I’ve always lovedFireflyand felt that it deserved a much longer run, but this detail about the show’s iconic cast is a reminder that this short-lived sci-fi western series had so much wasted potential. Joss Whedon took Gene Roddenberry’s famous original pitch forStar Trek–Wagon Trainto the stars – to its literal conclusion withFirefly’s tale of gunslingers traversing the final frontier.Fireflyran for just one season, consisting of 14 episodes, back in 2002, and it’s frequently included on lists of TV shows that were canceled much too soon.
Fireflyhad limitless potential, and its one and only season just scratched the surface of that potential. It had a juicy premise, bringing the pioneer culture of the Old West to a dystopian future in need of a new world order, and it had an ensemble of colorful characters whose stories had only just gotten started when the show was axed by Fox. And on top of that, it had a terrific cast bringing that ensemble to life.The actors’ careers post-Fireflyhave proven how much squandered potential the show had.
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Many Firefly Actors Have Become Sci-Fi Icons Since The Show Ended
Nathan Fillion and co. have gone on to become sci-fi staples
Almost everyone from the main cast ofFireflyhas gone on to become an icon of the science fiction genre sinceFireflywas canceled. Nathan Fillion, who starred inFireflyas Mal Reynolds, the captain of the Serenity, has become a god in the eyes of sci-fi nerds.Fillion has appeared in a bunch of big-name sci-fi properties, playing guest roles inRick and Morty,Resident Alien,The Suicide Squad, and two of the threeGuardians of the Galaxymovies. He cameoed as Headpool inDeadpool & Wolverineand voiced DC icons Steve Trevor and Hal Jordan in animated movies.
And on top of all that, he’ll be playing the Guy Gardner version of Green Lantern in James Gunn’s upcomingSupermanmovie, which will kick off his rebooted DC Universe.Fillion’sFireflyco-stars have been just as prolific in the sci-fi genrein the years since, too. Wash actor Alan Tudyk played Dutch inTransformers: Dark of the Moon, K-2SO inRogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the Flash inBatman: The Brave and the Bold. Morena Baccarin, who plays Inara, has been in two superhero franchises: she played Vanessa in theDeadpooltrilogy and Leslie Thompkins inGotham.
Zoë actor Gina Torres played Wonder Woman inDC Universe Online, Airachnid inTransformers: Prime, and Cas inThe Matrix ReloadedandThe Matrix Revolutions. Summer Glau, who played River inFirefly, has played Cameron inTerminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Isabel Rochev inArrow, and Tess Doerner inThe 4400. Sean Maher, who played River’s brother Simon, has voiced Dick Grayson in a bunch of animated DC projects. Just about everybody fromtheFireflycasthas become a staple of science fiction in the years since the show went off the air.
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The Firefly Cast’s Success Proves How Much Potential The Show Had
Fox unwittingly assembled one of the greatest sci-fi casts of all time
TheFireflycast’s success outside the series just goes to demonstrate how much potential the show had. Fillion, Tudyk, Glau, and their co-stars were about to become some of the most sought-after actors in the sci-fi genre.Shortly after Fox canceledFirefly, just about every producer working on a sci-fi movie or TV show would seek out one of its actorsfor their own cast. It’s like having an action series starring Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis right before they became huge stars and canceling it right before their careers took off.
If Fox had just kept the show going for a second or third season, it would’ve captured sci-fi fans around the world and become a huge hit. But the network jumped the gun andcanceledFireflybefore its time. Since sci-fi is kind of a niche genre and it’s expensive to produce, networks have a tendency to get cold feet about sci-fi shows. But the success of theStar Trekfranchise has proven that the sci-fi fan base is big enough to sustain a property for decades.Fireflyjust needed a little more time to find that audience.
Why Firefly Was Canceled After Just One Season
Fox is notoriously trigger-happy when it comes to canceling cult shows
Fox has a notorious reputation for being trigger-happy when it comes to canceling shows whose ratings don’t immediately meet expectations. The cancelation ofUndeclared,Arrested Development, andThe Sarah Connor Chroniclesproved that. It didn’t help thatFox airedFirefly’s episodes out of order.The network aired the pilot episode as the 11th episodein the series’ run, which was needlessly confusing for viewers.Fireflyamassed a cult audience, but Fox didn’t consider the cult to have enough followers.
Firefly
Cast
Firefly is a science fiction television series set in the year 2517, focusing on the crew of the spaceship Serenity. As humans inhabit a new star system, the renegade crew, led by Captain Malcolm Reynolds, navigates conflicts and alliances while pursuing their own interests across lawless territories.
