So that Larry can finally stop bugging me. Yes, tonight (Saturday, January the Last, 2009) I laid me down and watched the pilot.
Then again, along with many other good things he’s done for me, he’s the party guilty of giving me the Firefly full-season DVD (buy it). So I reckon the man’s entitled.
He shoots horses, don't he?
You may be wondering what I thought of it – I’ll presume so, given that you’re continuing to read this far.
Loved it.
It was almost a surprise … bear with me. A very great many people whose views I respect, including a large section of the subset comprising those whose tastes in entertainment I strongly share, loved the original TV series. I came at the whole thing from 180° off from them: I saw the movie first – twice – and loved it. Even more the second time. And the people in the aforementioned sets tended to be a bit divided – polar, even – in their reaction to the movie. A lot of Firefly faithful hated Serenity (buy it.)
Frankly, my expectations were mixed. As stated, I generally don’t like series TV – and don’t get me started on Made-for-TV movies (which functionally the pilot, also called “Serenity,” was.) Since I enjoyed the movie so much would I not like the show? Could I come to love a dramatic entertainment made for (*gasp*) broadcast TV?
Apparently so.
I was impressed by about the same things I was in the movie: vivid, endearing, plausible characters who were out of the ordinary; incredibly crisp dialogue; the mélange of the setting; the bias toward action – and the bias toward freedom, and resistance to tyranny, however hopeless.
The cameo appearance of River Tam‘s nekkid butt*, surprising for television (at least to me) didn’t hurt either.
I have to admit, from the first moment we saw Simon and his crate, I couldn’t stop thinking he ought to poke some air holes in that damn thing.
There doesn’t seem to be any point in belaboring this, since there’re probably a million words devoted to show and film on the Web. I will point to a few things that made an impression.
From the Wikipedia article (hit the image above, in case you didn’t already) some reviewers were taken aback by the blending of SF and Western elements. Mainly that suggests to me the reviewers don’t by and large know anything about science fiction. I know, I’m shocked too. Still, even I’m surprised the critics seemed oblivious to an obscure little 1960s-era show that was pitched to the suits as “Wagon Train in space.” I trust my faithful readers know that’s a far from uncommon mixture in SF.
More intriguing to me was the name of the Alliance space cruiser in the opening sequence: the Dortmunder. While it may’ve been nothing more than a reference to something or someone hailing from the German city, I can’t help suspecting it was an homage to someone else. Someone whose acquaintance it might well reward you to make, if you haven’t already.
(Oh, sacred shit! Don Westlake died? A month ago? Christ, so many cool people have been dropping dead of late I never knew till now! Damn. That sucks.)
And, oh, yeah, I do enjoy the way Captain Mal isn’t a damn but shy about shooting when it’s time to shoot.
What didn’t I like about my initiation into Firefly? Nothing. Not dislike. The bit toward the end where Inara trumped Shepherd Book with the Wisdom of the Whore was a little pat. But it’s hard to get too torqued about it since Inara’s so damned sweet.
(Which gives me all the excuse I need to mention, as I’ve been dying to, that Morena Baccarin, the carioca who plays Inara, had a mother who was a Brazilian movie star back in the day. In 1971 Vera Setta, Morena’s mom, starred in a Brazilian flick called Ipanema Toda Nua. Which means, “Ipanema All-Naked.” I’d kinda like to see that one.)
Also, again my customary nit: I keep having the suspicion that, in common with most people in Hollywood, Joss Whedon, creative genius though he may be. doesn’t have a real clear picture of how goddam big space is. Even mere interplanetary space. Even in a relatively crowded trinary star system.
Still, to belabor the obvious, as is my wont, nothing much impaired my enjoyment of the show. It’s a joy indeed.
I look forward to seeing the rest (so you can relax, Larry.) And the rest of you can stand easy too: I’m not going to blather at length about every single episode.
Seriously.
*It’s hard, but you’ll note my forbearance in refraining from adding that phrase (River Tam’s nekkid butt) as a tag for SEO bait. And yes, I know what I just said.
As you’ll note, I did make peace with my pimpin’ imperative by dropping a tag for River Tam. So I’ve done my self-promotional duty and we can all commence to breathe easy.
Popularity: 20% [?]
Welcome to the ranks, new “Browncoat.”
“I’m not going to blather at length about every single episode.”
But feel free to indulge yourself (and us) now and then, when there’s something you find particularly amusing. (As I may have mentioned before, my favorite line – two lines, actually – in *the whole series* occurs in “War Stories.” I think you’ll know it when you hear it.
“Wagon Train in space.”
That was the pitch, but it seems to me, it turned out more like “Horatio Hornblower in space.” And another series turned out more like “Wagon Train in space.”
- M. \”/
Thankee. Proud at last to be a Browncoat.
I’ll definitely indulge all concerned if something strikes me noteworthy, as no doubt it will.
You’re right that Star Trek turned out more like Hornblower in Space. BS Galactica I can’t much speak to because I’ve never watched much of any of its incarnations.
One way or another, the critics notwithstanding, the mixed Western/SF theme is far from uncommon in various permutations. In SF/F, anyway; the Western genre so far as I know remains pretty uptightly obdurate against mixing the twain.
“BS Galactica I can’t much speak to because I’ve never watched much of any of its incarnations.”
The new version is about as much like the old version as “Lost” is like “Gilligan’s Island.” As was the case with “Babylon 5″ (and in this respect too, unlike the original version) it’s definitely not something that can be properly appreciated piecemeal (the first time through, anyway). At this point, probably better to wait for it to conclude and watch the whole thing – in order – on DVD (much as you’re doing with “Firefly,” but it’ll take a lot longer). Or rent the first season (once you’re finished with “Firefly,” of course. And make sure you start with the 2003 miniseries/pilot), if that grabs you, go on to the next volume, and so forth – and possibly by the time you get to it, season 4.5 will be available. (The series concludes in broadcast in seven more episodes. That’s another difference between this one and the original – this one will actually have an ending.)
Not sure how much this matters to you, but the soundtrack music is _excellent_ – I (slightly) prefer Richard Gibbs’ score for the miniseries over Bear McCreary’s music for the series proper, but it’s all pretty darned impressive. (For anybody interested, McCreary maintains a blog in which he goes into considerable detail about his work for the show – http://www.bearmccreary.com/ -)
“the Western genre so far as I know remains pretty uptightly obdurate against mixing the twain.”
“The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.” – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105932/ – being the black-sheep exception to that. And, to a lesser extent, (the TV series of) “The Wild, Wild West.”
- M. \”/
I can die happy now. Well, probably not *Happy*, but that’s really my own personal problem…
Larry
Meowlin – to be sure Brisco County, Jr. – starring the tragically unappreciated Bruce Campbell, a god among men – as well as The Wild Wild West are honorable exceptions.
I enjoyed the pilot and first few episodes of TAoBCJ that I saw at my friends Steve and Kathy’s house, although I found it more, well, TV-ish than Firefly, hence have felt much less drawn back to it. As for WWW, I loved it as a kid, and want to go back and watch the series once more now that it’s on DVD. The movie – well, like League of Extraordinary Gentleman, it had a bunch of way cool stuff and overall was crap and a disappointment. Even though that steam-powered giant brass spiderbot was one of the coolest things ever.
Both Brisco’s and Jim West’s adventures are now considered seminal steampunk works. Which is a genre I admit is exerting an ever-stronger pull on me. They also arguably fall into the related genre of the Science fiction Western. The key, though, is that both of those are subgenres of science fiction. I’m not sure Western fiction is willing to acknowledge either, much less embrace them.
So I suspect WWW and TAoBCJ were more likely a result of Hollywood’s disdain for print-fiction conventions than a serious penetration of SF/F themes into Western fiction. Then again, that’s all so nebulous and matter-of-definition as to be meaningless.
Thus according to Tim Ferriss, a man I’ve come to have high regard for, I probably shouldn’t have bothered to say it at all.
But I did. So there.
“The movie – well, like League of Extraordinary Gentleman, it had a bunch of way cool stuff and overall was crap and a disappointment.”
Agreed on both movies. IMAO, LoEG proves that no movie with Sean Connery in it can be all bad… but it can be *mostly* bad.
“that steam-powered giant brass spiderbot was one of the coolest things ever.”
Agreed again. In a different movie, it would have booted significant burro.
“the Science fiction Western…. I’m not sure Western fiction is willing to acknowledge either, much less embrace them.”
Copy that, five by five. Hence my qualification above of “black-sheep.”
- M. \”/
I second Meowlin’s recommendation of the new Galactica. It’s got lots of stuff I enjoy and I suspect you will too.
Not least including the tension between the military and civilian politics, messy personalities, shifting alliances and relationships, Us vs Them, unlikely alliances (particularly lately, eh, Meowlin?) Philosophical explorations of the significance of life and death, thinking vs action, religion, faith and charlatanism. The importance of dreams and what happens when reality doesn’t play along. Surprisingly deep and interesting answers (and non-answers) to the Question “Who am I?”
Plus the eye candy doesn’t hurt one bit.
Put it on your list.
Larry
“unlikely alliances (particularly lately, eh, Meowlin?)”
Frakkin’ A, muc.
Back in 2003, when I first heard of this “reimagining,” I was skeptical. At that time I was pulling for the continuation “20 yahrens later” concept – as long as they did it right (jerry-rigged Vipers and other ships, an acceptance of the idea, “that’s not wreckage – it’s recyclable materials!” – including Frankenstened combat spacecraft using recovered Cylon parts).
Then I heard that EJO would be playing Adama, and I started to consider the possibility that this version might be decent after all. By the time he and Sackhoff delivered the “Nothin’ but the rain” dialogue, I was hooked.
It hasn’t always gone in the directions I expected, but I’ve never been disappointed.
- M. \”/
“Both Brisco’s and Jim West’s adventures are now considered seminal steampunk works.”
I’d like to see “Space: 1889″ on-screen somehow. Movie, TV series (HBO/Cinemax/Showtime would probably be more inclined to do the material justice than any of the broadcast networks), whatever. Especially with the advances in green-screen live-action/CGI setting tech.
- M. \”/
WOOT!
Vic has become a Browncoat!
One of us…
One of us…
One of us…!
*ahem* I like me some cult classics. Heh.
…gooble, gobble…
- M. \”0
Space: 1889 – you’re talking about the RPG, yes?
Off to Wikipedia to brush up … I didn’t know it came out from GDW.
Never played it. I agree it might make for some cool Steampunk movie/TV/miniseries yarns. Or, ahem, novels.
Turns out somebody else thinks along similar lines: there have been several audio dramas based on the game – released on CD, ~70 min. – in the last few years. Indeed, indeed.
Might be worth a listen. Sadly, the Noise Monster Productions website seems non-functional (lights on; nobody home), and it appears there’s no legal way to buy & DL MP3s. Bummer.
If only they’d had the foresight to do what MST3K alums (there’s another cult I belong to!) have with Rifftrax and Cinematic Titanic. There’d be less appeal, of course, since the Space: 1889 are sound-only (and lack the MST3K market base.) Still, they could likely have made a go of things going the MP3 route.
“Space: 1889 – you’re talking about the RPG, yes?”
Yes. And, to a lesser extent…
“Never played it.”
Neither have I. I did, however, buy the game system book and a few supplements back when my budget allowed such purchases.
And I also bought, played (several times, with different teams of created characters), and thoroughly enjoyed a PC game version of the concept. (Paragon Software and GDW, 1990 release) You’d probably enjoy it too, if you can find a copy and still have a computer/OS old enough to run it. Litshoads of weapons options… (I still have a computer running on Win 3.1 – kept primarily for playing old PC games. Now, if I could just clear a path to the keyboard…)
-M. \”/
This is the first three seasons of BSG condensed into eight minutes.
On the minus side: if you’re concerned about “spoilers,” it’s chock-full of them; don’t watch it.
On the plus side – if you’re not so concerned with what happens, but *how* it happens, then it’s frakkin’ hilarious; if you could use a good laugh (in fact, several of them) and aren’t worried about spoilers, watch it ASAP.
Battlestar Galactica: What the Frak is Going On?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UtpFDHDfcQ
- M. \”/