Firefly. Firefly. Just the word makes me feel warm inside. Every time I see it, or something about it, I am reminded of how happy I was to escape to that world for the forty odd minutes per episode. So, if you're hoping for objective, you've come to the wrong place, mister.
Right. Vampires, vampires, cowboys in space. By that I mean, Buffy (the film, then the TV series), Angel and then Firefly seems an odd progression of ideas from their creator, Joss Whedon. But then I had a look on imdb to see if that was really how it went and I noticed that Toy Story, Alien: Resurection (what was he thinking) and Titan AE are also in the list. The point is, Joss Whedon has a good TV pedigree. I liked the Buffy film, and the start of the Buffy series at least but I think I had grown out of it by the time Angel came along. So when a friend said: "Hester, I'm going to lend you this DVD box set because you need to watch it." I was prepared to go with it.
So, I sat down in front of my TV and took my first step into the world of the Firefly fan. And I was sitting there for quite some time. Because I couldn't stop watching. I was riveted to the sofa. I was only taking breaks to make more coffee and go to the toilet. I was amazed. This was brilliant. Anyway, I made it about half way through the
half series before I had to go to sleep so that I could make it to lectures the next morning.
The next morning: on my way upstairs to the lab and Dean runs up to me and says: "Hester, are you humming the firefly song?" Am I? As it turns out, yes I am. That TV program has infiltrated my brain. And I like it! So I made it home to watch the rest. But as it turns out, there isn't all that much of it. And as any fan will tell you, there isn't nearly enough.
There are only 14 episodes of the series because it was cancelled by Fox before even all those made were aired in America. So it would have been even more irritating to have been watching it on TV and then have it just taken away from you. The episodes were even aired in a different order than intended because Fox didn't like the double length introduction. Fortunately the DVD is put together by someone with sense.
Ok, a quick summary without giving anything away: It's a Sci-fi western. That means its set in space - but not the infinite space of Star Trek, it's just one system - not ours - but it is set in our future. There's a lot of the old west in the outer planets, horses and smuggling and the like, oh and hats and guns. There's an evil empire - but not ruled by a caped emperor like in Star Wars - it's more of an economic empire. So the subjects of the series are a rag tag bunch of people who don't quite fit in with the empire's values or are actually outlaws. However, each person on the ship has their own story to tell, some of which get told over the course of the series and some of which they just don't get to.
It is set in a really well constructed world, which you just can't help enjoying. It's slang, it's characters, it's intruigue and it's storylines all drag you in, get you involved and make you wish Fox had jettisoned their cancel button.
The episodes: (as they are on the DVD, not how they were broadcast): "Serenity" "The Train Job" "Bushwhacked" "Shindig" "Safe" "Our Mrs. Reynolds" "Jaynestown" "Out of Gas" "Ariel" "War Stories" "Trash" "The Message" "Heart of Gold" "Objects in Space" As I sit here I am unable to choose a favorite. I did like Trash, and The Message, oh this could go on all day.
The cast: it's not a line up of familiar names; you might know a few faces especially since most of them have turned up in either Buffy or Angel as well. But they're all good and the fact that you don't know them in particular for something else makes it easier to accept them in these roles.
Nathan Fillion - Capt. Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds (became captain after fighting on the losing side in the war) Gina Torres - Zoë Washburne (was in the War with Mal and is second in command on the ship) Alan Tudyk - Hoban 'Wash' Washburne (pilot and dinosaur expert) Morena Baccarin - Inara Serra ("companion", very attractive) Adam Baldwin - Jayne Cobb (the muscles with the hat) Jewel Staite - Kaylee Frye (the always cheerful mechanic) Sean Maher - Dr. Simon Tam (Doctor, quite annoying) Summer Glau - River Tam (Simon's sister - that's all I'm saying) Ron Glass - Shepherd Book (the mysterious priest)
I don't want to give anything away plot wise, so I'm going to leave it there.
This is a really stylish (half a) series with an accomplished cast, good writing with interesting stories and dialogue and the only space opera I know of that is brave enough to have space silent (it's a vacuum people, sound doesn't travel).
The only drawback with it is that you will wish it went on longer. BUT, there is hope! Yes, they made a film. Serenity. I went all the way to Edinburgh to see it without even being sure of having tickets before I set off. And yes, it was worth it. [The fact that it got cancelled does mean it never got the chance to go stale.]
I really love this series. Yes, I do like sci-fi in general, but I know plenty of others who aren't geeks like me and still love it. Even if you don't want to take the risk of buying it, you could rent the first disc. I'm fairly sure you'll run out and buy the box set straight away.
Special features: A few commentaries by cast and crew. I admit to not finding these exactly gripping. Joss Whedon sings the theme song. A tour of the ship and a featurette on the ship itself. Pretty good, especially if you cn't get enough firefly stuff. A "making of" feature. This is good value. Join the cast and crew in their bitterness about cancellation. Deleted scenes and gag reel.
All in all the special features are not brilliant, but they do allow you a few more minutes of time aboard Serenity.
Extra DVD info should you want it:
Picture: Widescreen 1.78:1 Anamorphic Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Languages: English Subtitles: English Hearing Impaired Running Time: 625 Minutes
I forgot to add: DVD has easter egg. You can find it, you can.
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
I must live in the dark ages Hester as I hadn't even heard of this, although not a sci fi fan in the true sense, westerns ( Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers etc LOL ) were a popular film in my days as a nipper and this would be interesting to see. Well reviewed. xx
graeme10 13.04.2008 21:27
One of the finest SF series on TV - ever - and it was criminal of Fox the way they mucked about with the order they showed the episodes and how they finally buried it. Mind you, Christina Hendricks ('YoSafBridge') was the absolute highlight of the show for me.... great actress and as cute as a button. :)
torr 12.03.2008 11:54
Another gap in my education (though I did see the film Serenity, and thought it sucked. Ah well.)
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?
Advantages: Excellent script/writing, fantastic characters, and a good overall "look" and "feel" to the show. Disadvantages: There is only one season of Firefly
![Firefly - The Complete Series [DVD] [2003]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78518679.jpg "Firefly - The Complete Series [DVD] [2003]")
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