MY KIND OF PARTY!!! Firefly 1x04 Reaction

[@irishlatinoreacts1842]

Just to clarify (not saying anyone has pointed this out or anything, I just thought of it), in the outro I state that the inclusion of animals gives Firefly a "step-up" above The Expanse and BSG. I am by no means saying that I already hold Firefly as a whole above either of those shows. I simple was saying that it beats those shows in the "showing animals" category haha.

[@Emburbujada]

"How can we be sure unless we question it?"

[@canucksfan9332]

Summer Glau worked for hours with Mark Sheppard to get his accent down

[@frozenharold]

Mal had never picked up a sword before. It would have been horribly unrealistic if the sword fight choreography was any better.

[@Well3eyond]

"Mercy is the mark of a great man. I guess I'm just a good man. Well I'm alright." I couldn't stop laughing at that lol...

[@lepton4]

A few subtle things I love about this episode: a. when Mal insults Kaylee - Zoe immediately defends her (she takes the bag Mal was complaining about) with a look of disgust at Mal that those two can only communicate through their years together. b. at the party, Inara is announced with her full name along with Atherton. I feel it shows her status in this society. she is viewed as an equal (compared to how we would expect an 'escort' to be received at a fancy party) c. The scene with Kaylee and the guys at the party. I feel it is a perfect example of someone being themselves and that is what attracts people to you. Kaylee is going to be Kaylee and that's her taking about engines and machines. She isn't going to be anything she isn't. There is nothing fake about Kaylee - nothing for just 'show'. Zoe/Wash marriage depiction is always fun to peep in on.

[@migmit]

Zoe is my favorite character.

[@rriggs6547]

I think a lot of people mistake Kaylee's cheerful attitude as innocence. There are a number of clues throughout the series that show she is not. She is just a very optimistic and joyful person.

[@singingwolf3929]

You forgot at the very beginning when Inara takes the money from Mal and hides it in her bra. She knows they won't dare to try and search her for it because there could be serious and immediate consequences because of her status.

[@rodentnolastname6612]

While filming the pilot episode, Mal's costume included vintage trousers. As they were vintage they couldn't be altered so they didn't quite fit. As Mal leaps over a rock to get to the big anti-aircraft gun (which he actually got to fire), he split the crotch of the trousers. Because of this, the cast and crew gave him the nickname "Captain Tight Pants" which they used in this episode ♥️🤟😎♥️

[@kevinjohnson613]

For the non-country folk. Both bulls and cows normally have horns. Cow horns (and sometime bull horns) are removed for the safety of the herd. They can easily damage or kill each other without trying to hard. All this is say. Those probably weren't all bulls.

[@rriggs6547]

Though many types of cattle do have horns, not all do and some only with the bulls. I think most of the ones in the US do have horns and the cows are de-budded.

[@TheScaramongus]

could they be steers?

[@joshuawiedenbeck6944]

Typically, you never mix male and female "cows." The males immediately start trying to mate with the females. They were more than likely all heffers (females). All bulls would fight with each other.

[@captainnerd6452]

For the sword fight choreography, I thought Mal was definitely amateurish, which means Atherton didn't need to show much expertise. So to me it wasn't bad.

[@HuntingViolets]

It would be silly for Mal to be good, so it made sense.

[@Educated2Extinction]

It was clearly stated that Ath was toying with Mal. Ath knew swordplay, emphasis on play. Mal knew surviving a fight.

[@seeflatbesharp]

This episode leans into the tropes of the Western, more than most! All the way to the final shot of the "cargo"! However, my favorite scene is Kaylee holding court talking about engines!

[@laramyelliott2903]

With a side of "Pride and Prejudice "

[@platinumspider7859]

​@@laramyelliott2903 Cowboy era and Victorian era were concurrent.

[@VoIcanoman]

The first 5 episodes of Firefly were a new cast and group of writers finding their footing, cautiously exploring this new world they'd created. They're good episodes, and they do show some marked, and reasonably consistent improvement from the pilot forward. But episode 6 is where they really start to hit their stride, and 8 to 10 are some of the best television ever created (in ANY genre, not just sci-fi).

[@playfulpanthress]

My dude, the swordfighting looked bad because Atherton was PLAYING with Mal. It would have ended in three seconds with Mal's death.

[@haukikannel]

For one night part training.. Mal was doing better than I expected… And yeah… Mal is not great swordman, he should not be. Sword dighting like all, takes years in training and some are just better than other even with same training. So actually Mals fight should have looked even more badly, and yeah Atherthon was just playing, like a cat with a mouse before the kill!

[@Jskew]

Great reaction. You mentioned the perfect shape of Serenity. It is a "Firefly" class and is shaped like the insect firefly. If you notice it's drive lights up the back end of the ship just like a firefly. Much love and keep on keepin on J.

[@gallendugall8913]

Thank you for introducing Frank and his backstory.

[@oscardiggs246]

I love that Frank sat behind listening and supervising to make sure the story was told correctly. I keep waiting for him to start singing "Who let the dogs out."

[@ernesthakey3396]

For those of us who first watched the series on DVD, the intros didn't exist!

[@AndreaMGC]

Foster fails are literally my favourite stories haha love conquers all. Thank you for sharing his story!! That portrait is amazing omg 😂I like your honesty when you don't like something (choreography, smoke mist...) I obviously want people to love my favourite show but I also want it to be genuine so thanks for being honest!

[@migmit]

There is a very nice, detailed review of a duel from a fencing specialist on YT, and the overall conclusion is that, apart from a few small editing mistakes, the duel is very realistic and generally follows the historic dueling rules (taking into account that those rules did change a lot throughout the history). In particular, in the climax we have Mal brushing off his oppenent's sword with his hand, throwing a part of a sword, and using a hilt as brass knuckles; none of those moves is problematic in the least. I did a translation of Firefly subtitles, for my family to enjoy. One thing is, in our native language there is no direct equivalent to the idiom “got my hands on something”, as in “managed to obtain”. So, I changed it; Badger was saying “you can't buy an invite for a diamond the size of a boob - but I just happen to have a couple”. Worked fine. The actor insisted on having a real set of rules for the game they were plaing. So, yeah, it's a real game. The insult from that old man to Benning, at the party. It was actually two insults for the price of one. He didn't just say “you're a slut”; he said “your father told me you're a slut”. And no respectable father would say something like this about his daughter, no matter if it's true or not. So, basically it meant “you're a slut and a low-birth”. Well, if you throw a challenge and then refuse to participate... There could be a law against that, actually. I really liked Bushwacked. Definitely not the worst episode. I'm a big fan of static characters. Characters who don't change themselves - but the world changes around them, and we get to see them interacting with different circumstances in unexpected ways. The series wasn't supposed to have opening narration at all. It was added by the network.

[@rriggs6547]

I like Bushwacked, but probably less the all the rest of the episodes.

[@GoodOldGamer]

The theme tends to grow on you, whether you expect it or not, lol. Especially by the time you get to the last episodes and won't regularly hear it anymore.

[@gorymarty56]

In the fandom of Browncoats there are annual balls where they dress up. Also any relaxed gathering of browncoats is called a Shindig, after this.

[@kirkdarling4120]

Shindig is a party. When I was a youth, there was also a television pop music/dance show called "Shindig."

[@gorymarty56]

@kirkdarling4120 I remember the music show

[@happyslapsgiving5421]

"Is it a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny?" 🐺

[@singingwolf3929]

Good Pull.

[@larrystuder6378]

The duel is a social custom. Mal punching Atherton has insulted his honor. Ath can kill him, duel or not, to recover his respect. And Mal can run away, which will dishonor Mal, make HIM a coward.

[@LeeCarlson]

Wash and Zoe are a fine example of how well Joss can write scenes of interpersonal intimacy without becoming "cringe."

[@JohnSmith-rm1po]

Also, the test for any opening theme song shouldn't be whether you enjoy it as a song... but whether it effectively sets the tonal stage for the experience of entering the setting of the show.

[@JohnSmith-rm1po]

Is it a law? Well, at the very least it's a cultural expectation enforced with top-down violence, so... ...yeah, it's a law, basically.

[@alancrofoot]

It's funny that, given the type of bar they were in, that Inara got such a fancy delicate drink. Before shooting the scene where River verbally takes Badger down a peg or two, Summer Glau and Mark Sheppard huddled together for a long time working on her dialect, I think she nailed it. You brought up the strawberries, the irony is that Jewel Staite really doesn't like them, and they made her deal with them twice.

[@cheeseycom]

The part where she says "less than you claim" veers off into Australian, but otherwise she didn't do too badly with the accent.

[@LeeCarlson]

When you consider that the heart of this civilization is the Anglo-Chinese Alliance and that Chinese cultures have some very different perspectives on slavery, it makes you think about what Joss might have had in mind for future seasons and compare just where and when slaves are talked about.

[@HuntingViolets]

"Bulls?" Well, cattle. Probably more cows than bulls, if there are any bulls included at all.

[@LeeCarlson]

Duels occur in societies that value honor and reputation. Remember what Niska said about reputation; someone like Mal Reynolds lives or dies by their reputation.

[@rugrat0ne239]

About whether Mal agreed to the swordfight: the punch was considered to be the issuing of a challenge, by those rules everyone in the room thought he'd not only agreed to it, but instigated the sword fight. And you pronounced Whedon correctly, but his first name is Joss, not Josh

[@rriggs6547]

I laughed when he made the comment about his last name after saying the first wrong.

[@seumus]

Mark coached Summer on her accent to make it match his as best they could.

[@canucksfan9332]

I especially love Frank sitting in the background while you discuss his fostering. Pugs are THE BEST dogs ever

[@LeeCarlson]

The ground fog you see during the duel is common on the Louisiana Gulf Coast during what we laughingly call winter.

[@irishlatinoreacts1842]

Oh understood Lee. Something about the fog just looked quite fake. Am I wrong on that? Tell me if I am being a dick! You know I can handle it!

[@cirrustate8674]

@@irishlatinoreacts1842 They almost certainly used a fog machine. Which means it was real, but fake. Like, they didn't add it in in post, but it wasn't there naturally. A practical effect, but still an effect.

[@LeeCarlson]

@@irishlatinoreacts1842, it's not being a dick to notice something you haven't experienced. Cold air over warm (moist) ground will produce heavy ground fog.

[@gr8fullytedicated]

The sword Ath is using in the duel sure looks like Indigo Montoya's sword. Can't wait for you to get to episode 6 when this show clicks into overdrive.

[@RabbitsFunWorld]

Hello. My name is “Indigo” Montoya. You k*lled my father. Prepare to un-alive. 😂😊

[@GoodOldGamer]

To be fair, I think it might be the only time Inara's last name is said in the series. Mal's the only one that has his last name mentioned on a regular basis. The others are mentioned only once or twice. I'd say Book is the shepherd's last name, but it's the only name he goes by as far as I recall.

[@rukbat3]

There is one place where we get Book's first name, but it would be spoilery to say where.

[@platinumspider7859]

Wash goes by his last name, shortened.

[@rriggs6547]

Book goes by the name Derial Book. Also Wash's name is Hobun Washburn, Wash for short. So we do get his last name repeatedly. I think we only get Kaylee's full name in this episode. We do get Simon and River's last name multiple times.

[@dougearnest7590]

Speaking of lyrics - I have been known to write song parodies from time to time, with varying degrees of success. I think you've seen enough episodes now to get all the references, so here it is -- a little something I wrote for Firefly - sung to the tune of American Pie. (One little note - the word "shuai" was used by Kaylee in the episode "Safe" to describe Simon - it means handsome. Not a great fit for the song, but it rhymes and it's a Firefly reference and it still makes a hell of a lot more sense than a lot of song lyrics I've heard.) Long long time ago, the Earth that was was all used up And so we had to terraform some brand new worlds we used to farm And things were pretty shiny for a while. But freedom is a fragile thing. The politicians tried to bring Every one together, 'cause taxes are forever. We fought a war to keep 'em out, but Core Planets have too much clout They couldn't understand our doubts The day our freedom died. So now I'm livin' on an old Firefly Takin' jobs here and there - leastways I try. Some of them are honest, and some not so shuai, Singin' freedom's something they can't deny Freedom's something they can't deny. Did you fight in that awful war? What color was the coat you wore? Or don't it matter any more? Did you lose every-thing you love, Or just your faith in God above? Tell me, what were you fightin' for? Well I know which was the losing side, but I don't deny we should have tried. We may have been defeated, But we never retreated. I've had a bit of time to grieve, but I knew that I'd never leave A valley called Serenity The day our freedom died. So now I'm livin' on an old Firefly Takin' jobs here and there - leastways I try. Some of them are honest, and some not so shuai, Singin' freedom's something they can't deny Freedom's something they can't deny.

[@Otokichi786]

Not quite as good as "The Saga Begins" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, but I'd add it to the "Browncoat Army Song Book.";)

[@dougearnest7590]

@@Otokichi786 - Nothing is as good as The Saga Begins - but thanks.

[@Metzwerg74]

21:42 the fun thing is, the young guy, that just wanted to talk to kaylee and was send away, is the one, that walked away without a word before...

[@HomeSHIPMAN]

I fostered five cats...now I have five cats 🐈‍⬛️ 😂

[@dalesharp9953]

Joss was supposed to be Badger, but Mark Sheppard did such a great job during the audition. He got the role. Jewel didn't like the dress. It was difficult to get in and out of. She couldn't sit down. She needed assistance to use the restroom. Mark helped Summer on her accent.

[@Mr.Ekshin]

Mark Sheppard has utterly CRUSHED every role I've ever seen him in. Too bad he's usually a side character. I'd like to see him in more leading roles.

[@Educated2Extinction]

I went to a civil war reenactment, and there were women wearing dresses with similarly sized skirts. Seeing them lined up outside a porta-potty was somewhat amusing/puzzling.

[@kirkdarling4120]

@@Educated2Extinction I expect the Civil War enactment costumes were historically accurate. Back in the day, women's "bloomers" (underpants) were crotchless, so they basically just stepped over a a chamber pot and crouched with servants holding up their skirts and petticoats.

[@becca1189]

@@Educated2Extinction Historical dress is different. Traditionally the volume comes from petticoats (what Jewel was wearing looks very stiff, not unlike a cone made of plastic). As far as hoop-skirts & bustles go, they're collapse-able. The "panties" are two pieces, one for each leg, & tied together at the waist. There's no "crotch", it's completely open. Using the toilet is easy. Lift, sit, & go. Parenthetically, this is also why the can-can was so scandalous. As Mark Twain once put it, 'The men jump as high as possible while the women show off as much as possible.' ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@RoGueNavy]

The old man who came to Kaylee's rescue with the mean girls, deserved a medal!

[@kirkdarling4120]

Zoe is willing to wear a slinky dress for Wash. Inara rated a named announcement as she entered the party, not just "...and escort." Mal would have wanted "...and escort" because someone might recognize his name. River's removal of the can labels wasn't random. The labels were Blue Star Corporation...you have to listen to what she's muttering. This is a a side plot that the series never had a chance to resolve, but there will be another slashing reference to the Blue Sky Corporation later. Fans who know more about fencing than I do say that the fight did, indeed, fit within standard rules and was, technically, not a bad fight considering one fighter was _supposed_ to be incompetent. Mal won the duel solely with (pieces of) his sword...a legal win. Episode 3 isn't _my_ least favorite...that one is upcoming. But my least favorite is a favorite of many.

[@rriggs6547]

Everything River says has meaning. It is very easy to miss the first time you watch though as it seems to be random muttering at first.

[@Kavala76]

During the early days of Magic: The Gathering (MTG) there was a powerful and popular creature card called "Serra Angel". I'd like to think that Inara's "Serra" surname came from there... IMO she is indeed and angel!

[@davidcarbee8720]

Still have a bunch of those somewhere. Good times

[@canucksfan9332]

Also, interesting point, I read somewhere the Jewel Stait does not like strawberries

[@rugrat0ne239]

Yeah, she says she always sees a little bit of a fan die when she tells them that

[@gallendugall8913]

They didn't have the intros at all back when I first watched it. I think they added that for streaming.

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

Really? I first watched Firefly on DVDs, and either we just skipped the intros without me remembering them, or they just weren't there. They weren't a part of my experience, anyway, and it throws me for a loop when I see them, especially because of how clunky they are in the delivery. They seem very much like an after-the-fact tweak. But I'd assumed they existed because the show was shown out of order, without a proper pilot, so they wanted to explain things for TV. So I guess my question to you is: did you watch Firefly as it was broadcast, or did you watch it later, on DVD or something?

[@Otokichi786]

@@stuffyouotterlistento1461 I watched the "Firefly" episodes that Fox TV deigned to broadcast after Y2K. These otherwise unknown introductions are a "why bother?" extra for streamers.

[@rriggs6547]

The had them when the show aired. But they aired the episodes out of order, on different days of the week, at different times, and sometimes skipped a week or two. They actually were helpful. But then they were not on the DVD's

[@jdonvance]

I've been watching various KZbinrs react to this series as sort of background noise while I play video games this season. Someone pointed out that Mal insults Kaylie's fluffy dress aspirations DIRECTLY after Inara's name is mentioned. Mal is trying to keep it under control, but he's really touchy about Inara's weeklong engagement.

[@ernesthakey3396]

Bulls are male, cows are female...the word you are looking for when you don't know or have a mix is "cattle". That's why we hear about "cattle ranches", not bull ranches or cow ranches. 😉

[@RoGueNavy]

"Good drinker, that one." **PUNCH**

[@bonnievonbraun6276]

I remember trying to explain about "Firefly": It's a Space Western. People would just stare at me.

[@salishseamermaid]

There's so much great character development in this episode.

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

Some random people on the internet indicate that Fox demanded they add the voiceover intros for the episodes, when they were initially aired (and given that they didn't air the proper pilot until the end, and showed the episodes out of order, maybe the voiceovers actually were needed, or at least beneficial), but that they weren't present on DVDs or Blu-rays (which obviously fits with my experience). Whatever the case, I find the intros to be clunky in delivery, and they weren't a part of my viewing experience (I watched Firefly on DVD, and either the intros weren't there, as those random internet people suggest, or we skipped past them without me realizing/remembering). You don't need them, and can safely skip them, yourself (and definitely don't watch the recaps, as they'll broadcast what the upcoming episode will be about, or who it might include).

[@rriggs6547]

They also kept changing the day, the time, and pre-empting the show for other things. I think I caught about half in the initial run and then most on the re-run.

[@stuffyouotterlistento1461]

@@rriggs6547 Oh, the voiceovers don't even register on the scale of wrongness that was done to Firefly. I think they're a bit clunky but maybe even helpful at the time. They're really not needed now though.

[@seumus]

And there it is, the first appearance of the most loved nickname, "Captain Tight Pants." Also, take a really good look at the floating chandelier. The large inner ring of it has Tolkien Elvish script on it. Yes, it really is a giant One Ring.

[@eschiedler]

Very insightful deep dives into episode recaps, hope you get more fans for it.

[@HuntingViolets]

Jane Espenson, who wrote this episode, had to make up the card game.

[@BHSilver]

Love the picture of the Suave Pug.

[@gorymarty56]

I love the song

[@PsychoMuffinSDM]

I love this episode with how much Kaylie chums it up with the boys! She don’t need no approval from the other girls there!

[@johncampbell756]

"...Josh Whedon, hopefully I'm pronouncing his last name correctly..." Yes, you pronounced his last name correctly. But his first name is Joss (professionally, as he was born Joseph). A lot of people make that mistake as Joss is an uncommon nane. I can only think of singer Joss Stone.

[@Skylaman]

The hilarious thing about it being a shortened name is that, back in the 90s, when I first saw Buffy, I thought Joss might be short for Jocelyn. Took me until I got the DVDs and saw behind the scenes footage that I realized Joss was a guy.

[@arnieadam]

When Mal snapped at Kalie (while she was admiring the dress she would later wear), he did that right after Kalie mentioned Anara got to wear whatever she wants and he was still irritated with Anara and the interaction he'd had in her shuttle telling him about Atherton. I have followed every reactor I can find over the years to rewatch this show with them, and this is the first time (because you had captions on) that I heard what Kaylee's full name was, "Miss Kaywinnit Lee Frye" (when she was introduced at the ball).

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

I always figured the duel scene was set 'misty-morning' as an homage to similar scene in the film "Highlander". It's clear that Whedon loves lifting and reusing bits and bobs from other beloved films. For example, try watching "Aliens" back-to-back with the prior episode, "Bushwhacked".

[@PEjb1Si4ac]

Regarding the introductions to each episode. Those are Saga Sells. They used to exist on broadcast tv shows for introducing new viewers to what they're about to see, it isn't for regular viewers. Googling saga sell, gave this result.. A saga sell helps new viewers understand the show and decide if they want to watch. It uses familiar sounds and visuals to ease viewers into the show's world. A saga sell can help viewers leave the real world behind and immerse themselves in the show. Joss Whedon famously used a saga sell for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[@y00t00b3r]

I think the quip about slaves was entirely metaphorical.

[@larrystuder6378]

They shot the duel at Disneyland's Bear Country. The fog was to cover up give away signs and such ...

[@platinumspider7859]

The floating chandelier has one layer that is a large version of The One Ring.

[@snarflcat6187]

Being able to portray a sword fight while pretending one has never picked up a sword before, is more difficult than the opposite. ( I fought with swords for more than 20 years, and acted as well. And in Pirates of Penzance I did both at the same time ( I even choreographed the fights.)))

[@Skylaman]

“I hope I got the last name right.” Well….. yes. That first name however…..

[@georges6580]

I love all Firefly episodes, personnally.

[@larrystuder6378]

You picked up on it. Here we are in a clasdic Western saloon, waiting for the brawl to start, and there's Inara, drinking something pink and creamy from a little tiny glass...

[@PsychoMuffinSDM]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED your Frank story! That picture was AWESOME! You really must take that whole segment, and cut it as a stand alone video just for Frank so everyone else not following Firefly can see it too!

[@glygriffe]

It must take you forever to edit those reactions, but I love all the text inserts and background color changes.

[@davidcarbee8720]

I think Joss Whedons plans for character growth were meant to be slow. My understanding is that he had planned on at least 7 seasons and each season was going to be a character arc for each one. I think that would have been awesome. This season was River and Simon. I would have liked to learn Jaynes reason for being terrified of Reavers. There is Books story and Inaras reasons why she’s there. There were so many possibilities.

[@HuntingViolets]

I don't remember these opening narrations.

[@ed-straker]

Thanks for the Frank story. After my dad died, my mom got a Pekingese to keep her company. His name was Ewok, named by me, because that's what he looked like as a puppy.

[@MarijnvdSterre]

14:37 Good thing Kaylee is not around. Meanwhile, in the background: Miss Kaywinnit Lee Frye. Great timing. :D And kind of feels like a "mystical call". Name Serenity a piece of go-se and she will appear!

[@Sinewmire]

Mighty fine shindig!

[@daveeriksson]

"we're friends, I like you on the ship, I would miss you." I would stop watching if Mel said shit like that. LOL

[@gorymarty56]

Luv Frank

[@sean_mccadden]

Mighty fine shindig

[@ChayaRivka]

Mal's still wrestling with himself over being in love with Inara. He started trying to communicate he had feelings, that's something big for him.

[@brendanbird7900]

I have a pug mix. He loves being in your lap. He weighs 40 pounds, though, so it's not always comfortable. It seems to be a common trait with pugs.

[@PromptCriticalJello]

In the beginning of a story you're not gonna get character growth. They're going to show the character that is there already. (character showth?) 😀

[@brianwisecarver4880]

Frank is definitely burrito jr. As far as the freedoms go, it's fairly vague; the show doesn't give many specifics, but it's the general social argument that heavier regulation and enforcement of strict laws provide security but limit opportunity. Salvage operations, for instance, are clearly considered illegal, but in episode 1 & 3 both, you can see that the crew is trying to get the goods into the hands of those who need them (at a fair profit), whereas the alliance will simply reclaim those goods, presumably returning them to vendors on the inner planets, allowing them to profit twice from the same goods at a tax. In this episode, you see the high society on Persephone restricting weapons and enforcing (with imprisonment) a duel to the death, instead of a couple men just brawling with their fists and moving on. The biggest difference is that in high society or the central planets, the government determines right and wrong, whereas out in the rim, individuals have more responsibility to figure that out, and we can see varied results as the show goes on. Patience in episode 1 and the sheriff in episode 2 are a great contrast for these results.

[@brianwisecarver4880]

But i wouldn't want to be an asshat about it

[@INIMICVS_MALLEVS]

we also have an example in this very episode as Mal is contracted to smuggle cargo. We can assume that even for wealthy, high society elites it is either illegal for them to sell their own property to whomever they like, or the amount of taxes and fees along with the time it would take to follow all the required processes necessary due to the bureaucratic red tape makes it so cost prohibitive that they would rather risk hiring smugglers.

[@bellaluthiel4858]

Oooo, lore for Frank's Pugiverse!

[@GoodOldGamer]

Being forced to duel is probably one of the "freedoms" of choice you lose in the inner planets. Strict society rules and all that.

[@migmit]

Except Persephone doesn't seem to be an inner planet. Maybe closer to civilization than, say, Whitefall, but not a real civilization.

[@rriggs6547]

@@migmit Persephone is a border planet. The Rim is where most of the episodes take place.

[@SFNmooby]

I love your dog Frank! I named my dog Frank as well, but he and his sister are named after Frank & Sadie Doyle.

[@brianwisecarver4880]

Not a spoiler, just an insight that might make sense. River is ripping labels off the cans. The cans are now mysteries.

[@canucksfan9332]

I lived in Boulder for a few years. Love the area

[@johngaunce]

I've studied stage combat, and was pretty good at swordplay and the accompanying choreography. I found the choreography to be acceptable. The first job of combat choreography is to tell a story, and it did that job well enough. For it to be particularly good, it would add something to the story that isn't expressed in the dialogue (think of the princess bride, when the man in black throws his sword down and does the acrobatics move). The fight certainly wasn't flashy, which I'm, guessing was your problem with it, but as others have noted, it wouldn't make much sense for Mal to be at all flashy, or for Ath to have much chance to show off (he did do the behind the back thing). Also, in a film, the actor playing Atherton might be cast based on sword fighting skill, and given lots of acting takes, even if they weren't a strong actor, to eventually get the scenes to an acceptable level character-wise. In a dialogue heavy TV show like firefly, where budget is a concern, you pretty much always have to make the acting-first choice, which means the choreographer has to design a fight that the actors are capable of learning and executing without too much rehearsal, or using stunt people and filming actors behind, at distance, and with lots of quick cuts. Seeing as though both combatants weren't suppose to be good, the stint man route probably didn't make as much sense.

[@fergpm]

Hey! I really like your reactions. You get dangerously close to trolling your audience, I don't know if that's intentional or just you being you but it's really interesting. I REALLY hope you keep doing what you are doing and I'm glad you're here. (Even if you do Mispronounce Zoey's name LOL) I know the internet can be a weird place. PLEASE keep doing this.

[@StomDoth]

I have not seen that exposition laden intro in any other version I have watched.

[@Aeroldoth3]

Cattle rustling. Cattle rustling is a common western trope.

[@dake4629]

You will realize the show theme grew on you when you were not looking after the last episode and there is no more... (besides the movie)

[@phillipuhal3647]

How about Ath-hat?😅

[@canucksfan9332]

My favorite episodes were Shindig, Out of Gas, and War Stories. Seems like lots of other Browncoats like Our Mrs Reynolds

[@Audra1964]

This episode (and when they deliver the cargo) bothers me because the suspension of disbelief is just too great where the cows are concerned. My husband grew up on a dairy farm. It was his job to wash with a large hose the cement lot where the cows waited their turn to enter the milking house. The amount of ‘stinky stuff’ produced by those cows in a hour was ankle deep. (The workers wore tall rubber boots.) So, no. Serenity was not equipped to handle all that! Nevertheless, loved the episode otherwise. Mal’s relationship with Inara is complicated - I don’t think even he understands it - but he is definitely protective, as he is of his whole crew.

[@rodentnolastname6612]

The reason you see a lot of livestock out on the rim; put 2 tractors out in a field and they won't make a new baby tractor...🤔

[@Otokichi786]

"Shindig": Mal takes a contact job with Badger, and Inara connects with a sketchy aristocrat on Persephone. 6:23 Once again, a "Firefly introduction" that I've never heard that ISN'T in the DVD set. Speaking of "The Ballad of Serenity," when I come across another Walt Disney Company "reboot/Dumpster Fire," I write "You can't take the sky from me" as a comment. Try Escape Key's "Browncoat Anthem": kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYbRXpiEbdKeetk

[@christophergries6648]

The show is a representation of "what if the South won the civil war." Hence the slave references

[@laramyelliott2903]

Eh, it's a little more complicated imo. More like 'What if Northern Robber Barons and Southern Plantation owners colluded to undo the Homestead Act and carved the west into private fiefdoms."

[@laramyelliott2903]

Eh it's a little more complicated imo. More like "What if Northern Robber Barons and Southern Plantation owners colluded to undo the Homestead Act and carved the west into private fiefdoms"

[@laramyelliott2903]

Eh, a little more complicated imo. More like "What if Northern Robber Barons and Southern Plantation owners colluded to undo the Homestead Act and carved the west into private fiefdoms "

[@campbellcooley-voiceactor]

Enjoying your reactions to Firefly! Trust me, you're in for an amazing ride! Bonus points for the Power Rangers shirt. :-)

[@antonchertov5424]

Your dog is adorable

[@y00t00b3r]

1.18K subscribers - KZbin is so fickle in how they dole out subs... when THEY feel like it.

[@HuntingViolets]

I feel like you should check out some bluegrass music.

[@Otokichi786]

May I suggest "AKUS"?: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqbXloiDjN-lgas I'd been a casual Bluegrass fan before coming across Alison Krauss & Union Station. Numerous "AKUS" CDs later, Bluegrass is my kind of Country music.;)

[@Educated2Extinction]

FYI, there is a slight distortion to the audio, but nothing significant.