Firefly

Fox has demonstrated an uncanny ability to utilize DVDs in the resuscitation of supposedly dead television programs.

The popularity of its Family Guy sets was the primary inspiration for the animated series’ belated renewal.

While Futurama has not been quite that lucky, its success on DVD has facilitated new direct-to-DVD episodes.

For Joss Whedon’s short-lived sci-fi action series, Firefly, the DVD set was a revelation, presenting the episodes for the first time in their proper order and unveiling several that did not achieve a broadcast before the series was misguidedly cancelled.

Seen coherently, the show was both exciting and stimulating in the best tradition of science-fiction programs, and the popularity of its definitive DVD release inspired the production of the feature film, Serenity, which was itself issued as a reasonably enjoyable Collector’s Edition by Universal.

By way of comparison, the normally resourceful Warner completely dropped the ball with the potentially awesome Birds of Prey, which will probably never make it to DVD.