What's so great about Firefly?

[Amaris]

Or, better yet, GETS pwned. For once.

What do you mean for once? Mal got his ass kicked all the time.

Especially when

Spoiler: This!

Niska killed him.

(He got better).

I love that episode. I really wish the series could have continued.

 

[6079SmithW]

To address some of the complaints about the show, one thing to keep in mind is that Whedon deliberately wanted to make a show that was the polar opposite of Trek.

He actually said he wanted a show about a group of people that the crew of the Enterprise would just pass right on by without ever noticing.

The political/philosophical message of firefly is also opposite to that of Trek. Where later Trek had a message of socialistic utopia, FF's message is very libertarian in nature, being "the government shouldn't meddle in the affairs of individuals and should let people do their thing without trying to impose control."

Another thing, Whedon got the idea from firefly from reading a novel about the battle of Gettysburg from the confederates' perspective. FF is basically supposed to be a post-Civil War tale about ex-Confederates trying to make their way on the lawless frontier and avoiding the ever expanding reach of the Federal government. It's just set in space.

I'm not trying to convince people that don't like the show that they should, I'm just trying to show them what the basic premise of FF is so that they have a better baseline of critique if they weren't aware of the facts I stated.

 

[Skellington]

What do you mean for once? Mal got his ass kicked all the time.

Losing is pretty much his defining trait.

 

[Sindatur]

What do you mean for once? Mal got his ass kicked all the time.

Losing is pretty much his defining trait.

True, but, he still always ends up making Lemonade nonetheless

 

[Skellington]

^ I probably wouldn't have understood that one if not for the Jack Bauer Facts. Is there nothing that they cannot do?

 

[infinix]

To address some of the complaints about the show, one thing to keep in mind is that Whedon deliberately wanted to make a show that was the polar opposite of Trek.

I wonder what that says about people (me) who enjoy both shows.

 

[Greg Cox]

To address some of the complaints about the show, one thing to keep in mind is that Whedon deliberately wanted to make a show that was the polar opposite of Trek.

I wonder what that says about people (me) who enjoy both shows.

That you like variety? Good for you.

It's not an either/or thing. I'm a Trekkie, but I don't expect or want every science fiction space series to feel like Star Trek. I like the gritty drama of BSG, the anarchic verve of FARSCAPE, and the wit and humor of FIREFLY. I want lots of different flavors and colors, not a steady diet of STAR TREK clones.

(Never really got into STARGATE or LEXX, though. And I respect BABYLON 5, but I don't miss it the way I do FARSCAPE. And I have never seen the appeal of the original BSG.)

Hell, I'm not sure every STAR TREK series needs to fit the same template. TOS and DS9 were very different shows, but they both worked on their own terms.

Liking "the opposite of Trek" doesn't mean you dislike TREK. It just means that, hey, we already have STAR TREK, so let's not just repackage it with a new name, but do something different this time . . . .

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm a Trekkie, but I don't expect or want every science fiction space series to feel like Star Trek.

I don't expect that either. Although just *one* would help.

 

[Star Wolf]

I totally agree with you. My girlfriend is friends with a bunch of fanatical Browncoats and I just don't get them at all. Whenever I'm forced to watch an episode I ask myself,"What is so special about this show? It isn't that good. What the hell are they carrying on about?"

Well, we could always take the cynical approach, and say that Browncoats love Firefly because


7. Summer Glau. She's Asian, right? And hot. And crazy. She's a Manic Pixie Dream Girl who might totally do you if she felt like it, but no way would she ever want to be a girlfriend or, God forbid, get knocked up with your kid. She's made for doing a splits on your Delta Quadrant, not for mothering or talking on and on about her feelings or some crap.

River Tam might be, I don't think Summer Glau is. She just has that "exotic" look some Europeans are lucky to get.

 

[Gaith]

T'was a joke.