Finally got Firefly and Serenity

[SSJConan]

So, here I am; 5 1/2 years after Firefly was canceled, nearly 3 years since Serenity hit theaters, and I finally got both DVD releases of this Joss Whedon universe. I was out yesterday at Best Buy, not even really expecting to get the whole shabang, yet I went on and got Fox's "Firefly - the Complete Series" and Universal's "Serenity: Collector's Edition". I'd just heard so many great things about this work of Joss's and having gotten so completely into Buffy & Angel last year, with the right amount of spare cash to spend ($63!), I decided to go for 'em.

Here I am, some 30 hours later, I've now seen all 14 episodes and the epic hit that is the feature film Serenity. Unlike Buffy and Angel, where I pretty much spoilered myself insanely (down to the last line of dialogue of Angel) with the Buffyverse, I tended to avoid a great deal of info on the Firefly world. Let me tell ya' all, I'm glad I did, made the whole experience much more worthwhile than if I read any little fact I could. I am so thrilled I got this series and am looking forward to now giving all the commentaries and extras a go. This series and its followup flick are staying in my collection for as long as humanly possible. This universe had me in both tears and laughter more than Smallville, Buffy, and Angel combined have ever been able to, and that's saying a LOT considering how short a series this is.

[susangail]

I borrowed Firefly from a friend but bought Serenity myself. The Serenity outtakes are very funny (my favorite's the one of Mal coming out of the tunnel after the slaughter at Haven). The Easter egg's a favorite with everyone in our house - the full Fruity Oaty Bar commercial with a Joss Whedon intro. BTW, JW's commentary is excellent.

[Fat Elvis 007]

I'm glad you stayed unspoiled, SSJConan. I was insanely spoiled, I even saw the movie before the series. I'm actually glad I did, because I don't think I could have stood Wash's death if I had had time to become attached to the character by watching the series. He became my favorite after watching the show.

[SSJConan]

Ya' know, with as crappy as Fox was to the series when it originally aired (and my God were they; skipping the pilot, airing the episodes out of order, and of course pan-&-scanning), I was very surprised and thrilled at the vast amount of extras. Having heard all the commentaries and seen all said extras, as well as a very hilarious easter-egg featuring Adam Baldwin, I can honestly say Fox did a superb job on not being skimpy like certain other companies (coughParamount!!cough) would. A fantastic job.

It's a good thing I got the collector's edition of Serenity, all the many more extras to enjoy. I got two commentaries set, in addition to all the fantastic features. Lookin' forward!

[krpto]

I too found this show on dvd and then bought the movie to go along with it now I own both volumes of the official companion(got volume two today) and I was just thinking that The brad paisley song still a guy all but sums up jayne's personality and would make a great video if one of our fellow browncoats would like to make such a video.

[CallMeClark]

I found Firefly about 2 years ago and sadly I couldn't get into it. :(

[comptonassmel]

I saw Serenity with my friend b/c she wanted to see it. I still have not seen Firefly, even though I know people who have the dvds. I just keep forgetting about it. That's not to say that I wouldn't watch them. I did enjoy the movie.

[ClarkyBoy14]

I've seen them at the library before and thought about renting them before, but haven't gotten around to it.

What's it like? Is it like Star Trek/Gate, Babylon, etc.? Because I dislike those shows.

[SSJConan]

I've seen them at the library before and thought about renting them before, but haven't gotten around to it.

What's it like? Is it like Star Trek/Gate, Babylon, etc.? Because I dislike those shows.

Firefly's a quite unique show, I gotta say. I really can't compare it to Babylon, since I've never actually seen that. I can only compare it to Star Trek with the aspect that it's set in the future, 500 years to be exact. Though unlike the utopian-like 'verse of Trek, Firefly's turned out quite differently; our actual Earth was eventually used up in all its resources & we had to "terraform" planets/moons in a nearby solar system to make ends meat, the Alliance government is a much more stern and even cruel at times form of democracy (if you can even call it that) than what Trek's Federation can be viewed as, travel in space isn't advanced enough to be warp speed, and nowhere are there literal aliens. Firefly, in addition to its concluding movie Serenity, has a more realistic, upbeat, even darker tone than what you'd find in Star Trek. Joss literally merged the Sci-Fi genre with the Western, to fantastic success I might add, and did it with 9 characters that had moments to shine in each and every episode.

Here's my personal intro summary to the world of Firefly, since the pilot pretty much shoots ya' straight into that world without much explanation (as opposed to Serenity):

"500 years in the future. The Earth we once knew has been left behind, its resources used up and now only a legend of where we come from. Our government, the powerful Alliance, was born from a merging of the last two great powers of our old world; the United States of America & China. The children that grew under this ambiguous form of freedom have led the new frontier into a nearby solar system, its planets and moons being our salvation to thriving on, though largely with the assistance of a technology known as 'Terraforming'. Some of these new worlds are complete successes, others just as largely failures, the latter being only a cautionary hazard in the eyes of the parliament. Those whom wished to disband from the Alliance and live through their own dependence were looked down upon, hence the great Unification War was waged against the brave Browncoats, the prices of the many battles proving to be massive. Today, we reach the end of that war..."

And definitely get into Firefly first, gives Serenity a lot more meaning and shocking moments after you've seen all 14 original episodes.

[slayfan]

Okay so I was a huge Buffy and Angel fan but I never even started watching firefly because I'm just not into space shows. Then two weeks ago a friend who is also a Buffy fan gave me her DVD set and the Serenity movie and TOLD me to watch them. Once I started I couldn't stop. I should have known that the great Joss Whedon would not let me down. He has this amazing ability to create whole worlds that suck you in but his greatest talent has to be the characters he creates. The people that populate his universes aren't people you just like, you fall completely in love with them. You obsess about them. Sometimes you forget they are not real. In Firefly he gave us characters that are so completely different and yet fit together to form this 'family' and you are enthralled by them. Even the ship is a character that you fall in love with and I just can't beleive that it took me this long to find this wonderful, amazing show. I also can't beleive that it was never given a shot to become even greater. When Buffy ended it was hard but I had been given seven seasons so there was also a peace with letting it go, but Firefly got all of 14 episodes and that is sooooo not enough. There are still so many questions that even the movie did not answer (although I did love the movie). Plus I'm just not ready to let it go. I actually went out today and bought the DVD's and the movie so that when I return my friends I can still visit the future whenever I need to. Best cancelled show ever IMO.

[Parrotheadpress]

Firefly can't really be compared to any other "sci-fi" shows. It's not just the premise of Firefly/Serenity that should be taken into account because honestly at times, the premise makes you stop and say "Wha?" It's the characters that I fell in love with. I was just introduced to the Firefly world a few months ago, and I was a little slow to warm up to it at first, but it draws you in.

[ClarkyBoy14]

Maybe I'll have to check it out then. Once I'm done with Buffy, though.

[slayfan]

Firefly has become a bit of an obsession with me in the two months since I first started watching. I now have the DVD's, the movie, both companion books, the Finding Serenity and Serenity Found books that are Edited by Jane Espenson (Of Buffy fame), the Done The Impossible (the fans tale of firefly & serenity) DVD, and I've just ordered three more books on Amazon. Plus I've managed to get my sister and her boyfriend hooked on it as well. As you can see I'm in love with this show, and now I'm really excited for Dollhouse (because even though it won't be Firefly at least I know that if Joss is creating it it will be brilliant). It is so rare that you find something that sucks you in to this extent so my advice to anyone who might be interested, and hasn't already, is to check this show out, it's worth your time.

[Smalvil1]

i just bought firefly and serenity today and have to say screw you fox. why would you mess up this brilliant show. Even my brother likes it, and he hates tv. needless to say firefly was just pure awesome.

[Bungeetoad]

I've meaning to get into Firefly for a long time, but I always just tend to other shows first. I will watch it some time soon.

[Dezdmona]

One of the best shows ever...truely an example of Fox's stupidity.
We pull the DVD's out at least every 6 months...it's about time. :P

[Super Maverick]

best tv show ever (besides smallville of course)

[Hopefulsuicide]

Joss Whedon is one of the most gifted writers/directors on the planet. And in Firefly he pours that little bit extra of his heart and soul.

It's always evident that the actors involved have a lot of respect for his vision too. That's why they are usually quite happy to follow him on to other projects. It's such an honour to be involved in something done by Joss Whedon.

I was a huge Buffy and Angel fan but i didn't get to watch Firefly until i finally got around to buying the DVD. And i'm almost glad of this. The weird thing is, while there was obviously so much more than could have been done with the show, i enjoy the little Firefly package. EVERY SINGLE EPISODE is one of my favourites. I never get bored of them. They are each like a little gem that i treasure. I think if the show had carried on, they wouldn't feel so special, they wouldn't stand out so much, and the episodes that followed may even have had a chance to deteriorate. I just love Firefly so much that i'm almost happy it can't be ruined or tainted, because everything about the box set is perfect.

I'm looking forward to Dollhouse. Joss hasn't let us down yet!

[nicmar]

I will be buying it for the second time the special edition Blu-ray will be released on november 11

[slayfan]

I will be buying another copy as well since mine was lent out and not returned to me. While I'm happy they liked the show I did kind of want to re-watch it myself whenever the mood strikes and its been like six months now, so I give up. I'll just have to go buy another one.

[SSJConan]

Joss Whedon is one of the most gifted writers/directors on the planet. And in Firefly he pours that little bit extra of his heart and soul.

It's always evident that the actors involved have a lot of respect for his vision too. That's why they are usually quite happy to follow him on to other projects. It's such an honour to be involved in something done by Joss Whedon.

I was a huge Buffy and Angel fan but i didn't get to watch Firefly until i finally got around to buying the DVD. And i'm almost glad of this. The weird thing is, while there was obviously so much more than could have been done with the show, i enjoy the little Firefly package. EVERY SINGLE EPISODE is one of my favourites. I never get bored of them. They are each like a little gem that i treasure. I think if the show had carried on, they wouldn't feel so special, they wouldn't stand out so much, and the episodes that followed may even have had a chance to deteriorate. I just love Firefly so much that i'm almost happy it can't be ruined or tainted, because everything about the box set is perfect.

I'm looking forward to Dollhouse. Joss hasn't let us down yet!

You do have Serenity, right Becky? ;)

[jon-el87]

I recently got both the Firefly series on DVD and Serenity. I can't believe that they canceled this show..

[Captain_Rickman]

I recently got both the Firefly series on DVD and Serenity. I can't believe that they canceled this show..
I too have Firefly & Serenity on DVD ... I can not understand why this show was canceled, in the bonus features on DVD I havent seen/heard anything to explain why the show was canceled ... it's one of life's great mysteries.
:confused:
There are TV shows now or at the time of Firefly which (in my opinion) are nowhere near the standards of writing & acting that Joss Whedon gave us with Firefly. Like all art, TV is a matter of opinion but, I think Firefly was and is an awesome show & way more worthy of air time than a lot of stuff out there.

[Vergon6]

Now that I have seen all 14 episodes, including 6 of those in the past few days and Serenity, it's disappointing that the show was canceled. And I do agree that you need to see Firefly first. Some shocking moments in Serenity...although I read something about it, without knowing the full details-the when, the who, the how, so it wasn't totally unexpected. The discovery they make in Serenity was really cool, gives their fight against The Alliance a whole new meaning.

For me, I wasn't big on Westerns, so I had to get past that to enjoy Firefly. I think what helped me was the writing and Whedon's style, which I always liked. Some pay off in Serenity for some loose ends that go back to the pilot of Firefly.

The biggest difference between Star Trek and Firefly, is in Firefly there are no aliens. The Serenity is originally not even equipped with weapons, until the movie. Star Trek did have it's darker elements at time, but yes it was largely utopian. In Star Trek, the Federation was a good thing, in Firefly, The Alliance is a bad thing for a lot of people, despite it's allegedly utopian aims. After seeing the series, I finally understood what Joss Whedon said when he referred to it as anti-Star Trek. Being a long-time Star Trek fan, I was kind of urked by that comment originally. Now I have the proper context. It's just a different take on the future.

[Captain_Rickman]

After seeing the series, I finally understood what Joss Whedon said when he referred to it as anti-Star Trek. Being a long-time Star Trek fan, I was kind of urked by that comment originally. Now I have the proper context. It's just a different take on the future.
Yeah I think that Joss was not saying he's opposed to Star Trek but, he was saying it like it's the yang to Star Trek's yin ... like they complement each other like matter & anti-matter, or time & anti-time. Gene Roddenberry wrote a hopeful future for humanity, wars have ended, money is irrelevant, pollution is a thing of the past ... Joss is way more cynical in his vision of the future. Alas, it's probably more realistic, too :\

[Vergon6]

Yeah I think that Joss was not saying he's opposed to Star Trek but, he was saying it like it's the yang to Star Trek's yin ... like they complement each other like matter & anti-matter, or time & anti-time. Gene Roddenberry wrote a hopeful future for humanity, wars have ended, money is irrelevant, pollution is a thing of the past ... Joss is way more cynical in his vision of the future. Alas, it's probably more realistic, too :\
Yeah I agree. Roddenberry's future is the one many people hope for, but Whedon's future is more likely.

[vyperman7]

I LOVE Firefly. I wouldn't go as far to say that I like it more than Buffy, Angel, or Smallville. Although I would put in the same league as those shows. Overall Firefly was a damn good show and it sucks that it didn't get a longer run. Ironically, I wasn't a huge fan of the film Serenity. It wasn't a bad movie by any means. I just wasn't blown away by it. It has been awhile since I have seen it though, so one of these days I will go back and watch Firefly/Serenity straight through to get the whole experience.