All I knew about 'Firefly' when I started watching my friend's DVDs was that it was a Space Western, and the brainchild of Joss Whedon. The former had me worried, as I have never been a fan of westerns. The latter gave me hope, as I have a great deal of respect for Joss.
It did take me a little while to accept the very literal extreme to which the 'Space Western' theme is taken, particularly when they were riding around on horses with old-fashioned 6-shooters. But in later episodes where we visit some Alliance worlds, I finally understood how the show is mainly set on the frontier of space where there is minimal infrastructure and not a lot of high-tech gadgetry to throw around.
But the setting is incidental to the characters, and the characters of Firefly are, IMO, Joss's greatest creations. Mal is an enjoyable cross between Mad Max and Han Solo, with a wicked sense of humour, and his relationship with Inara is priceless. Every character has a vital and unique role to play in the show, creating one of the strongest 'ensemble' casts I have ever seen.
Then there are the visuals. The digital effects are masterfully executed, and it is often impossible to tell where reality ends and fantasy begins. The sets are gorgeous with a stunning attention to detail. The costumes are simply jaw-dropping.
It pains me to ponder where this series might have gone if Fox had at least let it run to the end of its first season. It is a tragedy to see such a masterpiece cut down in its prime.
It did take me a little while to accept the very literal extreme to which the 'Space Western' theme is taken, particularly when they were riding around on horses with old-fashioned 6-shooters. But in later episodes where we visit some Alliance worlds, I finally understood how the show is mainly set on the frontier of space where there is minimal infrastructure and not a lot of high-tech gadgetry to throw around.
But the setting is incidental to the characters, and the characters of Firefly are, IMO, Joss's greatest creations. Mal is an enjoyable cross between Mad Max and Han Solo, with a wicked sense of humour, and his relationship with Inara is priceless. Every character has a vital and unique role to play in the show, creating one of the strongest 'ensemble' casts I have ever seen.
Then there are the visuals. The digital effects are masterfully executed, and it is often impossible to tell where reality ends and fantasy begins. The sets are gorgeous with a stunning attention to detail. The costumes are simply jaw-dropping.
It pains me to ponder where this series might have gone if Fox had at least let it run to the end of its first season. It is a tragedy to see such a masterpiece cut down in its prime.