Firefly's television return has been fought for by fans for decades, and it deserves revisiting without the controversial series creator Joss Whedon. Firefly ran for only 14 episodes from 2002 to 2003 and was followed up by a movie called Serenity in 2005 when heartbroken viewers demanded a conclusion to the story in one of the strongest showings of fan devotion in television history. The series is notable for an intensely loyal and passionate fan base. These fans orchestrated an internet campaign, called The Browncoats, which fueled the enthusiasm needed to illustrate to Universal Pictures that the intelligent and remarkable show was worthy of continuation.
Though Serenity was hard-won by fans, there is still fervor surrounding the television show about hard-scrabble smugglers living on the fringes of society. The fascinating world and lovable characters introduced in Firefly make it easy to see why its fan base is still so eager to see a reboot of the series. The original series fell victim to a bad time slot and FOX accidentally airing the episodes out of order, creating confusion and disinterest for the debut. The show ended abruptly with many questions left unanswered. The film Serenity attempted to tie up loose ends and deliver a satisfying conclusion to the story. Nevertheless, audiences have remained hungry for more, continuing the campaign for Firefly season 2 or a movie sequel to Serenity.
Whatever satisfaction Serenity brought was not enough, and, thanks to a resurgence of popularity for Whedon properties, a new generation of fans are gunning for more Firefly. If the show is allowed to continue, it would be best with someone other than Whedon at the helm, which may allow for certain elements of the original series and movie to be changed. For example, certain fans even long for a retcon of Serenity that allows beloved Firefly characters such as Wash (Alan Tudyk), who was killed in the film, to return to the television show.
Joss Whedon has been in hot water for years now. The controversy began in 2016 when Whedon's ex-wife Kai Cole made comments to media about his conduct and affairs with coworkers, both physical and emotional, while at the same time he publicly espoused feminist ideals. Since then, complaints from those involved in his projects continue to come to light, including from Ray Fisher of Justice League, the stunt actors from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Charisma Carpenter of Buffy and Angel. The cast of Buffy and Angel spoke up in Carpenter's defense, and though Whedon has not commented on the allegations against him, he has stepped down from the production of his new series for HBO, The Nevers.
Though past comments from Whedon concerning a reboot of Firefly have been tepid, FOX has expressed interest in pursuing the project. The rich worldbuilding and characterizations presented in the ephemeral series still offer much to explore, and any number of deft hands could take over where Whedon left off. The current world of television is ripe for a revisit of such hearty and beloved material that certainly has the capacity to live outside the control of its original creator. In the past, FOX has proven willing to take a chance on revivals, reworking such shows as Prison Break and The X-Files. Showrunners and writers such as Marti Noxon, Jane Espenson, and Ben Edlund who have worked closely with Whedon before could keep what audiences loved about Firefly alive while bringing refreshing voices to the nearly-20-year-old show.
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