Re: Unspoiled Serenity Cruise: Serenity -- All Things Debatable on Firefly

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Date Posted: 15:28:19 06/20/03 Fri
Author: shambleau
Subject: Re: Unspoiled Serenity Cruise: Serenity
In reply to: KdS 's message, "Unspoiled Serenity Cruise: Serenity" on 12:00:54 06/20/03 Fri

Glad to see the FF thread active again! "Characterization magic" is as apt a phrase as I can think of. I fell hard for these characters from the get-go. They do begin, as is ME's wont, as stereotypes, but even in the first eps, they're fleshed out more than most series ever achieve.

As for the frontier/sci-fi mix, I think it can be a stumbling block for those not interested in character as much. You're going to have to do a lot of spackling, because the writers are far more interested in the crew's emotions and interactions than they are in a coherent future universe. It's the same problem a lot of people have with Buffy's and Angel's fantasy universe and the inconsistencies within it. Also, though, just as on those shows, the universe the characters inhabit is not that black and white, including the Evil!Gubmint stuff.

I think they're far more interested in the Western parts than they are in the future, actually, because it has classically American themes that they can play with. You can do new takes on the relationship of the individual, the group, the community and 'civilization'. But if you just did a Western, you'd be stuck with the roles of women and blacks back then, or you'd have to do something anachronistic, like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Once you get into the series, most of the reservations about the universe they've set up just fade away, or at least they did for me, because the characters are so compelling.

I'm looking forward to your take on the episodes. Please post them here ASAP. Most people rate the next few episodes as weaker than the others, but there's character development and set-ups that pay huge dividends later, so I think you'll continue to be sucked in.

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Re: Unspoiled Serenity Cruise: Serenity -- shambleau, 13:52:39 06/23/03 Mon