Compare that with the captain of the Alliance cruiser, who can't be bothered to look for the medicine even though without it a bunch of settlers on the planet are going to die. In this show the frontiersmen are good while the government is corrupt
@@StarkRG Absolutely. I don't agree with Firefly's view, I think a modern government is much preferable to living on a lawless frontier among ignorant brutal people
Jayne is deceptively important for the tone of the show. The fact that Mal keeps a guy like Jayne around informs us how dangerous this world is. Without him I think this show loses its edge.
Also, it's subtle but Jayne reveals in little ways that he actually cares about the crew, but he doesn't want to show it. He hid and watched Kaylee's surgery where he couldn't be seen. It also might be that he wanted to kill the agent that shot Kaylee because he cares about her, not just because he likes killing people. He also repeatedly expresses an unwillingness to help, and then helps anyway.
"...I don't think I would trust him [Jayne] in my ship..." Mal *_doesn't_* trust him, but he *_understands_* him, and he's confident that he can handle him. Plus, Jayne is *_extremely_* valuable in a fight.
@@domie also, in Serenity we see Jayne be a dick at the dinner table by talking about Kaylee in a crude manner - but we also later see him outside the infirmary when she's being tended to, hugging his knees and maybe chewing on his thumbnail, worried about her. He's kind of like a rude older brother to Kaylee, he feels free to pick on her, but he'd protect her from harm in a heartbeat. He definitely wanted to kill the fed agent who shot her.
Don't get bogged down in the whole "pilot" thing. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. You'll be a Browncoat before you know it. It's inevitable, but it's a good thing.
@@michaelshea8086 I'm aware. Other people already pointed that out to her in the comments, so I decided to just laugh at the way she said it instead of correcting her.
@@rmartinson19 I'm a little worried about how that observation indicates the rest of the series will be received. Picking up on everything surrounding River is very integral to the show, as we already know, so I'm anticipating some misunderstandings at this point.
There is the concept that all eight crewmembers are aspects of Mal's personality. His loyalty (Zoe), his humor (Wash), his strong moral principles (Book), etc. And yes, his brutality (Jayne).
"Bushwhack" has two meanings. One literal, one figurative. The literal meaning of "Bushwhacking" is moving through untamed wilderness. When in dense woodlands or underbrush, there isn't a path. So you have to cut a path for yourself as you go. Literally "whacking bushes." The figurative meaning of "bushwhack" is "ambush." It's very easy to hide in the previously mentioned underbrush, so if someone is "bushwhacked" it means that they were attacked by surprise.
Almost every reactor I've seen five seconds before the tattooed guy ends up kicked into the engine - "He's totally going to be a problem later in the season for them..." About that.
I watched this when it first aired on Fox and the expectation was that the guy would be the "heavy" of the first season ie the henchman that the heroes have to beat over and over till the season finale where they finally beat him for good and Niska starts going after them personally. That's what all the other adventure shows of the time would have done. When Mal short circuits the entire process and just straight ought murders the guy for being a threat, I knew that it was a very different show and became a lifelong fan.
Funny thing: Ron Glass, who played Book, asked Whedon if he could be a Buddhist instead of Christian - because Glass himself is Buddhist. Whedon said that they already have a Buddhist character, and that's Inara.
You must be a romantic. You see romance everywhere. 💘 The complicated relationships among the crew is one of the things that makes this series magical and fun to watch. One thing to keep in mind is that Mal and Zoe fought together in the trenches of war so their bond is extremely close, but unique in the sphere of relationships. You’re right that Jayne doesn’t quite fit with the vibe of the rest of the crew, but his fighting and muscle skills are very valuable to Mal. Mal knows exactly who he is. Not every Captain would be strong enough to manage the risks that come with someone like Jayne. It’s another very interesting relationship. My advice from here on out is to forget about the bumbling executives at Fox 🦊 and focus on the wonderful work of art that is Firefly.
The reason why FOX did this is that the person in charge of the show scheduling, the one who promoted Firefly and other contemporary shows... was promoted to a different role and moved away. The people who came to work in his place, as it apparently happens often, made sure that all of the shows that he promoted, including Firefly, would bomb. Apparently, this is a thing that happens a lot. *Corporate pettiness.* So they moved Firefly to the "dead" second Friday evening slot (when young people are out or preparing to go out and *NOT* in front of the TV), scrambled the order of the showing, told the writers that the first episode wasn't good enough (not because they thought so, but to create problems) and gave them "less than a weekend" to write the Train Job as a substitute first episode, and at the first opportunity canceled it halfway through the first season, leaving three already made episodes unaired. You should see how savagely the Futurama people made fun of the FOX executives, after the fourth or fifth time FOX canceled it and were forced to bring it back due to popular demand! 😂
also Firefly premiered in the fall during the MLB playoffs and would often get preempted for a baseball game. It wasn't as much as the show couldn't find an audience but the audience couldn't find the show, sometimes Firefly would be on after the game sometimes it would be on Saturday afternoon or sometimes not at all.
"Bushwhacked"is American old west slang for an ambush. Bush=shrubbery, whacked=hit, struck, killed, so basically an attack from someone hiding in the bushes.
Jayne at this point can be seen to serve two purposes, to create tension on the ship so that it isn't a crew of just friends and that conflict allows for storylines and character development. And also so that Mal doesn't seem too unlikeable as the captain making tough decisions and giving direct orders.
The added the intro spoken by Shephard specifically to give some background because it needed it to help people feel more like they knew what was going on. The pilot actually let the viewers figure that out more gradually. I don't see The Train Job as a second pilot rather as a continuation of that introduction. After all, how much do we really know about the background of any of the other main characters? We find out more and more as the series continues.
So senseless. What really annoys me is how much the people that did this got paid, while someone ten times smarter makes minimum wage at a Burger King😞
@@domie To follow up on the airing, this was first. Then came 3-10 out of order, then 14, then 1. Three episodes, 11, 12, and 13, didn't air during the season. I saw 11-13 at some point, but I don't remember if they showed them the next summer, or if it was on a different network, but I'm pretty sure I saw them before the DVDs came out. While most reactors prefer Serenity as a pilot, there are some who find it confusing and prefer this since everything is laid out clearly, so I can kind of see what the executives' concern was about, but overall they did seem to bent on sabotaging the show.
@@domie *The Real Explanation:* Firefly was a doomed series before it even began. Joss Whedon had signed a 5 year series contract (22 - 24 episodes per season). The Exec that gave the contract is the one who gets a share of the money for airing the show. That Exec was 'let go' from FOX before the show ever aired. However, he still collects from the active contracts he already made. There is only room for so many shows aired per week. The Execs still working wanted Firefly canceled so they could find their own shows and get their own contracts. They pulled every dirty trick in the book to get 'Firefly' canceled. Saying "They didn't like the pilot." was their public excuse. It could have been the biggest masterpiece ever made and that wouldn't change their plan. Their only interest was to make money for themselves. NOTE: Firefly was not their only target. These working execs worked hard to remove every show that was attached to all the execs who were 'let go'.
According to Joss Whedon's commentary on the DVD release, his philosophy in starting a new series is to reintroduce the characters in each of the first few episodes, just because new viewers would be coming in who might not have seen the pilot or prior episodes (he's a genius with exposition that doesn't weigh down the story, which allows him to do that). The network's decision not to show the actual pilot was truly last minute-- they were showing ads for "Serenity" mere days before the airdate, I recall being confused when I tuned in for the premiere and saw a different episode than they were advertising-- but when it happened, Whedon's choice of reintroducing the characters served him well: this episode was ready to serve as an alternate pilot.
Whedon was told on Friday afternoon that the pilot was rejected and he had to have a new one by Monday morning. If he didn't, he would have been in breach of contract. They thought he couldn't possibly have one ready by then. He and one other guy wrote a new pilot over the weekend and presented it on Monday. Basically the entire thing was written, shot, and filmed and edited in less than a week.
(raises glass) A toast to our fallen show, the people who made it what it was, and especially, the cast and crew who have since passed on. May have been on the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.
Twenty plus years on, and I'm STILL annoyed that they only made action figures of Mal, Zoe, Kaylee, Wash and Jayne. My collection will never be complete!!!
So, the answer to why Fox was sabotaging show breaks down to the fact that the network had a big shakeup at the top and a lot of executives were changed. So one team of execs greenlit the series, then the changeover happened, and the new team really was not on board with this show. Maybe sci-fi wasn't their thing; maybe they really couldn't grasp mixing the sci-fi with the Old Western tropes; maybe the new execs had issues with Josh Whedon and the toxic behavior he had begun to exhibit on his shows (Firefly was run by Tim Minear on a day to day basis because Whedon was tied up with the last season of Buffy and he was doing a lot over on Angel at the same time). Fox's initial statement has always been that it was a ratings thing; Firefly didn't deliver the kind of audience they were looking for, they claim, but the fact that they showed the "more exciting episodes" first, messing up the order of what they already knew was a serialized story that needed to be shown in order plays into those low ratings. In many markets, it got switched around on the schedule without notice, and even completely pre-empted for sporting events. And of course, as always, there is was some exec somewhere who decided it was about the money; Firefly was not as expensive as a Star Trek show, but it was still more expensive than that insane "Joe Millionaire" reality show Bachelor rip-off. This was about the time that reality/unscripted TV like Survivor and American Idol were hitting it big and drawing in HUGE ratings with almost no expense on the Network's part, so it made more financial sense to them to cancel scripted TV shows like "John Doe" and "Firefly," despite the fact that critical acclaim for both shows was high. And for all that Fox didn't want to put any more money into the show, they MADE money off of it for the next decade and a half. Sci-Fi paid to run the show (in order!) on their network, and it was almost no time before the boxed DVD sets hit shelves. Many a browncoat has wrestled with the moral dilemma of gifting the DVD sets to friends we know would love them while simultaneously allowing Fox to continue to profit off a show they didn't believe in. As more and more came out over the years about what an asshole Joss Whedon was becoming as Buffy and Angel made him big bucks, there is a big part of me that wonders how many bridges he was burning at Fox during that time. (Buffy may have aired on the WB and later on UPN, but it was produced by the 20th Century Fox Television division...the same division that produced Firefly.)
about the pilot thing: Serenity was finely crafted. It set the tone, introduced all of the elements that they wanted to delve into in the first season. It was vague and shadowy literally and figuratively. That very thing (among others) is what FOX didn't want. Remember, this was back in 2002, and they felt the pilot would be too be unnerving for the viewers at that time. It was kind of edgy for back then. As it sounds like you've heard that they wrote this in a weekend. So, throw out finely crafted. Lean into some story elements we have done before just so we can get this thing written, introduce some things in a less vague, more exposition-ish way, and forget dark and mysterious. I think of it almost like a pendulum - they wanted Serenity to be the pilot, FOX said we like, but too dark, so they swung around the other way - light, airy, shorter, with plot hand holding. The important thing was to give FOX what they wanted so they would pick up the show. They didn't have the time to write multiple drafts as alternatives and compromises, so they just gave FOX what they wanted. Once they got the show, they could go back to shadowy mystery and setting up arcs.
What FOX wanted was for Whedon to be in breach of contract when he didn't have the pilot ready. They rejected the original on Friday afternoon but he was contractually obligated to have one by Monday. They knew it would be a hit if it aired consistently and in order. Buffy and Angel use the same format and those were two of the biggest shows on the network. They had a built in audience. So after failing to cause a breach of contract they aired episodes out of order, changed the time with no notice, changed the day of the week with no notice, and sometimes simply didn't air it at all in a week because they preempted it for sports which was a new thing to the network. Some execs had a personal issue with Whedon. Other execs wanted their show to have a chance instead because they would get a percentage. FOX did everything to make sure Firefly failed. As to edgy, I don't remember anything in Serenity that is nearly as edgy as Mal kicking Crow into the engine in The Train Job.
Really enjoying the reactions and commentary! On a side note, I think it is neat that you have a reverse image, and all the writing in the room is backwards (and upside down in the case of your playbill poster) except the letter stand where everything is written the way we could see and read it!
Long story short a new president took over the network and he hated scifi. He instituded a limit on scifi shows that could air and cancelled Dark Angel to make room for Firefly which had been greenlit by the previous president. Its a running theme with tv execs to cancell shows even if theyre performing well to make room for shows they greenlight. Theyre toxic like that. Its not the only reason. Other execs had issues with Joss personaly and other things but if the president has it out for you, its a matter of time.
Hey there Domi! Jayne is the muscle and the sharp-shooter! He's an important part of the crew for those reasons. His arc in the series is great, so bear with it and I'm sure you'll grow to like and understand him more in future. Love all your reactions and can't wait to see you fall in love with this show!! ❤ Jon from Aus
The sheriff is played by longtime character actor Gregg Henry ("Body Double", "Payback", "Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever"). He worked with Nathan Fillion (Mal) on James Gunn's first film, "Slither". Michael Fairman (Niska) has been in a lot of TV stuff, including playing a bothered store owner in the infamous "Turkey Day" episode from "WKRP In Cincinnati" and a bad hat mercenary leader in an "A-Team" episode, "The Battle Of Bel Air". The costumes the Alliance soldiers wore were from "Starship Troopers". "Two by two, hands of blue". Remember that quote. I saw a few minutes of this episode when it aired and bailed on it because it didn't established the world as much as the real pilot did. The Fox Network executives, despite Whedon having a chip on his shoulder, bungled this show.
Network execs don't care about quality over ratings, advertising and other factors. Zoey and Mal just respect each other since they fought in the war as seen in the pilot. She is happily married.
This episode was purposely written so that it would work as a pilot, but also as a second episode. The plot was planned from the beginning, but some modifications were made to make it work better as a pilot episode as well.
A couple of things. Inara and Kaylee are actually more like older sister and younger. They both have an affection for the silent character, Serenity, Riverfeels it too. He's gonna come back to haunt them😂😂, well, maybe.
A few more things. The series is largely episodic. A few episodes need some order, but only in a broader context. As i remember, the pilot ran something like tenth iin order. The only benefit to its early demise is that it never got the chance to stale. Strap in the ride gets better from here.
I love how Mal never had to tell Zoe they were returning the medicine. Look out for times where Zoe will respond to what Mal's about to say to the crew before he says it, because they're just so in tune.
Don't read too much sexual tension into the various relationships. A lot of what you're feeling is just how beautiful everyone is. Truly a miracle that everyone who steps on this ship is a low-key god or goddess (except maybe Lawrence). But yes, there's a lot of couples established or being set up. Almost everyone but Jayne and River have an obvious pair, which makes me believe that sooner or later they'll end up together as well. I think he was actually crushing on Kaylee before the pilot, as we saw his concern when she was being operated on last episode. His rude comment at dinner was just like a little boy mad at sudden competition getting in his way. Ultimately Jayne just needs someone to tell him what to do so he doesn't have to try to think for himself, while River has brains enough for both of them. His lack of mental activity might actually be a relief for her compared to all the other voices trying to get into her head.
Interesting that Jayne seems to you more like an outsider rather than part of the crew. I've seen others say they just hate Jayne from the start, but that's definitely a new perspective. Trying to guess what the next episode is about based on the name is a bit difficult with this show, and next episode would definitely be tricky if you hadn't heard of that word before. I'm curious what you might think of some of the other episodes though. Anyway, glad you're enjoying the show. The next episode is very different, so I can't wait to see your reaction to it!
“River’s doing maths, she’s clearly not well.” Paraphrased. River is repeating “2 by 2, Hands of blue.” It looks like you missed in the next shot that there were 2 men and the one sitting down with the photo of River had 2 blue gloves of both his hands, so hands of blue…
I see the Inara Kaylee relationship as mother/ daughter, or maybe sister/ sister. At the start Inara is doing her hair, at the end Inara pulls her away from danger during the fight. You'll notice Inara "mothering" others in later episodes. With Inara and Mal though, that's (unrequited) love IMO.
I'm glad you're enjoying the creativity of Joss Weden's mind. One of the things I enjoy in watching reactions, is learning the perception and his/her ability to communicate that to the general public! I'm both curious and entertained to see if others come away with same reaction to the material that I felt the first time I watched them! Like you, I was first introduced to the "Weden-verse" through the World of the Buffy/Angel TV series! I've always enjoyed good story telling...Joss is the master of this venue! It induced me to seek and purchase the DVDs of four of his Serials: "Buffy" - "Angel" - "Firefly" - and "The Nevers" (The Nevers was a very intriguing series aired on HBO - only 6 episodes were completed and aired) A rift developed between Joss and HBO which caused Joss to walk away from it unfinished. It too was a very imaginative Sci-Fi. I purchased these various DVD series from Amazon if you care to become further immersed!
BTW, grab Jayne's gun and Mal dies. Maybe if he did not draw on you when doing his takeover meant he was going to draw on you as he threaten to get the chain of command.
Mal always weighs risk versus reward regarding who gets to stay on his ship. Mal does not fully trust Jayne, but he is confident he understands Jayne well enough to handle him. You will find out much more on this as the series develops. As to the reward of having Jayne around: Jayne - the hired muscle - is very good at what he does.
I think the greatest example that this show isn't like the average show is most clearly demonstrated in the last scene with Crow. Apparently there were some execs at Fox that were doing everything to get rid of Whedon. Joss was told that the original pilot wasn't acceptable on Friday afternoon and he had to have a new pilot by Monday or he was in breach of contract. FOX then told Whedon they wanted an action show. It was pitched as a drama. Whedon wanted a slow build. The crew is a family they chose. Jayne is actually very important to the show even if that is not instantly apparent. Plus, it clearly shows how dangerous the Verse is. Pay attention to everything River says. It is always important. In this episode she said 'Two by two; hands of blue.' Kayleigh is the heart of the ship. Inara is a registered companion. This is actually a government recognized official position. Also, she is Buddhist. When you look at her shuttle, everything has that aesthetic. In the episode, Serenity, we see Mal wearing a cross and being religious in the war scenes. He lost his faith because of the way things ended in the war. Wash is very competent, but is also used for comic relief a lot. I think the reason this show works is because everyone plays their characters seriously, Mal especially. If they didn't play things straight it would be too campy.
Serenity, the original pilot, was the final episode to air. It aired only after the network officially announced the cancelation of the show. It was touted as a bonus episode for the fans. Already pissed off due to the cancelation, that made us even madder. Shown in the wrong order. The better pilot shelved. Shown in the Friday time slot of death. Canceled too soon. Firefly was picked up for a 1/2 season initially. Once production was underway, they ordered 3 more episodes. Had the series not been canceled, there was every expectation that an order for the remainder of the season (~7-8 more episodes) would have been ordered. So, Firefly is technically about 2/3rds of one season long. That's why it ends abruptly without concluding much of anything. With the airing of the original pilot, Serenity, that finished out the airing of the initial half season that was ordered. Fox shelved the remaining 3 episodes. Fox was reluctant to release a DVD set of the series, convinced it would be an epic failure. Luckily, they were convinced to give it a chance. Only after we had the DVDs in hand were we able to watch the 3 unaired episodes. There's an unedited script to another potential episode that was initially published online. These days, it officially resides in one of the series companion books that was later published, I believe. And that was it for Firefly, the TV show. Luckily, an exec at Universal really wanted Joss for some project. And Joss, in specifying his terms, really wanted a movie to cap off the Firefly series.
@rriggs6547 I do not recall Fox ever airing those episodes. The DVD box set explicitly touts the inclusion of the 3 unaired episodes. Are you sure you're not thinking of the Sci-Fi channel, which aired all 14 episodes in the summer of 2003?
Fox messed with a ton of shows around this time. Another show they effectively sabotaged was Wonderfalls… that show they aired only four episodes of the 14 episodes they shot… and they aired them out of order, on different nights without advertising that the show was switching which night it was airing on. Also, IMO the ads for that show were absolutely awful (before the pilot aired). Great show, I recommend watching it sometime even if just for yourself. Fans managed to get them to release the complete show on DVD, which I believe is still the only way to watch it. Oh, and Jewel Staite (Kaylee) has a small role in one episode of Wonderfalls. FYI, the show is known for being snarky… so definitely the show to watch for fun snark.
This right here on Fox. They were really bad about screwing around with the order of things. Sometimes it was for a good reason but more often than not the heads of the network decided the original pilot wasn't action packed enough or some sort or ridiculousness. I believe they thought his one was more of a hook for some reason. Pettiness was a way of life for a lot of them as well it seems.
FOX did indeed sabotage this series and here's why: First, the execs who gave the series the greenlight knew that Whedon and company had created Buffy the Vampire Slayer and it brought in good ratings for the WB. They wanted something similar. The problem with that is they never actually watched an episode of Buffy before the deal. So, when they turned in the pilot, the execs were upset because they were under the impression that Buffy was an action comedy, so that's what they were getting. It's why the two main notes that they gave them when they told them to make a second pilot was: More action! Funnier! The second reason is because that was the era when FOX started to win ratings demographics with American Idol and other reality shows. Series with significantly smaller budgets than Firefly. So, they messed with the air order, did minimal advertising, and it got pre-empted multiple times because of the Major League Baseball schedule.
If you want an in universe explanation he's the most experienced spacer on the crew, is a very talented tracker and is a monstrous fighter, all valuable things to a pirate crew.
Interesting take on the how vague the story elements are in the two episodes. I first saw the show in air order. So this was my first view of Firefly. I actually liked that it felt like I was just dropped in to an already spinning world. There were some character interactions that implied some pre-existing dynamics that I didn't know. Which didn't frustrate me at all - I was intrigued. I liked the feel of the show and wanted to know more about the characters and why they had these hinted relationships. Not everyone likes that kind of story format. In fact, a lot of people really rather dislike it if you note all the folks who bitterly critique this episode being the first aired.
I would have thought this was a confusing and unsuccessful pilot. I think the intended pilot Serenity did the basic job of a pilot to introduce all the characters. The tragedy to keep in mind: This was a network production at a time that a normal season would have been about 22 episodes. So, the 14 episodes we have are only 2/3rds of the season Whedon had planned. That means there will be several plotlines and reveals that the story will not conclude.
Jayne does have some redeeming qualities. You will learn a little as we go along, but I don't want to spoil anything. One thing you have already seen, if you watch his relationship with Kaylee he is very much like a big brother to her. He teases her a lot, but is extremely protective of her i.e, his reaction immediately after Kaylee is shot (thank God Book was in the way) and his hovering outside the med bay as Simon is working. Kaylee has a romance interest for sure, but definitely not Inara, they are more like sisters. And you will definitely see more of Wash and Zoey's relationship, but they are "very private people"
The Pilot "Serenity" was aired LAST - after the suits at Fox cancelled the show. Around June of 2003 - I never knew of Firefly (though i did know and watched another fun show by Sam Raimi with Gena Torres which also died young - Cleopatra 2525 - anyway, I watched the "Pilot" after the show was cancelled on over the air TV and though, Wow this is a kewl show! I think I'll watch the next episode next week!!!!................never knowing that the show was cancelled and I just watched the last airing of it! I figured it out 3 years later when the movie Serenity came out (good movie - but not as good as the TV series - and was a hail marry to get the TV show restarted - should have worked, but sadly did not, no other network was willing to take the show up again. I have the Bluray of the series, my understanding is that not only did they not air the first episode originally (then finally did as the last episode) - they did not air several episodes due to Baseball game conflicts!!!!!!!!! - the show was never given a legit chance, pure crib death - thanks Fox, and also Typical Fox!!!!!!!!!!!!! Space Above and Beyond was an earlier excellent TV series (8 yr earlier) - give the same treatment as Firefly. Have a good show? don't give it to Fox! ------------ there were other great shows killed by other network suits - like Nowhere Man (UPN - early 90's - one season), and Journeyman (thanks NBC for killing a top tier scifi show by episode 14!) at least NBC let Dark Skies live to a second season before killing it ;-/.
There was interest from other networks for the show. FOX refused to entertain offers. This was why Joss stated he would never do TV again. But enough concessions were given to him that he did Marvel: Agents of SHIELD years after this.
Starting with a disclaimer: I never actually saw this show on TV. My very first exposure wasn't until the end movie, "Serenity" came out on VHS, and, even then, would be a few years before seeing that there was a TV show that came before. So please refrain from hating on what I'm about to comment. Where I can see this episode being "used" as a pilot (in FOX's immortal ineptitude), I really don't get the vibe that it was "quickly thrown together as a replacement pilot". The vibe I kinda get is more this episode was already there as the second episode and FOX decided to use it as the pilot. Also, if FOX didn't like the original pilot as much as is being said, why would they show it at all (last episode aired and there were three other episodes not aired at all)? The reason I feel this way is THIS episode's lack of introduction to, well, ANYTHING. "Serenity" (pilot) had FAR more character intro, overall setting intro, et al. Okay, off soap box. Mal's statement to the Sherriff about there really being no choice BUT to bring back the meds speaks volumes about HIS character and the overarching theme of the show in general. My favorite Jayne line: "You know what the 'chain of command' is? It's the chain I get to beat you with until you understand who's in command!" 🤣🤣🤣
2 by 2,. Hands of blue. past tense: bushwhacked; past participle: bushwhacked 1. North American•Australian live or travel in wild or uncultivated country. "for 12 years, he has bushwhacked across southern Utah" cut or push one's way through vegetation or across rough country, not following an established trail. "he'd bushwhacked down the steep slopes" 2. North American engage in guerrilla warfare. "the loyal men of the neighborhood bushwhacked and made the place too hot for them" make a surprise attack on (someone) from a hidden place; ambush. "as he was leaving they bushwhacked him"
I like Jayne's character. He's a little crude and you probably dont want him in charge and he also may occasionally lean a little towards the "what's in it for me?" outlook, but Mal knows that. He ay not 100g trust him, but he does for the most part and more importantly knows when and with what to trust him. Jayne is also an extremely valuable member of the crew. In the first episode they don't get off Whitfall alive without Jayne. In this episode, he saves Mal's life with a shot while he still under the effects of being drugged up by the doctor. (Good thing thwy didn’t take his gun away.) Also, who else on the crew was going to be brave enough, and physically able enough to get lowered out of a moving spaceship and into a moving, high-speed train? Not to mention, even though he originally made a jokein the bar about it not being his fight, Mal and Zoe woud have gotten their butts kicked if Jayne hadn't had their backs and came out taking 3 guys with him right away and then more. I think the crew are all different sides of Mal. Alan Tudyk's character is called "Wash" because the character's real name is Hoban Washburn.
There is no doubt that if you put "Firefly" in front of it's core audience, they are hooked right away. They get it. But as a show is being made, particularly a personal project by a writer with a very expensive production budget, the executives want to meddle with it to try to reach a wider audience. With no proven formula for TV magic, a project ilke "Firefly" slipped through.
When the FOX network started, they largely owe their success to Buffy. That was their golden goose. There were many reasons why the execs at FOX didn't want Firefly. However, they knew the formula would work as it had already done so with both Buffy and Angel.
The term "bushwacker" probably originated in the American civil war, to mean someone who attacks from a hidden place in the bushes. Approximately equivalent to "guerrilla" from the Peninsular War! (Just curious, how do Portuguese refer to what we call in English the Peninsular War?)
Wow. You see chemistry between Zoe and Mal? I think they have exactly zero romantic chemistry. BTW, it's not said explicitly in the series, but Wash the pilot is actually called Hoban Washburn. And Zoe actually took his last name when they married.
Just my opinion, but: The next episode is also still basically pilot-like. Or at least pilot-adjacent. Four and five are transitional. The series really takes off starting from ep. 6.
I'll always contend that Jayne is out of character in this episode. It's not that he's a nice guy, or much less an entirely trustworthy one, but there are nuances to him. There are people he respects and people he cares about on the crew, and he's not going to so flippantly and contemptuously write them off. Oh, he may screw them over, but it won't be like that. He feels like an exaggerated, less interesting caricature of his normal self in this episode, with the "dangerous, untrustworthy thug" aspect of his character cranked up to 11.
I find it interesting that you went from Companion to Commie to Communist as if that would be a compliment. I find this show to be as rugged individualist as possible, and blame my libertarian tendencies on influences from this show. (You're far enough ahead on Patreon that I think Mal's attitude towards the government is clear enough without risking spoilers.)
Zoe (Gina Torres) is my favorite in all series. Don't worry, we'd get the episode where she really shines... and, in my not so humble opinion, it's the best episode.
the recycling of easily recognizable uniforms from the hit "starship troopers" clearly shows what a limited budget the series was shot on. it would only be weirder if they had used uniforms of imperial stormtroopers from "star wars"!
It is extremely obvious you ha e never been trauma bonded or served in a hot or dangerous job with an isolated crew ( think military, blue water fishing crew in a storm etc ) the relationship between Zoe and Mal is clearly not sexual tension but true battle buddy love for your fellow man.
The main reason is that at the time, Fox cared more about ratings than continuity. Firefly isn't the only show they did it to, they also did it to the dimensional hopping show (wont say the name). For example, there is one episode where in the aired order they start the episode at the top of skyscraper in a flooded city, being circled by sharks before they escape to the next world. It would be 3 episodes aired later that they arrive on a world and get the cliffhanger of a massive tsunami coming for the city. Obviously these two episodes were meant to be show in order, but... Fox didn't care.
At least Firefly streaming services now have the correct order. The dimensional hopping show does not. Another show they did it to is Tremors the Series, and honestly that show was good, but I truly believe the lack of sense it made being shown so terribly out of order was a contributing factor to it only getting one season. It also continues to be streamed out of order.
It's not a good look when people need to make every same sex relationship sexual to accommodate their own views. When did accept ourselves turn into project yourself onto everyone else.
Mel doesn't like chaos really. He likes screwing with the alliance. If all characters are likeable there isn't much room for growth. You missed something at the end of the episode.
Don't worry, you will get more information on Jayne ... might take 9 ish episodes, but just keep a lookout for secondary conversations..... or letters, maybe
Group Dynamics, Mal is Dad -single dad- Kaylee little sister. Doc, Book, River are new. Inara - commie Brazilian :) - is not part of crew, she rents and Daddy pines for her.
"Well, then, he has a choice." "I don't believe he does." Always felt that's a wonderful way to make clear just who Mal is deep down.
exactly!!! the perfect quote, truly.
Compare that with the captain of the Alliance cruiser, who can't be bothered to look for the medicine even though without it a bunch of settlers on the planet are going to die. In this show the frontiersmen are good while the government is corrupt
I agree. This pretty much is the core of his character.
@@seanmcmurphy4744 Unlike in reality where the frontiersmen are almost as bad as the government.
@@StarkRG Absolutely. I don't agree with Firefly's view, I think a modern government is much preferable to living on a lawless frontier among ignorant brutal people
“I just don’t understand why we have Jayne around.” Public relations.
Also, people don’t get shot every episode. Sometimes they get stabbed.
Sometimes both!
that's comforting. thank you!
I absolutely love that "public relations" line. It's so wonderfully ironic.
@@kevincachia1977 If you think about it, though, it's not wrong...
"Also, people don’t get shot every episode. Sometimes they get stabbed." - or put through an engine. :)
Only Mal could put so much meaning and irony into a simple "Darn".
Jayne is deceptively important for the tone of the show. The fact that Mal keeps a guy like Jayne around informs us how dangerous this world is. Without him I think this show loses its edge.
it's very easy to hate on Jane and deny how absolutely clutch he is in almost every encounter.
That's exactly right. If you aim to misbehave, you have to have the pieces to help you do it.
He's the ship's beast. I wouldn't travel the wilds of the black without one.
Jayne's true motivation is finally answered in episode 12 (The Message).
Also, it's subtle but Jayne reveals in little ways that he actually cares about the crew, but he doesn't want to show it. He hid and watched Kaylee's surgery where he couldn't be seen. It also might be that he wanted to kill the agent that shot Kaylee because he cares about her, not just because he likes killing people. He also repeatedly expresses an unwillingness to help, and then helps anyway.
"...I don't think I would trust him [Jayne] in my ship..." Mal *_doesn't_* trust him, but he *_understands_* him, and he's confident that he can handle him. Plus, Jayne is *_extremely_* valuable in a fight.
that's a great explanation!! thank you. i can totally see that.
@@domie also, in Serenity we see Jayne be a dick at the dinner table by talking about Kaylee in a crude manner - but we also later see him outside the infirmary when she's being tended to, hugging his knees and maybe chewing on his thumbnail, worried about her.
He's kind of like a rude older brother to Kaylee, he feels free to pick on her, but he'd protect her from harm in a heartbeat. He definitely wanted to kill the fed agent who shot her.
@@ernesthakey3396 Yup. He's like the jerk with a heart of... well, maybe not gold, exactly, but some kind of heart at least! 😉
@@derekfnord Mud?
It's good to have Jayne on your side ~ Marian Call
th-cam.com/video/M7m-W2CGZZs/w-d-xo.html&pp=iAQB8AUB
Don't get bogged down in the whole "pilot" thing. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. You'll be a Browncoat before you know it. It's inevitable, but it's a good thing.
You just might find a Browncoat on sale.
"She's doing math, she's clearly unwell." 🤣🤣🤣
She was saying "2 by 2, hands of blue." At the end when the 2 agents came in and showed the photograph of River, they both are wearing blue gloves.
@@michaelshea8086 I'm aware. Other people already pointed that out to her in the comments, so I decided to just laugh at the way she said it instead of correcting her.
@@rmartinson19 I'm a little worried about how that observation indicates the rest of the series will be received. Picking up on everything surrounding River is very integral to the show, as we already know, so I'm anticipating some misunderstandings at this point.
"He's gonna come back and haunt them, I think." Hahahahaha!
Yeah, but the guy has a boss.
"The last thing you see will be my blade"
"Darn"
Yeah, Mal is... a good-ish guy. But he doesn't play hero, he gets the job done and protects his crew.
There is the concept that all eight crewmembers are aspects of Mal's personality. His loyalty (Zoe), his humor (Wash), his strong moral principles (Book), etc. And yes, his brutality (Jayne).
The Companion character is named Inara Serra.
"Bushwhack" has two meanings. One literal, one figurative.
The literal meaning of "Bushwhacking" is moving through untamed wilderness. When in dense woodlands or underbrush, there isn't a path. So you have to cut a path for yourself as you go. Literally "whacking bushes."
The figurative meaning of "bushwhack" is "ambush." It's very easy to hide in the previously mentioned underbrush, so if someone is "bushwhacked" it means that they were attacked by surprise.
It's also kinda literal. You sit in a bush, and when somebody comes by, you whack them.
_Most_ of the "sexual tension" mentioned is just friendship. The chemistry is real, though, both between the characters and between the cast.
Almost every reactor I've seen five seconds before the tattooed guy ends up kicked into the engine - "He's totally going to be a problem later in the season for them..."
About that.
I watched this when it first aired on Fox and the expectation was that the guy would be the "heavy" of the first season ie the henchman that the heroes have to beat over and over till the season finale where they finally beat him for good and Niska starts going after them personally. That's what all the other adventure shows of the time would have done. When Mal short circuits the entire process and just straight ought murders the guy for being a threat, I knew that it was a very different show and became a lifelong fan.
Funny thing: Ron Glass, who played Book, asked Whedon if he could be a Buddhist instead of Christian - because Glass himself is Buddhist. Whedon said that they already have a Buddhist character, and that's Inara.
You must be a romantic. You see romance everywhere. 💘
The complicated relationships among the crew is one of the things that makes this series magical and fun to watch.
One thing to keep in mind is that Mal and Zoe fought together in the trenches of war so their bond is extremely close, but unique in the sphere of relationships.
You’re right that Jayne doesn’t quite fit with the vibe of the rest of the crew, but his fighting and muscle skills are very valuable to Mal. Mal knows exactly who he is. Not every Captain would be strong enough to manage the risks that come with someone like Jayne. It’s another very interesting relationship.
My advice from here on out is to forget about the bumbling executives at Fox 🦊 and focus on the wonderful work of art that is Firefly.
True ! FOX screwed the pooch on this one !
Insightful response... agree 100%
Based on your post-show chat - you are going to love this season so much...
The reason why FOX did this is that the person in charge of the show scheduling, the one who promoted Firefly and other contemporary shows... was promoted to a different role and moved away.
The people who came to work in his place, as it apparently happens often, made sure that all of the shows that he promoted, including Firefly, would bomb.
Apparently, this is a thing that happens a lot.
*Corporate pettiness.*
So they moved Firefly to the "dead" second Friday evening slot (when young people are out or preparing to go out and *NOT* in front of the TV), scrambled the order of the showing, told the writers that the first episode wasn't good enough (not because they thought so, but to create problems) and gave them "less than a weekend" to write the Train Job as a substitute first episode, and at the first opportunity canceled it halfway through the first season, leaving three already made episodes unaired.
You should see how savagely the Futurama people made fun of the FOX executives, after the fourth or fifth time FOX canceled it and were forced to bring it back due to popular demand! 😂
Well, not only that but the Science Fiction shows were dominated by "Sci-Fi Friday" at the time, with Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.
also Firefly premiered in the fall during the MLB playoffs and would often get preempted for a baseball game. It wasn't as much as the show couldn't find an audience but the audience couldn't find the show, sometimes Firefly would be on after the game sometimes it would be on Saturday afternoon or sometimes not at all.
there are a few definitions but I believe the most common for bushwacked is: to ake a surprise attack on (someone) from a hidden place; ambush.
"Bushwhacked"is American old west slang for an ambush. Bush=shrubbery, whacked=hit, struck, killed, so basically an attack from someone hiding in the bushes.
I loved your reaction! Looking forward to the next one!
Jayne at this point can be seen to serve two purposes, to create tension on the ship so that it isn't a crew of just friends and that conflict allows for storylines and character development. And also so that Mal doesn't seem too unlikeable as the captain making tough decisions and giving direct orders.
The added the intro spoken by Shephard specifically to give some background because it needed it to help people feel more like they knew what was going on. The pilot actually let the viewers figure that out more gradually. I don't see The Train Job as a second pilot rather as a continuation of that introduction. After all, how much do we really know about the background of any of the other main characters? We find out more and more as the series continues.
The tv executives didn't like the pilot. Joss and Tim wrote this episode over the weekend. This episode was aired first. The pilot was aired last.
So senseless. What really annoys me is how much the people that did this got paid, while someone ten times smarter makes minimum wage at a Burger King😞
tv execs really are the worst.
i've said it before and i'll say it again: I DON'T GET IT!!!! they're crazy.
@@domie To follow up on the airing, this was first. Then came 3-10 out of order, then 14, then 1. Three episodes, 11, 12, and 13, didn't air during the season. I saw 11-13 at some point, but I don't remember if they showed them the next summer, or if it was on a different network, but I'm pretty sure I saw them before the DVDs came out.
While most reactors prefer Serenity as a pilot, there are some who find it confusing and prefer this since everything is laid out clearly, so I can kind of see what the executives' concern was about, but overall they did seem to bent on sabotaging the show.
@@domie *The Real Explanation:* Firefly was a doomed series before it even began. Joss Whedon had signed a 5 year series contract (22 - 24 episodes per season). The Exec that gave the contract is the one who gets a share of the money for airing the show. That Exec was 'let go' from FOX before the show ever aired. However, he still collects from the active contracts he already made.
There is only room for so many shows aired per week. The Execs still working wanted Firefly canceled so they could find their own shows and get their own contracts. They pulled every dirty trick in the book to get 'Firefly' canceled. Saying "They didn't like the pilot." was their public excuse. It could have been the biggest masterpiece ever made and that wouldn't change their plan. Their only interest was to make money for themselves.
NOTE: Firefly was not their only target. These working execs worked hard to remove every show that was attached to all the execs who were 'let go'.
According to Joss Whedon's commentary on the DVD release, his philosophy in starting a new series is to reintroduce the characters in each of the first few episodes, just because new viewers would be coming in who might not have seen the pilot or prior episodes (he's a genius with exposition that doesn't weigh down the story, which allows him to do that). The network's decision not to show the actual pilot was truly last minute-- they were showing ads for "Serenity" mere days before the airdate, I recall being confused when I tuned in for the premiere and saw a different episode than they were advertising-- but when it happened, Whedon's choice of reintroducing the characters served him well: this episode was ready to serve as an alternate pilot.
Whedon was told on Friday afternoon that the pilot was rejected and he had to have a new one by Monday morning. If he didn't, he would have been in breach of contract. They thought he couldn't possibly have one ready by then. He and one other guy wrote a new pilot over the weekend and presented it on Monday. Basically the entire thing was written, shot, and filmed and edited in less than a week.
@@rriggs6547 I'm just passing on what he said on the DVD commentary (with a bit of what I saw on the air at the time). That's all I know about it.
@@keithgoodnight3463 I am sure there are still some NDA's in effect for Joss.
Funny thing, this episode starts on Unification Day (U-Day). Last Friday, September 20th, is recognized as U-Day.
(raises glass) A toast to our fallen show, the people who made it what it was, and especially, the cast and crew who have since passed on.
May have been on the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.
Twenty plus years on, and I'm STILL annoyed that they only made action figures of Mal, Zoe, Kaylee, Wash and Jayne. My collection will never be complete!!!
There are people who make custom action figures, or you can make your own. It's a pretty fun hobby, honestly.
omg WHATTTT!! no inara???? book???? simon??? river??????
@@adamwells9352 customs tend to run fairly expensive, and I'm nowhere near skilled enough to make my own.
Qm mini masters did them all. I have everyone including Saffron and Badger.
@@wyeri Did they make Niska?
So, the answer to why Fox was sabotaging show breaks down to the fact that the network had a big shakeup at the top and a lot of executives were changed. So one team of execs greenlit the series, then the changeover happened, and the new team really was not on board with this show. Maybe sci-fi wasn't their thing; maybe they really couldn't grasp mixing the sci-fi with the Old Western tropes; maybe the new execs had issues with Josh Whedon and the toxic behavior he had begun to exhibit on his shows (Firefly was run by Tim Minear on a day to day basis because Whedon was tied up with the last season of Buffy and he was doing a lot over on Angel at the same time). Fox's initial statement has always been that it was a ratings thing; Firefly didn't deliver the kind of audience they were looking for, they claim, but the fact that they showed the "more exciting episodes" first, messing up the order of what they already knew was a serialized story that needed to be shown in order plays into those low ratings. In many markets, it got switched around on the schedule without notice, and even completely pre-empted for sporting events.
And of course, as always, there is was some exec somewhere who decided it was about the money; Firefly was not as expensive as a Star Trek show, but it was still more expensive than that insane "Joe Millionaire" reality show Bachelor rip-off. This was about the time that reality/unscripted TV like Survivor and American Idol were hitting it big and drawing in HUGE ratings with almost no expense on the Network's part, so it made more financial sense to them to cancel scripted TV shows like "John Doe" and "Firefly," despite the fact that critical acclaim for both shows was high. And for all that Fox didn't want to put any more money into the show, they MADE money off of it for the next decade and a half. Sci-Fi paid to run the show (in order!) on their network, and it was almost no time before the boxed DVD sets hit shelves. Many a browncoat has wrestled with the moral dilemma of gifting the DVD sets to friends we know would love them while simultaneously allowing Fox to continue to profit off a show they didn't believe in.
As more and more came out over the years about what an asshole Joss Whedon was becoming as Buffy and Angel made him big bucks, there is a big part of me that wonders how many bridges he was burning at Fox during that time. (Buffy may have aired on the WB and later on UPN, but it was produced by the 20th Century Fox Television division...the same division that produced Firefly.)
about the pilot thing: Serenity was finely crafted. It set the tone, introduced all of the elements that they wanted to delve into in the first season. It was vague and shadowy literally and figuratively. That very thing (among others) is what FOX didn't want. Remember, this was back in 2002, and they felt the pilot would be too be unnerving for the viewers at that time. It was kind of edgy for back then. As it sounds like you've heard that they wrote this in a weekend. So, throw out finely crafted. Lean into some story elements we have done before just so we can get this thing written, introduce some things in a less vague, more exposition-ish way, and forget dark and mysterious. I think of it almost like a pendulum - they wanted Serenity to be the pilot, FOX said we like, but too dark, so they swung around the other way - light, airy, shorter, with plot hand holding. The important thing was to give FOX what they wanted so they would pick up the show. They didn't have the time to write multiple drafts as alternatives and compromises, so they just gave FOX what they wanted. Once they got the show, they could go back to shadowy mystery and setting up arcs.
What FOX wanted was for Whedon to be in breach of contract when he didn't have the pilot ready. They rejected the original on Friday afternoon but he was contractually obligated to have one by Monday. They knew it would be a hit if it aired consistently and in order. Buffy and Angel use the same format and those were two of the biggest shows on the network. They had a built in audience. So after failing to cause a breach of contract they aired episodes out of order, changed the time with no notice, changed the day of the week with no notice, and sometimes simply didn't air it at all in a week because they preempted it for sports which was a new thing to the network. Some execs had a personal issue with Whedon. Other execs wanted their show to have a chance instead because they would get a percentage. FOX did everything to make sure Firefly failed.
As to edgy, I don't remember anything in Serenity that is nearly as edgy as Mal kicking Crow into the engine in The Train Job.
They may be criminals, but they're definitely not the bad guys.
If Inara is a commie, then she must have interpreted "f*ck the rich" in a rather non-standard way.
i don’t think you understand how hard this just made me laugh right now 😂😂so thank you
@@domie Happy to be of service. :) Btw, almost wrote this as...
Commies: "F*ck the rich!"
Inara: "Ok, bet."
Commies: "NOT LIKE THAT!!"
"Can I have your share?"
"No."
"If you die, can I have your share?"
"Yes."
Zoe's earlier line was better: "I think you have a problem with your brain being missing."
@@seumus Zoe gets the best one-liners.
Yes, continue to react to this show and the film we will all enjoy it
Really enjoying the reactions and commentary! On a side note, I think it is neat that you have a reverse image, and all the writing in the room is backwards (and upside down in the case of your playbill poster) except the letter stand where everything is written the way we could see and read it!
Long story short a new president took over the network and he hated scifi. He instituded a limit on scifi shows that could air and cancelled Dark Angel to make room for Firefly which had been greenlit by the previous president. Its a running theme with tv execs to cancell shows even if theyre performing well to make room for shows they greenlight. Theyre toxic like that. Its not the only reason. Other execs had issues with Joss personaly and other things but if the president has it out for you, its a matter of time.
Hey there Domi! Jayne is the muscle and the sharp-shooter! He's an important part of the crew for those reasons. His arc in the series is great, so bear with it and I'm sure you'll grow to like and understand him more in future. Love all your reactions and can't wait to see you fall in love with this show!! ❤ Jon from Aus
The sheriff is played by longtime character actor Gregg Henry ("Body Double", "Payback", "Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever"). He worked with Nathan Fillion (Mal) on James Gunn's first film, "Slither".
Michael Fairman (Niska) has been in a lot of TV stuff, including playing a bothered store owner in the infamous "Turkey Day" episode from "WKRP In Cincinnati" and a bad hat mercenary leader in an "A-Team" episode, "The Battle Of Bel Air".
The costumes the Alliance soldiers wore were from "Starship Troopers".
"Two by two, hands of blue". Remember that quote.
I saw a few minutes of this episode when it aired and bailed on it because it didn't established the world as much as the real pilot did. The Fox Network executives, despite Whedon having a chip on his shoulder, bungled this show.
Two by two
Hands of blue
Network execs don't care about quality over ratings, advertising and other factors. Zoey and Mal just respect each other since they fought in the war as seen in the pilot. She is happily married.
The execs moved the air time and date around as well as the order to make sure it did not get good ratings.
This episode was purposely written so that it would work as a pilot, but also as a second episode. The plot was planned from the beginning, but some modifications were made to make it work better as a pilot episode as well.
You can always trust Jayne... to be Jayne.
You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest
"He's important, he wouldn't leave" it's like you've never seen a Whedon show!
A couple of things. Inara and Kaylee are actually more like older sister and younger. They both have an affection for the silent character, Serenity, Riverfeels it too.
He's gonna come back to haunt them😂😂, well, maybe.
A few more things. The series is largely episodic. A few episodes need some order, but only in a broader context. As i remember, the pilot ran something like tenth iin order. The only benefit to its early demise is that it never got the chance to stale. Strap in the ride gets better from here.
I love how Mal never had to tell Zoe they were returning the medicine. Look out for times where Zoe will respond to what Mal's about to say to the crew before he says it, because they're just so in tune.
Don't read too much sexual tension into the various relationships. A lot of what you're feeling is just how beautiful everyone is. Truly a miracle that everyone who steps on this ship is a low-key god or goddess (except maybe Lawrence).
But yes, there's a lot of couples established or being set up. Almost everyone but Jayne and River have an obvious pair, which makes me believe that sooner or later they'll end up together as well. I think he was actually crushing on Kaylee before the pilot, as we saw his concern when she was being operated on last episode. His rude comment at dinner was just like a little boy mad at sudden competition getting in his way.
Ultimately Jayne just needs someone to tell him what to do so he doesn't have to try to think for himself, while River has brains enough for both of them. His lack of mental activity might actually be a relief for her compared to all the other voices trying to get into her head.
Inara is the companion. Commie is freaking me out. LOL
Well, she is Buddhist. Not sure I would classify that worldview as commie though.
Interesting that Jayne seems to you more like an outsider rather than part of the crew. I've seen others say they just hate Jayne from the start, but that's definitely a new perspective.
Trying to guess what the next episode is about based on the name is a bit difficult with this show, and next episode would definitely be tricky if you hadn't heard of that word before. I'm curious what you might think of some of the other episodes though.
Anyway, glad you're enjoying the show. The next episode is very different, so I can't wait to see your reaction to it!
“River’s doing maths, she’s clearly not well.” Paraphrased.
River is repeating “2 by 2, Hands of blue.”
It looks like you missed in the next shot that there were 2 men and the one sitting down with the photo of River had 2 blue gloves of both his hands, so hands of blue…
Both men had blue gloves on.
I see the Inara Kaylee relationship as mother/ daughter, or maybe sister/ sister.
At the start Inara is doing her hair, at the end Inara pulls her away from danger during the fight. You'll notice Inara "mothering" others in later episodes.
With Inara and Mal though, that's (unrequited) love IMO.
Did you see us fightin? No. Trap.
I'm glad you're enjoying the creativity of Joss Weden's mind. One of the things I enjoy in watching reactions, is learning the perception and his/her ability to communicate that to the general public! I'm both curious and entertained to see if others come away with same reaction to the material that I felt the first time I watched them! Like you, I was first introduced to the "Weden-verse" through the World of the Buffy/Angel TV series! I've always enjoyed good story telling...Joss is the master of this venue! It induced me to seek and purchase the DVDs of four of his Serials: "Buffy" - "Angel" - "Firefly" - and "The Nevers" (The Nevers was a very intriguing series aired on HBO - only 6 episodes were completed and aired) A rift developed between Joss and HBO which caused Joss to walk away from it unfinished. It too was a very imaginative Sci-Fi. I purchased these various DVD series from Amazon if you care to become further immersed!
BTW, grab Jayne's gun and Mal dies. Maybe if he did not draw on you when doing his takeover meant he was going to draw on you as he threaten to get the chain of command.
Mal always weighs risk versus reward regarding who gets to stay on his ship. Mal does not fully trust Jayne, but he is confident he understands Jayne well enough to handle him. You will find out much more on this as the series develops. As to the reward of having Jayne around: Jayne - the hired muscle - is very good at what he does.
I’m never not going to think of Inara as “the Brazilian communist“ again.
I think the greatest example that this show isn't like the average show is most clearly demonstrated in the last scene with Crow.
Apparently there were some execs at Fox that were doing everything to get rid of Whedon. Joss was told that the original pilot wasn't acceptable on Friday afternoon and he had to have a new pilot by Monday or he was in breach of contract. FOX then told Whedon they wanted an action show. It was pitched as a drama. Whedon wanted a slow build. The crew is a family they chose.
Jayne is actually very important to the show even if that is not instantly apparent. Plus, it clearly shows how dangerous the Verse is.
Pay attention to everything River says. It is always important. In this episode she said 'Two by two; hands of blue.'
Kayleigh is the heart of the ship.
Inara is a registered companion. This is actually a government recognized official position. Also, she is Buddhist. When you look at her shuttle, everything has that aesthetic.
In the episode, Serenity, we see Mal wearing a cross and being religious in the war scenes. He lost his faith because of the way things ended in the war.
Wash is very competent, but is also used for comic relief a lot.
I think the reason this show works is because everyone plays their characters seriously, Mal especially. If they didn't play things straight it would be too campy.
Serenity, the original pilot, was the final episode to air. It aired only after the network officially announced the cancelation of the show. It was touted as a bonus episode for the fans. Already pissed off due to the cancelation, that made us even madder. Shown in the wrong order. The better pilot shelved. Shown in the Friday time slot of death. Canceled too soon.
Firefly was picked up for a 1/2 season initially. Once production was underway, they ordered 3 more episodes. Had the series not been canceled, there was every expectation that an order for the remainder of the season (~7-8 more episodes) would have been ordered. So, Firefly is technically about 2/3rds of one season long. That's why it ends abruptly without concluding much of anything.
With the airing of the original pilot, Serenity, that finished out the airing of the initial half season that was ordered. Fox shelved the remaining 3 episodes.
Fox was reluctant to release a DVD set of the series, convinced it would be an epic failure. Luckily, they were convinced to give it a chance. Only after we had the DVDs in hand were we able to watch the 3 unaired episodes. There's an unedited script to another potential episode that was initially published online. These days, it officially resides in one of the series companion books that was later published, I believe.
And that was it for Firefly, the TV show.
Luckily, an exec at Universal really wanted Joss for some project. And Joss, in specifying his terms, really wanted a movie to cap off the Firefly series.
The 3 episodes did eventually air when they did the summer reruns. and they aired episode 14 originally but held back 11, 12, and 13.
@rriggs6547 I do not recall Fox ever airing those episodes. The DVD box set explicitly touts the inclusion of the 3 unaired episodes. Are you sure you're not thinking of the Sci-Fi channel, which aired all 14 episodes in the summer of 2003?
"The Train Job": Fox TV's second pilot, written over a weekend. Mal takes a job from psychotic crime boss Adelai Niska.
13:02 It is not just Kaylee who has a bit of a smile here :D
Fox messed with a ton of shows around this time. Another show they effectively sabotaged was Wonderfalls… that show they aired only four episodes of the 14 episodes they shot… and they aired them out of order, on different nights without advertising that the show was switching which night it was airing on. Also, IMO the ads for that show were absolutely awful (before the pilot aired).
Great show, I recommend watching it sometime even if just for yourself. Fans managed to get them to release the complete show on DVD, which I believe is still the only way to watch it.
Oh, and Jewel Staite (Kaylee) has a small role in one episode of Wonderfalls.
FYI, the show is known for being snarky… so definitely the show to watch for fun snark.
This right here on Fox. They were really bad about screwing around with the order of things. Sometimes it was for a good reason but more often than not the heads of the network decided the original pilot wasn't action packed enough or some sort or ridiculousness. I believe they thought his one was more of a hook for some reason. Pettiness was a way of life for a lot of them as well it seems.
If you like episodes getting better and better then you'll love Firefly!
FOX did indeed sabotage this series and here's why:
First, the execs who gave the series the greenlight knew that Whedon and company had created Buffy the Vampire Slayer and it brought in good ratings for the WB. They wanted something similar. The problem with that is they never actually watched an episode of Buffy before the deal. So, when they turned in the pilot, the execs were upset because they were under the impression that Buffy was an action comedy, so that's what they were getting. It's why the two main notes that they gave them when they told them to make a second pilot was: More action! Funnier!
The second reason is because that was the era when FOX started to win ratings demographics with American Idol and other reality shows. Series with significantly smaller budgets than Firefly. So, they messed with the air order, did minimal advertising, and it got pre-empted multiple times because of the Major League Baseball schedule.
Two by two hands of blue ......" oh shes doing math" lol
Jayne is there to remind you they're pirates.
If you want an in universe explanation he's the most experienced spacer on the crew, is a very talented tracker and is a monstrous fighter, all valuable things to a pirate crew.
Jayne is the one you can trust the most. you know his motivations and that makes him predictable.
Interesting take on the how vague the story elements are in the two episodes.
I first saw the show in air order. So this was my first view of Firefly. I actually liked that it felt like I was just dropped in to an already spinning world. There were some character interactions that implied some pre-existing dynamics that I didn't know. Which didn't frustrate me at all - I was intrigued. I liked the feel of the show and wanted to know more about the characters and why they had these hinted relationships.
Not everyone likes that kind of story format. In fact, a lot of people really rather dislike it if you note all the folks who bitterly critique this episode being the first aired.
I would have thought this was a confusing and unsuccessful pilot. I think the intended pilot Serenity did the basic job of a pilot to introduce all the characters.
The tragedy to keep in mind: This was a network production at a time that a normal season would have been about 22 episodes. So, the 14 episodes we have are only 2/3rds of the season Whedon had planned. That means there will be several plotlines and reveals that the story will not conclude.
Take a guess how often Inara saves their bacon. SPOILER: It's a lot.
Jayne does have some redeeming qualities. You will learn a little as we go along, but I don't want to spoil anything. One thing you have already seen, if you watch his relationship with Kaylee he is very much like a big brother to her. He teases her a lot, but is extremely protective of her i.e, his reaction immediately after Kaylee is shot (thank God Book was in the way) and his hovering outside the med bay as Simon is working.
Kaylee has a romance interest for sure, but definitely not Inara, they are more like sisters. And you will definitely see more of Wash and Zoey's relationship, but they are "very private people"
The Pilot "Serenity" was aired LAST - after the suits at Fox cancelled the show. Around June of 2003 - I never knew of Firefly (though i did know and watched another fun show by Sam Raimi with Gena Torres which also died young - Cleopatra 2525 - anyway, I watched the "Pilot" after the show was cancelled on over the air TV and though, Wow this is a kewl show! I think I'll watch the next episode next week!!!!................never knowing that the show was cancelled and I just watched the last airing of it!
I figured it out 3 years later when the movie Serenity came out (good movie - but not as good as the TV series - and was a hail marry to get the TV show restarted - should have worked, but sadly did not, no other network was willing to take the show up again.
I have the Bluray of the series, my understanding is that not only did they not air the first episode originally (then finally did as the last episode) - they did not air several episodes due to Baseball game conflicts!!!!!!!!! - the show was never given a legit chance, pure crib death - thanks Fox, and also Typical Fox!!!!!!!!!!!!! Space Above and Beyond was an earlier excellent TV series (8 yr earlier) - give the same treatment as Firefly.
Have a good show? don't give it to Fox!
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there were other great shows killed by other network suits - like Nowhere Man (UPN - early 90's - one season), and Journeyman (thanks NBC for killing a top tier scifi show by episode 14!)
at least NBC let Dark Skies live to a second season before killing it ;-/.
There was interest from other networks for the show. FOX refused to entertain offers. This was why Joss stated he would never do TV again. But enough concessions were given to him that he did Marvel: Agents of SHIELD years after this.
Welcome to the Browncoats! 😁
Starting with a disclaimer: I never actually saw this show on TV. My very first exposure wasn't until the end movie, "Serenity" came out on VHS, and, even then, would be a few years before seeing that there was a TV show that came before. So please refrain from hating on what I'm about to comment.
Where I can see this episode being "used" as a pilot (in FOX's immortal ineptitude), I really don't get the vibe that it was "quickly thrown together as a replacement pilot". The vibe I kinda get is more this episode was already there as the second episode and FOX decided to use it as the pilot. Also, if FOX didn't like the original pilot as much as is being said, why would they show it at all (last episode aired and there were three other episodes not aired at all)? The reason I feel this way is THIS episode's lack of introduction to, well, ANYTHING. "Serenity" (pilot) had FAR more character intro, overall setting intro, et al. Okay, off soap box.
Mal's statement to the Sherriff about there really being no choice BUT to bring back the meds speaks volumes about HIS character and the overarching theme of the show in general.
My favorite Jayne line: "You know what the 'chain of command' is? It's the chain I get to beat you with until you understand who's in command!" 🤣🤣🤣
2 by 2,. Hands of blue.
past tense: bushwhacked; past participle: bushwhacked
1.
North American•Australian
live or travel in wild or uncultivated country.
"for 12 years, he has bushwhacked across southern Utah"
cut or push one's way through vegetation or across rough country, not following an established trail.
"he'd bushwhacked down the steep slopes"
2.
North American
engage in guerrilla warfare.
"the loyal men of the neighborhood bushwhacked and made the place too hot for them"
make a surprise attack on (someone) from a hidden place; ambush.
"as he was leaving they bushwhacked him"
The chemistry could absolutely be there for (almost) everyone. This is what fanfic is for!
I like Jayne's character. He's a little crude and you probably dont want him in charge and he also may occasionally lean a little towards the "what's in it for me?" outlook, but Mal knows that. He ay not 100g trust him, but he does for the most part and more importantly knows when and with what to trust him. Jayne is also an extremely valuable member of the crew. In the first episode they don't get off Whitfall alive without Jayne. In this episode, he saves Mal's life with a shot while he still under the effects of being drugged up by the doctor. (Good thing thwy didn’t take his gun away.) Also, who else on the crew was going to be brave enough, and physically able enough to get lowered out of a moving spaceship and into a moving, high-speed train? Not to mention, even though he originally made a jokein the bar about it not being his fight, Mal and Zoe woud have gotten their butts kicked if Jayne hadn't had their backs and came out taking 3 guys with him right away and then more. I think the crew are all different sides of Mal.
Alan Tudyk's character is called "Wash" because the character's real name is Hoban Washburn.
It's an older/younger sister thing.
There is no doubt that if you put "Firefly" in front of it's core audience, they are hooked right away. They get it. But as a show is being made, particularly a personal project by a writer with a very expensive production budget, the executives want to meddle with it to try to reach a wider audience. With no proven formula for TV magic, a project ilke "Firefly" slipped through.
When the FOX network started, they largely owe their success to Buffy. That was their golden goose. There were many reasons why the execs at FOX didn't want Firefly. However, they knew the formula would work as it had already done so with both Buffy and Angel.
>kaylee
>inara
>sexual tension
Pick only 2 on your way to therapy...
Lmaoooo Mal & Zoe too? You have to be kidding me
On the second episode an already talking about people getting shot, lol.
The term "bushwacker" probably originated in the American civil war, to mean someone who attacks from a hidden place in the bushes. Approximately equivalent to "guerrilla" from the Peninsular War! (Just curious, how do Portuguese refer to what we call in English the Peninsular War?)
Wow. You see chemistry between Zoe and Mal? I think they have exactly zero romantic chemistry.
BTW, it's not said explicitly in the series, but Wash the pilot is actually called Hoban Washburn. And Zoe actually took his last name when they married.
I think you see it in the movie, but yes, his name is Hoban Washburn.
Just my opinion, but: The next episode is also still basically pilot-like. Or at least pilot-adjacent. Four and five are transitional. The series really takes off starting from ep. 6.
5:30 i remember when you said that last episode. and I was like "River is going to agree"
me and river are best friends now!!! great minds think alike.
The issue during it's release was a power struggle between Fox marketing and Fox production. Just my not-so-informed opinion.
Mal is not Mall, and is not Male...But is male. 😊
The name of the actress playing the Companion is Morena Baccarin. Look her up, sweetie.
I'll always contend that Jayne is out of character in this episode. It's not that he's a nice guy, or much less an entirely trustworthy one, but there are nuances to him. There are people he respects and people he cares about on the crew, and he's not going to so flippantly and contemptuously write them off. Oh, he may screw them over, but it won't be like that. He feels like an exaggerated, less interesting caricature of his normal self in this episode, with the "dangerous, untrustworthy thug" aspect of his character cranked up to 11.
I find it interesting that you went from Companion to Commie to Communist as if that would be a compliment. I find this show to be as rugged individualist as possible, and blame my libertarian tendencies on influences from this show. (You're far enough ahead on Patreon that I think Mal's attitude towards the government is clear enough without risking spoilers.)
Zoe (Gina Torres) is my favorite in all series. Don't worry, we'd get the episode where she really shines... and, in my not so humble opinion, it's the best episode.
the recycling of easily recognizable uniforms from the hit "starship troopers" clearly shows what a limited budget the series was shot on. it would only be weirder if they had used uniforms of imperial stormtroopers from "star wars"!
The armor was also used in one of the Power Rangers iterations.
@@RoGueNavy as well as in a very weak fantasy film with Gary Sinise, whose name I don't remember..
That’s the sort of thing you only know if you’re extremely online since the show ended. It’s not “obvious.”
@@tananario23 obviously, except for you.
@@boqndimitrov8693 Impostor?
No, they didnt worry about the order. They just threw it out there.
Angel Buffy videos starting again soon?
It is extremely obvious you ha e never been trauma bonded or served in a hot or dangerous job with an isolated crew ( think military, blue water fishing crew in a storm etc ) the relationship between Zoe and Mal is clearly not sexual tension but true battle buddy love for your fellow man.
The Brazilian communist 😂
The main reason is that at the time, Fox cared more about ratings than continuity. Firefly isn't the only show they did it to, they also did it to the dimensional hopping show (wont say the name). For example, there is one episode where in the aired order they start the episode at the top of skyscraper in a flooded city, being circled by sharks before they escape to the next world. It would be 3 episodes aired later that they arrive on a world and get the cliffhanger of a massive tsunami coming for the city. Obviously these two episodes were meant to be show in order, but... Fox didn't care.
At least Firefly streaming services now have the correct order. The dimensional hopping show does not. Another show they did it to is Tremors the Series, and honestly that show was good, but I truly believe the lack of sense it made being shown so terribly out of order was a contributing factor to it only getting one season. It also continues to be streamed out of order.
SPOILER!!! Kinda...there's a fan theory that Crow got off easy, and the guy who took Niska's money back was tortured by Niska for his failure.
That seems more probable than not.
It's not a good look when people need to make every same sex relationship sexual to accommodate their own views. When did accept ourselves turn into project yourself onto everyone else.
Mel doesn't like chaos really. He likes screwing with the alliance. If all characters are likeable there isn't much room for growth. You missed something at the end of the episode.
you look like a young liza minelli
Don't worry, you will get more information on Jayne ... might take 9 ish episodes, but just keep a lookout for secondary conversations..... or letters, maybe
Group Dynamics, Mal is Dad -single dad- Kaylee little sister. Doc, Book, River are new. Inara - commie Brazilian :) - is not part of crew, she rents and Daddy pines for her.
The sexual tension between Inara and Kaylee is Inara’s training she is a very good Companion.
Doubt it’s training. It’s just who she is.
Inara calls Kaylee Mei Mei, which means little sister. The sexual tension between them isn't Inara's training, because it's imaginary.
There is zero stop it.