Firefly

A colleague and I were discussing our favorite TV shows one day and the name Firefly suddenly popped out of his mouth.

Me:               I think I've heard of Firefly before a while back. What's it about?
Colleague:  (shocked) You've never seen Firefly?
Me:              Nope. Why? Is it that good?

I will spare you the 20-minutes long passionate rant he then graced me with, ending up with him picking up a guitar and strumming to the show's theme song. Well, maybe not the last bit, but you get the point.

Random trivia. Did you know that the character Casey from Chuck is based on the Jayne Cobb character from Firefly, played by the same actor (Adam Baldwin)? Me neither but this certainly piqued my interest.

Hello, Curiosity. Meet my cat.

Firefly is an American  space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, the guy who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. If this doesn't spell cult following for Firefly already, then obviously you haven't been watching enough television :-P

The premise is set in 2517 and follows the chronicles of its nine crew/passenger ensemble, ranging from a pair of fugitive siblings (Simon and River Tam) on the run from the Alliance, to a Shepherd (preacher) with a mysterious past, to a mercenary for hire with a girl's name (Jayne). Captained by Malcolm Reynolds, an Independence "Browncoat" veteran fighter, his first officer Zoe, who fought with him in the war, and piloted by Wash, Zoe's husband.

"Captain was looking for a pilot. I found a husband. Seemed to work out. " ~ Zoe in Bushwacked.

Inara, a respectable Companion, and Kaylee, the bubbly ship mechanic make up the rest of those on board.

The series lasted all of 14-episodes with a movie to tie-in, also called Serenity, to appease the mob of angry fans after the show got canceled. Since I have watched up to the episode Ariel last night, I am starting to understand why these people got so worked up over the show. In fact, I am designing my "Stick it to TPTB (The Power That Be). Give us back our Serenity" T-shirt as we speak.

What is so great about the show? It's the character dynamics and how they complement each other. It's the fast paced and witty dialogue. It's the monotonous yet catchy theme song. Pick one. I have to warn you though, once you step into the realm that is Firefly, you will never be the same again. I am totally suckered in at this point and is mixed about watching up to the season finale, because I know that there is nothing left to look forward to.

I know I may be almost a decade too late for this show (I was 12 when the show first aired and was not familiar with the terms Torrent and DVD Box Sets, wait, we were still using floppy discs back then, weren't we?) but time is no measure for greatness. Alas, it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

Here's to the bundle of despair I will become once I have completed watching my box set. C'est la vie, I say.

There's no place I can be
Since I've found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me...
~ From Firefly Theme Song