Remember, Mal told Patience, "I do the job, and then I get paid." This time, Mal didn't do the job - so he gave the money back. That may not matter much to Niska, but it matters to Mal.
@@julesreacts He's...something. He's got his code, and all, but he's not quite right -- In his head? Or soul, maybe? He hasn't been, since the war. I think in some fundamental way, the loss there shattered him.
The uniforms worn by the Alliance "Purple bellies" are rented out to productions and first seen in Starship Troopers. They were later used in a season of Power Rangers.
"Serenity," the original pilot, ended up being the episode that was aired last on TV, which made no sense to anyone. You may have noticed that the Alliance insignia is a combination of the American and Chinese flags. According to the backstory (which never actually gets told in the series), the U.S. and China were the remaining superpowers when the decision was made to abandon Earth and colonize the system they're in now. Which is why the culture is a mishmash of Western and Chinese influences, and why everyone speaks both English and Chinese.
I kind lof liked that, that it didn't go out of its way to exposite the world-building. It was a chance for me/The Viewer to deduct a history via context clues, to sort it out. Got to love a dramatic brain-teaser.
A subtle but important acting choice by Nathan speaks volumes about the character of Mal. When he boots Crowe into the engine he’s murdered an unarmed, bound prisoner. For a moment after that he physically reels, staggering both in body but also in mind. He’s not a ruthless, cold-blooded killer, but Crowe’s promise of unrelenting revenge gave Mal little choice. If he had let him go he knew that his crew were placed in a life-threatening situation, but the crew weren’t the ones making the decision to cross Nisska. They’re still in danger, but he had to deal with the immediate threat and to send a message. His morals are pretty well defined in his own head, and in this act he crossed his own line. This show is brilliant upon re-watches as you start to catch all the little inflections and actions that the actors turn in as part of their performances. It’s a rich tapestry.
So glad to see you continue your "Firefly" journey. I'll never be able to experience watching this show for the first time again, but I can experience it vicariously through you!
This episode was aired as the pilot because the network didn't like Serenity. You can tell by all the repeated exposition and introduction of the characters.
Right. This was the episode that Joss was told on a Friday that the network was NOT using the completed pilot, a new pilot was needed for table read on Monday morning, standard episode length, make them more "chipper", and no recycling footage. Joss was already running two successful series at the time [Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and the spinoff Angel]. He did not cut corners of any of the three shows and had this story ready for Monday. Joss had the storylines plotted out for 5-7 years @22 episodes per season. He was able to film 14 episodes, but only 11 aired. The last to air was the pilot you had started with. To this day, (and for centuries to come), the first thing that will appear on profiles of those executives: They canceled FIREFLY. It won't matter about past and future accomplishments, this remains certain. Even when they sanitize Wikipedia entries, in minutes it is restored.
1. I love that you kept the scene in where Kaylee is explaining the crime to Simon. 2. Also loved that you, as many other reactors, thought that Simon would be the "respectable" person to get Mal and Zoey back. 3. The scene with the turbine is among my favourites (Well, there are a lot even in this episode, like the my first point and also when Mal distracted the guy so Zoey could get behind him).
I wish I could leave everything in 😭 I understand why I can't due to copyright but it's so hard to chose what to leave in and what I have to get rid of. I might see about editing a full episode but with a totally blurred background 🤭
@@julesreacts Or, as many others, you do a watch-along on Patreon or a similar site. Never seen one, but heard about it. Don't know if you plan on other stuff after, but if so I highly suggest to look, if you can get a poll up after asking for suggestions in the comments (and decide between popular and often used content, or to go for hidden gems people rarely react to).
Unfortunately, the videos on Patreon that are full length are blurred out as well as they still need to be copyright free. But I was thinking of having it here on YT for free, just to see if people liked it. Just to test the water before asking for money, which I am always hesitant to do. I understand it's important to get paid for the time, but I also just want to enjoy it as well 💜 I definitely will put up a community post asking for suggestions once we've finished Firefly 😁
Firefly's storyline is great. But the love of this show is because of the characters. We all fall in love with them. I wish there was a way to see your entire reaction.
Yes, exactly right, Bob! The characters make it, 100%! I've kept the original files so I'm toying with editing full versions like they do with paid Patreon membership, such as making the whole background blurred out. It's the only way to share a full version due to copyright. I will see if I can find time to edit one and see if you guys like it!
I think the more you watch the more you will become part of the Firefly Family, which is a good thing. Loving your reaction and laughter. Can hardly wait till your next Firefly review. Great job young lady.
@@julesreacts Yes, I will refer to you as "young lady" because it does describe you. You are young (guessing 20 something) and you are a lady (beautiful, sweet attitude, gorgeous hair and so respectful). Hope your channel grows fast, your reactions have been so cool.
You're watching every tv shows I watched and loved when I wwas in my 20s. Actually, I started "The X Files" when a was 18. I'm loving everything. Happy you're enjoying it too.
The reasons why the characters get reintroduced here is because when it aired the TV network that had this (Fox) aired this one first, as they didn’t do the episodes in the order that was intended.
The original plan was for Mal & Zoe to go up off the train with the cargo back onto Serenity, but the guard coming in with the gun threw off the plan, and Mal had to improvise, knock out the guard, confuse things with a smoke-bomb, and slip back in with the passengers. By the way, I like that you pause the play-back and talk through a thought so that you don't miss what's going on. Many of the episodes get even better as the season goes along, so you can look forward to liking the characters more and more over time. The movie at the end is excellent, and well in keeping with the tone & spirit of the show... a very nice capper. :)
Hey Jake, thanks so much for your kind words! I just love how it's all coming together. The characters are fantastic and so likable from the start. I've been looking out to get Serenity as soon as I can, I've got some lined up on Ebay as we speak 🤭
Interesting idea, but I'm not sure that's the case. There's really no reason Mal and Zoe couldn't have gone up with Jayne, if that were the plan, but the winch system they were using doesn't look like it could handle that load. They could have made two trips, but then it'd be really easy to figure out who took the goods; just look for the missing passengers (names can be faked to a degree, but faces were seen, and Mal and Zoe both already have Alliance records). Staying on the train meant that there were no gaps in the manifest that could be traced, as Jayne was never officially on the train at all, and no gaps means no reason to really start digging into everyone's ID, as the obvious explanation is that the robbers hit the train from outside. Besides, Mal and Zoe are military. They plan for contingencies, which is why they set-up the smoke-bomb to begin with. If they'd anticipated needing that, they'd have anticipated the rest of what they might need to do if the situation developed in that direction. And while I respect their improvisational skills, there's no way they came-up with their detailed and mutually-supporting cover story on the fly. The reason to send-in Inara to extract the two was mostly due to (as it turned-out, justified) concerns about Niska's limited tolerance for unexpected events, and Jayne's unexpected willingness to cut and run. Jayne's an interesting but deeply-damaged character, especially in his early-ish days on Serenity.
I think there is nothing better for a fan of Firefly than to watch someone new falling in love with it for the first time. "... when a man learns the details of a situation like ours, well then he has a choice" "I dont believe he does." That is Mal, in a nutshell. It is so fun watching you discover all this.
I've watched several different reactors react to this series and I'll never get tired of it. You're asking all the right questions and making all the right conclusions. I think you already understand why this series was so popular. FYI: Comparing your videos to the other reaction videos I've seen on Firefly, your editing and commentary are top tier. Keep up the good work.
When Jayne tells Simon that he would be in charge in Mal's absence, Jayne was actually the last crewman hired. Of the normal "Away Team" (to borrow a phrase from Star Trek), he is the low man on the totem pole. Wash at the helm, Kaylee in the engine room, Inara as a paying passenger, Zoe as First Officer, Mal as Captain. Jayne is the grunt. If Simon is accepted as crew, he would be earning more shares than Jayne as a ship's doctor. If Mal and Zoe are lost, Wash would not leave his wife. The only way Jayne would save his hide and improve his share of the take would be to take charge. The remaining crew would be Wash, Kaylee, Jayne, and technically Simon. Inara and Shepherd Book would be passengers, and Simon & River have prices on their heads. As Jayne said previously, he remained loyal because the offer was not enough to switch. In case of capture, ship is fair game.
@@sirmoonslosthismind true - but it is quite possible Jayne didn't believe him. The fed was in a tough spot, he might well try to lie his way out - he already lied to Jayne about what the Alliance knew. And Jayne ain't exactly a trusting guy...
You're completely right that they reintroduced all the characters in this episode; the network decided that the double-episode pilot "Serenity" was too long for audiences to sit through, so the writers were forced to write The Train Job to serve as a new pilot episode instead. Good catch! So glad you're doing this series, by the way; it's a real gem!
I'm actually a-okay with a "second pilot" episode as it really helped cement in the characters! I just wish that there wasn't such a huge mess with what the network did as it might not have been cancelled 😢
@@julesreacts It probably would have been cancelled anyway, unfortunately, as, IIRC, the whole mess was deliberate sabotage from an exec looking to take programming in a different direction. That whole "change for the sake of change" thing that insecure people sometimes do when given power. Also, IIRC, Whedon was given exactly 1 weekend to write "The Train Job", as that was all the warning he was given by the network that they were switching-up the pilot episode. Remarkable job, especially given that limitation.
@@julesreacts You may have a point here, actually. I remember watching this episode and saying to a friend "OMG, not ANOTHER 'old west in space' show, there are already two other shows like that on right now. The genre has been too overworked " If I had seen the original pilot first, I would have watched the show.
veterans from defeated armies often end up badly, for example - at the bottom of the glass; but not Mal and Zoe. They have found a way, although not particularly legal, to survive.
Regarding the difference in technology levels, think of it this way: High tech space travel gets humans from world to world, but all these worlds have to be mostly self sufficient so they have to be able to manufacture their own technology which takes time.
Hi Jules! You are so awesome! You really "get" this show and you "get" the characters. "We're not thieves .... but we are thieves... " lol. I'm so excited to watch you experience some key moments coming up. This is going to be so much fun. You edit these so well, keeping in the very best parts that a lot of reactors cut. And it makes me so happy that you pause to talk your thoughts so you don't miss anything. Too few reactors do that and they miss great parts. Do you remember River saying "Two by two, hands of blue"? Then, at the end, you noticed the two "men in black" type guys with blue latex gloves on. 😉 when River said "they won't stop till they get back what you took"... viewers think/assume she's talking about the medicine, but she's really talking about herself, and the men with hands of blue. As I said on your first video, Jayne is a character you love to hate, but eventually you'll hate that you love him. He makes you WANT to believe in him, but you can never really know if you can trust him. Wait till he gets his new hat. You'll kinda fall in love with him a little tiny bit. Lol. I can't tell you how excited I am for this journey with you. So many hilarious moments I can't wait for you to experience. Also, I saw in another comment that you're trying to find the movie Serenity. If you honestly can't find a copy, I have one I can send you and then I'll find myself another. Just let me know how your search goes. Thank you for your channel, Jules! I'm excited for your next video.
Mel, thank you so much!! I cannot say how happy your kind and beautiful words have made me 💜 I am so happy to have you here for this wonderful journey. I'm still undecided about Jayne! He's the one I trust the least. I'm sure Mal wouldn't have him on board if he wasn't worthy of a position upon the ship, so I'm going to try to trust our captain here 🤭 Ahhh, so the hands of blue refer to those fellows wearing the gloves! Gotcha. I didn't really know what she meant there! Looking forward to watching more, always 💜
I second what Jacob said below. This is one of my all-time favourite series - they famously filmed just one season, and yet there's more depth and texture here than most shows manage in five or six. Watching you discover it, as you grapple with the characters and the world-building, reminds me of how thrilling it was for me the first time around. Thank you very much 🙂
I was sure you would love this show. The characters are the main thing that made me want to watch every week. They are well written and all the actors are so good. By the way, I noticed you're gaining a lot of subscribers, nice.
Thank you, Haze! Yeah, I think Firefly kicked that off a little 🤭 I'm really happy about that. It's awesome seeing the channel get pushed out by TH-cam. I feel like I'm doing something right and having fun at the same time 💜
I don't know how far ahead you filmed these, but it so makes sense when you think about it. After expanding into space, people do it so quickly there is a bit of a "frontier" aspect on many planets. People have to rough it. It makes sense that Mal and his crew would be there on the outskirts, away from the central planets. He fought against them in the war. I tell people who aren't into Sci-fi that it's a blend w/ western themes and they don't get it. But they always end up loving the show once they see it. The universe this show takes place in, the dialog, ots all so spot on.
You'll get to completely fall in love with all of them as the series goes on. Okay, maybe not Jayne as much as the others, but a little bit, still. Nathan Fillion is also hilarious in a web short musical series called "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog" with Neil Patrick Harris. You should check that out sometime, too. And the horror comedy "Slither" directed by James Gunn (and written, too, I believe) has him in it and it's really fun (and scary and gross). Can't wait for all the upcoming reactions as the series continues!
Haha, yes maybe not Jayne 😂 I still like him, but I don't know if I can trust him, really! Thank you for the other recommendations, I'll have to check those out! Nathan is just brilliant. I'd love to see more from him!
@@julesreacts As time goes on, we at least get to understand Jayne and his motivations a bit. I think his character arc is one of the better ones in the series.
There is also a short spoof he did making fun of adult films called "Nailing Your Wife" by PG Porn (Alan Tudyk did a different one, too). Really funny, and completely safe for work!
The re-introduction is part of the issues with the ordering of the episodes, but I think it works very well, because of what you said about getting to know the crew. I've seen many who are very confused about Mal as a character, because they can't tell the different between someone who follows the law, and a good person. Mal makes these choices because it's the right thing to do, but equally because of a practically instinctual desire to oppose any system that sacrifices people, in service to securing order.
It's worth mentioning- Mal's tactical strategy in intuitive and at the speed of reflex- We saw it in Serenity and we see it again now. He doesn't analyze and think- he reacts. He shoots the horse, or the Fed, or throws a threat thru the engine. He resolves a threat NOW- there'll be another one coming along in another minute. And he's usually right.
"Firefly" does an excellent job of script writing where even minor characters show depth. FOX execs were hell bent on cancelling the series. They waited until the last minute on a Friday to reject the original pilot. A new script (this one) was written over the weekend. It had to be turned in the following Monday morning as the new pilot episode. That's why we get some background "revisiting" that you had noticed.
One of the biggest bone headed moves ever made was the decision to air the Firefly episodes out of order. Train Job was made at the last minute because some pencil pushing executives wouldn't air the actual pilot so they had to come up with a way to introduce all of the main characters to the audience. The good news it sets up a really awesome episode down the line. You'll notice that it is necessary to view this series in the intended order to understand what's going on.
I loved this episode so much, and indeed the show, despite so much failure by the executives! It would have felt so disappointing for everyone involved, but they pushed through and achieved greatness 💜
I seem to recall (and I hope someone can confirm this so I know that my memory isn't rubbish) that another challenge "Firefly" faced was that it was aired right after Sunday Football and if the game ran long (which it always did) the network would then "join our regularly scheduled programming already in progress," which meant you would miss the first 15 minutes or so and have no idea what was going on.
@@internetsideshow They also billed the series as a "space comedy" which it definitely is not! So, to recap: 1. Billed as a "space comedy" 2. Original pilot episode not shown 3. Other episodes shown out of order 4. Given a graveyard slot 5. Episodes often shown weeks apart due to sports events 6. Over-running sports events eating into scheduled programming 7. Cancelled half-way through first season Did I miss anything? The show never stood a chance!
@@internetsideshow At least initially, Firefly aired on Fridays, not Sundays. It did get preempted for the World Series, but that happened to every show on Fox that year. The problem Firefly had was that it wasn't cheap to do it well, with special effects and new sets for the planet of the week. The ratings couldn't justify the cost. There is a certain amount of delusion among Firefly fans that it would have been a monster hit had it been marketed slightly differently. The reality is Firefly got basically the same viewership as Joss Whedon's previous show, Buffy, but standards were much higher at Fox than the WB/CW.
@@internetsideshow In my area, it was in the "Friday night death slot" and was preempted by Fox Sports. I wanted to like it, but it was never on when I expected. I gave up after a few weeks. I didn't rediscover it until it appeared on a streaming service years later, which is sad, as it became one of my favorite shows. It's difficult to build a new audience and get good ratings when even people that wanted to watch it couldn't find it.
In the first episode you saw Mal with religious convictions when he was in that military battle at the beginning of the episode. As you watch you will see his two sides, the moral side and the scoundrel.
Thank you so much, Jean-Paul! I really appreciate that. The videos take hours to edit, between 3 and 5 hours, and then wresting with blocked footage afterwards is always a pain 😬 But I am so glad you are enjoying the videos!!
Hi Jules👋. Ok, now, THAT'S the way to do a reaction !!! Bravo to you🙌!!! Yes, I noticed the changes you made, and you even did something that I see a lot of reactors fail to do ... stop the video, make comments then, resume watching/reacting. That is so smart and I just wish others would do that. That way, no one misses anything and you catch everything ... and your insights are great too. I'm a fan !!!
Thank you, Steve 🤗 That is just AWESOME to hear! I'm sure the more I go along, hopefully the better they will be. I don't know much else what I could do differently, other than the layout by having the footage smaller and my image and background bigger like some other channels, but I kinda like it how it is now. We'll see how long it takes me to get bored and change things 😋 This episode was superb, and it was just so much fun. There are so many moments that are simply hilarious! I can't get enough. The third episode will be out this time next week so I hope to see you back again 💜
@@julesreacts Oh, you will (see me back). I absolutely love this series and always am looking for someone to share it with ... and now I've found a this really nice person to do that, so I'm stoked !!! Incidentally, you don't need to change anything at the moment ... you're doing a great job ♥.
I've only just discovered your channel, but I'm a huge Firefly fan from way back. This is honestly so exciting, it's such a thrill to see someone discover this magnificent show for the first time and watch it through fresh eyes. It looks like there are already plenty of comments giving you some background information and whatnot, so I'll just simply say, enjoy the ride, there's honestly no other show like it. I'm going to be eagerly waiting each new video.
Hi Ashley! Thank you so much for finding this little channel, it's wonderful to have you here! I've loved this journey so much already and the next episode is coming out tomorrow. Hope you enjoy that one too 💜
The longer first episode, "Serenity," was the original pilot, and was written as a 2 part episode, which is why it was so long. Fox executives didn't like it, and because of the length, they demanded a second pilot, and that became "The Train Job," and this was the first episode shown on American television (with "Serenity" being the last episode aired!) In addition to that Joss Wheedon and Tim Minear had to come up with the new pilot over a weekend! That's one of the reasons for all the exposition during the first few minutes of the episode, explaining who the main characters are!
Have loved Firefly since it first aired and used to hang out online with some of the cast and crew on the Fox message boards back in the day when it was first aiming and we were all trying desperately to get everyone to watch before it got cancelled. But alas, Fox airing the episoes out of order and the death slot of Friday nights was too much to overcome even for the brilliance of this show. Love the reactions, and your voice is so soothing to listen to! Keep 'em coming!
@@julesreacts At least they got to mostly wrap up the main threads with the movie Serenity (so add that to the list to watch once you get through the TV show!)
@@julesreacts To be honest, you're a bit chatty during dialog for me. But you seem nice enough and you're reacting to something I love, so I don't mind giving the tiniest algorithm bump my comment might provide.
Ah, thank you! See that's the thing with having an edited down version. I have to edit SO MUCH out due to copyright reasons but if the full thing was shown, you'd see I don't talk throughout every single minute 🤣 I might put out a full length, blurred video if I get the time!
I've really been enjoying your reactions and hearing your thoughts. Would love to hear more of your assumptions about what is going on with River and how that changes through the series! Can't wait! 🚀🚀🚀
I have NO idea what is happening with River at all 🤭 There's not been too much said so far and I'm probably wrong as I don't know any spoilers thankfully, but it seems like the experiments the Alliance were doing to her have very badly affected her, maybe to the point of changing her entire personality and behavior. I'm just glad Simon rescued her and I hope there is some peace in her future 💜
@@julesreacts Most people miss it on the first watch, but River had been saying "Two by two, hands of blue" throughout the episode and the two agents that had been looking for her were wearing blue gloves. Lots of what she says makes little sense on the first watch, but after rewatching it multiple times, you will start picking up on the genius she was before the Aliance took her, shining through. Everything that is said or done (by everyone) is strongly interconnected throughout the whole series, those little nuggets are the reasons this series is great to rewatch every couple of years, never gets old. Niska: "You have done train job before?" Captain: "We did a few..." Later, Kaylee explains to Simon how they plan to hijack the train. Simon: "You did this before?" Kaylee: "Hell no! But I think it will work."
@@julesreacts just getting caught up liking some comments made after I first watched your reaction to this, as someone commented on my comment and that brought me back. 😉 And it occurred to me. You are Australian, so the best analogy for the 'Verse might be this: The Allied Planets are the big coastal cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide... The Outer Planets are the towns and villages scattered around the Outback...the areas basically a lot like the American Wild West in the movies... Speaking of which, have you seen the the movie The Man From Snowy River?
This was the "second pilot" for the show. The studio thought the first episode was too long, so they weren't going to use it. So that forced this episode to be written, which is why everything got explained as if this were the pilot. Because it was. Sort of.
I first saw the Movie Serenity and I loved it. Then someone told me it used to be a series and I got excited, "It was a series? How many seasons?" OH, no...
I just watched the first 2 episodes back to back. I really ought to go get some work done. I really should. Ah the hell with it, I'll watch the next episode now.
Hi, Jule! Another scifi series you might enjoy is Farscape. Interesting ensemble crew, complex but engaging storylines, character growth; & some fantastic alien design thru the use of puppetry (Pilot, Rygel) & prosthetics (D'Argo, among many others)! As in Firefly, the ship, Moya, is very much a "character" as well as a setting. Moya, unlike the Serenity, is a living starship!
Here's a little background info to help you better understand the Firefly universe (no spoilers). The setting takes place about 500 years in the future. The nations of "earth that was" had united under a single government that combined the cultures of the two major political powers at the time: The US and China. That's the reason why many of the characters will casually speak Chinese. Because of overpopulation and depletion of natural resources, humanity was forced to colonize another planetary system....one with dozens of planets and hundreds of moons. The inner planets were still technologically advanced and began to terraform the uninhabitable outer planets and moons which were then settled by colonists who were forced to revert back to a more primitive lifestyle resembling the culture of the old west. The cultural and ecomonic differences between the inner and outer planets eventually led to a war which was won by the Alliance of inner planets, who now maintain authoritarian control over the outer colonies while doing little to support them.
I'm watching a tiny girl whack fox heads right now, but I will be back soon. I've been looking forward to this, as well. I'm glad you're enjoying the show. The suddenly bravo moments - like Mal, up the ramp, and shooting that government dude in the head, in the pilot, and kicking the brute into the stream of the engine, in this one, along with the constantly quipy dialog, even in the most dire of situations, make this a really enjoyable watch. I for one can't wait for when you see episode s...oh wait, that's right, NO Spoiling, so I probably will wait to talk about that episode...until AFTER you've seen it. You are a wonderful hostess, as always. Thank you for the work you do, to produce these videos, Jules 😊
Wait, you left Summer in a room with the executives? That should be Serenity II... (No, no... that would be over too soon.) It could have been worse, River in the room with them.
@@julesreacts good thing there's the feature film Serenity . There's also some answers in the comics. When you're done with the series, I'll give you some fun facts that were going to be part of the show, but are not canon anymore.
@@julesreacts Sit in a chair near a window that is not so high. Look out the window. Look up, without putting your head near the glass. Could you see Wash up there? You probably can't see more than 60 degrees above the horizon, not straight up certainly. And no windows on the rear of the train. I enjoyed the review though, very nice.
@@CaptainFrost32 well I disagree with my comment being spoilery, it's not specific about anything particular event, merely commenting on a premise that the show has already set up. It would be like saying 'things with reavers will happen!' or 'Jayne will say something disagreeable!' are spoilery. They're not, they're obvious things that will happen in the future based on what the shows writing has already told the viewer, but vague enough that is will still surprise a new viewer. However, I will err on the side of caution and edit my comment. Though I disagree, I'd rather be safe in she may consider spoilery or not.
Imagine an alien coming to earth do you think it will be surprise the technology level is not the same everywhere on the planet ? if we terraform planet one day it will be high tech at first then people will want to rush to take the lands and will be ok to do it with less .
They try to speak Chinese. I speak Cantonese and a little Mandarin. Their Chinese is unrecognizable. I still enjoy the show and look forward to your reaction.
While you are watching Firefly I just have to ask... Do you know Whedon's other shows? Specially Buffy and Angel, but also Dollhouse? If not I highly recommend those too. 1st Buffy, then Angel, then Dollhouse. After years of content, you will thank me later! 😆
I have never watched them 🤭 Maybe it's something we can watch here after finishing Firefly! When we are closer to the end, I'll write up a little post asking for suggestions and we will narrow it down to the most suggested. Angel and Buffy have come up a lot so far!!
@@julesreacts In my humble opinion (ok... not that humble 😉) Buffy is the best TV show ever written. The 1st season is a bit corny, cause Whedon didnt had the green light to go where he wanted to and the budget was extremely low. But from the middle of season 2 (as soon as a 3rd season was green lit) its near perfection! The entire show is a metaphor for growing up and all the problems and hardships someone might face doing it. Angel on the other hand is about being an adult and living with the consequences of the decisions you made. All the monsters and enemies are just metaphors too. And like in this one, Whedon just knows how to write characters that are not just one dimenisoal plotpoints but who are extremely layered. I cant think of one bad one in the entire show. Not to mention that Buffy revolutionized the TV Show landscape overall. Did you ever hear the term "Big Bad of the Season"... it originated in Buffy. 1st real musical episode in a Drama? Buffy! First gay kiss in US network history? Buffy! A episode without any dialogue, one completely without music... I could go on and on... but I just hope you react to it. Cause there cant be enough people watching those shows.
@@Smido83 I used to love Buffy back in the day. As you mentioned season 1 hasn't aged well, and I always felt they should have ended the show after season 5. Angel and Dollhouse are great shows also.
Great episode and a great reaction. This episode was aired first. The TV executives didn't like the pilot. So Joss and Tim wrote it over a weekend. I love the banter between the crew. Make kicking Craw into the engine was priceless. Definitely not a Star trek show.
River will say some things that make no apparent sense, but have a deeper meaning. I hope you catch them. Easy one in this episode she says 2 by 2 hands of blue , they will never stop coming. And at the end the two people looking for her had on blue gloves.
LOL it really is. It is like something you would have seen a hard-working settler woman wearing in the American old west. I promise. Have I ever lied to you before? LOL
If Joss Whedon is your cup of tea Jules, please try his masterstroke ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Don’t let the title fool you. In the middle of season 2 you will be hooked and after 7 seasons you will laugh & cry more than any 10 series combined….promise.
@@julesreacts Buffy is a masterpiece. With seven seasons it has its highs and lows, but itnot only defined a generation, it influenced so much of the pop culture zeitgeist and continues to do so.
Keep watching, it just gets better and better. After episode 6 (my favorite) you will understand how disappointing it was for the show to get canceled early.
I'm actually kind of glad it got cancelled early. It died young and stayed pretty. I'd hate to have seen "Firefly" go the way of those later seasons of "Buffy" and "Angel".
Hey Jewel! I have not heard of this but will check it out. I think i mentioned this before but a really good show i became a big fan of is called The 100 and would love to see you react to that one day 😊❤️💎
One of the things I appreciate about this series is how they "evolved" the language so they could cuss without actually cussing. "Gorram" is a new way to say "god d***", and "no ruttin' way" (not sure if that's used in this episode, but it is used in the series) is another way of saying "no f***in' way". Edit: Don't remember if it's done in this episode, but the crew will often curse in (I think it's Japanese, but I could be wrong and it could be Chinese [Mandarin?]), since that's just handwaved by the censor people in the U.S.
Great video, I enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing more, and the X-Files. I love both shows and am also really enjoying your play through of Fallout New Vegas, which is my favorite game, although I think you are a bit of a softy for the harshness of the waste lands, please don't take that wrong, you're just to nice of a person.
if you enjoy the humor in firefly the creator, joss whedon, made a few other shows (buffy and its spin off angel, and the highly underrated show dollhouse) all the same kind of humor and wit.
I can't really delve into it without getting into spoilers, but Jayne is actually significantly out of character in this episode. I guess one thing that I can point to is how worried he was about Kaylee in the pilot, after she got shot, compared to how hostile he is towards absolutely everybody in this one. That's not to say that hostility is antithetical to his character, but it's more nuanced, and in this episode, he's overly hostile towards/about people he shouldn't be. That and the somewhat clumsy "recap" at the beginning (necessary, because the network didn't like the actual pilot and didn't air it until the very end, so "The Train Job" became the first episode aired) are really the only weak points in this otherwise very good episode.
So interesting to read that! I am on the fence about Jayne. He seems the most volatile character, but perhaps that's just his nature. Mal wouldn't have him on the ship if he wasn't a good person, so I need to trust in the captain!
It's probably due to this episode being written in a single week end. Many people consider this the weakest episode, and they may have a point, but that's like saying it's the smallest diamond on a crown.
I would just dismiss it as a case of Jayne be written by somebody who doesn't really understand him here, except that the episode was written by Joss Whedon and Tim Minear, the two biggest people behind the show. Maybe they decided to go a bit over-the-top with him to make things more exciting (in response to the network finding the original pilot too slow)? To some extent, maybe they hadn't completely ironed out his character yet (though like I said, I think you see a contrast with him here and in the pilot)? There are always going to be instances of making small character compromises for the sake of expediency of plot or humor, but I do feel like they went overboard here. And yeah, maybe the speed with which they had to write the episode has something to do with it. Maybe they just didn't have time for nuance or to sand down the rough edges, but other than this particular issue (and the somewhat awkward recap, though that's pretty minor), I quite like the episode and actually rank it in the upper half for the show. So I don't know. Jayne is undeniably a major SOB, and I'm not objecting to him being portrayed in a negative light, but rather to it being done in what I feel is a rather ham-handed way here. But I tend to be sensitive to what I feel is inconsistent characterization, and I'm sure there are some who'd think I'm overstating things or even inventing an issue where there is none, but we'll have the opportunity to examine this in greater detail once we're further into the series.
The first three episodes were pilot episodes, of a sort. Joss Weedon suspected FOX would air them out of order. This was the episode those morons aired first. Think back to the real pilot - they aired that later. When you knew Simon was not the mole, You knew that was his sister. You knew Kayli lived.
Remember, Mal told Patience, "I do the job, and then I get paid."
This time, Mal didn't do the job - so he gave the money back.
That may not matter much to Niska, but it matters to Mal.
He's such a good guy 💜
@@julesreacts He's...something. He's got his code, and all, but he's not quite right -- In his head? Or soul, maybe? He hasn't been, since the war. I think in some fundamental way, the loss there shattered him.
@@julesreacts Well, he's alright. You'll get it eventually :)
@@barbadosx perfect!
@@barbadosx Nice. A very penetrating comment.
The uniforms worn by the Alliance "Purple bellies" are rented out to productions and first seen in Starship Troopers.
They were later used in a season of Power Rangers.
Those props sure got their monies worth.
"Serenity," the original pilot, ended up being the episode that was aired last on TV, which made no sense to anyone.
You may have noticed that the Alliance insignia is a combination of the American and Chinese flags. According to the backstory (which never actually gets told in the series), the U.S. and China were the remaining superpowers when the decision was made to abandon Earth and colonize the system they're in now. Which is why the culture is a mishmash of Western and Chinese influences, and why everyone speaks both English and Chinese.
I was about to say the same. The played as Episode 1 on television. I was soooo upset when they cancelled the show.
I kind lof liked that, that it didn't go out of its way to exposite the world-building. It was a chance for me/The Viewer to deduct a history via context clues, to sort it out. Got to love a dramatic brain-teaser.
It's so much fun to watch someone who "gets" Firefly. Your reaction when Mal kicked that goon into the intake was hilarious!
I loved that part!! Instant highlight! And then the other guy coming in and Mal says the same spiel 😂😂😂 That was just awesome!
"No no, I'm right there with ya! Best thing for everyone!"
A subtle but important acting choice by Nathan speaks volumes about the character of Mal.
When he boots Crowe into the engine he’s murdered an unarmed, bound prisoner. For a moment after that he physically reels, staggering both in body but also in mind.
He’s not a ruthless, cold-blooded killer, but Crowe’s promise of unrelenting revenge gave Mal little choice. If he had let him go he knew that his crew were placed in a life-threatening situation, but the crew weren’t the ones making the decision to cross Nisska.
They’re still in danger, but he had to deal with the immediate threat and to send a message.
His morals are pretty well defined in his own head, and in this act he crossed his own line.
This show is brilliant upon re-watches as you start to catch all the little inflections and actions that the actors turn in as part of their performances. It’s a rich tapestry.
So glad to see you continue your "Firefly" journey. I'll never be able to experience watching this show for the first time again, but I can experience it vicariously through you!
I am glad to have you on board, thank you so much for being here 💜
This episode was aired as the pilot because the network didn't like Serenity. You can tell by all the repeated exposition and introduction of the characters.
Right. This was the episode that Joss was told on a Friday that the network was NOT using the completed pilot, a new pilot was needed for table read on Monday morning, standard episode length, make them more "chipper", and no recycling footage.
Joss was already running two successful series at the time [Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and the spinoff Angel]. He did not cut corners of any of the three shows and had this story ready for Monday. Joss had the storylines plotted out for 5-7 years @22 episodes per season.
He was able to film 14 episodes, but only 11 aired. The last to air was the pilot you had started with. To this day, (and for centuries to come), the first thing that will appear on profiles of those executives: They canceled FIREFLY. It won't matter about past and future accomplishments, this remains certain. Even when they sanitize Wikipedia entries, in minutes it is restored.
The network doomed this series.
What do you mean, what do you mean, i have no idea, i have no idea
It absolutely fills my heart with joy seeing someone watch this for a first time...
I adored this show SO MUCH!
1. I love that you kept the scene in where Kaylee is explaining the crime to Simon. 2. Also loved that you, as many other reactors, thought that Simon would be the "respectable" person to get Mal and Zoey back. 3. The scene with the turbine is among my favourites (Well, there are a lot even in this episode, like the my first point and also when Mal distracted the guy so Zoey could get behind him).
I wish I could leave everything in 😭 I understand why I can't due to copyright but it's so hard to chose what to leave in and what I have to get rid of. I might see about editing a full episode but with a totally blurred background 🤭
@@julesreacts Or, as many others, you do a watch-along on Patreon or a similar site. Never seen one, but heard about it. Don't know if you plan on other stuff after, but if so I highly suggest to look, if you can get a poll up after asking for suggestions in the comments (and decide between popular and often used content, or to go for hidden gems people rarely react to).
Unfortunately, the videos on Patreon that are full length are blurred out as well as they still need to be copyright free. But I was thinking of having it here on YT for free, just to see if people liked it. Just to test the water before asking for money, which I am always hesitant to do. I understand it's important to get paid for the time, but I also just want to enjoy it as well 💜
I definitely will put up a community post asking for suggestions once we've finished Firefly 😁
I'd love to see Firefly for the first time again but watching it for the first time through your eyes is a great second prize.
Ooh thank you!! I hope you enjoy 💜
Firefly's storyline is great. But the love of this show is because of the characters. We all fall in love with them. I wish there was a way to see your entire reaction.
Yes, exactly right, Bob! The characters make it, 100%!
I've kept the original files so I'm toying with editing full versions like they do with paid Patreon membership, such as making the whole background blurred out. It's the only way to share a full version due to copyright. I will see if I can find time to edit one and see if you guys like it!
@@julesreacts It's probably a good idea. I became a patron of 'Cinebinge' simply because their "Firefly" reactions were a Patreon exclusive.
@@julesreacts Yes, I agree your full reactions will be sought and enjoyed by many. If I had disposable income, I'd be one of them.
I think the more you watch the more you will become part of the Firefly Family, which is a good thing. Loving your reaction and laughter. Can hardly wait till your next Firefly review. Great job young lady.
Thank you so much! Very glad to have you here, especially if you keep up the Young Lady stuff 😂
@@julesreacts Yes, I will refer to you as "young lady" because it does describe you. You are young (guessing 20 something) and you are a lady (beautiful, sweet attitude, gorgeous hair and so respectful). Hope your channel grows fast, your reactions have been so cool.
@@Flastew she's gonna love you guessing 20-something! :)
@@ernesthakey3396 Cool. And thanks for the reply good sir.
You're watching every tv shows I watched and loved when I wwas in my 20s. Actually, I started "The X Files" when a was 18.
I'm loving everything. Happy you're enjoying it too.
The reasons why the characters get reintroduced here is because when it aired the TV network that had this (Fox) aired this one first, as they didn’t do the episodes in the order that was intended.
I am thankful for that to be honest as I feel this episode really helped to cement things with me. It's sad how the series was treated though 😢
The original plan was for Mal & Zoe to go up off the train with the cargo back onto Serenity, but the guard coming in with the gun threw off the plan, and Mal had to improvise, knock out the guard, confuse things with a smoke-bomb, and slip back in with the passengers.
By the way, I like that you pause the play-back and talk through a thought so that you don't miss what's going on.
Many of the episodes get even better as the season goes along, so you can look forward to liking the characters more and more over time. The movie at the end is excellent, and well in keeping with the tone & spirit of the show... a very nice capper. :)
Hey Jake, thanks so much for your kind words!
I just love how it's all coming together. The characters are fantastic and so likable from the start. I've been looking out to get Serenity as soon as I can, I've got some lined up on Ebay as we speak 🤭
@@julesreacts if you have trouble getting a copy of Serenity, I have a copy I could send you. Then I can find myself another. Just let me know.
Interesting idea, but I'm not sure that's the case. There's really no reason Mal and Zoe couldn't have gone up with Jayne, if that were the plan, but the winch system they were using doesn't look like it could handle that load. They could have made two trips, but then it'd be really easy to figure out who took the goods; just look for the missing passengers (names can be faked to a degree, but faces were seen, and Mal and Zoe both already have Alliance records). Staying on the train meant that there were no gaps in the manifest that could be traced, as Jayne was never officially on the train at all, and no gaps means no reason to really start digging into everyone's ID, as the obvious explanation is that the robbers hit the train from outside.
Besides, Mal and Zoe are military. They plan for contingencies, which is why they set-up the smoke-bomb to begin with. If they'd anticipated needing that, they'd have anticipated the rest of what they might need to do if the situation developed in that direction. And while I respect their improvisational skills, there's no way they came-up with their detailed and mutually-supporting cover story on the fly.
The reason to send-in Inara to extract the two was mostly due to (as it turned-out, justified) concerns about Niska's limited tolerance for unexpected events, and Jayne's unexpected willingness to cut and run. Jayne's an interesting but deeply-damaged character, especially in his early-ish days on Serenity.
I think there is nothing better for a fan of Firefly than to watch someone new falling in love with it for the first time. "... when a man learns the details of a situation like ours, well then he has a choice" "I dont believe he does." That is Mal, in a nutshell. It is so fun watching you discover all this.
I LOVED THAT! Mal is SUCH a good person. I adore him. He's so funny, kind, sweet, loyal... sigh 🥰
I've watched several different reactors react to this series and I'll never get tired of it.
You're asking all the right questions and making all the right conclusions.
I think you already understand why this series was so popular.
FYI: Comparing your videos to the other reaction videos I've seen on Firefly, your editing and commentary are top tier. Keep up the good work.
Wow, thank you so much!! That is just incredible to hear, I really REALLY appreciate that 💜
When Jayne tells Simon that he would be in charge in Mal's absence, Jayne was actually the last crewman hired. Of the normal "Away Team" (to borrow a phrase from Star Trek), he is the low man on the totem pole. Wash at the helm, Kaylee in the engine room, Inara as a paying passenger, Zoe as First Officer, Mal as Captain. Jayne is the grunt. If Simon is accepted as crew, he would be earning more shares than Jayne as a ship's doctor.
If Mal and Zoe are lost, Wash would not leave his wife. The only way Jayne would save his hide and improve his share of the take would be to take charge. The remaining crew would be Wash, Kaylee, Jayne, and technically Simon. Inara and Shepherd Book would be passengers, and Simon & River have prices on their heads.
As Jayne said previously, he remained loyal because the offer was not enough to switch. In case of capture, ship is fair game.
jayne was lying previously. the fed offered jayne enough money to buy his own ship, "a better one than this piece of crap".
Huh... see, that's what made me think not to trust Jayne. I'm interested to see what happens with his storyline!
@@julesreacts Jayne's arc is that we see the very worst of him...& then he redeems himself.
@@sirmoonslosthismind true - but it is quite possible Jayne didn't believe him. The fed was in a tough spot, he might well try to lie his way out - he already lied to Jayne about what the Alliance knew. And Jayne ain't exactly a trusting guy...
You're completely right that they reintroduced all the characters in this episode; the network decided that the double-episode pilot "Serenity" was too long for audiences to sit through, so the writers were forced to write The Train Job to serve as a new pilot episode instead. Good catch! So glad you're doing this series, by the way; it's a real gem!
I'm actually a-okay with a "second pilot" episode as it really helped cement in the characters! I just wish that there wasn't such a huge mess with what the network did as it might not have been cancelled 😢
@@julesreacts It probably would have been cancelled anyway, unfortunately, as, IIRC, the whole mess was deliberate sabotage from an exec looking to take programming in a different direction. That whole "change for the sake of change" thing that insecure people sometimes do when given power.
Also, IIRC, Whedon was given exactly 1 weekend to write "The Train Job", as that was all the warning he was given by the network that they were switching-up the pilot episode. Remarkable job, especially given that limitation.
@@julesreacts You may have a point here, actually. I remember watching this episode and saying to a friend "OMG, not ANOTHER 'old west in space' show, there are already two other shows like that on right now. The genre has been too overworked "
If I had seen the original pilot first, I would have watched the show.
veterans from defeated armies often end up badly, for example - at the bottom of the glass; but not Mal and Zoe. They have found a way, although not particularly legal, to survive.
Niska is really good character! I like him a lot ;)
The actor makes him so well.
Regarding the difference in technology levels, think of it this way: High tech space travel gets humans from world to world, but all these worlds have to be mostly self sufficient so they have to be able to manufacture their own technology which takes time.
Hi Jules!
You are so awesome! You really "get" this show and you "get" the characters. "We're not thieves .... but we are thieves... " lol. I'm so excited to watch you experience some key moments coming up. This is going to be so much fun. You edit these so well, keeping in the very best parts that a lot of reactors cut. And it makes me so happy that you pause to talk your thoughts so you don't miss anything. Too few reactors do that and they miss great parts.
Do you remember River saying "Two by two, hands of blue"? Then, at the end, you noticed the two "men in black" type guys with blue latex gloves on. 😉 when River said "they won't stop till they get back what you took"... viewers think/assume she's talking about the medicine, but she's really talking about herself, and the men with hands of blue.
As I said on your first video, Jayne is a character you love to hate, but eventually you'll hate that you love him. He makes you WANT to believe in him, but you can never really know if you can trust him. Wait till he gets his new hat. You'll kinda fall in love with him a little tiny bit. Lol.
I can't tell you how excited I am for this journey with you. So many hilarious moments I can't wait for you to experience.
Also, I saw in another comment that you're trying to find the movie Serenity. If you honestly can't find a copy, I have one I can send you and then I'll find myself another. Just let me know how your search goes.
Thank you for your channel, Jules! I'm excited for your next video.
Mel, thank you so much!! I cannot say how happy your kind and beautiful words have made me 💜 I am so happy to have you here for this wonderful journey.
I'm still undecided about Jayne! He's the one I trust the least. I'm sure Mal wouldn't have him on board if he wasn't worthy of a position upon the ship, so I'm going to try to trust our captain here 🤭
Ahhh, so the hands of blue refer to those fellows wearing the gloves! Gotcha. I didn't really know what she meant there!
Looking forward to watching more, always 💜
@@julesreacts Mal does see something in Jayne. It's very interesting to see how that relationship develops.
A new person introduced to the Firefly universe! I am here for it. Can't wait until you get your brown coat!
Oh I want a brown coat for sure 😂 It's so hot in Australia that I don't know if I could wear it haha
I second what Jacob said below. This is one of my all-time favourite series - they famously filmed just one season, and yet there's more depth and texture here than most shows manage in five or six. Watching you discover it, as you grapple with the characters and the world-building, reminds me of how thrilling it was for me the first time around. Thank you very much 🙂
Thank you, Anthony 💜😸
"I understand that Jane is just protecting his ship and crew."
LOL!
Looking forward to your future reactions.
Thank you so much!! The next episode is out tomorrow with Kaylee in such a beautiful dress 😍😍
I love how different the characters are, they are all very very different people
And yet they make up a beautiful team 🥰
I was sure you would love this show. The characters are the main thing that made me want to watch every week. They are well written and all the actors are so good. By the way, I noticed you're gaining a lot of subscribers, nice.
Thank you, Haze! Yeah, I think Firefly kicked that off a little 🤭 I'm really happy about that. It's awesome seeing the channel get pushed out by TH-cam. I feel like I'm doing something right and having fun at the same time 💜
Amazing we never knew Starlords Grandfather was a sheriff on a planet visited by our crew
I don't know how far ahead you filmed these, but it so makes sense when you think about it. After expanding into space, people do it so quickly there is a bit of a "frontier" aspect on many planets. People have to rough it. It makes sense that Mal and his crew would be there on the outskirts, away from the central planets. He fought against them in the war.
I tell people who aren't into Sci-fi that it's a blend w/ western themes and they don't get it. But they always end up loving the show once they see it. The universe this show takes place in, the dialog, ots all so spot on.
I don't know much about the sci-fi genre but this show is just fantastic! I'm loving every moment of it 💜
You'll get to completely fall in love with all of them as the series goes on. Okay, maybe not Jayne as much as the others, but a little bit, still. Nathan Fillion is also hilarious in a web short musical series called "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog" with Neil Patrick Harris. You should check that out sometime, too. And the horror comedy "Slither" directed by James Gunn (and written, too, I believe) has him in it and it's really fun (and scary and gross). Can't wait for all the upcoming reactions as the series continues!
Haha, yes maybe not Jayne 😂 I still like him, but I don't know if I can trust him, really!
Thank you for the other recommendations, I'll have to check those out! Nathan is just brilliant. I'd love to see more from him!
Oh, yeah. "Dr. Horrible's" is great fun. So many very catchy tunes.
@@julesreacts Yeah, Jayne's a wild card for sure, but he has his lovable moments here and there.
@@julesreacts As time goes on, we at least get to understand Jayne and his motivations a bit. I think his character arc is one of the better ones in the series.
There is also a short spoof he did making fun of adult films called "Nailing Your Wife" by PG Porn (Alan Tudyk did a different one, too). Really funny, and completely safe for work!
The re-introduction is part of the issues with the ordering of the episodes, but I think it works very well, because of what you said about getting to know the crew. I've seen many who are very confused about Mal as a character, because they can't tell the different between someone who follows the law, and a good person. Mal makes these choices because it's the right thing to do, but equally because of a practically instinctual desire to oppose any system that sacrifices people, in service to securing order.
It's worth mentioning- Mal's tactical strategy in intuitive and at the speed of reflex- We saw it in Serenity and we see it again now. He doesn't analyze and think- he reacts. He shoots the horse, or the Fed, or throws a threat thru the engine. He resolves a threat NOW- there'll be another one coming along in another minute. And he's usually right.
He is an incredible fighter! Very smart!
"Firefly" does an excellent job of script writing where even minor characters show depth.
FOX execs were hell bent on cancelling the series. They waited until the last minute on a Friday to reject the original pilot. A new script (this one) was written over the weekend. It had to be turned in the following Monday morning as the new pilot episode. That's why we get some background "revisiting" that you had noticed.
One of the biggest bone headed moves ever made was the decision to air the Firefly episodes out of order. Train Job was made at the last minute because some pencil pushing executives wouldn't air the actual pilot so they had to come up with a way to introduce all of the main characters to the audience.
The good news it sets up a really awesome episode down the line. You'll notice that it is necessary to view this series in the intended order to understand what's going on.
I loved this episode so much, and indeed the show, despite so much failure by the executives! It would have felt so disappointing for everyone involved, but they pushed through and achieved greatness 💜
I seem to recall (and I hope someone can confirm this so I know that my memory isn't rubbish) that another challenge "Firefly" faced was that it was aired right after Sunday Football and if the game ran long (which it always did) the network would then "join our regularly scheduled programming already in progress," which meant you would miss the first 15 minutes or so and have no idea what was going on.
@@internetsideshow They also billed the series as a "space comedy" which it definitely is not!
So, to recap:
1. Billed as a "space comedy"
2. Original pilot episode not shown
3. Other episodes shown out of order
4. Given a graveyard slot
5. Episodes often shown weeks apart due to sports events
6. Over-running sports events eating into scheduled programming
7. Cancelled half-way through first season
Did I miss anything? The show never stood a chance!
@@internetsideshow At least initially, Firefly aired on Fridays, not Sundays. It did get preempted for the World Series, but that happened to every show on Fox that year.
The problem Firefly had was that it wasn't cheap to do it well, with special effects and new sets for the planet of the week. The ratings couldn't justify the cost. There is a certain amount of delusion among Firefly fans that it would have been a monster hit had it been marketed slightly differently. The reality is Firefly got basically the same viewership as Joss Whedon's previous show, Buffy, but standards were much higher at Fox than the WB/CW.
@@internetsideshow In my area, it was in the "Friday night death slot" and was preempted by Fox Sports. I wanted to like it, but it was never on when I expected. I gave up after a few weeks. I didn't rediscover it until it appeared on a streaming service years later, which is sad, as it became one of my favorite shows.
It's difficult to build a new audience and get good ratings when even people that wanted to watch it couldn't find it.
In the first episode you saw Mal with religious convictions when he was in that military battle at the beginning of the episode. As you watch you will see his two sides, the moral side and the scoundrel.
I think he is a beautiful blend of both 💜
Excellent work on both this, and the prior episode. Thanks for making the effort! I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Thank you so much, Jean-Paul! I really appreciate that. The videos take hours to edit, between 3 and 5 hours, and then wresting with blocked footage afterwards is always a pain 😬 But I am so glad you are enjoying the videos!!
Hi Jules👋. Ok, now, THAT'S the way to do a reaction !!! Bravo to you🙌!!! Yes, I noticed the changes you made, and you even did something that I see a lot of reactors fail to do ... stop the video, make comments then, resume watching/reacting. That is so smart and I just wish others would do that. That way, no one misses anything and you catch everything ... and your insights are great too. I'm a fan !!!
Thank you, Steve 🤗 That is just AWESOME to hear! I'm sure the more I go along, hopefully the better they will be. I don't know much else what I could do differently, other than the layout by having the footage smaller and my image and background bigger like some other channels, but I kinda like it how it is now. We'll see how long it takes me to get bored and change things 😋
This episode was superb, and it was just so much fun. There are so many moments that are simply hilarious! I can't get enough. The third episode will be out this time next week so I hope to see you back again 💜
@@julesreacts Oh, you will (see me back). I absolutely love this series and always am looking for someone to share it with ... and now I've found a this really nice person to do that, so I'm stoked !!! Incidentally, you don't need to change anything at the moment ... you're doing a great job ♥.
I've only just discovered your channel, but I'm a huge Firefly fan from way back. This is honestly so exciting, it's such a thrill to see someone discover this magnificent show for the first time and watch it through fresh eyes.
It looks like there are already plenty of comments giving you some background information and whatnot, so I'll just simply say, enjoy the ride, there's honestly no other show like it. I'm going to be eagerly waiting each new video.
Hi Ashley! Thank you so much for finding this little channel, it's wonderful to have you here! I've loved this journey so much already and the next episode is coming out tomorrow. Hope you enjoy that one too 💜
@@julesreacts thank you for the kind welcome, I can't wait for the new video!
Firefly was definitely my older sisters favorite show! Nathan is a very likable actor!
Nathan is incredible! Have you seen him in the fan made Uncharted video on YT?
@@julesreacts yes I have! He’s definitely Nathan Drake!
The longer first episode, "Serenity," was the original pilot, and was written as a 2 part episode, which is why it was so long. Fox executives didn't like it, and because of the length, they demanded a second pilot, and that became "The Train Job," and this was the first episode shown on American television (with "Serenity" being the last episode aired!) In addition to that Joss Wheedon and Tim Minear had to come up with the new pilot over a weekend! That's one of the reasons for all the exposition during the first few minutes of the episode, explaining who the main characters are!
Have loved Firefly since it first aired and used to hang out online with some of the cast and crew on the Fox message boards back in the day when it was first aiming and we were all trying desperately to get everyone to watch before it got cancelled. But alas, Fox airing the episoes out of order and the death slot of Friday nights was too much to overcome even for the brilliance of this show. Love the reactions, and your voice is so soothing to listen to! Keep 'em coming!
Thank you so much, Rob! I am so happy you're enjoying the videos. Such a shame it was only one season. What a waste of an amazing story and crew 😔
@@julesreacts At least they got to mostly wrap up the main threads with the movie Serenity (so add that to the list to watch once you get through the TV show!)
So, this popped up in my suggestions and I figured I'd give another try because... well... Firefly, darn it!
Haha well let's see if it's second time's the charm or not 🤭 no worries if not, I totally understand!
@@julesreacts To be honest, you're a bit chatty during dialog for me. But you seem nice enough and you're reacting to something I love, so I don't mind giving the tiniest algorithm bump my comment might provide.
Ah, thank you! See that's the thing with having an edited down version. I have to edit SO MUCH out due to copyright reasons but if the full thing was shown, you'd see I don't talk throughout every single minute 🤣 I might put out a full length, blurred video if I get the time!
@@julesreacts See? This is what I mean. Nice. Stop trying to temp me into watching more of your videos woman! 🤪
You are well on the way to becoming a Brown Coat. Welcome to the Family. Stay Shiney
Thank you, Steve! Have a Shiney day yourself!
when the sherriff says a man has a choice, and mal says i don't believe he does. tells you everything you need to know about mal
Yes 🥰🥰🥰
Hi! New viewer here. I'm always, Always, ALWAYS down for Firefly reactions! This is gonna be fun! Nice to meet ya! Stay shiny!
Welcome, Ess! Thank you for being here ❤️
"Two by two hands of blue" foreshadowing. More Niska? Maybe later. This was what viewers saw as the first episode. Enjoy this while it lasts.
Oh Kermit, you are so right! I've now seen all the episodes and am SO SAD we will never have more, but now I get to watch them all over again 💜
I've really been enjoying your reactions and hearing your thoughts. Would love to hear more of your assumptions about what is going on with River and how that changes through the series! Can't wait! 🚀🚀🚀
I have NO idea what is happening with River at all 🤭 There's not been too much said so far and I'm probably wrong as I don't know any spoilers thankfully, but it seems like the experiments the Alliance were doing to her have very badly affected her, maybe to the point of changing her entire personality and behavior. I'm just glad Simon rescued her and I hope there is some peace in her future 💜
@@julesreacts Most people miss it on the first watch, but River had been saying "Two by two, hands of blue" throughout the episode and the two agents that had been looking for her were wearing blue gloves.
Lots of what she says makes little sense on the first watch, but after rewatching it multiple times, you will start picking up on the genius she was before the Aliance took her, shining through.
Everything that is said or done (by everyone) is strongly interconnected throughout the whole series, those little nuggets are the reasons this series is great to rewatch every couple of years, never gets old.
Niska: "You have done train job before?"
Captain: "We did a few..."
Later, Kaylee explains to Simon how they plan to hijack the train.
Simon: "You did this before?"
Kaylee: "Hell no! But I think it will work."
They (partially) explained in the first episode why the outter worlds are more primitive. It was in the scene where the were having dinner.
Oh yes, a few people have explained that a bit more to me now. It definitely makes more sense as we go along ☺️
@@julesreacts the more you watch firefly the more you will realize it's a logically plausible future for humanity. 😁
@@julesreacts just getting caught up liking some comments made after I first watched your reaction to this, as someone commented on my comment and that brought me back. 😉
And it occurred to me. You are Australian, so the best analogy for the 'Verse might be this:
The Allied Planets are the big coastal cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide...
The Outer Planets are the towns and villages scattered around the Outback...the areas basically a lot like the American Wild West in the movies...
Speaking of which, have you seen the the movie The Man From Snowy River?
One of the best bad guys in the verse.
glad to see your enjoying, nice reaction, be prepared to be pissed off when it ends lol.
Thank you Dr Who! I am already sad that we only get the one season. What a shame 😭
This was the "second pilot" for the show. The studio thought the first episode was too long, so they weren't going to use it. So that forced this episode to be written, which is why everything got explained as if this were the pilot. Because it was. Sort of.
I first saw the Movie Serenity and I loved it. Then someone told me it used to be a series and I got excited, "It was a series? How many seasons?" OH, no...
Hahaha yeah, I get that feeling 🤣
I just watched the first 2 episodes back to back. I really ought to go get some work done.
I really should.
Ah the hell with it, I'll watch the next episode now.
Why did I read this in Mal's voice 🤣
Love your reaction x
Thank you, George 💜
Hi, Jule! Another scifi series you might enjoy is Farscape. Interesting ensemble crew, complex but engaging storylines, character growth; & some fantastic alien design thru the use of puppetry (Pilot, Rygel) & prosthetics (D'Argo, among many others)! As in Firefly, the ship, Moya, is very much a "character" as well as a setting. Moya, unlike the Serenity, is a living starship!
Oooh, thank you so much! I've heard of that one but haven't seen it 😄
I have been looking forward to this one. Thanks
Thank you for being here 💜
Two by two, hands of blue.
Thanks, I never seem to get tired of these episodes :-)
My pleasure, thank you!!
@@julesreacts Just keep them coming please 🙂
After finishing the Firefly series you must watch and react to Serenity!
Definitely!!!
@@julesreacts "And again, there was much rejoicing."
Welcome to the Browncoats. 😄
Here's a little background info to help you better understand the Firefly universe
(no spoilers).
The setting takes place about 500 years in the future. The nations of "earth that was" had united under a single government that combined the cultures of the two major political powers at the time: The US and China. That's the reason why many of the characters will casually speak Chinese.
Because of overpopulation and depletion of natural resources, humanity was forced to colonize another planetary system....one with dozens of planets and hundreds of moons.
The inner planets were still technologically advanced and began to terraform the uninhabitable outer planets and moons which were then settled by colonists who were forced to revert back to a more primitive lifestyle resembling the culture of the old west.
The cultural and ecomonic differences between the inner and outer planets eventually led to a war which was won by the Alliance of inner planets, who now maintain authoritarian control over the outer colonies while doing little to support them.
Great reaction to a great episode Juliette!
Neil, you are the best 💜
I'm watching a tiny girl whack fox heads right now, but I will be back soon. I've been looking forward to this, as well.
I'm glad you're enjoying the show.
The suddenly bravo moments - like Mal, up the ramp, and shooting that government dude in the head, in the pilot, and kicking the brute into the stream of the engine, in this one, along with the constantly quipy dialog, even in the most dire of situations, make this a really enjoyable watch.
I for one can't wait for when you see episode s...oh wait, that's right, NO Spoiling, so I probably will wait to talk about that episode...until AFTER you've seen it.
You are a wonderful hostess, as always. Thank you for the work you do, to produce these videos, Jules 😊
Wait, you left Summer in a room with the executives? That should be Serenity II...
(No, no... that would be over too soon.)
It could have been worse, River in the room with them.
@@CaptainFrost32 Speaking of "dipping into spoilers"...
Try to do it in production order. The channel *really* messed up the broadcast order.
I've already watched them, Johan. I loved every episode though! Amazing 💜
12: 05 It hit his shoulder, not his throat.
I'm a brown coat as well.
This is an amazing episode, Juliette 💖 keep up the good work ⭐.
Thank you so much, Clintzor 😄😄💜
3:35 Yeah, these two are awesome characters! The captain is still a 💩 though🤔🤨
Thanks so much Juliette💕Have a awesome day!
OMG but I love Mal, Tex!! Do you not like him 😮😮 I'm cackling with laughter 😂😂
Around episode 6, you will understand why so many of us were upset when this was canceled. Or maybe you see it already.
I am already so sad there's not more 😢
Let's not go dipping into spoilers, dong ma?
@@julesreacts good thing there's the feature film Serenity . There's also some answers in the comics. When you're done with the series, I'll give you some fun facts that were going to be part of the show, but are not canon anymore.
7:18 No one on the train can see what is above the train. There are no windows in the ceiling.
Wash would fly it beautifully then to have no one see just a peek at Serenity!
@@julesreacts Sit in a chair near a window that is not so high. Look out the window. Look up, without putting your head near the glass. Could you see Wash up there? You probably can't see more than 60 degrees above the horizon, not straight up certainly. And no windows on the rear of the train.
I enjoyed the review though, very nice.
Great episode! And that's all I have to say apparently! :D
Watch your tongue about spoilers. We have room in the airlock.
(I didn't mention the chain or the engine because that leads to more repairs...)
@@CaptainFrost32 well I disagree with my comment being spoilery, it's not specific about anything particular event, merely commenting on a premise that the show has already set up.
It would be like saying 'things with reavers will happen!' or 'Jayne will say something disagreeable!' are spoilery. They're not, they're obvious things that will happen in the future based on what the shows writing has already told the viewer, but vague enough that is will still surprise a new viewer.
However, I will err on the side of caution and edit my comment. Though I disagree, I'd rather be safe in she may consider spoilery or not.
haha thank you 😅 I didn't see your original comment so it's all good!
Imagine an alien coming to earth do you think it will be surprise the technology level is not the same everywhere on the planet ?
if we terraform planet one day it will be high tech at first then people will want to rush to take the lands and will be ok to do it with less .
Looking forward to your continued reactions to Firefly ( after the end watch the the film Serenity )
Serenity should be getting delivered this week, I hope 😄
They try to speak Chinese. I speak Cantonese and a little Mandarin. Their Chinese is unrecognizable. I still enjoy the show and look forward to your reaction.
Awwww haha! Well at least they tried 🤭
While you are watching Firefly I just have to ask...
Do you know Whedon's other shows? Specially Buffy and Angel, but also Dollhouse? If not I highly recommend those too. 1st Buffy, then Angel, then Dollhouse. After years of content, you will thank me later! 😆
I have never watched them 🤭 Maybe it's something we can watch here after finishing Firefly! When we are closer to the end, I'll write up a little post asking for suggestions and we will narrow it down to the most suggested. Angel and Buffy have come up a lot so far!!
@@julesreacts In my humble opinion (ok... not that humble 😉) Buffy is the best TV show ever written. The 1st season is a bit corny, cause Whedon didnt had the green light to go where he wanted to and the budget was extremely low. But from the middle of season 2 (as soon as a 3rd season was green lit) its near perfection!
The entire show is a metaphor for growing up and all the problems and hardships someone might face doing it. Angel on the other hand is about being an adult and living with the consequences of the decisions you made. All the monsters and enemies are just metaphors too. And like in this one, Whedon just knows how to write characters that are not just one dimenisoal plotpoints but who are extremely layered. I cant think of one bad one in the entire show.
Not to mention that Buffy revolutionized the TV Show landscape overall. Did you ever hear the term "Big Bad of the Season"... it originated in Buffy. 1st real musical episode in a Drama? Buffy! First gay kiss in US network history? Buffy! A episode without any dialogue, one completely without music... I could go on and on... but I just hope you react to it. Cause there cant be enough people watching those shows.
@@Smido83 I used to love Buffy back in the day. As you mentioned season 1 hasn't aged well, and I always felt they should have ended the show after season 5.
Angel and Dollhouse are great shows also.
Great episode and a great reaction.
This episode was aired first. The TV executives didn't like the pilot. So Joss and Tim wrote it over a weekend.
I love the banter between the crew.
Make kicking Craw into the engine was priceless. Definitely not a Star trek show.
The engine death scene was AMAZING and then when he said the same thing to the next guy who came along... 🤣🤣 love it!!
looking forward too your next reaction to this
Thank you 💜
River will say some things that make no apparent sense, but have a deeper meaning. I hope you catch them. Easy one in this episode she says 2 by 2 hands of blue , they will never stop coming. And at the end the two people looking for her had on blue gloves.
Mmm yes, that is true! So those people with the blue gloves, she knows them or has seen them before I think!
@@julesreacts or maybe something else that you haven't thought of yet. Patience, it just gets better ....
Joss Whedon is awesome! I recommend his other shows too!!
I've got something new coming next week 🤭
@@julesreacts Yayy!!
you have a wonderful day as well
Cowboys iin Spaaaaaaace!
HAHA! Yes they are!!
Jules, wait until you get to see Mal's pretty floral bonnet. LOL
This BETTER be a real bonnet as I cannot wait for that 😂😂😂
LOL it really is. It is like something you would have seen a hard-working settler woman wearing in the American old west. I promise. Have I ever lied to you before? LOL
Zack Snyder is making Rebel Moon, his own "Star Wars franchise". He knows how to make cool epic stuff. I am eagerly waiting for it.
When you realise that River's rambling may not be absolute garbage after all.
Good review.
Glad you enjoyed it, Tony! Thank you!
If Joss Whedon is your cup of tea Jules, please try his masterstroke ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Don’t let the title fool you. In the middle of season 2 you will be hooked and after 7 seasons you will laugh & cry more than any 10 series combined….promise.
@Rick King 22
i am deeply worried about what is next for _the nevers_
I've never seen Buffy but as it's by the same fellow, I reckon I might like it!
@Rick King 22
jane's not who the network put in charge of the show after joss's departure. i don't know the woman they put in charge.
@@julesreacts Buffy is a masterpiece. With seven seasons it has its highs and lows, but itnot only defined a generation, it influenced so much of the pop culture zeitgeist and continues to do so.
Keep watching, it just gets better and better. After episode 6 (my favorite) you will understand how disappointing it was for the show to get canceled early.
Ooooh just more to look forward to only to get bitterly disappointed 😂😭
I'm actually kind of glad it got cancelled early. It died young and stayed pretty. I'd hate to have seen "Firefly" go the way of those later seasons of "Buffy" and "Angel".
@@internetsideshow
the best episodes of _buffy_ and _angel_ are from the later seasons.
@@sirmoonslosthismind I think you're out of your mind, but you are entitled to your opinion.
@@internetsideshow
it's not just my opinion; look up buffy episodes sorted by imdb rating.
Hey Jewel! I have not heard of this but will check it out.
I think i mentioned this before but a really good show i became a big fan of is called The 100 and would love to see you react to that one day 😊❤️💎
Ahhh Dan, is that the zombie one? You just want to see an old lady scream 🤭🤭
@@julesreacts no no! No zombies i promise! Its basically like the walking dead WITHOUT zombies, honest! It’s a futuristic post apocalyptic show 😄
@@julesreacts and you’re not old!!
You like knowing the crew backstories, wait till you get to the episode called "out of gas". :)
Ooooh yay!!
One of the things I appreciate about this series is how they "evolved" the language so they could cuss without actually cussing. "Gorram" is a new way to say "god d***", and "no ruttin' way" (not sure if that's used in this episode, but it is used in the series) is another way of saying "no f***in' way".
Edit: Don't remember if it's done in this episode, but the crew will often curse in (I think it's Japanese, but I could be wrong and it could be Chinese [Mandarin?]), since that's just handwaved by the censor people in the U.S.
Great video, I enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing more, and the X-Files. I love both shows and am also really enjoying your play through of Fallout New Vegas, which is my favorite game, although I think you are a bit of a softy for the harshness of the waste lands, please don't take that wrong, you're just to nice of a person.
Thank you, Cat! I appreciate you being back here for more! I am a bit of a softy, I will thoroughly agree with you there 🤭
Keep up the great work.
you should check out Gene Rodenberry's Andromeda
Hello again Juliette! I'll go finish the Little Misfortune video on the main channel and then come back and watch this one. Have a wonderful day!
I think she's a Browncoat already.
I need more brown items of clothing 🤭
if you enjoy the humor in firefly the creator, joss whedon, made a few other shows (buffy and its spin off angel, and the highly underrated show dollhouse) all the same kind of humor and wit.
I've had a few people mention Buffy and Angel! I definitely want to check them out, maybe when Firefly is finished 💜
Welcome to sci-fi westerns at their best.
I can't really delve into it without getting into spoilers, but Jayne is actually significantly out of character in this episode. I guess one thing that I can point to is how worried he was about Kaylee in the pilot, after she got shot, compared to how hostile he is towards absolutely everybody in this one. That's not to say that hostility is antithetical to his character, but it's more nuanced, and in this episode, he's overly hostile towards/about people he shouldn't be. That and the somewhat clumsy "recap" at the beginning (necessary, because the network didn't like the actual pilot and didn't air it until the very end, so "The Train Job" became the first episode aired) are really the only weak points in this otherwise very good episode.
So interesting to read that! I am on the fence about Jayne. He seems the most volatile character, but perhaps that's just his nature. Mal wouldn't have him on the ship if he wasn't a good person, so I need to trust in the captain!
It's probably due to this episode being written in a single week end. Many people consider this the weakest episode, and they may have a point, but that's like saying it's the smallest diamond on a crown.
I would just dismiss it as a case of Jayne be written by somebody who doesn't really understand him here, except that the episode was written by Joss Whedon and Tim Minear, the two biggest people behind the show. Maybe they decided to go a bit over-the-top with him to make things more exciting (in response to the network finding the original pilot too slow)? To some extent, maybe they hadn't completely ironed out his character yet (though like I said, I think you see a contrast with him here and in the pilot)? There are always going to be instances of making small character compromises for the sake of expediency of plot or humor, but I do feel like they went overboard here. And yeah, maybe the speed with which they had to write the episode has something to do with it. Maybe they just didn't have time for nuance or to sand down the rough edges, but other than this particular issue (and the somewhat awkward recap, though that's pretty minor), I quite like the episode and actually rank it in the upper half for the show. So I don't know. Jayne is undeniably a major SOB, and I'm not objecting to him being portrayed in a negative light, but rather to it being done in what I feel is a rather ham-handed way here. But I tend to be sensitive to what I feel is inconsistent characterization, and I'm sure there are some who'd think I'm overstating things or even inventing an issue where there is none, but we'll have the opportunity to examine this in greater detail once we're further into the series.
By episode 4 you're going to start talking about how there's only X amount of episodes left. By episode 10 you'll be dreading that.
😭😭 why did they have to do this show so dirty, it's not fair!
The first three episodes were pilot episodes, of a sort. Joss Weedon suspected FOX would air them out of order. This was the episode those morons aired first. Think back to the real pilot - they aired that later. When you knew Simon was not the mole, You knew that was his sister. You knew Kayli lived.