeling. Nice interview though.

[ edited by love4ba on 2007-02-07 05:17 ]

love4ba | February 07, 05:33 CET

napua, you are right. I remember being startled by the quality of a Supernatural episode this season, but the name Ben Edlund seemed to explain it.

It's not enough, though, and it makes me very angry that Joss doesn't see a way back to television. Are these people all very stoned?

dreamlogic | February 07, 05:38 CET

This might have already been posted somewhere here, but at Time.com, in the blog section, Geek blog by Lev Grossman, there's a bit about Joss and Wonder Woman.

I love it when my different worlds collide: Buffy fanatic/political junkie.

Reddygirl | February 07, 06:34 CET

Does anyone know how much the buffy comics are going to cost? In English money?

Jona | February 07, 06:36 CET

Interesting insight about this being a "weird time" and that being useful in some situations, but in others not so much. I'm sad it's not so useful at the moment though. It seems rather frustrating to be in that position right now.

Sunfire | February 07, 07:10 CET

Any bets on when Joss shows up in Drive?

MissKittysMom | February 07, 07:24 CET

Jona, they'll probably be $2.99 cover price, don't know (cause I'm real dumb) how that translates.

CaptainB | February 07, 07:33 CET

Reddygirl, that's the Nerd World blog. I think some nerds are overly sensitive about not being called geeks. I think 'geek' is an old circus term, something about biting the heads off of live chickens. [Wikipedia]

Thanks for the heads-up, regardless!

fanbuoyant | February 07, 09:18 CET

At my comic store the going rate for a $2.99 comic is £2.15, which if you cover to dollars using the actual exchange rate is about $4. :(

Derf | February 07, 15:37 CET

It is "a weird time" for TV, but according to some media pundits, the mainstream success of "genre" shows like Lost and Heroes has made the Suits look more favorably upon proposals for similar "high concept" series (apparently it's not cool to call them "sci-fi" or "fantasy"--scares people away!--silly people!). I'm paraphrasing from an article in next week's TV Guide.

Things that make you go "hmm."

Maeve | February 07, 15:46 CET

The Buffy comics are on Forbidden Planet's site for pre-order at £2.15.
I'm going to get them - but I do fear comics shops. Are they really like the one in Spaced?

Mehitabel | February 07, 17:05 CET

Hm, beaten with sticks and well payed or not beaten with sticks and a laughable paycheck, the Hollywood choice.

There must be some network around ( or cable company ) that would like to be known as the 'not beating creators with sticks network', if so please give Joss a call.

jpr | February 07, 17:38 CET

... but I do fear comics shops. Are they really like the one in Spaced?

Nah, didn't 'The Phantom Menace' fans get out alive in 'Spaced' ? ;)

(small, one-man stores can sometimes still be a bit like that, mostly not though in my experience. And shops like Forbidden Planet are just like any other shop, except the shop assistants usually have some clue about - and enthusiasm for - what they're selling. And, on average, blacker hair ;)

Nice interview. Pretty much confirms he's not working on any Buffy feature but that he at least might come back to TV sometime relatively soon. In some ways it's a shame Joss can't adopt Tim Minear's 'so be it' approach to cancellation but in others it's a bloody good job (we'd have had no 'Serenity' for a start).

As jpr says though, maybe an HBO or Showtime might be a better fit.

BTW, last time I checked a receipt, most of my $2.99 single issues were £1.65 with $3.99 comics e.g. most of IDW's stuff being about £2.20 i.e. pretty much in line with the exchange rate (from Forbidden Planet among others, bricks and mortar not online). I've a feeling mail-order titles will arrive bagged and boarded which might account for the extra cost.

Saje | February 07, 18:24 CET

Perhaps the most fascinating thing to come out of this interview is Joss's comment on the "weird time" TV (and also film, I would add) is in. The traditional TV models--networks, studios, ratings, syndication, and, more recently, DVDs--are more and more giving way to new viewing habits (e.g., TiVo), new distribution channels (ipods, cell phones, Internet), and, increasingly, new sources for video entertainment, such as the amateur movies on YouTube. We are still very much in the early stages, I think, of a new paradigm for producing, distributing, and consuming filmed narratives. Things are nowhere near settled yet. But when they do, here's hoping Joss finds a suitable home for his creations.

1starbuckstown | February 07, 18:53 CET

Even the vaguest hint that Joss might return to making TV shows makes me squee with joy. I miss my weekly dose of Jossy wisdom and whimsy. TV *is* the best place to tell a long story, but Joss takes it to a whole new level.

kispexi2 | February 07, 20:43 CET

Another "weird time" in TV is the creation of the CW and the fact that it does not seem to be doing that great. I remember how people had said that Joss was able to put Buffy on the air because there were new networks out there that had to take a chance in order to try to get noticed. All of a sudden that is the case again, with the added fact that some genre shows have hit it big. It would be so great if this "weird time" in TV brought Joss back to television. (sigh)

newcj | February 07, 21:49 CET

I think that the CW will need to prove how open they are to giving new series a chance before Joss would want to risk having another show cancelled by an axe-happy network, newcj.

I reckon they will prove a lot in that respect with how they treat Veronica Mars and Supernatural at the end of this season. Neither show is getting stellar ratings but both could benefit from another year and a better timeslot. Was Supernatural ever going to get new viewers with the competition it currently has? Not likely!

I think if the CW show that they can give a little benefit of the doubt with shows like that then Joss will be more confident about trying out a new series with them. Although personally I still think he would be better off going to a cable channel, but that's just me.

D-Monik | February 07, 21:58 CET

It is a weird time for TV. My household was picked to keep a Nielsen ratings TV viewing diary this week (let me tell you it is VERY tedious to keep track of what you are watching in 15 minute intervals). There are questions in the beginning asking things like if you have a satellite dish or a DVR service like TiVo, but no mention of cell phones, ipods, the Internet etc.. It all seems very out of touch (and did I mention tedious?). They just want to know what the selected people are watching on a TV. And a little bit of how-- I had to figure that falling asleep on a couch because a big cat is weighing you down goes in the "TV on but no one is watching/listening" column.

The main reason I kept with it is the space in the back to comment about TV in general or what shows you like or don’t like. Oooh, baby! Let’s just say that without mentioning any specific shows, I kept Joss and Firefly and Angel and some past comments here at Whedonesque in my heart and had a little something to say (that had to be attached on a separate piece of paper).

bloodflowers | February 07, 22:28 CET

CW really needs to prove itself. Most of its programming is still composed by aging shows from UPN and The WB, and a good part of them are on brink of ending, or still got at most one or two seasons span life.

They need to develop it's own identity, so they will really be The CW, instead of the ex-WB or the ex-UPN.

Getting some landmark new show in its line up would definetely be the way to do it, just like BtVS pretty much built WB's identity from then on. They have to realize, although bigger, they're still not in the same league as the other big 4, and bring something up from there.

Numfar PTB | February 08, 00:04 CET

I'm okay with the fact Joss doesn't have plans for a big-screen BtVS/AtS movie; especially if he actually comes back to TV. I'd rather watch a show of his weekly than see a movie he did every couple of years.

Reddygirl | February 08, 07:10 CET

I'd much rather see Joss design a project for HBO or Showtime where he'd have a lot more freedom and support. And swearing.

electricspacegirl | February 08, 14:05 CET

Oh yes, ESG. And sexier sex.

Reddygirl | February 08, 16:11 CET