Today's Specials: healthsome, grenade-free apples (sliced, not whole) and a piece of molded-protein cake with chocolaty-flavored frosting.
OK, it's official: I'm in love with Firefly.
Until this week, I'd only watched the movie (which I stupidly watched before seeing the show) and half of the episodes. Now I've seen the entire series, and it is INCREDIBLE.
For those not in the know, Firefly is the totally awesome - and tragically short-lived - TV series from Joss Whedon, the storytelling genius behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The show is set 500 years in the future. Earth has long since been abandoned, and humanity has relocated to a star-system with about 70 "terra-formed" planets. The known galaxy is ruled by a totalitarian regime known as the Alliance, which took power after winning a war against the Independents.
Enter Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, the captain of a Firefly-class ship called Serenity. He fought for the Independents during the war; now, six years later, he flies around the galaxy, finding work (legitimate and not-so-legitimate) for himself and his crew wherever he can and staying as far away as he can from Alliance control.
Now that you know the background, here's why the show rocks:
The Characters:
This show has one of the most diverse and brilliantly conceived cast of characters I have ever seen on TV. Joss Whedon once described the premise of the show as "nine people who look out into the blackness of space and see different things." These characters are led by Mal, who, despite working as a thief and a smuggler, lives his life with honor.
The crew includes the following eclectic group of individuals: Zoe, the first mate who fought under Mal's command during the war; Wash, ace pilot and husband to Zoe; Kaylee, resident mechanical genius; Jayne, mercenary and weapons expert; Inara, a registered companion who rents a shuttle onboard Serenity; River Tam, a young genius whose brain was experimented upon at the Alliance's Academy; Simon Tam, a young doctor on the run from the Alliance for breaking River out of the Academy; and Shepherd Book, a preacher who travels with the crew.
The Writing:
It's Joss Whedon, so of course the writing rocks. Here are some of my favorite quotes in video form. I don't know what's up with the song in the background; just ignore it and focus on the quotes:
And here's my FAVORITE monologue from the series. Pure Whedon awesomeness; just enjoy the ridiculousness:
