How 'Firefly' Changed Science Fiction Fandom Forever

BeforeFireflyScience fiction TV shows and movies filmed uniformly. Sweeping, clean camera moves and composition defined sci-fi on screen. Think of the majestic flyovers in Star Trek or the wide desert views in Star Wars.Star Trekfilms or the expansive desert vistas of Star WarsStar WarsFireflychanged all that, partly because it was needed.

Without a huge special effects budget, Firefly's unique look helped the show stand out.FireflyFirefly borrowed many film techniques from documentaries.FireflyCinematographer David Boydtold Vulturethe aesthetic felt "accidental," making it truthful, even though it was planned.

Ben Edlund, creator of The TickThe Tickwas a writer on two episodes of Firefly.Firefly, andpointed to how special the show was., saying the sci-fi universe has real depth. Camera work gave this depth and realism.

Lens flares, shaky cameras, and snap zooms appeared often for exteriors and ship action. This gave the show immediacy and believability, setting it apart from more fantastical sci-fi. The snap zoom—where the camera finds a far detail, pans, and then quickly zooms in—became a popular technique for big-budget genre directors. Snap zooms returned to sci-fi TV with the release of Battlestar Galactica in 2004.Battlestar Galacticain 2004.Galacticatook many of its techniques from Firefly.Firefly, but the biggest influence came from handheld, documentary-style cinematography.BSGBSG even hired the same special effects company from Firefly.Firefly, Zoic Studios, to make its visuals.

Robert C. Cooper, creator of Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1, told the fan site Gateworld that Fireflyalso shaped his show's grounded style. "Maybe we could get audiences to accept the sci-fi elements and characters realistically if we shot the show using the 'language' of documentary and reality," he said in 2009.Stargate Universealso influenced his show's more grounded approach.Fireflysaid in 2009. The technique moved to movies; snap zooms appear in J.J. Abrams's Star Trek reboot films, Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, and The Avengers.Star Trekreboot films, Zack Snyder's Man of Steeland, of course, The Avengers, and, of course, The Avengers.

TheFireflymovie spinoffSerenity, proved Joss Whedon could direct studio work. While Serenity's box office gross did not generate sequel interest, its engaging tone and script full of witty lines encouraged Marvel Studios to take a chance on Whedon.Serenity'sbox office grosswas not enough for a sequel. Its engaging tone and script full of witty lines encouraged Marvel Studios to take a chance on Whedon.encouraged Marvel Studiosto take a chance on Whedon.

Whedon then handled the most ambitious crossover in cinematic history. Whedon brought his trademark bickering family vibe to the superhero genre; the MCU would not be what it is today without it.

BeforeFirefly, Nathan Fillion worked in several TV shows and films, including the ABC sitcom Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place, plus a short appearance in Saving Private Ryan.Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza PlaceSaving Private Ryan. AfterFireflyNathan Fillion was a leading man who anchored shows like Castle.Castle and The Rookie.andThe Rookie..

Fillion became a household name for sci-fi fans globally. He was a popular attraction at conventions and a favorite for movie roles like a rebooted Indiana Jones.Indiana Jones.or Nathan Drake from the video game UnchartedUncharted.. Fillion played Drake in a 2018 fan film of Uncharted.Uncharted.This fan film has over 6 million views on YouTube.Reached over 6 million views on YouTube.In June 2019, on YouTube.Firefly.Fans started a petition.to get a building named after him.to get abuilding named after him.The building is in Fillion's hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

In asocial media post.on the occasion ofFirefly.In 2017, Fillion said, "Firefly.Firefly is close to my heart, but my heart still lives there.

Besides Whedon (or Christina Hendricks, who went from playing a con artist antagonist for Mal to being cast as Joan on Mad Men), it is hard to point to someone whose life changed more thanks to the "little sci-fi show that couldn't, but did."con artist antagonist for Mal.He wanted to be cast as Joan onMad Men.Mad Men

Imagining space travel involves meeting alien species. What would Star Wars be without Hutts, Jawas, Wookies, and droids?Star Wars.Star Wars without Hutts, Jawas, Wookies, and droids?Star Trek.Star Trek has Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, the Borg, and many other alien characters that define the franchise. The SyFy seriesFarscape,Farscape, which premiered three years before Firefly, was filled out with characters who were either a human actor in alien makeup or a Jim Henson Company puppet., was filled with characters who were human actors in alien makeup or Jim Henson Company puppets.

FireflyFirefly consciously avoided all of that, making its space-bound universe alien-free. The closest they got to exotic creatures were the Reavers: grotesque human beings driven mad by the infinite darkness of space (and maybe something else, but that would be a spoiler). Whedon told journalists at a summer press tour to promote Firefly that he believed humans "are the only sentient beings in the universe, and... that 500 years from now, we will still be the only sentient beings around." He further elaborated on his decision to keep aliens out of Firefly, saying, "I'm really interested in 'you are there,' in 'you are a part of this.' And I think aliens take you out of that."Whedontold journalistsat a summer press tour to promotehe believed humans are the only sentient beings in the universe, and that 500 years from now, we will still be the only sentient beings around. He explained his choice to keep aliens out ofFirefly,, saying, "I'm really interested in 'you are there,' in 'you are a part of this.' And I think aliens take you out of that."

The idea that humanity would venture into the stars to find nothing was picked up by future space shows like Battlestar Galactica and the current Amazon Prime series The Expanse.Battlestar Galactica.and the current Amazon Prime seriesThe Expanse.Fans routinely compare Firefly to The Expanse, pointing out the similarities in tone and style. Both shows are more pessimistic about human nature than Star Trek, and they try more than most shows to depict space realistically.compareFireflytoThe Expanse., pointing out the similarities in tone and style. Both are more pessimistic about human nature than something like Star Trek.Star Trek., and try more than most shows to depict space in a realistic fashion.The Expanse.The ExpanseThe ExpanseThe ExpanseThe Expanse

Firefly.Firefly was one of the least watched shows on all broadcast TV (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, UPN, and the WB) in 2002. It averaged 4.7 million viewers.It averaged 4.7 million viewers., which would have probably guaranteed it seven seasons in today's fractured TV landscape, but in 2002, that was bad enough for 98th place in the Nielsen ratings.

The show aired on Fridays, a time slot considered poor because many viewers socialize out then. Poor advertising made the show look bad, with commercials that suggested the Fox marketing team ignored an episode.Commercials marked the decline of broadcast television.Alan Tudyk, the actor playing pilot Wash, told the Hollywood Reporter that Fox made the actors pay for their own lunches.Hollywood Reporter reported this.Fox made the actors pay for their own lunches.They paid for their own lunches..

Firefly became available as a DVD boxed set, and sci-fi fans discovered the show, turning it into a cult hit. Streaming was years away, but the idea of home video making appointment viewing obsolete was already taking hold.Firefly.When Firefly became available on DVD, sci-fi fans found the show and made it a cult hit. Streaming was years away, yet the idea of home video making appointment viewing obsolete started taking over.

For the show's 15th anniversary, a piece appeared. GQ.Tom Philip.Tom Philip points out that six months before the show ended in December 2003, DVD sales beat VHS sales. DVDs and on-demand viewing let serialized, deeply plotted storytelling, which Firefly helped popularize.Firefly.Now, if a show lacks serialization or bingeability, it seems odd or "retro."

Firefly.Firefly proved a TV show could survive and thrive without broadcast. Streaming originals are now everywhere, and cult favorites like Twin Peaks and The Expanse are revived constantly.Twin Peaks.The ExpanseThe Expanse.The Expanse (canceled by SyFy but saved by Amazon) are revived all the time.

Like Star Trek before it.Star Trek.This happened before.Firefly.Fans brought back Firefly through an organic campaign. The fan group, nicknamed "Browncoats" after the rebels Captain Mal Reynolds fought for before the series, became one of the first new fandoms in the early social media era. Services like MySpace, AOL Instant Messenger, and Facebook let fans quickly coordinate actions, such as buying DVD copies of Firefly and Serenity, organizing meetups and screenings, or planning letter-writing campaigns.Firefly.SerenitySerenity.They organized meetups and screenings, or planned letter-writing campaigns.

Technology and social media went into overdrive after the release of Serenity.Serenity.The show officially saved.Firefly..The Expanse.The Expanse was revived partly due to the efforts of the fan group called the Screaming Warhawks.the Screaming Warhawks., who used stunts and online action to support their show, similar to the Browncoats. More actions are possible today, things the original Browncoats never imagined.

You can run a Kickstarter to make a season of your favorite lost show, like Mystery Science Theater 3000.Mystery Science Theater 3000.; create high-quality fan productions like Star Trek: New Voyages.Star Trek: New Voyages.; or do what some Browncoats did in 2011: try to raise millions of dollars to help Fillion purchase the rights to Firefly.FireflyFirefly.20th Century Fox ended its run.. That got shut down fast, as you can imagine.The show got shut down quickly.Whedon did not want a sale for the franchise he created. Still, this shows how dedicated Browncoats are and how willing they are to go the extra mile for their favorite series.

Comic-Con as we know it now started in the early 2000s, with the Spider-Man and X-Men films, the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and TV shows like Lost.Spider-Man.X-MenX-Men.Films included the.Star Wars.The prequel trilogy and TV shows like this.Lost.This captured the zeitgeist. All those movies and shows were massively popular.Firefly coincided with the expansion of Comic-Con.It wasn't. But Comic-Con gaveFirefly coincided with the expansion of Comic-Con.Firefly's fiercely loyal fan base got a chance to come together, cosplay, and interact with the show's stars.

This kept interest in the show alive. It also encouraged word-of-mouth spread among like-minded nerds. Fans still flock to see the stars when they reunite for special events like theIt was the 10th anniversary.It was the 10th anniversary.This happened in 2012.