Hype TV Club Does FIREFLY in March

[KRYPTON INC.]

So I tried watching the first episode again...and man it was kinda hard to get through. I did finish this time and I have to say, I wasn't feeling it. I thought the pace was too slow, none of the dialogue grabbed me and I guess I thought they tried a bit too hard by making it cinematic. It didn't work for me.


However...I went ahead and saw the 2nd episode and I don't know what they changed, but I enjoyed it so much more. I think I finished episode 4 where they were in that high society dance party. I think most of the characters are pretty cool, they seem like if Han Solo had a ragtag team doing jobs. I wish Joss Whedon had made that Wonder Woman movie because I know for sure Morena Baccarin was gonna be up for the part. She's just

The second episode is technically the second pilot as well Kane. It's what FOX asked Whedon to do after they didn't like the first episode you saw. For myself, I see that the second pilot does have a quicker pace, and is a little less angsty. But... the angst is a huge part of why I love the characters, especially Mal. Train Job is a lot of fun but Serenity (the pilot not the movie) is better for me. The "witty banter" dial and "hey, it's fun to be a crook" mojo are turned up to 11 in Train Job. Stuff felt more real and understated in Serenity. And I really liked the attempt at being "cinematic" and the little asides that had nothing to do with plot but were about adding texture, like Book chaffing at being called grandpa or Kaylee savoring the strawberries.

 

[flickchick85]

The second episode is technically the second pilot as well Kane. It's what FOX asked Whedon to do after they didn't like the first episode you saw. For myself, I see that the second pilot does have a quicker pace, and is a little less angsty. But... the angst is a huge part of why I love the characters, especially Mal. Train Job is a lot of fun but Serenity (the pilot not the movie) is better for me. The "witty banter" dial and "hey, it's fun to be a crook" mojo are turned up to 11 in Train Job. Stuff felt more real and understated in Serenity. And I really liked the attempt at being "cinematic" and the little asides that had nothing to do with plot but were about adding texture, like Book chaffing at being called grandpa or Kaylee savoring the strawberries.

Yeah, I agree. "Serenity" works much better for me than "The Train Job" in pretty much every aspect.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I don't want to make it seem like Train Job was bad, but it seemed that FOX thought Whedon was good at just "funny" dialog, and were disappointed that he had pretensions to greater things, or at least, more 3 dimensional, well rounded characters to me.

 

[Kane52630]

Well I guess it's one of those rare times where I agree with Fox execs...

I feel like if they cut the filler in that first episode, maybe it would be better but I don't know. There was nothing in that episode that really grabbed me. Three dimensional or not, The Train Job was pretty fun, but Bushwhacked was kinda awesome. It reminded me of Dead Space if it was done in the vein of Star Trek TNG.

 

[flickchick85]

Ha, I think we just have polar opposite tastes, Kane. "The Train Job" and "Bushwacked" are the two I usually skip on re-watches, lol. Oh, and sometimes "Safe."

 

[Kane52630]

I guess so...either way I finished up Our Mrs. Reynolds, it's another solid episode. And man young Christina Hendricks looks so different.

 

[Kane52630]

I finished up Out of Gas and that's a pretty good episode. I like how they managed to do a flashback, flashforward and show present time all in one episode. Out of all the episodes so far, this is my favorite.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Out of Gas is really good for those reasons you mention. I love the swerve of where Mal finds Kaylee (and that the show was just matter of factual about human sexuality in general).

 

[flickchick85]

I finished up Out of Gas and that's a pretty good episode. I like how they managed to do a flashback, flashforward and show present time all in one episode. Out of all the episodes so far, this is my favorite.

Woo, I take it back, we agree on one!

I love pretty much everything about "Out of Gas."

 

[ComicChick]

ok i really like the theme song lol.

 

[Kane52630]

I saw Ariel, War Stories, and Heart of Gold (which I guess was a mistake in the episode order...oh well). I really like the heist stuff in Ariel.

 

[ComicChick]

Tracey: When you can't run, you crawl, and when you can't crawl - when you can't do that...
Zoë: You find someone to carry you.

^ i liked that a lot

 

[E-Man]

I finished this last night. It basically maintained the same consistency throughout the series. The chemistry between the crew is the high point of this show, and it's too bad that they never got to expand it beyond the Serenity movie.

 

[E-Man]

How about a Firefly Skype call tonight or this weekend? I've finished, Kane is finished, CeCil is likely to be finished too, and any other person that is potential cool could join a usual Skype call and we can talk about the show. We kinda did it for Fringe, but that was just a usual Skype call. Game of Thrones basically dominated the calls until Parks and Recreation became the hot topic that I jokingly diss people for talking about. So how about we actually have an "official" Firefly call? Or at least an official one until we bring up sports, Parks and Recreation, Black Dynamite, or why certain Hypesters are horrible people.

 

[Kane52630]

I can dig it.

 

[Kane52630]

SUUUCCCCKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

 

[E-Man]

 

[ComicChick]

i have finished the show, sadly
all i have left is the Serenity movie, but sadly that's not on netflix. what the ham?

also, while searching for the movie, i noticed there is a documentary about the fan sensation and features fans, cast and crew. i def wanna check that out after i watch the movie

 

[flickchick85]

I know that sadness well, CC. We're here for ya.

And cripes, I can't believe Serenity's not on Netflix. That's dumb. But it was also made by a different studio than the show (Universal bought the movie rights), so I guess I shouldn't be that surprised.

I'm not familiar with that documentary, though. I'll have to check that out.

 

[Lord]

Watched the tv show for the first time, tomorrow i'll move into the movie. It was pretty good, a shame it didn't last longer, i watched Serenity when it premiered, along with some friends, didn't like it much at the time, found it very forgetable, then i gave it another try some years after due to its high reputation on the internet, didn't like it that time either and ended up forgeting about it soon after.

Now that i know the characters well, i'm sure i will enjoy Serenity much more, am reading some of the comic prequels as preparation.

I'm wondering what the secret behing the Shepherd is, will they ever explain that? My guess is that he's from some rich or influential family.

 

[E-Man]

Watched the tv show for the first time, tomorrow i'll move into the movie. It was pretty good, a shame it didn't last longer, i watched Serenity when it premiered, along with some friends, didn't like it much at the time, found it very forgetable, then i gave it another try some years after due to its high reputation on the internet, didn't like it that time either and ended up forgeting about it soon after.

Now that i know the characters well, i'm sure i will enjoy Serenity much more, am reading some of the comic prequels as preparation.

I'm wondering what the secret behing the Shepherd is, will they ever explain that? My guess is that he's from some rich or influential family.

You watched the whole show in a day? Damn.

From what I hear they got into the Shepherd's backstory in the comics. They didn't do too much with that in the Serenity movie.

 

[Lord]

Nah, i've been watching it for over a week, but i only finished it yesterday. While i usualy binge watch various shows, i decided to get back to my Buffy/ Angel watching days and watch Firefly at a slower pace, this way i was able to get more time to think about what had happened in each episode and get more excited for each individual episode.

As i thought, i enjoyed Serenity much more this time, i don't think it works very well as a stand alone film (it even expects everyone to know what a Reaver is), but it serves as an amazing wrap-up to the main storyline in Firefly. About the show, i have a question regarding the episode "The Messenger": Why didn't Mal and Zoe just tell the plan to Tracey sooner? The guy would still be alive if they had just done that instead of pretending they were going to give him away.

 

[ComicChick]

i guess they were afraid he would tip their hand?

i kinda want to look into the comics now that i know there are some out there

 

[Kane52630]

So only thing left for me was Serenity and I just finished it. This pretty much feels like the show (structure wise) just with a bit more money thrown in. It kinda feels weird as a theatrical movie (especially making things look so dark), but I just see it as the final two episodes of Firefly. I wouldn't even know how I'd feel watching the movie see what happens to some of the characters without having seen the show. I'm sure it would be different. Also dat Chiwetel Ejiofor, he was excellent in this.

 

[flickchick85]

About the show, i have a question regarding the episode "The Messenger": Why didn't Mal and Zoe just tell the plan to Tracey sooner? The guy would still be alive if they had just done that instead of pretending they were going to give him away.

Because Tracey was a putz they didn't trust with the plan. Ultimately not the best call, but I couldn't say I blamed them for making it based on what little we knew of him.

Also, I agree with those saying Serenity feels more like a big-budget series finale than as a movie that stands on its own. I mean, my brother watched it without having seen the show, and he enjoyed it. Certainly liked it enough to get into the show afterward, too. But...while I completely adore the movie and think Joss did an awesome job, and while I think it can play ok in an escapist adventure sort of way for the uninitiated, I don't think it's even possible to love that movie without the show and the baggage the characters bring with them from that.