@andelain we love you... but don't think we weren't all waiting morbidly for you to see Wash get skewered. It's the final graduation to being a true Browncoat.
Most heart wrenching line (for me): When Shepard is dying: "Don't order me around boy! I'm not a part of your crew!". Mal says: "Yes you are". To Mal, making someone a part of his crew is about as close to telling them he loves them as he will ever get. His crew is his family.
Nobody kills off your favorite characters the way Whedon does. If you've seen Buffy and some of his other projects, he does it effortlessly and it hurts every time. "I've often thought, and I've said this before whenever asked, 'where do you think Zoe is, how do you think that story would continue?' and I always say I was pregnant in Serenity. I was pregnant, and I was pregnant with Wash's child. I do think that somewhere there is this beige, curly red-haired child running around the verse." - Gina Torres
I believe one reason Mal is so tense at the start, and things between him and Simon are so at odds, is that both Book and Inara are off the ship. Both are out of his direct line of command, and both are effectively counselors, people Mal could talk things out with without undermining his position as captain. When the Operative said "you're not a Reaver, Mal," he gave Mal the idea to pretend to be one. Oops...
It’s always a revelation to me how everyone who starts this series is skeptical at first but ends up in tears when it ends. They even take a while to warm up to the song but by the end are singing it. This was my mothers(RIP) favorite show and that is how I got interested. I am so grateful I did not have to experience this in real time. Cudos to the fans that hung in there through Fox’s incompetence. Without them we would not have at least gotten the movie.
Back in 2005 my girlfriend at the time spent AGES trying to convince me to give this show a try. If I knew her better at that point in time and realised how insanely hard to please she is when it comes to TV shows (there's maybe half a dozen that she will watch) I should have leapt on it sooner.
I was initially put off by the bad, lame ad campaign for the show, which made it look dumb. Which of course it's not. And at the time my online libertarian Friends were really pushing it. But I thought they just liked what they perceived as its libertarian outlook, without regard for any artistic merit. I was wrong there too. Also, lots of libertarians are atheists (or they think they are), and they seemed eager to embrace Mal as one of the first openly atheist heroes. Except he's really not, exactly. He's more like an embittered guy who feels God has let him and his cause down
I love the villain in this. He's so well-written. He's far from a psychopath. He's completely brainwashed, but he's not intrinsically evil. It makes him far more interesting than so many other movie villains that simply get a kick out of hurting people.
The Operative is "The True Believer," described by Eric Hoffer in the 1960's, fully realized as the greatest threat to anyone that opposes The Alliance. This character makes the Nazi's Waffen SS look positively benign, by comparison.
He knows what he does is evil. But he believes it is for the greater good. At the end, he is a broken man. He has done evil in the service of evil, not good. He is no longer that man, but he has a lot to atone for. It's almost like he had no soul...and then was cursed with one.
Best foreshadowing: Inara: "This isn't the war, Mal", Mal: "You think I don't that?", Inara: "I don't know, I've seen too many versions of you to tell", Mal: "If I start fighting a war then you'll definitely see something new". Then later after Shepard dies in Mals arms... Mal has now decided that he is fighting a war... and we see something different.
"What was that?!" Half a season with characters that quickly feel like family, and a brutal movie as a band aid. Then a lifetime of withdrawal, punctuated by the occasional sobbing into one's browncoat whenever a kindred spirit is reliving the same experience. Ty Andy, loved every single second of your journey. Cheers from Amsterdam!
Noone ever seems to notice Zoe and River at the end when Zoe is welding with no expression but right above her is river repairing the wiring with her eyes completely full of tears because she is feeling all Zoe's pain. That kills me every time...
I’m ashamed to admit I have the same perverse joy. I don’t really care when reactors figure out Keyser Soze’s identity, but watching the finality of “leaf on the wind” is an addictive obsession…
I’m with you on the crying. I saw this in the theater and wailed LOUD when Wash died. Then I cried so hard I missed the next few minutes of action. This movie always makes me sweat through my shirt and cry my head off. Thank goodness we can just keep watching the show any time we want, and yes, reliving it through reactions is great.
"I thought I was being really clever then." -- You were. You're at a disadvantage at the beginning of this reaction, not realizing that Joss Whedon (in this film) was trying to: 1) continue the series, bringing in new characters like Mr. Universe, 2) recap the series, dramatizing 14 episodes' worth of character development and relationships, and 3) conclude the series, answering all the big questions and finishing on a hopeful note. Whedon succeeded extraordinarily, IMO, and the film gives us the satisfactory resolution we desired in our hearts. Quite an achievement.
Sigh. Sending hugs. I didn't want to spoil anything when I said that Serenity is a whole different experience when you've seen Firefly first. Years ago, I first saw Serenity in theaters before ever watching Firefly first, and it was okay. But after watching Firefly, it was... well... quite effective. I'm absolutely certain that Serenity was Whedon's way of expressing his sadness over the cancelation of Firefly. It's as much an expression of grief as it is a sendoff for the characters. It takes a while for the pain to subside, but in retrospect, I think it's a fantastic movie.
Tears are the initiation to becoming a Browncoat. We've all been there, so we definitely relate to what you're experiencing. I think we all began the series not knowing what to expect, and with every new episode we became more in love with these characters. I always say that "Firefly" was a masterclass in visual storytelling, and I stand by that. It's greatest quality in my opinion is how it makes us love fictional characters. We step inside Serenity and discover that the crew may not be as fictional as we thought. Beautiful reaction throughout, Andelain. I enjoyed seeing these again with you.
I send hugs of sympathy - all of us, no matter how stoic, get ripped up by Serenity. As ever with sitting and sharing this watch with you, your own reactions trigger us too :sniffles: :) One thing about how Zoe carried on functioning after losing Wash ... I lost my wife to cancer. She literally died in my arms and, for a moment, I howled like a Klingon as the centre of my universe got ripped away. And then I was entirely calm. Obviously I can only speak for my own experience but I think it must be an emotional defence we have within us that, when faced with grief we can't handle, we stop feeling at all for a while. I made sure everyone else was dealing as best they could, including her sister. I dealt with some official things that needed to be done. And then I set to drive home. I must have looked a sight tho' as the hospice staff *really* did not want to let me go but I insisted. I got home, went to bed and slept (I had been up for about four days at that point). I woke after a few hours in a terrible looping nightmare of reliving her last breath ... and then the dam burst and stayed burst for quite a number of years. All of which over-sharing to explain why, the first time I watched Serenity, I was a bit unable to suspend disbelief that Zoe could just carry on and deal with what was in front of her after losing her husband. The first time I watched after my wife was gone I could better believe it.
This movie was written partly for the fans and partly for anyone who hadn't seen the TV series. This is why you see the elevated tension between Mal and Simon that seemed to be less in the TV show. This movie would not have been possible without the loyal fan support who wrote letters, took out ads, and held conventions. Unfortunately, the production company held way too many "pre-release" premiers, so when it was widely released all of the hardcore fans had already seen it. My understanding is that Ron Glass (Shepherd Book) and Alan Tudyk (Wash) were unable to commit to any additional movies without knowing if this movie would do well or not, so they were essentially written out (i.e. D-E-D). I think that Joss Whedon wanted to give the fans some finale to the question of why River was so "messed" up and what exactly the Reavers were, so that is why those two storylines blended together.
One of my friends was Ron Glass' 'handler' during a sci-fi convention right before the film came out. In trying to make small talk, he asked Ron, "So, if this makes a lot of money, would you be going back for a sequel?" Apparently Ron just gave him a dirty look, but didn't spoil anything.
I've been a Browncoat since just before this movie was green-lighted, and just noticed for the first time. River senses the Reavers, and faints, collapses, whatever. Jayne goes to her, and asks, "Are you all right?", and sounds sincere about it. A nice bit of attitude change...
Haven’t seen your channel before but Firefly is in my top 3 shows and I’m a few minutes in and love your little edits about figuring out Simon/River’s opening scene hehe @21:43 “oh… crass… bollocks…” this is my new favorite swear lmfao
Great reaction. The movie was made for fans and people who never saw the show. The Miranda story line was supposed to be aired at the end of season 2. Book and Wash wouldn't of died if the series continued. Book's death was help Mal believe in a cause. Wash's death was to show how dangerous the situation was. It was also stated that Alan and Ron couldn't commit to additional movies. If you are interested in more stories and back stories, there are comic books/graphic novels that explore more stories. Titan Books also have a series of books/audiobooks as well. Thank you for reacting to this series and movie.
The deaths of Book and Wash made it painfully clear that any -- and possibly even all -- of our favorite characters might die, which immensely ramped up the tension for the rest of the movie.
Whedon mentioned in an interview once that he usually writes "tragic" romances because, well, they're interesting. He wanted to try writing a couple that worked just to prove that it could be done, and he mentioned that in the original plan for the series that would have been the one couple he would never have allowed anything to happen to. (He also mentioned "Simon and Kaylee... they're young... they're in love.... they're doooomed" so they would have been a cause of drama for the planned series, which I actually am glad didn't happen because I seriously ship those two). The movie needed the stakes ramped up though, and killing Wash was brutal enough to shock fans, without taking out someone super critical to the story. I daresay he decided killing Kaylee would have been *too* traumatic.
Umpteen times I’ve seen Serenity and so help me I never clocked this before: “Do you know what the definition of a hero is? Someone who gets other people killed.”
"I'm not okay." None of us are, for the last twenty or so years. If you want Book's back story, it can be found in a graphic novel called A Shepherd's Tale. In addition to yours, which has been excellent, my favorite reactions to Firefly have been those by Cinema Blend, Rob and Trin React, and Funny lil girl. 😊
Welcome to the pain of the Browncoats. I have loved your reactions and we all know that this pain is coming but it is a path you have to walk for yourself in order to properly understand the true crime of it all. Please watch on your own time the documentary "done the impossible" this is the only movie ever made because the fans couldn't let it end. Much love and keep on keepin on J.
By far, my favorite reactor to do this show . Nicely done. I joined your page specifically because you were doing this show and I like your reactions. Take care, I'll be around
I have a hunch that if the series kept going, Jayne and River would have become a thing. It's definitely the kind of thing Whedon loves to write. Unlikely pair up, the whole "I betrayed you once" thing, as well as a whole other arc of Simon freaking out when he finds out lmao Especially as I'm super sure that Jayne had a thing for Kaylee at the start of the series which is why he doesn't like the Doctor. He only ever made fun of her in front of Simon - and when she got shot he was absolutely all about f***ing up that bloke.
It will always be too soon. It's been almost 20 years since I first saw Serenity, and I can never stay dry-eyed with Wash's last utterance of "I am a leaf on the wind", to the point that even watching your reaction today, I have to cover my view of the movie p.i.p. because the sobbing gets out of control. You were 100% spot on when you said the movie took away the plot armour - every time Joss Whedon was questioned about it over the years, he insisted that had the show continued, Zoe and Wash would have stuck around, and their marriage would have remained strong - he wanted to do the opposite of what most shows do, so the intention was to avoid using them as dramatic fodder. As a hard-core Browncoat, I found as many interviews, panels, and commentaries as I could on the show, and discovered that Joss (having had commercial success with both Buffy and Angel at this time) fully anticipated having five to seven seasons of Firefly - and had the general outline planned. Others in the comments have mentioned many things during the episode reactions, but by no means all - and yet another casualty of the cancellation is all the ground work being laid in what we did get. You'll be aware that Blue Sun was the true 'big bad' and if/when you re-watch, you'll see an insane amount of logo placement, cementing our subconscious awareness of them as the corporation that dominates the Alliance. I'll be going through your other reactions with a little more restraint, but I've very much enjoyed sharing your experience with Serenity and her crew. I'll probably hit Good Omens or Sandman next, though I leave this suggestion as a longer running show for your potential reactions - Battlestar Galactica (the 2000's reboot). Begin with the mini-series - despite not being counted as among the 'episodes' of the show - it's the pilot, has a huge amount of necessary information, and should never be skipped. Thank you so much for making my weekend so much fun.
very few people mention Blue Sun in the comments. it was a Blue Sun shirt Jayne was wearing at the table when River slashed him across the chest (she says "he looks better red"), and Blue Sun makes Fruity Oaty bars (NOT MANDATORY). in the pilot, there's a Blue Sun logo on a shipping container in the background when Shepherd Book is looking to choose a ship. do you know of other references?
There is a bit you haven’t seen yet. The R. Tam Sessions. A series of short video clips that I think were meant to be teasers for Serenity. It’s just River and her sessions at the “academy”.
Thank you, Andy - this was a fun journey to go on with you. I know you are still gutted - we all are still. As the days go on, you will start thinking about all the places they could have gone in this 'verse - pun intended! But I had a great time while it lasted.
If you need something lighthearted after the soul-crushing weight of Serenity, Joss Whedon put out a web miniseries called Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog during the writer's strike that occurred back at that time. There's some familiar faces from Firefly and Buffy alum in the 45 min production, as well as the talented Neil Patrick Harris. Amazing shows like Pushing Daisies, Lost and Heroes were greatly affected by the strike and frustrating that we had to endure this most recent one.
@@johnalford6964 I had ALWAYS suspected that was Harris playing the reaver and when I read the comment about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, I was like AHA!!!! Now I'm certain!
Saw this in the cinema and when Wash goes the entire auditorium fell into shocked silence and then someone basically _wailed_ "Nooo !", which pretty much summed up how we all felt (and i'm also from the UK BTW where, as you know yourself, we usually just don't do stuff like that in the cinema :). (painful as it is though - still, now, nearly 20 years on - it was a narrative masterstroke IMO - _no one_ was safe after that and for the last 15 minutes I genuinely thought they _all_ might die)
I lost my husband of 53 years to a fast moving cancer in September and I haven’t cried yet. I know I will but life is such a turmoil with a huge Jim shaped gap, I can’t yet. I appreciated your tears as you saw that Zoe was being strong. I very much enjoy your reactions and Firefly is a favorite.
I only had the love of my life for six years before I lost her to a pulmonary embolism, but I know exactly what you mean by a "Jim shaped hole" and being unable to grieve. It's like losing a limb. I hope you have made time to join a support group. It helps immensely to talk to others who understand.
River at the end was like a puzzle with all the pieces in place. All the fractured parts of her psyche were now ordered. Summer Glau should have won an Emmy for her performance in the series.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to join you on this journey. In this way, this all too short gem of a series will never fade, and we can all keep on flying ❤
I've always thought you looked a lot like my niece/nibbling, so every time I see you cry, I see them crying, and it tears me up. Thank you for sharing your journey of becoming a Browncoat with us. I wish there was more we could share of Firefly through reactions, but sadly there isn't. I hope you can read the handful of Firefly comics, hardcovers, and novels one day, and maybe talk about them on the reaction channel. They flesh out the canon of these characters even more and give you even more answers that you may be searching for. Btw.... Yes.... River did grab Jayne's bollocks. 😂 Zoe: She's tore up plenty, but she'll fly true." That is absolutely Zoe speaking just as much about herself, as she is Serenity". Such a gut-punch. I look forward to more reactions from you. Your Firefly journey turned me into a subscriber, so thank you. Easter Egg: The first zombie that River punches in slow-motion is a cameo by none other than Neil Patrick Harris.
They killed Book and Wash because they couldn't commit to come back to the show, to explain how it would restart without them. They die unceremoniously, but used to great effect, once Book then Wash were dead, when the rest started dropping, it made you feel real tension, that maybe they were all going to sacrifice themselves to finish it. Rumor is Disney owns Fox's Firefly, and they were teasing a Firefly reboot by featuring a Firefly ship easter egg in The Mandalorian. There is Extra Firefly content. There is a River Short, a short documentary (explaining Chinese), Bloopers (Nathan fooling around). You can see some cast members in the show Dollhouse.
If you've not seen it, Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion crowdsourced funding for a show called "Con Man". Alan plays an actor who starred in a cult classic sci-fi series that got cancelled early and he makes appearances at sci fi conventions while trying to get new acting roles. Nathan plays his co-star on the cancelled program who went on to be a success. The show is PACKED with cameos from actors in other popular fantasy/sci fi series, and most of the cast of Firefly make appearances.
Its an interesting case where they had plot armour throughout the series, then the literal opposite in the movie. Because they were hoping this movie would lead to a reboot, the characters should have still had plot armour, but since the actors playing wash and book had already signed contracts that would interfere with a reboot, they had to die to make a reboot even a possibility. Went from 'couldnt die or it would mess up the series', to 'had to die or it would mess up the series'.
All us old school Browncoats wanted to warn you of what was coming, but we couldn't take it from you. It felt SO WRONG, to belly-laugh at Kaylee's declaration of intent to live, so soon after Wash died. But Whedon knew we needed something to ease the pain. And that was PERFECT.
Believe me when I tell you that millions of fans all over the world feel the same way about the series, movie and idiotic decision to cancel such an original, brilliant show. in fact, the woman who cancelled the show has since regretted it over the years, as she's seen how much the fan base continues to grow. If you just have to have more, TH-cam is chock full of Firefly/Serenity material ... everything from commentaries and documentaries, to behind-the-scenes footage, bloopers, deleted scenes, miscellaneous promos and interviews .... oh, and of course the cast's numerous appearances at Comic Con and Dragon Con conventions. Then there's a board game, several novels, comic books, action figures and misc other items (20 years later, new items continue to be released). Gail Berman took away our show, but she couldn't "Stop the Signal." And with these reaction videos, new fans are constantly being exposed to one of the greatest shows ever !!!
The greatest thing I love about this movie is, although there's all the emotional rollercoaster, sadness etc., they throw in just enough humour to help people stay together just enough while watching it to get through.
Brilliant! Emotionally a tough slog, but a fitting, open-ended finale, imho. Have loved your reactions since episode 1, and this is the best. Will be looking out for some sort of “Final Thoughts on Firefly/Serenity” video, if you have the interest & time. Eager for your impressions after proper rest & reflection. Regardless, wishing you much success in all endeavors & to see much more from you. Also hoping the move goes as effortlessly as possible. Take care.
You did good young lady, very good. Your emotions ere powerful and I joined you in feeling that way. I have to dry my eyes every time I watch this movie whether I am alone or watching a reactor. I love this program and movie that they have become friends and at my age, 78, the main problem is my circle of friends continues to get smaller and smaller, so with this movie I have lost a couple more friends. As for Book and Wash's deaths, Joss Whedon had planned a trilogy just like the Star Wars trilogies but those 2 actors had other film commitments if there were 2 more movies and Joss couldn't just have them not there so he had to kill them off to explain their missing from the remainder of the trilogy. Once again, well done.
Storm's getting worse. We'll pass through it soon enough. Andelain, you've been a great road buddy on this trip. You appreciate good characters, good story, and good writing. You would love Star Wars: Andor. You might not be a Star Wars fan...well, a lot of fans say "It's not really Star Wars." But it is really, really good television.
Well I made the mistake of listening to your reaction while driving at work. And even worse, my route happened to pass the cemetery where the actor who played Shepherd Book is buried. And furthermore, my route back is going to take me past where they filmed the Miranda scenes. So I've already done plenty of crying with you, and I have more on the horizon.
You can now wear the order of the leaf on the wind on your brown coat. (A brown duster would be a great fashion statement. :) ) Zoey at funeral wore a slinky dress. (Shindig) Not word of Joss but of Gina Torres (actress who played Zoey) she (Zoey, the character, not the actress) was pregnant. Now for Jayne/River theory. Jayne in pilot said (to lawman) "it's a girl. She's not all there but not all of her has to be." If River is a willing woman, his part is set. In Ariel when she first wakes up she says to Jayne, "Copper for a kiss." When she is going on about Christmas presents everyone ignores her gibberish, except Jayne getting pissed. Those are his memories and for some reason she finds him fascinating. In the bar in the movie he can sneak up on a effing psychic because in a fight he does not think, he just does. When he thinks on the ship, she takes him easily. (That also explains why she couldn't dodge his blow after the butcher knife in Ariel, although that might just be her being nuts). No accounting for taste and River might be well advised to keep a guy who can sneak up on her loyal to her, and she likes him for some reason.
when River slashes Jayne across the chest, she's not trying to fight him - she's desecrating the Blue Sun logo on his shirt. after she does it, she says he (or it?) "looks better red". she did what she aimed to do and was done, that's why Jayne could hit her back. also, Blue Sun makes Fruity Oaty bars. someone said their logo was on the cans of food River tore the labels off. also, since copper is slang for policeman, she's referencing his cozy chat with the lawman and possible betrayal.
Such a great show, and I've really enjoyed your reactions. I'll be sticking around for sure. I loved Sense8, and I haven't rewatched it. So that'll be fun. Shiny!
When River says "my turn" is what broke me. As the older sibling, my sister was always there for me. As an adult, if she's in trouble, I'll kick down the gates of Hell alone if I have to.
mal's first encounter with the operative is just like his encounter with atherton. inara tells him, correctly, that he's in over his head. he ignores her and does his best to get himself killed. inara ends up having to save his sorry ass.
I saw this in the theater, on opening night. It was a packed house. When Shepherd Book died, there was near-total silence, punctuated by an occasional muffled sob. When Wash died, the whole theater howled in anguish and outrage.
"Serenity" was hopefully the start of a few sequels. But Ron Glass (Shepherd Book) was very sick, and couldn't make any more sequels. And Alan Tudyk (Hoban Washburne "Wash") had other commitments, and had to bow out. That's why their characters were killed off. I assume the relationship between Mal and Inara was left unresolved to leave a tie into the future sequels. Of course, other sequels never came about.
"Storm's getting worse." "Yeah, but we'll be getting through it soon." Mal and River providing direction going forward: less carefree, perhaps, but possibly more transcendant. I hope you're upcoming move goes well. Take care.
I've really enjoyed sharing this ride with you. Nothing like loving a show as much as I love Firefly and watching someone new fall in love with it, too. Makes my heart happy. So excited to hear you're going to be watching Sense8 next! That's another phenomenal series. I mean, it's not Firefly (lol) but it's good. It's very good.
As someone watching the show air in 2002, imagine the WTF moment when, in the finale, which was to be the pilot episode, we are introduced to River? A character that had been in every episode leading up to her reveal? Again, WTF fox! Don't be too sad, you can now have a nice Firefly weekend binge watching the series and the film, like we all do. Welcome to the Browncoats.
[39:16] "this fuckin film" your quiet sobs as eloquent an expression of what we all felt as can be. don't be sad the series is over. you can't stop the signal.
I tear up every time I see someone react to this film. It's because of the effect of concluding a great story. Serenity. Something I like to mention because there is another film you and all reviewers of this series or the Star Trek series should consider watching. Joss Whedon and Gene Roddenberry have both said that a film from 1956 had a major impact on virtually every TV series or film of their 'genres that they ever created. That film is called Forbidden Planet. Almost every single episode of Star Trek TV or film pay homage to Forbidden Planet. In Firefly a planet they visit is called Bellerophon. That is the name of the ship that first lands on the planet Altair-IV. In the film Serenity when they land on the planet named Miranda and make their way to the evidence of what occurred there, we see there is a shuttle craft of some sort. It's marking is Identifier on the spacecraft; C-57D. That is the second spacecraft in Forbidden Planet landing on Altair-IV to investigate what happened to the original people who landed there. I have given nothing away in saying all this. It is an incredible film that easily stands the test of time. You will not be disappointed in the special effects. Because you see them used all the time to this day!! As we say in Texas; y'all be safe. I mean everyone, of course.
That grimace on the first hit when Wash is gliding in, I had the same reaction the first time. Love that ship. Then my thought was well crud they're just gonna kill everyone?
They wanted to keep the door open for more firefly movies, but Alan Tudyk and Ron Glass could not commit, so thats their fate, rather than just having them disappear between installations. The timing of Wash is pretty smart, as it makes the whole audience fear that noone is safe in the final act.
I really like this movie and I’m glad it was made for the closure it gave. The part I was not crazy about was the magic safe word that knocked out River.
A great show, a good movie, and an excellent reaction to it. That was a heck of a journey we went on. Now, time for you to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and see Joss' originating work, you will see where some of the archetypes of Firefly and more modern movies/shows evolved from - and in Joss' own words, he leaned heavily on borrowing (sounds so much nicer than saying he ripped off) other creators before him. Thanks for sharing your reaction with us, and I hope everyone has a great day
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Well, now that you've had your soul ripped out by Serenity you're officially a Browncoat, welcome.
haha thank you! 😭😂
@andelain we love you... but don't think we weren't all waiting morbidly for you to see Wash get skewered. It's the final graduation to being a true Browncoat.
I'm pretty sure the last lines about love keeping her in the air is a nod to the fans, who made the movie happen.
Most heart wrenching line (for me): When Shepard is dying: "Don't order me around boy! I'm not a part of your crew!". Mal says: "Yes you are". To Mal, making someone a part of his crew is about as close to telling them he loves them as he will ever get. His crew is his family.
Nobody kills off your favorite characters the way Whedon does. If you've seen Buffy and some of his other projects, he does it effortlessly and it hurts every time.
"I've often thought, and I've said this before whenever asked, 'where do you think Zoe is, how do you think that story would continue?' and I always say I was pregnant in Serenity. I was pregnant, and I was pregnant with Wash's child. I do think that somewhere there is this beige, curly red-haired child running around the verse." - Gina Torres
She wore the slinkie dress.
We get to see that child in the comics.
I believe one reason Mal is so tense at the start, and things between him and Simon are so at odds, is that both Book and Inara are off the ship. Both are out of his direct line of command, and both are effectively counselors, people Mal could talk things out with without undermining his position as captain.
When the Operative said "you're not a Reaver, Mal," he gave Mal the idea to pretend to be one. Oops...
When this film was released I saw a reviewer who said - 'if only the new Star Wars films had been half as good as this'.
Just remember.... you can't stop the signal. You can never stop the signal. ❤
Spectrum seems to think otherwise on a regular basis with my internet.
20 years later. I'm still not over Wash dying. :( "I'm a leaf on the wind...watch me soar."
A leaf on the wind is a leaf dying
Alan Tudyk has a show on Peacock that's good. It's called Resident Alien. It's in it's third season. You should check it out.
@@larryyeadeke2953 Its a fun ride. Ive been watching it
It’s always a revelation to me how everyone who starts this series is skeptical at first but ends up in tears when it ends. They even take a while to warm up to the song but by the end are singing it. This was my mothers(RIP) favorite show and that is how I got interested. I am so grateful I did not have to experience this in real time. Cudos to the fans that hung in there through Fox’s incompetence. Without them we would not have at least gotten the movie.
Back in 2005 my girlfriend at the time spent AGES trying to convince me to give this show a try. If I knew her better at that point in time and realised how insanely hard to please she is when it comes to TV shows (there's maybe half a dozen that she will watch) I should have leapt on it sooner.
I was initially put off by the bad, lame ad campaign for the show, which made it look dumb. Which of course it's not. And at the time my online libertarian Friends were really pushing it.
But I thought they just liked what they perceived as its libertarian outlook, without regard for any artistic merit. I was wrong there too.
Also, lots of libertarians are atheists (or they think they are), and they seemed eager to embrace Mal as one of the first openly atheist heroes.
Except he's really not, exactly. He's more like an embittered guy who feels God has let him and his cause down
I love the villain in this. He's so well-written. He's far from a psychopath. He's completely brainwashed, but he's not intrinsically evil. It makes him far more interesting than so many other movie villains that simply get a kick out of hurting people.
The Operative is "The True Believer," described by Eric Hoffer in the 1960's, fully realized as the greatest threat to anyone that opposes The Alliance. This character makes the Nazi's Waffen SS look positively benign, by comparison.
As Joss said, it's satisfying to kill your bad guy, but it's more interesting to actually convince him he's wrong.
@@incompetenthandsI can dig it.
@@incompetenthands Arcane: "Why not both?"
He knows what he does is evil. But he believes it is for the greater good.
At the end, he is a broken man. He has done evil in the service of evil, not good. He is no longer that man, but he has a lot to atone for.
It's almost like he had no soul...and then was cursed with one.
Just remember, Firefly never ends. We Browncoasts just watch it on a loop. Can't stop the signal!
Best foreshadowing: Inara: "This isn't the war, Mal", Mal: "You think I don't that?", Inara: "I don't know, I've seen too many versions of you to tell", Mal: "If I start fighting a war then you'll definitely see something new". Then later after Shepard dies in Mals arms... Mal has now decided that he is fighting a war... and we see something different.
"What was that?!"
Half a season with characters that quickly feel like family, and a brutal movie as a band aid. Then a lifetime of withdrawal, punctuated by the occasional sobbing into one's browncoat whenever a kindred spirit is reliving the same experience. Ty Andy, loved every single second of your journey. Cheers from Amsterdam!
The scene with the river standing there with the axe and the sword that is Iconic that's my favorite scene of the whole movie😊❤
Noone ever seems to notice Zoe and River at the end when Zoe is welding with no expression but right above her is river repairing the wiring with her eyes completely full of tears because she is feeling all Zoe's pain. That kills me every time...
Wow!!! I never saw that! Thank you for pointing it out.
HOW THW F*** DID I NEVER NOTICE THIS!?!?!
It’s nuggets like this that are why I constantly revisit reactions to Firefly!!!!
On a parallel earth some where out there Firefly was never canceled, and is still on the air today. Alas, we live on this earth.
Enjoyed laughing and tearing up with you during your Firefly/Serenity journey. Thank you for every "Oh, shut up you twat!" and heartfelt reaction.
😂
I can’t tell you the amount of joy it gives me to watch people get destroyed watching this movie like I was destroyed in the theater in 2005
I’m ashamed to admit I have the same perverse joy. I don’t really care when reactors figure out Keyser Soze’s identity, but watching the finality of “leaf on the wind” is an addictive obsession…
Personally i think it makes us feel part of something, a pain we all share and we are not alone.
I’m with you on the crying. I saw this in the theater and wailed LOUD when Wash died. Then I cried so hard I missed the next few minutes of action. This movie always makes me sweat through my shirt and cry my head off. Thank goodness we can just keep watching the show any time we want, and yes, reliving it through reactions is great.
"I thought I was being really clever then." -- You were. You're at a disadvantage at the beginning of this reaction, not realizing that Joss Whedon (in this film) was trying to: 1) continue the series, bringing in new characters like Mr. Universe, 2) recap the series, dramatizing 14 episodes' worth of character development and relationships, and 3) conclude the series, answering all the big questions and finishing on a hopeful note. Whedon succeeded extraordinarily, IMO, and the film gives us the satisfactory resolution we desired in our hearts. Quite an achievement.
Sigh. Sending hugs. I didn't want to spoil anything when I said that Serenity is a whole different experience when you've seen Firefly first. Years ago, I first saw Serenity in theaters before ever watching Firefly first, and it was okay. But after watching Firefly, it was... well... quite effective. I'm absolutely certain that Serenity was Whedon's way of expressing his sadness over the cancelation of Firefly. It's as much an expression of grief as it is a sendoff for the characters. It takes a while for the pain to subside, but in retrospect, I think it's a fantastic movie.
Tears are the initiation to becoming a Browncoat. We've all been there, so we definitely relate to what you're experiencing. I think we all began the series not knowing what to expect, and with every new episode we became more in love with these characters. I always say that "Firefly" was a masterclass in visual storytelling, and I stand by that. It's greatest quality in my opinion is how it makes us love fictional characters. We step inside Serenity and discover that the crew may not be as fictional as we thought. Beautiful reaction throughout, Andelain. I enjoyed seeing these again with you.
Thank you! 😊
@@andelain :) Thank you!
I send hugs of sympathy - all of us, no matter how stoic, get ripped up by Serenity. As ever with sitting and sharing this watch with you, your own reactions trigger us too :sniffles: :)
One thing about how Zoe carried on functioning after losing Wash ... I lost my wife to cancer. She literally died in my arms and, for a moment, I howled like a Klingon as the centre of my universe got ripped away. And then I was entirely calm.
Obviously I can only speak for my own experience but I think it must be an emotional defence we have within us that, when faced with grief we can't handle, we stop feeling at all for a while.
I made sure everyone else was dealing as best they could, including her sister. I dealt with some official things that needed to be done. And then I set to drive home. I must have looked a sight tho' as the hospice staff *really* did not want to let me go but I insisted. I got home, went to bed and slept (I had been up for about four days at that point). I woke after a few hours in a terrible looping nightmare of reliving her last breath ... and then the dam burst and stayed burst for quite a number of years.
All of which over-sharing to explain why, the first time I watched Serenity, I was a bit unable to suspend disbelief that Zoe could just carry on and deal with what was in front of her after losing her husband. The first time I watched after my wife was gone I could better believe it.
This movie was written partly for the fans and partly for anyone who hadn't seen the TV series. This is why you see the elevated tension between Mal and Simon that seemed to be less in the TV show.
This movie would not have been possible without the loyal fan support who wrote letters, took out ads, and held conventions. Unfortunately, the production company held way too many "pre-release" premiers, so when it was widely released all of the hardcore fans had already seen it. My understanding is that Ron Glass (Shepherd Book) and Alan Tudyk (Wash) were unable to commit to any additional movies without knowing if this movie would do well or not, so they were essentially written out (i.e. D-E-D).
I think that Joss Whedon wanted to give the fans some finale to the question of why River was so "messed" up and what exactly the Reavers were, so that is why those two storylines blended together.
One of my friends was Ron Glass' 'handler' during a sci-fi convention right before the film came out. In trying to make small talk, he asked Ron, "So, if this makes a lot of money, would you be going back for a sequel?" Apparently Ron just gave him a dirty look, but didn't spoil anything.
I saw the movie first (with some friends who were fans of the series), and watched the series later.
I've been a Browncoat since just before this movie was green-lighted, and just noticed for the first time. River senses the Reavers, and faints, collapses, whatever. Jayne goes to her, and asks, "Are you all right?", and sounds sincere about it. A nice bit of attitude change...
And when the crew was sitting around the table talking, Jayne slides his bottle across to Simon, who picks it up and drinks.
When they’re watching the recording explaining the origin of the reavers, it’s Jane that tells them to stop the playback.
Just remember your new life motto. I aim to misbehave
It'll remind you to confound those bungers (they're everywhere).
Haven’t seen your channel before but Firefly is in my top 3 shows and I’m a few minutes in and love your little edits about figuring out Simon/River’s opening scene hehe
@21:43 “oh… crass… bollocks…” this is my new favorite swear lmfao
It's a great word! 😂
Great reaction. The movie was made for fans and people who never saw the show.
The Miranda story line was supposed to be aired at the end of season 2. Book and Wash wouldn't of died if the series continued.
Book's death was help Mal believe in a cause. Wash's death was to show how dangerous the situation was. It was also stated that Alan and Ron couldn't commit to additional movies.
If you are interested in more stories and back stories, there are comic books/graphic novels that explore more stories. Titan Books also have a series of books/audiobooks as well.
Thank you for reacting to this series and movie.
The deaths of Book and Wash made it painfully clear that any -- and possibly even all -- of our favorite characters might die, which immensely ramped up the tension for the rest of the movie.
Whedon mentioned in an interview once that he usually writes "tragic" romances because, well, they're interesting. He wanted to try writing a couple that worked just to prove that it could be done, and he mentioned that in the original plan for the series that would have been the one couple he would never have allowed anything to happen to.
(He also mentioned "Simon and Kaylee... they're young... they're in love.... they're doooomed" so they would have been a cause of drama for the planned series, which I actually am glad didn't happen because I seriously ship those two).
The movie needed the stakes ramped up though, and killing Wash was brutal enough to shock fans, without taking out someone super critical to the story. I daresay he decided killing Kaylee would have been *too* traumatic.
Umpteen times I’ve seen Serenity and so help me I never clocked this before: “Do you know what the definition of a hero is? Someone who gets other people killed.”
Big damn heroes, sir.
As a reaction channel, it is good to see genuine reactions.
Very human.
I also had tears, and needed tissue.
"I'm not okay."
None of us are, for the last twenty or so years.
If you want Book's back story, it can be found in a graphic novel called A Shepherd's Tale.
In addition to yours, which has been excellent, my favorite reactions to Firefly have been those by Cinema Blend, Rob and Trin React, and Funny lil girl. 😊
Thank you!
Great job on the series and this show. it was such a gem of great writing
Welcome to the pain of the Browncoats. I have loved your reactions and we all know that this pain is coming but it is a path you have to walk for yourself in order to properly understand the true crime of it all. Please watch on your own time the documentary "done the impossible" this is the only movie ever made because the fans couldn't let it end. Much love and keep on keepin on J.
So much fun watching this series with you. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
"Is that a memory or is she reading someone's mind?"
Yes!
By far, my favorite reactor to do this show . Nicely done. I joined your page specifically because you were doing this show and I like your reactions. Take care, I'll be around
Thank you! 😊
I just noticed, it’s Jayne who rushes up to check on River at the beginning.
Jayne is also the guy who checks to make sure everyone is buckled before he buckles himself.
@@joshuawiedenbeck6944 I was about to say the same thing. One of my favorite little background details.
Yeah, after his betrayal of Simon/River he definitely turned a new leaf, not on the wind though.
I have a hunch that if the series kept going, Jayne and River would have become a thing.
It's definitely the kind of thing Whedon loves to write. Unlikely pair up, the whole "I betrayed you once" thing, as well as a whole other arc of Simon freaking out when he finds out lmao
Especially as I'm super sure that Jayne had a thing for Kaylee at the start of the series which is why he doesn't like the Doctor. He only ever made fun of her in front of Simon - and when she got shot he was absolutely all about f***ing up that bloke.
@@rayjaymor8754 I hate it. But that means its probably true.
It will always be too soon. It's been almost 20 years since I first saw Serenity, and I can never stay dry-eyed with Wash's last utterance of "I am a leaf on the wind", to the point that even watching your reaction today, I have to cover my view of the movie p.i.p. because the sobbing gets out of control. You were 100% spot on when you said the movie took away the plot armour - every time Joss Whedon was questioned about it over the years, he insisted that had the show continued, Zoe and Wash would have stuck around, and their marriage would have remained strong - he wanted to do the opposite of what most shows do, so the intention was to avoid using them as dramatic fodder.
As a hard-core Browncoat, I found as many interviews, panels, and commentaries as I could on the show, and discovered that Joss (having had commercial success with both Buffy and Angel at this time) fully anticipated having five to seven seasons of Firefly - and had the general outline planned. Others in the comments have mentioned many things during the episode reactions, but by no means all - and yet another casualty of the cancellation is all the ground work being laid in what we did get. You'll be aware that Blue Sun was the true 'big bad' and if/when you re-watch, you'll see an insane amount of logo placement, cementing our subconscious awareness of them as the corporation that dominates the Alliance.
I'll be going through your other reactions with a little more restraint, but I've very much enjoyed sharing your experience with Serenity and her crew.
I'll probably hit Good Omens or Sandman next, though I leave this suggestion as a longer running show for your potential reactions - Battlestar Galactica (the 2000's reboot). Begin with the mini-series - despite not being counted as among the 'episodes' of the show - it's the pilot, has a huge amount of necessary information, and should never be skipped.
Thank you so much for making my weekend so much fun.
very few people mention Blue Sun in the comments.
it was a Blue Sun shirt Jayne was wearing at the table when River slashed him across the chest (she says "he looks better red"), and Blue Sun makes Fruity Oaty bars (NOT MANDATORY). in the pilot, there's a Blue Sun logo on a shipping container in the background when Shepherd Book is looking to choose a ship.
do you know of other references?
There is a bit you haven’t seen yet. The R. Tam Sessions. A series of short video clips that I think were meant to be teasers for Serenity. It’s just River and her sessions at the “academy”.
Highly recommend the bloopers of both the show and the movie!
It’s such a pleasure to watch this show with someone who’s really embraced it.
"How do Reavers clean their spears? They run them through the Wash!" - Nathan Filion.
WELL NOW YOU KNOW HOW WE FEEL!!! So happy going into the theatre...crying like a baby on the way out.
It has been a joy watching you on this journey through this amazing show. Thank you!
Thank you, Andy - this was a fun journey to go on with you. I know you are still gutted - we all are still. As the days go on, you will start thinking about all the places they could have gone in this 'verse - pun intended! But I had a great time while it lasted.
If you need something lighthearted after the soul-crushing weight of Serenity, Joss Whedon put out a web miniseries called Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog during the writer's strike that occurred back at that time. There's some familiar faces from Firefly and Buffy alum in the 45 min production, as well as the talented Neil Patrick Harris.
Amazing shows like Pushing Daisies, Lost and Heroes were greatly affected by the strike and frustrating that we had to endure this most recent one.
The reaver that River hit in slow motion? That was Neil Patrick Harris.
Neil Patrick Harris has an uncredited appearance in Serenity, he's the close up Reaver that River punches in slow-motion.
Dr. Horrible is soooo good. I'm sure you'd love it. 3 parts, 15 minutes each. The songs are particularly clever and also catchy.
oh yeah, we are the victims of these strikes... how dare those pesky writers fight for fair compensation for their work 😒
@@johnalford6964 I had ALWAYS suspected that was Harris playing the reaver and when I read the comment about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, I was like AHA!!!! Now I'm certain!
I, too, was in shock. Wash's death wasn't something I was prepared for.
I loved how the film tied up the series, and really enjoyed your reaction.
Saw this in the cinema and when Wash goes the entire auditorium fell into shocked silence and then someone basically _wailed_ "Nooo !", which pretty much summed up how we all felt (and i'm also from the UK BTW where, as you know yourself, we usually just don't do stuff like that in the cinema :).
(painful as it is though - still, now, nearly 20 years on - it was a narrative masterstroke IMO - _no one_ was safe after that and for the last 15 minutes I genuinely thought they _all_ might die)
You should watch the bloopers of firefly
Don't worry, I will be! 😊
Whedon is AMAZING at tugging on heartstrings. I really enjoyed your reactions - thank you!
Such a great series and film… really enjoyed following your reactions
Thank you so much! 😊
I lost my husband of 53 years to a fast moving cancer in September and I haven’t cried yet. I know I will but life is such a turmoil with a huge Jim shaped gap, I can’t yet. I appreciated your tears as you saw that Zoe was being strong. I very much enjoy your reactions and Firefly is a favorite.
Thank you, and I'm so sorry for your loss. ❤️
I only had the love of my life for six years before I lost her to a pulmonary embolism, but I know exactly what you mean by a "Jim shaped hole" and being unable to grieve. It's like losing a limb. I hope you have made time to join a support group. It helps immensely to talk to others who understand.
River at the end was like a puzzle with all the pieces in place. All the fractured parts of her psyche were now ordered. Summer Glau should have won an Emmy for her performance in the series.
Thank you @andelain for such a wonderful reaction journey.
Thanks for watching! 😊
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to join you on this journey. In this way, this all too short gem of a series will never fade, and we can all keep on flying ❤
Amazing reaction! Welcome to the fold.
Thank you! 😊
I enjoyed the ride. Thanks.
There is more to the Firefly/Serenity 'verse in the form of comic books, novels, and role-playing games. Enjoy.
No mater how many times I see it, the deaths, and even the near-deaths, get me every time.
I've always thought you looked a lot like my niece/nibbling, so every time I see you cry, I see them crying, and it tears me up. Thank you for sharing your journey of becoming a Browncoat with us. I wish there was more we could share of Firefly through reactions, but sadly there isn't. I hope you can read the handful of Firefly comics, hardcovers, and novels one day, and maybe talk about them on the reaction channel. They flesh out the canon of these characters even more and give you even more answers that you may be searching for.
Btw.... Yes.... River did grab Jayne's bollocks. 😂
Zoe: She's tore up plenty, but she'll fly true."
That is absolutely Zoe speaking just as much about herself, as she is Serenity". Such a gut-punch.
I look forward to more reactions from you. Your Firefly journey turned me into a subscriber, so thank you.
Easter Egg: The first zombie that River punches in slow-motion is a cameo by none other than Neil Patrick Harris.
They killed Book and Wash because they couldn't commit to come back to the show, to explain how it would restart without them. They die unceremoniously, but used to great effect, once Book then Wash were dead, when the rest started dropping, it made you feel real tension, that maybe they were all going to sacrifice themselves to finish it.
Rumor is Disney owns Fox's Firefly, and they were teasing a Firefly reboot by featuring a Firefly ship easter egg in The Mandalorian.
There is Extra Firefly content. There is a River Short, a short documentary (explaining Chinese), Bloopers (Nathan fooling around). You can see some cast members in the show Dollhouse.
If you've not seen it, Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion crowdsourced funding for a show called "Con Man". Alan plays an actor who starred in a cult classic sci-fi series that got cancelled early and he makes appearances at sci fi conventions while trying to get new acting roles. Nathan plays his co-star on the cancelled program who went on to be a success. The show is PACKED with cameos from actors in other popular fantasy/sci fi series, and most of the cast of Firefly make appearances.
It will always be too soon. I'm a leaf on the wind 😢
Its an interesting case where they had plot armour throughout the series, then the literal opposite in the movie.
Because they were hoping this movie would lead to a reboot, the characters should have still had plot armour, but since the actors playing wash and book had already signed contracts that would interfere with a reboot, they had to die to make a reboot even a possibility. Went from 'couldnt die or it would mess up the series', to 'had to die or it would mess up the series'.
All us old school Browncoats wanted to warn you of what was coming, but we couldn't take it from you.
It felt SO WRONG, to belly-laugh at Kaylee's declaration of intent to live, so soon after Wash died. But Whedon knew we needed something to ease the pain. And that was PERFECT.
Believe me when I tell you that millions of fans all over the world feel the same way about the series, movie and idiotic decision to cancel such an original, brilliant show. in fact, the woman who cancelled the show has since regretted it over the years, as she's seen how much the fan base continues to grow. If you just have to have more, TH-cam is chock full of Firefly/Serenity material ... everything from commentaries and documentaries, to behind-the-scenes footage, bloopers, deleted scenes, miscellaneous promos and interviews .... oh, and of course the cast's numerous appearances at Comic Con and Dragon Con conventions. Then there's a board game, several novels, comic books, action figures and misc other items (20 years later, new items continue to be released). Gail Berman took away our show, but she couldn't "Stop the Signal." And with these reaction videos, new fans are constantly being exposed to one of the greatest shows ever !!!
Great job.
FYI, 2 things, Book was also an operative of the parliament, and guess what, Zoe is pregnant.
The greatest thing I love about this movie is, although there's all the emotional rollercoaster, sadness etc., they throw in just enough humour to help people stay together just enough while watching it to get through.
Brilliant! Emotionally a tough slog, but a fitting, open-ended finale, imho. Have loved your reactions since episode 1, and this is the best. Will be looking out for some sort of “Final Thoughts on Firefly/Serenity” video, if you have the interest & time. Eager for your impressions after proper rest & reflection. Regardless, wishing you much success in all endeavors & to see much more from you. Also hoping the move goes as effortlessly as possible. Take care.
Thank you! 😊
“I am a leaf on the wind. Watch me start the audience crying. For a few decades.”
The ending of this movie is the wildest elevator of emotions ever written in such a short time period.
You did good young lady, very good. Your emotions ere powerful and I joined you in feeling that way. I have to dry my eyes every time I watch this movie whether I am alone or watching a reactor. I love this program and movie that they have become friends and at my age, 78, the main problem is my circle of friends continues to get smaller and smaller, so with this movie I have lost a couple more friends. As for Book and Wash's deaths, Joss Whedon had planned a trilogy just like the Star Wars trilogies but those 2 actors had other film commitments if there were 2 more movies and Joss couldn't just have them not there so he had to kill them off to explain their missing from the remainder of the trilogy. Once again, well done.
Storm's getting worse. We'll pass through it soon enough.
Andelain, you've been a great road buddy on this trip.
You appreciate good characters, good story, and good writing. You would love Star Wars: Andor. You might not be a Star Wars fan...well, a lot of fans say "It's not really Star Wars." But it is really, really good television.
Yeah, that's a brutal first time reaction. It does get easier with rewatches.
When? 😉
Well I made the mistake of listening to your reaction while driving at work. And even worse, my route happened to pass the cemetery where the actor who played Shepherd Book is buried. And furthermore, my route back is going to take me past where they filmed the Miranda scenes. So I've already done plenty of crying with you, and I have more on the horizon.
You can now wear the order of the leaf on the wind on your brown coat. (A brown duster would be a great fashion statement. :) )
Zoey at funeral wore a slinky dress. (Shindig) Not word of Joss but of Gina Torres (actress who played Zoey) she (Zoey, the character, not the actress) was pregnant.
Now for Jayne/River theory. Jayne in pilot said (to lawman) "it's a girl. She's not all there but not all of her has to be." If River is a willing woman, his part is set. In Ariel when she first wakes up she says to Jayne, "Copper for a kiss." When she is going on about Christmas presents everyone ignores her gibberish, except Jayne getting pissed. Those are his memories and for some reason she finds him fascinating. In the bar in the movie he can sneak up on a effing psychic because in a fight he does not think, he just does. When he thinks on the ship, she takes him easily. (That also explains why she couldn't dodge his blow after the butcher knife in Ariel, although that might just be her being nuts). No accounting for taste and River might be well advised to keep a guy who can sneak up on her loyal to her, and she likes him for some reason.
when River slashes Jayne across the chest, she's not trying to fight him - she's desecrating the Blue Sun logo on his shirt. after she does it, she says he (or it?) "looks better red". she did what she aimed to do and was done, that's why Jayne could hit her back.
also, Blue Sun makes Fruity Oaty bars.
someone said their logo was on the cans of food River tore the labels off.
also, since copper is slang for policeman, she's referencing his cozy chat with the lawman and possible betrayal.
Such a great show, and I've really enjoyed your reactions. I'll be sticking around for sure. I loved Sense8, and I haven't rewatched it. So that'll be fun. Shiny!
When River says "my turn" is what broke me. As the older sibling, my sister was always there for me. As an adult, if she's in trouble, I'll kick down the gates of Hell alone if I have to.
"Old men, covered in blood - never touched it but they're drowning in it."
mal's first encounter with the operative is just like his encounter with atherton. inara tells him, correctly, that he's in over his head. he ignores her and does his best to get himself killed. inara ends up having to save his sorry ass.
It is hard to believe this movie is almost 20 years old and it's still fun to watch❤
Joss is an evil mastermind, we got what we wanted and not. Thank you 🙏 for loving this beautiful show.
I saw this in the theater, on opening night. It was a packed house. When Shepherd Book died, there was near-total silence, punctuated by an occasional muffled sob. When Wash died, the whole theater howled in anguish and outrage.
"Serenity" was hopefully the start of a few sequels. But Ron Glass (Shepherd Book) was very sick, and couldn't make any more sequels. And Alan Tudyk (Hoban Washburne "Wash") had other commitments, and had to bow out. That's why their characters were killed off. I assume the relationship between Mal and Inara was left unresolved to leave a tie into the future sequels. Of course, other sequels never came about.
"Storm's getting worse."
"Yeah, but we'll be getting through it soon."
Mal and River providing direction going forward: less carefree, perhaps, but possibly more transcendant.
I hope you're upcoming move goes well. Take care.
Thanks! 😊
I've really enjoyed sharing this ride with you. Nothing like loving a show as much as I love Firefly and watching someone new fall in love with it, too. Makes my heart happy.
So excited to hear you're going to be watching Sense8 next! That's another phenomenal series. I mean, it's not Firefly (lol) but it's good. It's very good.
As someone watching the show air in 2002, imagine the WTF moment when, in the finale, which was to be the pilot episode, we are introduced to River? A character that had been in every episode leading up to her reveal? Again, WTF fox!
Don't be too sad, you can now have a nice Firefly weekend binge watching the series and the film, like we all do. Welcome to the Browncoats.
The first Reaver you see River punching, in slow motion, is Neil Patrick Harris.
[39:16] "this fuckin film"
your quiet sobs as eloquent an expression of what we all felt as can be.
don't be sad the series is over. you can't stop the signal.
just reading "you can't stop the signal" made me cry all over again, so thanks for that! 😂😭
Nice of that dude to save all his solders' live at the end. That could have gotten bloody.
You're welcome. You've been my favourite Firefly reactor, and now that you're watching The Boys I'm going to be sticking with you through that.
I see the same reaction every time with Wash, Everyone laughs as he speaks, then come the tears.
I tear up every time I see someone react to this film. It's because of the effect of concluding a great story. Serenity.
Something I like to mention because there is another film you and all reviewers of this series or the Star Trek series should consider watching.
Joss Whedon and Gene Roddenberry have both said that a film from 1956 had a major impact on virtually every TV series or film of their 'genres that they ever created.
That film is called Forbidden Planet. Almost every single episode of Star Trek TV or film pay homage to Forbidden Planet.
In Firefly a planet they visit is called Bellerophon. That is the name of the ship that first lands on the planet Altair-IV.
In the film Serenity when they land on the planet named Miranda and make their way to the evidence of what occurred there, we see there is a shuttle craft of some sort. It's marking is Identifier on the spacecraft;
C-57D. That is the second spacecraft in Forbidden Planet landing on Altair-IV to investigate what happened to the original people who landed there.
I have given nothing away in saying all this. It is an incredible film that easily stands the test of time. You will not be disappointed in the special effects. Because you see them used all the time to this day!!
As we say in Texas; y'all be safe. I mean everyone, of course.
Firefly was such a great show , my second most favourite SF series in the last 30 years - the first being Babylon 5 for its epic story telling .
"How can Mel annoyme, and then immediately win me over?". A lot has to do with Nathan Fillion being a very charismatic man...
Jayne passing the bottle to Doc say's the bonding is having had.
That grimace on the first hit when Wash is gliding in, I had the same reaction the first time. Love that ship. Then my thought was well crud they're just gonna kill everyone?
They wanted to keep the door open for more firefly movies, but Alan Tudyk and Ron Glass could not commit, so thats their fate, rather than just having them disappear between installations.
The timing of Wash is pretty smart, as it makes the whole audience fear that noone is safe in the final act.
I really like this movie and I’m glad it was made for the closure it gave. The part I was not crazy about was the magic safe word that knocked out River.
A great show, a good movie, and an excellent reaction to it. That was a heck of a journey we went on. Now, time for you to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and see Joss' originating work, you will see where some of the archetypes of Firefly and more modern movies/shows evolved from - and in Joss' own words, he leaned heavily on borrowing (sounds so much nicer than saying he ripped off) other creators before him.
Thanks for sharing your reaction with us, and I hope everyone has a great day