Overall: 7.0
With a script that feels like it was put together piecemeal, this episode turns out to be one of Firefly's weakest.
Plot Synopsis:
A disorganized game of some basketball derivative is interrupted when Serenity comes upon a derelict vessel that (as we later discover) was originally outfitted to convey a group of families to one of the outer planets. Mal, Zoe, Kaylee and Jayne board the ship to ascertain what happened to the now missing settlers and to collect salvage. In the cargo hold, Mal finds the vessel's passengers strung up and gutted and concludes that the ship was hit by Reavers. Meanwhile, Jayne is attacked by the ship's one survivor, a young man who has clearly been driven mad by what he has just witnessed. This survivor is brought back to Serenity with the rations found in the ship's hold, and our heroes prepare to make a hasty retreat.
Unfortunately, before Serenity is able to depart, an Alliance cruiser makes an appearance. When the Alliance commander, Harken, hears that there's a flag on the net regarding a Firefly class vessel harboring fugitives (Simon and River), he decides to board Serenity to take a look. Harken's men find that the aforementioned survivor from the derelict has split his tongue down the middle and conclude that Mal has tortured the poor bastard. Mal and the others are apprehended and questioned on board the cruiser; Simon and River, meanwhile, don space suits and hide out on the hull while Harken's men search Serenity from bow to stern.
In the Alliance infirmary, the survivor goes berserk and overcomes the doctors who are looking him over. When word of this incident gets to Harken, Mal offers to help the Alliance commander track the survivor down. Harken takes Mal and a team of Alliance men back to Serenity, where the survivor has fled. The group ultimately corners the survivor in the galley, and when the survivor attacks Harken and his men, Mal is forced to come to the Alliance commander's rescue by throttling the survivor with his handcuffs. This convinces Harken to let Mal go -- without the salvage, of course.
Writing: 6.5
I don't think Minear's treatment of the survivor's post-traumatic stress is particularly credible here. Why? Well, for one thing, like many other Americans of my generation, I read a fair amount of literature on World War II and the Holocaust when I was in school, and while it's certainly true that some did succumb to the brutality they witnessed in that age, there were plenty who did not - plenty who actually fought as hard as they could to retain their essential humanity in the face of such cruelty and bloodshed. When I think about Elie Wiesel or Max Kolbe, I find it very difficult to believe this episode's melodramatic claim that the surrender of one's soul is the only option when one is confronted by the ultimate in evil.
I also have trouble understanding why Harken would question Zoe and Wash about their marriage. Funny as it is, it doesn't seem at all relevant to the Alliance investigation. This, I think, is another major flaw. I hate meddling government representatives as much as the next person, but even the biggest nannies in our ever expanding nanny state at least make some effort to justify their intrusions. Because it lacks such a justification, the whole second half of this episode feels extremely awkward and tacked on.
If Minear had stayed with the creeptastic feel of the first scenes, I think this would've been a very good episode. Alas.
Acting: 7.5
The script provides very little opportunity for the cast to knock our socks off. Thus, the performances were only slightly better than par across the board. (I will say, though, that I actually really like Adam Baldwin and find him extremely amusing.)
Message: 7.0
As I discuss above, I think Minear sadly underestimates the strength that can reside in the human soul. That being said, there are nice moments here. I sometimes get the sense that the writers are uncomfortable with Book's Christianity, but when the question arises regarding what Mal's crew should do with the derelict's dead, Book's faith - and the vestiges of Mal's, for that matter - is put to pretty good use. And, of course, Mal's snarky remark mocking the Alliance's lack of concern for taxpaying citizens is a delicious morsel of juicy red meat for us limited government fans.
Highlights:
JAYNE: Tell you what I think. I think that fellow we ran into did everyone on board, killed them all, then decided to take a swim through space, see how fast his blood would boil out of his ears.
WASH: You're a very "up" person.
BOOK: Shouldn't we report this?
MAL: (with distinct sarcasm) To who? Alliance? Right. They're going to run out here lickety-split and make sure these taxpayers are okay.
BOOK: I'd like to go with him. Maybe see what I can do about putting those folks to rest.
MAL: Those folks already resting pretty good, Shepherd. Reavers saw to that.
BOOK: How we treat our dead is part of what makes us different than those that did the slaughtering.
MAL: All right, you go say your words. Jayne, you'll help the doc and Shepherd Book cut down those people, then you'll load up the cargo.
JAYNE: I don't believe this. We're sitting put for a funeral?
MAL: Yes, Jayne, that is exactly what we're going to do. Not going to have these people looking over my shoulder once we're gone. I'm not saying there's any peace to be had, but on the off chance there is, those folks deserve a little of it.
HARKEN: You two met through Captain Reynolds?
ZOE: Captain was looking for a pilot. I found a husband. Seemed to work out.
HARKEN: You fought with Captain Reynolds in the war?
ZOE: Fought with a lot of people in the war.
HARKEN: And your husband?
ZOE: Fight with him sometimes, too.
HARKEN: Is there any particular reason you don't wish to discuss your marriage?
ZOE: Don't see that it's any of your business, is all. We're very private people.
(Cut to the Commander now speaking with Wash.)
WASH: The legs. Oh yeah, definitely have to say it was her legs. You can put that down. Her legs, and where her legs meet her back. Actually, that whole area. That, and above it. (Yeah, that's real private. LOL!)
HARKEN: That's a very loyal crew you have there. But then I can tell by your record you have a tendency to inspire that quality in people. (beat) Sergeant.
MAL: It's not "Sergeant". Not no more. War's over.
HARKEN: For some the war will never be over. I notice your ship's called Serenity. You were stationed on Hera at the end of the war; Battle of Serenity Valley took place there if I recall.
MAL: You know, I believe you might be right.
HARKEN: Independents suffered a pretty crushing defeat there. Some say that after Serenity the brown coats were through. That the war ended in that valley.
MAL: Hmm.
HARKEN: Seems odd that you would name your ship after a battle you were on the wrong side of.
MAL: May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.
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