Joss Whedon who created this series planned for it to run for seven seasons and instead it only produced 14 and aired 11 before it was canceled (purportedly after the first episode was shown). When Fox ran “Firefly” in 2002/2003 I never heard of it, of course I was busy deploying to Iraq and elsewhere due to this little thing called the Global War on Terrorism (Mal and Zoe would understand). I did see the sequel movie “Serenity” on DVD years later but not having seen the series and lacking that context it didn’t do much for me at the time. Discovering “Firefly” now for the first time all I can say is count me among the “Browncoat” faithful. How did this show not get picked up and run for Whedon’s seven seasons as planned? Given the crud on television today it’s incredible; shows like “NCIS Los Angeles” just keep serving up the same stuff every week and get renewed season after tedious season. Full disclosure; I am not a hard-core Sci-Fi geek. Star Trek TOS, yes, but all the other incarnations of Trek (except JJ Abrams latest films) not so much; original three Star Wars films, yes, the others by Lucas, no way. Nor am I a Whedon disciple, never watched “Buffy” or “Angel” or any of his other TV outings but must say that “Firefly” is brilliant. Maybe if it was called “Young Han Solo” (which is what it’s like in some respects) it may have done better.
The series works on many levels; as a character study it excels. Our nine space travelers all have interesting stories and the charismatic cast gets the viewers buy-in almost from the first episode. Thirteen years later you’ve seen many of these actors in different shows. Nathan Fillion (“Castle”) as Capt Malcolm Reynolds is great as the former rebellion fighter who buys a decrepit cargo ship and travels space moving legal and illegal goods to the outer colonies. As he says “I may have fought on the losing side, but I’m not sure it was the wrong side.” Now there’s an Alliance governing the planets that’s not quite as malevolent as The Empire in Star Wars but you get the idea. Rounding out the crew: Gina Torres (too many shows to mention) is his number one, Zoe, a former corporal he’s fought with she’s his trusted right arm. Alan Tudyk (“Dodgeball”) is “Wash” the ship’s pilot and husband of Zoe and a frequent source of comic relief. Adam Baldwin (“Chuck”, “The Last Ship”) is amusing as mercenary Jayne Cobb. He’s the muscle for the crew but motivated primarily by money and frequently one step away from mutiny. Morena Baccarin (“Homeland”, “V”, “Deadpool”) plays Inara, a beautiful so-called companion (prostitute) where in the future the world’s oldest profession is held in high esteem. She rents one of the ship’s shuttles and plys her trade from the Serenity. Jewel Taite (Stargate, Atlantis) is the ship’s mechanic Kaylee Frye. She’s a girly-girl next door type who spreads her sunny optimism throughout the ship. If she sounds annoying, she’s not and you’ll want to give her a hug. Ron Glass (Barney Miller) is Shepherd Book a preacher with a mysterious past who signs on for transport and decides to stay with the crew. Sean Maher is Dr. Simon Tam who books passage on his ship with “cargo”. That cargo turns out to be his sister he’s rescued from the evil Alliance and their sinister experiments. River Tam is played by Sci-Fi star Summer Glau, she’s suffering the effects of the treatment she’s received by the Alliance and at first she’s withdrawn and barely communicative. As the season progresses she begins to stabilize and more is revealed about her and certain “abilities” she’s developed as a result of what’s happened to her. She and her brother have a bounty on their heads and are being pursued by the Alliance who desperately want her back. Well drawn, likeable characters that the audience can identify with well portrayed by superb actors make this world a place you’ll want to visit.
Kudos to the set designer in regards to the spaceship Firefly’s interior spaces. Having traveled on a number of military transports the Serenity’s insides look pretty legit to me. Like the rest of the show there’s nothing fancy, just a utilitarian vessel to haul goods and crew making it easy to believe in.
The space-western concept apparently was too much for the network execs to grasp but I thought it was fun. The clothing and speech of these space travelers is right off the set of “Bonanza” for the most part. Less engaging is the constant insertion of Mandarin Chinese colloquialisms, profanity, and slang in the dialog (without subtitles). In Whedon’s future world America and China are the only surviving superpowers so there’s a strong Asian influence throughout the show. Happily, Wikipedia has a page of “Firefly” script excerpts and translations of a number of the Chinese phrases that’s a helpful resource for the more interested viewer.
The stories are well done and the show has a great sense of humor with many one liners that had me chuckling. Of the 14 episodes there isn’t a bad one in the bunch. My two favorites are “Our Mrs. Reynolds” and “Jaynestown”. In the former Mal winds up allegedly married after a drunken party to none other than Christina Hendricks before “Mad Men” fame. Her character of Saffron is terrific and Mal’s discomfiture as well as the amusement of the crew was a laugh. Saffron also appears in a later episode too and is no less a delight. In “Jaynestown” the crew revisit a planet where Cobb got himself into a bit of trouble but on returning discovers he’s a hero to the locals. When the guy in the bar sings the ballad about Cobb it’s a laugh out loud moment.
When you reach the conclusion of the final episode, “Objects in Space” you’ll be left with an empty feeling knowing that there isn’t any more to watch (other than the 2005 movie “Serenity”). That this fine series never got a fighting chance is a real tragedy.
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Episodes (14)
- 1. SerenityDecember 20, 20021h 26minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
The crew of the spaceship Serenity attempt to rid themselves of precious salvaged cargo. - 2. The Train JobSeptember 20, 200243minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
Mal and his crew are hired to pull off a train heist, but the cargo turns out to be badly needed medication intended for sufferers of a deadly disease. - 3. BushwhackedSeptember 27, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
The crew discovers the sole survivor of a Reaver attack aboard a derelict spacecraft, leading to an encounter with an Alliance commander bent on capturing Simon and River. - 4. ShindigNovember 1, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
Hoping to initiate a smuggling transaction, Mal attends an elegant social event with Kaylee. But when Mal upsets a wealthy man who hired Inara as his companion, he is challenged to a sword fight. - 5. SafeNovember 8, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
Book is critically injured when the crew of the Serenity is caught in the crossfire between policemen and outlaws; a backward people in need of a doctor kidnap Simon, and mistake River for a witch. - 6. Our Mrs. ReynoldsOctober 4, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
After ridding a peaceful planet of a group of bandits, Mal and his crew are honored for their heroism. But when he returns to the Serenity, a horrified Mal is told he inadvertently married one of the local women during the celebration. - 7. JaynestownOctober 18, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
When the Serenity crew travels to a planet to strike a smuggling deal, Jayne discovers the populace worships him as a hero; Inara makes a man out of a magistrate's 26-year-old virginal son; Book's nerves fray as he tends to River. - 8. Out of GasOctober 25, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish (UK) [CC], English (US) [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
The crew is forced to abandon ship when the Serenity is crippled by an explosion, leaving behind a dying Mal, who recalls how he first acquired the vessel and assembled the crew. - 9. ArielNovember 15, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
Disguised as medical personnel, the crew infiltrates a hospital with the intention of stealing valuable supplies; meanwhile, Simon uses a high-tech imaging device to study River's brain in hopes of curing her - only to be betrayed by Jayne. - 10. War StoriesDecember 6, 200244minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
The crew stages a rescue mission when Niska takes Mal prisoner and subjects him to torture; Inara raises eyebrows when she takes a female client. - 11. TrashJanuary 1, 200345minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
Mal's "wife" Saffron resurfaces with a plan to steal a valuable gun from a collector, but the plan goes awry when the gun's owner turns out to be another of Saffron's husbands. - 12. The MessageJanuary 1, 200344minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
Mal and Zoe receive a crate containing the body of an old wartime friend, but the man turns out to be very much alive, and smuggling a secret cargo. - 13. Heart of GoldJanuary 1, 200345minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
The Serenity crew defends a bordello from a gunslinger who got a prostitute pregnant and now intends to collect the child; Mal falls for the bordello's madam. - 14. Objects in SpaceDecember 13, 200245minTV-14SubtitlesEnglish [CC]Audio LanguagesEnglish
A bounty hunter bent on apprehending River and collecting the reward for her capture boards the ship at night, catching the crew off-guard. He soon grows confused when River claims she's become one with the Serenity.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016
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266 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2017
Format: Blu-rayVerified Purchase
The best TV series you NEVER saw. Oh, I'm not saying it's unsurpassed... there have been better TV series made, but not very many, and none with only 14 episodes.
But what is Firefly, if you haven't seen it? That's the problem; watch one episode and you'll see what it's all about, but otherwise it's hard to explain and I imagine it's equally difficult to market -- that must have been a big part of the reason it didn't reach a larger audience than it did, because the core fanbase is fiercely dedicated.
Okay: Basically, this is a pastiche of the Western and the Space Opera. Each episode is a standalone story, but there are also a number of ongoing (and delicious) threads that are cleverly serialized throughout the 14 episodes and the film (which is, by the way, still sold separately at the time of this review). The stories are somewhat reminiscent of Star Trek, but harder and darker -- our heroes are pirates, not government starfleet. The setting is a future where our galaxy has been colonized but is now ruled by an evil empire known as the Alliance. The principal characters -- the crew of the pirate ship Serenity -- are all equally important, an ensemble made up of misfits of varying types. The captain, sworn to make his own way rather than work for the Alliance, is a bit like Han Solo in Star Wars, but with a crew instead of a sidekick. But I use these comparisons only for illustration; space opera fans will almost certainly notice these obvious influences but I found myself forgetting them completely after a couple of episodes and just falling in love with the characters, because that's where the show lives.
The scripts are solid, the dialog is witty but natural, and the actors have a priceless chemistry together, no matter if they're all together or mixed up in smaller groups. You can take any of these characters and pair them off, and the pair will play well together -- it's always interesting, and it is an absolute joy to watch.
If you like this series, be sure to see the film as well: Serenity (2005, Joss Whedon). (Especially If you're wondering when River's going to come out of her shell and start turning the world upside down....)
But what is Firefly, if you haven't seen it? That's the problem; watch one episode and you'll see what it's all about, but otherwise it's hard to explain and I imagine it's equally difficult to market -- that must have been a big part of the reason it didn't reach a larger audience than it did, because the core fanbase is fiercely dedicated.
Okay: Basically, this is a pastiche of the Western and the Space Opera. Each episode is a standalone story, but there are also a number of ongoing (and delicious) threads that are cleverly serialized throughout the 14 episodes and the film (which is, by the way, still sold separately at the time of this review). The stories are somewhat reminiscent of Star Trek, but harder and darker -- our heroes are pirates, not government starfleet. The setting is a future where our galaxy has been colonized but is now ruled by an evil empire known as the Alliance. The principal characters -- the crew of the pirate ship Serenity -- are all equally important, an ensemble made up of misfits of varying types. The captain, sworn to make his own way rather than work for the Alliance, is a bit like Han Solo in Star Wars, but with a crew instead of a sidekick. But I use these comparisons only for illustration; space opera fans will almost certainly notice these obvious influences but I found myself forgetting them completely after a couple of episodes and just falling in love with the characters, because that's where the show lives.
The scripts are solid, the dialog is witty but natural, and the actors have a priceless chemistry together, no matter if they're all together or mixed up in smaller groups. You can take any of these characters and pair them off, and the pair will play well together -- it's always interesting, and it is an absolute joy to watch.
If you like this series, be sure to see the film as well: Serenity (2005, Joss Whedon). (Especially If you're wondering when River's going to come out of her shell and start turning the world upside down....)
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2016
Format: Blu-rayVerified Purchase
I'm a certified brown-coat and my only complaint is that it is very difficult to find out what sequence Joss Whedon had in mind for watching the available shows. Thankfully, he produced the film, Serenity, which mostly wraps up the story. There continues to be talk about bringing the cast back together for another run at the stories, but the likelihood is small.
Fox, which initially broadcast the series, sans the last three shows, essentially botched the job. Like other series that were cut far before their time, the network basically buried the show and never gave it a chance to become what is now a cult following. It is sad that another network did not pick up the series and allow it to play out to its conclusion.
Fox, which initially broadcast the series, sans the last three shows, essentially botched the job. Like other series that were cut far before their time, the network basically buried the show and never gave it a chance to become what is now a cult following. It is sad that another network did not pick up the series and allow it to play out to its conclusion.
Top international reviews
M. G. Goodson
5.0 out of 5 stars
The worst 'non-renewal' in sci-fi history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 11, 2018Verified Purchase
Sci-fi has always got a raw deal. 'Star Trek, TOS' - cancelled after 3 seasons. 'Farscape' cancelled after four when it should have been five (but later filled in by a mini-'series'). Both 'Babylon 5' and the rebooted 'Battlestar Galactica' ran into serious problems when trying to get approval for season 5, which led to somewhat unsatisfactory 'conclusions' to season 4 and less than successful fifth seasons.
Poor 'Firefly' didn't even get that far, which should be to the abiding shame of those executives who failed to 'greenlight' it. Most season ones of a 'projected' story arc are naff; Star Trek TNG and DS9 are prime examples. However, with Firefly, one is already 'invested' in the characters by 'mid-season' and to not allow Whedon the opportunity to develop his characters beyond the usual stereotypes (and let's be honest, they are stereotypes) was a 'crime against TV watching humanity'.
Most 'series' outlive their shelf-life and turn into dross; it's a pity the 'Firefly' never got the chance.
Poor 'Firefly' didn't even get that far, which should be to the abiding shame of those executives who failed to 'greenlight' it. Most season ones of a 'projected' story arc are naff; Star Trek TNG and DS9 are prime examples. However, with Firefly, one is already 'invested' in the characters by 'mid-season' and to not allow Whedon the opportunity to develop his characters beyond the usual stereotypes (and let's be honest, they are stereotypes) was a 'crime against TV watching humanity'.
Most 'series' outlive their shelf-life and turn into dross; it's a pity the 'Firefly' never got the chance.
28 people found this helpful
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Elwyn Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the shiniest series in the whole 'Verse.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2016Verified Purchase
Beautifully written, acted, directed and scored with everyone involved loving every second <3. Firefly should'be been allowed to go the distance as creative genius Joss Whedon clearly loves science fiction and mixing genres while giving his audience welcome surprises. The studio had little patience for Firefly's assured narrative speed that steadily revealed character details and back story, the studio wanted a run of the mill sci-fi series that had a noncommittal vapidness to it - Marvel's AOS (shudder!) is what the studio really wanted. But what we the audience blissfully received were nine different characters with real depth, charisma, acting ability and logical storyline conclusions. Mal is a man who has lost much, without hope, he just continues on, feeling like a ghost. Zoe and Wash are a wonderful dynamic couple and strike comely sparks off of each other. Kaylee is just adorable, sweet and kind. Jayne is a gruff but lovable mercenary with a softness buried deep down. Brook is Serenity's spiritual heart, always ready to impart helpful wisdom. Simon and River are the passengers running away from the Alliance's "big bad". I love Firefly <3.
15 people found this helpful
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M. Dignum
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shiny
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 6, 2017Verified Purchase
Since I have virtually worn out my DVD version of Firefly I thought an upgrade to Blue-ray was in order. Love the commentaries but wished they had done them for all episodes. Plus the roundtable talk was just with the guys of the show..couldnt they have done the same with the women? I'm sure I've seen something on Youtube. Putting that to one side this is a great series and it is "Lightning in a Bottle" for Joss and would have loved to see where it would have gone given more seasons, but Fox has a nasty habit of looking at the ratings instead of the possibilities where new shows are concerned. Prediction - This is up there with Star Trek TOS and so loyal fans will have to wait for at least 10 years before someone comes up with the brilliant idea of a reboot and or feature film and new tv series...but it won't be the same. They could always do an animated series with the original crew and get the actors back to do the voices...It's a dream I have.
8 people found this helpful
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J
5.0 out of 5 stars
Forewarned but not forearmed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2014Verified Purchase
Funny thing is, having known for years that Firefly is Exhibit A in the case against premature cancellations, the primary example of unjust axing, the most lamented and longed for of all shows - even knowing all that before I started, I *still* ended every episode feeling like there'd be millions of them. Millions and millions.
How could there *not* be? It's all so well done. The performances are perfect, full of charm - the camera's always catching the facial expression here or there that brings these characters to life. The dialogue is gleeful both in its accentuated eloquence and in its Wild West (via Beijing) twang. The characters are written with buckets of depth, and the storylines take the classic Star Trek blend of moral exploration, character development and sci-fi action and renovate it, winking back to its roots whilst gunning down its cliches, finding fresh patterns in the dark and the light. It holds back from the easy sell-out, but then provides unexpected satisfactions. When its decisions are more obvious, it carries them off with polish and sparkle. But it also rejoices in *almost* being predictable, *almost* settling for what any decent series would do, and then spinning on its heel to laugh at the tropes and kick off in its own, quirkier direction. Yet it feels familiar instantly and knows precisely how to make a tin can in cold space seem like a home you don't want to leave.
It's inconceivable that there aren't more episodes. Everyone involved in making this was sorely robbed. Still, what there *is* remains a hell of a gift for everyone else.
Even if it sort of leaves you falling off a cliff you knew full well you were driving towards for eleven hours and still wondering where on earth the ground went to.
How could there *not* be? It's all so well done. The performances are perfect, full of charm - the camera's always catching the facial expression here or there that brings these characters to life. The dialogue is gleeful both in its accentuated eloquence and in its Wild West (via Beijing) twang. The characters are written with buckets of depth, and the storylines take the classic Star Trek blend of moral exploration, character development and sci-fi action and renovate it, winking back to its roots whilst gunning down its cliches, finding fresh patterns in the dark and the light. It holds back from the easy sell-out, but then provides unexpected satisfactions. When its decisions are more obvious, it carries them off with polish and sparkle. But it also rejoices in *almost* being predictable, *almost* settling for what any decent series would do, and then spinning on its heel to laugh at the tropes and kick off in its own, quirkier direction. Yet it feels familiar instantly and knows precisely how to make a tin can in cold space seem like a home you don't want to leave.
It's inconceivable that there aren't more episodes. Everyone involved in making this was sorely robbed. Still, what there *is* remains a hell of a gift for everyone else.
Even if it sort of leaves you falling off a cliff you knew full well you were driving towards for eleven hours and still wondering where on earth the ground went to.
20 people found this helpful
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hayden
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth an extra £10
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2017Verified Purchase
Disappointed that this is just a slip case, there are images online of a hard card case shell but that must be American only. What you get for the extra £10 is a slip case, some stickers and some cards with images and quotes from the main characters.
Good series and this should have included the film.
Good series and this should have included the film.
6 people found this helpful
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Skyla
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you haven't seen it, you are missing out!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2015Verified Purchase
There is a good reason this show became a cult classic. I have never been able to stick with other space-based series; I always became very bored, very quickly. Firefly is utterly original, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful and hilarious to boot. The scripts are perfect, and the family of characters is so real I became incredibly attached to them. Holds up well after the years it has been around, and honestly, I have not yet seen another TV show that comes close to touching it. Fans have been mourning the cancellation of the show for years, and it is just as unfathomable to me.
For the unfamiliar - boy, are you in for a treat! The soundtrack is Old West with a few modern twists, and the feel is that of a good Western, despite being set in space and way into the future. Nathan Fillion heads a matchless cast, and the writers have combined a very serious background story with bursts of humour that left me crying with laughter. The writing is highly intelligent and oddly believable. I have watched the box set countless times, and never, ever tire of it.
Ultimately, Firefly is about the importance of freedom and individuality, which is reflected in the actions and relationships of its wonderful characters, several of whom are initially bewildered by the moral grey areas they find themselves facing. I also found that the characters' passionate love for their ship, Serenity, is strangely infectious - by the end of the series, I loved her just as much as they did...
The subsequent movie, Serenity, rounds out the series nicely. Thanks, Joss Whedon, for an unforgettable show that it seems will live forever.
N.B. For those of you who are gamers, the online game is currently in development - see keepflying.com.
For the unfamiliar - boy, are you in for a treat! The soundtrack is Old West with a few modern twists, and the feel is that of a good Western, despite being set in space and way into the future. Nathan Fillion heads a matchless cast, and the writers have combined a very serious background story with bursts of humour that left me crying with laughter. The writing is highly intelligent and oddly believable. I have watched the box set countless times, and never, ever tire of it.
Ultimately, Firefly is about the importance of freedom and individuality, which is reflected in the actions and relationships of its wonderful characters, several of whom are initially bewildered by the moral grey areas they find themselves facing. I also found that the characters' passionate love for their ship, Serenity, is strangely infectious - by the end of the series, I loved her just as much as they did...
The subsequent movie, Serenity, rounds out the series nicely. Thanks, Joss Whedon, for an unforgettable show that it seems will live forever.
N.B. For those of you who are gamers, the online game is currently in development - see keepflying.com.
2 people found this helpful
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Andrew D Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Star Trek with dirt left on.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2014Verified Purchase
Star Trek with the dirt left on, Firefly is simply brilliant. The joy of discovering it is only tempered by the realisation there was only ever one season, plus the movie, Serenity (review on this to follow here soon). Firefly was Joss Whedon's next project after the incredible success of Buffy and because of his immersion in the rolling, blockbuster juggernaut of the Marvel franchise we're unlikely ever to get more despite the wishes of the series' many fans.
Firefly is set in the far future, in the two thousand five hundreds when humans have colonised other systems. It takes place after a devastating war when a corrupt government, the Alliance (the winners), have taken control of the planetary systems. On the losing side in the war, our hero
captain, Mal Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion) purchases a Firefly space cruiser which uses a nuclear fusion explosion to accelerate rapidly giving it an insectoid rear-end glow as it moves through space. Reynolds engages a crew, a colourful group of misanthropes, renegades and run-aways. Each character has the grimy dimensionality of a real person, some fought in Mal's losing unit in the war, others he picks up along the way. Serenity, the ship's name, is where each of these unlikely crew members find home and family.
The genius of this series is in the visioning. Mal and his crew, like Robin Hoods of the far future, engage in good deeds and barter, trying to scratch out a living via trade and back-room deals. But they are good men and women, often making the right choice even when it puts them in more peril. This is basically a Western set in space, Mal an outlaw with a good heart and intentions and instead of lasers many of the battles raged are undertaken with shotguns and Smith
and Wesson's. The scripts are incredible, full of Whedon's signature one-liners and the morally ambiguous position of the crew, often stealing and smuggling but in a nice way, means it's so much less worthy and earnest than Star Trek. There's no five year mission here, yet those noble aims of adventuring and discovery that suffused it's bigger and better known second cousin still sit well in the Firefly Universe. Mal and his malcontents ride the frontier taking on the mad and bad and several times escaping the savage Reavers whose genesis forms the plot of the Serenity movie (move on this soon.)
A wonderful TV series, great characters, superb script, slightly shaky special effects, but even these get an upgrade in the better resourced follow-up movie. The Firefly ship, Serenity, the tenth character, has a much earthier feel than the shiny, neat and polished Starship Enterprise. It is dark, rusty and dingy and the ship's engineer is a lovely child of the flower meadows dream-boat called Kaylee. On their adventures we have torture, bounty-hunters, the past coming back to bite them on the bum, there's intrigue, love interest and fizzing mysteries that pop and fizzle from episode to episode. Fresh, exciting and different and with a theme tune as much High Chaparral as space opera.
What a shame there're be no more, but perhaps like James Dean or Marilyn Monroe, part of its iconic charm comes from its early death so it never got time to become tired and cyclical. Firefly is TV genius helmed by a visual storyteller at the height of his powers. If you haven't seen it you should. Right now.
***** (Five Stars)
Firefly is set in the far future, in the two thousand five hundreds when humans have colonised other systems. It takes place after a devastating war when a corrupt government, the Alliance (the winners), have taken control of the planetary systems. On the losing side in the war, our hero
captain, Mal Reynolds (played by Nathan Fillion) purchases a Firefly space cruiser which uses a nuclear fusion explosion to accelerate rapidly giving it an insectoid rear-end glow as it moves through space. Reynolds engages a crew, a colourful group of misanthropes, renegades and run-aways. Each character has the grimy dimensionality of a real person, some fought in Mal's losing unit in the war, others he picks up along the way. Serenity, the ship's name, is where each of these unlikely crew members find home and family.
The genius of this series is in the visioning. Mal and his crew, like Robin Hoods of the far future, engage in good deeds and barter, trying to scratch out a living via trade and back-room deals. But they are good men and women, often making the right choice even when it puts them in more peril. This is basically a Western set in space, Mal an outlaw with a good heart and intentions and instead of lasers many of the battles raged are undertaken with shotguns and Smith
and Wesson's. The scripts are incredible, full of Whedon's signature one-liners and the morally ambiguous position of the crew, often stealing and smuggling but in a nice way, means it's so much less worthy and earnest than Star Trek. There's no five year mission here, yet those noble aims of adventuring and discovery that suffused it's bigger and better known second cousin still sit well in the Firefly Universe. Mal and his malcontents ride the frontier taking on the mad and bad and several times escaping the savage Reavers whose genesis forms the plot of the Serenity movie (move on this soon.)
A wonderful TV series, great characters, superb script, slightly shaky special effects, but even these get an upgrade in the better resourced follow-up movie. The Firefly ship, Serenity, the tenth character, has a much earthier feel than the shiny, neat and polished Starship Enterprise. It is dark, rusty and dingy and the ship's engineer is a lovely child of the flower meadows dream-boat called Kaylee. On their adventures we have torture, bounty-hunters, the past coming back to bite them on the bum, there's intrigue, love interest and fizzing mysteries that pop and fizzle from episode to episode. Fresh, exciting and different and with a theme tune as much High Chaparral as space opera.
What a shame there're be no more, but perhaps like James Dean or Marilyn Monroe, part of its iconic charm comes from its early death so it never got time to become tired and cyclical. Firefly is TV genius helmed by a visual storyteller at the height of his powers. If you haven't seen it you should. Right now.
***** (Five Stars)
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars
Waiting for the next anniversary edition!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2017Verified Purchase
I love Firefly and even though I already have the dvds, I was willing to buy a new set as it looked really nice, however, I was expecting a lot more for this anniversary edition. The pictures look like the case is a really nice quality where in reality it is just a cardboard sleeve over the standard bluray. The artcards don't even go inside the case, they are attached with celophane to the back. I'm going to stick with my current set until they up their game, maybe for the 20th or 25th anniversary :)
Reconsidered my 1 star to a 3 because I love the series so much.
Reconsidered my 1 star to a 3 because I love the series so much.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Firefly
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2013Verified Purchase
I bought this as part of my boyfriend's Valentine present earlier this year. My boyfriend will not mind me writing on here that he is a Wheedonite, and as such has a man-crush on the master mind behind fabulous TV shows such as Buffy, Angel and of course, Firefly. When I gave him his present he grinned at me and said, 'oooh, shiny'. Yep, a true brown-coat through and through. The DVD was of excellent quality, and so I had a happy boyfriend - although it worked against me to an extent as I ended up not seeing him for about a week:
Me: 'Do you want to come round and have a meal?'
BF: 'Nah, I'm still wading through Firefly'.
Me: 'Sigh'.
When I normally write reviews, I tend to give a little synopsis of the themes, plot and context. However, there is no real way of doing Firefly justice in this manner. It was first described to me as a 'Western set in space' and as such I was very reluctant to watch it. It has far more going for it than that.The best advice I can give to those who are unfamiliar with the show yet like Wheedon's other work is to try and get hold of it on Netflix or Lovefilm and see what you think before buying it. It is a lot different from Wheedon's other stuff and so may not suit everyone.
Me: 'Do you want to come round and have a meal?'
BF: 'Nah, I'm still wading through Firefly'.
Me: 'Sigh'.
When I normally write reviews, I tend to give a little synopsis of the themes, plot and context. However, there is no real way of doing Firefly justice in this manner. It was first described to me as a 'Western set in space' and as such I was very reluctant to watch it. It has far more going for it than that.The best advice I can give to those who are unfamiliar with the show yet like Wheedon's other work is to try and get hold of it on Netflix or Lovefilm and see what you think before buying it. It is a lot different from Wheedon's other stuff and so may not suit everyone.
2 people found this helpful
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Lazaros K.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Networks operate in mysterious ways !
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2012Verified Purchase
Being Greek I never had the opporunity to watch 'Firefly'on TV,as it was never aired in Greece.Being,also,an avid fan of science fiction and space opera since childhood-I am in my late fifties now-when I read about it in "Amazon" I just had to buy the DVD in order to judge for myself.
I was literally taken aback.To discover that a space opera series of this quality was discontinued after a few episodes,while garbage like "Deep space nine",and others,ran for years ,is beyond comprehension.
The series does more than justice to the "Star Wars" genre.It is a"Space troopers",i.e. "cowboys and indians in space"type of story,but with definete moral principles and none of the ultra militaristic-racist messages of the latter. Characters are strong,diverse,and pictured in depth.They are,excellently performed,especially the secondary ones,a tribute to the highly effective direction of the series.The plot is,naturally,fast,with "cliffhangers" hanging around every corner.The "ravers"idea is outstanding,both from a pure "spectacle" point of view ,as well as from a socio-political one.
In conclusion ,there was a multitude of obvious reasons to continue the series,and none-that I can think of-to discontinue it.Yet,as it often happens in real life,the 'illogical' happened.Mr Spock would,presumably, lift en eylid at that ! Enjoy what was presented to you.It may be some time before you get such a tasty treat again.
I was literally taken aback.To discover that a space opera series of this quality was discontinued after a few episodes,while garbage like "Deep space nine",and others,ran for years ,is beyond comprehension.
The series does more than justice to the "Star Wars" genre.It is a"Space troopers",i.e. "cowboys and indians in space"type of story,but with definete moral principles and none of the ultra militaristic-racist messages of the latter. Characters are strong,diverse,and pictured in depth.They are,excellently performed,especially the secondary ones,a tribute to the highly effective direction of the series.The plot is,naturally,fast,with "cliffhangers" hanging around every corner.The "ravers"idea is outstanding,both from a pure "spectacle" point of view ,as well as from a socio-political one.
In conclusion ,there was a multitude of obvious reasons to continue the series,and none-that I can think of-to discontinue it.Yet,as it often happens in real life,the 'illogical' happened.Mr Spock would,presumably, lift en eylid at that ! Enjoy what was presented to you.It may be some time before you get such a tasty treat again.
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D'Hoore Ronny
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's great, so many concepts and genres in one series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2015Verified Purchase
It's great, so many concepts and genres in one series. It's not really advertised suitable for children, but I found it alright for our children who were 10 and 12 when we watched it together, and they loved it too. There is talk about sex on occasion, and some moments that had some semi nudity, but it was always presented cleverly and there was never any moment that embarassed us too much. Also the violence is tolerable considering nowadays standards. The series does advertise moral standards (which I like), even from people whom you would not expect to have them. Of course there are also guys in the series without any conscience or moral standards, and then those who are not sure if they have a conscience or not. We cared a lot about the mostly good guys, we couldn't help it. There is action, there is emotion, there is humor, everything is there.
Unfortunately there was only one season and was never continued, so we bought the movie "Serenity" that answers the open questions. That final movie is rougher than the series. The series is more positively instructive, the movie is more realistic. But it was good to have the answers.
Unfortunately there was only one season and was never continued, so we bought the movie "Serenity" that answers the open questions. That final movie is rougher than the series. The series is more positively instructive, the movie is more realistic. But it was good to have the answers.
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Braderz
4.0 out of 5 stars
pretty good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2019Verified Purchase
I got this seeing that this show has a huge following depsite being 20 years old nearly. e.g. it's reddit fan page has 100k subscribers, that's insane.
Overall I thought the show was good but slightly boring at times with minimal action. I can imagine it would have had a better season 2 by delving into backstories and what not
also needed more river tam, best character imo
Overall I thought the show was good but slightly boring at times with minimal action. I can imagine it would have had a better season 2 by delving into backstories and what not
also needed more river tam, best character imo
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M S.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great fun and characters you can really get to know
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2019Verified Purchase
This series is about the adventures of a group of rebels set in space with several parallels with the wild west events of the early years of the USA. The acting and character developments are top drawer even though it is tongue in cheek. There was only ever one series of Firefly (this one) and it has a cult following to this day. It did spawn a film called "Serenity" which is also good.
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A. Ashwood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't stop the signal - now in HD Blu Ray
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2012Verified Purchase
I only discovered Firefly in January 2012, not realising that it's the predecessor to the film Serenity, which I love. If you haven't seen Serenity, make sure you watch the Firelfy series first, it'll help you relate to all the brilliant characters on the ship. Arguably, this has to be one of the finest examples of script writing in any scifi genre production. While the stories are serious and often dangerously thrilling, the dialogue between the crew and "passengers" of the Serenity is often light, humorous and even sarcastic. A visit to the many videos on You Tube will clarify.
Although it's now ten years since Fox supidly cancelled the show, it still has an enormous following, not only by fans, but also the cast, writer (Joss Whedon), and original production crew. I already have a digital version of this series, but have now added the set to my very limited DVD shelf.
Summer Glau (The Terminator in the Sarah Connor Chronicles) plays River Tam, the central character to the main plot. In her first ever TV role she has few lines, but plays the damaged child beautifully. This is worth watching for her 'random' one liners. After you watch this you will want to see the deleted scenes posted on You Tube. Some real gems which didn't make the final cut.
It has such a cult following still, that you'll find references to Firefly in other TV series, such as 'Castle, The Big Bang Theory, Community', and many others. I cannot recommend this enough. Why the heck did Fox kill it? Will it resurrect? These are ongoing questions.
Quote from River, "No Power in the 'Verse Can Ever Stop Me".
Listen carefully to the dialogue, and ENJOY.
Nearly forgot.
Look for a free online DVD called "DONE THE IMPOSSIBLE".
If you're already converted, you'll love it; if not, it'll make you want to find out what all the fuss is about.
Ten years later, and we're still talking about it.
YOU CAN'T STOP THE SIGNAL.
Update: Now have the BluRay version, and a 43" TV that can convert 2D to 3D!
How cool is that?
KEEP FLYIN'
Although it's now ten years since Fox supidly cancelled the show, it still has an enormous following, not only by fans, but also the cast, writer (Joss Whedon), and original production crew. I already have a digital version of this series, but have now added the set to my very limited DVD shelf.
Summer Glau (The Terminator in the Sarah Connor Chronicles) plays River Tam, the central character to the main plot. In her first ever TV role she has few lines, but plays the damaged child beautifully. This is worth watching for her 'random' one liners. After you watch this you will want to see the deleted scenes posted on You Tube. Some real gems which didn't make the final cut.
It has such a cult following still, that you'll find references to Firefly in other TV series, such as 'Castle, The Big Bang Theory, Community', and many others. I cannot recommend this enough. Why the heck did Fox kill it? Will it resurrect? These are ongoing questions.
Quote from River, "No Power in the 'Verse Can Ever Stop Me".
Listen carefully to the dialogue, and ENJOY.
Nearly forgot.
Look for a free online DVD called "DONE THE IMPOSSIBLE".
If you're already converted, you'll love it; if not, it'll make you want to find out what all the fuss is about.
Ten years later, and we're still talking about it.
YOU CAN'T STOP THE SIGNAL.
Update: Now have the BluRay version, and a 43" TV that can convert 2D to 3D!
How cool is that?
KEEP FLYIN'
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Jenasta
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seriously brilliant Sci fi
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2012Verified Purchase
What a brilliant series, Fox's decision to axe it is unintillegable particularly when there is so much rubbish on tv making it to multiple series especially in the sci fi genre. The Firefly/Serenity 'verse is very raw and very together and very credible. It is a recognisable future for our planet and a heartrending story of survival, loss and instability balanced out by hope, love, loyalty and a little bit of fun.
I love the relationships and individual stories of survival in the series particularly the marriage between Wash and Zoe, the tension between that marriage and Zoe's loyalty to Mal, what makes Mal behave like he does, his war time history and why River and Simon were even kept on board with all the trouble they bring. Even with the release of Serenity the film I so wish this series had carried on to build more story into some of the less explored characters such as Wash (Alan Tudyk) who spends a lot of time around the edges of the action and has little in the way of grittier storylines. There is a massive back story there that is not explored and it would be great ot see his journey from the character we meet in the flashback in 'Out of Gas' to the lovable voice of reason and Zoe's husband (unfortunately not really explored in the film sequel Serenity either). Kaylee is another character who I would love to learn more about, her quiet naivety, optimism and strength of character as played by Jewel Staite is beautiful. Then there is mysterious character of Sheperd Book who we never really learn much more about.
10 years on from the TV series and about 7 years on from the film, Firefly and Serenity still feel fresh and real. I think this has come down to the fact it is a high quality story with a cast and crew who really felt the message and knew the characters and a lack of gratuitous special effects. The acting is great and I love to watch the performances.
I love the relationships and individual stories of survival in the series particularly the marriage between Wash and Zoe, the tension between that marriage and Zoe's loyalty to Mal, what makes Mal behave like he does, his war time history and why River and Simon were even kept on board with all the trouble they bring. Even with the release of Serenity the film I so wish this series had carried on to build more story into some of the less explored characters such as Wash (Alan Tudyk) who spends a lot of time around the edges of the action and has little in the way of grittier storylines. There is a massive back story there that is not explored and it would be great ot see his journey from the character we meet in the flashback in 'Out of Gas' to the lovable voice of reason and Zoe's husband (unfortunately not really explored in the film sequel Serenity either). Kaylee is another character who I would love to learn more about, her quiet naivety, optimism and strength of character as played by Jewel Staite is beautiful. Then there is mysterious character of Sheperd Book who we never really learn much more about.
10 years on from the TV series and about 7 years on from the film, Firefly and Serenity still feel fresh and real. I think this has come down to the fact it is a high quality story with a cast and crew who really felt the message and knew the characters and a lack of gratuitous special effects. The acting is great and I love to watch the performances.
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