Firefly
Five hundred years into the future, a United Alliance has brought the people of Earth together after they had left their home to colonise distant planets. The crew of a small Firefly-class cargo vessel Serenity ekes out a living in the lawless outer reaches of the galaxy, taking on jobs that are either illegal or too dangerous/foolhardy for most. After taking on two fugitives as passengers Serenity is persued by the Alliance, double-crossed by numerous employers and continually hunted by the mysterious and savage Reavers who inhabit the dark fringes of the galaxy.
The brainchild of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel creator Joss Whedon, Firefly acquired cult status among fans of TV science fiction before being cruelly cancelled by its sponsors after only one season. The result is a set of fourteen episodes of one of the most sharp, well written and entertaining sci-fi shows around; while there have been countless space operas over the years Firefly pays homage to the classics while still managing to add elements that are fresh and new.
At its heart Firefly is all about the characters. As we meet each member of Serenity’s crew we are presented with well rounded personalities who show genuine emotions and all have a tale to tell - many have been involved in a past conflict between the Alliance and independent forces, which helps set the scene of the show nicely. From the rough diamond of a captain, Mal Reynolds, to his laconic pilot Wash and fiery wife Zoe, tomboy mechanic Kaylee, gruff hard man Jayne Cobb, high class courtesan Inara, sophisticated doctor Simon and his mysterious sister River, we are presented with a likeable bunch of people who tread the fine line of the law just to get by.
In terms of story and setting Firefly merges the science fiction and Western - an unlikely combination on paper but something that works very well in practice. The scenes in space make use of good quality CGI while retaining the ‘hand-held camera’ feel and events that occur on the terraformed planets and moons are more in keeping with an old-fashioned Wild West adventure, with the sets having a very ‘Earthlike’ appearance. The latter also influences the storylines and script - there are plenty of stand-offs, comical one-liners and cliffhangers and when combined with some moments of laugh-out-loud humour the end result is something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Science fiction series often have a bit of ‘geek culture’ stigma attached to them (especially when they get such a fervent yet relatively small fan following) but in this respect Firefly is also unusual: the characters and plots are able to extend beyond the usual boundaries and have the potential for mainstream appeal. Quite simply it is entertaining and original enough for viewers outside the ’sci fi fan’ niche to appreciate it. There are no big intergalactic battles, unconvincing-looking aliens or strange languages (the dialogue slips into Chinese occasionally but there is good reason for this): Firefly is about some decent, ordinary people, making a living in a tough environment that is not that far removed from the world that we are familiar with.
It is a real shame that a series that showed so much promise did not run for longer; fans however can take comfort in the fact that a feature length sequel, Serenity, is now out on general release in the UK and Whedon has not ruled out further continuations to the story, be it on the big or small screen. This DVD package contains all fourteen episodes along with some interesting extras including episode-long commentaries from various members of the cast and crew.
Summary
As a sci fi series Firefly is an inventive and convincing portrayal of how humanity might live in the future; at the same time it is a brilliant comedy-adventure with an engaging cast and moments of touching drama. All I can say is, don’t make the mistake that Fox Entertainment made and dismiss such an unusual show - it is funny, emotional, thought provoking and one heck of a lot of fun to watch.
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