Firefly
Fox really screwed this one up. Way back in 2002 when the show was released, Fox decided to air the episodes out of order. Luckily only being a one year old child, I did not have to suffer this utter travesty. Just imagine a show like Game of Thrones accidentally shown out of order in episodes. I am not comparing the magnitude of Game of Thrones to the show Firefly but certainly Firefly’s audience was hindered from experiencing the whole story.
Firefly follows the story of a crew of smugglers/bounty hunters aboard a small spaceship who make it their job to avoid the fascist authority known as “the Alliance”. The crew consists of mostly morally ambiguous characters and even a Preacher. Evidently, their success doesn’t always last wherein lies the plot of the show. The crew eventually becomes the some of the most wanted criminals in the galaxy because of their cargo. What seemed like a normal smuggling journey, the ship picks up a former Alliance doctor and his sister, who appears to have telepathic powers. Ultimately, we as the viewers slowly uncover the pasts of the two mysterious characters. Over the short course of the show, we see the development of more caring empathetic characters, despite their chosen lifestyles.
So what makes this show worth it? Well it is a short watch of only a season so a viewer doesn’t have to feel fully committed. Altogether though, the show is the perfect blend of sci-fi in the version of an Old Western Film. Honestly, it feels like Star Wars into a tv show. The viewer experiences the different types of planets with a multitude of socioeconomic backgrounds and differing law enforcement. We see the heart of a futuristic human civilization in the Alliance yet the rundown barren worlds seamlessly feeling out of our history books. On top of that, there is endless action all packed into one season.
Specifically the acting performances played a huge role in the success of the show. Nathan Fillon, who plays the role of Captain Malcom ‘Mal” Reynolds perfectly portrays the role that was given to him. Mal loves his ship more than anything and formerly fought against the Alliance years prior in an unsuccessful civil war for independence. He adds this with a performance with humor and a character who wants to believe in something greater, but is still broken from years prior.
Basically, Fox canceled the show after one season because of the polarity in viewership. A ton of people would watch one episode but not the next, probably because they believed the two episodes weren’t connected. That’s the issue when ignorance of the show runners plays a role. However, the creators were given the green light for a movie in 2005 with the same cast. It wasn’t the same though. it barely cleared up the story we saw in the first season of the show. Actors moved onto different roles and Firefly has accrued a small cult following over the years, hoping for a remake or continuation of the old show.
My Rating: 10/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
IMDb Rating: 9/10
Metacritic: 63%