# A stupid thing that annoyed me about "Firefly" / "Serenity" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026 "2008-10-01T17:37:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/41 "2008-10-02T18:35:29Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Maybe, maybe not. Sunnydale was pretty whitewashed despite being a West Coast city large enough to support a UC campus. You mean, a West Coast city like Santa Barbara? ([Demographic information](http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/popInfo.php?locIndex=10849)) And regarding Wash’s poor firearms handling skills: At what point in the show were you lead to believe that Wash had any idea how to use a gun either safely or effectively? I must have missed that episode. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/42 "2008-10-02T18:47:38Z")
> [@Tenebras](#): > > And regarding Wash’s poor firearms handling skills: At what point in the show were you lead to believe that Wash had any idea how to use a gun either safely or effectively? I must have missed that episode. That’s not **MacTech** ’s problem, but that neither Jayne nor Zoe seemed to notice how unsafe he was being. I know Jayne would’ve had a problem with Wash sweeping the muzzle past him. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/43 "2008-10-02T19:46:17Z")
> [@kasuo](#): > > Don’t forget the awesome arc spanning the entire third season. Absolute genius on Whedon and Co. I don’t understand why everyone ignores the musical. Yes, I realize some of you don’t like characters to break into song, but given that (a) Kaylee strips naked after the teaser and (b) spends most of the episode moaning about her unrequited love for Inara while (c) feeling guilty about exploiting River by having sex wtih her in the meantime, and (d) the whole thing is resolved by the Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway, I think you’d be happy anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/44 "2008-10-02T20:07:36Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Maybe, maybe not. Sunnydale was pretty whitewashed despite being a West Coast city large enough to support a UC campus. Santa Cruz, which also has a lot in common with Sunnydale, is pretty damn white. took me a while to figure out what was so weird about it the first time I visited. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/45 "2008-10-02T22:03:21Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t understand why everyone ignores the musical. Yes, I realize some of you don’t like characters to break into song, but given that (a) Kaylee strips naked after the teaser and (b) spends most of the episode moaning about her unrequited love for Inara while (c) feeling guilty about exploiting River by having sex wtih her in the meantime, and (d) the whole thing is resolved by the Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway, I think you’d be happy anyway. mmmm…Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway… **drools on keyboard** ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/46 "2008-10-02T23:52:07Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > mmmm…Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway… > > **drools on keyboard** Doesn’t mean a damned thing to me unless I get to be the fifth. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/47 "2008-10-03T00:01:04Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t understand why everyone ignores the musical. Yes, I realize some of you don’t like characters to break into song, but given that (a) Kaylee strips naked after the teaser and (b) spends most of the episode moaning about her unrequited love for Inara while (c) feeling guilty about exploiting River by having sex wtih her in the meantime, The musical ep was too derivative and when the Reavers started to break out into song, that was it for me. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > and (d) the whole thing is resolved by the Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway, I think you’d be happy anyway. Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway? I’d never stop driving over that! ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/48 "2008-10-03T00:12:58Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > mmmm…Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway… I’ll be in 'mah bunk… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/49 "2008-10-03T00:30:28Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway… I know that road! It’s Route 69. Goes through Intercourse, PA on the way to the Grand Tetons. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/50 "2008-10-03T01:46:19Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t understand why everyone ignores the musical. Yes, I realize some of you don’t like characters to break into song, but given that (a) Kaylee strips naked after the teaser and (b) spends most of the episode moaning about her unrequited love for Inara while (c) feeling guilty about exploiting River by having sex wtih her in the meantime, and (d) the whole thing is resolved by the Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway, I think you’d be happy anyway. I can’t \*believe \*you left out the scene with YoSafBrig! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/51 "2008-10-03T03:27:58Z")
I think that episode where Mal had to walk around naked the entire time showed off a lot of Nathan Fillion’s… um, talents. And come on, that part where they flew out into deep space and River drop-kicked Cthulhu in the face? Classic! ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/52 "2008-10-03T04:22:24Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > mmmm…Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway… > > **drools on keyboard** River doesn’t do a damn thing for me. Zoe does only a little bit. I’ll take the Kaylee-Inara pairing though. Another thing about the Chinese-- I know Mandarin’s a pretty tough language, but would it have been all that much more difficult to get a vocal coach in so that they could, y’know, sound like they were speaking Chinese? Or are we meant to assume the tones get dropped out of the language in the future? ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/53 "2008-10-03T12:21:59Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > mmmm…Kaylee-Inara-River-Zoe freeway… We-eelll… _technically_, that’s one too many for a _free_way. What you’ve got yourself, right there, is a _for_way. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/54 "2008-10-03T12:53:39Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > I think that episode where Mal had to walk around naked the entire time showed off a lot of Nathan Fillion’s… um, talents. So did you miss the real episode where that happened. I swear to god, I’ve never seen my wife move for the DVD remote that fast in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/55 "2008-10-03T12:57:53Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > Another thing about the Chinese-- I know Mandarin’s a pretty tough language, but would it have been all that much more difficult to get a vocal coach in so that they could, y’know, sound like they were speaking Chinese? um… they did that… ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/56 "2008-10-03T12:59:49Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > um… they did that… Yes they did. But if I recall the commentaries correctly the actors were all pretty rubbish at it, and she all but gave up on them (all in a very light-hearted way). ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/57 "2008-10-03T13:02:28Z")
The OP, though I never thought about it, is another reason why I hate Joss Whedon. It’s a stupid premise. The Chinese are going to rule the future, my ass. The country is going to collapse under the weight of its ridiculously unsustainable industry and pollute itself to death, quite likely within our lifetimes. That country is going to be a third world backwater in the future if it keeps doing what it’s doing now. If anyone is going to be a dominant power in the future it’ll be a unified Europe, not a country that combines the worst aspects of both capitalism and communism. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/58 "2008-10-03T13:10:22Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > The country is going to collapse under the weight of its ridiculously unsustainable industry and pollute itself to death Whereas other large countries sustain themselves entirely on wind power and fairy dust. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/59 "2008-10-03T13:22:58Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > Whereas other large countries sustain themselves entirely on wind power and fairy dust. Having thought about it, this is a bit over-the-top, but China becoming a dominant world power is not a “stupid premise”. You may personally doubt it, but it’s well within the realms of the possible, if not likely. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026/60 "2008-10-03T13:51:19Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > Having thought about it, this is a bit over-the-top, but China becoming a dominant world power is not a “stupid premise”. You may personally doubt it, but it’s well within the realms of the possible, if not likely. I can’t remember if it was said, but was China of the future a major world power, or a major space power once the superpowers started moving there? That seems plausible. They may have been much more successful in space, and there was even more intermixing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-stupid-thing-that-annoyed-me-about-firefly-serenity/466026.md?page=4)