HERE WE GO!!!! Firefly | 1x1 'Serenity' | Blind Reaction

Thank you for the people of Patreon that voted for this! I'm looking forward to seeing more!
Patreon: / vicfrost

[@darklight8345]

I always love new people getting into Firefly! As soon as I saw you were reacting to this, instant subscribe. Your going to fall in love. ❤

[@VicFrost]

Thank you very much!

[@TheAAMoy]

Welcome to the Browncoats! The people of the world can be divided into two groups. Those that love "Firefly" and those that have never seen "Firefly".

[@dallesamllhals9161]

HEY! I'm/was a DK ♂BLONDE in 2002!

[@lazaruslong8092]

Couldn't have said it any better.

[@tenchraven]

Three groups. You overlooked the people who are obsessed with Buffy who have a hard time understanding Firefly.

[@underAtack]

If no one has mentioned it yet, the police show you are talking about is "The Rookie", and yes, it stars Nathan Fillion, who plays Malcolm Reynolds in this series. Someone else mentioned "Castle", which is a police show as well (although he doesn't play a police officer in that).

[@primmoore6232]

Also, Nathan is a native of Edmonton Canada. 🤎

[@adamwells9352]

Firefly is definitely in the running for best TV show of all time. You're going to enjoy the heck out of it.

[@happyslapsgiving5421]

Welcome, Browncoat! 🫡 We're happy to have you.

[@user-kg7co9vi5r]

The names will come in time. The series is very well written and acted, each character is different from all the others. You will by the end come to know and have affection for each of them, yes even Jayne. Sit back and enjoy the far too short journey.

[@VicFrost]

I have watched episode 2, Jayne is annoying me haha. But I did love the ending scenes with him

[@RobPresq1717]

@@VicFrost I can't wait for your episode 2 reaction!

[@Crazael]

@@VicFrost Jayne is the sort of guy who has a heart of gold hidden deeply under a tough exterior. He is selfish and often violent, but he also has a strong sense of loyalty towards the people who are important to him.

[@lazaruslong8092]

One of the best ever TV shows of all time, and i am 70, so i hve over 60 years if TV shows to compare it to. As at least one other comment said, seeing that you are starting this , immediately got you another subscriber.

[@VicFrost]

I'm glad you like it a lot! Thanks for the sub!

[@Emburbujada]

Yay! Welcome to the 'Verse! You will love it! This show only gets better ;)

[@ernesthakey3396]

The war was the Independents (Mal's side, also know as Browncoats) from the Outer Planets (frontier worlds) vs the Alliance from the Inner Planets (more advanced civilized worlds). The Alliance won. This is set in a large system of multiple planets and moons. The system was settled by ships from the American and Chinese cultures from Earth, and the languages have sort of mixed a bit - the show mostly uses Chinese for swearing (to get past the censors) and terms of endearment.

[@StarkRG]

The dumb thing is that there's not actually any Chinese people in the show. There is, I think, one in the movie.

[@ernesthakey3396]

@@StarkRG yep, except for bit parts, street vendors etc. Long-standing issue with the Hollywood scene.

[@StarkRG]

@@ernesthakey3396 I once did a cursory look through and couldn't find any, so, if there are some, there aren't many.

[@ernesthakey3396]

@@StarkRG yeah - and the ones I saw could certainly have been just darker skinned actors of other ethnicities. There are definitely discussions about that - this was an observation on Quora: "In general, the lack of Asian actors in Firefly is part of an unfortunate trend of Whedon's; he tends to use "color blind" casting and reuse actors he has worked with before rather than make specific casting calls to ensure PoC representation on his shows." There is a similar issue in the Buffyverse, there are very few poc in Sunnydale, but at least in LA the casting is more diverse.

[@VicFrost]

Oh thank you very much! I hadn't realized it was a war of indepence! I did notice the lack of PoC, especially in Buffy, but yeah there's not a lot of PoC, which is quite sad.

[@seumus]

Welcome to the Verse. N.B. This story is set 500 years into the future, after humanity had outgrown "Earth-That-Was", and settled in a new star system.

[@surpelle]

How exciting. Someone that knows nothing about Firefly. It'll be interesting (and hopefully fun) to follow your journey.

[@Cobinja]

Ah, another Firefly reactor to watch and follow. Shiny

[@Rubicon2305]

When you hear Mal or Inara and even Jayne call Kaylee "Mei Mei" keep in mind that is Chinese for "little sister." Jayne is a rough around the edges guy you will love to hate and hate to love. He will grow on you and while he is abrasive and taunts people at times, such as he did Kaylee, is is genuinely caring for his friends, including her. When the doc was operating, Jayne was perched at the window, shown in a state of concerned anxiety over Kaylee's condition. Also, when she was shot, he went into big-brother-rage mode and was intent on killing the Fed had Shepard Book not got in the way. There are many other "tells" to come which tip the hand as to Jayne's character and motivations - particularly why he is so money-driven. While it seems that, on the surface, greed is his motivation, there are much more complex, and even endearing, reasons deep beneath the surface. The tells are extremely nuanced but there nonetheless.

[@VicFrost]

Oh I didn't know that, thank you!

[@dalesharp9953]

Great reaction. This is one of my favorite series. This series was cancelled during the mid season. Fans were upset. They wrote in and got online to protest. Josh Whedon got the rights and he tried to sell it to another network. It took him 2 years to get the opportunity to make a movie.

[@VicFrost]

2 years to make the movie?! Goddamn

[@Catherine.Dorian.]

Do you remember why it was cancelled? They aired the whole thing out of order!

[@bryandoehler8962]

It's fairly normal to be a bit confused during the pilot. In the second episode things settle down a bit and you learn more as you go.

[@ThatSamoanGuy]

It's really not. No one I talk to about this show was confused by the first episode.

[@PeterMaranci]

As a native English speaker, I have to say that your accent is effectively flawless. And unnoticable.

[@VicFrost]

Oh thanks! I'm surrounded by a lot of English, so it must help

[@migmit]

Wash said "they are operating without core containment" or something like this; so, I take it, the core of their reactor is exposed, and everybody onboard gets a healthy dose of radiation.

[@VicFrost]

Oh rip, can't be good for you at all

[@margretrosenberg420]

@@VicFrost It isn't. Reavers are basically using old technology held together with chewing gum and baling wire (slight exaggeration). They aren't smart enough to think about what it does to them. Their entire life is bound up in torturing people to death and eating human flesh; anything else is trivial.

[@VicFrost]

@@margretrosenberg420 ew, not very nice at ALL

[@margretrosenberg420]

@@VicFrost There are basically two groups that the crew of Serenity have to be wary of - the Alliance, and reavers. The Alliance frowns on smuggling and has a nasty tendency to assume that Serenity is a pirate ship whenever they find Serenity scavenging, plus which they're seriously searching for River Tam and don't care how many people they have to kill in order to get her back. (As for why they want River, we find that out in the movie.) And the reavers are the boogie men of space. Much worse than Tolkien's orcs, more like a whole tribe of Jeffrey Dahmers, without Dahmer's intelligence or charisma. When Joss Whedon decides to make up a nightmarish villain he goes big.

[@arandomnamegoeshere]

@@margretrosenberg420 I always interpreted as something worse than ignorance; self mutilation. They're all about death, destruction, pain, and torment. Not just for their victims - but themselves. They will subject themselves to varying types of self-flagellation as part of whatever culture, belief, or instinct drives them. An exposed core serves part of that. It also allows them to bolt engines to frames that might not otherwise fit and run at speeds that normally wouldn't be achievable if safety and... proper engineering... were a consideration. They are mad lads with "boogeyman" dialed up to 11.

[@RoGueNavy]

Yay! I've found another new Browncoat to watch progressing through the show!! Just be aware, this show is sixteen hours of bliss, followed by a lifetime of withdrawl. Just remember, no power in the 'Verse can stop you!

[@VicFrost]

I don't get that reference yet but thanks!

[@RoGueNavy]

@@VicFrost I promise you, you will!

[@RushfanDave]

The premise of Firefly is brilliant. Think of what settling on earth is like. New settlers have very little and new settlements are very lawless where people scrape out a living any way they can. Why would settling the galaxy and the universe be any different? The government runs the core planets, but the rim is much akin to the wild west of US history. I love this show. It has so much heart, is very well written and acted. Welcome aboard Serenity!

[@VicFrost]

Makes a lot more sense, thanks!

[@johnscott4196]

The great thing about this show is that people like me from an old generation and people like you from the very young one, both get it, and love this show. Congrats

[@meltorme-ntor2933]

And as far as the horses, this is a "sci-fi western". It may not be the first show of that concept, but it certainly did it the best, truly combining the two generes perfectly.

[@ernesthakey3396]

Kaylee is really so cute and wholesome. :) Jayne is crude, rude, but good in a fight. Inara is the Companion, which is more than a sex worker, definitely more of a high class escort with a variety of skills. Mal used to be religious, but lost his faith in the Battle of Serenity Valley, that was the opening scene, which is why he is a bit cold to Shepherd Book. The battle was not on Earth, Earth is in the past. :) This is one of the best ensemble cast ever brought together, in my opinion.

[@LeeCarlson]

Companions are closer to the traditional Geishas of Japan and the Ancient Hellenic Hatarae.

[@ernesthakey3396]

@@LeeCarlson yep. Or high class courtesans. Lots of skills, not just those related to sex work.

[@user-kg7co9vi5r]

Additionally Zoe is a real badass, I love her, she and Wash are a great love story. Inara and Book are the most socially acceptable members of the crew, a place that Simon was before rescuing his sister. Kaylee is a sweet and loving free spirit. Serenity is also a character, she and Kaylee are bff's.

[@VicFrost]

I hadn't realized what Companions were, thanks! I already watched episode 2 at this time, so I know a little bit more, but I was still quite confused, thanks!

[@ernesthakey3396]

@@VicFrost you're quite welcome! So psyched for you to watch this! You've probably already been told, but this episode wasn't even aired until the end when they'd already been canceled, the studio didn't think the Serenity pilot episode had enough action, so the writers wrote The Train Job over a long weekend to serve as a more action-oriented pilot episode and so they sort of reintroduce the characters... (Facepalm)

[@gawainethefirst]

Shiny! Welcome to the Browncoats, Vic. We’re pleased as punch to have you.

[@RobPresq1717]

I can already tell that I'll be watching and liking all of your Firefly reactions. I really liked at the end how you took the time to look over the info with help from your mod and without spoilers to find out a bit more. I'm sure everyone will agree that there's a lot to take in during the first episode but it's usually intriguing enough that first-time viewers are anxious to watch the next episode. After that, yes, you'll love the characters and the series. Fact :)

[@PatriotRebel]

Howdy! I just subscribed to see you reactions to Firefly! Such a great show! Fantastic cast, great writing! I know you're going to love it!

[@VicFrost]

Thank you!

[@kermitcook8498]

Welcome to the Browncoat 'verse. We love to see again through fresh eyes. There are things you'll find out about everyone, but not all questions will be answered. Jayne may or may not grow on you, but you will come to understand where he comes from. Again, we're glad you have decided to journey with us, however short the trip is.

[@Pixelologist]

Real world places - especially expansive places and the spanning of multiple planets makes for a pretty expansive "place" - are always going to be a mix of prosperity and poverty; technologies both cutting edge and primitive; people who choose to live close to the land and those who prefer life among the stars. I find Firefly, oddly, to be one of the more realistic sci-fi shows in this regard and it's part of what I love about the show.

[@VicFrost]

Yeah, I think it has such a big charm with this!

[@CaptainFrost32]

Joss had two different sets of cameras, one in TV standard ratio, the other in widescreen HD ratio. He shot every scene in both formats (and had scenes blocked to favor the widescreen format). One of the standard cameras failed and they lot the day's footage, forcing them to use the widescreen footage from that day. The director of photography traded in the latest camera lenses to get older models to capture Lens Flares.

[@VicFrost]

Oh interesting, thanks!

[@Erulin68]

It's not just the same producer as Buffy. It's the same creator, same writers, same director. Same everyone. I hope you enjoy the journey. 😁

[@Ernwaldo]

Great reaction! 😊 Nothing about this show, or episode in particular, to say that hasn’t already been stated. Love your enthusiasm, hope you continue to enjoy & that you’re able to continue to post for our enjoyment. Thank you.

[@sadfaery]

I think you'll probably quickly fall in love with Kaylee. She's just so lovely as a person! I didn't watch this show when it first aired because I was really thrown off by the whole space-western thing, but when I saw it later on the Syfy Channel, I definitely loved the entire series. And the film, Serenity, which wrapped up the plot points that had been left hanging when the series was cancelled.

[@RunningTogether]

Awesome! Very glad you’re watching this great series. It was badly treated by Fox at the time (they did similar things to a bunch of shows in a few years around that time)… showing it out of order, not sitting so of the episodes, etc. They basically never gave it the chance to build its audience. (Another show around that time that got even worse treatment was Wonderfalls… which btw stars some French Canadian actors. Really great show although it’s hard to find except by buying the DVDs, which were released after a fan campaign because they only showed four of the episodes on TV (also out of order, and on different nights and times without advertising the changes). But the show was so good that many people campaigned to get it fully released (though sadly it only had one partial season).) Looking forward to the rest of your reactions to this show! 👍

[@twentythreeforlife]

Wonderfalls is definitely worth a watch (Tim Minear was an Executive Producer on it and also Firefly).

[@VicFrost]

Gotta admit the French Canadian got me interested. I'll add it to the list. Very glad for this series!

[@salishseamermaid]

You did pretty well for jumping in blind! Subscribing to follow you on this adventure. ❤️

[@VicFrost]

thanks!

[@RobPresq1717]

Congrats as well, as I noticed that your reaction to this already has 3.7K views after just 3 days. It's because us Browncoats are always on the lookout for more people to join our side. “May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.” Malcolm Reynolds. Seriously though, there's so many views because your reactions are wonderful and Firefly fans LOVE when someone first reacts to a series we care and love so much.

[@VicFrost]

I was flabbergasted lol. I checked after a few hours and there was 200 views or something (which is what I expected), and then I checked 24 hours later and BAM. I was quite surprised

[@lonegamer9347]

Keep watching, the story unfolds and in my opinion the best SciFi series ever.

[@Crazael]

Nathan Fillion, who plays Mal Reynolds was also in Castle and The Rookie (The Rookie likely being the cop show you mentioned) Alan Tudyk, who plays Wash has been in a bunch of stuff, and provided voice work for a number of movies. Mirina Sirtis, who plays Inarra has also been in a wide assortment of other shows and movies. 13:34 He made a poor taste joke about the clocks she uses being programed to speed up during sessions so they are shorter than they should be, implying she's cheating him out of time he paid for. Likely, he realized he messed up from the look on her face, but chose to just leave rather than attempt to apologize. 17:48 The line about "I don't like how you look down on me" is metaphorical. Basically, he doesn't like that Mal thinks of himself as better than him. That Mal is literally looking down on him because Badger is so much shorter than him, just serves to make the line funny. For your little recap: Mal and Zoe were fighters in a war against unification. After the war was lost, Mal bought a ship and became a smuggler, moving things around between various places and worlds in the system, as well as doing the occasional odd job. Badger hired him to grab the cargo of an old Alliance transport so he could sell it on the black market. But the cargo was stamped as being Alliance property, and their ship was spotted. That means that Badger doesn't want to buy it anymore because he won't be able to sell it. So now they have to find a new buyer. 20:18 The Firefly-class is a light transport, and has space to carry small amounts of cargo and a few passengers. Not a bad way for them to make extra money if they're already going in a particular direction. And they aren't wanted. The Alliance never got an ID on them, just that it was a Firefly-class vessel. There's lots of those out in the 'verse. It's a cheap, reliable ship. 36:42 Reavers are people who went to the edge of space and went crazy. Now they hunt and eat people and various other really bad things. Reaver ships can be identified by their habit of running their reactors extra hot because they don't care about radiation, so their ships are faster than normal. The main way to avoid them is to turn everything off and hope they don't notice you.

[@VicFrost]

Oh wow thank you for all the detailed information!!! This is so cool!

[@kevindean0000]

Uh... Mirina Sirtis is Deanna Troi from Star Trek. Inarra is played by Morena Baccarin.

[@dunringill1747]

Liked and subscribed for your "Firefly" journey. This canceled Space Western series is Joss Whedon's unfinished masterpiece. It has a lot of character depth including the relation dynamics between characters. Even episodic side characters show depth. When Mal gave his cruel joke to Simon "Kaylee's dead" - he was doing more than just "being psychotic". He was watching for Simon's initial reaction. Simon passed his test by showing genuine concern for Kaylee. Because Simon passed his test with genuine concern, Mal offered Simon a position as part of his crew at the end of the episode.

[@VicFrost]

oooooh, I didn't even think of that with Simon, makes a lot more sense. Showing that he cares

[@michaelhoward142]

Very enjoyable reaction. Your English is absolutely fine. I'm looking forward to watching the rest of your journey with Firefly. Thank you so much!

[@VicFrost]

Thanks! I hope you enjoy youtself!

[@pleutron]

1st time on this channel. enjoyed this reaction

[@transitengineer]

Welcome to the world of the TV show "Firefly". I watched this series when it aired brand new on network TV, but was not able to record the episodes on VHS tape (my VCR recorder was either in for repairs of it aired and ended before, I could buy a new on. During the 2000's and 2010's whenever, I tried to talk to fellow science fiction fans about Firefly most did not know what, I was talking about. Also, a new crop of fans were created back in the day when, the cable science fiction channel replayed the full first season (smile...smile).

[@viccaswell]

Yyyyeeessss!!! This is such a good show! I hope you like it!

[@KevDaly]

There were fourteen episodes including the pilot, and then the movie. There's no hyperspace - everything happens in a single large planetary system that humanity moved to when Earth couldn't support them any longer. The war wasn't against aliens - but I'll let you learn more about the factions from the story 😁

[@martins1964]

Nathan Fillion (Mal) was in the TV show "Castle" after this.

[@Richard_Ashton]

And The Rookie, after that.

[@ekted]

They even made Firefly references/jokes in Castle.

[@twentythreeforlife]

A little bit of clarification: This isn't a full season (probably about half). There are no aliens. The war was between the Core planets and those opposed to unification (Outer Rim). Jayne is rough around the edges but cares about the crew. He wanted to kill the lawman right after Kaylee was shot and watched in secret during her surgery.

[@paulcurlin2789]

Yep. I think Jayne thought of Kaylee as a sister and treated her as such. Always teasing her but there to protect her.

[@007videovixen]

subscribed for Firefly

[@ASU885]

Always fun to see when a Brown Coat is born.

[@raziel6896]

Just discovered your channel because of this reaction! Got another subscriber! This show is fantastic, give it a shot and im sure you will enjoy it. Was probably already explained but the main reason it only got one season was because Fox aired the episodes in a weird order and it didn't get popular until it was already cancelled. It really is a fantastic show however. I see you have done some Buffy reactions as well. I will be checking those out as well at some point! Looking forward to more if this show! Not enough people react to it!

[@VicFrost]

Thank you! I hope you like it!

[@FM-kl7oc]

14:55 Blooper: You can see a hand grabbing the front of the ATV in the lower right corner, to pull the ATV out of frame.

[@Jymm]

I've mentioned this on quite a few Firefly reactions ... "This "Space Western" replaced my favorite show at the time "Dark Angel". I was prepared to hate it … but after the 1st episode It became my new favorite show..🙂🚀" ENJOY the ride ... it may be short but it's worth the trip! 💚

[@wynnyx7071]

The earth that was is something they talk about a lot on this show. There was a cataclysm that destroyed the planet so people fled to all corners of the universe (the "verse"). When people are scattered like that and have to rebuild, the poor revert to horses and stuff, and the rich worlds are more technologically advanced. Its a show that serves being watched more than once to get everything (after you watch everything including the movie.)

[@VicFrost]

Very excited!

[@wynnyx7071]

@@VicFrost you should watch Cabin in the Woods - also by Joss. It would be good for Halloween.... Its a horror movie - since you seem to be themeing on Joss Whedon lately.

[@kevinstanton5998]

Heck yeah! Great series and movie!!!

[@StevesTubes]

New viewer because of this series. You will love it and be upset that it was stupidity canceled prematurely.

[@margretrosenberg420]

Registered Companions, like Inara, are highly respected people. They study for a long time before they're eligible to be registered, and while their work may include sex work it goes WAY beyond that. Mal is seriously out of line referring to Inara as a "whore," and he knows it. "Ambassador" is actually a more accurate description of Inara, at least as far as Serenity is concerned. Inara's presence on board lends Serenity respectability.

[@VicFrost]

Oh I did not know at all! I get a hint of this in episode 2, but I still hadn't realized.

[@JohnSmith-kf8mv]

Going into this show blind - I'm jealous. Have fun.

[@JohnSmith-kf8mv]

Hope you have someone checking these comments to save you from any spoilers.

[@VicFrost]

I do, I have a really nice mod!

[@FenixNade]

Yes, the show was cancelled after one season. However, that is more to do with mismanagement (by Fox) than the quality of the show. Hell, its enduring popularity got a movie funded, and that's not nothing. I really hope you enjoy getting to know and love these characters, and can't wait to join you on this journey. Welcome to the Brown Coats!

[@VicFrost]

I would love to see more, already from only two episodes!

[@elroysez8333]

The Reaver ship didn't have "core" CONTAINMENT. Essentially, it was a ship with an exposed core that is dangerous to the crew.

[@VicFrost]

that does not sound good indeed

[@rromano158]

When you hear them speaking Chinese, they are "usually" cursing. The writers did this to get passed the TV censors. So, when you hear them saying something sounding like cursing in Chinese, just insert your own favorite curse word because translations between Chinese and English aren't word for word. Yes, this was a very good series. The Fox Network really screwed the pooch when they aired this series, they aired all of the episodes out of order and pre-empted some of the episodes to air other programs. The execs didn't think this episode was good enough as a pilot for the series, so they decided to air the next episode first instead, which makes no sense because in this episode you are introduced to the main characters, whereas in the next episode all of the characters are there, and you have no context of why or who they are. They also only aired 12 out of the 14 episodes before it was cancelled. It wasn't until there was a demand from the fans that the entire series was shown in order with all of the episodes. Then, with more outcry from the fans a movie, Serenity, was made to try and tie up loose ends.

[@VicFrost]

Wow, that is some weird order. Why did they think doing that was a good idea

[@TommygunNG]

“Space Western.” That is what show is. It is modeled roughly after post-Civil War United States, with Mal (the leader) and Zoe (the primary female) in the place of former Confederate soldiers trying to make their way having been on the losing side.

[@subitman12]

Thank you for reaction to this series. It's one of my favorite show. I'm looking forward to further reactions. "Minimal space". Have you've ever been on a US Navy submarine? The enlisted gets bunk beds. Some even have to sleep on empty torpedo racks. The chief petty officers have shared a shared room. Officers have two man bunk rooms except for the CO and XO who have their own cabins. As far as the sink that open up from the wall is what you see in the show. Officers in their room have such sinks in their room. It's a luxury item and convenient due to space. It's also to minimize noise. A sink held up tends to make less rattling and the sound is muffled.

[@VicFrost]

I hope you enjoy yourself!

[@dennytaylor1005]

Just saw your channel - new Firefly reaction!!!! I am subscribing now :)

[@VicFrost]

Hope you like it!

[@margretrosenberg420]

The origin of the reavers is one of the big mysteries of the series; you'll get those answers in the movie, and I won't spoil it for you by telling you now. All that I'll say is that Zoe was not exaggerating when she told Simon what the reavers would do to people if they got the chance.

[@VicFrost]

AHHH scary

[@margretrosenberg420]

@@VicFrost Very.

[@cdrbb]

yes weekend is set. binging through this

[@TheScaramongus]

Great reaction. I can't wait for your subsequent reactions.

[@erich5819]

This comment is in response to your question about "The Fed"/Lawrence played by Carlos Jacott. You read during your recap that he was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You are not quite there yet in your Buffy watching (assuming you are still on Season Two). You haven't missed him at this point. As for Firefly, don't be concerned that you are confused, the is a lot to absorb from this "'verse" and the show introduces many unique elements. It should start making more sense soon.

[@VicFrost]

I just finished season 2, so no. Thanks! I was scared I'd missed him! And thanks for the reassurance

[@xenontouchstone]

If you like tight storylines, great characters, fantastic casting,brilliant acting, this series will grab you and stay with you for a long time Do your best to avoid spoilers for the film to get the best effect,and welcome to the briwncoats 😁

[@JerriBlank]

shiny! a new firefly reaction to watch!

[@imdguin]

Nathan Fillion is, indeed, "The Rookie."

[@phatusatus]

Firefly is one of my favorite shows, only second to The Expanse which you should check out if you like hard-science sci-fi shows.

[@adamwells9352]

I'd put 'em in the opposite order, but it's a quibble. Agree, the Expanse is great.

[@apulrang]

The Fox Network did this show a lot of disservice. It seems to have started with rejecting this Pilot and asking for one that was shorter and with more action and slightly more explicit explanations of what's going on. They sort of have a point which is why people often struggle a bit with this opening to the series. However, I think most people come to conclude that it's okay that this pilot does NOT simply explain everything immediately. Just a little patience and relaxing at the start -- not worrying too much about background details -- pays off.

[@VicFrost]

I will relax so much, I'll melt haha. But yeah, so far, I'm already sad there's only one season

[@becca1189]

You might be interested in the Firefly Companion books (same title two volumes). It has the scripts (including the Chinese translations) as well as behind the scenes information. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@VicFrost]

Cool, thanks!

[@charlesmartinjr3971]

"I did not expect that." That pretty much sums up the show.

[@NippingTickTuck]

the journey you are about to experience, will be so shiny. :)

[@Alcagaur1]

"I've never heard of it before." Beat *Tatooine-equalling cry of anguish from the Browncoat Army* Seriously, with any luck you will soon see for yourself why this holds a special place in the hearts of such a (still) devoted fanbase.

[@VicFrost]

Haha, it doesn't help that it came out when I was a toddler and in the wrong language

[@Alcagaur1]

@VicFrost You do an amazing job, as a non-native speaker, of staying purely in English, not merely in the words you employ, but also in the fillers you use and the explanations you provide. This is coming from an ESL teacher of three decades, so please understand the profound foundation of my admiration for your skill and dedication.

[@larrystuder6378]

A long term hint-- Joss doesn't stop to explain-- things and terms are mentioned in passing. But a few minutes later, he will give an explanation- it may not always be true or correct, but it will be a short term answer...

[@tenchraven]

When skippy says Inara's clock is fast, he's insulting her and accusing her of robbing him. Guess who is never getting to have time with a Companion again. Most people get that, even if English isn't their native language. Horses breed. All they need to make more horses is graze, grain if you can, water and air. And when they break, you can eat them. Hard to eat a spaceship. Those that have the money get flying cars; those that don't have horses. Dogs to. They might have been colonized for more than a century, but these are still frontier planets, once you're out of the big cities. Strawberries are a fragile crop, and a treat not a staple, so when you don't have the calories to feed everyone they are a luxury. You start to react to a line half way through it. Bravo. If you STFU for a minute, you find out your questions will be answered, but you're still banging your lips. You're not unique. Every shippy Buffy fangirl, and your wall says you are, has a hard time with this. 37:30 You're painful to watch, darling. I'm out.

[@Higurashika]

That's so weird when ppl know about ancient Buffy but have no idea about Firefly x_x

[@Jskew]

You win. Much love and keep on keepin on J.

[@garylogan3640]

The show is a sci-fi western. The crew of the ship are kind of like Robin Hood and his Merry Men. They make their living by either legal or illegal means, but you will see that they tend to come to the aid of those that are being ignored by the "official law" and are in need of help. As to the mix of old west (horses etc) and advanced tech (spaceships, energy weapons etc) it is an old trope in sci-fi that colonists on new worlds would be better served by old technology and animals. A pair of breeding horses can give you a herd of horses, but a tech vehicle can break down, and without replacement parts becomes a pile of scrap metal.

[@BKPrice]

Interesting thing I just learned. I didn't realize Nathan Fillion was slated to play Green Lantern. The role was previously assumed by Ryan Reynolds. Ryan and Nathan have a connection, as both of them were in the sitcom "Two Guys and a Girl," (Nathan was not one of the two guys, he was an extra character that created a love triangle who was going after the same girl as Ryan Reynolds) and it's somewhat amusing that their destinies are crossing again.

[@VicFrost]

Oh I didn't know about that, thanks!

[@lilrizq]

I love how your looking stuff up, trying to get familiar with the Lore of the Universe of Firefly. I don't think I've ever seen a Reaction channel that as done this before. #GreatReaction

[@VicFrost]

Thank you!

[@DmGray]

The Star Wars vibe probably comes from the similar inspirations. They both pay homage to classic pulp (basically, fiction written as entertainment rather than some intellectual nonsense. I've always kinda hated "literature" for taking itself FAR too seriously, myself :P) Firefly is scifi western, obviously. But Star Wars has PLENTY of "western" elements (the cantina is just the most obvious :P) along with its other inspirations. They are still VERY different, but don't sell yourself short. The connection is there! It definitely isn't JUST because they both "have ships" ;) Don't be afraid of the mild confusion. You're having a lot of characters thrown at you, with a lot of misdirection and plenty of world building. If you IMMEDIATELY understood everything... it would be kinda boring. Remember all of the things that you are unsure of. Resolving these mysteries is the joy of SSF imo.

[@VicFrost]

Thanks for the precision! I remember almost nothing from Star Wars, just the vibes haha.

[@margretrosenberg420]

The opening scene of this episode shows the Battle of Serenity Valley, the final battle of the War of Unification. In this universe, humanity migrated to the stars when we got to be too many for Earth to handle. We found a star cluster with many habitable planets and moons and settled there. The inner planets were the first ones colonized, and are the richest planets as a result - they're the best terraformed and are the worlds with large, shiny cities. Life is a lot harder on the outer worlds. Unfortunately, the inner worlds think their government, known as The Alliance, should rule the entire cluster, and many on the outer worlds disagree. Nathan Fillion's character, Malcolm Reynolds, was fighting against The Alliance, for the independence of the outer worlds. The independents were known as "brown coats," that being their uniform (easy to come by). And at the Battle of Serenity Valley the brown coats lost the war, and Malcolm lost his faith in God. As a known brown coat it's virtually impossible for Mal to get honest work, so he found a defunct Firefly space ship (a model of ship that is no longer in production, known for the number of odd nooks and crannies it contains, where contraband can be easily hidden), got it repaired, named it "Serenity," and has now become a smuggler. His second in command from the war, Zoe, has stayed with him and is serving as his first officer on Serenity. The other thing you need to know is that The Alliance is bilingual, with English and Chinese both spoken by everyone. So when you hear people cursing in an unknown language, it's Chinese. This way the series could include lots of cursing and dirty words without triggering censorship.

[@wrdreacts4247]

Firefly est le plus bien. (French is not my first language, and it's been a long time) I haven't yet seen Buffy, etc., so I'm not going to subscribe, to avoid spoilers, but I've saved your Firefly playlist and will be watching it. Love this show so much, love getting to experience it with first timers over and over and over and over.... Cheeers, may the chaos of your existence be a beneficial!

[@angelohernandez6060]

The reason it seems a mich mach of tech culture and primitive culture is because it is. When they discovered another system that had viable planets for terraforming they did just that. Then once they were done with that they colonized. It all started out like the old frontier. There would be no paved roads and such on the less financially ubundant planets, so they took horses,chickens for food. Stuff early pioneers would have used. The Americans and the Chinese were the only superpowers left and jointly colonized that system, hence the English/Chinese mixed lingo. Great world building in this show, and that's just from a partial season and a movie. It would have been glorious to have seen all the plans Josh had for this world.

[@Christobanistan]

Wow, this girl's cute AF.

[@dboss7239]

You forgot to put the link to your Patreon! You will enjoy this most excellent series! Yes, the captain, Mal, played by Nathon Fillion, went on to his own series on ABC for 8 seasons called "Castle" where he is a famous writer who becomes a police consultant. They did tributes to Firefly in that series, and Nathon had many of the cast members from Firefly guest star on Castle. Here is a funny tribute to Firefly from Castle: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJKqq6yOiqykmcU (Space Cowboy | Castle)

[@VicFrost]

Someone else pointed it out, thanks! I totally forgot when this got copyrighted haha

[@Audra1964]

First of all, your English is excellent (curse words and all😂) for not being your first language. Secondly, we are not laughing at you! This first episode has a lot to take in and it’s fun watching you process what you’re seeing. We are thrilled to see you react to Firefly because it means the show lives on another day. About Jayne. Mal is very pragmatic. Jayne is good at what he does-things that involve muscle and weaponry. But Mal doesn’t trust him; you will find out why when you get to his backstory. Practicality can also explain why Inara is on board. In this ‘verse, her position (Companion) involves a high level of education and is held in high esteem. Being associated with her brings some respectably to the ship. And then at the end you can see his pragmatic side again when he invites Simon to stay on the ship, in spite of his fugitive status. He’s a medic. And the crew of Serenity are in a physically risky business. Lastly, the ship resembles a lightening bug with its yellow tail end-hence the name of that class of ship.

[@VicFrost]

Oh I thought it was an odd style for the ship, but I didn't notice. And thank you for the compliments! Jayne is annoying a bit (having watched episode 2), but I'm sure I can get to know him better

[@trevorgoddard2278]

You are correct Nathan Fillion (Mal) plays a policeman in the TV series "The Rookie"

[@myeckwaters]

When the Reavers first show up, Inara opens a small box holding a syringe. It's a kit for unaliving herself, should the reavers take the ship.

[@StarkRG]

It actually isn't. Everyone assumes it is, myself included, but Joss Whedon and Morena Baccarin explained it was something which would kill anyone who had sex with her.

[@davidmills8726]

Except it wasn't. That was what we were supposed to think, but if you think about it a little more, pills would do the trick and be more portable. The hypo was actually foreshadowing part of a story line that was intended to be picked up in a later season, but they didn't have time to include it in this season or the movie.

[@paulcurlin2789]

@@davidmills8726 I don't agree. Pills would take a while longer to get into your bloodstream. Lot of Reaver pain could come before they take affect. I think the syringe into a blood stream would be quicker. I could be wrong though, it's been a while since I worked for Whedon . . . .

[@myeckwaters]

@@davidmills8726 Not buying it. Ever since that little tidbit about Inara got out people have been digging to find foreshadowing for it but it doesn't make sense in that scene.

[@kirkdarling4120]

@@myeckwaters Yes, this. If the case were that other scenario, this would be the last place Inara would be contemplating a syringe. This scene in this situation makes sense only as a means to escape the ordeal of the Reavers as immediately and certainly as possible.

[@mccollumparkfarmersmarket7836]

In the military. . . You serve your brothers. The guy on front and back of you. If you dont or can't serve. You serve your brothers. Sisters. With law health food support generosity education. I have crohnes disease. So I serve my fallen friends who died in afganastan, best way I can. . . Wait till serenity. Will break your heart. I cry for so many different reasons. . . But it will break you

[@MrBigPicture835]

The actress who plays Kaylee (Jewel Staite) absolutely loathes strawberries.

[@VicFrost]

That is HILARIOUS

[@MrBigPicture835]

@@VicFrost Josh Whedon thought is was funny too.

[@James-sc6vx]

Well this fits my criteria: Cute girl, reacts to Firefly, has a foul mouth, brown coat at heart= new subscriber. 😂

[@jamestate5059]

Jayne, I love the character. He is more than he shows

[@meltorme-ntor2933]

Nah, Jane is actually an awesome character. You will get to like him as an anti-hero. 🙂

[@RealDrunkenMaster]

The reavers run without core containment, meaning their engine don't have shielding so they get radiation exporsure.

[@tadmurphy7436]

Hey Vic. Welcome to the Firefly universe. It's a very short an amazing ride. All of your questions will be answered. You said I don't understand their spaceships and horses. This is literally a space Western. Which you were right which is kind of what George Lucas wanted Star wars to be. So you're getting it. Anyway, you'll learn to love them and then it will be over. Can't wait for you to get to the end and be completely devastated that there aren't anymore just like the rest of us. Welcome board ❤️💚☘️🇺🇦

[@VicFrost]

Thanks a lot!

[@little_forest]

Of course there are horses! How else would you know it’s a space western? ;) With your reaction I realised how many story elements are unclear at that moment. I only watched the series after I already had seen the movie, that stands by itself, so many things I already knew when I went into the series.

[@JacopoBasanisi]

I mean, we got spaceships, but we still use bikes

[@VicFrost]

I now have a word to describe this series! Thank you!

[@VicFrost]

true true

[@johngardner4096]

There is a book by Robert Heinlein titled TUNNEL IN THE SKY, where Earth develops cheap, interstellar teleportation, leading to colonization of other worlds. In many of these cases, the colonists go with covered wagons, horses, and oxen - which can reproduce themselves without a factory. The idea is that these planets have to be self-supporting, and thus will have to develop their own technologies when they find their own resources. As a result, their technologies tend to be backwards... and I think this inspred Joss Whedon's world-building.

[@Otokichi786]

A youngster is boarding the "Serenity." What will she think of this Fox TV "strangled and tossed in the trash" show? I watched what Fox TV deigned to broadcast at the time, but I didn't see "Firefly" until I bought the DVD set. Will she become a Browncoat, and when?;) 3:34 Nathan Fillion went on to fame and glory on "Castle" (2009-2016) and is "The Rookie (2018-). Inara is a Registered Companion, functioning as a Geisha in this system. The reason for the 19th century technology is, this is on the barely-civlized rim of this solar system. Better to have a gunpowder pistol that can be reloaded than a battery powered Laser pistol where such tech high isn't supported. 23:02 Fresh food, like a Strawberry, is a welcome break from canned rations. Notice how Shepherd Book's spices are welcomed by the crew. Note: Reavers, unfortunately, aren't Zombies. As with "Star Wars," there's a lot to take in, for a first time viewer, but it's a cumulative thing.

[@VicFrost]

Wow, thank you for all this information! Greatly helps.

[@CaptainFrost32]

Since I checked the comment section and seen no mention yet, Kaylee's enjoyment of the strawberry is notable because the actress in fact does not like strawberries. (Fans at conventions inundated her with everything related to strawberries until she had to ask them to stop.)

[@VicFrost]

Omg for real?! That's hilarious, and sad cause strawberries are great