We’re not going to be seeing the “Firefly” pilot Joss Whedon wrote and directed until December, when Fox airs a version augmented with reshoots as an “origin special.”
Herc saw the version “Novagrass” did and he’s here to tell you it was a plenty fine pilot before the reshoots. But why fret? It’ll all come out on DVD eventually. Am I right?
Here’s “Novagrass”:
Here’s “Novagrass”:
I just got myself a copy of Firefly’s 80minute pilot episode. I thought you guys might like a review.
Let’s break this down Herc Style…
So, what are you reviewing?
Firefly’s pilot episode, Serenity. People keep saying it’s two hours long, but it’s not. Maybe if they added the commercials… but as it is, it’s an 80minute episode.
Well then … did you like what you saw?
I sure as hell did.
Sum up the plot in 5 lines.
Mal, Zoe, and Jayne steal Alliance goods from ship. Try to sell it, fail. Pick up passengers at Persephone (Big, CG city) to bring to Boros (a planet or moon or something along those lines). Inara sponge-bathing. Fed on board, after a fugitive and his sister in box. Kaylee shot. Crew outruns Reavers in space. Mal finally sells goods. Outrun Reavers again. Simon and River offered sanctuary on Serenity.
Hold up a second… who did what to who? Who are all these characters?
Mal Reynolds- Captain of the ship.
Zoe- Mal’s right hand woman
Jayne- Mercenary
Wash- Pilot, Zoe’s husband
Inara- Intelligent, cultured prostitute
Kaylee- Cute mechanic
Book- Shepard who’s been out of the world for years.
Simon- Young doctor
River- Doctor’s crazy (brilliant) sister.
God that’s a lot of characters… Are they actually given personalities?
Seeing as this is a Joss Whedon show, it’s not at all surprising that every character is treated very delicately, and yes, they have distinct personalities.
Who’s your favorite?
I like Simon… or Inara… or Mal… or Kaylee… or River… or… oh, I give up.
While we’re talking about the all-human cast… how are the actors?
For a pilot episode, I was really impressed with how well the actors have found their characters. I especially enjoyed Adam Baldwin’s portrayal of Jayne. Sure Jayne may be the stereotypical tough-crude thuggish mercenary guy, but Baldwin plays his with this amazing subtlety that’s really great. He has the standout performance here. Sean Maher’s Simon, Jewel Staite’s Kaylee and Monica Boccarin’s Inara come close to Baldwin’s Jayne… but they fall barely short of his performance, I think. My only problem in the acting area was Gina Torres’ performance toward the middle of the episode. She seemed almost bored… and I can’t really understand why.
So, we’ve talked about the characters… now, what’s the story like?
It’s slow and deliberate in places, full of action in others, and humorous in yet others. The drama is realistic, and just when you think it’s getting to be a bit too much… oops, it’s just a joke. The drama isn’t melodramatic and it isn’t too light. I’d go as far as to say it’s perfect.
FOX ordered a different episode for the initial airing… why do you think that is?
Like I said above, the story is slow and deliberate. Apparently FOX doesn’t like that… something about their average viewer being too mentally incapable to keep up? They might be right… I mean, look at what was in its timeslot last season.
You said earlier that there was some action. What’s it like?
Think Sergio Leone and you’re right on the money. It’s pretty spaghetti western-esque. And it’s very cool, very well done. It proves just how badass Mal and Co. really is.
Firefly has been compared to Farscape. What’s your take on this?
While I love Farscape, there is little to compare between it and Firefly. They’re different shows completely, in tone and style. I think that Farscape fans will find enough similarities to keep them interested… but they’ll find more than enough differences to keep from feeling they’re watching another episode of Farscape. The differences lie mainly in the characters. And there are no aliens… or muppets.
You mention style? Is there anything unique about the style?
Funny you should ask… or I should ask… or… whatever. Yes. There is A LOT of style. About 99% of the show is filmed using handheld cameras. This technique really helps in sucking you into the story. Even the special effects look handheld. I really like it. It’s cool.
Since we’re relying on an all-human cast… how are the actors?
For a pilot episode, I was really impressed with how well the actors have found their characters. I especially enjoyed Adam Baldwin’s portrayal of Jayne. Sure Jayne may be the stereotypical tough-crude thuggish mercenary guy, but Baldwin plays his with this amazing subtlety that’s really great. He has the standout performance here. Sean Maher’s Simon, Jewel Staite’s Kaylee and Monica Boccarin’s Inara come close to Baldwin’s Jayne… but they fall barely short of his performance, I think. My only problem in the acting area was Gina Torres’ performance toward the middle of the episode. She seemed almost bored… and I can’t really understand why.
Now to the important part… how are the special effects?
The special effects range from good to spectacular. I can easily say that these are the best television series special effects I’ve seen. Not only do they look nice, they’re almost seamlessly integrated into the show. While a show like Enterprise has some nice special effects, they are pretty boring and really don’t influence the show’s storytelling. What’s great about Firefly’s special effects is that they help in the storytelling as opposed to simply looking nice. The handheld camera look of the effects adds to the storytelling aspect. Then there’s the electronic paper. In the scene with Badger, there is this great effect where they put moving electronic imagery on regular paper. It’s like paper meets computers, and it’s a great detail… A great detail.
So, we know Firefly is a Joss Whedon show. How does it compare to his other shows, Buffy and Angel?
Well… Firefly shares the great character development and intriguing relationships that Buffy and Angel are known for, and that’s about where the similarities stop. Firefly is more down to earth than Buffy/Angel. It’s more real-world centric, and while it takes place in the far future, I have an easier time putting myself in Firefly’s world than I do putting myself in Buffy’s. Firefly is a little less conventional in its camera work too, and I like that. I’m going to say that Firefly is all around better than Buffy, even though the differences between the shows might be too strong to make an accurate comparison.
Firefly sounds great. Is there anything you’d like to add?
Umm… I think everyone should watch it. Cause it’s amazing.
