I made fun of the fox but I want the tea.

Okay, after the QMX Fox merc.... There's this: [link]

(Simon found it).

A Firefly fan meets a FOX Development Exec: [link]

Wow. That's. Wow.

I know this guy thinks he struck a blow for all that is good and right in the 'verse, but the truth is he probably came across as a craxy tunnel-visioned fanboy with issues and the Fox guy is thinking "We should never make another show like that again, these guys are wack-jobs."

I have to agree with MM. Fans should try to remember that revenge won't get them what they want next time. Of course reasonable discourse probably won't turn the tide against the bottom line, either, but a politely--and logically--registered opinion leaves a better impression than a Reaverishly-behaved fan does. A reminder that fans can--and have done--arrange boycotts of sponsors' products is a subtle nudge that fan opinion could affect that bottom line, and about the only fan action that could.

The largest impediment to effective fan action is forgetting that teevee isn't about entertainment. It's about selling product. A tv show is only there to hold the audience's interest in between attempts to sell them things. A network is going to go with a show that will appeal to the most spendy demographic, and little else is going to change that.

Yeah, that kind of thing will help. *headdesk*

I have a little story. When Drive was on the air, the head of development at Fox and his workmates were all over the Drive fan site me and Jackal had up and running. He would email us and offer thanks and encouragement. He was *really nice*. He really liked Tim. (He left Fox after Drive bombed). The people at Fox marketing were great, and still keep in touch with both of us.

When I see somebody doing something like that Firefly fan did, part of my soul just dies. For a start, really doubt that exec guy had anything to do with Firefly. At all. Fox's development exec turnover is high. Second, who actually opted to move Firefly episodes in the schedule? Tim and Joss. They made the moves. And, like, the execs assertion that the thing which killed Firefly is... Absolutely fucking correct. It did dire numbers. And then got worse. And worse. It was, at the time, reported as the second most expensive pilot episode ever made ($9m+ according to E). It must have cost FOX a shit load of lost money. I'm sure their promotional efforts were dire and the timeslot was bloody awful, but other than that the audience numbers just weren't there to support it as a weekly show.

I imagine the next time that exec is sat looking at sites for, say, Dollhouse... I doubt he'll be thinking 'Cool, we can use these guys to help spread the word about the show! Look at that, that's great'. Probably more 'Shit, remember that guy who sounded like a mentalist in the airport!'.

I don't think he sounded like he practiced stage magic featuring "psychic" abilities.

I don't think he sounded like he practiced stage magic featuring "psychic" abilities.

"I don't watch Fox because you fuckers cancelled Firefly. Incidentally, you are thinking of the number '14'."

I feel so sorry for the tv exec. The last thing he needed was some mad rant from a fan. It adds to my belief that online activities really shouldn't carry over to the real world.