Firefly - The Television Series (2002)

One of the shows on the TRIO network is called Brilliant But Cancelled which features episodes of great television shows that, for whatever reason, did not jell with the audience and garner the ratings to remain afloat. Firefly should lead that category.

Firefly is a science fiction show which aired on Fox in 2002, but was not given enough time to generate an extended following. There were, however, enough hardcore fans for there to be a feature film called Serenity as an extension of the show. Firefly, created by Joss Whedon, is, simply put, an excellent piece of television. It mixes western themes and simple folk with smuggling illegal cargo and science fiction.

Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Ron Glass, Sean Maher, Morena Baccarin,
Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk and Summer Glau

The key to what makes Firefly so special is the characters in the show and the actors who portray them.

Firefly gets its name from a class of spaceship used by the main characters to transport goods, mostly illegal, from one planet to the next. The name of the ship is Serenity and run by Captain Malcolm Reynolds, played with perfect humor and honesty by Nathan FIllion. Fillion expertly fulfills the Robin Hood-esque thief with a moral code character to great affect.

The Captain's old war buddy, the naturally beautiful Zoe Washburn, is Reynolds second in command and is played by actress Gina Torres. She is one of the most naturally beautiful women I've seen on television and I am surprised I have not seen her more since.

Zoe is married to pilot Hoban Washburn, portrayed with perfect timing by Alan Tudyk. Adam Baldwin plays the slow-witted and heavily armed muscle on the crew. Jewel Staite plays Kaylee Frye, the adorably cute mechanic that keeps Serenity afloat... or should I say, air tight.

Ron Glass, from Barny Miller fame, plays a preacher with a past and Sean Maher and Summer Glau play a doctor and mentally damaged, yet brilliant daughter, respectively, who are on the run from the authorities.

Rounding out the cast and crew is Morena Baccarin, who plays the professional "companion" Inara Serra. To put it bluntly, Baccarin is one of the most stunningly beautiful women ever to grace the airwaves.

What makes this show hum is the writing. It is smart and funny and touching and warm and real. And what makes the writing click is the cast. They are all so incredibly talented and able to elevate the terrific writing and interweaving plotlines so effortlessly that it is a joy to watch each episode. I have rarely seen an example of such perfect casting than in this show.

Why I am glowing about a show long since cancelled? Well, the Sci-Fi channel recently ran 12 of the 15 existing episodes in a row, of which I recorded on my DVR. I was only able to catch the first few episodes when it originally aired on Fox before it was yanked. However, over the past two weeks I've been firing up the DVR indulging in a Firefly binge. I have loved every minute of it.

Gina Torres as Zoe Washburn

Television is so often predictable and blandly written. Firefly is just the opposite. After spending a few episodes you find yourself enjoying spending time with these characters. The western feel makes you comfortable and the sci-fi element adds a mix of the unknown. You find yourself feeling as if you, too, are part of the crew, part of the show.

And that's what makes it so special.

I can barely remember a television show as unique and so completely effective in its vision as Firefly. It is what Star Trek could have been, but never was. I hope the Serenity film has earned enough money to generate a sequel. And I hope the growing number of fans, like myself, who have recently discovered this show will inspire the powers that be at Sci-Fi Channel to pony up the cash and bring this special show back to life.

If Stargate and Battlestar Gallactica can find a renewed existence on Sci-Fi, I can't imagine Firefly could not do the same. We can only hope.

If you are a fan of science fiction or just good television, make a trek to the video store and check the series or the film out. You won't be disappointed.