# What will happen to the BtVS franchise if " Tru Calling" tanks?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 3, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247 "2003-09-03T00:53:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/1 "2003-09-03T00:53:18Z")
[sub] beats on the hamsters with nerf bats for eating the first attempt at this OP[/sub]
I try to approach the new fall shows each year with some measure of optimism, but I doubt either of the new TH shows I’m looking forward to - " Threat Matrix" and " Tru Calling" - have a snowball’s chance in hell of really making a go of it. Thus I will only need to watch one and tape the other for a few weeks before they’ve axed.
Threat Matrix is about Homeland Security, so you know how well _that_ is going to go over…unless Kelly Rutherford has a lot more fans than I think (besides those of us who read a series of fanfics that borrow her appearance for a character [http://www.geocities.com/phantmoftheopera/Home.html](http://www.geocities.com/phantmoftheopera/Home.html) and old " Kindred" fans) it’s going to have a quick death.
And Tru Calling… now that I’ve seen some previews, I’m reminded heavily of last season’s lowest rated new show " Haunted." So far the biggest differences are A. Instead of a staring a man who was a co-star of a show mostly aimed at females 12-35, it stars a woman who was a co-star of a show mostly aimed at females 12-35 and B. Instead of the dead demanding help of someone so their deaths won’t go unsolved, the dead demand help of someone so their deaths won’t occur in the first place.
Which isn’t to say I think this will make Tru Calling a bad show, because I liked Haunted- it was the creepiest show I’ve **ever** seen - but " good" doesn’t have a whole lot to do with ratings draws. If Haunted couldn’t keep the audience with BtVS as its lead-in, what makes FOX think that they’re going to draw an audience away from “Friends” and “Scrubs” ?? We all know that the average FOX exec is about as good at scheduling shows as a brain-injured monkey would be, so it’s hard to be hopeful.
So when the (nearly) inevitable happens, and FOX cancels Tru Calling in its infancy, what happens to the fate of the BtVS franchise? Will a spin-off staring Faith go back into talks? Even if the cast (besides James and Sarah) do land other projects between now and then, Josh had his heart set on basing the spin-off around Eliza, not them. I just wonder what other people think about this…
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### Author:  [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/2 "2003-09-03T01:41:36Z")
\< nitpick \> It’s **Joss**. Joss Whedon. \< /nitpick \>
StG
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### Author:  [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/3 "2003-09-03T10:47:34Z")
I’ve seen the pilot episode. I’ll watch to support ED; however, from what I saw, I doubt it’ll last long, and I won’t miss it too much when it goes.
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### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/4 "2003-09-03T13:16:55Z")
I think Eliza may have burned her bridges with Joss and Mutant Enemy.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/5 "2003-09-03T13:53:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Homebrew \*
> \*\*I think Eliza may have burned her bridges with Joss and Mutant Enemy. \*\*
Good. I hate Faith. A spin-off show starring her would be a huge waste of a good spin-off.
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### Author:  [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/6 "2003-09-03T14:09:15Z")
I’m not too sure about that. It’s always difficult to figure out what’s _really_ true and what is gossip, and what purpose the gossip serves.
The Jossverse centred around a hellmouth is pretty much drained from stories and plot points. Having Faith show up in Cleveland wouldn’t really be very interesting. Would ED go for taking the female lead in Ats? I doubt it.
I still think a fugitive-esque story about her seeking her redemption, while being chased by the law, could work. That would mean being on the run, and that kinda negates a big supporting cast.
The bunny out o’ the hat with all potential slayers being activated removes her being ‘special’ in that there is only one slayer (or two, counting Buffy. Whatever…).
I’m not sure if there really is room anymore for a slayer story, but Faith’s faith intrigues me. And she’s very, _very_ easy on the eyes…
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### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/7 "2003-09-03T14:40:11Z")
according to this week’s TV Guide btw (with David & James on the cover), SMG is talking about a possible guest spot on ATS.
If Tru Calling tanks, the prospects for the Buffy franchise are good indeed.
Btw, I’d heard that Alyson also had signed to appear on ATS back when negotiations were happening. But now I hear nothing about a Willow appearance on ATS. What’s up?
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### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/8 "2003-09-03T16:42:42Z")
I understand that Buffy is well loved but consider this. Do you really want the franchise to continue until it is a pale imitiation of what it once was (like Star Trek)? Or would you rather it come to an end while you still think it is really cool?
Marc
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### Author:  [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/9 "2003-09-03T17:15:33Z")
Well, the Faith spin-off was going to have her travel the country on a motorcycle with her companion Spike the Friendly Ghost.
I’m serious.
I don’t think Joss is interested in a spin-off anymore. The WB is really trying to screw AtS right now, and they all seem to thnk it’ll be the last season of the show unless they really attract some big numbers. That’s one of the reason they ewre so eager to get Marsters. Some research shows that only 25% of BtVS audience watched AtS—they’re hoping they can attract the other 75%. (Interesting to note that Marsters is convinced that the show will last another two seasons. Of course, he’s not going to be all “it sucks it’ll never last” but he’s the most optimistic person at ME from the sounds of it.) So Joss has to concentrate on saving the show before he can worry about a new spinoff, plus he desperately wants to get Firefly the Movie done.
I think that if he _did_ do a spinoff, it would revolve around AH and the Slayer School (another idea being kicked around. Also interesting to note that he planned for Marsters to play the male lead, though I have no idea if he would have been Spike the Friendly Ghost or something else entirely.) He seemed really into the Slayer School though…I think that would be more inline with what he wants to do. Also, he still thinks there might be a BtVS movie. I think if SMG’s career tanks as badly as I suspect it will, she’ll be on board. (She’s been resisting the idea…)
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### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/10 "2003-09-03T17:33:19Z")
I’m with **MGibson** on this one. I am no longer emotionally invested in the Buffyverse. The show ended and it was the right time for it to end. I’m not even that interested in what happens this season on Angel. I’ll probably tune in, much like I’ll tune in to see what happens on True Calling - just to check. But if something else comes up, no big loss.
Mostly, it seems like it’s time to move on for me. Am I the only one? I’m feeling very lonely out here. 😉
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### Author:  [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/11 "2003-09-03T18:21:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MGibson \*
> **I understand that Buffy is well loved but consider this. Do you really want the franchise to continue until it is a pale imitiation of what it once was (like Star Trek)? Or would you rather it come to an end while you still think it is really cool?**
I don’t see this as a serious danger as long as Whedon is at the helm. While he does seem to have a bit of eyes bigger than stomach disease, his work has been consistently engrossing. Presumably this is “Angel”'s last year, and with Buffy and Firefly gone I’d love to see another Whedon show, whether spun off from Buffy or not.
–Cliffy
P.S. What’s the story on the rumored trouble between Dushku and ME?
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### Author:  [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/12 "2003-09-03T18:33:01Z")
Joss was counting on a Faith spinoff, and things were looking good. Dushku decided to take Tru Calling.
And Joss found the way the rest of us did–some magazine. I can’t remember which one. Either way, they were supposedly still in the middle of making a deal when she ran off and signed on to Tru Calling without telling ihm she was running off to sign a deal with someone else.
Which, I imagine, annoyed Joss greatly.
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### Author:  [@Caprigenus\_Chevre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprigenus_Chevre)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/13 "2003-09-03T20:36:29Z")
As long as it contains Andrew I will be a happy camper. 😛
Seriously, I have always thougth an Alyson Hannigan spin-off would be much stronger then an Eliza Dusku spin-off.
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### Author:  [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/14 "2003-09-03T20:51:04Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Seriously, I have always thougth an Alyson Hannigan spin-off would be much stronger then an Eliza Dusku spin-off.
I was thinking of this, but I just cannot for the life of me seeing AH (at least not as Willow) carry a show. I don’t see how it would work at all.
I kind of agree with **MGibson** that now might not be the best time for another Slayer series. Let the franchise rest for a bit with the likely finale of Angel and concentrate on a BTVS movie once SMG is ready.
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### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/15 "2003-09-03T21:36:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cliffy \*
> \*\*I don’t see this as a serious danger as long as Whedon is at the helm. While he does seem to have a bit of eyes bigger than stomach disease, his work has been consistently engrossing. Presumably this is “Angel”'s last year, and with Buffy and Firefly gone I’d love to see another Whedon show, whether spun off from Buffy or not.
> \*\*
A new series that has nothing to do with Buffy would be one thing. I just think there comes a point with any franchise or series that even the best of writers will run out of ideas. The fact that we don’t want them to go away just shows how good they really were. I just want to remember my favorite shows as being good instead of ending up being mediocre. Crusade, I’m looking at you.
Marc
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### Author:  [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/16 "2003-09-03T21:53:28Z")
Considering that SMG and the Buffy character were, by far, the weakest element in BTVS, almost any spinoff will be great, so long as Joss does it.
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### Author:  [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/17 "2003-09-03T21:58:51Z")
I don’t trust Joss at all anymore. Put Bell, Greenwalt, Fury or Minear in charge.
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### Author:  [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/18 "2003-09-04T03:56:31Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I don’t trust Joss at all anymore. Put Bell, Greenwalt, Fury or Minear in charge.
Or Marti Noxon! _flees_
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### Author:  [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/19 "2003-09-04T05:46:36Z")
I’ve heard the “Faith on a motorcycle” idea before, but never the “Spike the Friendly Ghost” part. Never. And I can’t see Joss thinking of something that silly.
Cite please, **pepperlandgirl**?
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-happen-to-the-btvs-franchise-if-tru-calling-tanks/199247/20 "2003-09-04T06:44:11Z")
> [@](#):
>
> if Tru Calling tanks
Don’t you mean “when”?
Check out [this article](http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=15967) for a rundown on what one critic believes will rock and suck this coming season. The show that really intrigues me is “Karen Sisco” (#3 on the list).
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