Firefly

Do you like a little Western with your Sci Fi? I didn't think I would, either. But then I gave Firefly (created by Joss Whedon) a chance. Maybe you caught it the first time around back in 2002. Or maybe, like Hubby and I, you collapse onto the couch at night after the kids are finally asleep and happen upon a rerun of an old show you completely missed and get hooked.

We soon realized we had to stop casually watching odd episodes and just start from the beginning with Netflix streaming. There are only 14 episodes, since the series was cancelled after one season. But that doesn't mean it isn't good. Probably just didn't catch on with a more general audience. And as you know, if you've been reading my blog for a while, my tastes in film and TV are a bit quirky.

Firefly. Every character on the crew of the spaceship Serenity is engaging, from Captain Malcolm ("Mal") Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion), to unfortunate genius/psychotic River Tam. The series is set five hundred years in the future when humans have moved on to another galaxy of terraformed planets. Some live in an abundance of technology, while others, "not so much".

I like the pseudo western/futuristic wardrobe (it is good, not at all over-the-top) and the fact that there are no lame aliens (no aliens at all, actually). Also, the mix of Chinese language and aesthetic that permeates this vision of the future.

After Firefly was cancelled, a full-length film, Serenity, was made as a continuation. All the same actors and characters are in it, yet playing their roles with more edge. And the story is darker, less light-hearted than the TV shows. Personally, I'm glad I watched the movie, but I prefer to remember the characters pre-Serenity. In my own little universe.


(Note: Sorry for the late posting. I couldn't log in to Blogger for a couple days.)