Editing Joss Whedon (section)

====''Firefly''====
Whedon followed ''Angel'' with the space western ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'', starring [[Nathan Fillion]], [[Gina Torres]], [[Alan Tudyk]], [[Morena Baccarin]], [[Adam Baldwin]], [[Jewel Staite]], [[Sean Maher]], [[Summer Glau]] and [[Ron Glass]].<ref name="Deseret News">{{cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2002/9/19/19678181/fox-s-firefly-takes-flight/|title=Scott Pierce: Fox's 'Firefly' takes flight|first=Scott D.|last=Pierce|date=September 19, 2002|work=Deseret News|access-date=May 10, 2013|archive-date=November 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104212318/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/937796/Foxs-Firefly-takes-flight.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Set in the year 2517,<ref name="in the year 2517">{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/firefly-anniversary-reunion-comic-con-scott-188020/|title=Comic-Con 2012: Joss Whedon Gives 'Firefly' Fans A Heartfelt Thank You|first=Scott|last=Stoute|date=July 15, 2012|website=Screen Rant|access-date=May 11, 2015|archive-date=July 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710074742/http://screenrant.com/firefly-anniversary-reunion-comic-con-scott-188020/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Firefly'' explores the lives of the people who while on the outskirts of society, make their living as the crew of ''[[Serenity (Firefly vessel)|Serenity]]'', a "Firefly-[[ship class|class]]" spaceship.<ref name="theguardian; Firefly">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/mar/27/firefly-your-next-box-set|title=Your next box set: Firefly|first=Daniel|last=Bettridge|date=March 23, 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=May 10, 2013|archive-date=March 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331064751/http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/mar/27/firefly-your-next-box-set|url-status=live|location=London}}</ref> The series' original concept progressed after Whedon read ''[[The Killer Angels]]'', a book on the [[Battle of Gettysburg]].<ref name="Deseret News" /><ref name="the killer angels">{{cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/uk/television/23054/23-fun-facts-about-firefly |title=23 Fun Facts About Firefly |first=Rudie |last=Obias |date=March 23, 2015 |website=[[Mental Floss|Mental Floss UK]] |access-date=May 11, 2015 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511131505/http://mentalfloss.com/uk/television/23054/23-fun-facts-about-firefly |archive-date=May 11, 2015}}</ref>

An ever-present element was Whedon's injection of [[Anti-authoritarianism|anti-totalitarianism]],<ref name="CULTURE MASS">{{cite web|url=http://culturemass.com/2013/04/11/whedons-themes-a-blueprint-for-marvels-agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d/|title=Whedon's Themes: A Blueprint for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.|first=K. M.|last=Cone|date=April 11, 2013|website=CultureMass|access-date=May 10, 2013|archive-date=February 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213023915/http://culturemass.com/2013/04/11/whedons-themes-a-blueprint-for-marvels-agents-of-s-h-i-e-l-d/|url-status=dead}}</ref> writing into the show a historical analogy of the Battle of Gettysburg, the "Battle of Serenity Valley".{{ref|3|3}}<ref name="LAWEEKLY; firefly">{{cite web|url=http://www.laweekly.com/publicspectacle/2008/12/17/heroes-of-the-final-frontier-top-5-space-cowboys-from-tv-and-film|title=Heroes of the Final Frontier: Top 5 Space Cowboys from TV and Film|first=Liz|last=Ohanesian|date=December 17, 2008|newspaper=[[LA Weekly]]|access-date=July 13, 2014|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714221337/http://www.laweekly.com/publicspectacle/2008/12/17/heroes-of-the-final-frontier-top-5-space-cowboys-from-tv-and-film|url-status=live}}</ref> The beaten soldiers were called "[[Browncoat#Fictional meaning|Browncoats]]" after the brown [[Duster (clothing)|dusters]] they wore as their uniforms.<ref name="PCMAG.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/297197/10-extreme-cases-of-nerd-rage/2|title=10 Extreme Cases of Nerd Rage|first=Jennifer|last=Bergen|date=April 28, 2012|work=[[PC Magazine]]|access-date=May 10, 2013|archive-date=May 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501090702/http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/297197/10-extreme-cases-of-nerd-rage/2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="San Francisco Chronicle" /> Whedon said, "I wanted to play with that classic notion of the frontier: not the people who made history, but the people history stepped on—the people for whom every act is the creation of civilization".<ref name="The New York Times">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/22/magazine/must-see-metaphysics.html|title=Must-See Metaphysics|first=Emily|last=Nussbaum|date=September 22, 2002|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=May 10, 2013}}</ref> ''Firefly'' was written as a serious character study,<ref name="The New York Times; religious and philosophical views" /> encompassing what Whedon called "life when it's hard". He went on to elaborate that it was about "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things".<ref name="jam! SHOWBIZ">{{cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/F/Firefly/2002/07/22/734323.html|title=Firefly series ready for liftoff|first=Bill|last=Brioux|date=July 22, 2002|publisher=canoe.ca|access-date=May 11, 2013|archive-date=July 15, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715154524/http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/F/Firefly/2002/07/22/734323.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Fox chose to play the episodes of the series out of order, running "[[The Train Job]]" first, and not airing the [[Serenity (Firefly episode)|pilot]] until a dozen episodes later, resulting in some confusion from viewers. The series was also promoted as a comedy, not a science fiction drama, and placed in the infamous "[[Friday night death slot]]". The show was praised by critics overall, but some objected to the fusion of [[American frontier]] and [[outer space]] motifs.<ref name="San Francisco Chronicle; Firefly">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Sci-fi-Firefly-is-a-bonanza-of-miscues-from-2768434.php|title=Sci-fi 'Firefly' is a bonanza of miscues from 'Buffy' creator|first=Tim|last=Goodman|date=September 20, 2002|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=May 11, 2013|archive-date=August 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824005454/http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Sci-fi-Firefly-is-a-bonanza-of-miscues-from-2768434.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The New York Times; Firefly">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/21/arts/television/21NUSS.html|title=A DVD Face-Off Between the Official and the Homemade|first=Emily|last=Nussbaum|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 21, 2003|access-date=May 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name="other respects">{{cite web|url=http://www.teevee.org/archive/2002/12/13/index.html |title=Firefly vs. the Firing Squad |first=Jason |last=Snell |date=December 13, 2002 |publisher=TeeVee.org |access-date=May 5, 2015 |archive-date=August 14, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814235449/http://www.teevee.org/archive/2002/12/13/index.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Faced with these hurdles, the show had an average of 4.7&nbsp;million viewers at the time and was ranked 98th in [[Nielsen ratings]]. The series was cancelled by Fox before all of the episodes had aired.<ref name="E; Firefly">{{cite web|url=http://uk.eonline.com/news/44314/fox-squashes-firefly|title=Fox Squashes "Firefly"|first=Lia|last=Haberman|date=December 13, 2002|publisher=E!|access-date=May 11, 2013|archive-date=February 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213043210/http://www.eonline.com/news/44314/fox-squashes-firefly|url-status=live}}</ref> Whedon took to [[Universal Pictures]] as a means of achieving a continuation of the story.<ref name="the weekly Standard">{{cite web|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/757fhfxg.asp |title=The Browncoats Rise Again |first=M.E. |last=Russell |date=June 24, 2005 |publisher=[[The Weekly Standard]] |access-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-date=October 4, 2009 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091004231549/http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/757fhfxg.asp |url-status=dead}}</ref> Following ''Firefly'' was ''[[Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity]]'', a follow-up film taking place after the events of the [[Objects in Space|final episode]].<ref name="THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER; fs">{{cite web|url=http://www.universityobserver.ie/2013/11/12/its-all-connected/|title=It's All Connected|first=Steven|last=Balbirnie|date=November 12, 2013|publisher=universityobserver.ie|access-date=July 13, 2014|archive-date=July 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715005724/http://www.universityobserver.ie/2013/11/12/its-all-connected/|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Serenity'' developed into a [[Firefly (franchise)|franchise]] that led to graphic novels, books and other media.<ref name="COMICS ALLIANCE; eu">{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/serenity-comics-recap-joss-whedon-zack-whedon-dark-horse/ |title=A Recap of Every 'Serenity' Comic (So Far) |first=John |last=Parker |date=January 28, 2014 |publisher=comicsalliance.com |access-date=July 13, 2014 |archive-date=January 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130071014/http://comicsalliance.com/serenity-comics-recap-joss-whedon-zack-whedon-dark-horse/ |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="books">{{cite web|url=http://www.blastr.com/2010/05/firefly_fiction.php|title=Firefly's original writers reveal what happens NEXT|work=Blastr |date=May 19, 2010|access-date=May 11, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923191926/http://www.blastr.com/2010/05/firefly_fiction.php|archive-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref><ref name="other media">{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/3034749/firefly-online/|title=With Firefly Cast Reuniting, Firefly Online Sounds Like the Franchise's Next Big Thing|first=Matt|last=Peckham|date=July 25, 2014|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=May 11, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504064445/http://time.com/3034749/firefly-online/|archive-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> ''[[New Scientist]]'' magazine held a poll in 2005 to find "The World's Best Space Sci-Fi Ever", and ''Firefly'' and ''Serenity'' took first and second place, respectively.<ref name="NewScientist">{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8211 |title=The World's Best Space Sci-Fi Ever: Your verdict |first=Anna |last=Gosline |date=October 26, 2005 |work=[[New Scientist]] |access-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020031017/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8211 |url-status=live}}</ref> It also received an Emmy shortly after its cancellation, as well as a number of other awards. Since being canceled, ''Firefly'' has attained cult status.<ref name="The State Press; Firefly">{{cite web|url=http://www.statepress.com/2012/09/24/fans-construct-fireflys-significance/|title=Fans construct 'Firefly's' significance|first=Esther|last=Drown|date=September 24, 2012|work=[[The State Press]]|access-date=May 11, 2013|archive-date=September 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928020353/http://www.statepress.com/2012/09/24/fans-construct-fireflys-significance|url-status=dead}}</ref>