"Firefly" - when does it get good?
- Thread starter Gaith
- Start date
Well to START with, you kind of have to be a big Whedon fan in the first place (which it sounds like the OP probably isn't). You have to like his style of dialogue, the way he writes his characters, etc.
And even then, it still took 3 or 4 episodes for the show to really click with me.
And even then, it still took 3 or 4 episodes for the show to really click with me.
It was pretty bad, but it's also pretty over exaggerated. The fans were being fans, trying to attract people to their show, there were haters, every thread would become about how shit the show is, how it failed etc. then it would become about how nuts the fans are because obviously there would then be a fan backlash against the hating. Then the fans got a bad name because obviously they were always trying to attract new fans or defend the show and hence the "mindless" and "proselytising" barbs you get now.
OP - Quite honestly, if you're not hooked by the forth episode, then I doubt the shows for you.
I've never seen Buffy, and only a little bit of Angel, so I'm not really a Whedon fan, but I was hooked on Firefly from pretty much the first episode (bought the dvd after having it recomended). I enjoy these sort of atypical plots, quirky characters, and snappy dialogue. I'm a fan of Peter Davids work, and tv shows like NCIS for similar reasons.
About all I can say really.
I've never seen Buffy, and only a little bit of Angel, so I'm not really a Whedon fan, but I was hooked on Firefly from pretty much the first episode (bought the dvd after having it recomended). I enjoy these sort of atypical plots, quirky characters, and snappy dialogue. I'm a fan of Peter Davids work, and tv shows like NCIS for similar reasons.
About all I can say really.
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I love love LOVE the show, but hell, I'll admit that certain eps arent up there with other ones. Shindig, Safe and Bushwhacked are my least favorite episodes of the show, but you'll still find some great characterization in them. Our Mrs Reynolds is hilarious and awesome, as is Jaynestown.
Now, when you get to the third disc from the DVD set, if you dont like any of the episodes on that one, you are not going to like this show at all, and I'm surprised you even liked Serenity to be honest. Out of Gas is fantastic, and Ariel does start to set up the back story (even if said back story doesn't lead in to Serenity with a nice little bow).
Now, when you get to the third disc from the DVD set, if you dont like any of the episodes on that one, you are not going to like this show at all, and I'm surprised you even liked Serenity to be honest. Out of Gas is fantastic, and Ariel does start to set up the back story (even if said back story doesn't lead in to Serenity with a nice little bow).
When I watched the show for the first time, I was a little underwhelmed by the earlier episodes as well.
However, once I had watched Our Mrs. Reynolds, I was hooked.
However, once I had watched Our Mrs. Reynolds, I was hooked.
If you're not into it right off the bat, send the discs back. It's not like it's going to get better in the next season. Like you said, there's lots of potential gold out there to see, and there's no point wasting time with something that's not tickling your fancy.
I've asked this before but why does "Heart of Gold" get such a bad rap from fans? I love it, but then I love all the episodes. Is there actually anything wrong with liking an episode for having a big shootout and some funny lines in it? It's not game-changing, but the writing is as sharp as ever and no-one is out of character.
I liked Heart if Gold for the Mal/Inara relationship and some effect it had on them.. otherwise a solid episode woth some great one liners.
What made Firefly one of my favorite shows you have to understand where i come from.
I'm a die hard Star Trek fan but since DS9 my frustration grew.. DS9 spoiled me a bit because it showed me a Trek show that was both more realistic yet tried to adhere to Roddenberrys vision.. TNG got very preachy and "unrealistic" at times where i just wanted Picard to phaser the bad guy and be done with it instead of monologuing about the moral implications (prime example is I, Borg.. just use the opportunity and rid the galaxy of a huge menace you damn bald frenchman and save billions of lifeforms!).
So when Voyager came around i was excited as hell.. marooned in a foreign part of the Galaxy without Starfleet support, two hostile crews that had to work together would make for excellent character drama i thought.
My excitement quickly turned to ash.. as quick as the premise was killed and replaced by a TNG clone.
The less said about Enterprise the better (Space Nazis.. oh my).
So when i see this show and Mal starts to monologue in front of a Thug in "Train Job" and then simply kicks him into the engines when he starts to give some lip back i nearly fell out of my chair.
Firefly did the unpredictable very well and didn't let it grow stale.. Mal fights another Thug and is losing, crew comes to help and Zoe hinders them at simply blasting him away citing some kind of macho explanation whereas Mal is mighty fine with his crew blasting the bad guy away.
I just like the show for its humor and the little things one might not notice.. anyone catch Mal kissing a cross before he goes into the battle of Serenity Valley in the pilot episode?
After that battle he says to Book "You are welcome on this boat.. god ain't". These two simple scenes just tell a ton about the character with very simple methods and for that i love Whedon.. he has a knack for such subtle (and unsubtle) things.
As has been said i could just watch an entire episode of them sitting around having dinner insulting/teasing/smack talking each other.. after a few episodes they really felt like a (dysfunctional) family where every shade of character was represented.
I can understand people having a hard time bringing SF together with cowboys but i was fed up with sterile, designed starship lounges and comfy quarters and welcomed dirty and gritty realism.
What made Firefly one of my favorite shows you have to understand where i come from.
I'm a die hard Star Trek fan but since DS9 my frustration grew.. DS9 spoiled me a bit because it showed me a Trek show that was both more realistic yet tried to adhere to Roddenberrys vision.. TNG got very preachy and "unrealistic" at times where i just wanted Picard to phaser the bad guy and be done with it instead of monologuing about the moral implications (prime example is I, Borg.. just use the opportunity and rid the galaxy of a huge menace you damn bald frenchman and save billions of lifeforms!).
So when Voyager came around i was excited as hell.. marooned in a foreign part of the Galaxy without Starfleet support, two hostile crews that had to work together would make for excellent character drama i thought.
My excitement quickly turned to ash.. as quick as the premise was killed and replaced by a TNG clone.
The less said about Enterprise the better (Space Nazis.. oh my).
So when i see this show and Mal starts to monologue in front of a Thug in "Train Job" and then simply kicks him into the engines when he starts to give some lip back i nearly fell out of my chair.
Firefly did the unpredictable very well and didn't let it grow stale.. Mal fights another Thug and is losing, crew comes to help and Zoe hinders them at simply blasting him away citing some kind of macho explanation whereas Mal is mighty fine with his crew blasting the bad guy away.
I just like the show for its humor and the little things one might not notice.. anyone catch Mal kissing a cross before he goes into the battle of Serenity Valley in the pilot episode?
After that battle he says to Book "You are welcome on this boat.. god ain't". These two simple scenes just tell a ton about the character with very simple methods and for that i love Whedon.. he has a knack for such subtle (and unsubtle) things.
As has been said i could just watch an entire episode of them sitting around having dinner insulting/teasing/smack talking each other.. after a few episodes they really felt like a (dysfunctional) family where every shade of character was represented.
I can understand people having a hard time bringing SF together with cowboys but i was fed up with sterile, designed starship lounges and comfy quarters and welcomed dirty and gritty realism.
/came for the whores
// is aware they prefer the term "companion"
/// companion can also be a verb
////
RIP wash
Unfortunately, Serenity (the movie) was hampered by a need to be epic. The series was stronger because it was just about living; it didn't have to be a grand sweeping adventure to entertain. Trying to fit "epic" onto these characters just came out a bit strange.
I much prefer the first third of the movie to the rest, to be honest. Yet I think "Ariel" is probably my favorite episode of the show, which may seem contradictory at first glance....
I much prefer the first third of the movie to the rest, to be honest. Yet I think "Ariel" is probably my favorite episode of the show, which may seem contradictory at first glance....
The Reavers are only mentioned in the pilot episode and "Bushwacked". They never appear in person until the movie. Some would say they worked better when we couldn't see them, only the results they left behind.....
That's when I realized this show wasn't for me.
I get it...you take a bunch of cliches and reverse them...that's original, I guess, but once you figure that out it's back to being predictable.
I'm pretty sure I just don't like TV any more. When was the last time something surprised and delighted me?
EDIT: Probably 'Better off Ted.' And THAT should scare you that that's the most original thing out there!
well, I've missed three pages of this, but it semms to me you simply expected something that isn't there.
Firefly is largely loved because it is a simple, fun show. It's not that deep, it's a sci-fi version of the A-team. I think so many shows today are dark or boring. Firefly, for it's few episodes, was pure escapist entertainment.
Firefly is largely loved because it is a simple, fun show. It's not that deep, it's a sci-fi version of the A-team. I think so many shows today are dark or boring. Firefly, for it's few episodes, was pure escapist entertainment.
Pretty much. And does it without forcing the viewer to shut off their brain. And thats pretty rare.
on a related note, looks like Dr. Horrible got an Emmy.
I'd argue that you're description is the purpose.
Keep flyin'.
It may not sound like much, but it's enough.
Not every show set in space has to be about galaxy changing events and heroes flying around in the Federation Flagship.
I thought it was good right away - but then, I can take "story arcs" or leave them. Well-written episodic TV is better than half-baked "meta-stories" and Firefly was well-written.