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| 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.
