Question: One thing that has been bothering me lately is that Fox, which has been ripped apart many times by just about everyone and their dog for its unbelievable mishandling of its better shows, has been showing tremendous support for the newest 90210 successor, The O.C. I’ve tuned into this show a few times and I like it well enough, so my question is more along the lines of why couldn’t Fox show the same support for Keen Eddie and shows like John Doe and Firefly that it’s shown for O.C.? The O.C. is cute enough, but compared to any of these shows, it’s mediocre. Keen Eddie was one of the funniest comedies I’ve seen in years and Firefly was written by Joss Whedon... ’nuff said. - Aarann

Matt: It’s hard to answer this question without sounding like I’m trashing the shows that didn’t work, which is not my intention - I was a huge fan of Keen Eddie, and supported Firefly as well - but it seems to me that Fox has an easier time selling such a commercial property as The O.C., and that’s why you’re seeing it repeated several times a week during the summer and promoted incessantly. John Doe and Firefly, being fall series on a tough night (Friday) and aimed at more of a cult audience, didn’t have this luxury and also weren’t designed to be the mass-appeal guilty pleasure that The O.C. has been able to capitalize on in its sneak-preview run. Shows like Doe and Firefly are much riskier. I agree Fox failed to support those shows, but I’m not holding that against the success of The O.C. As for Keen Eddie, I don’t believe the network ever really got behind that one at all. Airing it in the summer, paired with the insipid American Juniors, it was doomed from the start. Another waste. And, in honor of the show going off the air this week - I’m going to miss it terribly - I thought I’d share one of the more negative O.C. responses I’ve fielded lately.

Question: What do you think about Firefly being turned into a movie? Do you think us diehard fans may see Fox admit they screwed up in cancelling this one? - Jennie

Matt: I’m curious and hopeful that Joss Whedon’s flawed but fascinating attempt to make a sci-fi Western for TV will work even better - and, one hopes, actually draw an audience - as a movie. Even if it’s a hit, though, Fox would probably continue to argue that as a series, Firefly was just too weird to succeed.