Monday, March 07, 2011

Sweet Serenity

You guys, I am an idiot. No, really, much with the stupid. Last night I started watching “Firefly” for the first time thanks to its debut on the Science Channel. Sweet merciful Zeus, it’s so good. Don’t worry, I already slapped myself repeatedly for not watching sooner. What can I say about this show? It’s fun. It’s smart. It’s deceptively complex. It’s, in short, perfect Joss Whedon. I know, I know. You’re going to say: “Dude, you love Joss Whedon. You love Buffy. You never watched ‘Firefly?’” No, I never watched “Firefly.” I don’t have a great excuse except I tuned in only once originally and wasn’t much into the space cowboy thing at the time. I’m not huge into Westerns, period. Sure, I see the occasional one. Some are quite good. But, I don’t know. Like I said, I don’t really have a good excuse.

The thing is, I’ve watched pretty much everything else by Joss. Buffy. Angel. Dollhouse. Dr. Horrible. Hell, I even saw “Serenity” in the theater – on the opening weekend. And I liked it, a lot. But I never circled back because my list of “Stuff I Need to Watch…When I Have Time” is even more depressing than my email inbox. (Oh, and about that, I am really, really, really sorry for not writing you back yet. Yes, you.)

Still I have to saw watching it belatedly on TV (instead of an all-day boxset marathon or late-night download smorgasbord) is kind of thrilling. Sure, not as thrilling – or nearly as helpful, ratings wise – as if I had watched in real-time when it was actually on the air. But gosh if it isn’t kind of fun to be able to watch it in weekly installments. Also, as terrible as it is knowing in advance that the show only lasted one season, my back-logged brain feels a tiny bit relieved about adding it to my schedule knowing there are only 14 episodes to watch (well, now 12). That’s what I call a manageable commitment.

So now, now to the good stuff. First, I’m thrilled that it looks like the Science Channel is airing the episodes in order, instead of all over the place like Fox did originally. How the hell could they have aired “The Train Job” instead of “Serenity” as the pilot? Hey, here’s a good idea. Let’s not introduce the characters or frame the conflict or lay out the premise. Let’s just make sure there’s a train heist. Oh, Fox.

While I’ll admit it takes a little bit to adjust to the gunslinger attitude and, yes, the fiddle music, all of the required Whedonverse elements are there. A morally resolute, yet at times deeply conflicted hero (Mal, Captain Tightpants himself). A strong female lead (Zoe, the glorious Gina Torres who has popped up in just about every TV show I have ever watched from “Xena” to “Angel” to “Pushing Daisies” to “The Vampire Diaries”). An adorable geek (Kaylee, who when she was shot in the pilot made me flash to every single time Willow was in mortal danger). And just enough Joss-speak to make it all funny and poignant and really compelling as hell.

Also, and I haven’t done my Google research, but is there a ‘ship between Inara and Kaylee? Come on, how great are they together? I must say I prefer Morena Baccarin with long, wavy hair to her short, alien crop on “V.” Nothing against short crops, in the least, but on Morena with long hair is just so, well, dreamy.

So, after an appropriate period of yelling at me for not have watching when it mattered most, who wants to watch “Firefly” this go around with me? Sundays at 10 p.m. on the Science Channel. It’s a date. Now all I need to find is a good browncoat.

24 comments:

  1. Kaylee and Inara are one of my favourite ships ever! Works very very well.

    I actually envy you the chance of watching Firefly from the beginning. It's a pleasure I wish I could revisit. Which reminds me, I need to replace my DVD box set because the third disc died from overuse!

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  3. Norma Desmond3:15 AM

    I finally watched "Firefly" a few months ago. I have to say, not really my thing. I love pretty much everything Whedon does, but, for whatever reason, I can't get behind "Firefly." There are a couple things I DO like about it, though: Inara and Gina Torres. :)

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  4. I'm not a western person, but love the show to bits and pieces. I don't have real TV anymore, but I've got my trusty DVDs to watch along!

    (and yes, Kaylee and Inara are beyond adorable together.)

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  5. shade4:39 AM

    Trust me.... you'll love it. It's very typically Joss Whedon. Who can forget the hilarious use of "I'll be in my bunk" :D (that'll make sense soon enough)

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  6. Well, I inadvertently watched it with you yesterday. I was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon it right as it was beginning. I was completely enthralled by the storyline and the dialogue. I'm definitely ready for next Sunday.

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  7. Love Firefly and the movie Serenity! Enjoy! I just discovered them myself a few months ago and did some similar posts regarding my own lateness to the party...

    I thought Inara and Kaylee would make a cute couple too, but they took it a different direction. I was mildly disappointed but the show is SO good.

    And Gina Torres. Yeah.

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  8. Welcome! As one of the diehards who suffered through out-of-order-ness and baseball preemptions, I kind of envy those of you who get to watch it in the proper sequence and in a regular time slot. I hope you enjoy it. :)

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  9. Oddly enough, Jewel Staite is the original reason I turned into Firefly - I stuck around for Nathan Fillion tho... and I'm a total Castlite - rock on, dot com

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  10. jessi8:43 AM

    My friends were watching the DVD set in the summer of '05, before the Big Damn Movie. I got started on "Jaynestown" strangely enough. I was hooked after the teaser; I went out and bought the series the next day. I am so in love with it that I refuse to lend out my precious, precious copy of the series and instead have bought three copies for other people who I thought should also love it. Because of Firefly (and more Serenity, of course) I finally have an answer to the question: "What is your favourite movie?" Oh hell. I just might start watching it again!

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  11. Anonymous11:23 AM

    I'm in!! Any excuse to watch this great show again. I remember just loving it, but only saw it once. One more time!!

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  12. Anonymous2:33 PM

    Yeah, this show is pretty awesome. I do believe there is a ship for Inara and Kaylee and Kaylee and River, and Inara and River. LOL.
    Its funny if you notice Mal, Jayne, and Zoe star as bads in Buffy and Angel. I always thought that was awesome.

    Morena and Jewel went on to star in the Stargate universe. I love Morena as Adria in season 10. She is so hot when she's evil. LOL.

    Firefly is one of those lost TV shows of awesome. It's awesome you've finally discovered the show. Like you I was late to the party. I didn't watch the show until after Butty and Angel went off the air. So welcome and enjoy over and over again. :)

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  13. And don't forget the episode where Inara and Christina Hendricks nearly kiss and get into a girl fight, OR the episode where Inara entertains a female client ("War Stories"). I really really really wish this show hadn't been cancelled.

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  14. Michele3:31 PM

    You are now forgiven. Never make this kind of mistake again. LOL! Enjoy - it's great TV and will forever be another in a long line of smart TV canceled too soon. It's shows like this one going away that have led us to a place where "Housewives of some damn city", punks from Jersey's and shows starring people who should have been fired a long time ago lead the TV viewing.

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  15. Norma M4:44 PM

    I just started watching it as well! Last night was the first. I love Serenity but never gave Firefly a second look. I regret it now :( I'm glad the Science Channel is airing the episodes, though :)

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  16. Anonymous6:30 PM

    FUCK YES!!! I love "Firefly" with a fiery passion and just recently (well, three months or so ago) got it on boxset! I totally shipped Mal and Inara *and* (wait for it) Inara and Kaylee. That show is so fucking good, "Serenity" included (though I can't imagine watching that series knowing Wash eventually dies. At least your heart won't break as much if you re-watch "Serenity" after the series, if you're still going for the chronological order thing). But seriously, I really hope you enjoy the rest of the series. No, scratch that. I know you will. No modern day sci-fi show has beaten the greatness that is "Firefly" in my book. At least not yet.

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  17. Anonymous11:02 PM

    I only watched Firefly and Serenity last year, and fell hard. Count me among the jealous that you get to experience it fresh.

    Come to think of it, it's been a couple of months since I've seen an episode. Maybe I'm due for a new viewing soon.

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  18. Love Firefly. And late is better than never. :)

    Oh, and you can get your official Browncoat from Abbyshot... ;)

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  19. Anonymous6:55 AM

    That this absolutely brilliant show disappeared so quickly was just criminal. I've held a major grudge against the dumb, unappreciative viewing masses ever since.

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  20. Anonymous10:12 AM

    So glad you finally got into the show! It may be one of my favorite things ever on television, and seeing it in HD on the Science Channel has been awesome. I use DISH Networks TV Everywhere (I'm a customer and employee) and am able to watch the Science Channel episodes off my DVR using my iPhone during my lunch break at work. Can't wait until you see Objects In Space. Creepiest Villain Ever.

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  21. Anonymous1:49 PM

    I didn't encounter Firely until after the movie, but holy gods, it is bloody awesome! Damn fox and their stupid abuse of the shows and time-slots. Why is that the good stuff get axed? Especially if "too many" women like it? *grumble*

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  22. Welcome to the club. We 'Browncoats' welcome you with open arms. :-) I'd loan you my box set of the series if I could stop watching it long enough to loan it out!

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  23. lauwer12:15 PM

    Seriously, I love this show...and Nathan Fillion is sooooo yummy, I know I know such a weird thing to say but there is only one man on earth I'd (consider) sleeping with and that's him..he so smart and funny and well..you catch my drift..

    Also major Castle fan here talking..

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  24. Dorothy, can you please edit the comment about Wash? That's a serious spoiler there... Thanks.

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