Serenity was the perfect episode to start this series…if only Fox could have seen that! It does a pretty good job of introducing all the characters on the ship, gives a bit of backstory into why Mal is so bitter, establishes the very Heinlein-esque frontier environment that the stories mainly take place in, establishes that the villains of this series are ruthless, be they Alliance or Reaver, and finally, sets up the fact that what you think you know is coming (because of the billions of cliches that most similar shows would use) isn’t necessarily what you’re going to get.
Case in point: Dobson, Simon, and Book. I was watching this with a friend who had never seen the series before. When the Captain suspects Simon of being the alliance mole, her first words were, “No, it’s too obvious. The preacher is the mole!” In the next scene, Book steps out and tells Mal he has the wrong man, and my friend jumped up and shouted “I knew it” only to be stunned a half second later when Dobson steps out with his gun drawn! I love this about the whole series…it really keeps you on your toes, and holds your interest because of it. Better yet, it isn’t just a fluke; these things happen through the whole episode. Who really expected Mal to shoot Dobson in the end, so quickly, so ruthlessly, without warning, exposition, or pity? I know I didn’t, but damned if it didn’t endear the show to me.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post that the pilot was much darker than the rest of the series, and you’re right, it was. In fact, the whole series was meant to be a little darker than it ended up…but the suits at Fox didn’t like that. They wanted it to be “funny, like Buffy!” because apparently, a man can only have one good idea in his life and they didn’t feel Joss or his talented team of writers capable of pulling off a darker show. Personally, while I love the humour that the series had, I would have been very interested in seeing where Joss would have taken it without the interference of the asshats at Fox.
I just wonder about the traffic control in the Eavestown Docks. The pedestrians going by are right next to Serenity just after she landed. Do people clear out of the way of a landing ship? And what about take off? Would it be a good idea to stand next to Serenity’s engines as they spooled up? Bad things could happen!
I finally managed to watch this today (life with a toddler is a bit chaotic), and I just had to mention two little things I noticed this time 'round.
In the same vein (heh) as the Inara non-suicide kit discussion: when she describes her home planet, her client says, “I can’t imagine anyone ever leaving.” Check the look on her face - it very clearly says, “that’s a long and painful story,” and the camera does one of those odd little freezy moments for emphasis.
And Jewel Staite has the most exquisitely expressive face. That look she gives the strawberry is unbelievable. I’m sure every man who watches that scene wishes he were a strawberry!
[QUOTE=AerynSun]
I finally managed to watch this today (life with a toddler is a bit chaotic), and I just had to mention two little things I noticed this time 'round.
In the same vein (heh) as the Inara non-suicide kit discussion: when she describes her home planet, her client says, “I can’t imagine anyone ever leaving.” Check the look on her face - it very clearly says, “that’s a long and painful story,” and the camera does one of those odd little freezy moments for emphasis.
[quote]
Those jump cuts (I think that’s what they’re called, anyway) seem to be characteristic of Joss-directed episodes. “Objects in Space” also…
…features the technique. In the opening scene, as River walks through the ship, there are several jump cuts used to disorient the viewer and to illustrate the discontinuity between what is being said and what is being thought. Later, as Early confronts his demons in the cockpit of Serenity, there are several abrupt cuts to Early laughing and mugging for the camera, backed by some of the eeriest scoring I’ve ever heard. It makes for a frightening moment, and really gets the point across that Early is mentally unbalanced.