Sorry if this has been done before – I know there are tons of Firefly threads in this forum so I didn’t even bother to search. Call me lazy, or preferably, conscientious of wasting bandwidth.
Well, with only 14 episodes available, the choice is not as easy as I initially expected.
I think one of the reasons behind Firefly’s long-lived cult popularity is the number of truly excellent episodes that were produced in just half a season. Out of 14, I can only think of two that I consider mediocre. Even the best TV shows alternate between classic episodes and lukewarm filler, but Firefly was on a major winning streak during those 14 episodes, and despite the meager screentime the series inhabited, the writers were suprisingly efficient at creating a vast, believable, and consistent universe, and fans have more than enough interesting plots and subplots, great characters, mysteries, humor, and witty dialog to discuss for years. Firefly only has 14 episodes, but it feels like I’ve watched a whole season (or even two seasons).
Back on topic: I’ve only seen the Firefly series once, even though I’ve owned the collection on DVD for over a year. Funny, there are plenty of shows I’ll watch over and over – I’ve seen every episode of Northern Exposure at least twice, and some earlier episodes of the Simpsons I’ve seen at least five times. But as much as I’d love to watch Firefly over and over again, I refuse. I think I’m afraid I might wear it out too soon. I’m sure I’ll watch the entire series again (likely during one long, indulgent weekend), but not just yet. Maybe I also want to forget it a little before I see it again, so some of the best scenes are surprises all over again.
Where was I? Oh yes, favorite episode. It’s an extremely close call, but I’d have to say “Out of Gas”, because I like the simplicity of the story (ship stranded in deep space with a broken part) juxstaposed with the complexity of the storytelling (en medias res structure, non-linear timeline, flashbacks within flashbacks). I also love the theme (which is repeated in the Serenity movie) that the ship is more than a hunk of junk – it’s another crewmember, a home, and a source of reverence for the captain and his crew. It’s their ticket to freedom, and it keeps them alive day by day.
It’s also the quintessential Firefly episode because it provides backstories for the most important crewmembers, relating the day they first set foot on Serenity, and their various reactions to the ship.
It’s also got one of the coolest exchanges of dialog in the serioius. I can’t recall it verbatim, but when the ship breaks down and Kaylee is trying to relate the problem to the captain, she uses absolutely no technobable. She states in very plain terms that the ship is broken, and there’s no way to fix it, and you can really sense the frustration and hopelessness in her voice. It’s a slap in the face to all those Star Trek episodes where any technical problem can be fixed by rerouting the exhaust from the antimatter condenser modules to the auxilary proton excelerator manifold, or whatever.
Sometimes things just break down, with no way to fix them.
So what’s your favorite episode of Fireflly?