Why You Should Watch ‘Firefly’
Through the years, there has been no shortage of great science fiction shows for our viewing pleasures. Titans like Star Trek and Doctor Who dominate the genre. Even Star Wars has shifted its focus to the episodic television structure in recent years. With that in mind I would like to draw your attention to a franchise that has gathered some dust since its debut in the early 2000s, Firefly. The love child of Joss Whedon, this series was untimely canceled before it got the chance to really get its footing. Do not let that fool you though. The show has a loyal fan base to this day, myself included, and it is not hard to see why. So let’s take a trip into the Verse of Firefly, and hopefully by the end I will have convinced you to give it a try.
There were many factors that came together to spell the end of the show, but it was never an issue of quality. In many ways it was doomed from the start, as Fox, the studio that owned it, never quite had faith in the property, and aired it during a time slot beneath most people’s notice. The studio even released the episodes out of chronological order, which certainly did not draw in crowds. Firefly was not alone as many other promising shows met a similar fate. On the other hand, I would argue that the sudden end was a blessing rather than a curse. As much as fans would love to see more, the brief time we got to spend with the series was short but sweet. What they managed to do with such little time only reinforced the strengths of the series as a whole.
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From as early as the pilot episode, viewers were treated to a well lived in universe teeming with atmosphere and charm. Set in the far future, the series explored humanity’s expanse through the galaxy as they colonize new worlds. This eventually culminated in a galaxy-wide civil war between the Alliance, a collective of planets in close proximity to Earth, and the Independents, comprised of settlers on the fringes of the explored universe. The Independents, as their name implies, wanted to self-govern, free from the influence of the far-off Alliance. This did not sit well with the Alliance, and war broke out to preserve the union. The series picked up years later in the aftermath of the war and the Alliance’s victory.
It was pretty standard sci-fi fare so far, but Whedon added a surprise twist to mix things up. He made it a western as well. The two genres are certainly odd bedfellows, and it is not the first time it has been attempted. Whedon seamlessly married the two genres with amazing story telling. The dichotomy of these genres was used as a narrative device to contrast the opposing sides of the conflict. The Alliance was your standard futuristic empire, complete with sleek ships and polished sheen. The Independents, on the other hand, were much more rustic. Their ships felt more lived in, with a ride it ’til the wheels fall off kind of vibe. It was here that the western elements shine. It was not uncommon to see horses and other low-tech solutions at work to solve common problems. This was where the show’s heroes came in.
Most Firefly episodes saw the crew hopping from job to job to earn money to stay afloat. These enterprises were often morally dubious given the fact that most of the crew were not on the best terms with the Alliance. This did not sit well with the more upstanding members of the team, which led to interesting character moments. At the end of the day, they would come together as a family. That relationship among the main cast served as the heart and soul of the show. Over its short run time you could not help but fall in love with every member of the crew, and become invested in their endeavors. None of it felt forced and relationships were allowed to develop organically.
If the crew was the family, then the Serenity was their home. The Firefly model cargo freighter served as the crew’s living space as they travel the Verse. When we were first introduced to the ship, it was written off as a hunk of junk to most who see it, but our protagonist Mal saw something special. True to that old sci-fi trope, she was a diamond in the rough like the Millennium Falcon before her. As the show went on, she became a character in her own right. She lived and breathed in her own way, and you could not help but love her. Not even the cast were immune to her charms, opting to eat together in the ship’s kitchen rather than the studio’s cafeteria.
The series itself was cut short, but fans were given closure with the release of the follow up film Serenity, and an ongoing assortment of comics from the series’ creator. More than any other sci-fi series I have seen through the years, Firefly makes me yearn to be a leaf on the wind, soaring through space on a rickety spacecraft. The crew of the Serenity and the ship itself are so warm and inviting you cannot help but stick around to see more. My time with them was short lived, but I enjoyed every minute of it. In the show’s own words, it was nothing short of shiny. So do yourself a favor and give it a try when you find the time. I think it is a safe bet that you will enjoy it.
Firefly can be streamed on Hulu.
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