Serenity without Firefly

[Listener]

Well, since we're tossing out movie spoilers....

The only thing I didn't like about the movie was that Shepherd Book had such a small part.  I would really like to have seen something about where her came from.

I was ticked about Wash, too, but I got over it. I really liked Wash but since we'll probably never see them again on screen anyway, I didn't mind too much that he got killed late in the movie.
I remember one scene in one the later episodes where he and Zoe were talking about having a child.   Seeing those two as parents could have been - hilarious. 

I liked everyone and the all had a chance to shine at different points on the show.  One of my favorite bits was the beginning of "Objects in Space" where you see things as Summer sees them - Holy Crap! No wonder she acts so messed up.  Well, that and the torture and brain surgery.

If there's a second movie or a webisode series, they could always bring back Ron Glass in flashbacks or do a Shepherd Book episode where someone finds his will or his journal or something.  Our Heroes left Haven pretty fast; it's not impossible that Book would have left behind some sort of journal or something, something he'd been working on for a few months.

[slic]

Which one?

The one where they find the guy on the Reaver ship, and he goes all Reaver - just too creepy for me.

Mr. Whedon has been quoted as saying that if there is another movie, he has worked out a way to bring Wash back that didn't involve magic amulets (a clear comment on how he brought Spike (from Buffy) back from the dead).

They could easily tie the next movie to Book, by having someone governmenty-type "seize" the body (maybe it has some kind of super-secret tech in it).  Nothing would rile up the Captain more than dishonouring the dead.

[ClintMemo]

Which one?

The one where they find the guy on the Reaver ship, and he goes all Reaver - just too creepy for me.

Mr. Whedon has been quoted as saying that if there is another movie, he has worked out a way to bring Wash back that didn't involve magic amulets (a clear comment on how he brought Spike (from Buffy) back from the dead).

They could easily tie the next movie to Book, by having someone governmenty-type "seize" the body (maybe it has some kind of super-secret tech in it).  Nothing would rile up the Captain more than dishonouring the dead.

I never realized he was even considering making another one.  Was he serious?

[DKT]

I think Whedon would make another in a New York minute, especially if the first one had a more successful Box Office showing.  I still think it's possible we might see another incarnation of it one day, whether it be a show, movie, or even comic.

[DKT]

I'm still totally pissed that Wash got killed!  There was no need for it, and don't give me that life is totally random balony because that isn't life it's a script!

Slic, I gotta totally disagree with you on that point.  I loved Wash too and that is why he was killed:  It ratcheted up the tension and horror and sense of impending doom.  It may not have served the plot exactly, but I remember reading earlier that several members of the cast would be killed in the movie and when Wash died, I thought, "HOLY CRAP!"  And then Kaylee got shot with that weird paralysis thing, and I thought -- she's toast.  And then Simon got shot and I thought he's a goner.  And Zoe was going off half-cocked.  And River went out to fight all the Reavers (I thought she was sacrificing herself for the others).  Even when Mal was facing down the Operative, I wasn't certain he was going to make it.  And I wouldn't have believed any of that, even for a second, if Wash hadn't gone out the way he did. 

[ClintMemo]

I think Whedon would make another in a New York minute, especially if the first one had a more successful Box Office showing.  I still think it's possible we might see another incarnation of it one day, whether it be a show, movie, or even comic.

According to the-numbers, it almost broke even.  I don't think that includes DVD sales, though.  I wonder how many it sold.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=serenity.htm

[slic]

From what I've read, Joss Whedon was very upset that he didn't get to tell the stories he wanted in the Firefly Universe.  I belive he even tried to get Fox to sell the TV rights the way they did for Buffy.
It was how the Serenity movie got made.  The movie rights were available so he didn't need Fox's permission.

DKT - Mr. Whedon is well known for toasting major characters need the end of a run (ask Leslie and Anya, Fred too but I could really see the plot option from that).  I still don't think killing Wash even racheted the tension, remember Book had already been killed by this point.  Getting into the other series, he did the exact same thing to Anya, pretty much a senseless killing.

[DKT]

According to the-numbers, it almost broke even.  I don't think that includes DVD sales, though.  I wonder how many it sold.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=serenity.htm

Wait, what was the movie budgeted at?  For some reason, I thought it was $60 million.  I'm sure once you add in the DVD sales, etc., it made that up, but that's still far from a success.  I remember thinking before the movie came out they'd make the money back in about a month...boy, was I way off.

But yeah, even if it did make the money back, I don't think it can be considered a box-office success.  I'd love to see more Firefly/Serenity goodness, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[DKT]

*snip*
DKT - Mr. Whedon is well known for toasting major characters need the end of a run (ask Leslie and Anya, Fred too but I could really see the plot option from that).  I still don't think killing Wash even racheted the tension, remember Book had already been killed by this point.  Getting into the other series, he did the exact same thing to Anya, pretty much a senseless killing.

Yeah, Book died and I was bummed by that.  But I wasn't floored the way I was when Wash bought it.  It didn't work for you, obviously, but when I watched the movie and he died, I honestly thought -- holy crap, Wash is dead.  All the bets are off.  Anyone can go now.  And I *knew* from reading early reviews that some of the Firefly crew would die (and I kind of expected Shepherd Book to die) but I didn't ever think Wash to go.  I thought he, Jayne, and Mal were safe.  So I was floored.

[Thaurismunths]

*snip*
DKT - Mr. Whedon is well known for toasting major characters need the end of a run (ask Leslie and Anya, Fred too but I could really see the plot option from that).  I still don't think killing Wash even racheted the tension, remember Book had already been killed by this point.  Getting into the other series, he did the exact same thing to Anya, pretty much a senseless killing.

Yeah, Book died and I was bummed by that.  But I wasn't floored the way I was when Wash bought it.  It didn't work for you, obviously, but when I watched the movie and he died, I honestly thought -- holy crap, Wash is dead.  All the bets are off.  Anyone can go now.  And I *knew* from reading early reviews that some of the Firefly crew would die (and I kind of expected Shepherd Book to die) but I didn't ever think Wash to go.  I thought he, Jayne, and Mal were safe.  So I was floored.

I think what really cranked up the tension was that his death came at the end of his moment of heroism. Wash had always been a side character who stayed with the ship, almost never getting to be the guy with the gun, so when he did that miracle flight down to Mr. Universe’s planet and managed to land 'safely' everyone in the theater... Ok, everyone in my head was thinking "I want to be Wash when I grow up!" Then he gets pinned to his chair.
He died after doing the coolest thing we'd ever seen him do. Right then, at that moment, with out warning.
Mr. Whedon, you sir, are an ass!

[slic]

Yes, exactly.  He didn't even get to finish his cutesy comment about being a leaf.

[ClintMemo]

I finally convinced my wife to watch the pilot.  I told her if she watched the pilot and didn't want to watch anymore, that I would leave it alone.
We watched it Monday night.
Then, at her insistence,  we plowed through the whole series, finishing up with the movie last night.
I think she cried about five times during the course of watching it.

"It made me cry" is about the highest compliment she can give.

[Roney]

I'm still totally pissed that Wash got killed!  There was no need for it, and don't give me that life is totally random balony because that isn't life it's a script!

Slic, I gotta totally disagree with you on that point.  I loved Wash too and that is why he was killed:  It ratcheted up the tension and horror and sense of impending doom.  It may not have served the plot exactly, but I remember reading earlier that several members of the cast would be killed in the movie and when Wash died, I thought, "HOLY CRAP!"

I hadn't read anything about the film (I've been obsessively avoiding spoilers since my Babylon 5 days) and I had the same reaction.  After Wash was definitely dead and other favourite characters looked like dying I had the feeling that all bets were off.  I honestly believed that Joss might have chosen to end his story in a blaze of character death. Unlike most films, I really wasn't sure whether anyone was going to survive.

So Wash's death, however painful every time I see it, really did serve a dramatic purpose.

[Russell Nash]

I'm still totally pissed that Wash got killed!  There was no need for it, and don't give me that life is totally random balony because that isn't life it's a script!

Slic, I gotta totally disagree with you on that point.  I loved Wash too and that is why he was killed:  It ratcheted up the tension and horror and sense of impending doom.  It may not have served the plot exactly, but I remember reading earlier that several members of the cast would be killed in the movie and when Wash died, I thought, "HOLY CRAP!"

I hadn't read anything about the film (I've been obsessively avoiding spoilers since my Babylon 5 days) and I had the same reaction.  After Wash was definitely dead and other favourite characters looked like dying I had the feeling that all bets were off.  I honestly believed that Joss might have chosen to end his story in a blaze of character death. Unlike most films, I really wasn't sure whether anyone was going to survive.

So Wash's death, however painful every time I see it, really did serve a dramatic purpose.

My feelings exactly.  I thought Zoe was definately going down.  I never thought River was in danger though.  I figured River and Mal were safe.

[Leon Kensington]

I figured Mal and Inara were going to live and everyone else was fair game.

[Russell Nash]

I figured Mal and Inara were going to live and everyone else was fair game.

I thought Inara was toast.  Gets all of the guys when a gal that pretty buys it.

[Listener]

I figured Mal and Inara were going to live and everyone else was fair game.

I thought Inara was toast.  Gets all of the guys when a gal that pretty buys it.

I think Kaylee fitted that bill.  I'm willing to bet that while most guys would say Inara was the physically prettier of the two by American standards of beauty, they'd much rather have Kaylee.  She's pretty, smart, funny, and not afraid to say what she thinks.  We need more women like that.

But good heavens Morena Baccarin is gorgeous.

[slic]

I know she's married (both on the show and in real life), but I'd take Gina Torres over all of them.

[Russell Nash]

I figured Mal and Inara were going to live and everyone else was fair game.

I thought Inara was toast.  Gets all of the guys when a gal that pretty buys it.

I think Kaylee fitted that bill.  I'm willing to bet that while most guys would say Inara was the physically prettier of the two by American standards of beauty, they'd much rather have Kaylee.  She's pretty, smart, funny, and not afraid to say what she thinks.  We need more women like that.

But good heavens Morena Baccarin is gorgeous.

I wouldn't kick either one of them out of bed for eating crackers, but I did like the slightly rounder Kaylee on the show.

[Leon Kensington]

I figured Mal and Inara were going to live and everyone else was fair game.

I thought Inara was toast.  Gets all of the guys when a gal that pretty buys it.

I think Kaylee fitted that bill.  I'm willing to bet that while most guys would say Inara was the physically prettier of the two by American standards of beauty, they'd much rather have Kaylee.  She's pretty, smart, funny, and not afraid to say what she thinks.  We need more women like that.

But good heavens Morena Baccarin is gorgeous.

I wouldn't kick either one of them out of bed for eating crackers, but I did like the slightly rounder Kaylee on the show.

I wouldn't take Morrena, haven't you seen the HIMYM with her?  She has the crazy eyes!

I would however be fine with Saffron, just as long as she doesn't:  con, kill, steal from, or trash (literally) me.

[wakela]

Have you guys seen the short lived series "Wonderfalls"?  It was produced by Firefly's Tim Minear.  You can get the DVD set for less than $20, and it's well worth it.  Anyway, Jewel Staite plays a manipulative, lying bitch.  It's fun to see her doing such a different character.

[Russell Nash]

I figured Mal and Inara were going to live and everyone else was fair game.

I thought Inara was toast.  Gets all of the guys when a gal that pretty buys it.

I think Kaylee fitted that bill.  I'm willing to bet that while most guys would say Inara was the physically prettier of the two by American standards of beauty, they'd much rather have Kaylee.  She's pretty, smart, funny, and not afraid to say what she thinks.  We need more women like that.

But good heavens Morena Baccarin is gorgeous.

I wouldn't kick either one of them out of bed for eating crackers, but I did like the slightly rounder Kaylee on the show.

I wouldn't take Morrena, haven't you seen the HIMYM with her?  She has the crazy eyes!

I would however be fine with Saffron, just as long as she doesn't:  con, kill, steal from, or trash (literally) me.

I was only referring to the charactors in the Serenity universe.  I have no interest in actresses at all.  Been there, done that, have the scars.

[ClintMemo]

Have you guys seen the short lived series "Wonderfalls"?  It was produced by Firefly's Tim Minear.  You can get the DVD set for less than $20, and it's well worth it.  Anyway, Jewel Staite plays a manipulative, lying bitch.  It's fun to see her doing such a different character.

Wow - that right there is enough to make me go look for that.
(I loved Kaylee)

[Russell Nash]

Have you guys seen the short lived series "Wonderfalls"?  It was produced by Firefly's Tim Minear.  You can get the DVD set for less than $20, and it's well worth it.  Anyway, Jewel Staite plays a manipulative, lying bitch.  It's fun to see her doing such a different character.

Wow - that right there is enough to make me go look for that.
(I loved Kaylee)

She was only in four episodes. 

[Leon Kensington]

And let me guess, they only aired 5.