GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Is Firefly the best sci-fi series ever?

POSTED BY: DARKFLY
UPDATED: Friday, August 18, 2006 12:38
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Sunday, August 13, 2006 5:40 AM

SPACEANJL


Nah - Martian Colony would have to be named 'Cartertown' or something.

("Barsoom." "I'm sorry, did you belch?")

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 6:08 AM

CITIZEN


Quote:

Or any military campaign from about The Seige of Boston to the beginning of the 20th century. "Say, heres a good idea. See that U shaped valley with the Russian cannons on all sides? Why dontcher ride right down the middle of that? Good show, what? Off you go now, lads!"
I don't think anyones got the market cornered on that, just think of the First World War:
British: "Okay chaps up and at 'em, remember walk in single file very slowly toward their machine guns. More sporting that way what! Tally Ho!"

Canadians: "What's this moaning all aboot? Up over the Trench, single file, not to fast now, don't want them missing!"

Australians: "Come on Mates! Let's go get the Fritz, and remember double hard out back blokes like you can take it, walk toward them Germs, have a tinny on the way if ya like!"

Americans: "Well walking slowly toward the machine guns hasn't helped the allies much, but it's sure to work for us! Remember, slowly men!"

French: "Nous sommes de grands woopsies français et nous ne combattons plus de bluergh !"

Germans: "Für den Ruhm des Kaiser müssen wir gehen sehr langsam in Richtung zu den Gewehren! Es ist eine Strategie, also geisteskrank sehen die englischen Schweinhunde sie nie zu kommen!"
Quote:

cities is named Lundinium
It's actually one of the planets that is named Londinium, Londinium and Sihnon are the Alliance core worlds.



More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
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Sunday, August 13, 2006 7:01 AM

KINGOFALLLONDINUM


For me it is the best. And it is not that difficult of a choice. This despite the short run of the show. It could be argued that Firefly should not be counted against other long running sci fi shows, but I've never responded to a sci fi show in the same way as I have to Firefly.

I like Star Trek TNG, don't get me wrong. It is an enjoyable show to me. But I never connected to the characters of that show like I did to the ones on Firefly. And connecting to the characters is what ultimately distinguishes a show for me.

Star Trek TNG characters are just not as complex to me. And they rarely and I mean rarely, surprise me. A really great character can surprise you.

Also, it would get annoying to me how almost every problem on TNG would be solved with tecknobabble. Basically there was some crazy scientific explanation for saving the Enterprise every week. Many times I would think: "if you could do that all along, why didn't you just do that right at the start of the show and save a lot of grief."

One more thing to add: I've recently begun watching the DVD's of Babylon 5. I never watched it when it originally aired but have had many people over the years tell me it is good.

So I started rentin the DVD's. I've watched the first two seasons now. And I'm enjoying it enough to keep watching - it gives me something to do. But I'm not sure if I will continue on to the rest of the seasons.

My point in bringing up Babylon 5 is this: it pains me that a show like Babylon 5 gets 5 full seasons while Firefly only gets 11 aired episodes. Why the heck is that? Firefly is a thousand times better than Babylon 5. Heck, maybe more than a thousand times better. And it can't even last a full season?

Depressing...

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 7:07 AM

CANTTAKESKY


ROFL, Citizen. That was good.

Well, my two cents to this thread is:

Firefly is the best TV show ever in the world since the beginning of all time and forever and ever amen. Anyone who disagrees with me is wrong and will burn with all Islamofascists and their virgins.

-------
"Maybe she's a lazy hooker. They can't all have hearts of gold and good work ethics." -- Jaye in Wonderfalls

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 7:13 AM

ARCADIA


Firefly is the nearest and dearest to my heart. Does that make it the best?

hmm...

I don't gorram care -- its the best to me!

[center]
Arcadia
aka Greyfable and/or Katie


like the avatar? there are more. grab one here: http://snipurl.com/syt0. Happy Summer of Serenity!
www.stillflying.net -- picking up Firefly were Joss left off. We will hold 'til he gets back.
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Sunday, August 13, 2006 12:24 PM

GRRRARG


Well, if we're talking walking into the teeth of death when its a proven Bad Idea, lets not forget Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg.
"Well, y'all remember what happened at Mechanicsburg we we dug in an' them Yankees justa kept comming and we kept a killin' em?
An' y'all remember when we was at Malvern Hill an' them Yankee's had got all dug in themselves and we was the ones gittin killed?
Well, now, heres mah plan. Jimmy Longstreet here is gonna tell that feller Pickett and his boys to march across a mile of open ground right inta the Union center, where they got the high ground an' the same feller who dug the yankee guns in at Malvern Hill has cannon dug in here. Giterdun."

"Don't put your trust in revolutions. They always come around again. That's why they're called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes." -Terry Pratchett "Night Watch"

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 12:31 PM

GRRRARG


Quote:

Originally posted by canttakesky:
Anyone who disagrees with me is wrong and will burn with all Islamofascists and their virgins.




Well, damnit. I dowanna burn with virgins. I want to go to the Special Hell - the one with the scarlet women.
Oh BOY do I wanna go to the Special Hell....

....

....

I'll be in my bunk....

"Don't put your trust in revolutions. They always come around again. That's why they're called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes." -Terry Pratchett "Night Watch"

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 12:32 PM

CAROLJUDE


In the realm of 'best' lists, I put Star Trek aside as I do The Beatles - both are exempt from ranking, they exist supremely and are not to be judged/cannot be judged.

That said, in response to the thread title: YES. QUITE DEFINTELY.
(And without the help of people who look like fish or have odd noses or foreheads, to boot!)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Walk tall, or don't walk at all...

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 4:53 PM

ZOID


cozen replied:
Quote:

Okay, I'll take a stab at this. It's when Mal allows himself to be seduced by Saffron (Our Mrs. Reynolds, of course). He even concedes he's going to that "special Hell" for succumbing to her... special charms. And I loved him for it. Yep, you read that right, I loved the character's human weakness. A tragic weakness of the space dimension variety.

Hmmm... Maybe I didn't make this easy enough. I idon't think Mal took advantage of YoSaffBridge. So, contrary to Book's warning, I don't think he'll qualify for damnation for succumbing to her wiles. She was, after all, not only naked, but articulate as well, and Book "would've kissed her too". (NB: As I would've, and with a lot less provocation than it took to get Mal on the hook. Not all noble-like neither.)

So, I suppose, everyone should keep guessing. I could give a hint, but it'd make the answer so obvious that it would take the fun out of it. Maybe tomorrow...

Why is Inara loyal to Mal? She tells you so herself in the pilot. Asked by Inara why he is fascinated by Mal, Book replies that he is "something of a mystery". He then asks her why she is fascinated by Mal, and she replies, "Because so few men are."

It almost seems like a throwaway line, but think about it.

My basic assumption is that the crew of Serenity are a family, not just a group of people who've cast their lot together to make a living. Mal is their father figure. The next step is to examine the way the crew interacts with him and see if this fits the profile...

Inara is -- I won't say 'high-priced call girl', because she's much more than that -- the embodiment of the Ideal, of all that is desirable in the Feminine. She is an Object, and the ultimate 'trophy' to all the men she meets. They are made transparent to her by this singlemindedness on their part. I daresay she can feel their eyes fondling her, and that makes her feel *fill in the blank, they probably all fit*.

Mal is different. "Inara, he doesn't even see you," Mal tells her in "Shindig", and:
Quote:

He treats you like an ornament. Other men look at you and discuss if you're worth the cost. The women talk behind their fans, picturing you with their husbands. And to your face, they're sweet as pie.

Mal does see her. And she knows it. She is nothing special, no porcelain idol on a pedestal. She is simply a girl. ...Like her father would see her. Just as her father would chastise her for her choice of career, for the things she is depriving herself of by that choice, and yet still love her for the person she is, for her beautiful soul...

Ahhh! Hookers, strippers and porn stars and their Electra complexes! 'Tis a tale as old as time!

But can Inara and Mal ever be happy together? That, as the Danish prince said, is the question...



Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
"So zoid... Are you saying Book sees Mal as a father figure?! You must be nuts!"

That's exactly what I'm saying. And the proof is staring you right in the face throughout the series, like a gummed up "reg couple"...

P.P.S.
There's only one member of the crew who doesn't see Mal as a beneficent father figure. Hmmm... I wonder who that could be, and what illumination can be gained by passing through this filter?
_________________________________________________

"I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDBOF'

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Sunday, August 13, 2006 11:40 PM

FLAMETREE


Best sf ever?

Easy! Blake 7 and that didn't cost a million an episode.Who can forget Servalan (walking over corpses in haute coute and high heels), Avon or Villa?

After that B5.

Which makes firefly about number 3.
By the way for those of you who have never seen it blakes 7 was basically about a gang of criminals swanning around the universe and never quite getting ahead of the game.





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Sunday, August 13, 2006 11:45 PM

DESKTOPHIPPIE


Blake was a truly, truly excellent show. And I thought it had the best series finale ever until I saw the last scene of the last episode of Angel.

Babylon 5 was brilliant too, I got really involved in that story and the characters were amazing. Not only was the story a true epic that unfolded perfectly over the years, but the action sequences were some of the best I've seen on TV.

I'd still rate Firefly higher though. Or more correctly, I know that Firefly would have been better if it had been allowed to continue. I think that's the saddest part about the cancellation for me. It's all the stories we never got to see. All those great episodes that would have blown B5 out of the water.




More animations available at http://desktophippie.googlepages.com

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Monday, August 14, 2006 10:42 AM

FLAMETREE


Blake 7 spoiler

I havn't seen the angel finale so I can't compare
but it true B7's end was the best. The entire family was watching when it was first on. It was excellent and surprising.

When the story starts with the hero being convicted of peadiphilia and ends with a massacre of all the participants by the villianess of the series how can you not love it.


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Monday, August 14, 2006 11:15 AM

SHINYGAV


Second-best, after Space: 1999 :-)

That show rocked. Saturday mornings haven't been the same since it finished.

The episode with the killer space foam was particularly scary.

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Monday, August 14, 2006 11:22 AM

MSG


Of course it's the best..not only is it a great series with so much complexity that we can endlessly talk and never run out of speculation and interest, but it brought us all together so it's the greatest thing around!!!!

I choose to rise instead of fall- U2


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Tuesday, August 15, 2006 9:21 AM

DARKFLY


You know I haven't actually seen Blake 7 mostly cause I was in the wrong generation what exactly is Blake 7 about I don't mind spoilers.Babylon 5 wise I remember watching the first episode when I was younger(under 10) but I gave up watching it mostly cause it didn't appeal to me but I was young so can anybody explain what it's about.

Be sure to check ou this thread if you want to actually pilot the spaceship Serenity in a space simulator. http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=23082




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Go to http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=19&t=22697 for more info!


Things are about to get interesting...Define interesting...Oh GOD oh GOD we're all going to die.

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Tuesday, August 15, 2006 9:42 AM

FLAMETREE


B7 was about a gang of criminals original led by Blake. They escaped from a prision ship on to the liberator the most advanced ship around at the time.

Blake was leader of rebels (I guess like Mel).
In the beginning the was a focus on the rebellion overcoming the federation. Later Blake was written out. He was not a very popular charater. I think he would appeal to americans more the british. there was always politics.

Anyway after that is was mainly the search for blake plus various criminal enterprises. This characters killed security guards they didn't negiotiate where to shoot them in the leg. All action took place in the famous BBC quarry.

It was written by Terry Nation was mostly character driven and the background tended to shake. But the characters where somehow very real more real I have to say than firefly. They bullied, lied, stole and betrayed each other. It was also funny, witty and sometimes wise, sarcastic and ironic. Also there was the famous thumb print on the opening title scene which has been removed from the DVD's. How could they!

As with all shows not for everyone. Firefly is good. But B7 is the gold standard.

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Tuesday, August 15, 2006 9:57 AM

DINALT


Love it or hate it, B7 had a big impact on the sci-fi scene - mainly because it wasn't clear cut.

Try this link to Wikipedia if anyone wants to know more, a lot of information on episodes, characters etc:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake's_7

But if you can't be bothered with the link, here's what they have to say about B7's influence:

Quote:

Blake's 7's major legacy to future TV space opera was the use of moral ambiguity and dysfunctional main characters to create tension, as well as long-term plot arcs to hold episodes together. Most (though not always all) of these traits were seen in Lexx, Andromeda, Deep Space 9, Babylon 5, Farscape, the new Battlestar Galactica and Firefly rather than the "feel good" tone and unconnected episode structure of early Star Trek or the series' main contemporary, Doctor Who. Blake's 7 was also arguably unique in TV SF in that it had a major influence on written SF, with the revival of written space opera in the '90s coming from the UK at the hands of writers such as Stephen Baxter, Alastair Reynolds, and Iain M. Banks. These authors are all of the generation that watched Blake's 7, and their work features morally ambivalent, often sarcastic and driven characters, whose usually violently-terminated lives are spent in vast and baroque spacecraft.





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Tuesday, August 15, 2006 11:55 AM

DARKFLY


Thanks for the link what about Babylon 5.

Go to http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=19&t=22697 for more info!


Things are about to get interesting...Define interesting...Oh GOD oh GOD we're all going to die.

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Wednesday, August 16, 2006 5:07 PM

DISCARIOT


Well...it's my favorite I still can't believe such an incredible show could get cancelled--even by a complete bunch of idiots

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Friday, August 18, 2006 12:38 PM

DARKFLY


Don't suppose anybody could tell me info on Babylon 5 cause I've never seen it except for the 1st episode which was when I was quite young.



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Go to http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=19&t=22697 for more info!


Things are about to get interesting...Define interesting...Oh GOD oh GOD we're all going to die.

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