Analyzing Whedon's Firefly As Impetus
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ANALYZING WHEDON’S FIREFLY AS IMPETUS FOR A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR AN ALTERNATE HISTORY, SCI-FI TELEVISION SERIES _______________________________________ A Thesis Presented to The Honors Tutorial College Ohio University _______________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduation from the Honors Tutorial College with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Communication ______________________________________ by Andrew C. Essig April 2016 Table of Contents Thesis Introduction………………………………………………………………………………. 1 Firefly’s Legacy………………………………………………………………………………….. 8 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………. 8 Universe and World-Building…………………………………………………………... 15 Character………………………………………………………………………………... 19 Plot…………………………………………………………………………………….... 27 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….... 31 Science Fiction as Genre………………………………………………………………………... 36 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………... 36 Society in Conflict……………………………………………………………………… 44 Expansive Travel……………………………………………………………………….. 48 Alienation………………………………………………………………………………. 53 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………… 59 The Alternate History Twist……………………………………………………………………. 64 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………... 64 Alternate History in Narrative………………………………………………………….. 74 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….... 83 Sub Culture……………………………………………………………………………………... 87 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………... 87 Script……………………………………………………………………………………. 93 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….…. 153 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………...… 169 1 In the year 2517, Captain Malcolm Reynolds takes his firefly-class transport ship Serenity to a skyplex orbiting a sandy, desolate planet. There, amid the whistling and churning of the machines keeping the station operational, he is led to a secluded office and given a job by a straight-faced, no-nonsense gangster: a train heist. What ensues is a daring, daylight robbery, smuggling the package from train car to spaceship, as both whip through a desert at near-supersonic speeds. This is just one of the stories from Joss Whedon’s TV show Firefly (2002), a sci-fi-western that broadcast on the FOX network for four months before cancellation. I believe the program captured a defined vision of life in a universe so unlike anything else that was being broadcast at the time and this is the reason it elicited a loyal following from its audience that continued beyond cancellation and effectively cemented Firefly as a “cult” show. This audience devotion warrants study into the individual elements that made up the narrative and contributed to such an effect, such as the family dynamic that influences the decisions of the core group of characters, the overarching stories and how they weave together in an episodic format, and the creation of the exotic universe itself that acts as the backdrop for these stories. The program also embraced traditional science-fiction tropes, but in a way much more akin to a western or a gun-slinging adventure. By studying the complexity of these elements, with the context of TV pilot producing, I intend to create an original television pilot that finds success in a similar vein, ultimately utilizing Whedon’s Firefly as a guiding structure throughout the 2 process. This script will accompany the research and act as a model in which I can apply my findings and determine what works, or doesn’t, in a more accurate setting. There are a number of aspects that make up the universe of Firefly that elicit a sense of intrigue from the viewing audience. Predominantly, these center on the unusual ways plot, tone, theme, and character are handled. For plot, each installment was episodic in nature; a primary arc moved steadily forward throughout the series, but with punctuated starts and ends that gave each episode a sense of containment. Tone was introduced clearly and concisely at the forefront and then continued to develop at a steady pace, making the unusual world seem less alien and more natural and lived in. Familiar sights and character behaviors acted as an anchor that kept one foot of the atmosphere grounded in reality but simultaneously borrowed from cowboy and western archetypes, areas a predominantly American audience would be familiar with. The result was a unique, secondary source which could establish tone that an audience could connect with, yet was also unexpected when considering the show’s sci-fi influence. Themes and motifs of the genre were present, but donned new skins influenced by other genres and an atmosphere that seemed outside of traditional science-fiction. Where space, for example, is typically divided up into regions or systems controlled by certain factions, Firefly represents it much more as an unclaimed expanse, once again akin to the Wild West. While both sci-fi in general and Firefly elaborate on the immensity of space and that inherent exoticism, Firefly does so through the lens of the western genre, altering the delivery of the motif, but ultimately maintaining the message accompanying it. The handling of the characters 3 and the relationships that created the tension had a substantial range, from as simple as the familial bond of the crew to as complex as considering the ship itself the tenth member of this family (The 10th Character). With the help of these dynamic elements, Whedon not only created his show, but inspired faith that it would be successful as it stood, without any alterations to the core concept. Though not the first, I would argue that Firefly was one of the clearest examples of Andrew Sarris’s auteur theory reaching over from film and into television; that Whedon’s vision, when directing the pilot episode, was distinct enough to carry through any potential interference or creative pluralism. Though it is impossible for me to replicate that process, I intend to use my research to follow in the footsteps of a television auteur. Looking at the science-fiction genre at large, there are a number of similar themes that are dealt with in vastly different ways. Firefly does look at distant travel and the medium of space, attitudes regarding outsiders and “aliens”, the evolution and unnatural development of the human race, and society in massive conflict, but it does so in a more indirect way, using other genres like the western and the adventure as a lens. I will include other examples to this research in order to get a more accurate representation of the characteristics of the genre. Sci-fi television focusing on crew who operate outside the realm of established law will act as the core group, primarily Lexx (1997), Farscape (1999), and Starhunter (2000). To a lesser extent, shows that deal with more specialized sci-fi, like sci-fantasy or sci-fi comedy, will be incorporated based on how closely they relate to either Firefly or my original concept, including but not limited to Doctor Who (1963), Dark 4 Matter (2015), and Other Space (2015). These narratives will provide a starting point for my analysis of the themes and motifs prevalent in science-fiction as a visual medium. The final section of my analysis will center on a characteristic of even more specialized sci-fi called “alternate history”, which includes stories that take place in a tangential timeline after a particular historical event that has occurred differently. The use of alternate history is relatively new to television. Therefore, I will be researching the concept on more general terms as it applies primarily to literature where there is a much larger assortment of novels utilizing the characteristic. I will also look at the few examples of alternate history television, and compare what I’ve taken from the general concept (and its application to literature) to the success, or failure, of these programs. The primary focus of this subsection will be on Man in the High Castle (2015), which is television’s most ambitious look into alternate history thus far, accompanied by AMAZON’s pursuit of other “programs that may be controversial, hoping to create shows that spark conversation and generate loyal followings”, and will debut as this report is being composed (Greene). Altogether, this section will analyze the pure idea of “alternate history”, its application to narrative, and its vague fingerprints on Firefly, to its more defined fingerprints on my original concept. The original concept accompanying this research is titled Sub Culture and I will primarily be using it to demonstrate my understanding of the aforementioned elements and how they work in tandem with one another. I will also be applying it in a practical way that, once this research has concluded, will become a part of my script 5 portfolio as I enter the field of television screenwriting. The show I plan to develop takes place in an alternate version of the 1920s, where World War I continues to rage but has become almost strictly naval as command of the seas is extremely contested and blockades keep many of the world’s armies from staging invasions. I settled on this time period because I believe the juxtaposition of a war-torn world in the 1910s and the care-free mentality of the American 1920s creates polarizing views of society, which is a prevalent topic throughout the story. The primary lifestyle of the 20s is much more jovial and the parties and more liberating social norms are a major contributing factor. Compared to this is the prolonged, international failure of the Great War and a desire to simply abandon any society that has agreed to take part in such a travesty. Just because