Which one is your least favourite Firefly episode? by Khyron

FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

Which one is your least favourite Firefly episode?

POSTED BY: KHYRON
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 14:07
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 46717
PAGE 2 of 4

Monday, December 5, 2005 3:57 AM

I loved what smaug wrote about HoG. This is my favourite episode largely because of Mal/Inara. When the show was axed and the situation never resolved it was one of the things that bothered me the most. I can't remember who it was that said it would have been good if the series finished with an episode which tied up the loose ends, but I agree with this sentiment to a degree. Even if the film had done this and brought the whole story to a conclusion it would be less frustrating, but there is clearly still so much to be told.
Incidently, and completely irrelevantly, I saw Mal's brown coat for sale in ebay along with the gold dress Inara wears in Shindig, and a lot of other Firefly clothes. I wondered if this spelled the end!
Anyway back to the topic! My least favourite episode was Warstories primarily because of the torture scenes. Personally I didn't like the way they were done. imho there was too much attempt at humour in a situation where I thought there should have been none. Don't get me wrong; I do understand that probably the powers that be wanted it toned down for daytime television it just didn't work for me. I remember watching the film The Three Kings (not one of my favourites) and the torture scene there was utterly horrifying, as torture scenes should be.
There are a lot of things I really liked about this episode though. Wash's jealousy of Mal and Zoe's relationship, and the fact that Mal wouldn't break and kept Wash from breaking too. Most of all I liked the scene just after Wash is rescued and Zoe is holding him and he tells her that Mal is crazy. I thought these were all very plausible.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, December 5, 2005 12:27 PM

MALSGIRL

I used to have the same problem with War Stories, I just flat out didn't like the torture scenes and therefore didn't care for the episode much. But recently I went back and watched it over (and over) again. And realized how good the episode was. And the humor, well that's Mals way of staying sane and his way to make sure Wash doesn't lose it either. After re-watching the torture scences I realized how heroic Mal was in them and ended up liking them (as much as one can). And the torture scences were my only problem with the episode in general so I ended up liking it.

_____________________________

"You will keep a civil tongue in that mouth
or I will sew it shut."
~Mal
'Serenity Part I'

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, December 6, 2005 5:03 AM

GRAYFURY

Bushwhacked. Didnt have the same flow... Some great lines.... but then again thats every episode

"Dear God In Heaven!" - Plastic Dinosaur

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, December 8, 2005 1:40 PM

KYLENBLADE

I honestly cant say I have a least fovorite episode. I've loved every single one of em

Hey! You're back! And there's your front too!

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, December 8, 2005 2:15 PM

SAMEERTIA

Least favorite: Shindig.
It's just too painful watching Mal & Kaylee in a social disaster, and then Mal failing at the swordfight and falling for Atherton's "Come on and attack me" bit?
What was up with that?
Although, River's "distraction" with Badger that the crew is too stunned to take advantage of is absolutely priceless!

Second least favorite: Bushwacked. Someone above mentioned the confusion over the whole Reaver issue. And too much of it played like a horror film.
I like to skip to the interrogations, where the crew is just completely walking the poor commander. Poor commander. I actually felt sorry for him, especially when Wash was telling him to write down what attracted him to Zoe!

There seems to be alot of bashing of Heart of Gold, but it's one my favorites. I don't hold Mal to the same standards as some of the rest of you do and I think there is NO REASON whatsoever that he and Nandi couldn't have had a nice comforting night of passion. *shrug*

Plus there is that great scene between Wash & Zoe.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, December 8, 2005 2:34 PM

JUSTSHINY

I choose Safe.

I like how it has more of River and Simon, but to me it has that whole "The Crucible" aire. Don't get me wrong, "The Crucible" is a good play, but it's the people who get me. Not everything is the devil. I get that some people are really religious and stuff, but I only watch "The Crucible" to see all the crazy girls yell and scream about things that aren't there...very entertaining in that cheezy way. You'd think a poor farm town could make use of a psychic, telling when to plant stuff and what not.

Anyways, that is my least favorite episode because it is kinda cheesy to me. But I do love several of the lines in it.

I actually really liked The Message. I liked the whole carrying a bullet around for a while thing that came full circle. And I love the different fighting styles of Zoe and Mal in the war. Great stuff.

Drunks are so cute.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, December 8, 2005 3:01 PM

RIVERGIRL

not too fond of Our Mrs Reynolds or Bushwached

Also, I can kill you with my brain.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, December 13, 2005 8:41 AM

AXJ

"Safe" seemed to get lost, to me... was, all in all, a very unfocused episode that just sort of meandered off into sort of a diatribe against religious fanatics. Personally, I hate religious fanatics, but here it just seemed to be sloppily executed.

"The Message" had great structure, but seemed to be lacking a lot of the attitude and fun of the series. The motivations behind character actions seemed to not make much sense, either. Why didn't anyone bother to tell the kid they were going to try a clever move with the Fed? Why didn't someone shoot this kid in the head as soon as he started threatening crew members- especially Kaylee, given Mal's soft spot for her? After they did shoot him, why didn't anyone bother rendering medical attention, when they seem to be willing to do so to just about any other wounded human out there? Instead they all just gathered around him and spoke tenderly to him for a few moments. Just doesn't make any sense.

And while I see your points re HOG, I thought it was chock so full of fantastically unflinching character development, I couldn't help but love it. But hey, YMMV.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, December 16, 2005 12:08 PM

J6NGO1977

If I have to pick one I'd say 'Objects in Space'. The fact it's the last episode kind of brings things down but I didn't really take to the whole bounty hunter thing. I don't think the actor was a credible bounty hunter. He didn't really send a shiver down my spine enough.

I also read something about this episode having underlieing racism. The evil black man threatening to rape the white women etc. To be honest I cannot see it myself. I don't care what colour the actor is and I know Joss Whedon would not care either. If the bounty hunter was a white guy comments like this would not have been made. If there is any underlieing racism there it is in the head of the person who perceives it that way.

To be honest I think Joss should have covered the bounty hunters face with a helmet the whole episode. That would have give him a more sinister quality.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 4:22 PM

PATCH01

It's a hard choice to make as I enjoy each episode, but I'd be inclined to place Shindig & Jaynestown as the weakest of all the 1st series.

Shindig had some real potential but the duel sequence really killed it for me, (Mal was a soldier and should've been able to handle an edged weapon more convincingly).

Jaynestown, not sure why I don't like it as much as others, there's some damn funny bits in it, but it just doesn't grab me...........

Mais perto do céu

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, December 22, 2005 9:31 PM

SHUTTLE2

Probably Safe, because it's the least interesting in my opinion. However I don't like wathing Our Mrs Reynolds much becuase "saffron" really pisses me off.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, December 22, 2005 10:16 PM

FLIPDOG

I really don't like "The Message." Yeah, it gave some character to Mal and Zoe...but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

But can I say how proud I am that everyone recognizes HoG as a 'Seven Samurai' parallel. Though I liked certain parts of it. It added a lot of tension between Mal and Inara.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, December 23, 2005 7:01 AM

TERRYO

Interesting mix of replies...

Mine is Objects in Space, despite the presence of Richard Brooks - one of my favorite actors from Law and Order who really should be getting more work.

Strangely, I had never listened to the commentary on that one - probably because it wasn't one of my favorite episodes to start with. (The whole air of voyeurism creeped me out.) So, in preparation for the movie and because Joss said in interviews that OiS was partly the inspiration for the movie, I listened to it and was totally dismayed. I had already bought the Visual Companion and read spoilers for the BDM so I could see the links from the series to the movie and how the movie became all about River.

It was painful listening to Joss babble on about existentionalism and Summer's feet because it confirmed the suspicion that he had pretty much lost interest in Mal and Zoe's characters.
For me, Mal is the central figure in the Firefly 'verse. That's the show I fell in love with - I could have bought the dvds of Buffy if I had wanted a show about a little girl continually kicking the daylights out of men twice her size. But that's Joss's obsession, not mine - although to give him credit, it's one lots of others seem to share.

It leads me to wonder how much of what I loved about Buffy, Angel and Firefly was due to others, not Joss. Is Tim Minear as necessary to Joss as Paul McCartney was to John Lennon? Not that I'm implying that Tim is as fluffy as McCartney but is there that weird synergy going on that becomes totally evident when the artists do solo work? (Totally OT - I still miss John Lennon after 25 years and FTR, I did love most of his solo work. Still, it didn't get much better than Lennon/McCartney at their peak.)

Terry

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, April 13, 2006 4:39 PM

USAGIVINDALOO

Forgive the newb digging up this topic from the depths of the archives.

My least favourite episode? EASILY The Message, I think. Yes, it has its brilliant bits (Jayne's hat, Wash's greeting of the cow fetus), but frankly I would be content not to watch it again (I've watched it once, and then checked the commentary a second time). I had two major problems with it.

1) The entire premise is based on everyone being really STUPID. And not just Tracey; in fact, barring the idiocy of the whole organ smuggling thing in the first place, his behaviour was actually somewhat understandable. But no, everyone else was being morons, and I have reached that conclusion after Jewel and Alan pointed out stuff on the commentary track. So Book has a plan... why communicate it through eye contact rather than just say, "Hey, these people are obviously out of their jurisdiction, we just need to threaten them a bit?" There is absolutely NO reason for him not to say what his plan is; he doesn't know Tracey's standing there, and even if he DID, all the more reason to be clear about what's going to happen (otherwise look what happens!) And what about Mal? A few people have commented that, as captain, he shouldn't have to explain his actions, but jeez, would it kill him to say, "Don't worry, we have a plan, trust me?" He hasn't seen Tracey for ages, he shouldn't demand the same trust of him as for his crew. At least in Bushwacked, Simon knew and trusted Book's advice, plus there was almost certainly an explanation off camera. Really, Mal dropped the ball totally on this one. And as a result, I feel somewhat nauseous when he says, "You murdered yourself. I just carried the bullet for a little while." It's cold, cruel, and totally absolves Mal of any blame... blame which he SHOULD be willing to take for his mishandling of the situation.

And as for other idiots, what about the feds themselves? As Jewel notes in the commentary, they come on board with dinky little pistols up against about, what, four people with weapons? Laaaaaame.

2) Look, I know that Simon is awkward and inept at talking to women, but jeez, Kaylee was a real bitch to him in this episode. I'm a woman, and if a guy had said the whole "only woman in the world" comment to me, I would not have been offended at all. I would have either taken it as a joke (which is what Simon POINTS OUT it was, but Kaylee refuses to believe him) or as a sweetly awkward compliment that just happened to blow up in his face. It is obvious that Simon is a sweetie, and that his "bad" lines are actually meant to be kind and respectful. WHY OH WHY does Kaylee get her panties in a twist over it? Why is she so sensitive, and why doesn't she see how CUTE it is? But no, she treats him horribly for the rest of the episode until the very end. Which would be OK if the episode at least indicated that Kaylee is WRONG for behaving this way, that the mature response would be to giggle at Simon's awkwardness and let it pass! This complaint is also relevant in Safe (another of my least favourite episodes) and Jaynestown (though there it is redeemed by the scene in his room where he explains his politeness is his way of showing respect to her... did she just forget that?) It really turned me off the episode to have Kaylee behave that way and yet SIMON was supposed to be the "stupid" one.

I also wasn't fond of Shindig or Safe (I've only watched them once and don't really have the urge to see them again). I'm not fond of public humiliation like Shindig has, and Safe... the scene where they leave Simon and River is painful, plus it suffers from the second problem of The Message. I also didn't INITIALLY like Our Mrs. Reynolds and Jaynestown, but a second viewing of both has brought me around.

Every other episode is pure brilliance. And I do echo the sentiment that the worst of Firefly is better than the best of some shows.

"This must be what going mad feels like."

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, April 13, 2006 5:40 PM

SHINEYSHINDIG

Seeing that there were so few episodes... it's really hard for me to nit pick.. say there were 50 or at least 150 to choose from, I'd find more comfort in picking apart a weak story. With that said, I'd have to say "bushwacked" and only because to me it didn't move along strongly. Although, it did have some very poignant and remembered quotes.. hmm, guess all of them kinda did that..
For the 'verse, it did bring question about the reavers, and when compared to the BDM in learning about the reaver's beginning, this episode kind of steps around things...

"...use of a swhat??"

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, April 13, 2006 8:56 PM

TEALCANDTRIP

Gees... I seem to the opposite of a lot of people.

Least favorite: bushwhacked (cause the best part of that episode was cut and is in the extended gag reel: wash's interregation)

Close 2nd least favorite: Objects in Space and HoG. They had their moments, but both kind of bored me. Also never really liked Jaynestown.

My favorites gotta be: Shindig, Out of Gas, War Stories, and the Message. I seem to be the only person who doesn't resent the Message. Can't think why. It's iconic (jayne's hat and the funeral), great dialog (my food is problematic and what'd you order a dead guy for), historic, and action oriented. I love it!

"I also hear that there's something called Firefly, which is either a canceled science-fiction television show or a new religion, I'm not clear on that. Either way, prayers for the resurrection are involved." – Lore Sjoberg

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, April 13, 2006 9:09 PM

SEBA

Least favorite: bushwhacked, completely unmemorable.

Favorite: Serenity (Pilot): This one had everything -- I could watch it a hundred times in a row. Everything that was great about the series distilled into 2 hours.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, April 14, 2006 4:32 AM

SAB39

Quote:
Originally posted by jetflair:
For me, it's Bushwhacked. I don't enjoy horror, so the horror overtones of this episode ruin it for me. There is still plenty to love, as with all of Firefly; the interrogation scenes, the crew playing in the cargo bay, Mal saving the day even when unarmed and handcuffed, and so forth.

This is pretty much exactly how I feel too.

As far as the other episodes people have mentioned - I guess I don't feel the weak points of them as much as others do, but also every single one of them has something that to me is quintessentially Firefly - the embodiment of something I love about the show.

Train Job: My favorite Jayne moment of the entire series - "The lights. From the console. Keep you. Lift you up. They shine like little angels!" And the two decisions Mal makes at the end that are so quintessentially Mal: About giving the stuff back, you don't have a choice. About kicking a guy through your engine, not so much.

Shindig: Ok, I'm just a sucker for Kaylee in this episode. "It's the buffet table." "But how can we be sure... unless we question it?". The way she ends up surrounded by guys laughing at stories about engines. And her sheer contentment at the end with the dress on her wall. Plus: River and Badger, which was the moment I knew I was in love with the show in the first place. "Guess I'm just a good man. Well, I'm okay". And the reveal of the cows at the end.

Safe: Simon and River. The scenes between them are so utterly beautiful and heartbreaking throughout the whole series, and never more so than this ep.

Our Mrs Reynolds: This is one of my favorites of the "funny" eps. So many great comedic moments. Especially the whole scene leading up to "my days of taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."

War Stories: War Stories? Seriously? This is my absolute favorite! Most of the episodes are either mostly funny or mostly serious drama, and I love both kinds, but this one works fantastically well on both levels which makes it the embodiment of everything I love about the show. I can't pick one scene - the whole damn thing is perfect. I can't believe anyone would pick this as a least fave.

The Message: Plot holes, schmot holes. Jayne's hat! The Simon/Kaylee/Tracey mini-triangle. And - especially noticeable once you've heard the commentary and know what was on the composer's mind - the music to the last scene in the snow...

Heart of Gold: Inara bawling her eyes out. But most of all... When I watched this one for the first time I remember sitting literally inches away from the screen at the end with my mouth wide open waiting for Inara to finally fess up to her feelings for Mal. After "I'm leaving" I think it was about a minute before I could actually move a muscle...

Objects in Space: Well, it's the end, so I get that it's heartbreaking. And I didn't find Early a terribly believable character. But I think in this ep more than any other you get a sense of the crew as a family - and what more fitting way to end the series than that?

[edited to add a couple more eps people mentioned that I missed before]

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, April 14, 2006 5:38 AM

DEEPGIRL187

There's a such a thing as "least-favorite"?

If I'm actually being forced to admit such things, I'd have to say "Bushwhacked". And truth be told, it's only certain scenes. I don't think there's one episode that is worth complete dislike.

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

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, April 14, 2006 6:45 AM

ALISS

The first time I saw anything Firefly was the sword scene in Shindig. I didn't stick around to watch the rest. It's still my least favorite, mainly because of the "ugh, Mal, stop running into swords" feeling. A close second is Trash, only because I can't really stand Saffron. Bushwacked I like but don't watch too often because it creeps me out.

Oh, and Teacandtrip said: "Least favorite: bushwhacked (cause the best part of that episode was cut and is in the extended gag reel: wash's interregation)", to which I say, "What friggin' extended gag reel?!?" My itty bitty DVD set only has the one. (The mid-season party gag-reel.)

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, April 14, 2006 7:14 AM

AZHEA

Quote:
Originally posted by joyfulgirl:
You know, I'd have to go with Shindig. I just didn't really buy the art direction in that episode, the dancing and costumes all seemed really phony, as compared to other episodes where I feel like they really achieve an authentic, lived in aesthetic feel.

To my mind, that very phoniness worked for me. The 'elite' puttin' on airs if you will.

That said, Shindig ranks on my least favorite list along with Safe and Heart of Gold and Bushwaked.

But, even the worst episode of Firefly is better'an the best episode of most everythin' else. So, we've got that goin' for us!!!

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

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, April 14, 2006 8:27 AM

GIDEONSTARGRAVE

The Message annoys me slightly (my criticisms are the same as above, don't like the general aura of stupidity that seems to go around)

HoG also annoys me, again largely for the Mal/Inara stuff already discussed.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, April 14, 2006 11:40 AM

EPEYON

Out of Gas for me, it was nice to learn some back story, but it just felt to slow. It just feels different.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, April 15, 2006 8:52 AM

THEJEAN

My absolute least favorites are Trash and Our Mrs. Reynolds. I can tolerate "Mrs. Reynolds" first because there are some mild comedic moments, but I just can't stand Saffron! She's so annoying in her 'I'm so innocent' way. It just makes me even more irritated when she reemerges in "Trash" and is even more manipulative. Those are the two epidodes that I skip 90% of the time.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, April 15, 2006 10:02 AM

BANZAIBILL

I'd guess my least favorite is "The Message", followed by "Bushwhacked". There are plenty of parts of "Bushwhacked" that I did like, including a lot that people have already mentioned, but I also love Jayne messing with Simon. The whole claustrophobic Simon in the spacesuit thing is Hi-larious. I just didn't enjoy the whole take on the Reavers in that. I thought the BDM's take on them was better.

"The Message" annoys me the most, I think. There are holes aplenty, stupidity abounds, and the characters just seem a little off to me. I mean, I love the music at the funeral, and I love the Han Solo in carbonite in Kaylee's room as she listens to the message again, and I love Jayne in the episode. I just get annoyed at the rest of the supposedly smart folks not being smart. YMMV, as everyone has said.

Even with all of that, I'd still take a Firefly episode that combined all of the worst of both over just about anything else on TV. Except maybe "Arrested Development" (which FOX also cancelled) or "Scrubs".

*** Think of it as evolution in action ***

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, April 17, 2006 10:08 AM

BUK

Train Job instantly. I liked the bar scene except not for a begining.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, May 7, 2006 8:49 AM

HURRICANEEZ1

Like many other people in this thread I have to go with "Heart of Gold". The relationship stuff between Mal/Inara was very well done but other than that...ehh.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, May 8, 2006 10:13 AM

KEYOKE

I must be strange... I find The Message, Ariel and Heart of Gold to have the most moving endings, and therefore would never put them among the worst episodes.

----------------
"We feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days,
Through the fire and the flames we carry on"

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, May 8, 2006 8:41 PM

VOLK564

I'm gonna have to say Bushwacked, with the sole exception of the scene where the Alliance officer is interviewing all of them. The "We're private people," cut to "Her legs! Definintly her legs!" line is great, but other than that, the episode is just 45 mins of saying "Reavers are bad, and Mal knows best." In defense of Heart of Gold, I get that the first, let's say 40 mins of a 45 min episode are cliche, but the last 5 minutes with the whole Inara leaving scene is done exquisitley (spelling?).

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, May 9, 2006 9:40 AM

TEALCANDTRIP

Quote:
Originally posted by Aliss:
Oh, and Teacandtrip said: "Least favorite: bushwhacked (cause the best part of that episode was cut and is in the extended gag reel: wash's interregation)", to which I say, "What friggin' extended gag reel?!?" My itty bitty DVD set only has the one. (The mid-season party gag-reel.)

To make sure you don't miss anything, I suggest the following thread: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=15816

Someone spelled out everything Firefly related, in order.

You'll want to watch the extended gag reel. You can put that into google and find loads of sites that host it. Or follow her suggestion:

4) Get Extended Gag reel from Firefly on a site that downloads video... I like Limewire. Or go here...

"I also hear that there's something called Firefly, which is either a canceled science-fiction television show or a new religion, I'm not clear on that. Either way, prayers for the resurrection are involved." – Lore Sjoberg

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Tuesday, May 9, 2006 10:02 AM

TWODIFSOKS

Lease fav is Bushwacked.

I feel so sorry and embarrased for Simon for putting the suit on backwards.

And as I write this the picture tile in the left corner shows that episode where they blow up the abandoned ship.

Karma's coming to get me, I can feel it.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:47 AM

RIVER6213

I've been rewatching all of the Firefly episodes recently, and originally "Heart of Gold" was right up there as one of the worst FF episodes, so I thought, but now that I've seen it again 4 times, I decided it's one of my favorites because of a certain theme that seems to follow Mal around throughout most of the Firefly episodes.

Heart of Gold had elements of the 7 samurai in it as one person in this thread suggested, but on the whole, heart of Gold was that battle of Serenity Valley. Sure Mal did it because of his unspoken love for Inara, but he also did it because the whole situation was Serenity Valley, or reminded him of it.

The bad guy who had all the money in town who kept everyone poor so that he was the only big guy on the block with all the toys. He basically "Owned" everyone and everything on that moon. He represents the Alliance in Mal's mind. The so-called "whores" who were unlicensed represented the "Independents" in Mal's head, therefore Mal was going to fight for them; fight for their independence.

I see this theme throughout all of the Firefly episodes where some situation, event, or some person reminds Mal of Serenity Valley.... its like its a trigger for him.

Anyway, my other favorites are:

1. Out of Gas – The ending never fails to bring forth a tear from me.
2. Serenity- The Pilot episode
3. Ariel – We get to see just how smart Simon really is, and what a backstabber Jayne can be, and how Mal seriously feels about his crew: You mess with his crew and you might as well have messed with him.

4. Safe - We get to see just how much River and Simon love each other to the point where Simon is willing to die with her. And we really get a sense of family from the crew in this episode.

5. JaynesTown - We get to see another side to Jayne.
6. Objects in Space – Pure Art

River

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:57 AM

RIVER6213

crap! double post
Sorry

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, May 11, 2006 12:57 PM

YARMUTH925

You know I didn't really care for the last one with the guy from Law and Order. I felt like that was weakest episode by far.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Friday, May 12, 2006 7:14 AM

ALISS

:) Thanks, tealcandtrip! Managed to download and had a giggle-fit. I was wondering why the commentary on The Message mentioned an outake that was no where to be found...

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, May 14, 2006 1:27 PM

SIMONB

Quote:
Originally posted by KayleeSweetie:
That said, I don't think there are any bad episodes.

Right there with you. IMHO Firefly didn't put a foot wrong, and I loved every second of my time in the 'verse.

So which were the worst/weakest episodes (just IMHO of course) well, to quote Faith from Buffy:

No such animal.

- Shiny. Let's be bad guys.

That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Sunday, May 14, 2006 2:27 PM

TAYEATRA

Wow... It's always great when these kind of threads come up because everyone reacts so differently. All the comments are an interesting read and you all managed to point out things i'd forgotten and made me really rethink my response.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to defend Heart of Gold for two reasons...
1.)Mal and Jayne with the, "I'm not feeling particularly girlish" scene.
2.)And Inara crying, because frankly, Morena broke my heart into over a million tiny pieces in that one little scene.

I'm could never strike out an entire episode as below par, but generally 'The Message' is just not my kind of thing. It's the whole no communication thing towards the end. Although the gag reel for this has me in histerics everytime.

When I first started watching I wasn't keen on Bushwacked and skipped it on one viewing, but I got to the end of the series and thought..."Wait, where's that interrogation scene? It's freakin' hilarious". So I've never skipped it since.

My initial dissatisfaction with Objects in Space is, I think, my own inner regret that it was the last episode. I kept expecting like a huge two parter end of story arc thing and it just never happened. I know it's Fox's fault but I'm a little bitter.

Huh... that was a longer response than I expected to post but I just want to reiterate.

All Firefly is infinitely better than anything else on TV.

*****
Taya
*****
Dark Angel, Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Enterprise, Farscape... anything else you'd like to cancel?

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, May 15, 2006 5:07 PM

HURRICANEEZ1

I gotta say...I'm shocked at how many people mentioned "Our Mrs. Reynolds" in this thread.

It is truly my favorite. Not only was it hilarious but I think it was the first episode that confirmed that Inara loved Mal just as much as he loved her. To me that was a huge revelation.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, May 15, 2006 5:46 PM

DALLASFIREFLY

War Stories, not much fun seeing Mal and Wash tortured.

I wanna be Mr. Baccarin!

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, May 15, 2006 8:51 PM

MAGNUM

The only episodes, in my opinion, that sucked were the whorehouse one (way cliche and way cheap on the sets) and I love Melinda in everything she does; and the ballroom one, dueling one with the fake fog. Sorry I don't remember the name of specific episodes at this point.
The best eisode was the first one I saw - Out of Gas - Amazing, it got me hooked on the show.

Oh, quick queestion: why does Serenity have 40+ thousand votes at higher than '8' and not make the top 250 on IMDB?)

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 9:51 AM

LADYSERENITY

I love any moment I get to spend on Serenity and with our BDH! But if I were to mention my least favorite I would say The Train Job because I am always finding I want to skip it. I guess the whole Niska thing, waiting in th Paradiso jail house and all that, I don't know not a very solid story I guess. THough it does have some funny lines and we get to see that Mal has that sense of nobility and honor even though he's on the drift on the edges of the verse. I also love the line of Zoe's "There is a problem with your brain being missing" I love that line. My other least favorite is parts of Heart of Gold It breaks my heart to see Mal with anyone other than Inara and when she breaks down and cries I want to cry with her. There are some parts I like for instance Wash and Kaylee's exchange "Wash, tell me I'm pretty>" "were I unwed I would take you in a manly fashion." "Cuz i'm pretty?" "Cause your pretty" I love Wash.

I never dislike all of an episode becasue I think its impossible. My favorites are Out of Gas, Shindig, Objects in Space and Our Mrs. Reynolds. These are the ones I watch the most.

Shiny

Lady Serenity

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 10:16 AM

BROVIS

Quote:
Originally posted by Volk564:
I'm gonna have to say Bushwacked, with the sole exception of the scene where the Alliance officer is interviewing all of them. The "We're private people," cut to "Her legs! Definintly her legs!" line is great, but other than that, the episode is just 45 mins of saying "Reavers are bad, and Mal knows best." In defense of Heart of Gold, I get that the first, let's say 40 mins of a 45 min episode are cliche, but the last 5 minutes with the whole Inara leaving scene is done exquisitley (spelling?).

My thoughts exactly. Bushwacked is my least favorite. It just seems that Mal knows too much about the psychology of reaver-dom. Not my sorta thing is all.

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 10:21 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

Hearts of Gold... It's just too A-Team

It's not nearly as bad as A-Team but it's just heading that way...

However that said as was pointed out earlier it has a brilliant piece of acting by Morena when she breaks down and cries.

Just breaks your heart!

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 10:43 AM

THUNDER

Safe, it let you in on a little stuff But was not much help with the story line in my oppinion.On a related note about the series, I'm talking to a friend about Firefly, I lent him the series, & he really likes it & wants to see the movie. So I have another convert. That makes 5 for me.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 10:47 AM

FUTUREMRSFILLION

BLASPHEME! As a follower of Joss the Master, I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an episode that was below par.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 11:01 AM

CHOO1701

Gotta be "Heart of Gold"...

come on....Someone would at least have locked the ship properly (how did Kaylee and Wash get out of that situation anyway?)

I liked Bushwacked really showed how much of an a$$hole the Universe was (and its intriging to know how Mal knows somuch about Reavers..if only..)

Also "The Message" as well...the bad guys wern't really bad guys...the only good/sad thing about it is the last scence

)

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 1:23 PM

MERC2K

I think my least favourite would be "Heart of Gold".

NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, May 18, 2006 9:19 AM

RUGBUG

My least favorite has got to be Safe. There are some good scenes (River dancing...she's just so joyous and the whole BDH scene at the end) but most of it was...cold and stiff. I suppose like Simon appears to the crew and the audience.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Thursday, May 18, 2006 10:07 AM

NVGHOSTRIDER

Message was my most/least favorite. Screw all the cerebral reasons why. I believe that when folks are faced with the whole walking/crawling/being carried thing it dredges up who people really are.Having been on both sides of that problem really caused an emotional surge for me . That episode completely hooked me on a doomed show that is followed by the knarliest bunch of degenerates I have ever known. Browncoats forever!

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Saturday, May 20, 2006 3:55 PM

SAPHIRO

My least favorite episode would have to be "Safe", just because i was never really that fond of River or Simon, until the BDM, of course, but still, "Shindig" was one of my favorites, how can u say its bad when you have "captain tightpants" saying, "a s-what?" in the same episode!? lol

"You cant stop the signal, Mal.Everything goes somewhere, and I go everywhere"

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

YOUR OPTIONS

SHARE THREAD

NEW POSTS TODAY

USER

POST DATE