Atlas Bugged
2005-10-22 22:13:24 UTC
Reavision 1.5. Fixed incorrect link to free first ten minutes of movie.
Shortening again. Movie section divided in two for newbies and FIREFLY
fans. More JW interview links to quash more ridiculous arguments (such as
FIREFLY not "hard" sci-fi, even though JW explicitly says so.) Not every
link will be duplicated in "Links" section if it is part of a larger link or
web site cited here already. Once I hit version 2.0, this paragraph will
appear at the end, instead of the beginning, I am finishing this up at 2.0.
Only incremental or major new event reavisions after that, such as links to
the BDM on DVD.
========================================
WHAT IS THIS?
This is the quick and dirty lowdown on the TV show FIREFLY and its
movie sequel SERENITY. If you want to know about the show's essentials
without having to spend eight hours boning up, this is the place. If you
have the eight hours, then just go to the Wiki:
<http://shorl.com/bosigryjimiju> This will be posted weekly to several
relevant newsgroups, and as frequently as daily to <alt.tv.firefly> until
the movie buzz dies down. Since the goal here is to be *brief* you will
sometimes see a link at the end of a selection with the acronym <WYLTKM?>,
my homage to the comical and cynical phrase from STARSHIP TROOPERS, "Would
You Like To Know More?" The link will be followed by a brief explanation of
where it leads, in brackets.
========================================
WHAT DO PEOPLE MEAN BY "BDM?"
"Big Damn Movie" is a play on an expression from the episode
"Safe," where one character cynically refers to the gang as "Big Damn
Heroes." (Our Heroes are called "BDH.") This question is asked and
answered constantly, and inspired this FAQ. The Big Damn Movie is SERENITY,
which hit theaters on September 30, 2005. WYLTKM?
<http://shorl.com/bogrohebitegra> [BDM's first ten minutes in full
fidelity.]
========================================
DO I NEED TO SEE THE SERIES FIRST TO DIG THE MOVIE? HOW DOES THE FILM
COMPARE TO THE TV SHOW?
Certainly, the producers wouldn't require background because this
would doom the movie. It sure looks to most fans like the producers "done
good." If you're reading this (and I think you are!), you'll be
ultra-prepped for the movie. That said, the DVD is 15+ (program) hours of
spectacular adventure, and since many fans find the movie to be very much
like a good long episode, the DVD's might come out ahead "by the pound,"
since the show has 15 hours of splendor, the movie is "just" 119 minutes of
pure joy. Your Bugged host humbly suggests: See the BDM and buy the DVD,
OK? Repeat as needed. WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/bynabydovatre> [Typical
fan discussion of the issue.]
========================================
WHAT'S FIREFLY'S HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL?
It was a prematurely-cancelled television series from 2002. Many
fans deeply resent how the network, Fox, mishandled its marketing,
scheduling, and overall presentation, thus leading to an untimely - but not
final - demise. But no one knows the true reason for FIREFLY's demise since
the show was also vastly ahead of its time, and this could have thrown
viewers off.
FIREFLY's mastermind, Joss Whedon, was the creator of TV's BUFFY
THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, which was so popular and successful it was almost
literally the sole breadwinner of its network for a time. So Whedon got
carte blanche when he decided to pursue what he *really* loved, which was a
sci-fi show in the best tradition of the genre. Enter FIREFLY. Network
executives, however, hated Whedon's not-so action-oriented two-hour pilot
(named "Serenity," same as the BDM, which will likely cause confusion for
500 years) and demanded he make a second one, which ultimately aired first,
called "The Train Job." This was followed by the above-noted series of poor
marketing moves by Fox (some of which are urban legends, most not,) which
may or may not have caused low ratings.
It would be severe understatement to say the series did not catch
on. 15 hours were produced (14 eps), but only 12 hours (11 eps) aired
before Fox unceremoniously pulled the plug. Episodes 11, 12, and 13 went
unaired. Episode 14 aired, followed by the original 2-hour pilot Fox had
rejected. The DVD has every glorious hour, see below. But the show was the
best sci-fi in decades (if ever,) so fans fanatically snapped up the DVD's
and evangelized the show to anyone that would listen.
Unlike those "other" sci-fi dramas you may have seen, things in
the FIREFLY world are very familiar to anyone who has a job and a life; it's
more realistic and vastly more adult-oriented than brand X. Based upon the
good DVD sales (money talks, and one Universal exec was a FIREFLY fan),
Universal studios signed on to Whedon's persistent plea to continue the
story, and the movie was born.
========================================
WHAT'S THE SHOW ABOUT IN A NUTSHELL?
500 years hence, a new civil war has been fought in a solar system
far, far from Earth (but necessarily almost next-door on a stellar scale,
see the science, below.) The rebels vaguely resemble America's Confederacy,
but without the stain of slavery, and they wear "browncoats" that fans like
to emulate. Sergeant Malcom Reynolds fought on the losing side.
The now-captain Reynolds commands his own space freighter, and
this ship is one of a class of ships called "Firefly," which he's named
"Serenity" in memory of the losing battle of Serenity Valley. Thus the
names of the TV show and the movie, respectively.
After the disasterous battle which ends the war at Serenity
Valley, Sergeant Malcom Reynolds kisses his religion goodbye and puts
together enough money to buy his own ship, a freight-hauler, and by dint of
ownership he is promoted to captain. He then hires a crew and tries to make
payroll.
Although the war was decisively won by the monolithic Alliance,
Reynolds follows his dream to live free of the state he fought. If he can't
beat them, Reynolds reasons, he'll just avoid them. But he'll still die
before joining them, see the politics, below. To stay below the radar,
Reynolds and crew frequent the "outer rim" of the solar system, where life
is more primitive and often resembles the American West of Hollywood legend.
He assembles a crew of eight, half of whom begin as paying
passengers. His pilot is Wash, 2nd (only to a cheater named "Mr. Universe")
in his pilot-school class and a man who frequently questions the need for
violence. But his wife is Mal's second, Zoe, who fought by Mal's side in
the war and lives by the gun. Mal's mechanic/engineer is Kaylee, a woman of
natural talent in her job. And later comes a brutal mercenary, the man they
call "Jayne."
The first paying passengers are a "shepherd" (26th century
"pastor" of Christian tradition) named Book and a young, affluent doctor
named Simon. Later, it appears that the doctor has smuggled aboard his
young and gifted - but damaged - sister.
Finally, there is Inara, a glamorous sex-worker (a "Registered
Companion") who rents one of Serenity's two shuttles even as her customers
rent out time with her. But despite how it sounds, her skills, knowledge,
and prestige are prodigious. In fact, many places will not berth a ship that
does not carry a Companion. A Companion is not only a combination Geisha,
Escort, and ultra-class call-girl, but much more. The profession is both
legal and highly-respected in the 'verse.
Thus begins the FIREFLY saga. It's about the crew's simple quest
to make a decent living. But it's coupled with the captain's demand that
they do so without selling out to the Alliance, a difficult hat-trick that
forces them into all sorts of trouble.
========================================
WHAT'S THE MOVIE ABOUT, IN A NUTSHELL?
Too early for spoilers. "Spoilers" are particularly well-named
WRT SERENITY, the BDM. The film was designed for newbies, but this FAQ
section will go halvsies.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN FIREFLY:
It's fast-moving space-opera, grittier and more realistic than
TREK, WARS, or most anything else in sci-fi. The characters are complex and
dark, but they are still heroes, which keeps things interesting. If you
like the sci-fi "genre" you will be particularly pleased. The story is
about an embittered captain of a space freightor accidentally caught up in a
political conspiracy pitting him against his overarching government and its
deadly operative. SERENITY looks like a first-rate standalone sci-fi tale
to me, but I simply have no way of evaluating that for you honestly, I'm too
involved. I'll only say that only a few good sci-fi movies are ever
produced, so this has to count among them. If you like sci-fi, period,
SERENITY is mandatory viewing.
FOR FIREFLY FANS:
Generally speaking, here's the lowdown: Our Big Damn Heroes
concluded the TV series with River still ill from her Alliance mistreatment,
and Inara had vowed to leave Serenity in episode 13 (of the 14.) Book
evidently left as well, though everyone is in the movie, just not on board.
The film answers a whole lot of open questions, and is very satisfying in
that regard. River's mistreatment and rescue is mostly only discussed in
the show, but shown in the movie. WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/bynabydovatre>
to see this part of the movie.
It is funny, exciting, smart, and a good story, well told.
FIREFLY was truly fabulous in having virtually no bad episodes, and this
would have been in an upper-tier. WYLTKM?
<http://shorl.com/hokafodrystaby> [Minor spoilers in this massive interview
with Whedon.]
========================================
WHAT TYPE OF SCIENCE FICTION STORY IS FIREFLY/SERENITY?
Sci-fi fans often call it "hard" sci-fi (or "hard-er," this is
debated. Whedon himself, however suggests FIREFLY is hard sci-fi.) This
usually means the science will be fairly realistic and will be a fair
extrapolation from today's science, just a bit more advanced. Exceptions do
occur when they are simply unavoidable. For example, long-space-distance
"phone calls" are realtime, which means they must violate lightspeed, even
within a solar system.
Way futuristic stuff that seems almost magical is clearly
verboten. So, you don't see ships zipping around at 10 times the speed of
light, molecules rearranged to create whatever, or "transporters" and the
like. On the other hand, there are scarce laser weapons, very advanced
medicine, fast, cheap, easy sub-light travel, and most else permitted by
today's science but perhaps not yet concretized in technology you can use.
Serenity's mysterious engine is said to be fusion-based; that's perfect for
FIREFLY because the science is old hat, but the technology is yet-to-come.
FIREFLY does all it can to respect the science and holds reason as the sole
means of knowledge.
There are oblique references to "Earth That Was" and an implied
backstory of environmental catastrophe or other calamity that impelled
humanity to colonize other planetary systems, although FIREFLY never
specifically references any other system but its own. WYLTKM?
http://shorl.com/fovatredrepugy [My extended ramblings on FTL from the
Wiki.]
========================================
ARE THERE ALIENS AND MONSTERS IN FIREFLY?
No! Whedon took a modest risk by positing a future with no alien
life. The idea we're alone in the universe (for here and for now, at least)
is a little bit anti-sci-fi, but it was a brilliant move in retrospect.
Turns out that all those bumpy-headed aliens in STAR TREK and elsewhere look
pretty stupid once you step back a bit. What Whedon seems to have figured
out is that unlike English-everywhere or instant communications, aliens were
*not* a necessary ingredient. Finally, the depth in FIREFLY resides mostly
in the ethics and politics. There's a time and a place for Bug Eyed
Monsters, but it isn't FIREFLY.
========================================
I'M A BUFFY/ANGEL FAN. WILL I LIKE FIREFLY?
Probably, but the differences are important. BUFFY/ANGEL was pure
fantasy. There are no vampires or devils in FIREFLY, never will be, and the
show actually goes severely in the other direction, rejecting out-of-hand
even the possibility of supernatural elements, including God. (Mind-reading
is strongly suggested, but never fully established, and never treated as a
non-physical or other-worldly phenomenon.) FIREFLY is crucially different
from other shows in its attempt at realism - even the ethics and politics
are linked to known-reality, as is the science. Unlike the Buffyverse,
which maintained internal consistency, FIREFLY also maintained *external*
consistency, i.e., coherence with the real world of both physics and -
crucially - morality. It seems Whedon tried to build a world of the future
with as few leaps of logic as possible, as few leaps in science as politics.
Example: In the world of STAR TREK, food appears out of thin air, and is
never an issue. In FIREFLY's pilot episode, there is a gunfight over food
that leaves a half-dozen men dead.
========================================
WHAT KIND OF SPACESHIP IS SERENITY?
A so-called "Firefly-class" vehicle, the first introduction to
this "new Enterprise" is jarring when an early episode reveals that it
doesn't even sport a weapon, a shield, or any of the usual issue. The ship
is a freighter, and its main characteristic of note is that it can run
away...very fast. It hauls cargo, of course, and has a sick bay, thank
heaven, since we don't want it to be *too* unfamiliar. The ship is also
importantly different from "brand X" ship in that it is designed for both
atmospheric as well as space travel. It does the former in a really cool
way by using a "VTOL" design, which here consists of a pair of thruster
engines which can be angled in any direction from down, up, forward, and
even backward. When in space, Serenity uses a different sort of drive which
is little explained, but we know it's sub-light and very powerful, something
to do with fusion energy, according to the Pilot episode. However, even
when running away, there are numerous vulnerabilities for the Firefly-class
ship, including a device that can "landlock" it by remote control, and other
ships that have "grappling" devices to capture a Firefly even if it's
outside of physical reach. If you need photon torpedoes, go brand yecchh.
WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/gifrijipidisto> [Way more than you need to know,
including diagrams.] There's always Vera...
========================================
WHO IS THE CHARACTER VERA?
Jayne's mega-gun. Vera needs oxygen to operate, a big bone of
contention among some purists because a normal gun would fire in vacuum.
But the very reason guns have oxidizer built-in is that there is
insufficient ambient oxygen available, and Vera presumably breathes heavy.
She's Jayne's first love. She'd be mine, too, if I weren't already spoken
for. Guns are *philosophically* crucial in a libertarian 'verse, as well as
for their utility, and Vera's the biggest and baddest.
========================================
WHO ARE THE BAD GUYS IN FIREFLY/SERENITY?
Our BDH's are caught between two evil forces, and one among their
number is a bit less than moral himself.
The most prominent is the Alliance. This is the overarching and
all-powerful government against which Sergeant Reynolds unsuccessfully
fought in the civil war. They are "meddlesome" and Reynolds simply rejects
their authority. With the war decisively lost, Reynolds must settle for
flying below their radar if he wants to live, and life is FIREFLY's central
message. Reynolds knows the Alliance is morally impotent and chronically
incompetent, despite their sheer power, and these are the keys to his
survival. As metaphor, the Alliance is eerily like present liberal
democratic institutions, and its evil is simply a step up from what we now
face. Also in the BDM, the Alliance is revealed to be a *democracy,* a
crucial comment by Whedon on our present institutions.
At the other extreme are the "Reavers," who are essentially
cannibalistic, sadistic, nihilistic madmen. The important thing to remember
about the Reavers is perhaps stated by Second-in-Command of Serenity, Zoe:
"If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our
skins into their clothing and if we're very very lucky, they'll do it in
that order." To the inner safe planets under Alliance rule, Reavers consist
mostly of mystery and bedtime stories that parents tell to their children to
scare them. But along the outer rim, they are all-too-real. They are dealt
with comprehensively in the BDM.
Four particular foes bear mention because each shows up twice in
the show's short run of 14 episodes. The ubiquitous "Blue Sun Corporation"
is mysteriously tied up with the alliance and provides the face of River's
tormentors in the form of a pair of blue-gloved, merciless assassins. Next
is Badger, a little thug aspiring to higher airs who runs a small crime gang
in the Pilot. Niska is a sociopathic maniac, also a crime boss, with whom
Mal unwisely deals in "The Train Job," and who later tortures Mal to
death...then revives Our Hero for more. Best known is YoSafBridge, the
character who becomes Mal's wife in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" (using the name
Saffron) and reappears in "Trash" (as Yolanda and Bridget, thus
"YoSafBridge," which many fans mis-heard as another Chinese expression.)
Finally, there is crewman Jayne. Unlike the above adversaries, he
is not simply a fixed evil component. He evolves over the course of the
show. His threat is moderated by sheer violence and domination by Reynolds.
By episode 11 ("Trash,") the otherwise fearless mercenary is terrified of
Reynolds.
========================================
WHAT'S THAT LANGUAGE, SOUND'S CHINESE, OR CUSSIN'?
It's both. As with most things FIREFLY, the language is an
extrapolation from the present. FIREFLY assumes that the USA and China
eventually became the two great world powers, then merged. As a result,
everyone in the FIREFLY world speaks English and Chinese (Mandarin?)
fluently. The TV show had a consultant on staff to be sure the translation
and pronunciation were proper, a good idea since China is in fact a growing
market; lord help us all if they should fall in love with FIREFLY, we may
find ourselves with a 24/7 FIREFLY-only TV network. But you don't need to
know any of it because the scene context always makes the meaning clear.
All of the Chinese is real and is translated at the Wiki. Dong-ma?
There're also a few slang terms that fans happily adopt. "Shiny"
is a term like "cool," and it means "good." Some slang is American West,
such as when a lout shuts up, he does us all "a kindness." Or Mal may be
"of a mind" to do something.
The FIREFLY world is also pretty raw, and it would be weird if
there weren't some nasty language going on, and so there is. But many words
are still feared and loathed by network audiences, so veiled substitutes
were invented for FIREFLY, the most well-known being "Gorram" and "Rutting."
It's odd that certain words were censored on a show that
prominently featured a prostitute who swung both ways. A complex
calculation, surely, but don't forget we're talking about FIREFLY, which
failed, not STAR TREK, which didn't. In fact, FIREFLY's demise could be
attributed to many aspects that were far out ahead of the public
sensibilities, which leads us to...
========================================
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER DISCUSS RELIGION OR POLITICS?
May be. FIREFLY dealt with both in very explicit ways. Both were
arguably at the heart of the entire show. And we don't have the show
anymore.
RELIGION:
In terms of religion, Captain Reynolds is an explicit atheist. If
this were SEVENTH HEAVEN, you might see him regularly suffering for this
fact, but a fair reading of FIREFLY's intent suggests Reynolds made the
right choice, the rational hero. Looked at this way, the show was a
success for having aired 11 episodes, instead of 3.
I will note that some religious fans see it differently, and see
Shepherd Book as the true spokesperson for the show's POV. The best
evidence for their view is the fact that Reynolds becomes an atheist out of
anger and betrayal when his troops are slaughtered then abandoned at the
Battle of Serenity. Also, Whedon confirms that Book is the message-bearer
in the BDM's unfortunate and misunderstood "...Believe something..."
dialogue, though this is not quite what religious fans want to hear, either.
Still, there is no question about the atheism. Mal tells The
Shepherd to keep religion, proselytizing, and even out-loud prayers off the
ship. Shepherd Book himself ultimately appears to go against his religion,
utilizing massive deadly force in defense of himself and his own (which he
refused to do in "Heart Of Gold.") And the Shepherd has a mysterious,
possibly evil, past, and he too may have become what he now is in reaction.
Book later advocates faith without content (in the BDM.)
Finally, the creator of the series is unequivocal both about his
own atheism and the atheism of the character Malcom Reynolds. Whedon often
says conflicting things about the show, and what a creator says is not
necessarily canon, but there has been absolutely no equivocation about this.
"...Mal is an atheist..." Whedon says. Nor any question that Mal is the
hero. I am placing links to this information at the end solely because many
fans find some of this too much to accept, even though it ought to be
obvious that Mal is both atheist and hero. The *indisputable* atheism in
FIREFLY is - no surprise - the thing that causes the most apoplexy among
many fans. Some of Whedon's statements in this regard appear to be in his
own voice, as commentary tracks on the DVD set. In print, Whedon tells us,
"I'm a very hard-line, angry atheist."
POLITICS:
In terms of politics, it's even more explicit. Whedon has said
without qualification that Reynolds is a libertarian, though it was obvious
long before Whedon spoke. In fairness, Whedon has also stated that he,
Whedon, was not a libertarian, and cohort Tim Minear may be the source for
that. An interesting question might be whether Mal is an Objectivist (the
philosophy of novelist Ayn Rand which gave birth to libertarianism.)
WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/gubastafologry> [Best online site about
Objectivism by far.]
But no matter what, Mal adheres to libertarian principles,
including non-aggression, and Objectivist morality, which demands
self-reliance and independent thought. This too has infuriated a number of
fans who love the show, but carry conventional (and irrational) politics and
ethics. They take glee in pointing out that Mal and company do
self-described "thieving," which, if true, would certainly be inconsistent
with either libertarianism or Objectivism. But close examination of the
show easily demonstrates that the "thieving" always occurs against people
who are mass murderers ("Trash") or government thugs ("Ariel") or the like.
In "The Train Job," we actually see Mal returning the "stolen" goods - in
the face of torture and death - when he discovers that they belong to
deserving parties who don't even have perfect title. (Mal there says,
"We're not thieves - but we are thieves.")
Again, it's probably a stroke of luck that average fans don't
necessarily understand the politics, and the sexual libertarianism alone may
have helped kill the show in the first instance. But in the end, even if
folks don't understand the details, it's clear that Malcom Reynolds is a
powerful man of principle, an impossibly appealing package that undoubtedly
turns FIREFLY's fans into fanatics. Many may see Mal as a handsome bad boy,
even if he's the most moral character ever to appear on TV. If that's how
they want to enjoy him, and it gets more shows made, let's live with it, say
I.
Finally, a tip of the hat to those who violently disagree with my
libertarian and/or religious POV on the show and a stick in the eye to those
who couldn't be civil about it. Beware core, intellectually dull and inbred
group on <alt.tv.firefly> that may insult or implore you not to read this
FAQ - the mentality of any such person ought to be obvious from their
action. Your Bugged host recommends you read all you can. In the end, I
used my POV early on to make predictions about later episodes and they were
confirmed almost without exception, all the way through to the film, then
through to follow-on research about Whedon's explicit comments.
========================================
WHAT OTHER FIREFLY STUFF EXISTS? WHERE DO I BUY THEM?
The most important FIREFLY resource - by far - is the DVD set of
the series, which is incomparable. It contains the whole saga, but for the
movie, and a first-rate collection of extras.
<http://tinylink.com/?k3skqW1Y3U> There is a novelization based upon the
movie's script which is trivially available at nearly all bookstores and
online at Amazon, and I read it, and it's great.
<http://tinylink.com/?BMr9p0O4aq> There is a three-part series of comic
books that has been difficult to get hold of, probably because of low
production and higher demand. <http://tinylink.com/?LOv84bfWkj> The comic
series apparently describes events between the last episode of the series
and the opening events of the movie. There appears to be a role-play game,
and a "companion" book. <http://tinylink.com/?q9nwlzLz8w> There are the
soundtracks, which didn't have to be any good, but I think the BDM OST is
terrific. <http://tinylink.com/?FmEw9GSAc2> Others worship the TV OST.
<http://tinylink.com/?2xX7psFDkS> Finally, there are some meta-resources
discussing the finer points of FIREFLY, including the science, the morality,
the politics, and more. <http://tinylink.com/?miWSJFQ1Ly> For a failed TV
show, the interest and investment should tip you off that something seismic
occurred.
The future of FIREFLY is very uncertain. The BDM opened to good
reviews and was marketed, at minimum, reasonably well. It was the number 2
film for it's premiere, but that weekend was slow, and the $40 million film
only grossed ten, of which the studios reap half. So far, almost $100
million has been invested in FIREFLY (mostly by Fox and Universal,) and the
prospects of recouping that, never mind making a big profit, are iffy at
this point.
========================================
BEST OUTSIDE LINKS:
The Serenity Movie official site is here:
<http://shorl.com/dibrypereguly> or
<http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/>
I like this site too because it is rich with multimedia, but many
'net cruisers have reported problems:
<http://shorl.com/fakutrehadufry> or
<http://serenitymovie.com/main_site.html>
See the first nine minutes of the BDM free of charge and
full-screen
<http://shorl.com/bogrohebitegra> or
<http://video.vividas.com/CDN1/3929_Serenity/web/index.html>
There are pix all over the 'net, but the quality of these are
pretty mind-blowing:
<http://shorl.com/fiprikobresturu> or
<http://www.livejournal.com/community/firefly_daily/26907.html>
For much more detail, (mostly) updated, organized and literate,
there's the great FIREFLY Wiki.
<http://shorl.com/bosigryjimiju> or <http://www.fireflywiki.org/pmwiki.php>
Numerous FIREFLY scripts are available at these two splendid
resources:
<http://firefly.shriftweb.org/transcripts.shtml>
<http://home.earthlink.net/~rdmadden/webdocs/Firefly_Transcripts.html>
Mal is unequivocally a libertarian, see above and below, but so
too is the show itself. You cannot understand the show fully without
getting some basic lib under your belt. Most lib positions are summarized
here in short essays:
<http://www.isil.org/resources/lit/>
Mal appears to be an Objectivist too. Here's the shortest
introduction anywhere:
<http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_intro>
REFERENCES: A number of things in this FAQ have been challenged by various
fans, some honestly, others simply disagree with anything. But the facts
are the facts, so the following links, mostly interviews with the creator,
Joss Whedon, are designed to silence the senseless objections, while
arguable ones have been noted in the text.
["Mal is an atheist" says Whedon, also referring to him as the
"hero." This is a 9/2005 press conference, not even an interview.]
<http://shorl.com/fobygynastudra> or
<http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=8725>
[In this New York Times interview, Whedon makes it awfully plain:
"I'm a very hard-line, angry atheist."]
<http://shorl.com/defrejytrefrahe> ($ link) or
<http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60912FE3C540C718EDDA00894DA404482>
["Mal is...certainly a libertarian..." says Whedon in this
interview, while also suggesting he, JW, is not.]
<http://shorl.com/hihuhejoruste> or
<http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1127384288085&call_pageid=968867495754&col=969483191630&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes>
[JW tells us there's no FTL in this interview, but admits frankly
that science makes him cry.]
<http://shorl.com/hygevatyledy> or
<http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=interviews&id=980>
[This is a huge online interview with Whedon]
<http://shorl.com/hokafodrystaby> or
<http://homepage.mac.com/merussell/iblog/B835531044/C1592678312/E20050916182427/index.html>
========================================
I'll answer further questions by e-mail if you like, but probably
better to post to <alt.tv.firefly> where your question will be seen by many
other fans as well and probably answered. Just beware of the
above-mentioned haters.
This document may be quoted as long as credit is given to the
author, "Atlas Bugged," copyright 2005. If you found it helpful, let me
know at ***@gmail dot com and I will also accept corrections and
additions, which are welcome, at that address. Just remember that the point
of this FAQ - short of accuracy - is brevity. Thanks for reading along. -
ATLAS BUGGED.
Shortening again. Movie section divided in two for newbies and FIREFLY
fans. More JW interview links to quash more ridiculous arguments (such as
FIREFLY not "hard" sci-fi, even though JW explicitly says so.) Not every
link will be duplicated in "Links" section if it is part of a larger link or
web site cited here already. Once I hit version 2.0, this paragraph will
appear at the end, instead of the beginning, I am finishing this up at 2.0.
Only incremental or major new event reavisions after that, such as links to
the BDM on DVD.
========================================
WHAT IS THIS?
This is the quick and dirty lowdown on the TV show FIREFLY and its
movie sequel SERENITY. If you want to know about the show's essentials
without having to spend eight hours boning up, this is the place. If you
have the eight hours, then just go to the Wiki:
<http://shorl.com/bosigryjimiju> This will be posted weekly to several
relevant newsgroups, and as frequently as daily to <alt.tv.firefly> until
the movie buzz dies down. Since the goal here is to be *brief* you will
sometimes see a link at the end of a selection with the acronym <WYLTKM?>,
my homage to the comical and cynical phrase from STARSHIP TROOPERS, "Would
You Like To Know More?" The link will be followed by a brief explanation of
where it leads, in brackets.
========================================
WHAT DO PEOPLE MEAN BY "BDM?"
"Big Damn Movie" is a play on an expression from the episode
"Safe," where one character cynically refers to the gang as "Big Damn
Heroes." (Our Heroes are called "BDH.") This question is asked and
answered constantly, and inspired this FAQ. The Big Damn Movie is SERENITY,
which hit theaters on September 30, 2005. WYLTKM?
<http://shorl.com/bogrohebitegra> [BDM's first ten minutes in full
fidelity.]
========================================
DO I NEED TO SEE THE SERIES FIRST TO DIG THE MOVIE? HOW DOES THE FILM
COMPARE TO THE TV SHOW?
Certainly, the producers wouldn't require background because this
would doom the movie. It sure looks to most fans like the producers "done
good." If you're reading this (and I think you are!), you'll be
ultra-prepped for the movie. That said, the DVD is 15+ (program) hours of
spectacular adventure, and since many fans find the movie to be very much
like a good long episode, the DVD's might come out ahead "by the pound,"
since the show has 15 hours of splendor, the movie is "just" 119 minutes of
pure joy. Your Bugged host humbly suggests: See the BDM and buy the DVD,
OK? Repeat as needed. WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/bynabydovatre> [Typical
fan discussion of the issue.]
========================================
WHAT'S FIREFLY'S HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL?
It was a prematurely-cancelled television series from 2002. Many
fans deeply resent how the network, Fox, mishandled its marketing,
scheduling, and overall presentation, thus leading to an untimely - but not
final - demise. But no one knows the true reason for FIREFLY's demise since
the show was also vastly ahead of its time, and this could have thrown
viewers off.
FIREFLY's mastermind, Joss Whedon, was the creator of TV's BUFFY
THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, which was so popular and successful it was almost
literally the sole breadwinner of its network for a time. So Whedon got
carte blanche when he decided to pursue what he *really* loved, which was a
sci-fi show in the best tradition of the genre. Enter FIREFLY. Network
executives, however, hated Whedon's not-so action-oriented two-hour pilot
(named "Serenity," same as the BDM, which will likely cause confusion for
500 years) and demanded he make a second one, which ultimately aired first,
called "The Train Job." This was followed by the above-noted series of poor
marketing moves by Fox (some of which are urban legends, most not,) which
may or may not have caused low ratings.
It would be severe understatement to say the series did not catch
on. 15 hours were produced (14 eps), but only 12 hours (11 eps) aired
before Fox unceremoniously pulled the plug. Episodes 11, 12, and 13 went
unaired. Episode 14 aired, followed by the original 2-hour pilot Fox had
rejected. The DVD has every glorious hour, see below. But the show was the
best sci-fi in decades (if ever,) so fans fanatically snapped up the DVD's
and evangelized the show to anyone that would listen.
Unlike those "other" sci-fi dramas you may have seen, things in
the FIREFLY world are very familiar to anyone who has a job and a life; it's
more realistic and vastly more adult-oriented than brand X. Based upon the
good DVD sales (money talks, and one Universal exec was a FIREFLY fan),
Universal studios signed on to Whedon's persistent plea to continue the
story, and the movie was born.
========================================
WHAT'S THE SHOW ABOUT IN A NUTSHELL?
500 years hence, a new civil war has been fought in a solar system
far, far from Earth (but necessarily almost next-door on a stellar scale,
see the science, below.) The rebels vaguely resemble America's Confederacy,
but without the stain of slavery, and they wear "browncoats" that fans like
to emulate. Sergeant Malcom Reynolds fought on the losing side.
The now-captain Reynolds commands his own space freighter, and
this ship is one of a class of ships called "Firefly," which he's named
"Serenity" in memory of the losing battle of Serenity Valley. Thus the
names of the TV show and the movie, respectively.
After the disasterous battle which ends the war at Serenity
Valley, Sergeant Malcom Reynolds kisses his religion goodbye and puts
together enough money to buy his own ship, a freight-hauler, and by dint of
ownership he is promoted to captain. He then hires a crew and tries to make
payroll.
Although the war was decisively won by the monolithic Alliance,
Reynolds follows his dream to live free of the state he fought. If he can't
beat them, Reynolds reasons, he'll just avoid them. But he'll still die
before joining them, see the politics, below. To stay below the radar,
Reynolds and crew frequent the "outer rim" of the solar system, where life
is more primitive and often resembles the American West of Hollywood legend.
He assembles a crew of eight, half of whom begin as paying
passengers. His pilot is Wash, 2nd (only to a cheater named "Mr. Universe")
in his pilot-school class and a man who frequently questions the need for
violence. But his wife is Mal's second, Zoe, who fought by Mal's side in
the war and lives by the gun. Mal's mechanic/engineer is Kaylee, a woman of
natural talent in her job. And later comes a brutal mercenary, the man they
call "Jayne."
The first paying passengers are a "shepherd" (26th century
"pastor" of Christian tradition) named Book and a young, affluent doctor
named Simon. Later, it appears that the doctor has smuggled aboard his
young and gifted - but damaged - sister.
Finally, there is Inara, a glamorous sex-worker (a "Registered
Companion") who rents one of Serenity's two shuttles even as her customers
rent out time with her. But despite how it sounds, her skills, knowledge,
and prestige are prodigious. In fact, many places will not berth a ship that
does not carry a Companion. A Companion is not only a combination Geisha,
Escort, and ultra-class call-girl, but much more. The profession is both
legal and highly-respected in the 'verse.
Thus begins the FIREFLY saga. It's about the crew's simple quest
to make a decent living. But it's coupled with the captain's demand that
they do so without selling out to the Alliance, a difficult hat-trick that
forces them into all sorts of trouble.
========================================
WHAT'S THE MOVIE ABOUT, IN A NUTSHELL?
Too early for spoilers. "Spoilers" are particularly well-named
WRT SERENITY, the BDM. The film was designed for newbies, but this FAQ
section will go halvsies.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN FIREFLY:
It's fast-moving space-opera, grittier and more realistic than
TREK, WARS, or most anything else in sci-fi. The characters are complex and
dark, but they are still heroes, which keeps things interesting. If you
like the sci-fi "genre" you will be particularly pleased. The story is
about an embittered captain of a space freightor accidentally caught up in a
political conspiracy pitting him against his overarching government and its
deadly operative. SERENITY looks like a first-rate standalone sci-fi tale
to me, but I simply have no way of evaluating that for you honestly, I'm too
involved. I'll only say that only a few good sci-fi movies are ever
produced, so this has to count among them. If you like sci-fi, period,
SERENITY is mandatory viewing.
FOR FIREFLY FANS:
Generally speaking, here's the lowdown: Our Big Damn Heroes
concluded the TV series with River still ill from her Alliance mistreatment,
and Inara had vowed to leave Serenity in episode 13 (of the 14.) Book
evidently left as well, though everyone is in the movie, just not on board.
The film answers a whole lot of open questions, and is very satisfying in
that regard. River's mistreatment and rescue is mostly only discussed in
the show, but shown in the movie. WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/bynabydovatre>
to see this part of the movie.
It is funny, exciting, smart, and a good story, well told.
FIREFLY was truly fabulous in having virtually no bad episodes, and this
would have been in an upper-tier. WYLTKM?
<http://shorl.com/hokafodrystaby> [Minor spoilers in this massive interview
with Whedon.]
========================================
WHAT TYPE OF SCIENCE FICTION STORY IS FIREFLY/SERENITY?
Sci-fi fans often call it "hard" sci-fi (or "hard-er," this is
debated. Whedon himself, however suggests FIREFLY is hard sci-fi.) This
usually means the science will be fairly realistic and will be a fair
extrapolation from today's science, just a bit more advanced. Exceptions do
occur when they are simply unavoidable. For example, long-space-distance
"phone calls" are realtime, which means they must violate lightspeed, even
within a solar system.
Way futuristic stuff that seems almost magical is clearly
verboten. So, you don't see ships zipping around at 10 times the speed of
light, molecules rearranged to create whatever, or "transporters" and the
like. On the other hand, there are scarce laser weapons, very advanced
medicine, fast, cheap, easy sub-light travel, and most else permitted by
today's science but perhaps not yet concretized in technology you can use.
Serenity's mysterious engine is said to be fusion-based; that's perfect for
FIREFLY because the science is old hat, but the technology is yet-to-come.
FIREFLY does all it can to respect the science and holds reason as the sole
means of knowledge.
There are oblique references to "Earth That Was" and an implied
backstory of environmental catastrophe or other calamity that impelled
humanity to colonize other planetary systems, although FIREFLY never
specifically references any other system but its own. WYLTKM?
http://shorl.com/fovatredrepugy [My extended ramblings on FTL from the
Wiki.]
========================================
ARE THERE ALIENS AND MONSTERS IN FIREFLY?
No! Whedon took a modest risk by positing a future with no alien
life. The idea we're alone in the universe (for here and for now, at least)
is a little bit anti-sci-fi, but it was a brilliant move in retrospect.
Turns out that all those bumpy-headed aliens in STAR TREK and elsewhere look
pretty stupid once you step back a bit. What Whedon seems to have figured
out is that unlike English-everywhere or instant communications, aliens were
*not* a necessary ingredient. Finally, the depth in FIREFLY resides mostly
in the ethics and politics. There's a time and a place for Bug Eyed
Monsters, but it isn't FIREFLY.
========================================
I'M A BUFFY/ANGEL FAN. WILL I LIKE FIREFLY?
Probably, but the differences are important. BUFFY/ANGEL was pure
fantasy. There are no vampires or devils in FIREFLY, never will be, and the
show actually goes severely in the other direction, rejecting out-of-hand
even the possibility of supernatural elements, including God. (Mind-reading
is strongly suggested, but never fully established, and never treated as a
non-physical or other-worldly phenomenon.) FIREFLY is crucially different
from other shows in its attempt at realism - even the ethics and politics
are linked to known-reality, as is the science. Unlike the Buffyverse,
which maintained internal consistency, FIREFLY also maintained *external*
consistency, i.e., coherence with the real world of both physics and -
crucially - morality. It seems Whedon tried to build a world of the future
with as few leaps of logic as possible, as few leaps in science as politics.
Example: In the world of STAR TREK, food appears out of thin air, and is
never an issue. In FIREFLY's pilot episode, there is a gunfight over food
that leaves a half-dozen men dead.
========================================
WHAT KIND OF SPACESHIP IS SERENITY?
A so-called "Firefly-class" vehicle, the first introduction to
this "new Enterprise" is jarring when an early episode reveals that it
doesn't even sport a weapon, a shield, or any of the usual issue. The ship
is a freighter, and its main characteristic of note is that it can run
away...very fast. It hauls cargo, of course, and has a sick bay, thank
heaven, since we don't want it to be *too* unfamiliar. The ship is also
importantly different from "brand X" ship in that it is designed for both
atmospheric as well as space travel. It does the former in a really cool
way by using a "VTOL" design, which here consists of a pair of thruster
engines which can be angled in any direction from down, up, forward, and
even backward. When in space, Serenity uses a different sort of drive which
is little explained, but we know it's sub-light and very powerful, something
to do with fusion energy, according to the Pilot episode. However, even
when running away, there are numerous vulnerabilities for the Firefly-class
ship, including a device that can "landlock" it by remote control, and other
ships that have "grappling" devices to capture a Firefly even if it's
outside of physical reach. If you need photon torpedoes, go brand yecchh.
WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/gifrijipidisto> [Way more than you need to know,
including diagrams.] There's always Vera...
========================================
WHO IS THE CHARACTER VERA?
Jayne's mega-gun. Vera needs oxygen to operate, a big bone of
contention among some purists because a normal gun would fire in vacuum.
But the very reason guns have oxidizer built-in is that there is
insufficient ambient oxygen available, and Vera presumably breathes heavy.
She's Jayne's first love. She'd be mine, too, if I weren't already spoken
for. Guns are *philosophically* crucial in a libertarian 'verse, as well as
for their utility, and Vera's the biggest and baddest.
========================================
WHO ARE THE BAD GUYS IN FIREFLY/SERENITY?
Our BDH's are caught between two evil forces, and one among their
number is a bit less than moral himself.
The most prominent is the Alliance. This is the overarching and
all-powerful government against which Sergeant Reynolds unsuccessfully
fought in the civil war. They are "meddlesome" and Reynolds simply rejects
their authority. With the war decisively lost, Reynolds must settle for
flying below their radar if he wants to live, and life is FIREFLY's central
message. Reynolds knows the Alliance is morally impotent and chronically
incompetent, despite their sheer power, and these are the keys to his
survival. As metaphor, the Alliance is eerily like present liberal
democratic institutions, and its evil is simply a step up from what we now
face. Also in the BDM, the Alliance is revealed to be a *democracy,* a
crucial comment by Whedon on our present institutions.
At the other extreme are the "Reavers," who are essentially
cannibalistic, sadistic, nihilistic madmen. The important thing to remember
about the Reavers is perhaps stated by Second-in-Command of Serenity, Zoe:
"If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our
skins into their clothing and if we're very very lucky, they'll do it in
that order." To the inner safe planets under Alliance rule, Reavers consist
mostly of mystery and bedtime stories that parents tell to their children to
scare them. But along the outer rim, they are all-too-real. They are dealt
with comprehensively in the BDM.
Four particular foes bear mention because each shows up twice in
the show's short run of 14 episodes. The ubiquitous "Blue Sun Corporation"
is mysteriously tied up with the alliance and provides the face of River's
tormentors in the form of a pair of blue-gloved, merciless assassins. Next
is Badger, a little thug aspiring to higher airs who runs a small crime gang
in the Pilot. Niska is a sociopathic maniac, also a crime boss, with whom
Mal unwisely deals in "The Train Job," and who later tortures Mal to
death...then revives Our Hero for more. Best known is YoSafBridge, the
character who becomes Mal's wife in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" (using the name
Saffron) and reappears in "Trash" (as Yolanda and Bridget, thus
"YoSafBridge," which many fans mis-heard as another Chinese expression.)
Finally, there is crewman Jayne. Unlike the above adversaries, he
is not simply a fixed evil component. He evolves over the course of the
show. His threat is moderated by sheer violence and domination by Reynolds.
By episode 11 ("Trash,") the otherwise fearless mercenary is terrified of
Reynolds.
========================================
WHAT'S THAT LANGUAGE, SOUND'S CHINESE, OR CUSSIN'?
It's both. As with most things FIREFLY, the language is an
extrapolation from the present. FIREFLY assumes that the USA and China
eventually became the two great world powers, then merged. As a result,
everyone in the FIREFLY world speaks English and Chinese (Mandarin?)
fluently. The TV show had a consultant on staff to be sure the translation
and pronunciation were proper, a good idea since China is in fact a growing
market; lord help us all if they should fall in love with FIREFLY, we may
find ourselves with a 24/7 FIREFLY-only TV network. But you don't need to
know any of it because the scene context always makes the meaning clear.
All of the Chinese is real and is translated at the Wiki. Dong-ma?
There're also a few slang terms that fans happily adopt. "Shiny"
is a term like "cool," and it means "good." Some slang is American West,
such as when a lout shuts up, he does us all "a kindness." Or Mal may be
"of a mind" to do something.
The FIREFLY world is also pretty raw, and it would be weird if
there weren't some nasty language going on, and so there is. But many words
are still feared and loathed by network audiences, so veiled substitutes
were invented for FIREFLY, the most well-known being "Gorram" and "Rutting."
It's odd that certain words were censored on a show that
prominently featured a prostitute who swung both ways. A complex
calculation, surely, but don't forget we're talking about FIREFLY, which
failed, not STAR TREK, which didn't. In fact, FIREFLY's demise could be
attributed to many aspects that were far out ahead of the public
sensibilities, which leads us to...
========================================
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER DISCUSS RELIGION OR POLITICS?
May be. FIREFLY dealt with both in very explicit ways. Both were
arguably at the heart of the entire show. And we don't have the show
anymore.
RELIGION:
In terms of religion, Captain Reynolds is an explicit atheist. If
this were SEVENTH HEAVEN, you might see him regularly suffering for this
fact, but a fair reading of FIREFLY's intent suggests Reynolds made the
right choice, the rational hero. Looked at this way, the show was a
success for having aired 11 episodes, instead of 3.
I will note that some religious fans see it differently, and see
Shepherd Book as the true spokesperson for the show's POV. The best
evidence for their view is the fact that Reynolds becomes an atheist out of
anger and betrayal when his troops are slaughtered then abandoned at the
Battle of Serenity. Also, Whedon confirms that Book is the message-bearer
in the BDM's unfortunate and misunderstood "...Believe something..."
dialogue, though this is not quite what religious fans want to hear, either.
Still, there is no question about the atheism. Mal tells The
Shepherd to keep religion, proselytizing, and even out-loud prayers off the
ship. Shepherd Book himself ultimately appears to go against his religion,
utilizing massive deadly force in defense of himself and his own (which he
refused to do in "Heart Of Gold.") And the Shepherd has a mysterious,
possibly evil, past, and he too may have become what he now is in reaction.
Book later advocates faith without content (in the BDM.)
Finally, the creator of the series is unequivocal both about his
own atheism and the atheism of the character Malcom Reynolds. Whedon often
says conflicting things about the show, and what a creator says is not
necessarily canon, but there has been absolutely no equivocation about this.
"...Mal is an atheist..." Whedon says. Nor any question that Mal is the
hero. I am placing links to this information at the end solely because many
fans find some of this too much to accept, even though it ought to be
obvious that Mal is both atheist and hero. The *indisputable* atheism in
FIREFLY is - no surprise - the thing that causes the most apoplexy among
many fans. Some of Whedon's statements in this regard appear to be in his
own voice, as commentary tracks on the DVD set. In print, Whedon tells us,
"I'm a very hard-line, angry atheist."
POLITICS:
In terms of politics, it's even more explicit. Whedon has said
without qualification that Reynolds is a libertarian, though it was obvious
long before Whedon spoke. In fairness, Whedon has also stated that he,
Whedon, was not a libertarian, and cohort Tim Minear may be the source for
that. An interesting question might be whether Mal is an Objectivist (the
philosophy of novelist Ayn Rand which gave birth to libertarianism.)
WYLTKM? <http://shorl.com/gubastafologry> [Best online site about
Objectivism by far.]
But no matter what, Mal adheres to libertarian principles,
including non-aggression, and Objectivist morality, which demands
self-reliance and independent thought. This too has infuriated a number of
fans who love the show, but carry conventional (and irrational) politics and
ethics. They take glee in pointing out that Mal and company do
self-described "thieving," which, if true, would certainly be inconsistent
with either libertarianism or Objectivism. But close examination of the
show easily demonstrates that the "thieving" always occurs against people
who are mass murderers ("Trash") or government thugs ("Ariel") or the like.
In "The Train Job," we actually see Mal returning the "stolen" goods - in
the face of torture and death - when he discovers that they belong to
deserving parties who don't even have perfect title. (Mal there says,
"We're not thieves - but we are thieves.")
Again, it's probably a stroke of luck that average fans don't
necessarily understand the politics, and the sexual libertarianism alone may
have helped kill the show in the first instance. But in the end, even if
folks don't understand the details, it's clear that Malcom Reynolds is a
powerful man of principle, an impossibly appealing package that undoubtedly
turns FIREFLY's fans into fanatics. Many may see Mal as a handsome bad boy,
even if he's the most moral character ever to appear on TV. If that's how
they want to enjoy him, and it gets more shows made, let's live with it, say
I.
Finally, a tip of the hat to those who violently disagree with my
libertarian and/or religious POV on the show and a stick in the eye to those
who couldn't be civil about it. Beware core, intellectually dull and inbred
group on <alt.tv.firefly> that may insult or implore you not to read this
FAQ - the mentality of any such person ought to be obvious from their
action. Your Bugged host recommends you read all you can. In the end, I
used my POV early on to make predictions about later episodes and they were
confirmed almost without exception, all the way through to the film, then
through to follow-on research about Whedon's explicit comments.
========================================
WHAT OTHER FIREFLY STUFF EXISTS? WHERE DO I BUY THEM?
The most important FIREFLY resource - by far - is the DVD set of
the series, which is incomparable. It contains the whole saga, but for the
movie, and a first-rate collection of extras.
<http://tinylink.com/?k3skqW1Y3U> There is a novelization based upon the
movie's script which is trivially available at nearly all bookstores and
online at Amazon, and I read it, and it's great.
<http://tinylink.com/?BMr9p0O4aq> There is a three-part series of comic
books that has been difficult to get hold of, probably because of low
production and higher demand. <http://tinylink.com/?LOv84bfWkj> The comic
series apparently describes events between the last episode of the series
and the opening events of the movie. There appears to be a role-play game,
and a "companion" book. <http://tinylink.com/?q9nwlzLz8w> There are the
soundtracks, which didn't have to be any good, but I think the BDM OST is
terrific. <http://tinylink.com/?FmEw9GSAc2> Others worship the TV OST.
<http://tinylink.com/?2xX7psFDkS> Finally, there are some meta-resources
discussing the finer points of FIREFLY, including the science, the morality,
the politics, and more. <http://tinylink.com/?miWSJFQ1Ly> For a failed TV
show, the interest and investment should tip you off that something seismic
occurred.
The future of FIREFLY is very uncertain. The BDM opened to good
reviews and was marketed, at minimum, reasonably well. It was the number 2
film for it's premiere, but that weekend was slow, and the $40 million film
only grossed ten, of which the studios reap half. So far, almost $100
million has been invested in FIREFLY (mostly by Fox and Universal,) and the
prospects of recouping that, never mind making a big profit, are iffy at
this point.
========================================
BEST OUTSIDE LINKS:
The Serenity Movie official site is here:
<http://shorl.com/dibrypereguly> or
<http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/>
I like this site too because it is rich with multimedia, but many
'net cruisers have reported problems:
<http://shorl.com/fakutrehadufry> or
<http://serenitymovie.com/main_site.html>
See the first nine minutes of the BDM free of charge and
full-screen
<http://shorl.com/bogrohebitegra> or
<http://video.vividas.com/CDN1/3929_Serenity/web/index.html>
There are pix all over the 'net, but the quality of these are
pretty mind-blowing:
<http://shorl.com/fiprikobresturu> or
<http://www.livejournal.com/community/firefly_daily/26907.html>
For much more detail, (mostly) updated, organized and literate,
there's the great FIREFLY Wiki.
<http://shorl.com/bosigryjimiju> or <http://www.fireflywiki.org/pmwiki.php>
Numerous FIREFLY scripts are available at these two splendid
resources:
<http://firefly.shriftweb.org/transcripts.shtml>
<http://home.earthlink.net/~rdmadden/webdocs/Firefly_Transcripts.html>
Mal is unequivocally a libertarian, see above and below, but so
too is the show itself. You cannot understand the show fully without
getting some basic lib under your belt. Most lib positions are summarized
here in short essays:
<http://www.isil.org/resources/lit/>
Mal appears to be an Objectivist too. Here's the shortest
introduction anywhere:
<http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_intro>
REFERENCES: A number of things in this FAQ have been challenged by various
fans, some honestly, others simply disagree with anything. But the facts
are the facts, so the following links, mostly interviews with the creator,
Joss Whedon, are designed to silence the senseless objections, while
arguable ones have been noted in the text.
["Mal is an atheist" says Whedon, also referring to him as the
"hero." This is a 9/2005 press conference, not even an interview.]
<http://shorl.com/fobygynastudra> or
<http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=8725>
[In this New York Times interview, Whedon makes it awfully plain:
"I'm a very hard-line, angry atheist."]
<http://shorl.com/defrejytrefrahe> ($ link) or
<http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60912FE3C540C718EDDA00894DA404482>
["Mal is...certainly a libertarian..." says Whedon in this
interview, while also suggesting he, JW, is not.]
<http://shorl.com/hihuhejoruste> or
<http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1127384288085&call_pageid=968867495754&col=969483191630&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes>
[JW tells us there's no FTL in this interview, but admits frankly
that science makes him cry.]
<http://shorl.com/hygevatyledy> or
<http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=interviews&id=980>
[This is a huge online interview with Whedon]
<http://shorl.com/hokafodrystaby> or
<http://homepage.mac.com/merussell/iblog/B835531044/C1592678312/E20050916182427/index.html>
========================================
I'll answer further questions by e-mail if you like, but probably
better to post to <alt.tv.firefly> where your question will be seen by many
other fans as well and probably answered. Just beware of the
above-mentioned haters.
This document may be quoted as long as credit is given to the
author, "Atlas Bugged," copyright 2005. If you found it helpful, let me
know at ***@gmail dot com and I will also accept corrections and
additions, which are welcome, at that address. Just remember that the point
of this FAQ - short of accuracy - is brevity. Thanks for reading along. -
ATLAS BUGGED.