Losing my Firefly virginity

Television, Movies Games and Books Firefly
#61

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap. I know we have had this discussion…I know I wrote something I am very proud of that I simply can’t find.

(EDIT…found the post…it is here, the thread is here…here is the best bit from the post):

I can go on and on about this show, but what I realized recently in thinking about how there is a fairly interesting split between those who are in the “Our Mrs. Reynolds/Trash/Shindig” camp and the “Objects in Space/Out of Gas” camp…what is interesting to me on reflection is that this is exactly what Battlestar doesn’t have. From a narrative perspective Battlestar is squarely in the “Objects in Space/Out of Gas” camp and only very occasionally goes to the “Our Mrs. Reynolds/etc” space.

In many ways I respect that. Battlestar is about the apocalypse of society and holocaust of humanity with an unrelenting enemy…not material that lends itself to a, “Everybody love Raymond” episode.

So I will bodge this together and probably get it mostly right (for fun…skip to the end of this forum to see a copy of Chuck’s full avatar image in a discussion of Jaynestown)

There are basically two camps of Firefly fans:

Those whose favorite episodes are:
[ul]
[li]Our Mrs. Reynolds[/li][li]Shindig[/li][li]Trash[/ul]And those whose favorite episodes are[/li][ul]
[li]Objects in Space[/li][li]Out of Gas[/ul]Neither are right or wrong, but for the most part the two will never agree on what is their “favorite”. Both parties get something different out of the series and ultimately both love the show…so the point becomes moot.[/li]
I personally adore “Out of Gas” as perhaps the greatest sci-fi episode, ever (and I mean ever) with “Objects in Space” a close second.

#62

I guess I’m in your camp Solai. I mean, I love ALL the episodes of Firefly, but Out of Gas and Objects in Space are probably my two favorites. Although for me, Objects in space is probably my all time fav.
And the icing on the cake of Objects in Space is Joss Whedon’s unique audio commentary on the DVD for that episode where he reveals how deep his vision as an artist is. And also, the episode makes me sad because I know it’s the last.:frowning:

#63

I am one of the Out of Gas and Object In Space types but Our Mrs. Reynolds and Shindig probably round out the top 5 with War Stories some where in the mix.

I think Objects in Space wins because it has this shot in it

Which is one of my all time favorite shots of all time

#64

Well, I loved me some “Our Mrs. Reynolds.” This is the best episode for me so far. I simply love the humor in it, the idea that Mal could accidentally get married, the clash of simpler backwater and sophisticated city culture that gets turned on its head through the (to me, anyway) surprising twist of Saffron’s true identity. And two excellent one liners: “If someone tries to kill you you try and kill them right back” and “If you take advantage of that girl you’ll end up in a special kind of hell reserved for child molesters and people who talk in the theater.” Awesome stuff.

#65

Well, I haven’t gotten as far as these episodes, which I assume are either darker or more “realistic” alla BSG. What I’m struck by in Firefly, as compared to BSG, is how different the worlds are, even while having similar aesthetics. Firefly has a dark backstory that still allows, because of the way the characters’ realities work, for a great deal of humor and light, elements which seem cognitively dissonant in BSG (and I love “Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down,” but it is a strange episode in the context of all of BSG).

And while I love “Our Mrs. Reynolds,” I am not so much into “Shindig.”

#66

Yeah, I love that scene. Also, at the end where she goes “permission to come aboard?”, “you know, you ain’t quite right?”, “that seems to be the popular theory…” I just love the unspoken affections and warmth between River and Mal. (I almost said "between River and Solai.)

In fact, this show is full of little moments and touches that shows how much care and love exist among the crew of Serenity. It’s like a story of slightly dysfunctional, but very, very loving family, who happen to be a band of criminals.

Examples of some other of my favourite moments where it hints at how much warmth and love exist among the crew of Serenity:

  1. On-going joke between River and Kaylee “No power in the verse can stop me.”
  2. Kaylee to Mal “I love my captain…”
  3. “Take me sir, take me hard.” “Something about that is downright unsettling…”
  4. “… turns out he was like fourteen! Oh, my daddy whooped me so hard…”
  5. Numerous occasions of Wash and Zoe being playful and affectionate with each other. I’m convinced theirs was the most functional and loving marriage on TV, like ever.
  6. Serenity’s mess hall. What with all the shootings, smugglings, whorings and backstabbings, here’s a place where the crew gets together to have a proper meal together, like a proper family. And there’s a hand-painted floral trims on comfortingly cream-colored wall. It’s a place for family, with a basket of apples on the table. (“Hey, free soup!”)

and many, many more…

#67

The Mrs. and I caught “Jaynestown” and “Out of Gas” this evening. I understand these are two fan favorites, but I have to say that…

…dang it, I can’t lie! These were awesome. On the funny episode scale I think I preferred “Our Mrs. Reynolds” over “Jaynestown” for its more satisfying structure, though “Jaynestown” certainly makes a nice twist towards poignancy at the end. “Out of Gas” is, in my opinion, a frakking masterpiece. One of the best episodes of television I have seen in a really, really long time (and certainly right up there with the best of BSG. Actually, I can see a lot of influence on Eick and RDM in this episode). Wow! The flashback structure (and flashbacks within flashbacks!) is so effectively used here, when it can be so cumbersome and overused on so many shows. It’s so nice to see where everyone came from into this family and to have that framed by the very real danger they’re in (and even having seen “Serenity” already I felt a great deal of concern for these people here). SImply brilliant.

Right now I’m mostly annoyed that I’m about halfway through this series and it’s really now just hitting its stride but when I’m done in six more episodes there’s only a movie to (re)watch and that’s it.

Stupid Fox network.

#68

So say we all.

I usually wait a few weeks, and then watch again. :slight_smile:

#69

…congrats my friend…that is the first sign that you are indeed now a Browncoat.

Shiny.

#70

Welcome, Armando, to the frustrating world of Browncoats. :slight_smile:

(I was actually planning to send you a copy of Firefly, but got bogged down with work and didn’t, so I’m really glad someone stepped up.)

One funny thing: While I suppose I’m still firmly in the Our Mrs. Reynolds camp, I love Out of Gas, too. It’s so much fun to see how everyone joined the crew – Kaylee’s, um, experience and Wash’s '70s stash in particular. But there’s one truth about Firefly:

All the episodes are good. All of 'em.

#71

Now that I think about it, even though I’m definitely in the Shindig/Our Mrs Reynolds camp (ahem look at my callsign? Though I’m not horrible like her), I think Out of Gas is really fabulous. It really gets into the characters and the history of the ship - which is even more poignant knowing that they didn’t get to have more TV storylines. :frowning:

#72

Dang it! I’m a Browncoat now, aren’t I? Well, then, Goran it! (I need to work on my Chinese cursing.)

Actually, I think my wife, who’s not really much into sci-fi at all, may be turning into one as well. Last night she said to me: “I wish the set had come with the movie too.” I think she’s enjoying it. :smiley:

#73

So say we all.

#74

I just wanted to add 2 things.

Armando’s adventure has sparked a rewatch for me. I am truly enjoying it again. And again, moruning the greatness that will never be.

I also wanted to throw in my 2 cents on the Slave Leia costume. I think for women there are 2 main schools of thought on the custume itself.

  1. Leia looked awesome in it. She also, arguably, had some of her most inspiring & powerful moments wearing it. If you can pull a look like that off, it’s quite empowering in & of itself to wear something like that. It is very rare, especially in fandom, that a woman who feels confident enough to wear it gets disrespected in a fannish setting.

  2. It has become mainstream for 2 very significant reasons. Star Wars itself has crossed that invisible boundary into the mainstream conscious. And, that episode of Friends where Ross revealed that it was every male of his generations fantasy. I know many of my friends & myself as well, checked with our male friends if this was the case, for most it was. My group of friends can not have been the only ones.

Good bad or indifferent, all of us enjoy feeling sexy from time to time. If you have been given a clear cut way to do so for a maximum amount of people and still remain at least presentable, you’re gonna take it!

Is it mysogynistic? Jabba’s use of it was, Leia’s actions made it so that you can still look sexy but still kick some serious Sorrybarb. Up until Jedi, there were very few instances that allowed a woman to be feminine & appealing & not be treated as an imbecile. I as a woman love that we celebrate that landmark.

#75

Speaking of the ultimate end of Firefly, is there any Firefly publishing (novels, stories, comics) at all beyond fanfiction? I’d love to read more stories of these characters beyond Serenity but I don’t remember whether there are such stories being told.

#76

There is 1 graphic novel and I think some comic books but I’m not sure!

#77

Watched “Ariel” and “War Stories” last night. To be honest, I don’t know if I need to keep posting about this show anymore. I’m pretty much in love with it. “Ariel” is pretty standard and it didn’t make a HUGE impression on me; but “War Stories:” MAN! Talk about a harrowing and yet also funny episode. I’m sitting there watching two people getting electrocuted and having an argument over a girl at the same time. How does Joss Whedon do it? It’s amazing to ask us to be both reviled and at the same time laugh at what’s going on. Way to deflect what would otherwise have been a very heavy, dark episode (cf. “Flesh and Bone”).

#78

Joss isn’t big on licensing FF out. The author Steven Brust did a novel, “My Own Kind of Freedom,” but couldn’t get it authorized, so he released it free online. Google for a variety of formats.

ETA: to be clear, it’s pre-Serenity.

#79

Dude, I’ll still check it out.

#80

You missed a good Deathmatch along those lines.
Still, it’s a good place to go a brush up on your Browncoat speak
—>http://forum.galacticwatercooler.com/showthread.php?p=79939#post79939