Firefly - The Complete Series (Box Set) (DVD)

...Serenity"

== FIREFLY ==
=== The Show That Could Have Been ===

Joss Whedon is one of the few geniuses in the industry right now, and this show, Firefly, was the TV series that got me hooked on all of Joss Whedon's creations. Firefly seamlessly fused the swashbuckling action of the western genre with the intricate mythos of science-fiction. As always, I've read about all the hype around the web first before finally ...
...Anyway, I'm here to review Firefly and not to mope and feel angry for the canned shows.

== THE DVD ==
=== Worth every buck ===

I've bought three copies of this DVD when I found them on sale in a Philippine eBay-like website. I bought one for myself, another for my friend who loved Battlestar Galactica so much and wanted a "filler series" when that show was on a hiatus, and the last one was a gift to my sister ... more

"Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care, I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me"
- excerpt from "The Ballad of Serenity"

FIREFLY

The Show That Could Have Been

Joss Whedon is one of the few geniuses in the industry right now, and this show, Firefly, was the TV series that got me hooked on all of Joss Whedon's creations. Firefly seamlessly fused the swashbuckling action of the western genre with the intricate mythos of science-fiction. As always, I've read about all the hype around the web first before finally deciding to watch it. I soon found out that Firefly got cancelled because of really low ratings. What is it with good TV shows getting canceled? From the top of my head: Arrested Development, Pushing Daisies, Boomtown--- these are all good shows and they got canceled before they can even establish their presence! It's a shame that this particular show, Firefly, is also part of that list. It would've been one of those shows that can grow into a better show (LOST) or start out fine and decline steadily as the seasons pass (Heroes and Prison Break). Anyway, I'm here to review Firefly and not to mope and feel angry for the canned shows.

THE DVD

Worth every buck

I've bought three copies of this DVD when I found them on sale in a Philippine eBay-like website. I bought one for myself, another for my friend who loved Battlestar Galactica so much and wanted a "filler series" when that show was on a hiatus, and the last one was a gift to my sister who wanted to watch a "different" kind of series (she's a big fan of teen-oriented TV shows and needed something else to watch).

This DVD series features 14 episodes, only 11 of which were broadcasted, but that doesn't mean you get ripped-off because there were only 14 episodes instead of the usual 21 or 22. That's the beauty of Firefly, the whole thing was kept interesting all throughout the unfinished season. There are no filler episodes here, all 14 episodes are great in their own special way, and each of them can pretty much stand alone and make fans out of anyone! I can't pick one episode to call my favorite because everytime I re-watch this series, there are small things I notice (like a certain Chinese curse word or a change in one of the character's usual get-up) that make me love one episode more than the other. Some characters shine on certain episodes and that's another thing I can't decide on: a favorite character. Here's my take on the main characters of this fabulous series:

THE CHARACTERS

NOTE: There are nine major characters in this series and each of them played an important role in forming the story, this might take long so if you're not really interested, you can skip this part and move along...

First, there's Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion), he owns Serenity, the ship by which most of the episodes will take place. Also, he was once a sergeant of the Browncoats, one of the Alliance's major enemies in the Unification War. I admit, there are a lot of terms I need to define, for you to "get the gist" of what I'm saying but defining those terms may spoil some of the series' fine twists so let's just leave it at that. Anwyay, in my opinion, eventhough Mal is admittedly the lead character in the whole series, I feel that he is also the least-endearing one among the crew. Sure, there were some moments where he can induce Aaawwww reactions from the viewers, but I just don't like his arrogant way of doing things most of the time. Throughout the whole series, there were only three distinct scenes that made me quietly utter: "Alright Malcolm!" and that can't be said to the rest of the characters who I love equally and fairly. If that was the exact reaction Mr. Whedon wanted to illicit from his viewers, then Nathan Fillon played this character quite effectively, I guess. I even found myself rooting against him in one of the more tense-filled episodes, LOL. I was wishing he'll get killed by the Reavers and then leave the series for good. But now I'm digressing, so enough of Malcolm...

And then there is Inara Serra (played by Morena Baccarin), Serenity's resident "Companion". I wouldn't define what Companion means, let's just say she's not your typical crew member. I think as much as I hated Malcolm, it was his scenes with the beautiful Inara that made me like him just a little bit. This woman is sexy, smart, and despite her position, still retains her dignity. Oops, I think I may have defined what Companion is. LOL. But seriously now, had Firefly continued its course, I have a feeling Inara would be one of the central characters among the 9 members of the crew. Her aura is shrouded in mystery, only River (more on her later) can probably outdo her in that aspect.

Zoe Washburne (played by Gina Torres) is Malcolm's second-in-command. She's also Mal's voice of reason when things get too complicated inside Malcolm's head. The one thing I admire about Zoe is her loyalty to Mal and to the crew. Ms. Torres is one heck of a talented lady to pull off a character as complicated as Zoe. She can be the sweetest one on board, and after a few minutes, she can be as vicious as a she-wolf. Hahaha. I loved watching Zoe so much, especially when she has scenes with her husband, Wash. They really have great chemistry together and it shows whenever they're doing their "thing". I think among the crew, it is Zoe who had the hardest job because she had to shift from sassy wife to serious vice-captain in a blink of an eye. There were a couple of episodes where the focus was on Zoe and Wash's relationship, and although some may expect that it will go saccharine or soap-operaish, it never did. I just love these two when they're together, it's like watching a real life couple.

The pilot of Serenity and Zoe's husband Hoban "Wash" Washburne (played by Alan Tudyk) is also this show's frequent comic relief. Wash is like your average Joe, the character that everyone can relate to, and honestly he's the only sane one at times. If I had to choose one character to become my bestfriend for a day, I'd pick Wash in a hearbeat. I also give high commendation to Alan Tudyk for portraying Wash so perfectly. Like what Torres did with Zoe, Tudyk really nailed every nuances of this character. What I love about Wash is that when he's serious, he's like that geek who was given an A- in an assignment, he's really on board and ready-to-fight. I can't think of a single scene where Wash didn't steal the show. He always have snappy one-liners that make me laugh out loud.

If Wash is like a big softie, then Jayne Cobb (played by Adam Baldwin) is the complete opposite. Sure, Jayne can also throw a quick one-liner every once in a while, but the rest of the time Jayne always means business. He's ruthless, brutal, and a bit on the slow side in certain situations, but there's a lot more to his character than just the "thug" stereotype. Among all of them, it was Jayne who I hated initially, but grew fond of as each episode passes. He made a big turn-around in one particular scene that made me a big fan of this tough guy. Of course you have to watch the series to know what I'm talking about.

Now what is a ship without its mechanic right? Although Jayne would've also fit that role well, it's Kaylee Frye (played by Jewel Staite) who serves as the ship's mechanic. She's not your ordinary mechanic either, Kaylee is a child in a grown woman's body, and it's enough to say that she is the heart of this series. She's just too adorable and incredibly sweet that you'd think she was one of those ditzy girls in High School Musical. LOL. If you're thinking maybe Kaylee has a secret, then you're probably right. The show just didn't last long enough for us to discover it. Hahaha.

Now we're down to the last three characters, Derrial Book, and the siblings Simon and River Tam. These characters are played by Ron Glass, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau, respectively. Derrial Book serves as the ship's Shepherd (I wasn't so sure how this translates to the real world, a pastor or a priest maybe), and at certain times in the series, he's almost like the Yoda of Firefly. Like Inara, Shepherd Book's aura is also shrouded in mystery, which is most notable when he explains battle strategies as if he never lived a Shepherd's way of life. Hmmmm. Now let's talk about the siblings. Simon is the bland doctor who I never really cared for. * snickers * Let's just say, he's the token "pretty boy" of this TV series who may have been solely created to get some shallow tweens to take interest with the show. Aside from his medic position, he also plays older brother to River Tam, the more "interesting" sibling. River is an Enigma, yes with the capital E. No, if you're currently thinking about it, Enigma is not an alien race or anything like that, I am really describing River. If Mal was the main character, then it's sufficient to say that River was the show itself. All 14 episodes gave us small bits of information about River, who she really is and what she's capable of. Again, I can't get angry enough because of this show's cancelation, I would've learned more about River had that not happened. * vents out his fury in a string of Chinese curses * (and if you've been noticing the references to Chinese, it's because according to the Firefly mythos, the language people will use in the future is a mish-mash of English and Chinese. Enginese or Chinglish, if you may.)

THE PERSONAL IMPACT THE SHOW HAD ON ME

Well, I've already told you that Firefly is a western/sci-fi mash-up and I've introduced you to the cast... what else is there to add right? I just want to say that Firefly was MORE THAN JUST A SHOW to me. I am not exaggerating here. I may have not watched it on its original run, but when I watched all 14 episodes on DVD, re-watched it every time I could, then the thought sinks in that it's canceled and all I have are these 14 beautiful episodes--- I feel like a part of me is gone. Again, not exaggerating. I just can't believe it's over. I think the winning formula of any TV show is an interesting and malleable plotline, a coherent direction, and innovative story-telling concepts that will make it stand out. I think Firefly satisfied all three of these. The plot was ripe for explosive action and riveting suspense but it was unfortunate that we didn't see its potential. Whedon's direction, I believe, is superb and he never had a miss in any scene. And the innovation... maaaaan, we're talking about a show that would have been our generation's "Twin Peaks" (remember that show? Who killed Laura Palmer?) I am so sad and so angry that Firefly is now just a TV series you can only get on DVD. A TV show that's the epitome of a could-have-been. I know this is impossible, but I'm still one of the few Browncoats who's shouting: "Why did they cancel 'insert name of canceled show here'? Let's bring back Firefly!!!" everytime a good show gets canceled. LOL. I think it's a lost cause, but maybe, just maybe, it will be worth it. ^_^

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NOTE: This review has been previously published at Ciao.com
(c) inkyuboz (Anyone who copies this will face my wrath!)  

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