Why yes - this is a new canon for us. To fill in the gaps this summer, we've decided to review the entire run of this surprisingly libertarian sci-fi western. Hope you enjoy!
Overall: 8.8
Expert characterization, fantastic dialogue, and a fascinating set-up make Serenity one of the strongest television pilots ever produced. Why oh why didn't Fox show this episode first?
Plot Synopsis:
Flashback to Six Years Ago: We see Mal and Zoe fight the Battle of Serenity Valley. The brass ultimately forces them to surrender to the hegemonic Alliance.
Present Day: Mal, Zoe, and Jayne are in the process of stealing cargo from a derelict vessel when they are spotted by an Alliance cruiser on patrol. Wash sends out a thrown together distress beacon to misdirect the Alliance ship and - once Mal and the others are safely on board with the salvage - makes a break for it. On board the Alliance ship, the captain orders his crew to put out a bulletin for a Firefly-class vessel transporting stolen goods. In the meantime, Mal notices that said goods bear an Alliance stamp, and he tells Wash to get them all to Persephone post haste.
On Persephone, Mal, Zoe and Jayne meet up with their contact, Badger -- but Badger has lost interest in the cargo Mal is toting, as he doesn't want to attract the attention of the Alliance. After several tense moments, Mal agrees to take his salvage to one of the border planets. Meanwhile, Kaylee busily gathers passengers in the hopes of getting some legit coin. Among those passengers are preacher Shepherd Book, the young Dr. Simon Tam (whose appearance screams that he is from a core planet), and a man named Dobson. Before Serenity's departure, the ship's Companion (high class sex worker), Inara, also returns in her shuttle after spending a day pleasuring a rather naive looking young man. Mal restricts access to the cargo hold (in order to hide his stolen goods) and folks trade introductions. Book in particular is taken aback to learn of Inara's profession. (Heh.) Later, those on board share a meal prepared with foodstuffs that Book has brought with him. People seem to be settling in --
-- up until Wash catches someone hailing the Alliance from somewhere on Serenity. Mal immediately assumes the mole is Simon and gives the kid a good clock to the face. But Mal is wrong. The Fed turns out to be Dobson, who is after Simon, not Mal. In the melee that erupts, Kaylee is shot. Jayne is itching to kill Dobson, but Book and Zoe stop him, and Dobson is locked up instead. Then an Alliance ship hails Serenity and orders the crew to stand down. Simon demands that Mal run, refusing to treat Kaylee if Mal decides to do otherwise. Realizing he has no other choice, Mal tells Zoe to tell Wash to change course. They take Kaylee to the infirmary, and Simon removes the bullet from Kaylee's belly.
After Simon is finished treating Kaylee, Mal decides he's done wondering about the young doctor and storms down to the cargo hold. Wrenching open the box Simon brought on board, Mal is stunned to discover that there's a naked teenaged girl inside. The girl is River, Simon's sister. Simon tells the others the details of River's story -- that River was a child prodigy who was sent to a special government school to develop her gifts, that the school was apparently experimenting on its pupils, and that Simon enlisted the help of an underground group to get River out before she was damaged any further. Simon doesn't know what he's going to do now, but he's determined to keep his little sister safe. Mal wants to drop Simon and River off at the next viable opportunity - or sooner if Kaylee doesn't survive - but his suggestion sets off a storm of protest. Inara in particular threatens to take her business elsewhere if Mal throws the Tams out. Simon questions Mal about the ship's "business" and marks Mal for Alliance material. As you might guess, this earns Simon another good punch.
Mal sets Jayne to the task of interrogating Dobson, and Jayne learns quickly (much to his disappointment - he was really hoping to get a few cuts on the guy) that Dobson didn't get much of his signal through before Wash scrambled it. Dobson, for his part, tries to persuade Jayne to turn on Mal. Jayne actually looks like he's thinking it over. We don't see how this conversation ended, however, as our attention is diverted by yet another threat -- the Reavers are on the approach. Zoe informs a confused Simon that the Reavers will rape, eat and skin (!) anyone they manage to capture. Everyone holds his or her breath as the Reavers' ship passes by, but the Reavers seem not to notice that Serenity is there.
After this close encounter of the frightening kind, Mal goes to visit Kaylee, then confronts Simon over all the trouble Simon's presence has brought to Serenity. He dares Simon to do something about the Fed they're holding, then tells Simon that Kaylee is dead. The last is a big fake-out, though; when Simon rushes down to the infirmary to find out what happened, he finds Kaylee awake and talking to Book. On the bridge, meanwhile, Mal laughs with the others over his (rather mean) practical joke.
At this point, they are now in communications range of Whitefall, half of which is owned by a woman named Patience. As several people have been reminding us throughout the episode, Patience shot Mal once (LOL!), but Mal believes his former adversary will be willing to buy their hot loot. However, when they get Patience on the line, it becomes clear that Patience is planning on ambushing Mal and taking the goods without paying. Sure enough, the meeting place Patience arranges is a very exposed valley. But Mal is prepared. Not only are Mal and Zoe wearing flak jackets, but Mal also sends Jayne out to deal with Patience's sniper. When Patience and her group arrive in force and the inevitable gunfire is exchanged, Mal eventually gets the upper hand -- and his money.
Meanwhile, on board Serenity, Dobson manages to cut loose his bonds. When Book comes by to warn Dobson that he might be killed, Dobson overpowers Book and escapes. He kidnaps River from the infirmary, but in the cargo hold, he is stopped by Simon. There is a standoff that is ultimately ended when Mal returns at a clip and shoots Dobson. Mal and Jayne quickly dump Dobson's body, and Serenity takes off.
Everyone is in a big hurry because the Reavers have reappeared -- and they are hungry. Kaylee is carried to the engine room, where she tells Jayne and Book which levers and gizmos to push in order to pull off Wash's "crazy Ivan" maneuver and escape the Reavers' advance.
In the denouement, Zoe and Wash get busy, Book questions whether he should be on this ship at all, and Mal decides to let the Tams stay on board.
Writing: 9.5
As expected, most of Whedon's prodigious gift for characterization is trained on Mal in this episode. From the opening shots of the Independents' final battle, we see both Mal's capacity to lead and a suggestion of his faith -- though if his attempts to needle Book are any indication, it is a faith he has fallen away from in the years since. From the barbs Mal trades with Inara, we glimpse the complexity of their relationship. From the way Mal shuts down Jayne at the dinner table - and from his promise to Simon that he will only kill the young doctor in a face-to-face duel - we can see that our captain, despite his status as an "outlaw," lives by a very Southern code of personal conduct. Before the first two hours end, in short, Mal emerges as a fascinating and layered character.
In the meantime, while the others are sketched a little more roughly, there is enough in their portraits to suggest the complexities that are to come. An interesting tension is introduced with regards to Jayne's loyalty, we catch a hint of Simon's all-consuming desire to protect River, Book is shown to be a little bit more than a benign preacher (indeed, he can handle himself quite well in a fight), and even Kaylee's famous sensuality makes an appearance. By the time the credits roll, I have a good sense of every leading character, and given how muddled other pilots we've reviewed have been (I'm looking at you, Stargate: Universe), that is a real accomplishment.
Bottom line, what we see here is Joss Whedon at the absolute height of his powers. As the long, long highlights section at the end of this post demonstrates, this script is loaded with brilliantly funny dialogue. Indeed, it is, by far, the most enjoyable pilot script I have ever seen produced. While, like most pilots, it is packed to the gills with establishing exposition, the myriad pieces of the story hang together extraordinarily well. The whole thing is just flat-out impressive.
Acting: 9.0
Moreover, Firefly's cast is so strong it gives the regular cast of Early Edition a run for its money. Everyone here - from Nathan Fillion on down - is perfectly suited to his or her role, and the interplay between the cast members works like a well-oiled machine. It's truly outstanding for actors to look so comfortable in their roles so early on.
Message: 8.0
Ah, but now we get to the reason why we chose this show for this blog: no matter how much lefty fans may contort themselves to avoid it, Firefly is decidedly jaded when it comes to the role of the central government. In this episode, said libertarian attitude is a little less pronounced than it is elsewhere, but it still makes its presence felt in the background. It's difficult not to notice, for example, that despite the Alliance's hegemony, "civilization" and even the basic necessities of life are largely missing on the border worlds. It seems the Alliance - like Rome at the height of its empire - is having trouble managing all of its territories, and as a result, outlaws like Patience have stepped up to fill the power void. Then there is the Tams' experience. River's government school was anything but benign; if it weren't up to something shady, why would it be so insistent upon collecting an escaped pupil? It's no wonder, really, that when Kaylee says the Alliance is out "spreading the light of civilization," the remark is laced with irony.
Highlights:
MAL: (to his men) The Alliance said they were gonna waltz through Serenity Valley and we choked 'em with those words. We've done the impossible and that makes us mighty.
MAL: We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? (A pause.) Because we are so very pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die.
WASH: (playing with plastic dinosaurs) Yes. Yes, this is a fertile land, and we will thrive. (as Stegosaurus) We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... "This Land." (as T-Rex) I think we should call it "your grave!" (Stegosaurus) Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal! (T-Rex) Ha ha HA! Mine is an evil laugh! Now die! (Stegosaurus) Oh, no, God! Oh, dear God in heaven!
KAYLEE: (excited to see what's in the stolen cargo) They're awfully pretty...
WASH: I'd say worth a little risk.
JAYNE: (sarcastic) Yeah, that was some pretty risky sittin' you did there.
WASH: (equally sarcastic) That's right, of course, 'cause they wouldn't arrest me if we got boarded. I'm just the pilot. I can always say I was flying the ship by accident.
KAYLEE: We're taking on passengers at Persephone?
MAL: Yeah, that's the notion. We could use a little respectability on the way to Boros. Not to mention the money.
JAYNE: Pain in the ass...
KAYLEE: No, it's shiny! I like to meet new people. They've all got stories...
JAYNE: Captain, can you stop her from bein' cheerful, please?
MAL: I don't believe there is a power in the 'verse that can stop Kaylee from
being cheerful. Sometimes you just wanna duct tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month.
KAYLEE: (kissing Mal on the cheek) I love my captain.
KAYLEE: I'd sure love to find a brand new compression coil for the steamer.
MAL: And I'd like to be king of all Londinum and wear a shiny hat. Just get us some passengers.
JAYNE: I don't understand why we didn't leave that sumbitch in a pool of his own blood.
MAL: We'd be dead. Can't get paid if you're dead.
JAYNE: Can't get paid if you crawl away like a bitty little bug, neither. We gotta share this job. Ten percent of nothing is -- let me do the math here -- nothing into nothing, carry the --
ZOE: Sir, we could just dump the cargo.
JAYNE: No ruttin' way. We ain't had a job in weeks. I didn't sign on with this crew to take in the sights. We need coin.
MAL: Jayne, your mouth is talking. You might wanna look to that.
ZOE: So we do like Badger said? The border planets?
MAL: I'm thinkin' Whitefall, maybe talk to Patience...
ZOE: Sir, we don't want to deal with Patience again.
MAL: Why?
ZOE: She shot you.
MAL: Well, yeah, she did a bit...
MAL: Whitefall is the safest and the closest. Been a long time since Patience shot me, and that was due to a perfectly legitimate conflict of interest.
ZOE: Now we have a boatful of citizens right on top of our... stolen cargo. That's a fun mix.
MAL: Ain't no way in the 'verse they could find that compartment, even-- (stops talking as Dobson walks past) Even if they were lookin' for it.
ZOE: Why not?
MAL: (lamely) Cause.
ZOE: Oh yeah, this is gonna go great.
MAL: If anyone gets nosy, just, you know... shoot 'em.
ZOE: Shoot 'em?
MAL: Politely.
MAL: Did you send word to Patience?
WASH: Ain't heard back yet. Didn't she shoot you one time?
MAL: Everybody's makin' a fuss.
INARA: I'd have to say this is the first time we've had a preacher on board.
BOOK: Well, I wasn't expecting to see a state official, either. (He takes her hand and bows.) Ambassador. (Mal laughs. Book is confused.) I'm missing something funny.
KAYLEE:(glaring at Mal) Not so funny.
INARA: "Ambassador" is Mal's way of --
MAL: She's a whore, Shepherd.
KAYLEE: The term is "Companion".
MAL: Yeah, I always get those mixed up. (to Inara) How's business?
INARA: None of yours.
MAL: (to Book) She is pretty much our ambassador. There's plenty of planets won't even let you dock without a decent Companion on board. This... this isn't a problem for you, is it, Shepherd?
BOOK: Well, I... I certainly...
INARA: (turns to go) It's all right. I mostly keep to myself. (passing Mal) When I'm not whoring.
KAYLEE: (to Simon) You seem so young. To be a doctor.
SIMON: (changing the subject) Yeah. You're pretty young to be a ship's mechanic.
KAYLEE: No how. Machines just got workings, and they talk to me.
BOOK: That's a rare gift.
KAYLEE: Oh, not like being a doctor. Helping fix people, that's important.
JAYNE: Little Kaylee here just wishes you was a gynecologist.
(Jayne starts to cackle. Kaylee looks embarrassed.)
MAL: (hard) Jayne. You'll keep a civil tongue in that mouth or I will sew it shut. Is there an understanding between us?
JAYNE: You don't pay me to talk pretty. Just because Kaylee gets lubed-up over some big city dandy --
MAL: Walk away from this table. Right now.
(Jayne is stunned. After a beat, he piles a heap of food on his plate and leaves.)
SIMON: (after a moment of silence) What do you pay him for?
MAL: What?
SIMON: I was just wondering what his job is. On the ship.
MAL: (after another pause) Public relations.
INARA: So. Would you like to lecture me on the wickedness of my ways?
BOOK: I just brought you some supper... but if you'd prefer a lecture, I've a few very catchy ones prepped. Sin and hellfire... one has lepers.
SIMON: There was a... a school... a, uh, a government-sponsored academy. We had never even heard of it but it had the most exciting program, the most challenging. We could have sent her anywhere, we had the money, but she wanted to go. She wanted to learn. She was fourteen. (long pause) I... I got a few letters at first, and then I didn't hear for months. Finally I got a letter that made no sense. She-she talked about things that never happened, jokes we never... it was code. It just said... "They're hurting us. Get me out."
ZOE: How did you do it?
SIMON: Money. And, and luck. For two years, I couldn't get near her. Then I was contacted by some men, some underground movement. They-they said she was in danger, that-that the government was... playing with her brain. If I funded them they could sneak her out in cryo. Get her to Persephone, and from there, I could take her... wherever.
INARA: Will she be all right?
SIMON: I don't know if she'll be all right. I don't know what they did to her, or why. I-I just have to keep her safe.
SIMON: You wanna throw me out the airlock, fine, but River's not a part of this.
WASH: Can we maybe vote on the whole murdering people issue?
MAL: We don't vote on my ship because my ship is not the rutting town hall!
MAL: I'm in a tricky position, I guess you know. Got me a boatload of terribly strange folk making my life a little more interesting than I generally like -- chief among them an Alliance mole. Likes to shoot at girls when he's nervous. Now I got to know how close the Alliance is, exactly how much you told them before Wash scrambled your call. So... I've given Jayne here the job of finding out.
(Jayne pulls out a knife.)
JAYNE: (to Dobson) He was non-specific as to how.
MAL: Now you only gotta scare him.
JAYNE: (grinning at Dobson) Pain is scary...
MAL: Just do it right.
JAYNE: Oh, I'm not gonna kill you, Dobson -- what's your first name?
DOBSON: (reluctantly) Laurence.
JAYNE: Laurence. No, I'm just gonna cut on ya' 'til you tell me how much they know.
DOBSON: They know everything. They know every name, every record -- they know how many nose hairs you've got.
JAYNE: (genuinely disappointed) Ah, see -- they don't know a damn thing. It's all over your face. I ain't even... Was gonna get me an ear, too. Aren't you an officer of the law? Well, don't they teach you how to withstand interrogation? Can't even tell a damn lie.
DOBSON: Okay. I can see you're not an idiot.
JAYNE: Wish I could say the same, Laurence, but... this is disappointing as hell.
SIMON: Wait -- I-I don't understand.
ZOE: You've never heard of Reavers?
SIMON: Well... campfire stories... Men gone savage on the edge of space, killing, and...
ZOE: They're not stories.
SIMON: What happens if they board us?
ZOE: If they take the ship, they'll rape us to death, eat our flesh and sew our skins into their clothing -- and if we're very very lucky, they'll do it in that order.
MAL: This is the thing I see you're uncomprehending on. Everyone on this ship, even a 'legitimate businesswoman' like her, their lives can be snatched away because of that Fed. You got a solution for that? You got a way round?
SIMON: I don't.
MAL: Comes time, someone's gonna have to deal with him. That should be you, but I don't think you got the guts. (beat) And I know you don't have the time.
SIMON: What do you mean?
MAL: Kaylee's dead.
(Horrified, Simon rushes to the infirmary -- where he finds that Kaylee is very much alive. Indeed, she's awake and smiling, chatting it up with Book.)
SIMON: (panting) That man's psychotic!
(Later, on the bridge, Mal laughs over his fake-out with the others.)
WASH: You are psychotic!
MAL: No, but you should have seen his face... Oh... I'm a bad man.
PATIENCE: Malcolm Reynolds?
MAL: Hello, Patience.
PATIENCE: I have to say I didn't look to be hearing from you anytime soon.
MAL: Well, we may not have parted on the best of terms. I realize certain words were exchanged. Also certain... bullets. But that's air through the engine. It's past.
ZOE: Sir, we don't have to deal with her.
MAL: Yes, we do.
JAYNE: Here's a little concept I been workin' on. Why don't we shoot her first?
WASH: It is her turn.
JAYNE: I buried 'em good. The equipment's back on the boat. (into comm) Testing. Testing. Captain, can you hear me?
MAL: (deadpan) I'm standing right here.
JAYNE: (into comm) You're coming through good and loud.
MAL: 'Cause I'm standing right here.
MAL: Got the money back. There's no need for killin'.
ZOE: We're just gonna walk away, sir?
MAL: Guess that's up to Patience here. (to Patience) Could be messy.
PATIENCE: Not terribly. (chuckles) Mal, you just ain't very bright, are you?
MAL: (referring to one of Patience's men) That's quite a rifle. Boy must be your best shot to carry that.
PATIENCE: He's called Two-Fry. Always makes it quick and clean.
MAL: Two-Fry. Nice hat.
(And at that, Jayne, off screen, fires a sniper shot and knocks Two Fry's hat right off his head.)
(After the resulting firefight.)
MAL: Well, you were right about this being a bad idea.
ZOE: Thanks for sayin', sir.
PATIENCE: Mal, don't you take another step --
(Mal shoots Patience's horse, then stalks up and aims his gun at Patience's face.)
MAL: Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character, so let me make this abundantly clear: I do the job -- (He takes the money back.) -- and then I get paid.
(After they evade the Reavers.)
ZOE: Sir? I'd like you to take the helm, please. (re: Wash) I need this man to tear all my clothes off.
BOOK: Is this what life is, out here?
INARA: Sometimes.
BOOK: I've been out of the abbey two days. I've beaten a lawman senseless. I've fallen in with criminals. I watched the captain shoot the man I swore to protect. And I'm not even sure if I think he was wrong.
INARA: Shepherd...
BOOK: I believe I just... I think I'm on the wrong ship.
INARA: Maybe. Or maybe you're exactly where you ought to be.
MAL:How come you didn't turn on me, Jayne?
JAYNE: Money wasn't good enough.
MAL: What happens when it is?
JAYNE: (smiling) Well... that'll be an interesting day.
MAL: Imagine it will.
SIMON: I'm trying to put this as delicately as I can... How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?
MAL: You don't know me, son. So let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed.
SIMON: (smiles) Are you always this sentimental?
MAL: Had a good day.
SIMON: You had the Alliance on you, criminals and savages... half the people on the ship have been shot or wounded including yourself, and you're harboring known fugitives.
MAL: We're still flying.
SIMON: That's not much.
MAL: It's enough.
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