Shame it's not a full season, but i'll definately be buying it!

Lunakitty | August 07, 05:26 CET

I have the same feelings about this show that Simon has about Smallville.

Sorry, Eliza, I love Faith, but this show SUCKS!

It's nowhere near any Jossian endeavors. In my opinion, it doesn't deserve our time. Certainly not our worship.

Willowy | August 07, 05:42 CET

Everybody should read Stega's episode recaps of this on Television Without Pity (.com) - they are hilariously snarky. According to Tim Minear he'd print them out and read them out in the Wonderfalls writing office :o)

gossi | August 07, 05:46 CET

Sorry to be nitpickin', gossi, but I think it's 'Strega'. And you are right, the snark is way funny there...

Willowy | August 07, 05:59 CET

Profit is also being released on Tuesday! Hooray for TV on DVD!

Mal'sGal | August 07, 05:59 CET

A link to Best Buy's main page is post-worthy?

Smo | August 07, 06:03 CET

On board with the Profit love, Mal'sGal!

Willowy | August 07, 06:20 CET

Well..I wanted to let Eliza fans / Tru Calling fans know about the release as it took me TOTALLY by surprise this evening. As far as I am aware--and I look at quite a few Whedon related boards during the course of a day--nobody had posted about it. As for Best Buy--well, I'm certainly not getting a kickback from them, but thought some people would like a site to go look at the specs of the season in question. And, I thought news needed a link? No?

Apologies for those with the energy to disapprove a stupid post that will disappear in a day, at best.

Parrot | August 07, 06:38 CET

Scroll down.

Its very limiting to only sell a dvd at one store. Agreed?

eddy | August 07, 06:56 CET

Eddy, it's available on amazon.com, but it's more expensive.

electricspacegirl | August 07, 07:02 CET

The main link of this post is now the fox dvd page with a secondary link to the Best Buy front page. Parrot, in the future give a bit more thought before posting.

herb | August 07, 07:22 CET

Oh, I assure you I will think VERY long and hard before posting anything.

Parrot | August 07, 07:30 CET

gossi, it was Shack who wrote the TWoP recaps for TC and they're hilarious. Much better than watching the actual episodes. Jane Espenson admitted last summer that after she joined the TC writing staff, she read Shack's recaps so that she'd understand the complaints about the show.

FaithFan | August 07, 07:35 CET

I'm confused, Parrot posts info that I certainly find useful and gets a lecture? What, this site has too many members so you're trying to drive folks away? Thanks for the heads-up Parrot, I appreciate it!

Calledon | August 07, 07:52 CET

Hmm. What?

Willowy | August 07, 07:53 CET

Will definitely be buying this. The show had a lost of amazing characters, actors, ideas, etc. but a lot of the writers just killed it for me. Thankfully in the second season, that all changed. Too bad Fox was so stupid to support it 110% during its 1st and horrible season, but didn't even give it much of a chance when it was finally becoming something special in its 2nd. Ahhh, brilliant Fox. :)

Christopher | August 07, 07:54 CET

Parrot, I hope you don't feel discouraged from posting more news stories at Whedonesque. In the future, it would probably just be best to do a couple of things a bit differently.

First, make sure that the story is relevant. If the news has been around for more than a few weeks and not one of the other Whedonesquers has posted about it, it's usually (not always) a good indicator that the story isn't particularly relevant to the Jossverse. In this case, the Tru Calling set has been out since last Tuesday, but nobody has reported on it.

Second, make sure that the link provided is directly associated with the story. For example, if the New York Times has a review of 'Serenity', link to the review and not the front page of the NYT website. And the same applies here... instead of linking to the BestBuy homepage, what if you linked to the DVD Information page?

Again, I hope you continue to post here, I just thought I'd extend a few (hopefully) helpful suggestions...

Knuckleball | August 07, 08:00 CET

I didn't see any lecture. The original link was to a generic webpage that wasn't particularly helpful. herb pointed that out, in really very mild language. There's no need for snippiness, and certainly not for the "trying to drive folks away" comment, which makes no kind of sense. adam_tvs, I appreciate your suggestions. Anyone wants to continue the discussion, feel free to e-mail me.

SoddingNancyTribe | August 07, 08:41 CET

I'm sure you get a ton of emails, SNT. Everyone wanting to discuss this and that topic. I'm sure you're extremely busy!

Thanks for being on top of everything here. Especially lately, when it seems we really need a moderator's presence. I'm sure all of us (especially us old-timers) appreciate it very much! :)

Same love to Simon and Caroline, Milo and Herb. It seems like an unrewarding job sometimes, yes? Things are going to get even wonkier in the next few months, as I'm sure you've discussed. Just know that all of us who frequent this board are aware of the tough job you all have, and heartily appreciate the clean and welcoming Joss-loving environment that you all cultivate.

There is nothing on the web like Whedonesque. HUZZAH to you all!

Willowy | August 07, 09:38 CET

I think what's happening here is that people who are quick to condemn the show are intimidating people who are not . It's especially intimidating to the person posting for the first time or on a rare occasion.

You can think the show sucks, but also realize that sometimes the way a post is written can be taken as an assault on or insult to others here.

Personally, I watched the show the first season, but missed several episodes and really didn't care when I did. Toward the end of the first season, and especially in the second season, the show began to get intriguing - and of course when Jane Espenson puts pen to screen, all sorts of great things happen. The show had great potential, but was cut down before it could fully realize it.

I do appreciate knowing that the DVDs for season 2 are now available. I had not read nor heard that prior to this.

[ edited by Nebula1400 on 2005-08-07 07:50 ]

Nebula1400 | August 07, 09:48 CET

Yeah, you get enough of anything and it begins to grow on you. Like moss.

Sorry 'Nebula1400'...it wasn't good. Love Eliza all you want, the show just wasn't up to Whedon standards. It. Just. Wasn't.

My personal belief is that more time wouldn't have changed that fact in any way. I categorize it in the same slot as Point Pleasant. Grouse at me all you like, anyone, that is my firm opinion.

Hey, have you checked out Deadwood yet? There's a show worth your time.

Willowy | August 07, 10:00 CET

I'm unsurprised that Jane read Shack's recaps (thanks, Faith_Fan) as the show was, in my opinion, crap - but then later on magically got a lot better. They introduced new characters and actually started to develop a plot arc, which was exactly the kind of problems the show had (which Shack also made clear in his recaps). Unfortunately, though, by that point they had already driven themselves into the mountain of cancelation.

gossi | August 07, 10:07 CET

I'm puzzled that this show was given a whole season to find a audience while Wonderfalls, the better series, was cut down after 3 or 4 episodes. Wonderfalls was already shining IMO in its first episode. It wasn't comparable to the best Buffy episodes but it was still hillarious tv with fun quirky characters. The only explanation I have for Tru Calling staying on for as long as it did was because Eliza was still a hot property(in marketability..not looks but that works into it too now that I think about it.) in Fox's eyes. So I have no sympathy for Tru Calling's cancelation since there have been and will be far better shows who got the boot quicker than it. Yes it is a mess how they treated it in 2nd season(you are on, no you're not, yes you are. No you aren't.) but the show never showed signs of being anything more than bland and mediocre. I hope Eliza goes on to do better things. She's young and talented so I know she will.

[ edited by eddy on 2005-08-07 08:30 ]

eddy | August 07, 10:26 CET

I have to agree with the TC snarking, my main bugbear being the stupifing heavy handed way they reminded you that something was significant, the cliched "waiter dropping a tray" so you'd realise the day was replaying, the mini flashbacks to something that you saw fifteen minutes before to remind you what was going on and so on. I just found it to be really insulting and assumed they believed the viewer would be too stupid to know what was going on otherwise.

But...

I can understand why Eliza chose TC over a Faith show. A Buffy spinoff following on the very next season would have been seen as "Buffy without Buffy" and if it had been a success would still have people saying "It was better when Buffy was still there" and if it failed everyone would have blamed Eliza. She would have been in a lose/lose situation. TC would have been "her" show. The early episodes for me would have been far better if edited better, so I can accept thet the premise and scripts may have looked good on paper.

The fact that a few years have passed now makes a Faith show MORE likely to succeed. If it started now it would have enough seperation from Buffy to stand or fall on it's own merits. Can't we do that spell Lorne did so Joss doesn't need to sleep? That's an extra eight hours a day right there! Easily enough to write a new show! Though the side effects may be an issue...

zz9 | August 07, 13:44 CET

I know, eddy, I had the same thoughts. I must admit that I only watched the first three episodes of this show and I lost interest in short order. The dumbed down plot lines insulted my intellience and I could see the end result plain as day. Watching a show such as this reminded me why I fell in love with BtVS. Now, there was a story in terms of character and a revolving arc.

No insult intended towards the 'Tru Calling' fans, I understand the show improved greatly later in the season and season two did look promising with the writers they drew on board. What's that saying about first impressions?

BTW, doesn't $26.00 strike anyone as being a little steep for six episodes?

Madhatter | August 07, 14:14 CET

I didn't mind Tru Calling, it wasn't up to Joss standards by any means, but then what is? Unfortunately, being Joss fans we have been spoiled and now we expect ALL our TV shows to have plot lines and characters!! Tru Calling wasn't great, but it was a fun diversion and who doesn't like watching Eliza running a lot? It did get kinda more interesting toward the end. BTW in the UK we just have the one DVD box set whcih features the first and second series.

[ edited by Cider on 2005-08-07 14:04 ]

Cider | August 07, 14:29 CET

Yeah, you get enough of anything and it begins to grow on you. Like moss.

Sorry 'Nebula1400'...it wasn't good. Love Eliza all you want, the show just wasn't up to Whedon standards. It. Just. Wasn't.

See. It's flippant comments like these that cause problems. They are your subjective opinion. Stating your opinion more forcefully doesn't make it fact - or more valid.
Furthermore, directing your comment at a specific individual makes it come off even more as a personal attack.

Do I care what you think? Not at all. I'm too seasoned to be phased by something some arbitrary stranger has said; however, I do think the way your message is conveyed is intimidating to others.

If we waited to announce the release of DVDs 100% of the people will love, nothing would ever be announced. There are people who hate "Firefly" and "Serenity." Should we avoid announcements about them as well to pander to the people who don't like them?

For the record, I didn't think TC was anywhere near the standard of a Joss show, nor was it up there with "Wonderfalls." Still, there were people who liked the show and it's wrong to belittle them for it.

[ edited by Nebula1400 on 2005-08-07 17:30 ]

Nebula1400 | August 07, 19:26 CET

I also stated that it was my personal belief, and my opinion. It also appears to be the same as that of many others here. It's not like I was bringing up some foreign concept. Don't get so offended. And why shouldn't I address my comments to you, if you are the person I'm 'speaking' to? I don't think anything I said came off as "attacking" you. *shrugs*

Willowy | August 07, 19:36 CET

I would tend to suggest Willowy is 'attacking' the show, not a person.

gossi | August 07, 20:00 CET

I went to netflix to add 'Tru Calling' season 2 to my queue only to find they don't have it listed (usually they have knowledge that DVDs will be coming out soon even if they don't have them yet). Basically I agree with those who said the show wasn't great, but there are episodes in the second season which were written by Jane Espenson, and I very much want to see them.

embers | August 07, 20:25 CET

Easy people, we're just chatting our thoughts. Isn't that the whole purpose of why we come here?

embers, I was most interested in the episode that Jane penned, now that was a story. It's a shame this series was cut down just as it was finding its legs.

Madhatter | August 07, 22:19 CET

I wasn't a fan of the show. Tried watching a couple of episodes early on and was quite baffled why this show was given such a chance when shows such as Wonderfalls and Firefly weren't. I didn't blame TC for this, I blame Fox. They did with TC what they should be doing with all shows, giving it a chance to find and grow an audience. It seemed to me that a lot of people who were watching TC were saying that it was getting better the longer it was on and that's when Fox cancels it.

Firefly Flanatic | August 07, 23:36 CET

Maybe Fox just waits until they are sure a show is getting good and finding an audience before they cancel it, hence the early cancellation of Firefly et al and somewhat later cancelation of other shows. I didn't see Wonerfalls and only saw one episode of TC (2nd season) so I can't judge...but it is a theory to be considered. ;-)

newcj | August 08, 05:12 CET

The reason TC got a longer chance than Firefly and Wonderfalls was that the producers of TC would do whatever Fox ask of them. Get rid of Tru's sister, hire Jason Priestley or some American Idol singer, have the episodes be stand-alone and make them for the reality fans, no problem. The producers would bendover backwards to make Fox execs happy.

Then they hired quality writers like Jane Espenson, Doris Egan and Richard Hatem who wanted a seasonal arc and who cared about the show and wanted to improve it. As soon as that happened and TC wasn't some engineered show to appeal to reality fans, Fox stopped production.

Joss and Tim aren't willing to do things like that on Firefly or Wonderfalls. Had Joss killed off half the Firefly cast, dropped all the Western elements and just made a funny show with all standalone episodes, maybe it'd still be on today. But none of us would be watching and Joss wouldn't allow that to happen.

FaithFan | August 08, 08:14 CET