Two years ago I had the pleasure of participating in a science fiction class that looked at the science side of various films and stories and toward the end of the semester I was introduced to Firefly.
I immediately fell in love with it… although I still have lots of catching up to do 
So here’s the place for you to talk about Firefly and Serenity.
Some Questions to start out with:
1) What do you think of the spacewestern genre? Do the two elements mix well or should sci fi and western be kept separate?
2) Who’s your favorite character in the show and why?
3) What’s your favorite and least favorite moments from the series? (Use the spoiler code please!)
4) What’s your favorite and least favorite moment from the movie? (Spoiler code again please!)
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
Topic starter
Posted : August 24, 2012 7:01 pm
Special Features about 2 of my favorite TV shows at once! 
I was introduced to Firefly right here on NarniaWeb, back in the early days of the forum. coraline, among others, was quite a fan of the show.
We introduced some other NarniaWebbers to the show when we got together in person, often watching it late into the night. "Jaynestown" is a humorous episode - but even moreso at 2 am.
I actually saw Serenity before watching the show...I did enjoy the show anyway, despite spoilers from the movie, but would recommend seeing the show first.
1. What do you think of the spacewestern genre? Do the two elements mix well or should sci fi and western be kept separate?
I think it works really well in Firefly; it makes it different than the usual phasers of the sci-fi world (not that I don't enjoy things like Star Trek or Star Wars).
(Ironically, Trek was originally billed as a sort of 'wagon train to the stars.' I think Firefly actually does a better job of this).
2. Who’s your favorite character in the show and why?
Firefly has some great characters and I would have loved to see how Joss Whedon and the other writers would have developed them. I particularly liked Kaylee (a bubbly girl who's also a crack engineer, quite different than the usual stereotype) and Shepherd Book (the minister who is apparently a lot more).
3. What’s your favorite and least favorite moments from the series? (Use the spoiler code please!)
My favorite episodes include "Jaynestown" for its tongue-in-cheek attitude and humor and "Shindig"
Spoiler
(it's like "Jane Austen in space")
Spoiler
which explores the background stories of the characters and how they came to be on the ship
(No serious spoilers there; you'll have to watch the show to see!)
Most of the episodes are quite enjoyable, though there were several I didn't like as much.
4. What’s your favorite and least favorite moment from the movie? (Spoiler code again please!)
The movie (by its nature) seemed a lot more rushed than the series. This makes sense, it had a lot to cover and less time to do it. But I prefer the more leisurely development of the TV show. That's not to say I didn't like the movie, however.
Spoiler
Events near the end bothered me...especially the rather pointless death of a certain character. Sure, life isn't fair and death isn't always heroic or meaningful...but maybe that's why we hope to see heroism and significance in our fiction[/ramble]
But all night, Aslan and the Moon gazed upon each other with joyful and unblinking eyes.
Posted : August 25, 2012 1:41 pm
I heard a lot about Firefly before i saw it. While i enjoyed it - very witty, great characters and solid plots - i didn't like it quite as much as everybody else seemed to. Later we saw the movie Serenity, and i didn't like it at all. Looking back on it now, i don't think it's as bad as i originally thought, but i still don't have any desire to see it again.
Let me thank you upfront for only having four questions - i always feel overwhelmed when i come into a SF with upwards of 9 questions to answer!
1) What do you think of the spacewestern genre? Do the two elements mix well or should sci fi and western be kept separate?
Sci-fi and western are actually my two least favorite genres, but i think it worked. It was nice to see a different spin - at least, different for me - on the whole "space exploration" concept.
2) Who’s your favorite character in the show and why?
Oh, i don't know if i could name one favorite; i especially liked Wash, Simon, Zoe and Shepherd Book.
Wash - His personality, coupled with the fact that he wasn't afraid to stand up to Mal (whom i never really liked).
Simon - His character could be summed up in all he did for his sister. I didn't like how the others generally treated him - not that they were cruel or way out of bounds (usually), but it seemed that they were making fun of him for things he couldn't help.
Zoe - I loved her relationships with Wash and Mal.
Shepherd Book - Always nice to see a positive portrayal of Christianity on TV.
3) What’s your favorite and least favorite moments from the series? (Use the spoiler code please!)
Favorite - I'll take my cue from stargazer, and say my favorite episodes:
"The Train Job" - Apparently, Fox thought the initial pilot too dark and gritty, and asked Joss Whedon to write a lighter episode, and this was the result. I gotta agree with Fox on this one.
Spoiler
I loved Mal and Zoe pretending to be husband and wife, Simon drugging Jayne - and the whole thing was full of great quotes.
"Jaynestown" -
Spoiler
"The Man They Call Jayne" - what more needs to be said?
"Ariel" -
Spoiler
Not so sure how i feel about Mal nearly throwing Jayne out the airlock, though it was nice to see him standing up for Simon and River. And i loved the sequence where Simon teaches them their lines to pretend to be paramedics ... and then they don't need to say them ..... and Jayne goes and says his anyway, 'cause he worked hard on that, dangit!
"Trash" -
Spoiler
It was nice to see the crew pull one over on Saffron, and the whole subplot with her and .. gah, can't remember his name, her first husband .. was actually rather touching. And Simon had a great scene with Jayne.
Least favorite episodes:
War Stories -
Spoiler
Totally unnecessary scenes of Inara with her female client.
The Message -
Spoiler
The whole situation with Tracy could have been handled so much more intelligently.
Heart of Gold -
Spoiler
Whole episode on space hookers. Whee.
4) What’s your favorite and least favorite moment from the movie? (Spoiler code again please!)
As i said above, i didn't really like the movie. It had some good quotes, but
Spoiler
i thought the deaths of both Book and Wash were completely unnecessary, i found the idea of the Pax unrealistic, and Mal's attitude through the whole thing seriously bugged me. And i didn't like that they rewrote the rescue of River thing, either.
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it. - Rabbi Tarfon
Posted : August 25, 2012 4:36 pm
Firefly! I finally got around to seeing the movie last week. Perfect timing.
1) What do you think of the spacewestern genre? Do the two elements mix well or should sci fi and western be kept separate? I think it works perfectly. They even managed to use typical western scenarios such as the bar fight with the necessary hero gets thrown out the window shot. As stargazer said, it fits the original Star Trek concept even better than Star Trek did.
2) Who’s your favorite character in the show and why? This is a tough one. It's such a great group of characters and they all have their good and bad points. I'd probably have to pick Kaylee just because she's so much fun.
3) What’s your favorite and least favorite moments from the series? (Use the spoiler code please!) "Jaynestown",
Spoiler
"This must be what going mad feels like."
Spoiler
"How big a room?
Spoiler
"Well, my sister's a ship. We had a complicated childhood."
Spoiler
Did Tracy really need to die? I didn't like him very much, but it still seemed unnecessary.
4) What’s your favorite and least favorite moment from the movie? (Spoiler code again please!) I didn't like the movie as much as the show. Most of that was because it felt very rushed and
Spoiler
not all of the characters are on the ship so the dynamic of the crew changed quite a bit. Oh, and Wash died. *sniff* Book's death was sad too, but it felt more meaningful than Wash's. I did like the expansion of Simon and River's story as well as the Reavers. I was never entirely satisfied with the explanations of their origin in the show.
Narniaweb sister to Pattertwig's Pal
Posted : August 25, 2012 5:32 pm
Great topic! I did a short search, and although we've talked of the show before, I'm not sure if it's been a SF before. So, thanks for bringing it up... giving us fans an outlet!
1. What do you think of the spacewestern genre? Do the two elements mix well or should sci fi and western be kept separate?
I don't know about it being a genre... to be honest the only example I can think of, is Firefly. But in the case of said show, it worked really well.
2. Who’s your favorite character in the show and why?
Ick, I hate this kind of question. First off, I'm really indecisive by nature. But also because I love them all for different reasons. That said, if I had to guess? Probably Simon and River.
I mean, she's so interesting, and he's such a good brother... *sniff*
Kaylee would be almost tied with them, though. (but part of that could be because the other mods long ago decided that she's the one I'm most like )
(and I could even go on... I hate narrowing it down to just those three. I really do love them all. GAH, stupid indecisive brain!!!!)
3. What’s your favorite and least favorite moments from the series?
Ouch... what's with all the hard questions? 
It's been awhile since I've seen any of the episodes, so I don't know if I could really accurately decide for sure. Sorry. 
That said...
We introduced some other NarniaWebbers to the show when we got together in person, often watching it late into the night. "Jaynestown" is a humorous episode - but even moreso at 2 am.
oh... gosh, yes! The funniest time through for me, was that first time with you guys in Houston. *thinks* Wasn't that my first episode? Or am I remembering wrong? (fun fact: this might just be my fave episode. Well, this one and "Safe", I think it was. The one where Simon and River get separated from the rest)
If my life depended on me guessing...
fave- any sibling moments with Simon and River. Oh, and that whole bit when Shepherd was talking to River. And "This must be what going mad feels like." and... maybe I should stop now.
least fave- probably the more "uncomfortable" type moments... like when Inara was working. *shudder*
4. What’s your favorite and least favorite moment from the movie?
Not sure as to favourites. But the least favourites are easy to pinpoint...
Spoiler
poor Wash and Shepherd! 
Posted : August 28, 2012 11:09 am
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