I just had to post something aboutthis list, because it a)includes three of my favorite characters and b) speaks up in defense of my favorite pilot, who, I find, is sometimes unfairly maligned by those who don't know better.
The list in question names the Best Characters of the Decade, and on at least three counts, the makers of the list were spot on. Here are the ones I totally agreed with and what the list writer had to say about them:
#3. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.Loony Lovegood arrived late in the Potterverse: she made her first real appearance in 2003 in Order of the Phoenix. What makes her work as a character is that she's mad the way Hamlet is: merely north-north-west. There are things about the world, and about Harry, that only she can understand.
#4. Wash from Firefly.In a show full of vivid characters, Wash was perhaps the vivid-est. He wasn't conventionally heroic -- he was never slow to point out the imminence and inevitability of the entire crew's destruction -- but when the chips were down, he was as brave as any man, or woman, on board. Except maybe his wife.
#8. Dr. Horrible from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.The great thing about Dr. Horrible is that in a comic book world, he defies the conventional categories. He's neither a hero nor a villain. He's just a human being who wants to be loved. And who wears goggles and carries a freeze ray. And who periodically breaks into song.
I'll be honest. The only reason I watched the first episode of "V" tonight was because Alan Tudyk was a guest star. The show itself is, in my opinion, a rather lame retread of the whole alien invasion concept. However, there was no way I was going to miss a chance to see my current celebrity crush on TV again, no matter what show.
But do they let me enjoy it? NO! Because, once again, Alan had to pull an Alpha and turn out to be working for the Dark Side!
Don't get me wrong: Alan Tudyk plays evil and creepifying REALLY well. We saw it on Dollhouse, and we get to see it again here. I'm sure he'll be awesome as an evil, lizard-y sleeper cell agent.
But we also know he can play the funny good guy just as well, the obvious example being Wash. The good guy is what I thought I was getting at the beginning of this episode; unfortunately, that guy was just a cover for his true, evil V identity, so we won't get to see nice guy Alan anymore. Bummer. :(
Also: Did we REALLY need to see his character stabbed through the chest? That moment brought on a VERY depressing "leaf on the wind" flashback (R.I.P., Wash).
I was once completely in love with Hulu. I mean, anything that lets me watch TV episodes I missed (or just enjoy watching over and over) gets nothing but love from me. But now, I feel as though I've been stabbed in the heart.
First, they announce that they will start charging for content in 2010. That was bad enough. The whole point of Hulu is that it is FREE. Hello!
But NOW, they are only streaming the first FIVE episodes of Firefly! And only the first season of Buffy! How dare they!
People of Hulu, be warned: You have angered the Whedonverse (and probably a lot of other fandoms as well, I haven't checked). You will face the consequences.
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:
Welcome to Cafe Minerva, the home for curious, opinionated, and decidedly geeky people everywhere. Please, take a seat, help yourself to today's specials, and join in a little friendly conversation. Books, movies, music, politics, current events, sports - anything and everything is fair game. So pull up a chair and join the discussion.
