Serenity Review

"Wait...Buffy and Angel? Aren't those...like...vampire shows?"

Serenity has a difficult line to straddle. It must be accessible to those not steeped in Firefly's universe (not a small percentage of the population given the low ratings and subsequent cancellation of the show) while not retreading so much ground as to be redundant to the faithful (for whom, it must be noted, the movie was almost exclusively created). In short, it must be a movie for everyone and a last ditch, Hail Mary of an attempt to stir up enough interest to get the show back on the airwaves. Does it succeed? In all ways but one.

The show, after all, was never resuscitated.

Firefly: Objects in Space Review

The crew.

It was not without a tinge of regret that I fired up the final episode of Firefly. Though hardly the holy grail of science fiction television that many contend it to be, the series was heartfelt, creative, and clever without being too highbrow. It managed to capture the gee-whiz appeal of science fiction without ever letting it dominate the thoroughly human characters and stories. And it is tragic to ponder the directions and advances the show could have made had it not been prematurely canceled. While 14 episodes could never dethrone TV's sci champion Star Trek: The Next Generation (at least in the minds of BofHam's elite editors), a full run might have been a different story.

But we've got a job to do here and it's not about lamenting long-dead television programs. It's about reviewing them.

Firefly: Heart of Gold Review

Firefly seems to make an economic assessment on the value of water along the lines of the econ 101 thought-experiment of the water-diamond paradox. (Said thought-experiment simply noting the primacy of scarcity over function in valuing a good on the free market.) In Firefly's future, it would appear that water is an expensive commodity, at least when bought for terraforming. The poorer the planet, the drier the climate and Heart of Gold is no exception. Unlike the wild-west styled dust-balls of Our Mrs. Reynolds and Safe, or the muddy mess of Jaynestown, Heart of Gold takes place almost entirely in a desert.

Firefly: The Message Review

Generations of charm.

Firefly continues to oscillate between the satire and the saccharine, the mindless and the maudlin. It's starting to feel like the wheels are falling off the show a little bit, particularly with the extremely weepy conclusion to The Message. Which is something of a shame, given how tight the episode feels overall. Slightly deeper research however, reveals an explanation for The Message's jarringly heavy-handed conclusion; the news of the show's cancellation came during the production of The Message. Whedon and Minear used the final moments of the episode as a vehicle for their own farewell to the show. Cast in this light, the episode's conclusion is no less jarring but is, at least, forgivably so, putting The Message up there with the series' best.

Firefly: Trash Review

Back, in all her buxomy glory (turns out 'buxomy' is not an acceptable adverbification of 'buxom' just as 'adverbification' is not an acceptable noun form of 'adverb'), is Kristina Hendricks of Mad Men fame. However, despite attempting to kill the gang in her previous appearance, Trash sees her teaming up with Mal and co. for a historic heist. It's a fun, light-hearted romp through Firefly's universe with some interesting sets and clever plans. As is the show's custom, it occasionally veers a little too close to camp for my comfort but, with a naked Nathan Fillion, who can really complain?

Fan service.

Firefly: War Stories Review

Over the course of the past two months, Firefly has been an enjoyable, if uneven, treat. Its strengths clearly lie in its human characters and believable dialogue whereas, no less clearly, its weaknesses are in poor production values and an over-earnestness that occasionally borders on camp. It has been genuinely scary, funny, and touching over the course of the 9 episodes seen thus far. Even with this experience however, I was unprepared for how powerful the emotional core of War Stories is.

Firefly: Ariel Review

Simon Tam (better known in some circles as the old Zac Efron) and his sister River have been among Firefly's most intriguing characters. Not necessarily due to the chops of the actors that portray them but rather the recurring impact their histories have on the overarching plot of the show. While the back-stories for Firefly's supporting characters range from mysterious allusions (Shepard Book, for example) to entire episodes (Jaynestown, for example), the recurring impact of the Tams' suggests that theirs was meant to be one of the core drivers for the series.

In Ariel, the mystery behind what happened to River is deepened slightly as Simon employs the crew to help him sneak her into a state-of-the-art hospital on Ariel, a core planet in Alliance space. While there, Simon discovers that River has undergone multiple surgeries on her brain which, combined with the increasingly super-natural abilities of the young lady, is making this side story downright Fringe-ian. Where this will take us by the season's (and series') end is certainly addicting but I don't hold out hope for a satisfying conclusion given the premature nature of the show's demise.

Firefly: Out of Gas Review

Tim Minear.

A quick review of the writing credits for each of the eight Firefly episodes seen so far reveals some interesting attributes of each primary scribe. Whedon's writing is, unsurprisingly, the most accessible and pleasing. Serenity, The Train Job, and Our Mrs. Reynolds all move effortlessly between humor and drama with neither tone feeling overdone. The guest writers range from pleasing (Jane Espenson's Shindig was a delight) to hackneyed (Drew Z. Greenberg's Safe felt mostly tacky) to overwrought (Ben Edlund's Jaynestown being the worst-reviewed episode thus far). Which leaves the work of Tim Minear, Whedon's creative second-in-command. Minear was responsible for the hair-raising Bushwhacked and co-wrote the enjoyable The Train Job with Whedon. But perhaps the most poignant Firefly episode to date is also Minear's second solo act and Out of Gas does not disappoint, suggesting that Minear might have his finger closer to Firefly's emotional pulse than even its more famous creator.

Firefly: Jaynestown Review

Hero.

Fame is a corrupting thing. It's allure so encompassing that those who have tasted it will go to any lengths to maintain it. It's lens so perverting that those in its thrall will abandon all wisdom. It is, in many ways, akin to an ego-boosting drug. Anything to maintain the high. But we, while momentarily entertained by the coke-addled friend's antics, soon shift our attention to more genuine bits of interest. If only fame worked like the soul-expanding narcotics, great artistry might be maintained. (The differentiating metric of ego-inflating versus soul-expanding narcotics is a useful one but one that is a bit too much of a tangent for an article ostensibly about a sci-fi television show.)

Of course, the above understanding of fame is usually understood only when applied to an individual. But similar effects can be seen on groups of people or whole organizations dedicated to a piece of entertainment. Like, say, a television show. The pressure of maintaining the fame trumps the soulful artistry which made the show famous in the first place and soon the show reduces itself to meta-self-reference and naval-gazing.

With an introduction like this, it should be clear that this reviewer's opinion of Jaynestown is anything but positive.

Firefly: Our Mrs. Reynolds Review

Kristina Hendricks! Heavens above! Firefly is certainly sporting some prestigious supporting cast members. First Zack Efron and now the face of Mad Men. (At least, one of its many faces. Jon Hamm's chiseled visage is equally iconic.) 

I had the pleasure of watching Our Mrs. Reynolds with a handful of Firefly virgins, which was an enlightening experience, both for the episode and for the show overall. If nothing else, Firefly is a funny show. After four episodes under my belt, I couldn't help but wonder if my laughter wasn't starting to sound a little forced. If my affection for the show wasn't overcoming my ability to judge it dispassionately. But Our Mrs. Reynolds had all four of us in stitches at points, indicating that I have not yet fallen prey to fanboyitis. 

Firefly: Safe Review

Oy. This gang should really stay off the wild west worlds. They don't have the production values to make them feel like alien planets instead of someone's backyard. I get the importance of a cowboy vibe to the show's overall identity and all, but much of Safe was just jarring. That is not to say that the episode is a total loss. It simply stands in stark contrast to Shindig's tight pacing and Bushwhacked's immersive atmosphere.

Firefly: Shindig Review

"Well, I'm alright."
                   - Mal after stabbing an unarmed and wounded man on the ground.


That you are Nathan, that you are.

Young love.

Shindig is the perhaps the tightest episode thus far, focusing almost solely on the events at a fancy-dress ball on Persephone. It is also the first episode to dabble in themes beyond the purely emotional. Though previous episodes have broad moral arcs, they are mostly black and white by their resolution. Give the medicine to the sick people, survive the Reavers, etc. Shindig, focusing as it does on Inara's world of 'companions' and female status in this sci-fi future, actually provides the viewer with a meaty issue to chew on.

Firefly: Bushwhacked Review

Whoa. This show is really starting to flex its atmospheric muscle. Humor: check. Drama: check. Horror? After seeing Bushwhacked, that is a resounding check. Given the previous reviews' complaints about camp, one would assume that a horror-themed episode would be one of the worst offenders. Horror is, after all, a fertile genre for low budgets, bad acting, and over the top gore. So the restraint and true fear this episode evokes is doubly effective for overcoming this reviewer's prejudices.

Firefly: The Train Job Review

Good times, good times with this crew. Bar fights, train heists, and fake identities. It must be granted that, while not as effective at introducing us to Firefly's world as the intended pilot, The Train Job is not by any means a poor replacement. It's faster, snappier, and sleeker. And though it certainly leaves you more breathless (particularly if this is your first glimpse into the 'verse), it seems even less plausible that the failure of the series lies entirely with the Fox executives' reshuffling of episodes.

Firefly: The Real Pilot Review

Much has been written about, commented on, and lamented regarding Joss Whedon's short-lived science fiction romp, Firefly. While not finding the broad audience it was hoping for, the passion among the show's followers is legendary. The self-described 'Brown Coats' managed that rarest feat in entertainment: using devotion to overcome profit margins. The production of the Serenity movie owes its existence almost entirely to the efforts of the fans who picketed, propositioned, and petitioned it into being.