James Cameron's Sci-Fi Show was Perfect, Until FOX Axed It Because of Firefly
We all mourned when Firefly was canceled, but did you know that it was the reason another sci-fi show was axed?
One of the world's highest-grossing and most famous film directors started out as a special effects artist for the king of B-movies, Roger Corman, known for his ability to shoot quickly and cheaply. Perhaps it was Corman's projects that made James Cameron swear off making low-budget movies, eventually becoming the first director in the world to receive budgets of $100 and $200 million.
Today, Cameron is considered to be not only one of the most important science fiction directors of our time, but also one of the most successful directors in general, whose films break unattainable box office records and are incredibly loved by audiences.
But few fans know that at the very beginning of the 2000s, Cameron created a sci-fi project for the small screens starring Jessica Alba – Dark Angel.
What is Dark Angel About?
An electromagnetic pulse caused by terrorists in 2009 has left the US in a state of decline. But for a genetically altered girl named Max, this lack of technology helps her hide from a government group.
Known as Manticore, a group of bio-engineers altered the genes of children to create an army of perfect soldiers. Among these children was Max. One day, during an uprising, Max and several other children managed to escape. Now, while trying to find other escapees, Max meets underground cyber-journalist Logan Cale and gains something she hasn't had in a long time – an ally.
Dark Angel Was One of the Best James Cameron Projects
The name James Cameron is a guarantee of quality that few would dispute. And when the science fiction series Dark Angel went into production, all fans of the director's previous works were eagerly awaiting the next revelation, now on the small screen.
The idea of genetically altered humans was not very original even in the early 2000s, but Cameron and his team still managed to create a fresh and original project. And the young talent in the person of Jessica Alba, personally chosen by Cameron, attracted a significant part of the audience to the TV screens.
Dark Angel Was Canceled Because of Firefly
Unfortunately, the story did not get a worthy finale, but ended with the second season, which was not supposed to be the last.
Ironically, Dark Angel was canceled not only because of low ratings, but also to make room for another sci-fi project, Firefly. As all fans of the genre know, Firefly did not last long either and was canceled after its first season, making FOX the main butcher of quality sci-fi projects.