Whedonesque : Comments on 6584 : FOX, are you listening?

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April 28 2005

FOX, are you listening? At the moment, the top 10 "Highest rated" DVDs on Amazon contain 3 cancelled FOX shows (well, two cancelled, one in limbo). "Arrested Development" is #6, "Firefly" is #3, and "Wonderfalls" is #1. Since the release of the trailer, the "Firefly" DVD has shot back up to the 20's in Amazon's sales ranking.

C. A. Bridges | Firefly&Serenity | 20:32 CET | 32 comments total | tags:

That's so good to see. Thanks for posting this, Chris!!

jewel | April 28, 20:48 CET

I have both Firefly and Wonderfalls on DVD.

Neither show even aired in the UK, except posthumously on obscure cable channels.

Gonnas | April 28, 20:50 CET

Wowzers - Firefly has almost 1300 reviews on Amazon!

TaraLivesOn | April 28, 20:52 CET

That is fantastic. Thanks for posting, Chris B. Let the Firefly/Serenity phenomenon grow and spread its (glorious) tentacles everywhere.....I bet Universal is thrilled. I bet they're monitoring DVD sales like there's no tomorrow.

One slightly OT question: has anyone explained why Universal would be providing screenings on May 8th in the U.S. for the apparent only benefit of Firefly/Serenity fans? (Unless they set aside a percentage of tickets to spread around in malls.) I'm not getting why this makes business sense. Not that I'm complaining - I'm thrilled that so many Whedonesquers are going to May 8th screenings. But why do this?

phlebotinin | April 28, 21:04 CET

Rather nifty Firefly DVD Amazon info tracker

Simon | April 28, 21:10 CET

May 5th, actually. Next Thursday. Unless you know about more screenings...

The heads-up note from Joss suggested that Universal wanted to see if the fan buzz was really out there. Me, I think it's a devastatingly useful marketing tool for an already well-run advertising campaign that relies heavily on the proven eagerness of its fans. Word of mouth got us the movie, and word of mouth will make it successful. And, for once, the studio knows it.

[ edited by Chris Bridges on 2005-04-28 19:22 ]

C. A. Bridges | April 28, 21:16 CET

Angel Season 5 is #58
Buffy Season 7 is #134

killinj | April 28, 21:26 CET

Great post, Chris. I'm trying to convert a friend of mine here at work.

By the way, I loved your column this week on "Hitchhiker's Guide"; my only experience with it is the infocom game I used to play a long time ago (I think I was in college).

I've been watching the trailers and I think my kids and I are gonna like it; we're going in hopes the Serenity trailer will be there.

I don't think we're gonna be sorry either way. It looks like it's gonna be really funny.

Thanks again!

brownishcoat | April 28, 21:29 CET

In that case, you'll love this: the BBC had a contest last year for people to contribute graphics for the original game. It's since been reworked into a Flash game, with all the original text, here. You can even save your game! Rackin' frackin' sandwich for the gorram dog...

C. A. Bridges | April 28, 21:33 CET

Ah, yes, thanks Chris. Makes sense. As for May 8th, whoops! Nope, don't know another screenings date. Alas.

phlebotinin | April 28, 21:34 CET

I expected that the Firefly DVDs would jump in sales after that trailer, amazing that it's jumped so much, especially since Firefly isn't even mentioned in the trailer.

Wonder if Fox are kicking themselves yet.

And look Fox, Arrested Development has high DVD sales, who cares if the ratings aren't spectacular, this is where the money is made.

Ghost Spike | April 28, 21:52 CET

I think this is the actual top sellers click but even there Firefly's sales have shot back up to #21.

Ah wait. You actually said that in your topic. Eh, never mind.

[ edited by eddy on 2005-04-28 19:59 ]

eddy | April 28, 21:58 CET

Chris, I've already stumbled across that, and I've been playing!
How funny!

brownishcoat | April 28, 22:03 CET

I've high hopes for new Fox Prez Peter Ligouri. From the Hollywood Reporter:

Strategizing the brand focus of FX -- cutting-edge, quality programming -- required sizing up gaps in the TV world. "We did our homework. (The) programming, research, sales and marketing (departments) took a look at the competitive landscape, and we realized there was a big niche to fill out there: On one side, you had networks like TNT that were fairly conservative in their approach, having to focus on being popular; on the other side was daring creative (programming) coming from premium channels. But there was nothing in the middle, nothing serving an adult audience seeking challenging programming at the highest level of quality and creativity. We looked before we leaped, and we leaped in the right direction. From there, luck takes over."

Allyson | April 28, 22:12 CET

The tracker must have a slight delay as I see the BDBoxedSet is #20 on Amazon and #21 on the tracker at FFF. On the subject of FX, I very much enjoy Rescue Me and The Shield.

[ edited by zeitgeist on 2005-04-28 20:41 ]

zeitgeist | April 28, 22:40 CET

I was looking through my DVDs and noticed that most are tv shows that were cancelled too soon: Firefly, Wonderfalls, Tru Calling, Lone Gunmen, Miracles, Dark Angel, Keen Eddie, Roswell, and Twin Peaks. Six of these are FOX shows.

Sister Spooky | April 28, 22:54 CET

phlebotinin asked:

One slightly OT question: has anyone explained why Universal would be providing screenings... in the U.S. for the apparent only benefit of Firefly/Serenity fans?

Well, from the "recruit more" contest on the Serenity board, and the "if they all sell out" offer, I really don't think that their intent was quite that directed. Yes they want to create buzz, and this is one way to to it. But, just like the first "secret" test screening where the audience was packed with fans, I think they seriously underestimated the determination of Browncoats to see this movie.

I continue to believe that the folks at Universal had NO idea that the fan base was this large or this committed. I think they are finally coming around.

Znachki | April 28, 23:01 CET

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT! WOO!!!

Sorry. Just had to get that out.

VampiresSuckLOLOLGetIt | April 29, 00:19 CET

The DVD is now at #18 at Amazon. I'm so happy.

Mack | April 29, 00:26 CET

As a library type, I find all of the lists very interesting. Gives you an idea of how Amazon is indexing this stuff. It shows up on various links at various levels, giving the overall ranking that is now #18.

What's really amusing is that if you follow this path:

Top Sellers > DVD > Studio Specials > 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment > Fox TV

It's #1 heh heh heh - take THAT F*X!

Znachki | April 29, 02:09 CET

Fox is actually probably very happy with these developments. My guess is, they reason they're making a far better return for investment this way than they would have if they kept the show on. They don't have to pay anything now to let the money roll in.

Andarcel | April 29, 02:42 CET

Fox should just renew the series. Take advantage of the movie ('cause hey, it's on Universal's dollar, so free advertising to Fox). I think Joss could probably trust Tim Minear or one of the other former-Mutant Enemy writers to run the franchise when he's absolutely unable to be in the Firefly office/on set, due to big screen commitments like Wonder Woman. But he'd still probably be able to steer the course of the show and keep a tight enough leash. Universal could continue to release Serenity movies in the summer and Joss could work them into the story between the seasons like The X-Files movie.

Fox and Universal couldn't be mad at eachother, they each own the respective rights to Firefly on TV and film. So they'd have to sort of play off eachother and take advantage of the franchise' momentum, even if not cooperatively.

C'monnn Fox (and Joss, who I almost feel would turn Fox down at this point if they offered to do the series with him again).

Kris | April 29, 02:50 CET

Well - that's 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment making the money more than the network is, I should think.

And it just looks bad, after all they keep getting the bad press on this. And when the movie comes out, it'll only get worse.

Znachki | April 29, 02:50 CET

It's my understanding Fox network won't make much if any money from DVD sales. I thought DVD money would go to Twentieth Century Fox, their parent company. Twentieth Century Fox was the studio that made Firefly, or worked with Mutant Enemy to get it out there or whatever so I think they get the DVD bucks.

ETA: What I'm trying to say is, that since 20th Century released it to the networks, they would be the ones to release it for DVD sales as well.

[ edited by April on 2005-04-29 01:25 ]

WhoIsOmega? | April 29, 03:23 CET

Yeah Fox network ain't getting a dime. Its the studio. Fox Network=people who cancel good shows. Fox Studios=People who make good shows.

eddy | April 29, 04:00 CET

WW, 1st
FF, 9th

sheesh...Fox network.....you suck ass.

Golden Girls is higher than Buffy? hmmmm...whatever.

Harmalicious | April 29, 08:27 CET

If Buffy is lower on the list than Golden Girls it is most likely because it's been out much longer whereas GG is a new release. I'm sure many, many more copies of BtVS seasons have been sold than most other shows out there. BtVS season 2 is currently #10 on this list, right after FF.

Firefly Flanatic | April 29, 09:38 CET

All things Whedon, don't forget the connection between Buffy and Golden Girls.

Simon | April 29, 12:26 CET

Firefly also jumped about 100 places on Amazon UK yesterday to 123, although today it has fallen back to 222 again, but that’s because Amazon is not the cheapest place to buy it from (£17.99 plus delivery).

Play.com is £14.99 delivered and there is has gone back into the top sellers at 26, when previously it was outside the top 100.

Sendit.com £12.99 delivered – couldn’t see it in their top 50, but please guys, how can you wrong at that price!

Anyhow, these are just places I tend to use to buy DVDs.

miranda | April 29, 12:53 CET

Oh Simon, is there something I'm missing? I would LOVE to know this connection you speak of.

Harmalicious | April 29, 18:06 CET

Harmalicious, Joss' father, Tom Whedon, was a writer for Golden Girls.

aftermac | April 29, 18:39 CET

awwww. didn't know that. nice.

Harmalicious | April 29, 23:33 CET

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