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

[Shawnster]

This isn't a criticism of Firefly or Mal in particular, since this happens in real life as well. Malcom Reynolds makes not bones about his hating all the rules and regulations of the Alliance and civilized society. He's quite clear in "Shindig" that it was society's rules and regulations that got him in the mess.

Now, here's the irony of Mal's point of view. He enforces the rules on his ship and gets quite intolerant of Jane and Jane's bucking of Mal's rules.

This is indicative of life in general. Everyone wants to make their own rules and they thend to chafe under the "oppression" of whatever superior authority they are bucking. Yet rules and regulations are a necessary part of society, and even these "rebels" want to impose some form of rules and regulations over others.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Spoiler: The second overall arc

The second overall arc centers around the Reavers and what they did to that poor man and his friends. This is a part I actually wonder if the movie, Serenity, contradicts. We get the statement from Mal that the "survivor" simply witnessed the Reavers and their horror and it drove him insane to the point he wanted to be just like them. At this point in the series we've not learned what the Reavers really are. To me, simply witnessing the horror isn't enough to drive the man to become a Reaver, especially after we learn that the Reavers are a result of terraforming gone wrong. Something in the atmosphere of the Reaver home planet, pumped there by the Alliance, is what drove them mad.

Now, here's another question concerning that. How did that atmosphere get onto the colonist ship? I can see that with the docking situation. The two ships dock and air is exchanged through the airlock during the Reaver raid. was that enough to cause the man to go nuts? Apparently. How, though, did the tainted atmosphere get on the Reaver ship? Was it originally on the ground? Did it have to be exposed to the poisoned atmosphere at some point?

Spoiler: REAVERS

I'm going to suggest that maybe the man was raped or had something stuffed down his throat that had been tainted by the Reavers and it grew inside him like a virus. I don't think we know much about people turning into Reavers via contact with them because usually no one survives once they get their hands on you.

I loved River's face during their EVA while hiding from the feds.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

This isn't a criticism of Firefly or Mal in particular, since this happens in real life as well. Malcom Reynolds makes not bones about his hating all the rules and regulations of the Alliance and civilized society. He's quite clear in "Shindig" that it was society's rules and regulations that got him in the mess.

Now, here's the irony of Mal's point of view. He enforces the rules on his ship and gets quite intolerant of Jane and Jane's bucking of Mal's rules.

This is indicative of life in general. Everyone wants to make their own rules and they thend to chafe under the "oppression" of whatever superior authority they are bucking. Yet rules and regulations are a necessary part of society, and even these "rebels" want to impose some form of rules and regulations over others.

All good points, and I'm thinking there aren't too many examples of a healthy democracy in Mal's life to look for other ways of doing things.

 

[marksound]

This isn't a criticism of Firefly or Mal in particular, since this happens in real life as well. Malcom Reynolds makes not bones about his hating all the rules and regulations of the Alliance and civilized society. He's quite clear in "Shindig" that it was society's rules and regulations that got him in the mess.

Now, here's the irony of Mal's point of view. He enforces the rules on his ship and gets quite intolerant of Jane and Jane's bucking of Mal's rules.

This is indicative of life in general. Everyone wants to make their own rules and they thend to chafe under the "oppression" of whatever superior authority they are bucking. Yet rules and regulations are a necessary part of society, and even these "rebels" want to impose some form of rules and regulations over others.

All good points, and I'm thinking there aren't too many examples of a healthy democracy in Mal's life to look for other ways of doing things.

There has to be a chain of command ...

 

[Skywalker]

This isn't a criticism of Firefly or Mal in particular, since this happens in real life as well. Malcom Reynolds makes not bones about his hating all the rules and regulations of the Alliance and civilized society. He's quite clear in "Shindig" that it was society's rules and regulations that got him in the mess.

Now, here's the irony of Mal's point of view. He enforces the rules on his ship and gets quite intolerant of Jane and Jane's bucking of Mal's rules.

This is indicative of life in general. Everyone wants to make their own rules and they thend to chafe under the "oppression" of whatever superior authority they are bucking. Yet rules and regulations are a necessary part of society, and even these "rebels" want to impose some form of rules and regulations over others.

All good points, and I'm thinking there aren't too many examples of a healthy democracy in Mal's life to look for other ways of doing things.

There has to be a chain of command ...

And we all know what the chain of command is.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG6_5pOCvcQ[/yt]

Jaynisms, otherwise knows as every time Jayne opens his mouth.

 

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

EP 3 - BUSHWHACKED

SciFi 101: Don't go in the abandoned spaceship. Bad things will happen.
I like that Whedon never showed the Reavers in pilot and wondered when they'd make a reappearance. Seems like he's still going for slow tease as only real hint we get here is they have a fetish for facial piercings. Ouch. I did wonder as well what 'Western' trope the Reavers are meant to be: loco injuns? Donner Passers? mutant hillbillies? It's nice that we get a little more of crew development with each ep; there's a bit more chemistry between Mal and Inara; Savant sister seems to have some sort of psi ability; and Kaylee finally starts to shine. The interrogation montage (with nice guest spot by Alliance commander) was highlight of episode. My one wtf moment was realising for first time Wash and Zoe were married. That had obviously skipped me.

I like how the Reavers were handled, and you get the full story about them when you get the the Serenity Movie at the end. Joss did a great job there. The tease worked. This is a nice episode, but it's probably my least favorite of the bunch. I liked how this episode handles the intrigue and horror that the Reavers incite simultaneously.

 

[Shawnster]

I liked the touch of the wind blowing through River's hair when she boards the colony ship. Spaceships will probably have different internal pressures, even if it's just a few millibars.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I like the horror of being the girl who looks up.

 

[lurok]

EP 4 - SHINDIG

Fave ep so far. Barfight. Duel. A Southern belle ball. "Captain Tightpants". Kaylee in pink frou-frou. Oh, and Duncan Idaho. What's not to love? I had a good feeling when I saw Jane Espenson was writer. I hope she does some more. Mal and Inara developing nicely, but he definitely has some issues that need attending.

 

[Forbin]

[Groucho] We must defend this woman' honor - which is more than SHE ever did! [/Groucho]

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Oooo I thought you would like Shindig lurok!! And now that you've reviewed it I get to watch the next one, yay!!

Shindig: One of my favorite Firefly lines was this sign. I have a blog somewhere called Ballfailure and a warcraft character called Ballfailure.



Mark Shepard is fabulous in Firefly!! His peacock brooch cracks me up.



And another thing that cracks me up every time is the names of the snooty girls at the party: Cabott, Dester and Banning. The most perfect names



I loved Kaylee finding her own element at this do, talking engines with the boys.



Good character development episode, Mal does have issues for sure. But he should have issues to have come from the life he did and to have chosen the life he has.

I think this screenshot perfectly captures Kaylee's character And I love the street scenes on Persephone, so colorful.

 

[lurok]

And you were right I really liked the street scene in this one as well, and felt very BSG. In fact, with Shepard and Espenson as well there was a whole BSG vibe going on and I kept wondering if Larry Drake would have been good as the crime boss in Black Market. (no offence to Bill Duke, who I like).

oh, and this was great...

 

[marksound]

Best scene in this episode, IMO. I laugh every time.

click

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

When I first saw that scene I was it was so damn cocky!

The first time I watched Firefly I got to the end and was very sad.. a few months later I saw some stills from Shindig online and I was.. hang on, what is this? I had somehow missed it!!

That was a very special present, getting not only a brand new Firefly ep but one of the best ones.

 

[marksound]

Meanwhile, back on the ship ...

Jayne: "We need us a diversion. Zoe could get nekkid."
Zoe & Wash, in unison: "NO!"
Jayne: "Can I get nekkid?"

 

[Vendikarr]

Meanwhile, back on the ship ...

Jayne: "We need us a diversion. Zoe could get nekkid."
Zoe & Wash, in unison: "NO!"
Jayne: "Can I get nekkid?"

And following up on that...

River Tam: [mimicing Badger's Cockney accent] Sure, I got a secret. More 'n one. Don't seem likely I tell 'em to you now, do it? Anyone off Titan colony knows better 'n to talk to strangers. You're talkin' loud enough for the both of us, though, ain't ya? I've met a dozen like you. Skipped off-home early. Minor graft jobs here and there. Spent some time in the lockdown, but less than you claim. And you're, what, a petty thief with delusions o standing? Sad little king of a sad little hill.
Badger: Nice to see someone from the old homestead.
River Tam: Not really. Call me if anyone interesting shows up.
Badger: I like her.
Jayne: [Whispering to the crew after River leaves That there - exactly the kind of diversion we could have used.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Except they were all diverted so they didn't use it

 

[Shawnster]

Outside of saying I think Shindig is my favorite of the first four episodes, I don't have much to add. I really love the entire episode from the ballroom scene to the swordplay where Mal pokes and jabs the defeated Atherton.

This episode really highlights the Companion's place in culture and society. I think only the movie "Serenity" and, possibly, the episode "Jaynestown" help further our understanding of Companions.

Loved the removable doorknob and the floating chandelier. The holo pool balls were the best!

 

[marksound]

Outside of saying I think Shindig is my favorite of the first four episodes, I don't have much to add. I really love the entire episode from the ballroom scene to the swordplay where Mal pokes and jabs the defeated Atherton.

This episode really highlights the Companion's place in culture and society. I think only the movie "Serenity" and, possibly, the episode "Jaynestown" help further our understanding of Companions.

Loved the removable doorknob and the floating chandelier. The holo pool balls were the best!

And there's some kind of hot cheese over there.