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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer - Before you begin reading this review I should give a "warning" as to its length. This is a very long review, however, I feel it was necessary in order to be a full review of an entire box-set of the TV series. If you're familiar with Firefly feel free to skim parts of the review, if you've never heard of the show then I hope this review gives you the information you need to be informed about the series, Firefly.
Firefly is a fantastic TV series written by Joss Whedon. It graced the us, the viewing audience, with its presence on our television sets in the years 2002 and 2003 and is now available on DVD as a boxed set.
~Who is this Joss Whedon Guy Anyway?~
While I'm sure most people have heard of the shows and movies that have been written by this very clever fellow, there may be a few people who have not heard the name Joss Whedon. (If that's the case then let me fill you in on a bit of details. If you already know and love Joss' work then feel free to skip on to the next section.)
Joss is the main man responsible for the clever and witty dialogue for the two TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, but his TV experience doesn't stop there. In fact he has also written for Parenthood and Roseanne as well. Joss' writing has not been limited to the genre of the television series either, he has also written for movies such as Alien Resurrection, Titan A.E., Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Serenity (the movie based on the Firefly series). He also wrote the screenplay for Toy Story.
His writing is the reason that Firefly has such creative, witty, and humorous dialogue and works so well.
~So what exactly *IS* Firefly?~
It is a TV series about the adventures and experiences of the crew of Serenity, which is a Firefly class starship (and thus where the series gets its name). The series was inspired by the American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era, though obviously not to promote/deal with/ discuss the same "issues" for the fighting of that particular war. The Unification War in Firefly was fought between the Alliance and the Independents (a.k.a. Browncoats), but the series takes place just after the war has ended (with the Alliance
as victors).
While Firefly is of the Sci-Fi Genre, it has a distinct Western feel to it. Take the "spaceships" out of the scene and it would, in fact, be a Western (complete with six-shooters, horses and all). It also dabbles in a few other "genres" of writing in several of the episodes but rather than detracting from the show, this seems to add to the charm of the series and actually allows for a much more free style of writing catering to a fan-base that covers several genres.
~And the cast of Serenity?~ There are 9 permanent characters on the series, however there are two groups. The first is the actual crew of Serenity, and the second are the passengers they pick up in the first episode..
The crew of Serenity is made up of: Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds ( Nathan Fillion) - A tough no-nonsense fellow that grew up on a ranch with his mother. He volunteered to fight on the side of the Independents (he was a Sergeant) against the Alliance in the Unification War. During the final battle of the war (The Battle of Serenity Valley) everyone in Mal's unit was killed except for him and one other Browncoat.
Zoe Washburn (Gina Torres) - A warrior woman who fought with Mal (as his Corporal) during the Unification War. She is tough and very loyal to Mal. They were the only survivors of The Battle of Serenity Valley. She has followed Mal since those days of fighting together and is now second in command of the ship. When Mal first bought Serenity and was putting together a crew she met her future husband and fell completely in love with him.Hoban "Wash" Washburn (Alan Tudyk) - He is one hell of a pilot and can fly the Firefly through anything. He has a witty sense of humor, and often brings a bit of light-hearted banter into the scene. He is totally in love with his wife Zoe, but sometimes doesn't understand her complete loyalty to Mal. Wash works well with everyone on the ship, but is especially effective in his flying of Serenity when he's got a great mechanic in the engine room to keep her in the air.
Kaywinnit Lee "Kaylee" Frye (Jewel Staite) - She's not exactly the type of person you'd expect to be a top-of-the-line mechanic, but no one can do the job quite like her. Machines have always talked to Kaylee and she just knows what they need to make them work right. She really loves the Firefly class starship and Serenity is her gal. Kaylee is the peacemaker and is genuinely likable and friendly towards everyone. It's hard not to be her friend and trust her, even if you're a despicable, untrustworthy mercenary.
Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin) - Accidentally a member of the crew, Jayne is one heck of a fighter though not one to put your trust in. He'll only stay as long as the money is better than what the other side is offering. Jayne is a gun-toting but strangely lovable goon who adds the tough side of the humour and can get the crew out of some sticky situations. He's also the most uneducated of the bunch, which is a direct contract to the well-mannered, well-educated companion.
Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin) - A licensed Companion from the Inner Planets. She is very Buddhist in her beliefs and adds a regal quality to the crew. Because of her "skills" and "talents" several planets welcome a ship that would normally be turned away. It's a two way street though as flying with Serenity also gives her the opportunity to expand her client base. While Inara tends to keep to herself most of the time, her interactions with the crew bring layers of subtext to the plot and an air of intrigue as to her reasons for leaving the lush, rich and more civilized planets.
The "passengers" that become part of the crew are: Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) - On the surface he appears to be a mild-mannered Preacher, though in many episodes you get a sneak peak into an individual that is definitely more than he seems. He adds to the conscience of the crew, and often adds some reason and morals without being "preachy" or "pushy" about his beliefs.
Simon Tam (Sean Maher) - A young doctor from the "civilized" planets. He is on the run from the Alliance because of the rescue he pulled off by saving his sister. He is very naive as far as the "ways of the world" and is often shocked by the barbaric nature of the outer planets. He loves his sister very much though and will do anything to keep her safe.
River Tam (Summer Glau) - She was subjected to terrible experiments at the hands of the Alliance. River was rescued by her brother Simon, but her condition is still tremendously unstable. No one on board Serenity knows exactly how to react to her or what was done to her to cause her to be the way she is.
The "enemy" or just people that get in the way (In most episodes there is a different conflict but the following two groups pose a permanent threat to Mal and his crew.):
The Alliance - Typically the "bad guys" though most of the time they're not evil, rather nosy and in the way.
Reavers - Animal-like, once human, cannibalistic creatures that roam the black (a.k.a. space) in spaceships with the remains of their victims strapped to the outside. Reavers are terrifying, and grotesque (though there are only a couple Reavers episodes in the series) and best avoided. In the episodes that do have Reavers it is impossible not to feel a deep sense of dread and fear linked to their appearance. It's enough to make you shudder. . ~Seasons and Episodes~
Unfortunately for Firefly fans (known in the Verse as Browncoats) only one season of Firefly was made. The season consisted of 14 episodes, though it did lead to the creation and filming of a full length feature film with the same characters (also written by Joss Whedon). The feature film is titled Serenity.
~Cost, Rating, and any other little Tidbits~ Price for the complete Firefly Series on Amazon.com is listed as $35.95
(The following information is from the IMDb Firefly Page at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/ - for more information see the website.) Also Known As: Firefly: The Series (USA) Runtime: 42 min (15 episodes) Country: USA Language: English / Mandarin Color: Color Sound Mix: Stereo Certification: UK:12 (12 episodes) / UK:PG (2 episodes) / Australia:M
~The Ballad of Serenity (a.k.a. The Main Title From Firefly)
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.
Take me out to the black. Tell 'em I ain't comin' back. Burn the land And boil the sea. You can't take the sky from me.
Have no place I can be since I found Serenity. But you can't take the sky from me. - by Joss Whedon and the music is performed by Sonny Rhodes
~And Firefly was written for which Audience?~
Firefly was definitely written for fans of the Sci-Fi and Western Genres. It's also written for those who like witty dialogue, and a good story line. And of course, this is good for those who like a little bit of action and shoot-em up type TV as well, though there's not much shoot-em up in comparison to a lot of other series. The stories aren't fantastical or "out there" like you'd get in many sci-fi series and there are no aliens. So if you're looking for that you should check out one of the many other series of that sort available.
I would never presume to recommend to parents what children should or shouldn't watch but I must say that there are quite a few adult issues discussed (there is after all a Companion on the ship), and also some scary parts (the Reavers are fairly gory though not nearly as much in the series as in the film). So I'd recommend previewing the series before allowing younger members of the family to watch it.
NOTE: In this review I have only included facts about the show itself. I did not review any of the extra features on the discs because I have not finished watching all of them and therefore can not give an honest and informed opinion as to their quality (though I must say that my copy of the box set did come in a very nifty metal box).
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Science Fiction - Director: Alex Proyas - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride, Alan Tudyk
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
Much praised and much missed after its premature cancellation,Fireflyis the first SF TV ... more
series to be conceived by Joss Whedon, creator ofBuffyand cocreator ofAngel. Set five centuries in the future, it is a show where the mysterious personal pasts of t...
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All 14 Series EpisodesFive hundred years in the future there's a whole new frontier, and a ... more
crew of the Firefly-class spaceship Serenity is eager to stake a claim on the action. They'll take any job, legal or illegal, to keep fuel in the tanks and food ...
Five hundred years in the future there's a whole new frontier and the crew of the ... more
Firefly-class spaceship Serenity is eager to stake a claim on the action. They'll take any job legal or illegal to keep fuel in the tanks and food on the table. But th...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Much praised and much missed after its premature cancellation,Fireflyis the first SF TV ... more
series to be conceived by Joss Whedon, creator ofBuffyand cocreator ofAngel. Set five centuries in the future, it is a show where the mysterious personal pasts of t...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: The boxset is inexspensive, and you can also get a feature length movie called Serenity to go with it, long lasting entertainment, crosses genres so that nonsci fi fans still get hooked Disadvantages: Fox cancelled it, so unless someone commisons more, this is it. Did I mention this show is addictive?
![Firefly - The Complete Series [DVD] [2003]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78518679.jpg "Firefly - The Complete Series [DVD] [2003]")
Oct 27th, 2006
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