Some wag once characterized Star Wars as “Wagon Train to the Stars.”
Gene Rodinberry actually directed a couple Wagon Train episodes.
Wrong SciFi series!
Supposedly the quote comes from Rodenberry when asked about Star Trek: TOS. He claimed he sold it to the network as a sort of “Wagon Train to the Stars”. Frankly I can’t see it.
Now Firefly definitely is whether it was intended to be or not!
You are mistaken. Gene Roddenberry actually pitched Star Trek to the suits at Paramount using that exact phrase. And the show very much was that...