Firefly (2002) Cre: Joss Whedon
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Created by writer and director Joss Whedon, this sci-fi western series is infamous for its extensive cult popularity, and, perhaps more so, its all-too-brief run on television - being cancelled after just 14 episodes, due to a lack of viewership ratings. It's a show I've watched a few times over the years, but never reviewed, so I figured now was as good a time as any.
With style, aesthetic and character, the series took a couple of episodes to find its feet, which is to be expected of any debuting show. However, once it settled into its rhythm, it developed into a unique and enjoyable science fiction series with a strong Western flavour, and plenty of intriguing characters and storylines with space to grow and evolve.
The one thing that stayed pretty strong throughout the series was the strength of its comedy. The jokes may have been silly, but with the personalities of the characters, it worked. I also appreciated the lighthearted nature of many of the jokes, considering how dark other aspects of the shoe were.
The writing in general seemed to improve episode by episode, with the last few episodes being especially strong. The big disappointment is that the show ended so prematurely. It felt like there was so much more story to uncover, and so many mew corners of the world created by the show to explore.
Nathan Fillion provides a witty, charismatic and charming performance, with hints of both fire and sincerity, which ultimately made him a very strong main protagonist for the show. Fillion showed a flair of sorts that was very entertaining, especially in the delivery of his one-liners and off-hand remarks.
The pair of Gina Torres and Alan Tudyk each gave some wonderful performances, especially, in my view, Tudyk, whose comedic timing was arguably even better than Fillion's at times. The two had great on-screen chemistry too, which only made them even more likable.
My other favourites from the main cast were Morena Baccarin, Jewel Staite and Ron Glass, who, while certainly supporting characters, each provided a lot of personality and enjoyment. I have always been especially fond of Staite for her wholesome and endearing energy.
The other regulars; Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau and Sean Maher were also enjoyable, but their initial writing was a little bit weaker. Thankfully, they grew into the series well, particularly Glau. I also enjoyed the guest starring appearances of the likes of Mark Sheppard, Christina Hendricks and Bonnie Bartlett.
Overall, this has always been among my favourite shows, despite how little there is of it. The characters are such a huge part of that, and I wish there had been more of it to enjoy, because I feel like it would only have improved more. Ultimately, this will go down as one of the saddest cancellations of a TV show, maybe ever. But, on the plus side, the show will also be remembered as one of the best cult classic shows, with one of the most loyal fanbases.
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