# Firefly the Series: What age is it appropriate viewing for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418 "2007-12-01T03:23:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/101 "2007-12-10T20:23:08Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] How about the violence and moral ambiguity? I think all three together is a little much for the average 7 year old and I am not taking a chance with my 7 year old. [/QUOTE] I’ve never really thought about the moral ambiguity, but the violence in \*Firefly \*means that my kids, ages 7 and 11, haven’t seen it yet. The 11-yr-old is almost ready but the logistics are difficult: the little one would be ticked at being sent out of the room for 14 episodes. It’s always tempting to let them watch the stuff I like. It’s neat to see your children enjoying your favorite movies for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/102 "2007-12-10T20:33:22Z")
[QUOTE=Eleanor of Aquitaine] I’ve never really thought about the moral ambiguity, but the violence in \*Firefly \*means that my kids, ages 7 and 11, haven’t seen it yet. The 11-yr-old is almost ready but the logistics are difficult: the little one would be ticked at being sent out of the room for 14 episodes. It’s always tempting to let them watch the stuff I like. It’s neat to see your children enjoying your favorite movies for the first time. [/QUOTE] I’m borderline on my 10 year old, but I chose to have her pass for now. Besides, I doubt she’ll like it as much as my little boy would. **Ghanima** , OK, not a spoiler, but it looked like one. Jim ---
**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:** [December 10, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/103 "2007-12-10T22:02:23Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve never really thought about the moral ambiguity, First line of the second episode: “What are you up to?” “Crime.” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/104 "2007-12-11T00:16:11Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] First line of the second episode: “What are you up to?” “Crime.” [/QUOTE] The show makes a number of comments about our heros being the “bad guys” on a day-to-day basis. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/105 "2007-12-11T00:55:51Z")
[QUOTE=Raguleader] The show makes a number of comments about our heros being the “bad guys” on a day-to-day basis. [/QUOTE] Like: “Shiney. Let’s be bad guys.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![T.O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@T.O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.O)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/106 "2007-12-11T01:04:47Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] And if you hadn’t seen that particular movie, maybe you’d have invented some other way of torturing small animals. Or maybe watching violent movies did mess you up, and your parents should have been paying better attention to you. I did say that not all kids are able to handle violent media, and parents should of course be aware of what their kid is watching, and how their kids are reacting to it. All that aside, the end result in your case is a bunch of dead fish. Big deal. That’s a much different situation than I got out of your first post. With the additional details you’ve provided, I agree with your friend. Well, yes. Exactly. So what were you giving your friend grief for? [/QUOTE] I think innocence should be preserved when practical and possible. A kid walking in on their parents having sex probably isn’t going to have as good a view of the mechanics of what’s going on than a kid watching a porno video. What if the little boy thinks it’s cool or funny when the pretty woman sucks on the man’s penis and tries to get another kid to suck on his in preschool? What if it awakens sexual urges in him earlier than normal and it leads to sexual dysfunction? I’m not saying that it viewing porn can permanently wreck a child’s psyche, or that it necessarily will always cause problems, anymore than watching a violent movie would…but it is increasing the risk of real potential dangers for no good reason. If my kids play in the street, that doesn’t mean necessarily that they will get run over by a car, but I have no reason to encourage them to do so, and good motivation to keep them out of the street. Why expose your kids to something that might cause them problems if you have no reason to? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/107 "2007-12-11T02:45:43Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I’m borderline on my 10 year old, but I chose to have her pass for now. Besides, I doubt she’ll like it as much as my little boy would. [/QUOTE] The next ep, “Ariel”, does contain some fairly nasty villains who have a rather nasty way of inducing gore which is probably a bit explicit for kids. However, it’s a cracker of an episode, with some top-class Jaynery. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/108 "2007-12-11T03:40:22Z")
[QUOTE=T.O.] I think innocence should be preserved when practical and possible. A kid walking in on their parents having sex probably isn’t going to have as good a view of the mechanics of what’s going on than a kid watching a porno video. What if the little boy thinks it’s cool or funny when the pretty woman sucks on the man’s penis and tries to get another kid to suck on his in preschool? What if it awakens sexual urges in him earlier than normal and it leads to sexual dysfunction? I’m not saying that it viewing porn can permanently wreck a child’s psyche, or that it necessarily will always cause problems, anymore than watching a violent movie would…but it is increasing the risk of real potential dangers for no good reason. If my kids play in the street, that doesn’t mean necessarily that they will get run over by a car, but I have no reason to encourage them to do so, and good motivation to keep them out of the street. Why expose your kids to something that might cause them problems if you have no reason to? [/QUOTE] The difference is, we have concrete proof of bad things happening when kids play in the street. Where is the concrete proof of bad things happening if a kid sees a porno video? I think we should have some sort of standard of evidence before we come down on other people for how they raise their children, is all I’m saying. What’s the evidence for your position? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/109 "2007-12-11T04:38:18Z")
Yikes. **T.O.** didn’t last long. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/110 "2007-12-11T04:40:04Z")
Well, that’s what happens when you buy your socks from the $.99 store. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/111 "2007-12-11T21:11:05Z")
I noticed the oddest thing last night watching a few more episodes. Near the end of the credits is the name Sonny Rhodes as the **musician: main title theme**. Now I know\* a Sonny Rhodes and he is an excellent Blues guitar player, so I suspect it is him. Unfortunately [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1259529/) has no other listings for him. Thankfully [Wiki confirms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Rhodes#Footnotes) it is the Sonny I have met, talked to and even sang with once. I think this is very cool little coincidence. I have one or two of his CDs loaded in my CD players. (I have ganged together a Sony 200 & 300 disc CD player to make an in house jukebox.) He used to play at the Jazz & Blues festival I helped stage and at least once at the [Clearwater Festival](http://www.mcclearwater.org/festival.php). He was a great guy, very friendly, hopefully he did well off these recordings. He is a great bluesman. Jim - not well ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/112 "2007-12-11T21:42:03Z")
That’s him singing the theme song? That is cool. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/113 "2007-12-11T21:51:04Z")
[QUOTE=Eleanor of Aquitaine] That’s him singing the theme song? That is cool. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure if he is singing or just playing the guitar for it. The credit is a little vague. Josh Whedon apparently wrote the lyrics. [The soundtrack list says](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/soundtrack), “The Ballad of Serenity” Performed by Sonny Rhodes Written by Joss Whedon. It looks like it is safe to assume he is singing and playing the theme. Jim ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/114 "2007-12-13T19:11:40Z")
I completed the series last night. I was excellent and I really enjoyed it. I will probably watch the movie over the weekend. River’s character never got too annoying. Most of the characters show nice growth for 13 shows. I like the way Mal was developing; I hope that plays out in the movie. Jayne was the best character, but Mal has no reason to trust him. He has proven from even how he was hired that he is only out for himself. He might rise to the occasion on occasion, but I would hate to have to count on him. Jim ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/115 "2007-12-13T19:29:57Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I’m not sure if he is singing or just playing the guitar for it. The credit is a little vague. Josh Whedon apparently wrote the lyrics. [The soundtrack list says](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/soundtrack), “The Ballad of Serenity” Performed by Sonny Rhodes Written by Joss Whedon. It looks like it is safe to assume he is singing and playing the theme. Jim [/QUOTE] It’s him. He also appears on-screen as the Mudder singing in the saloon in “Jaynestown.” _The hero of Canton the man we call… Jayne!_ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/116 "2007-12-13T19:48:56Z")
[QUOTE=lisacurl] It’s him. He also appears on-screen as the Mudder singing in the saloon in “Jaynestown.” _The hero of Canton the man we call… Jayne!_ [/QUOTE] Cool, I need to pop that back in a watch that scene. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/117 "2007-12-13T19:50:43Z")
Are you sure about that? Sonny Rhodes is an elderly black man and I remember the mudder balladeer being a middle aged white guy. Glad you enjoyed the show, **What Exit?**. Hope you enjoy the movie. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/118 "2007-12-13T19:59:39Z")
[QUOTE=Aesiron] Are you sure about that? Sonny Rhodes is an elderly black man and I remember the mudder balladeer being a middle aged white guy. Glad you enjoyed the show, **What Exit?**. Hope you enjoy the movie. [/QUOTE] Sonny Rhodes would be in his mid-60s now and was definitely an black blues musician. So if the balladeer was white, it isn’t the Sonny Rhodes I know and Wiki credits with preforming the title song. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/119 "2007-12-13T20:22:30Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Sonny Rhodes would be in his mid-60s now and was definitely an black blues musician. So if the balladeer was white, it isn’t the Sonny Rhodes I know and Wiki credits with preforming the title song. [/QUOTE] [Definitely lacking in the melanin department.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublUU2ISTMU) ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418/120 "2007-12-13T23:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] [Definitely lacking in the melanin department.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublUU2ISTMU) [/QUOTE] Thank you so much! 😃 Gonna have to watch the show again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefly-the-series-what-age-is-it-appropriate-viewing-for/428418.md?page=7)