Firefly first-time/rewatch (NO SPOILERS, please)

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

Shawnster wrote:

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One thing I caught last week (or was it 2 weeks?) when I watched "Serenity" was Book's reaction at the end of the episode. Book is noticeably disturbed, as any good religious Shepherd would be, at the killing of the Fed agent and how Mal and the crew live just outside the law. Yet, later, we'll learn that Book wasn't always a noble religious shepherd. He's had a dark life. The later fleshing out of his character kinda contradicts this scene in "Serenity." Book shouldn't be having a crisis of conscience.

Of course, he could be acting in order to preserve his cover.

SPOILERS BELOW -- DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SERIES YET.

I think it makes sense, but that's based off of how I saw things. I thought that Shepherd Book was a religious man that really did serve in an abbey, but this happened after a life that probably put him there to protect himself and others. You have other hints that he's more than meets the eye when he's injured and has Mal give his id to the Alliance, and they get him the best medical care possible with a lightening speed.

Then, you have Early saying that Book isn't really a Shepherd in the last episode, like he knows something about his past. This doesn't mean that when Book was at the abbey that he really didn't "serve" and find a spiritual path for himself. Who knows how long he was there and why? This was the number one reason why I wished the series had continued, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

[Set Harth]

Shawnster wrote:

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For the life of me, I'll never understand why Fox chose to show "The Train Job" first instead of the Pilot.

Because it's a better episode?

[teacake]

Okay are we actually starting it?

lurok wrote:

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(a trifle antipodean but you discern the sentiment )

For that you need fresh passionfruit.

[sojourner]

Set Harth wrote:

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Because it's a better episode?

You might be on to something there, if it were true.

[lurok]

teacake wrote:

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Okay are we actually starting it?

I thought we already had.

Oh. You mean review time.

[Shawnster]

Miss Lemon wrote:

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I'm sorry lurok, I had no time to watch my new DVD this evening, because I had some urgent business to attend to... buying new light switches.

But seriously, I wouldn't mind at all if you decided to post a review of the pilot before Thursday.

BTW, my Pinot Grigio was a bit blant.

Since the OP has watched the Pilot, and Lemon said she wouldn't mind us starting, I took that as a green light.

Another thought I had watching the first episode. The Reavers are supposed to be wacked-out crazies living on the edge of sanity. We'll see just how wacked-out pretty soon. The Reaver ship passes Serenity and keeps going wherever they are going. Serenity lands on the moon. Suddenly, the Reaver ship turns around and homes in on Serenity's (nearly) exact location! What are the odds and what kind of equipment would it take to do that? Talk about finding a needle in a haystack. And wacked-out lunatics were able to do it? Really seems one of those too-convenient/because the plot called for it moments.

I liked Patience as a villain or foil. Had the series continued, I'd have liked to revisit her again. Glad that Badger kept returning.

[Forbin]

Set Harth wrote:

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Because it's a better episode?

Hm.
No, no that's not it.
TJ is a ham-handed rush job that Minear and Whedon whacked together in a 3-day weekend because the Fox Execs didn't think "Serenity" had enough joe-six-pack action.

[Carcazoid]

Forbin wrote:

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Hm.
No, no that's not it.
TJ is a ham-handed rush job that Minear and Whedon whacked together in a 3-day weekend because the Fox Execs didn't think "Serenity" had enough joe-six-pack action.

Exactly. "Time for some thrilling heroics."

I wouldn't call it "ham-handed", even though it was written in a rush. The fight scene had some decent moments. I like the Niska character, and the dispatch of Crow was pretty funny as was the next henchman's reaction.

[lurok]

As this is first time for some posters, can we be careful about future episode details? Doesn't really bother me but just in case does some best to flag up now. I'll post my Ep 1 review later

[Forbin]

Carcazoid wrote:

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Exactly. "Time for some thrilling heroics."

I wouldn't call it "ham-handed", even though it was written in a rush. The fight scene had some decent moments. I like the Niska character, and the dispatch of Crow was pretty funny as was the next henchman's reaction.

Niska was a GREAT character, and I'm glad they created him so he could come back later and be all menacing and such.

[teacake]

I think we need to restart this thread with "spoiler free" in the title and begin it with a review. It was intended as a first time thread primarily. It's pretty much fucked as far as that goes now.

[Shawnster]

teacake wrote:

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I think we need to restart this thread with "spoiler free" in the title and begin it with a review. It was intended as a first time thread primarily. It's pretty much fucked as far as that goes now.

Yep.

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

I agree. Starting with the review keeps people on track so there are no side discussions.

[lurok]

OK. Who broke my thread?

[Neroon]

Let's see if we can restart THIS thread but with the caution of "No spoilers, please", since that's essentially the original intent. There is always the spoiler coding to mask revealing statements, if it absolutely has to be said. In the meantime, I will edit the title to add the "No spoiler" proviso.