Joss Whedon’s FIREFLY (The complete series) (2002)

I have just watched this 4 disc DVD release twice, straight through. And I was never bored. The reasons are many, and I’ll give you a few of them. Those of you already enthralled by the series, (you know who you are!), won't need to read this review.

The concept

First, I think Josh Whedon is close to being a genius in story telling. Ample proof of this is BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, a series which on the surface should never have progressed past the first season, let alone 6 seasons, and ANGEL which is now in its 4th Season. Although the subject matter of BUFFY and ANGEL is substantially different than FIREFLY, it is in the characterization and the dialog that Whedon grabs me. He creates people which are real, despite the fact that they should not be. This particular series, FIREFLY was a personal artistic statement for Whedon, who not only created the concept, but wrote the theme song as well.

No aliens

Second, I like the fact that this series, which is set in the future and involves space travel, fails to develop the presence of any alien species, and shows humans as they might be 500 years from now, once more pioneering in the galaxy. So what you get is sort of s space western. It is a hokey concept, which shouldn’t work. But it does. It lacks pretension, it offers mystery, and there is just enough odd stuff and future technology to make it really interesting.

Special effects

Third, the special effects for this series are spectacular. They are not pretentiously ornate or showy, but they are extraordinary nevertheless. There are a few scenes that are breathtaking, but so understated that you might just miss them if you are not paying attention. (Check out the chase scene over snow in the episode the MESSAGE, and the aerial view of the party in ARIAL)
The action scenes are well done, although they are not the highly polished affairs reminiscent of Kung Fu Choreography (MATRIX for example) . The camera work features old fashioned zoom shots, and hand held cameras that create an immediacy that more technically proficient film-makers have lost in the “style” of their art. Here, the cinematography, coupled with an outstanding musical score, tells the story and creates a tension rare in any television series.

The series failed its first season, for reasons that are not at all clear to me. It was clearly one of the most promising offerings of 2002. And the DVD version offers a few episodes that were never aired. That alone should make this a critical purchase for you groupies out there. (I know a few in Vancouver and Seattle) I am happy to report though , that Whedon is in production of a movie version, and I for one, will be buying a ticket to that one, which includes the entire TV series cast!

Let me break this down for you folks who love insignificant facts.

THE WRITERS

Josh Whedon himself created the series and wrote five of the episodes. His hand is evident in everything though, and with a very few exceptions the writers had worked with him on The BUFFY or ANGEL series. Whedon is a third generation TV writer; his grandfather had written for Donna REED, his Daddy for DICK CAVETT, and he himself had written for ROSEANNE , the movie TITAN AE, and had even been nominated for an Oscar for TOY STORY. Tim Minnear, a veteran of the other two series had also written for X Files. Jane Epson had written for BUFFY and ANGEL, Drew Greenberg for BUFFY, SMALLVILLE, and QUEER AS FOLK.
Ben Edlund, the Creator of “The Tick” (reviewed) contributed to the writing, as did Jose Molina (IRON GIANT) . Cheryl Cain (ROSWELL) contributed one episode, and the episode written by Brett Matthews was his initiation into show biz. All this just proves that there is a pattern here...all are writers with imagination, most with Whedon experience.

THE MUSIC

-The theme song (The Ballad of Serenity) was written by Joss Whedon, and it is a song you don’t easily forget. The other composition pieces were beautifully done by Greg Edmundson. Listen to the music in the episode THE MESSAGE. It will bring tears to your eyes.

THE DIRECTORS

Besides Joss Whedon, who directed 4 episodes, the directors include Tim Minnear (CHARMED), Vondie Curtis Hall, (ER) Vern Gilliam (TWILIGHT ZONE) Marita Grabiak (BUFFY) Michael Grossman (ANGEL) Alan Kroeker, a veteran haling back to a 1979 TV series, Thomas Wright (THE HIGHLANDER) David Solomon, (ANGEL, TARZAN) and James Cotner, whose first directing assignment was with MIAMI VICE. The episodes are all different. Each one could stand alone I believe, although knowing what went on before enriches the episode you are watching.

THE STORY

...You can’t take the sky from me....

Each of the episodes highlights a different crew member, or a different aspect of the existence of the Crew on the Firefly Vessel the Serenity.

The back story for this adventure is a little confusing to start with, but once you understand it, it all makes perfect sense. The pilot episodes starts with a flashback to a huge human/human war. Our captain and his first mate Zoe, were on the Independents side, -he was a sergeant, she a lieutenant(?). The Independent side lost. After the war, he buys a decrepit merchant class vessel, with no goal except to stay as free as possible, under Alliance rule. You know at the beginning that he is a renegade, will be involved in some shady dealings, and will be in conflict with the Alliance and said bureaucrats in some way or another throughout the series.

Captain Malcolm Reynolds starts out with a ship and Zoe, then adds a pilot (Wash) who marries Zoe, a mechanic, Kaylee, a self taught genius on making things run, and Jayne, a crew member whose purpose is to add muscle to their encounters. A Paid companion, Inara (a woman who provides “companionship” for money) rents a shuttle on the ship and travels from port to port paying rent. Three intended-to-be passengers are added to the crew in short order. Dr Simon Tam and his sister River are running from the Alliance. Shepherd Book is traveling from a monastery, and had no particular destination.

There is always a possibility of romance between the captain and the companion, marital tension between Zoe and Wash and a young love possibility between Simon and Kaylee. We never know for sure if Jayne will remain loyal, or why the religious man knows so much about war. We only hear part of the tale of the torture of River by alliance goons. I have many questions! I want answers.

Rather than go episode to episode, I’ll just tell you that there are no boring moments, and by the time you are done watching a minimum of three episodes , if not sooner, you will find yourself amused and entertained by these characters and their developing relationships. There are mysteries never revealed and questions never answered. I would have loved to see a second season. FOX NETWORK did not agree, despite an intensely loyal fan base that developed early and petitioned for the series to remain on the air.

The worlds to which The Serenity and her Crew travel are all inhabited by humans, and their farthest outposts feel quite a little like the old westerns I watched for so long. You Weill find echoes of many characters already established in these characters, and something new about each of them. Some of the inspirations that come quickly to mind are Hans Solo, Xena, Miss Kitty, ER doctors, and the kid from FIRESTARTER, with a little Warren Oates and Jack Elam in the mix. The villains take on an even greater array of stock western and space villains, although I believe they are all “human”. It ought to sound interesting, because it darn well is.



CAST AND PERFORMANCES

Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Of all the cast, his is probably the most important, and establishing a whimsical side to this character could not have been easy. He was a lot of fun in this series, though. He had played a bad guy in some episodes of BUFFY, and a Vampire in some B rated movie. He had done a four year sentence as a regular in ONE LIFE TO LIVE, but got his break in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN in 1998.

Gina Torres as Zoe Warren -A very beautiful and strong looking woman, she has had major parts in other series, including ALIAS in 2001 and HERCULES in 1998. She is married to Laurence Fishburne. Zoe is the warrior woman, a soldier by nature as well as profession. Interesting role reversal and a no nonsense personality. I liked her.

Alan Tudyk as Wash Warren. Married to Zoe. The pilot of the ship. Funny, sometimes silly, not experienced in war, occasionally has “issues” with his wife having more testosterone. Immediately likable and funny, you might remember him in WONDER BOYS, KNIGHTS TALE or the plant loving German friend in 28 DAYS.

Morena Baccarin in Inara Serra, the paid companion. A bit condescending and always more refined than any others on the ship, she adds culture and beauty to the ship life. She is a remarkably pretty woman, and projects a feminine persona into the mix. She has unrevealed secrets as well.
This actress had done more Broadway than silver screen up until this series. She does well here.

Jewel Straite as Kaywinnit Lee “Kaylee” Frye-she is the ships mechanic. Unschooled, plain language but a big heart. She said she had to gain 20 pounds for the part. She must have been a stick. She is the homey sweet kid sister type, who develops a crush on the doctor. The conflict is his refinement and money versus her lack of it. She was likable but I didn’t find a lot of mystery on the character. This is a Canadian actress with a lot of TV series experience, despite her young age.

Adam Baldwin as Jayne Cobb. He joins the crew when he is on the opposite side of a conflict with the captain and the captain offers him more money. At one point, he seems a villain, and the next a reluctant almost- a -hero. I think he is my favorite character on the show, because you never know what he will do next. He liked his character, said it was like “Jack Elam only better looking”. I would have to agree. Baldwin played the title role in the TV version of DR JEKYLL AND MR HIDE and has been in a lot of movies, few of them memorable.

Sean Maher as Dr Simon Tam-although he is 28 years old, he looks younger. He means well but lacks social skills. Probably the best hearted of any save possibly the companion, he is running from the Alliance with his sister, who he rescued from alliance torture. This character grows on you. This is the actor’s fourth ill fated TV series.


Summer Glau-as River Tam-a genius before they started torturing her, this character represents the only truly weird character in the crew, and she is not well loved by many. She makes inappropriate remarks and is occasionally violent, and although it seems random, it rarely is. She is at least partially telepathic, and very strange. She has some wonderfully graceful moments though. This is her second acting job after an episode on ANGEL . She played a ballerina...which is what she has done for most of her career. She is supposed to be younger than Simon (I suspect she is a bit older in reality) and she pulls it off. I really found ,myself intrigued by this character.

Ron Glass-as Shepherd Book-This holy man is pretty interesting, and it may take you a minute to recognize him as the well dressed upward mobilizing detective in BARNEY MILLER so many years ago. This guy has a good face, capable of interjecting something sinister beneath the facade. He is celebate, but somehow not innocent. He professes pacifism, yet can handle a gun. He has an ID card that earns him respect. He is another of my favorite characters.




RECOMMENDATION

If you have not seen this series I recommend it as far outweighing the last episode of FRIENDS. It is fast moving and entertaining. And it makes you ponder the mysteries of being human. What more could you ask?

Personal note

Watching TV series in a block is a relatively new experience for me. I started with the Series "24", which I enjoyed so much I wrote an extensive and tedious review of every episode. And since then, I have watched two other Josh Whedon’s series through 4 and 2 seasons respectively, the second season of “ 24", Season One of ALIAS, and Spielberg’s TAKEN. I don’t watch network TV as a rule, and haven’t watched a series religiously since the original STAR TREK but watching these in a block is a lot of fun, particularly when you have the option of stopping after an episode or two, and resuming when you are ready to watch TV again. I also do most of my drawing in front of the TV, since I never could abide just watching TV with nothing productive to do. So shoot me.