Megan and I go in a different direction for our next sci-fi series as we take up the 2002 series Firefly. The show is an American space Western drama television series. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity.
In this episode, Tom and Megan begin with the Pilot Episode, “Serenity,” by discussing the characters and their dynamics. You’ll hear their thoughts on the Western tropes present in the show and the moral ambiguity that’s reminiscent of Deep Space Nine. They discuss the portrayal of sex work and the universe in which the show takes place, examining the political nature of the conflict and the dangers of terraforming. You want to see their fascinating comparison between the Reavers and the Borg, both being a horrifying transformation of humans. The hosts also analyze the alliance and its similarities to other governmental agencies in space franchises, such as Star Wars, and the mishmash of various genres, languages, peoples, concepts, and ideas presented in the show. Join the Because That’s What Heroes Do community to participate in fascinating discussions and theories for the next episodes.
Highlights:
- Firefly TV Show Review – Pilot Episode
- Western Genre and Firefly Characters Comparison
- Problematic Tropes and Characterization in Mid-2000s TV
- Political Conflict and Terraforming in Alternate Universe
- Comparison of Firefly’s Reavers to Borg and Hitchcock
- Comparing Alliance to Star Wars Empire
Resources
Megan Dougherty
Tom
