The WORST single acting moment in an episode!! by Muggi

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The WORST single acting moment in an episode!!

POSTED BY: MUGGI
UPDATED: Saturday, January 19, 2008 12:11
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Friday, January 11, 2008 2:04 PM

Ok, so we all love the series and think the actors are great but..everyone has a bad MOMENT.

Post up the moment in the BDS/BDM where you think one of the actors was quite obviously ACTING.

I have two:

1. The beginning of "Trash", where Mal has his reunion with Monty. After Monty's line regarding introducing Mal to "the missus", Nathan has a "mock-surprise small step back" move in response, preceding the "fallen from our noble bachelor ranks" line and it's just..bad. Really FAKE! I can see what he was going for, can even believe that he was faking shock IN CHARACTER but..it just doesn't work. I smile every time I watch it, and just kinda say "yeah, Nate, ya missed that one."

2. Kitchen scene in "The Train Job" with Inara and Book..Book makes a comment about helping with the crime, the "well not HELP help" line (which he delivers PERFECTLY) and then..the line "I do feel awfully useless". Yeah..Ron blows that line. It sounds really forced, and he does this little head-bob thing that doesn't look natural at ALL.

Discuss!

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Friday, January 11, 2008 2:09 PM

BLACKADDER7

I actually think Jayne's line at the beginning of Serenity was pretty poorly delivered. The "what you plan and what takes place ain't exactly similar" line. Love the line, but the delivery is so forced, and the cheesy smile on Jayne's face when he says it, just don't work for me.

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Friday, January 11, 2008 6:57 PM

MUGGI

Bump bump.

As lame as bumping your own thread is, I really want to get more replies to this :P Being objective is ALWAYS a good thing! C'mon people, nothing is perfect!

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Friday, January 11, 2008 7:34 PM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

Kaylee in Safe.

(punctuated for how lines were delivered, i.e. poorly)

"What's going on? Oh God. Shepherd!"
"What are you doing what about Simon and River!" *whiiiine*

Baaaaaaaaaaad. Kills the whole scene for me, just takes me out of it and leaves me (even the first time) not at all worried about Book. It seems especially poor when offset by the stunning and heartwrenching performance delivered by Summer in this episode.

I don't think that being cautiously ashamed, or selectively ashamed, or in any way ashamed of who I am is any way to live my life.

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Friday, January 11, 2008 7:51 PM

REGINAROADIE

One tiny acting beat that distracts me is in the pilot. After the reveal that River's in the box and Mal goes "Shock of what? Finding out that's been sold to a border world baron. Or...I'm sorry, is this one for you? Is it true love? Because you two seem to be very-" and the River pokes her head out and starts screaming. When Mal "reacts" in surprise and jumps back, it's so obviously a very exaggerated response. As if his shock was perfectly timed. It doesn't seem spontaneous at all.

That's the first one I can think off the top of my head. I dunno. It's been a while since I had seen the series (I'm not one of those guys whose seen the show hundreds of times. I have other stuff to watch.), so I haven't completely memorized nine actors performances over a half season of episodes.

I have problems with specific characters, but that's more Joss and the writer's faults than the actors.

**************************************************
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Friday, January 11, 2008 9:10 PM

FLORALBUNNY

There are a batch of poor line readings but
I prefer not to dwell on them. Just watch
and cringe from time to time.

Nathan's response to Monty's marriage is
deliberately cheesy and I get a kick out
of it. It's of a piece with the obviously
intentionally overdone "Is this one for
you?" which you also don't like. Part of
the Mal character? Response to direction?
Pure Nathan? I haven't seen enough other
Nathan to know.

It's more fun to watch the thing than to pick
it to pieces, IMHO.

bun
Frisky Browncoats
Bastards singed my turtle

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 12:19 AM

CLJOHNSTON108

While I hate to rip into our beloved show (because Firefly at its worst is still better than most every other show at its best), here are mine...

• Jewel's "You just gotta have faith in people" line in "Serenity".
• Some of the laughter around the dinner table sounded really forced, like in OoG, when Jewel says, "Shepherd Book was just telling us funny stories..." and Nathan & Gina telling about Tracy and the mustache in "The Message".

I feel dirty now.
Is this how starved for discussion fodder we've become?

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 4:10 AM

LWAVES

Can't remember the episode but it's where they are around the table and talking about River being psychic and Wash says that it sounds like something from science fiction and Zoe says 'We live on a spaceship dear' and then Wash (I believe says) 'So'.

It's a fine joke but just seems a little forced to get the joke out there.

That's all I can think of now.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 5:36 AM

JOSSISAGOD

Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:
Can't remember the episode but it's where they are around the table and talking about River being psychic and Wash says that it sounds like something from science fiction and Zoe says 'We live on a spaceship dear' and then Wash (I believe says) 'So'.

It's a fine joke but just seems a little forced to get the joke out there.

That's all I can think of now.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

I believe that was Objects in Space. As for commenting on the main post, all of the ones I've thought of have already been mentioned.

Fe'nos Tol
JOSSIS(Most Definitely)AGOD

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 5:48 AM

EARTHGIRL

and scene that the actor who played rance burguce is in. GAWD is that man AWFUL! It's a weak episode and having his horrible acting in it as much as it is just stands out so much.

Oh, the image of when he's on the "phone" and confirming the child is his-- what's the whole 'waving of the hand' bit? My eyes hurt just thinking of all that horrible acting! I rarely watch that episode just because of him.

As far as our BDHs....? Wow.. I never thought about them in a *bad* way... I guess I'll just have to watch all my dvds to see if I can find some.... :)

oh, poor me- what a hardship ;)

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 7:29 AM

FIREFLYORAMA

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
Nathan & Gina telling about Tracy and the mustache in "The Message".

New Browncoat here. I recently watched "Done the Impossible". That scene in The Message is interesting to watch because Joss, actors, crew, etc. had just found out the day before that the show had been canceled by Fox. It makes sense the acting was not so great, their hearts had just been broken.

Fireflyorama

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 8:54 AM

NBZ

Quote:
Originally posted by Fireflyorama:
Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
Nathan & Gina telling about Tracy and the mustache in "The Message".

New Browncoat here. I recently watched "Done the Impossible". That scene in The Message is interesting to watch because Joss, actors, crew, etc. had just found out the day before that the show had been canceled by Fox. It makes sense the acting was not so great, their hearts had just been broken.

Fireflyorama

but.. but... that is supposed to be forced!

They just think a buddy of their has died and are doing their best to remember him in the best light.

I would say the same for the reaction to Monty.

The one place where I can say the "acting" did not work was as well as what the script probably envisioned was "the roll" in War Stories.

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 3:21 PM

FREEBROWNCOAT

I guess the only bad acting was done by Rance Burgess. THough he did the speech on the balcony well, the ride on the hovercar just didn't make it. No fear of retribution like he should be having, IMHO.
But even that is a minor distraction from the wonderfully clever and real writing and the tremendous acting done everywhere else.

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 3:37 PM

OVEROBSESSED765

i agree. I thought the worst acting was by Rance Burgess. It made it so hard to watch then the camera would show Nathan and I was all fine again.

I have to say in the BDM when Kaylee and Simon are talking something about when Kaylee says "Don't ever ride in a boat with a Capison 38 Engine they fall right outta the sky", something about her expression as she says it just rubs me the wrong way.

Eek... it feels so odd to say anything remotely bad about our heroes.

If nothing else, I will always believe in the fans of Firefly/Serenity.

We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty.

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 4:45 PM

CLJOHNSTON108

Quote:
Originally posted by OverObsessed765:
Eek... it feels so odd to say anything remotely bad about our heroes.

I know!

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Saturday, January 12, 2008 10:57 PM

MUGGI

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:
Quote:
Originally posted by OverObsessed765:
Eek... it feels so odd to say anything remotely bad about our heroes.

I know!

That's why I thought this would be a fun thread

Everyone here loves the series, but I'm sure the actors themselves would be the first to tell you it is not perfect. Heck, just from listening to the commentaries they mention particular scenes they do not like their work in.

To who ever mentioned it: "the roll" in "War Stories"..yeah, it doesn't work at all :P Between the gigantic guns and the way Gina is holding them, she looks close to falling flat on her face!

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Sunday, January 13, 2008 12:51 AM

ASARIAN

1): War Stories. Kaylee, Niska's Skyplex. Brilliant performance, retreating all the way to the ramp, clumsy with that gun: confused, out of place, bewildered, at times looking like she will shoot, then deciding not to. But soon as she gets behind the bulkhead at the ramp (moments before River 'just does the math'), she suddenly cowers, is crying and behaves like she's fourteen or some such. It was just a bit over the top. Especially since her acting up to that scene was so astounding. That scene only lasts a few seconds, but it never sat well with me. Kaylee is at her best when things are at their worst; and she really stands out in scenes where she's vulnerable; but in that one particular scene I think she laid it on just a mite too much.

2): I really never cared much for the Stitch character (Jaynestown). Or should I say caricature? Man looks like a pirate-gone-wrong, carrying all the bandit cliches of the world. I know, it ain't about Stitch; it's 'bout Jayne; but still.

P.S. Kaylee is underrated.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Sunday, January 13, 2008 2:07 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:

Can't remember the episode but it's where they are around the table and talking about River being psychic and Wash says that it sounds like something from science fiction and Zoe says 'We live on a spaceship, dear' and then Wash (I believe says) 'So?'.

It's a fine joke but just seems a little forced to get the joke out there.

'Twas a fine joke, really. Only problem with it is.. is that it's just a joke. :) I mean, that convo, within the episode, makes no sense whatsoever. Living on a space-ship, to them, is no SF at all. I say that's bad. It's one thing to nudge a bit to Real Life. But, this way, Joss really breaks with the fantasy world for a moment, just to get in an extra joke. Causing your audience to break out of the fantasy is actually a bit of a cardinal sin. Like suddenly seeing a mic in the picture (or a camera man in a window!). This time it was intentional, of course; but it's still breakage.

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

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Sunday, January 13, 2008 5:09 AM

CBSTEVE

Some of these have been mentioned already:

Jayne's line from the Train Job about the idiots form the bar brawl not knowing it was a transport with no guns...very forced

Mal meeting Monty...his over reaction on finding Monty was married

Rance Burgess and Stitch Hession...too over the top both of them.

Simon was way too sarcastic when Jayne was looking for tape in the infirmary in Jaynestown.

The "we are living on a spaceship line" from Objects in Sapce kills that whole scene, which was great and well done by Jewel to that point, but that line just kills it.

Now how about the best scenes for each actor? Here are mine:

Book/Ron - when he confronts Womack in The Message.

Mal/Nathan - the conversation Wash and Mal have when they are first taken to Niska's Skyplex and then trying to keep Wash's spirits up while being torture in War Stories

Zoe/Gina - dealing with Wash and Niska in War Stories

Simon/Sean - joining River at the stake in Safe and telling them to light it

Wash/Alan - not a funny one surprisingly, after Zoe gets him out of Niskas place in War Stories when collapses in the shuttle and says the bastard ain't gonna get days to torture Mal

Jayne/Adam - the Hero of Canton, drinking with the Mudders talking about how they had a riot for him; also, when Mal has him in the airlock from Ariel

Kaylee/Jewel - just a brief moment, but picking Simon up from the dirt in Jaynestown, she was so gentle and sweet; also talking to him later in his room

Inara/Morena - her talk with Mal near the beginning of Trach and she calls him a petty crook; she has great comic timing

River/Summer - so many great scenes, a great actress, but those moments with Simon in Safe when they are eating berries, that was gold

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Sunday, January 13, 2008 6:54 AM

SHAMROCK

HOnestly, I think mine would have to be when Zoe does the "roll on the ground and then stand up and shoot" scene in War Stories. For as well planned out as that was, I dont think it was played as well as they thought. I noticed it, my dad noticed it, my brother noticed it, it was just an AWFUL scene. LOL. As far as words go, I don't find there to be a lot of them. Actions speak much louder than words.

But I absolutely LOVE the show. It pains me to have found something in the first place...

-------------------------------------
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"And you're pretty...pretty."
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"I said that you were pretty."

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Sunday, January 13, 2008 7:32 AM

STEAMER

Confessedly, I've read through all these and can't say as I agree with a lot of 'em. But anyhoo: I never was all that impressed with Kaylee's first encounter with Early. 'How did you get on?' and 'The captain's right down that hallway, he can hear you!' I know were supposed to be choked with fear, but to me they sounded awfully forced. I dunno, for most of the scene she seemed more saddened and less genuinely terrified.

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Into a ship
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Sunday, January 13, 2008 9:12 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Quote:
Originally posted by OverObsessed765:

I have to say in the BDM when Kaylee and Simon are talking something about when Kaylee says "Don't ever ride in a boat with a Capison 38 Engine they fall right outta the sky", something about her expression as she says it just rubs me the wrong way.

I think Joss has stated in commentary that he considers that line to be the best delivered line in the BDM.

Already mentioned above, the roll in War Stories, looks like it takes forever for Zoe to crossdraw those 2 guns. I assume she was doing what she was told, maybe they figured on editing it or speeding up the frames, but then they forgot and left it like that. If they knew that, they should have come up with a more plausible move. Particularly in scifi, the actors have to trust the director and stuntmen to not make them look like fools, and here they failed her.
Same scenes, when Wash pivots and fires a big gun, it looks like he's just holding a wooden stick. Alan said Adam helped him a bunch in the episode because he'd never done action before, but that one shot makes me wince.

The worst lines come from Inara's clients, but I suspect they were intended that way.

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Monday, January 14, 2008 1:24 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:

Quote:
Originally posted by OverObsessed765:

I have to say in the BDM when Kaylee and Simon are talking something about when Kaylee says "Don't ever ride in a boat with a Capison 38 Engine they fall right outta the sky", something about her expression as she says it just rubs me the wrong way.

I think Joss has stated in commentary that he considers that line to be the best delivered line in the BDM.

And I agree with Joss. :) Indeed, that line comes out awkwardly, but it's supposed to come out awkwardly! :) It's purposely contrived, deliberately forced. That's because Kaylee doesn't really know what to do. She wants to scream out: "Please, stay!!! It ain't right for you to leave!" But, under the circumstances, she can't. Instead, highly uncomfortable, she gives some strained 'motherly' advice: the words of a 'mother' who can't contain her worry that this whole endeavour of her 'children' will end in a giant fiasco -- yet, unable to prevent them from leaving. Brilliant delivery in word and bodily expression.

I'll say it again: Kaylee is underrated.

--

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Monday, January 14, 2008 1:37 AM

ASARIAN

Quote:
Originally posted by Shamrock:

Honestly, I think mine would have to be when Zoe does the "roll on the ground and then stand up and shoot" scene in War Stories. For as well planned out as that was, I dont think it was played as well as they thought.

Saying that this is understating it, is understating it. :) That roll was plain awful. What bugged me the most about it, is that a true professional soldier would first draw the guns, keep em tight in both hands, then roll, and then, when rolled out, be ready to fire immediately. You don't just roll, get up, take your good time to grab them guns and fire at your leisure. Not unless you don't wanna live to tell about it. :)

--

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Monday, January 14, 2008 4:09 AM

JONGSSTRAW

I'd have to say, although I really like "Heart of Gold", that the speech that Rance makes to the townsmen is pretty ridiculous.

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Monday, January 14, 2008 1:30 PM

OVEROBSESSED765

i think the look after the line is what he was talking about. I don't know, perhaps the irking me was just me being sad about them leaving?

We are just too pretty for God to let us die.

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Monday, January 14, 2008 4:03 PM

BORIS

Kaylee when Jayne is delivering his wonderful lines about what drives people to be Reavers. There's just something about her facial expressions that makes me cringe.

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Monday, January 14, 2008 5:38 PM

LAWMAN

i have to say that double gun pulling scene at niska's place is almost comical, cause it makes me laugh out loud when i'm watching by myself, and squirm uncomfortably when others are with me. also, right before the attack as wash and zoe are locking and loading weapons, wash starts talking about leaving no one behind. i know he's saying some of it in jest, but its a serious moment and it comes out a bit off.
the counter to this thread is the best single acting moment: that mechanic before they got kaylee. every scene he is in is practically brilliant. he comes across so freaking believable as an idiot who is a below average mechanic.

genius, i like that.

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Tuesday, January 15, 2008 6:46 AM

ZZETTA13

I guess I really would have to say (about any not up to par acting in FF) that I agree with some of the posts here, and that I disagree with many. JMO, it doesn’t seem that the written word is at fault just the way a certain actor in the scene delivers the line. Course if we were all directors we would have called for another “Take”. Overall I think the cast did an outstanding job of not only delivering their dialoged but their facial expressions and postures were top notch. I’ve laughed and teared up more than I’ve been perturbed about the acting on FF. There is one thing that bothers me though and it has nothing to do with the acting. In the TRASHED eps after the Mal, Montey, Yosafbridges, bit then the whisk off to Serenity and the robbery plans are made, somewhere in there words are flashed onto the screen “Two hours later”, I’m thinking “ My gosh all that should have taken more than 2 hours!” A peeve of mine and something I just put outta mind when watching that eps.
Z

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Tuesday, January 15, 2008 9:46 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN

That only takes 2 hours because Inara is the one doing the planning - she is so much more organized and efficient.

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Friday, January 18, 2008 11:05 AM

CANTER

It's funny now some of the abovementioned scenes are actually some of my favourites.

The one scene that gets on my nerves a bit is in Mrs. Reynolds, just after Saffron tells Mal that she is his wife. Just before they go into the opening credits (is that what you call it?) he gives a sort of double-double take. It's always seemed a bit overdone. But then again, it only started bugging me after about the 7th time that I watched it.

One of my favourite scenes is the one between Zoe and Wash after she rescues him from Niska's skyplex. After he falls into the shuttle, and she crouches in front of him, the tenderness and concern on her face, and the way she touches him, with so much gentleness, is one of the only times you see her true love for Wash. He's always worried and concerned about her, and here is the only time that she is worried and concerned about him. It's just so subtle and gentle. Makes me cry every time.

Another one of my favourites. Mal's line in OoG "Everybody dies alone." Delivered perfectly.

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Friday, January 18, 2008 12:39 PM

NOSHEPARD

I have to disagree with your opinion. One of my favorite scenes in the BDM is when Kaylee says "they fall right out of the sky". If you view Joss' commentary on the BDM, this same scene is also one of his favorites. So there!

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Saturday, January 19, 2008 12:11 PM

STAPLES

I can think of a couple, but only a couple...

In Ariel (possibly my favorite episode) when they are trying to learn their lines (one of my favorite scenes) it angers me how forced Gina's performance is. She's pretending to struggle with the words, but it comes out terrible.

Also, I HATE Stitch. He just plain pisses me off - the episode is great, but I would've preferred a more grounded character...
And Rance Burgess too...he sucks.

And (to cleanse myself of the blasphemy above) my FAVorite bit of acting in the entire show - Ariel - when Mal has Jayne locked out and says "You did it to me Jayne...and that's a fact" MMMMmmm I get tingles just thinking about that scene.

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