Serenity vs. Star Trek

[EnsignRicky]

I saw it backwards as well, and enjoyed it independently all the same. That being said, Firefly really is meant to be viewed first, and anyone who hasn't seen it, with all due respect, really isn't qualified to criticize the character development. After watching the original series I quickly realized that anything more would have been a waste of precious screen time. River's story arc was the priority, and I couldn't be happier that it achieved victory over cancellation. Sequel, I say.

 

[trampledamage]

I have never watched Firefly but was interested in it and considered getting a dvd set at one point (nothing is on tv here). But then I watched Serentity which I thought was godawful and I never pursued Firefly. It's waaaay down on the bottom of the series I need to check out list now. As I recall I found Serenity characters rather cartoonish though that doesn't have to be a bad thing.. but it was.

In my opinion Firefly is way better than Serenity (see earlier post ) - obviously I'm not going to say buy the DVD set just on my word, but if it's ever on TV again, give it a chance.

Serenity had too many of Joss Whedon's worst faults of writing (I agree with the cartoonish comment), and while there is some of that in Firefly the characters get more of an opportunity to be real.

 

[RAMA]

SOmeone mentioned talent behind the camera...I think JJ Abram's track record is better than Whedon's...Alias, Lost,Fringe, MI:III, Cloverfield...The only show of Whedon's I really watched regularly was Dollhouse. I consider Buffy a kid's show.

RAMA

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Okay I have moved it up the list to purchase if: "dvd set in bargain bin at Target".

It will never be on tv here.

Also, sadly, I have all the seasons of Bab5 and am yet to watch more than a couple eps. Trek just takes up the majority of my tv viewing time, especially as I am morally obligated to continue the education of the boy. I keep thinking once we finish DS9 I might get to Bab5..

 

[Jeyl]

AS ST fans Orci simply used a past element of TOS for his sotry. I don't see a problem there.

Well, I guess that goes to show you how original Serenity is compared to the new Star Trek movie. You see, Joss Whedon didn't have 40 years of Firefly stories that other writers wrote for. All he had was what he created which didn't even last a full season.

 

[Jeyl]

SOmeone mentioned talent behind the camera...I think JJ Abram's track record is better than Whedon's...Alias, Lost,Fringe, MI:III, Cloverfield...The only show of Whedon's a really watched regularly was Dollhouse. I consider Buffy a kid's show.

J.J. was the director of the film, not the writer. Joss Whedon was both the writer and director of Serenity. Compared to the writers of Star Trek, I'd pick one of Joss's stories over any story those two writers have written any day.

 

[Nebula1400]

First, I have never seen Firefly.

But I just saw Serenity. This movie is a real turkey in my view. Ok, why do I bring it up here?

Because this is what the hardcores that disliked Star Trek would have wanted -- a movie only people that have seen the TV show it is based on can relate to. No character introductions of the heroes, no character arcs and awful story if you are not into the world of Firefly.

Orci and Kurtzman are scriptwriting gods compared to whoever wrote Serenity.

Finally, I seriously hope that the suits at Universal that greenlit this movie were fired. Anyone could realise it would be a bomb at the box office by just reading the script.

Um. Some of us love both movies. We're comparing apples and oranges here, which is kind of pointless.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Sorry, Aike, but while I liked both Serenity and Star Trek the former is a great deal better written and the characters considerably more intriguing that Abrams and company could manage for Trek. Better dialogue, too.

I consider Buffy a kid's show.

That's a fundamental lack of understanding on your part, as it's far more adult than Abrams' Star Trek.

 

[miniglik]

I liked ST 09 better than Serenity, by a little bit, but I have to admit: I liked Firefly better than I liked any of the ST series, and I like Joss shows better than I've liked any JJ shows. (In fact, I've never been a fan of a single JJ show, while I would put three Joss shows in my top 10.) But Firefly is inherintly more my type of entertainment. I prefer dirty, quirky, rag tag space travellers with large plot arcs to the more episodic, clean, altruistic voyages of the Enterprise.

I don't know about the lack of character development in Serenity because, like others, I watched Firefly first, and there's development through that. But I feel like much of the criticism for ST 09 has been more that it's TOO much like the Serenity-type movie (science thrown out the window for dramatic license, for one).

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I liked ST 09 better than Serenity, by a little bit, but I have to admit: I liked Firefly better than I liked any of the ST series, and I like Joss shows better than I've liked any JJ shows.

The entirety of modern "24th century Trek" (and Enterprise) encompassed less imaginative entertainment - and a good deal less intellectual stimulation - than Firefly or any given season of Buffy.

 

[Jeri]

Buffy is good? I have never watched a single episode; what am I missing?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It's really hard to describe, as it's mostly in the story-by-story execution rather than concept (the concept being absolutely absurd, of course). It's a very inventive, funny and off-center television series built around eccentric characters. The only real way to know whether you'll enjoy it is to watch a few episodes and see if it suits your taste - nothing anyone can tell you either in its favor or in criticism of it will give you much sense of the show IMAO.

 

[Jeri]

So, with "concept being absolutely absurd," you're saying I don't have to buy the vampire bit -- is that right? That would help, if true.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

You don't have to take it real seriously, no, because as the series evolves they don't either. There's always a lot of melodrama around the slaying, and bad things sometimes happen to people in the process, but the scary monsters become something of a sideshow to the scary process of people trying to live with each and and with who they are.

Although, as I talked to someone the other week about the rather mysterious current popularity of vampires in all kinds of fiction it occurred to me that conjuring up a scientific rationale for the existence of vampires would involve a lot less cheating on what we know or have strong reason to believe about the Universe than making up ways for spaceships to fly faster than light to planets of pointy-eared creatures who are interfertile with human beings.

That reminded me of the "Astro Quest" episode "CSI" where the lab technician puts another character in his place by pointing out that "Mr Ed" can be seen as closer to hard sf than a show like Trek.

 

[Michael Chris]

I absolutely loved Star Trek, but it doesn't hold a candle to Serenity. Sure, Serenity wasn't as good as Firefly it was still quite good. With full honesty I can't think of an episode of Star Trek (Inner Light is close) that is as good as Firefly's worst (Heart of Gold IMO).

Also, please just because you don't like something don't tell others who happen to enjoy it that it sucks. That is just rude.

 

[sidious618]

[Seinfeld] Serenity now... insanity later. [/Serenity]

 

[Jeri]

Dennis, ok; thanks. I might pick up the first-season box.

Uh -- first, just tell me: did you work on this show? Just kidding.

 

[Phily B]

Hahaha, what a surprise to see a Star Trek basher being a Firefly/Serenity fan.

I think Mal is a bigger asshole than Kirk, the guy literally threw that kid to the wolves in the film. I think there was a bit of a difference between the guy from Serenity and Nero too, Nero killed 6 billion Vulcans for example while the sword dude was just a guy with a sword working for the government.

 

[miniglik]

Buffy is good? I have never watched a single episode; what am I missing?

From the little bit I've interacted with you, I think you'd like Buffy. For one, it can be really funny. Joss dialogue was pretty unique at the time (since then it's been imitated, of course) with it's dry, cutesy absurd qualities. Like anything, it's kind of dated now, and some of the effects were terrible, but it's worth a try. (Also, you get to spend the first season mocking David Boreanaz's acting, which is fun.) I don't actually like Buffy as much as I liked Firefly, because I'm just not as interested in the "high school is hell" metaphor as I am in the ragtag space crew, but it's still worth a try. Campy, clever good times.

 

[Trent Roman]

This is a question? I have Firefly/Serenity on DVD, and watch the run of the show/film maybe twice a year; it just never gets old, never ceases to entertain.

I wouldn't watch Abrams' film again unless someone was paying me for my time.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman