Author Topic: How does Firefly stack up? (Read 17221 times)

grislyatoms · « **Reply #25 on:** March 16, 2011, 08:16:00 PM »

Science Fiction

1. RAH/Firefly
2. A.C. Clarke
3. Gene Rodenberry/Harlan Ellison
4. Spielberg/Lucas stuff

Firefly put into pictures/visuals a lot of RAH's sentiments. Ones I believe whole-heartedly in. And Whedon did borrow. A lot. But he put it all into such a well-conceived package, as to deserve quite a bit of respect.

roo_ster · « **Reply #26 on:** March 16, 2011, 09:04:32 PM »

Quote from: Fistful on March 16, 2011, 02:41:05 AM

How does Firefly compare to some of the more popular TV/film sci-fi franchises? Is it the best? Second-best? Comfortably in the top ten?

I was just watching Blade Runner, and noticing how Firefly/Serenity had borrowed certain elements from it. I'm not sure which I like better. Without reading the book, there isn't as much of BR to dig into. But if there were more to BR (if it had been adapted for a short-lived TV show of fourteen episodes) I think I might get to liking it more than Firefly.

I guess I'll have to read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? now.

You have to judge a serial (teevee series) differently from a one-off (film). The serial can take time & space liberties that a film can not. A film has to be good in the way a short story is good, especially in that it has to grab you form minute one and drag you through a sprint to the end. A serial can take its time and be coy, as it is running a marathon.

That said, Firefly's one season is likely the best science fiction made for TV. I, too, am a fan of Babylon 5, but it wasn't as high quality as Firefly's one season.

BSGII had a good 1.5-2.5 seasons, then went downhill and crashed. I rate it below both Firefly and B5.

As for Blade Runner, it is likely one of the top sci-fi movies of all time. It holds up very well over time. I can hardly believe it was made in <quick search> 1982!

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #27 on:** March 16, 2011, 09:29:01 PM »

I havn't watched to many scfi tv shows.

But as far as movies go:

Phillip k. Dick has never had a truely horrid film adaptation.

Screamers, A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner and Minority Report are all good. Total Recall is good, if you can get past the Arnie factor. I haven't seen Imposter yet, though. (i think i'm missing one)

If you have not seen A Scanner Darkly, go now, and get it.

Gibsons one cyber punk adaptation, Johny Menomic is really good.

One weird scfi movie that I really love that kinda dropped from radar is Strange Days. Its very influanced by Gibsons theme of 'cyber punk'. The Matrix also borrows heavily from Gibson.

The two traditional scfi movie sagas, Dune and Star Wars, I lump together as being Hurbert adaptations. (both Dune movies are good in there own ways, I say skip the first two 'episodes' of sttar wars, meh on the third and your not a real american if you have failed to see 4-6)

The last real original, which was supposed to be a saga space odyssy was Cronicles of Riddick, which I was disapointed in its failure to be completed. Pitch Black (which was the introduction of Riddick was then billed as the prequel) is an exellent stand alone.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #28 on:** March 16, 2011, 09:36:26 PM »

Quote

BSG? I characterize it as unrealized potential. Week after week of overacting on the part of dysfunctional characters got tiresome real fast

The new Battle Star Galactica...great combat scenes. The only trouble was the combat scenes were far too few and too long in between. The rest of it was soap opera filler. I HATE it for that reason. Then they started doing the f***ing flashbacks (which are fine for very occasional usage) wayyyyyyy too much, just like "Lost" did. I hate shows that do that. It got to the point where I'd watch an episode and go "Huh?" at the end, scratching my head and not be able to make sense of it. The actors and actresses were pretty good, I thought, it was just the method and storyline that got stupid.

Firefly had a great storyline, a plot that held your attention, the plot worked well (as in there was a great overall story, but you could also watch individual episodes, in a random order, and not feel lost). The effects were great, very seldom did you get the "extremely obvious CG" feeling, it was very gritty and real. The characters were not worn out sterotypes, each was interesting and it felt like you actually got to know a human being. The actors and actresses were great. Everything just came together so well.

I don't hold a fanatical worship of Firefly, but I do hold great respect for it and consider it one of the best shows put on television, and it didn't make a bad movie at all, either.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #29 on:** March 16, 2011, 10:29:45 PM »

Quote from: roo_ster on March 16, 2011, 09:04:32 PM

You have to judge a serial (teevee series) differently from a one-off (film). The serial can take time & space liberties that a film can not. A film has to be good in the way a short story is good, especially in that it has to grab you form minute one and drag you through a sprint to the end. A serial can take its time and be coy, as it is running a marathon.

Right. That's why I said "if there were more to Blade Runner..."

Scout26 · « **Reply #30 on:** March 16, 2011, 10:46:59 PM »

Quote from: Avenger29 on March 16, 2011, 09:36:26 PM

I don't hold a fanatical worship of Firefly,

HERETIC !!!! SHUN THE UNBELIEVER !!!!!!

seeker_two · « **Reply #31 on:** March 16, 2011, 11:01:27 PM »

You know, I forgot about STARGATE-SG1/ATLANTIS.....put them on my list b/t FIREFLY & STAR TREK TOS.

And add DOCTOR WHO right after ST-TOS....esp. the Eccleston & Tom Baker Docs....they always seemed a little psycho underneath the charm.....

AJ Dual · « **Reply #32 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:04:33 AM »

Quote from: seeker_two on March 16, 2011, 11:01:27 PM

You know, I forgot about STARGATE-SG1/ATLANTIS.....put them on my list b/t FIREFLY & STAR TREK TOS.

And add DOCTOR WHO right after ST-TOS....esp. the Eccleston & Tom Baker Docs....they always seemed a little psycho underneath the charm.....

Yes. I DID like that part about those Doctors. They had that kind of Gene Wilder as Willy-Wonka, or Donald Sutherland in M*A*S*H* sort of psycho, fun loving and friendly... but psycho grin.

White Horseradish · « **Reply #33 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:14:05 AM »

I am amazed Farscape only got mentioned twice in this thread. I don't think I have ever seen a better looking series, and the writing was pretty good, too. Also, am surprised Cleopatra 2525 didn't make the tripe list. :)

I totally missed Firefly on the initial run. Mostly this was due to the Whedon fandom, which can be as annoying as Mac users. Also, I never got into Buffy, so "made by Whedon" wasn't that big an attraction for me. I watched it last year when a co-worker gave me a disk set. I like it well enough, but it did have some flaws. I think if it continued there would have been some issues. They would run out of enemies to fight and places to go pretty quickly, given that this is just one star system with no wormholes or other means of interstellar travel and no mention of humans being established anywhere besides Earth-that-was, which is trashed. Also, I think the cowboy bit got a little overplayed. Still, what is there is definitely worth watching.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #34 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:29:45 AM »

Quote

Yes. I DID like that part about those Doctors. They had that kind of Gene Wilder as Willy-Wonka, or Donald Sutherland in M*A*S*H* sort of psycho, fun loving and friendly... but psycho grin.

Eccleston didn't strike me as all that fun. He was a pretty seriously dark Doctor. He was the only Doctor in the new series to actually try to shoot somebody. I think the premise is that Rose brought him back from the edge after that whole destruction of half the civilizations in the universe thing. Tennant was a good bit smoother, but it was just hidden better.

Now, Smith is a very Tom Baker kind of Doctor.

HankB · « **Reply #35 on:** March 17, 2011, 06:32:30 AM »

Quote from: White Horseradish on March 17, 2011, 01:14:05 AM

. . . Also, am surprised Cleopatra 2525 didn't make the tripe list. :)

Didn't remember that show until you mentioned it . . . as for not making the "tripe" list, maybe it's just the eye-candy factor at work?

Surprised that people laud BSG for it's acting . . . aside from Olmos as Adama, I thought the actors portraying rest of the characters - Tigh, the President, Baltar, Starbuck (especially Starbuck!), etc., were pretty bad.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #36 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:02:26 AM »

Quote from: White Horseradish on March 17, 2011, 01:14:05 AM

I am amazed Farscape only got mentioned twice in this thread. I don't think I have ever seen a better looking series, and the writing was pretty good, too. Also, am surprised Cleopatra 2525 didn't make the tripe list. :)

I totally missed Firefly on the initial run. Mostly this was due to the Whedon fandom, which can be as annoying as Mac users. Also, I never got into Buffy, so "made by Whedon" wasn't that big an attraction for me. I watched it last year when a co-worker gave me a disk set. I like it well enough, but it did have some flaws. I think if it continued there would have been some issues. They would run out of enemies to fight and places to go pretty quickly, given that this is just one star system with no wormholes or other means of interstellar travel and no mention of humans being established anywhere besides Earth-that-was, which is trashed. Also, I think the cowboy bit got a little overplayed. Still, what is there is definitely worth watching.

Not that it's exactly likely, but the implication was that it was a system of multiple stars who's planets were all reachable with regular relativistic travel within a timeframe of a few weeks.

Dunno if it was ret-conned or what, but there's maps that explained that the system the refugees from Earth settled was a small star cluster of five stars, with a few more protostars that had a narrow life-zone if the planet orbited close enough. There were dozens of habitable, or terraformed bodies in the system. Perhaps as many as 100+

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Firefly_planets_and_moons

Tallpine · « **Reply #37 on:** March 17, 2011, 10:59:22 AM »

Quote

I think the cowboy bit got a little overplayed.

But I loved Mal chasing down the hovercraft on horseback

Nandi died

Melinda Clarke should have become a regular.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #38 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:37:26 PM »

Quote from: AJ Dual on March 17, 2011, 01:04:33 AM

Yes. I DID like that part about those Doctors. They had that kind of Gene Wilder as Willy-Wonka, or Donald Sutherland in M*A*S*H* sort of psycho, fun loving and friendly... but psycho grin.

Exactly why I'll never bother with Doctor Who. I mean, how creepy-nasty are those two?

seeker_two · « **Reply #39 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:39:20 PM »

Quote from: Azrael256 on March 17, 2011, 01:29:45 AM

Now, Smith is a very Tom Baker kind of Doctor.

Not to me....he's more of a Sylvester McCoy-type.....

Quote from: Tallpine on March 17, 2011, 10:59:22 AM

Nandi died Melinda Clarke should have become a regular.

I'd have rather her been a regular on CSI......if you watched, you'll know why....

BTW, are we including Manga in this?.....if we are, then I have to add Cowboy Bebop to my list.....

AJ Dual · « **Reply #40 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:42:57 PM »

Quote from: Fistful on March 17, 2011, 01:37:26 PM

Exactly why I'll never bother with Doctor Who. I mean, how creepy-nasty are those two?

Hmm... I always took that "look" as "He's going to show you something REALLY NEAT (possibly involving pyrotechnics) that your mom won't approve of."

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #41 on:** March 17, 2011, 01:44:40 PM »

I'm suprised that it could be thought that Firefly could run out of badguys.

There's always another job, sketchy contact and friends and foes to be found if your dragging through the shady side of an culture.

Andthen the big intreagues... A whole season arc could have been just figuring out who the heck was Book.
They had to speed up timing in the movie, but Rivers devolpment could have taken several arcs and gone several diffrent directions.
Actually River could have several arcs on who did this to her and who's hunting her and Simon.
The zoe wash relationship could have gone farther.

And the biggy, what is the bluesun corp and who is running the alliance?

And seeker, I didn't know you had a thing for Lady Heather....

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #42 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:05:53 PM »

Quote from: White Horseradish on March 17, 2011, 01:14:05 AM

I totally missed Firefly on the initial run. Mostly this was due to the Whedon fandom, which can be as annoying as Mac users. Also, I never got into Buffy, so "made by Whedon" wasn't that big an attraction for me.

Kinda the same here.

Quote

Cleopatra 2525

Well, if you are THAT much into Gina Torres, that you absolutely have to watch that, we don't want to know about it.

seeker_two · « **Reply #43 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:10:23 PM »

Quote from: bluestarlizzard on March 17, 2011, 01:44:40 PM

And seeker, I didn't know you had a thing for Lady Heather....

Grissom and I have well-developed tastes....

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #44 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:12:22 PM »

Quote from: bluestarlizzard on March 17, 2011, 01:44:40 PM

I'm suprised that it could be thought that Firefly could run out of badguys.

There's always another job, sketchy contact and friends and foes to be found if your dragging through the shady side of an culture.

Yeah, they hadn't even finished with Nischka, or whatever his name was. The guy with the space station and the torture equipment.

Quote

And the biggy, what is the bluesun corp and who is running the alliance?

Why all the talk about Blue Sun, anyway? All I recall is seeing their logo on a shipping container in one episode. From all the talk, I expected Blue Sun to be dealt with in the movie, but no dice. From what I can tell, they're just a company that sells Fruity-Oaty bars or something, so why all the fuss?

Quote from: AJ Dual on March 17, 2011, 01:42:57 PM

Hmm... I always took that "look" as "He's going to show you something REALLY NEAT (possibly involving pyrotechnics) that your mom won't approve of."

Gene Wilder just looks like a creepy gay guy, and I still haven't forgiven Sutherland for making me look at his naked behind in Animal House, I think it was. The horror. Also, Southerland's presence is almost a guarantee of a bad movie.

Ben · « **Reply #45 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:26:26 PM »

Quote from: Fistful on March 17, 2011, 02:12:22 PM

From what I can tell, they're just a company that sells Fruity-Oaty bars or something, so why all the fuss?

Fruity-Oaty bars and interplanetary space drives.

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #46 on:** March 17, 2011, 02:37:54 PM »

For I am the ultimate Firefly nerd and watched all episodes and the movie with commentary, all the special features and the easter egg...

Fistful, whedon and his minions never had time to really get into Blue Sun. They had the initial setup for it, with the logos (jayne has a blue sun tshirt btw) but the didn't have the time to explore it much.

The men with blue hands are from Blue Sun.

The guess was that Blue Sun is the power behind the Alliance, and that River was actually one of their experiments. Basically, I figure, it would have involved Mal and company being in the middle of the fight including factions of Blue Sun vs. Alliance vs. Browncoats in a silent war, and everyone wants River.

Angel Eyes · « **Reply #47 on:** March 17, 2011, 03:31:24 PM »

Quote from: bluestarlizzard on March 17, 2011, 02:37:54 PM

(jayne has a blue sun tshirt btw)

Had one, until River sliced it (and him) with a knife. I wonder if he ever got the replacement he was owed.

Tallpine · « **Reply #48 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:00:18 PM »

Quote

I'd have rather her been a regular on CSI......if you watched, you'll know why....

LV...? How come I missed those episodes?

(I only watch TV when I am working away from home)

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #49 on:** March 17, 2011, 04:31:10 PM »

Quote from: Tallpine on March 17, 2011, 04:00:18 PM

LV...? How come I missed those episodes?

(I only watch TV when I am working away from home)

See:
Season 2, episode 208, Slaves of Las Vegas
Season 3, episode 315, Lady Heather Box
Season 6, episode 615, Pirates of the Third Reich (the freaky one)

News:

Author Topic: How does Firefly stack up? (Read 17221 times)