Shared with you
Joss Whedon intended the show to have run for seven seasons. While there were low ratings at first, the real reason it was cancelled was that the FOX executives thought it was too dark. Joss Whedon and the cast refused to change the storyline, so FOX canceled it with only 11 episodes out of 14 airing on the network. Prior to its cancellation fans formed a Firefly Immediate Assistance campaign which involves sending in postcards to the FOX Network to support the production of the show. After that failed, the campaign worked on getting another network such as UPN to pick up the series for a second season. The campaign ended up being unsuccessful in securing the continuation of the show.
Between shots, the cast preferred to wait in the ship's lounge instead of their trailers/dressing rooms.
Nathan Fillion considers this to be the most fun he's had on a television series, and compares every other job he gets to it.
The cast had a running gag where they would yell Summer Glau's name whenever they flubbed a line or messed up. It began after she forgot her line at the end of a particularly difficult scene. The gag continued through the filming of Serenity (2005).
Fox originally aired the episodes out of chronological order. The proper chronological episode order is as follows:
- 1.) Serenity (2002).
- 2.) The Train Job (2002).
- 3.) Bushwhacked (2002).
- 4.) Shindig (2002).
- 5.) Safe (2002).
- 6.) Our Mrs. Reynolds (2002).
- 7.) Jaynestown (2002).
- 8.) Out of Gas (2002).
- 9.) Ariel (2002).
- 10.) War Stories (2002).
- 11.) Trash (2003).
- 12.) The Message (2003).
- 13.) Objects in Space (2002).
- 14.) Heart of Gold (2003).
The Alliance's full title is the "Anglo-Sino Alliance." Joss Whedon intended for it to be the merger of USA and China, the last of the world's superpowers. That's why many characters sometimes speak Chinese. The Alliance flag, seen in the original pilot, is a blending of the US and Chinese flags.