Battleangel | Personal

As pretty much the last person in the world to pick up “Firefly” and the recent follow-up movie “Serenity” I still have to offer some sort of commentary. Mostly so because I did bash the series, having only seen a mangled TV-RIP of the pilot way back in 2003. When I actually sat down with the entire series, it was an entirely different experience. Perhaps it is I who have changed. Perhaps I just needed to hang in there for a few episodes to let it sink in.

Now, “Firefly” stands out as the most innovative thing to grace television probably since Star Trek came out in the 60s. Still reminds me a lot of the “Cowboy Bebop” anime also, with the quirky stories and heists, smuggling and bounty hunting. At least superficially anyway. Kudos to Joss Whedon for trying and almost succeeding at the impossible (the failure being on the part of the network).
Nitty and gritty sci-fi at its best, with story threads that actually are engaging and a lovely sarcastic sense of humour that never ever turns into a trite space sitcom. Plus a universe that is interconnected to our present time, and our present problems as opposed to a “galaxy far, far away” or Trek’s bumpy foreheads or Farscape’s puppet shows. No fables or fancy allegories, just basically the same global powers and profiteering corporations, still slugging it out in a new solar system at the expense of ordinary folk. Plus, what a rare opportunity to be able to wrap up the series with a feature film. Sci-fi doesn’t get any better than this and perhaps one should recognize that its success and allure is in part due to its short and compressed run.

Other great sci-fi series that got killed off prematurely would include “Odyssey 5″ and “Space: Above and Beyond.” And even those got a full season run. It’s a tough section apparently. Yet, far crappier series, like “Andromeda” and “Earth Final Conflict” kept on going for at least four-five seasons, treading water for the last four of those.