It's the little things by sab39

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

It's the little things

POSTED BY: SAB39
UPDATED: Friday, April 14, 2006 02:21
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VIEWED: 6352
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Friday, April 7, 2006 8:00 AM

As we all know it's all but impossible to come up with The Big Thing that makes us love Firefly so much, so this is a thread for little things that we love about it. Things you'd never bother to use to try to convert someone, but make you smile - or choke you up - or just make you think how awesome this show is.

eg.

I love the tone in Mal's voice when he asks "Were there monkeys?". He manages to get across in four syllables the idea that not only would an infestation of terrifyin' space monkeys be normal and expected in the circumstances and a perfectly good explanation for the state of the engine room, but that if, in fact, said monkeys were responsible, this would be completely understandable and not Kaylee's fault at all and that he is totally sympathetic to her unavoidable terrifyin' space monkey problem.

Love it.

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Friday, April 7, 2006 9:08 AM

INDIGOSTARBLASTER

I loved how careful Mal was when Jayne first approached him with Vera during "Our Mrs. Reynolds".

His hands are conspicuously open (and weaponless), he's gingerly dealing with what looks like a murderously jealous Jayne... and then the deadpan reaction when he realizes what's going on: "Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

LOL!

Oh, and his absolutely heroic effort not to get sexually involved with Saffron when she was naked in his room and there had to be no blood flowing to his brain by that point at all...

And pretty much all of his solo effort in fix the engine in "Out of Gas"...

And, to switch characters, Wash talking to the dead cow fetus in "The Message": "Ours is a peaceful race..."

Dang, the more I write, the more I think of. What an absolutely wonderful series...

Indigo S.

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Friday, April 7, 2006 9:20 AM

KUANGZHEDE

Always love the little things. KAylee on the brain today.

When Kaylee says "Everybodies so mad." On the floor with a nasty whole in her stomach. It is at once both sweet and emotional while the veiwer is at the height of dispair.

When Kaylee eats the strawberry. If it was not the most delicious indulgment I have ever seen. I will never ever look at strawberries the same again. On that note, I will never veiw apples the same way again either. Make sure to use a knife on all apples to avoid pressure sensative explosives.

When Kaylee touches the ship in the engine room after escaping the reavers. "Thats my girl" Really personified the ship to me.

Kaylee's Door. It is hilarious.

Kuang Zhe De

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Friday, April 7, 2006 9:27 AM

AZHEA

Quote:
Originally posted by IndigoStarblaster:

And, to switch characters, Wash talking to the dead cow fetus in "The Message": "Ours is a peaceful race..."

Indigo S.

Thank you. I sat here and read that and laughted out load, scared my son too!

"War Stories", Mal and Wash being tortured, continuing the argument over Zoe. Wash has it finally and says, "Screw you!" Mal simply replies, "Get in line!" Truly priceless!!

*************************************************
I look out for me and mine... that don't include you 'less I conjure it does.

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Friday, April 7, 2006 10:22 AM

DAYVE

The lighting is fantastic....the dark passage ways, the dining table by gaslight.... the darkness of space and the shininess of the ship...
and on the ground...
the dusty streets - the ragtag clothing, crowded marketplace....

i place i would like to spend some time... "maybe spread the word to them's that need it told".....great dialogue....

you are so right sab39...it is the little things as much as anything that i love about Firefly.....

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Friday, April 7, 2006 11:25 AM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:

eg.

I love the tone in Mal's voice when he asks "Were there monkeys?". He manages to get across in four syllables the idea that not only would an infestation of terrifyin' space monkeys be normal and expected in the circumstances and a perfectly good explanation for the state of the engine room, but that if, in fact, said monkeys were responsible, this would be completely understandable and not Kaylee's fault at all and that he is totally sympathetic to her unavoidable terrifyin' space monkey problem.

Really? I caught sarcasm from what he said, thus making it the opposite of what you state here.

----
"We're in a giant car heading into a brick wall at 100 miles/hr and everybody's arguing about where they want to sit."
-David Suzuki

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Friday, April 7, 2006 1:16 PM

SAB39

Well, yes, sarcasm too.

Way I saw it was very loving sarcasm. Letting her know he was a little on the peeved side about the state of the engine room, knew that the engine room was her responsibility, but couldn't bring himself to be actually mad at her...

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Friday, April 7, 2006 1:22 PM

MSCKAREN

The obvious love that went into every scrap of the show from music to dialogue to costumes to the "almost black" screen before going to commercial. It was just ... perfect ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Appears they've cancelled the show and we're still here. What does that make us?"
"Big damn junkies, Sir!"
"Ain't we just."
http://karenallover.blogspot.com/

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Friday, April 7, 2006 4:12 PM

DEEPGIRL187

Quote:
Originally posted by sab39:
I love the tone in Mal's voice when he asks "Were there monkeys?". He manages to get across in four syllables the idea that not only would an infestation of terrifyin' space monkeys be normal and expected in the circumstances and a perfectly good explanation for the state of the engine room, but that if, in fact, said monkeys were responsible, this would be completely understandable and not Kaylee's fault at all and that he is totally sympathetic to her unavoidable terrifyin' space monkey problem.

Love it.

Just reading that part about the space monkeys made me crack up. I suppose that's genius in and of itself, when the dialogue can make you laugh ages after the fact.

At last.
We can retire and give up
this life of crime.

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Friday, April 7, 2006 5:28 PM

NOSADSEVEN

Quote:
Originally posted by msckaren:
The obvious love that went into every scrap of the show from music to dialogue to costumes to the "almost black" screen before going to commercial. It was just ... perfect ...

Ahh, yes the corkboard / "fade to suede" thing. I absolutely missed that in the DVD release. It was yet another thing that just made my show special. (Of course, at the time, I didn't realize they had to do that or it would go straight to the commercial. I thought it was just a style thing.) I still think they should've left it in for the DVDs...

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't. We. Just.

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Saturday, April 8, 2006 4:09 PM

DONCOAT

There's a little thing in the BDM that really gets to me.

In the Reaver battle, after Simon gets shot he starts giving instructions: "I need some adrenaline... and some califar for Kaylee..."

No, it's not just the fact that he's injured but still being the ultimate trauma doctor. No, it's not that he's thinking of Kaylee at such a critical time.

It's something in the way Sean talks in this scene. There a kind of burbly, spitty note in his voice. It really sounds like his lungs are filling with blood.

It just kills me, especially as the next thing he does is start apologizing to River for "going".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't disagree on any particular point.

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Saturday, April 8, 2006 4:29 PM

PENGUIN

In the BDM when they are traveling through the Reaver ship towards Miranda, everyone is on the bridge looking out the window and Jayne is there holding tight to Vera!

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 1:12 AM

COOKIEJAR

Well if I had to chose one small aspect about Firefly/Serenity that I love, I think it would be all the things that River says. When you first watch it, it's just River "babble." But then you watch it again and it's like, "Oooohhhhh, that's what she was saying." Its brilliant. My favorite example is in the BDM when she's looking at the dead Reaver and she says, "He didn't lie down, they never lie down" First time it's makes no sense, but after watching it again, you realize that she's talking about Miranda. Great stuff.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 4:04 AM

GANEAGLA

yay! I have been looking for a thread to discuss just this topic!

Okay,its in Bushwacked - The cargo door opens and everyone is standing there with the cargo they got off the ship that was hit by Reavers. The alliance walk up the ramp and.... Wash raises his hands in the air. Just Wash. Its so funny and I never noticed it before!

Are you the Cow Of Pain? - Jaye Tyler

were I unwed I would take you in a manly fashion. - 'Wash' Washburn

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 5:36 AM

INDIGOSTARBLASTER

I'm re-watching the series (the DVDs finally arrived -- up to "Out of Gas" now) and I find myself appreciating anew all kinds of things, like:

How much physical courage Simon has when it comes to defending River. He has probably not been in a fistfight since he was, oh, six, but for River he jumps off balconies, slugs it out with people twice his size, is willing to be burned alive...

And then there's the easy, brotherly affection he exhibits when she's being more like herself. The more often I see their relationship, the more impressed I am.

And just what a good leader Mal is. In "Out of Gas", he speaks gently and patiently to Kaylee to get her to focus on the engines, but gets in Wash's face and even deliberately makes him angry to make him do what he needs to (similar to what Mal does for Wash in "War Stories", come to think of it). Or when he finds Jayne at the end of "Jaynestown", just because he knows Jayne needs to talk.

And then Mal's vulnerability at the end of "Out of Gas", when he's heavily medicated and more open than he would normally be -- "You all gonna be here when I wake up?" -- showing just how much they mean to him.

Love this show,

Indigo S.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 5:59 AM

AMYEL

One of my favorites is in Objects in Space, when River is talking over the comm to Mal. Mal questions whether or not he's dreaming and River says "We all are", which causes Mal to roll his eyes. When River says "Don't make faces", his

response is just great.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 7:42 AM

NUCLEARDAY

Well, I could go on and on about the shiny little details all over Serenity... But I do want to hang out in the galley so badly.

A little moment I rather liked, though, was in Our Mrs Reynolds, where Jayne gets to take Vera out somewhere fun. He asks Mal if he's aiming for the windows, and Mal tells him to take out the breakers. So he shoots those, and the next thing you see is crew in the web ship watching as bullets pierce their window. Nice little bit of overkill, and such a Jayne thing to do :)

________________________________________________
You can take my hope when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 8:13 AM

GROOVYAL

basically the show is full of these moments and lines and that makes it so SPECIAL....

there are just a few that pop up in my mind if i think about it but hell... there are no series where i would remember the lines... even if the have a funny twist you mostly just grin a little... but watching FF, its different... the lines are something to think or to laugh about days later...
one of those eg:

"... you're like a trained ape... but... without the training!....
"
oooor

-Mal! You dont pay me for talk pretty!
-...
-What do you pay him for?
-What?
-I was just wondering what his job on this ship is..
-Oh!... Public relations!
(Hilarious dialogue)

an other one makes me laugh for days...

... and we will call it ... "This Laaand!"...

---------
"There's so much hair!!!"

---------

Yes Jayne! She is in congress with the beast!....

---------

Its her legs, or basically the part where her legs meet her back!.....

---------

Riiiight! Coz i wouldnt be arrested if we got boardet, im just the pilot! i still could say i was flying this thing by accident!!!

---------

the whole "and-you-figure-you-would-be-getting-this-discout-why-exactly" dialogue!!!!!!!

---------

Mr. Jubal Early and pretty much everything he said.... just great!!!!!

---------

-is that him?
-no its just the buffet-table
-but how can we be sure unless we question it?

---------

-just arrived in the nick of time, what does that make us?
-Biig Daamn Heros!

---------

I think you have a problem with your brain being missing!

---------

- can i have your share?
- no!
- when you die, can i have your share?
- yes!

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we are no thieves! well we are thieves, the point is were not taking whats his!

---------

...nothing! just wanted you to face me so she can get behind you!...

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mercy! is the mark of a great man!....

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these are just the lines that come into my mind... there are tons more which i just didnt remember right now....

wow this was a big damn supershow!!!!

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:04 AM

ARISLYN

Well, all the moments previously mentioned...

I love the scene between Book and Inara at the end of the pilot. "I think I'm on the wrong ship." "Maybe you're exactly where you need to be." And the way she touches his head, as if she's blessing him.

And the scene at the end of Safe (IIRC) where they all sit down to dinner and River grabs a roll off of Jayne's plate. Such a real family-like moment!

River's "Also, I can kill you with my brain." I use that line all the time as an opening to talk about Firefly. But my fave part is not the line or how she says it, but the look on Jayne's face. He actually BELIEVES her.

I could go on and on and on...but now I'm depressed and wishing the show was still on.

Arislyn

Everything's shiny, Cap'n. Not to fret.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:26 AM

ARISLYN

Another thing...

The relationship between Simon and River is something that I really relate to and they capture it perfectly in the series and in the BDM. So many moments between them just make me want to bawl. (My 15-months-younger bro and I were extremely close and it very nearly destroyed me when he passed away seven years ago.) Watching the two of them interact is one of those little things that hooked me for life.

Arislyn

Everything's shiny, Cap'n. Not to fret.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:52 AM

TRISTAN

I always liked Zoe's straight-faced answers to Mal, either agreeing or disagreeing, adding the "Sir" every time.

Also, Jayne hunkered down near the infirmary after Kaylee was shot in the (original, not Fox) pilot episode. Big man's got feelings!

Holding until you get back , Captain.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:59 AM

SIKKUKUT

Quote:
Originally posted by IndigoStarblaster:
And just what a good leader Mal is. In "Out of Gas", he speaks gently and patiently to Kaylee to get her to focus on the engines, but gets in Wash's face and even deliberately makes him angry to make him do what he needs to (similar to what Mal does for Wash in "War Stories", come to think of it).

What I especially love about Mal's treatment of Wash in Out of Gas is that you can actually see the moment when he decides to get mad because he knows that that's how you motivate Wash.

In a similar vein, toward the end of Jaynestown, when Jayne is shaking the dead mudder and telling him to get up, there's a very brief reaction shot of Mal looking away ashamed. It can't even be a second long, but to me it says, "I've seen this before, and it never gets any prettier."

And in Our Mrs. Reynolds, when Saffron says, "I'm your wife," and you can actually see no fewer than three distinct reactions pile up on Mal's face over the next several seconds.

Okay, so, Nathan's performances, always a highlight. But it's so much more than that... it's everything you guys have said and then some. What an amazing show.

Good gorram, I need to watch the entire series over again right now.

__________________
To err is human, but computers do it much faster.

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Thursday, April 13, 2006 10:36 PM

MAGHAFFAR

Been meanin' to post something along these same lines, but on the non-dialog stuff that is either funny or great. Like...

The running shot of the Eavesdown docks in the Serenity pilot that shows the sign "Good Dogs" followed by the vendor slopping some very un-hotdog looking meat on the grill. I crack up every time. Surely, I can't be the only guy who gets the asian food joke here. [and don't call me shirley...]

The bar sign in The Train Job that is a hologram -- so it can't be busted out by all the barfights.

The look on Niska's face -- total exasperation -- 'cuz Mal and Wash will NOT pay attention to him during his torture session.

The Crazy Ivan scene. The engines flipping around. Also, from the BDM when Wash reignites the engines after the EMP zaps them. First one engine refires, then the other. Coooooool!

Mal's Johnny Cash impression in War Stories after he advances on Niska: "You ready to meet the real me now?" Or Mal's reaction to Zoe's line: "No Jayne. This is something the Captain wants to do for himself." Mal: "Whaaa? No I don't" followed by the Quentin Tarantino shot of the thresome blasting the bad guy away.

The way River says "No." after Simon gets shot in the BDM. So sisterly. It's line deliveries like that and throughout the series that made you really believe you were watching real people and not actors -- their acting was so natural.

The scene after Simon and River get back on the ship in "Safe" where Jayne hurriedly empties his stolen booty from Simon's room back onto the bed and tries to pretend nothing's happened as Simon walks past him.

Inara looking all loopy and wasted as she leans back and pretending she's OK in Our Mrs. Reynolds. Insisting "I'm OK. Just hit my head is all. Like Wash."

That's all I can think of for now, But you get the idea.

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Friday, April 14, 2006 2:21 AM

J6NGO1977

Quote:
Originally posted by IndigoStarblaster:
I loved how careful Mal was when Jayne first approached him with Vera during "Our Mrs. Reynolds".

His hands are conspicuously open (and weaponless), he's gingerly dealing with what looks like a murderously jealous Jayne... and then the deadpan reaction when he realizes what's going on: "Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

LOL!

Oh, and his absolutely heroic effort not to get sexually involved with Saffron when she was naked in his room and there had to be no blood flowing to his brain by that point at all...

And pretty much all of his solo effort in fix the engine in "Out of Gas"...

And, to switch characters, Wash talking to the dead cow fetus in "The Message": "Ours is a peaceful race..."

Dang, the more I write, the more I think of. What an absolutely wonderful series...

Indigo S.

Yep I get it all :). WHy don't any of my friends/work mates get it?. They haven't even seen Serenity. All they wanna do is 'DOwnload' the latest movie , which is usually crap. Im always saying 'DOWNLOAD SERENITY!'. Their attitude is 'well if everyone else doesn't like it it must be crap'. ABsolute media idiots. My friends , but idiots . LOL

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