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Thursdays are usually a time when I write about movies I've seen during the week and offer reviews. Except this week, due to travel commitments — tornadoes and airports — I didn't see any. Well, that's not true either. I saw "Inception" again, but I don't think I need a third post on that movie... at least not until it's been out longer than two weeks.

So I thought I'd fill this space with a look at a couple projects from Joss Whedon that have developed a cult following that you can check out on home video or Netflix during these long summer months.

Joss Whedon is a unique writer and director. He's probably most well known for his work creating both the film and TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and it's spin-off, "Angel." I have to confess, I never really got into those two series. His most recent series, "Dollhouse," offered an intriguing premise but probably took too long to get going.

What first made me a Whedon fan was his show "Firefly." Now when someone tells you a show is a "space western" that features a hybrid of Old West and Chinese culture mixed with futuristic space travel, your next question is probably to inquire which drugs they took. But the words "space western" are probably the best description of "Firefly," which is one of the best five shows ever to appear on television. Sadly, it failed to find an audience and was cancelled after just 13 episodes.

I have the complete series on DVD. It is headlined by Nathan Fillion, who's hilarious, and is one of the most engrossing TV experiences ever. For those that just can't get enough, Whedon was allowed to wrap up some of the plot lines with the movie "Serenity," which follows the cast of "Firefly" and adds a little backstory before wrapping up some of the issues left dangling when the series was cut short.

"Firefly" has developed a strong cult following, largely due to it's unique mix of sci-fi, comedy, and drama. It's unfortunate more people didn't find it when the show aired. I am among those that didn't find it until DVD. I think that's the other reason I find it intriguing, it's a great case study in the inability of networks to market shows and concepts that don't fit into a conventional box.

My second most favorite Whedon project is an example of the pure creative process. It's "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog." It sounds like a joke, a musical developed and shot on the cheap for the Internet. But that shows just the kind of creativity that Whedon and company possess.

The writers guild strike in 2007-2008 has to go down as one of the most costly, ridiculous labor stoppages in recent memory. It killed the industry as we know it and resulted in losses for everyone involved. It also stifled the creativity and potentially killed off a whole crop of shows that had their legs cut out from under them just as they were getting going.

The only good thing about the strike was "Dr. Horrible." As a way to pass the time and entertain viewers during the strike, Whedon created "Dr. Horrible" as a three-act short for the Web. He recruited pals Fillion and the hilarious Neil Patrick Harris to take the lead roles and developed something that is as great and powerful as anything produced for the big or small screen. In less than an hour Whedon tells a moving, wity, and engaging story that is as surprising in its payoff as in the quality of the production.

"Dr. Horrible," like so many Whedon projects, has developed a cult following. It's now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and I recommend you checking it out. You won't be disappointed.