# Firefly/Serenity Question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994 "2009-09-29T16:16:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/41 "2009-09-30T10:59:41Z")
I vote for “objects in space” as being the best. See the series first, then the movie - you’re going to want to see both, and that order will maximize your enjoyment. Incidentally while “Safe” is a (relatively) poor episode, I’m always moved by the acting of Simon when he realizes that they’re going to kill her regardless of what he does, so he goes to stand by her side. I really bought it I always thought Bushwacked was the weakest episode. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/42 "2009-09-30T12:22:33Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > But - but - “Big damn heroes” and “Yeah, but she’s _our_ witch.” I \*said \*that there were some excellently quotable lines in that episode. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/43 "2009-09-30T12:24:50Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > But can we all agree that “Out of Gas” is the best episode? Yes. With “Objects in Space” also way up there. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/44 "2009-09-30T17:50:34Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > But - but - “Big damn heroes” and “Yeah, but she’s _our_ witch.” And, who can forget: “Dear Diary: Today, I was pompous, and my sister was crazy. Then, we got kidnapped by hill people. It was the best day EVER!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/45 "2009-09-30T17:54:54Z")
I’d put “Objects in Space,” “Out of Gas,” and “War Stories” as the top three, more or less in the order, and “Heart of Gold,” “The Message,” and “Safe” as the bottom three. And it’s not really that I dislike “Safe,” it’s just that I keep forgetting it exists. It’s not bad, it’s just not memorable. I do love the scene of River dancing at the beginning, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/46 "2009-09-30T17:56:55Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > But - but - “Big damn heroes” and “Yeah, but she’s _our_ witch.” “I supposed we should go to bed, too. It’s been a long day, what with the abduction and all…” I use that last line a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/47 "2009-09-30T18:23:05Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > But can we all agree that “Out of Gas” is the best episode? I’d put “Our Mrs Reynolds” up there, if only because it’s one of the very, very few episodes of any TV series that managed to completely blindside me. Other shows have tried that twist, only to completely phone it in in the first few minutes, be it with a stinger, or a look in the eyes (complete with zoom, just in case you’d missed it), etc… Whedon pulled that one off masterfully. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/48 "2009-09-30T18:47:04Z")
I think the problem with “Safe” is that, since the series was so short, every episode ended up needing to stand on its own, but “Safe” was never really meant to be an episode that stands alone. If the show had gone on for five or six full seasons, then we’d be looking back on “Safe” as one of the early critical milestones in River’s story, since that’s the first time we see her actually manifesting anything beyond just “crazy”. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/49 "2009-09-30T19:01:34Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, who can forget: “Dear Diary: Today, I was pompous, and my sister was crazy. Then, we got kidnapped by hill people. It was the best day EVER!” 😃 [Yes, who _can_ forget it?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11612640&postcount=34) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/50 "2009-09-30T19:21:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think the problem with “Safe” is that, since the series was so short, every episode ended up needing to stand on its own, but “Safe” was never really meant to be an episode that stands alone. If the show had gone on for five or six full seasons, then we’d be looking back on “Safe” as one of the early critical milestones in River’s story, since that’s the first time we see her actually manifesting anything beyond just “crazy”. Total Agreement. \*Safe \*was the first episode I saw, and because of it I suspect I saw the remainder of the series with a much different view of River than I would have had I seen the series in order. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/51 "2009-09-30T19:47:48Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I hated those bad things. The bad things were bad, and I didn’t think they were necessary. :mad: ---
**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:** [September 30, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/52 "2009-09-30T20:00:00Z")
Yeah, but that’s Joss for you. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/53 "2009-09-30T20:23:59Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I’d put “Our Mrs Reynolds” up there, if only because it’s one of the very, very few episodes of any TV series that managed to completely blindside me. Mal asked Jayne if "I did anything unusual last night. Or something to that effect. Jayne responds, “I dunno. I was drunk.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/54 "2009-09-30T20:26:33Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Mal asked Jayne if "I did anything unusual last night. > Or something to that effect. > Jayne responds, “I dunno. I was drunk.” > 🙂 “How drunk was I last night?” “I dunno, I passed out.” ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/55 "2009-09-30T20:36:29Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > The bad things were bad, and I didn’t think they were necessary. :mad: I thought they were very necessary. The movie was meant to be not only as stand alone project, but more importantly to the fans of the series, a finale. We all wanted to see the crew keep flying, but that was one _hell_ of a way to end the story. All the questions were answered (what are reavers, exactly? Why does the alliance want River so badly?) and Whedon wrote a great script so that it ended _there_. Joss knows that all stories need a beginning, a middle, and most importantly, an end. Because Fox canceled _Firefly_, he had to convince Universal to let him make a movie to end the story. And the ending to the story was freaking brilliant. And since we’re quoting: Agent: “You know what your sin is, Mal?” Mal: “Hell, I’m a fan of all seven.” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/56 "2009-09-30T20:40:16Z")
I liked Our Mrs. Reynolds. It really made me laugh, a lot. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/57 "2009-09-30T21:17:23Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > All the questions were answered Save Shepherd’s background. 🙂 I’ll have to watch _Our Mrs. Reynolds_ again. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/58 "2009-09-30T21:45:44Z")
You’re all missing the mark on the worst episode. It’s “Ariel.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/59 "2009-09-30T21:50:38Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > You’re all missing the mark on the worst episode. It’s “Ariel.” No, I can’t agree. It has two Crowning Moments of Awesome, one for Simon and one for Mal, not just a few quotable lines. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994/60 "2009-09-30T22:18:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think the problem with “Safe” is that, since the series was so short, every episode ended up needing to stand on its own, but “Safe” was never really meant to be an episode that stands alone. If the show had gone on for five or six full seasons, then we’d be looking back on “Safe” as one of the early critical milestones in River’s story, since that’s the first time we see her actually manifesting anything beyond just “crazy”. I never believed that whole “River’s a psychic” nonsense. It’s _all_ crazy, sometimes she’s lucky, that’s all 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-serenity-question/511994.md?page=4)