Firefly

Genre: Action/Sci-Fi/Adventure

Aired: 2002-2003

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Episode Count: 14

DVD Features: Commentaries - Featurettes - Deleted Scenes - Gag Reel - And More

You may know Joss Whedon from his work on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin off, Angel, but what you probably do not know is that neither of the two compare to Whedon's pet project, Firefly. Cancelled after a short first season, Firefly may not have wowed the masses, but was not without a very loyal audience.

Outraged and left wanting, fans spoke up and were not only blessed with the release a DVD collection loaded with special features, but because of their relentless efforts, the movie Serenity was also produced and released to the public in October of 2005, two years after it was cancelled.

Plot

Five hundred years in the future human civilization has begun to colonize deep space. Life on the core planets is sparkling and clean, but the further out into the stars one travels the harder life becomes. Settlers are shuttled to newly "terraformed" planets and left behind with only their hands, maybe a blanket and a few tools with which to carve out their own piece of a new kind of earth.

Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds chooses neither the glistening life on the core planets nor the turmoil of a space settler's existence. On his Firefly class ship, named Serenity, Mal struggles to keep his boat in the air and his hand-picked crew fed by accepting any and every job he is offered. Rarely, though, do his plans run as smoothly as he expects and a certain new passenger on board promises to deliver the crew a whole new set of problems.

Characters & Setting

From the rebellious former war sergeant to the companion with a heart of gold and everyone in between, the story of Mal and his crew is a classically western tale. The characters have been clearly thought out and developed by creator Joss Whedon to carry on board with them a past bursting with intrigue and together they form the most diverse and wayward "family" that television has ever seen. With charm and humor from even the most questionable of personalities, the characters of Firefly are the glue that holds this series together.

You're not going to see any green-skinned beings living in alien jungles, toting unrecognizable weapon-like contraptions in this show. A lot of crew's adventures take place on dusty planets with shady characters riding up on horseback, guns drawn, to work out the details of whatever job Mal has taken on to earn some credits. This series; however, it not without it's visits to spinning space stations, other star ships and the occasional jaunt to the elite societies of the core planets.

Cinematography & Sound

Firefly is the 2003 Emmy winner for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a television series and it isn't difficult to see why. Clever use of camera tricks combined with clean CGI animation give this show an entirely original look from all angles. Whether the camera is zooming in haphazardly, quickly panning from one character to another, or simply hovering over glittering towers, the effects put a hand into the faces of those that believe a good show must incorporate cutting edge techniques to be great.

With a sophisticated western flair and a pluck of eastern influence, the music plays poignantly to the emotions of the scenes in which it is featured. Each episode is opened by the show's title song and the lyrics, written by Whedon, fully encompass the general theme that flows throughout the series. Sound effects slip naturally into place within the mix of visuals and music, pulling together the picture of Firefly's unique blend of presentation.

Performance & Style

Although you many not recognize a lot of the actors in Firefly the fact that they are not well known only adds to the fantastic realism that is felt throughout the series. Not without talent, this group of performers are true to the nature of their characters in every respect. Seeing the actors in other roles solidifies the thought that these people have definite creative skill and have put everything under their skin into their Firefly performances.

Performance and style go hand-in-hand because part of this show's style is the way it is performed. Every bit of this series screams old western, from the way characters are dressed to the way they speak. One will notice; however, that while English is the most commonly spoken language, a bit of Chinese has been slipped into the dialog, giving this vision of futuristic civilization a more "lived in" feeling. Why Chinese? Watch the special features on the DVD to find out.

Final Thoughts

Firefly is undeniably one of the most visionary and realistic science fiction stories that has ever been told on screen. Whedon's portrayal of the future is built on the idea that human civilization will have to colonize space, literally, out of need and not just curiosity of what is out there. The struggles of such colonization are the center of the universe, focusing on the little guy who works hard to earn his living instead of the silver-spoon lives of those in positions of authority.

Though Whedon sticks to the outline of a traditional western tale, his imagination works overtime, taking progressive strides to deliver an original and unique story. Excellent in every aspect of its components, the show is a gem in the science fiction universe that every fan of the genre should enjoy.

Firefly now airs on the Sci-Fi Channel - check your local listings for times or purchase the entire series on DVD at your favorite entertainment retailer.