If you’ve yet to join the GWC crew in the official Firefly re-watch, now’s a great time to start. This week’s episode is Bushwhacked, important in that it introduces us to reavers – critical to anyone who’s seen the Firefly movie Serenity – plus it goes a long way toward establishing why the Flrefly 'verse is the way it is.
We’ll be watching this week as well, and you can join the official discussion right here!
I must say, that this has never been my favorite episode of Firefly, but I love all the scenes of the various crew members getting interviewed aboard the alliance ship,
Zoe: We’re very private people.
cut to
Wash: Have you ever been with a warrior woman.
and especially Jayne’s…silent.
Yeah, not my fave episode, but one of my fave sequences. That’s the beauty of this show. There’s always going to be stinkers, but if there’s gems in even the stinkers, you’re good.
Liked this ep. a lot was the only one which was a little creepy and made reavers scary, we had Washes famous outakes from this one i almost pee’d myself seriously there might have been a little pee
Her legs defintily her legs you can put that down, her legs right where they meet her back that whole area that and above it .
I always though this episode even before serenity was setting up the series wide conflict reavers vs the alliance vs those stuck in the middle
We see how Mal will use/deceive his crew to get them through danger i always saw him as a force to get those around him through alive, its not a matter of personal betrayal, it was to get his crew/unit out alive because of his past experience
besides Jayne messed with Simon’s head, Jayne got spooked and River walked around barefoot :rolleyes: “HOT!”
and it showed why the aliance was doomed you follow rules; instead of logic and common sence, and you’ll pobably fail in what you attempt.
besides an awsome zoe line
Zoe: Jayne you’ll scare the women
This is my first time through Firefly and this episode is my favorite (though Jaynestown- the last episode I’ve watched thus far- comes close).
This view of the Firefly verse really shows the dangers of both the reavers and the Alliance rule. I am so curious about how the reavers came to be. They’re sort of like Nazis kicked up a notch without the benefit of ideology to justify their behavior and guide their actions. (Everyone gets that I’m not supporting Nazis right?) If they found a way to control the universe, that would be truly frightening.
Like everyone else I loved the crew questioning scenes, especially Wash and Zoe. You don’t have to be married to appreciate their comments, but if you are their words really hit home. Men and women are so different!
I am loving this show. Thanks GWC for doing this.
This is your first time Dawn? Nice! Welcome to the browncoats.
This was the first epsidoe of firefly I saw way back in 03. I firsted wanted to see how edumb it was, but I fell in love with it. The more I see this episode, the more I like it. This is so much better on a second, or even 3rd viewing.
One of the best things about this episode is the way the plot totaly changes half way through it. At first, its all about how they find a ship and everyone is dead…except for one dude. then, in a seemingly different episode, its all about the Allience showing up
Of course, better things are coming in the series.
Seeing this again, I wonder how Mal knows so much about Reavers. There’s a great episode that never was: Mal’s Reaver back story.
Hey that’s a great thread idea: Great Episodes that Never Was!
Here’s a couple:
“A Preacher Knows” Shepherd Book’s Back Story (too obvious)
“Interesting Day” Badger offers Jayne more money than Mal currently pays
Anyone else?
Reavers are a bit of a contradiction. I understand the really awful stuff. What I don’t understand is how they manage to run ships and operate some sort of society. Somewhere in their Super-Agression, their survival instinct ties in with intelligence. Anyone have any ideas on that?
I think that the “Interesting Day” Scenario did happen, in the episode Ariel. There’s not much more that can be written about it, excepting that there would be a face-off between Mal and Jayne, rather than skipping to the end. I also don’t think it would be Badger. I don’t think Jayne trusts badger enough to make a deal like that.
As I understand it, the blue handed men were resolved in a comicbook which took place between Objects in Space, and Serenity (the movie), but I would have wanted an episode at least about that.
I would have been interested to see the episode where Inara left, and a sort of multi-episode arc about what effect that had on the crew.
Oh, and another thought… GWC’s disclaimer is always that broadcast episodes are free game, but no spoilers. “The Message” and “Heart of Gold” never aired. They are perpetually in spoiler territory. What to do!?!
I am also in the “not my favorite episode” camp. Of all the episodes this is the one I watch the least. Until this thread I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say that this one was their favorite…it inspired me to watch it again with a clean slate.
Thank you for that Dawn. I know you are still in the process of watching the series and very well may choose another episode as your favorite, but your post helped me watch this episode fresh.
I have gained a new appreciation of this episode. The whole play of the concepts of civilization, the reveal of Mal’s knowledge of Reavers, the first glance at the backstories of the characters, Kaylee’s reaction to Serenity being looked down on…
…classic. I mean, c’mon…any episode that features the Scifi equivalent of “Calvinball” is good in my book.
DawnAZ, welcome to the Firefly verse. You said that this was your favorite episode, well, my favorites are My Mrs. Reynolds, Out of Gas, Shindig and Objects in Space. I know that’s almost a third of the entire tv series, but I can’t choose, please Dawn, don’t make me narrow it down any more than that!
It’s weird though, I liked scenes from this episode, but still after 4 or 5 viewings now, I don’t really like the story of the episode itself. It’s funny to see Grant Show (from Melrose Place) in a very different role, captaining Alliance high-rise towers.
That interview scene, juxtaposing Zoe and Wash’s different reactions as well as doing the same juxtaposition between Simon’s frightened look as he peers into the great nothingness of space and River’s glowing face while looking out at the wonder that is deep space while the both of them were hanging off the ship, then once back on board, River ecstatically clamoring to go out there again!
It was fun watching the crew truly enjoying themselves at the beginning, playing with the ball and hoop/ring-thing
It’s important that we finally see a manifestation of the only thing that can scare Jayne (reavers), I just didn’t feel the suspense and tension really match some of the other episodes of the series… probably partially due to the dry way Grant Show played the Alliance baddy. For that matter, what reason would the Alliance care about the particulars of the marriage between Wash and Zoe, so I understand Zoe’s reaction to the questioning… but with Wash, it’s pretty easy to understand why he gushes about how hot his wife is… because she’s hot (and apparently also a warrior in bed).
I really really like this ep., after my first time through Firefly (in a 2-day marathon). the shots where you see the crazynewreaver take out his various sharp items to kill someone scared me to pieces. Also, Kaylee’s whole interview was hilarious.
Hm, not as strong as The Train Job and I didn’t really buy that the guy turned into a Reaver himself. Only taken some psychology, never any clinical psychology, so I could be dead wrong, but I don’t think that’s the way people would deal with that kind of PTSS.
Once again I must say that I’m baffled with the coolness of the many one-liners. Very witty stuff, on par with Buffy.
Stranger things have happened man! You need to finish up the series and then watch the movie. It’s freaking nuts how the reavers came into being in the first place… 