Firefly

Created by: Joss Whedon

Directed by: Joss Whedon

Produced by: Joss Whedon, Tim Minear, Ben Edlund

Starring: Nathan Fillion (Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds), Gina Torres (Zoe Washburne), Alan Tudyk (Wash), Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra), Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cob), Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye), Sean Maher (Dr. Simon Tam), Summer Glau (River Tam), Ron Glass (Shepherd Book)

Firefly is a beautiful, classic, genius masterpiece of science fiction. Although this series isn't usually one of the first I mention to new friends or urge people to watch, it has a very special place in my heart and has an honorable rank among my favorites. 

It's the one that the Browncoat cult will forever cling dearly to, the one that was cut off by its network before coming to its true glory, the one for which the fans roared and earned a movie. 

For me, Firefly is a different kind of favorite. Most of the shows I look for have some kind of impossibility, some kind of magic: Avatar has bending, Harry Potter obviously has magic, Doctor Who has time travel and a nearly magical sonic screwdriver; many of my other favorites like Teen Titans and Samurai Jack have their own magic systems. But Firefly... doesn't. Sure, it's sci-fi, and the technology in it can be pretty fun, like impressive holographics and commonplace space-shuttles. But even its sci-fi doesn't defy reality; it's all very foreseeable. No, what drove me to love and cherish Firefly was not a limitless world but the ensemble characters who make every single scene in the entire 715-some minutes of the series shine. 

With that in mind, I'll format this entry a little differently, and focus on each character and why each one of them is beautiful to me. I'll go in order of favorites, which seem to be the women first. 

Kaylee, or Kaywinnet Lee Frye, is probably my most favorite, unashamedly because she's the most like me. I love her incessant optimism and cheerful demeanor, undaunted by the most pessimistic of situations. I love that she defies feminine stereotype because even though she's a pretty, gown-loving, umbrella-toting soft heart, she's the engineer. A traditionally male role. This is one flower girl who isn't afraid to get grease on her face and dive into each and every cog in the engine to ask how it's doing today. She isn't a fighter (though she's not afraid to hold a gun when called upon), but she's the empathetic glue that holds the entire group together and no one would let a fly (or the Alliance) touch a hair on her head. 

Kaylee beaming an exuberant smile as she enters a ballroom with Mal, "Shindig"

Inara is probably next, though I'm slightly torn by her. She's a companion -- a high-class prostitute -- and it seems to me that Whedon was trying to normalize this to viewers, which I have personal issue with. But I don't let that take away from the show. What I love most about her are her class and wit. She always conducts herself with the utmost elegance, from her dress to her talk and even her quarters; taking a dank shuttle and embroidering it with the most beautiful veils, cloths, and table ornamentation. And her dialogue. Oh my goodness. She has some of the best lines in the show, I think, especially when she's bantering with Mal. 

Inara: Are you in pain? 

Mal: Absolutely. I got stabbed, you know, right here. [lifting shirt] 

Inara: [squeamish] I saw. 

Mal: Don't care much for fancy parties. Too rough. 

Inara: It wasn't entirely a disaster. 

Mal: I got stabbed! Right here! 

Although Inara lives in a society where people only see your money and status, she strives to live with dignity and honor, and I really respect that about her. 

Inara threatens the villainous Saffron (Christina Hendricks) after the latter's betrayal, "Trash"

And then Zoe!! Where the other ladies lack in combat strength and initiative, this war veteran makes up. I really love a female character who can hold her own and fight back and Zoe is definitely this. Even better, she isn't the emotionally closed-off one who gets into drama and trouble because she can't express herself. While the show doesn't explore her history (or any other character's to a real extent), it shows her being vulnerable enough to love a husband who's quirky, silly, and genuine. 

River: Oh my gosh, I probably should've done River first. She's, like, the best. So cryptic, so emotional, so strong, so powerful -- if Firefly has any form of magic, it's River. Though her precognition / telepathy aren't exactly defined or even confirmed in the show, the elements of it are pretty obvious, and add a lot of fun to each episode. She's the wildcard that keeps everything very fresh and every other character on their toes. She's both the glue that sticks a lot of them together (especially Simon and Kaylee, with whom she seems to have special bonds), but she's also a threat that keeps the Alliance after them and some other crew-members *coughJaynecough* threatneing betrayal. Her backstory was tragically never really expounded upon, except in a few episode tidbits and in Serenity. 

River stands iconically over a mass of Reavers she's killed in "Serenity," the series' movie sequel

Simon: an easy transition there and easily next on my list! I feel like half his character is just taking care of his sister (when she isn't taking care of him), both from herself and keeping other crew-members *coughJaynecough* off her. But he's also delightful and fascinating on his own. What a rich backstory, having come from riches and even shooting for an Alliance-blessed career among the 1%, but he gives up every dime of it, and his family's protection / blessing, in pursuit of his sister. It was interesting and entertaining to watch him transition from reluctantly on board this unflattering shuttle just for his sister, to falling in love with the crew and their life. Plus, his medical brilliance was a definite plus on missions. 

Simon examines his sister's brain to try and understand her condition, "Ariel"

Wash: My favorite leaf on the wind. *sheds a tear* *collapses on floor bawling* Why, Whedon, why?? Gah, I might should've put this amazing bloke up several tiers near the top. He's just so incredibly fantastic. His humor is almost single-handedly the thing that Firefly runs on. Every thirty seconds you could pause the screen and find a witty comeback or between-the-lines add-in that's drop-dead hilarious. The number of jokes they fit in for him is astounding and I love him for it. He's also a fricken fabulous pilot, especially combined with Kaylee's prodigious prowess in the engine room. I love that he paired with Zoe, because her strong countenance is such a perfect foil for his childlike silliness. 

"Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

Shepherd: My man-of-faith rep! I appreciated the few times when he added a Godly gem into the secular environment. But, that's obviously not all that made him great. A mysterious and experienced man, Shepherd was a needed source of calm wisdom and a good second voice with Mal. While he and Mal were both very moral men, they still had positively differing views and I think Mal really benefited from having his POV. He also had some fascinating and mysterious pull with the Alliance that I believe a comic delved more into, though I haven't read it. 

Jayne: ...is a clear last, and frankly I'm actually not super fond of him in the first place. He's more or less everything I don't particularly like in a character, and so I won't spend too much word space on him. But I can say that he was great comic relief, with his laughable lack of intelligence, and his very basal desires made for entertaining situations. Plus, Jaynestown was a fantastic episode. 

So there we have it. Firefly is generally not a show I highlight among my favorites, because I'm openly more fascinated by magic systems and fantasy worlds. But it's on my personal list of top shows for a reason!