>But Firefly had a killer cast who all landed on their feet and the brilliant Joss Whedon behind it. Summer Glau, Gina Torres, Baldwin, Nathan Fillion. Sci Fi and a Western. How can that not run for 10 years ( of course we have to make room on the airwaves for Howie Do it, Deal or no Deal and Fear Factor. ) Makes you question the premise behind popular democracy

I think Firefly is a victim of bad sampling in the rating polls. It probably had quite a following, but not among those who answer the phone on landlines, or who still care to have landlines. It may have been watched in basements, garages, pretty much anywhere but near the kitchen phone. And the pollsters never noticed.

OTOH, as for the No Deal Factor, there's a bit of a verse for the kids, by dr. Jova Jovanovi[c acute] Zmaj:

"a frog saw a horse being shod
so she lifted her foot, wanting the same"