Firefly

Our Review

Fourteen episodes, one movie, and a fandom that has refused to die for over twenty years. Joss Whedon’s space western follows the crew of Serenity, a ship of smugglers scraping by on the edge of a solar system governed by a government they do not trust, and it remains one of the most purely likable ensembles ever assembled.

Nathan Fillion’s Mal Reynolds is the definitive space captain of the modern era: bitter about the war he lost, loyal to his crew past reason, funny as hell. The nine person ensemble balances with no dead weight, and the show’s blend of Mandarin profanity, western tropes, and sci-fi worldbuilding still feels fresh.

The famous injustice: Fox aired it out of order, cancelled it after eleven episodes, and the fan outcry was loud enough to earn Serenity, the 2005 film that closes the story. Watch the 14 episodes in DVD order, then the movie. It is a perfect weekend.

Our take: 8.5/10. Gone far too soon, and still one of the best weekends in sci-fi television.