Sandbox

Firefly is a quirky futuristic sci-fi western with Chinese undertones (any character might throw-out fei oo instead of darn) that transports the problems and passions of the present and frames them in the supposedly advanced civilization of tomorrow. Catch your breath, it's not as complicated as it seems. For the most part the show doesn't deal with the complex multi-system Alliance or the outer rim crime networks. In fact, most of the action is centralized inside one ship: the Firefly-class transport vessel called Serenity, and the nine people who make up her crew.

The series opens with the Battle of Serenity fought between the Independence and Alliance forces years before the rest of the story takes place. The Alliance eventually wins the war, but the scars of that battle are never forgotten. Some, like Independence veteran and Serenity captain Malcolm Reynolds, can never truly move on but simply drift from job to job along the outer rim avoiding the Alliance as best they can. He slowly collects a crew of misfits who, like him, seek to escape the Alliance and all the evils and complications it represents. They are united by Serenity.

The ship becomes a character of its own, given personality by the adventures and humor of its crew. It is a constant reminder of the pain of a war long past. Malcolm Reynolds never left the Battle of Serenity, and he and his crew are still fighting for a way to live free.

The plight of outlaws on the edge is tempered by a brilliant musical score, often surprising and always appreciated humor, and the Robin Hood school of thievery that allows us to forgive less than legal occupations. From a train heist to a last-stand defense of the Heart of Gold brothel, the adventures frame the real staying power of the show: the unique personalities of the characters, their development and the evolution of their relationships. The series is a labor of love from Joss Whedon, the creator, right down to the actors on screen, and each episode radiates with the obvious care and enjoyment of all involved.

If the compelling story, rich character development and disarming humor isn't enough to grab your attention, consider that they don't use sound in the space sequences, a physics principle that'll make all the Pratt kids scream gun-hoe-tze-bee-dio-se.

 

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