The pilot episode is what got me into the show instantly, and I was so mad when I learned that FOX hated it and made Joss Whedon do a quick re-write for the introduction of the show with "The Train Job" (and then aired the pilot episode last which, wtf). The pilot episode sets everything up beautifully. I fell in love with practically all of the characters.
There's all of this usage of Asian culture, yet hardly anyone - IF anyone - of Asian descent has appeared. Or if they have, it seems to be in a more stereotypical light.
Yeah, that's a main annoyance I have with the show, even more now as the years have gone by that I realized just how problematic the show was with the lack of proper representation. If there were any Asian characters, they were in the background. And there were so many stereotypes. It's kind of awkward just how many offensive things there actually are. I mean, I love the show and all, but goddamn.
I'm also not sure how I feel about Inara's buildup as a character. I like HER, I'm just not sure where they were
( ... )
As for as the world-building of the different planets and whatnot, I can kind of understand what they were going for, but as you said, it wasn't at all explored enough in the show. Plus, the show itself had quite a small budget and I think they did try the best they could to get the message across that yes, these are different planets occupied by different groups of people; the inner planets are more rich and have more resources while the outerplanets are lawless and fend for themselves. That's easiest to understand. But it makes you wonder what we could have seen more of if they explored more of that.
For example, one of my favorite scifi shows right now is The Expanse, and it takes place in our near future when humanity has colonized the solar system and there are three different factions of humanity: Earth, Mars, and those living among the asteroid belt. They are very distinct and the way those societies and cultures work, and how it's all interwoven and interconnected in a way that's understandable and makes sense when you take
( ... )
en. I know that the idea was having your stereotypical redneck speaking Chinese words or phrases, which is interesting, but there needed to be more understanding of how this system works rather than the "hey, wouldn't this be cool". I mean, it is cool, but have it make sense with the world you're building. There are a lot of scifi shows since Firefly that have achieved that much better.
Yeah. Again, we may have seen more of that had the show continued, but there were definitely holes for what we got.
(It's probably why the movie Serenity kind of went in the opposite direction, sure it still was the same 'verse and everything but it had more of that scifi feel than the Western one that the show had.)
Hm, interesting. I haven't rewatched the movie for even longer than I've rewatched the show, but when I think about it you may be right. I believe there's not even that much crime the way the show has? There's some at the beginning with Fanty and Mingo, but I believe that's about it.
Hm, interesting. I haven't rewatched the movie for even longer than I've rewatched the show, but when I think about it you may be right. I believe there's not even that much crime the way the show has? There's some at the beginning with Fanty and Mingo, but I believe that's about it.
The movie was more or less following a particular singular plot, something to kind of tie up loose ends of one of the storylines of the show, so in a way we didn't need to see the crew doing that much crime aside from their initial heist at the beginning of the movie before shit started going sideways. Which makes sense, if you're going for a movie structure and focusing on something grander.
Plus the biggest indicator for me, on a visual level, was the color palettes. The show has more warm tones, something that is more associated with Westerns, whereas the movie had cooler colors such as blue, which is often associated with scifi.
The singular plot also worked better for non-fans, which was me when I saw the movie (and how I got into the show, since I wanted to see more). Though of course there was also a bit less context, but that's a given. (For example, I actually assumed Mal and Inara had broken up or divorced. I had no idea they were never actually a couple. And Wash's death had way less emotional impact on me than it would have if I'd seen the show first. Oh, I would have been SO mad... maybe it's a good thing I saw the film first.)
I LOVE your point about the color schemes! You're right! The color scheme is also more blue whenever we see the Alliance. I mean, you literally hands hands of blue. I need to watch out for more of that.
It's always interesting to me when people started with Serenity first before watching the show, because it kind of ruins a lot of the surprises in the show itself? I don't know. I mean, the movie and the show do differ slightly, like how in the movie it seems that Simon and River aren't considered part of the crew even though it's said outright in the show that they are after some episodes. And I had always assumed that the movie was made specifically for the fans of the show, though it basically was more of a companion to the show to tie up loose storylines and give fans more of a conclusion to a part of the story, and how it could've easily persuaded non-fans to start watching the show if they had no further knowledge of the world.
I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to color grading in media. ;) Like, not only is lighting important but the use of colors too in order to set the mood and tone of a scene or setting of a story.
even more now as the years have gone by that I realized just how problematic the show was with the lack of proper representation. If there were any Asian characters, they were in the background.
It seems Joss Whedon just liked Asian things and threw them into that universe without giving proper thought or respect to cultural significance and representation of characters with an Asian background. Not good, for all I love the show.
I figure her role would've increased more, perhaps becoming more and more involved in the jobs the crew got.
I think so too. That's probably true of all of the characters.
But thinking about it, I wouldn't want Inara to be the object of Mal's manpain if she were to die or something worse to happen to her. She needed to be her own character, have her own agency and exist outside of the sexual tension between her and Mal.
Exactly! No manpain. Please. That was problematic enough in AtS.
It seems Joss Whedon just liked Asian things and threw them into that universe without giving proper thought or respect to cultural significance and representation of characters with an Asian background.
Yeah, and sadly Firefly isn't the first nor the last to do this. It's unfortunately a common occurrence in American media to this day. Seeing so many loving the Asian aesthetic rather than the actual culture or people, refusing to cast Asian actors or Asian-specific roles, refusing to cast Asian actors in general that isn't gross stereotypes and caricatures, it's frustrating.
When it comes to the show, I know that the mission statement is, "everyone and every culture is mixed", which is nice in theory, but when the show itself can't bother to cast Asian actors that aren't background extras in stereotypical ways it doesn't really back that statement it's trying to convey.
There's all of this usage of Asian culture, yet hardly anyone - IF anyone - of Asian descent has appeared. Or if they have, it seems to be in a more stereotypical light.
Yeah, that's a main annoyance I have with the show, even more now as the years have gone by that I realized just how problematic the show was with the lack of proper representation. If there were any Asian characters, they were in the background. And there were so many stereotypes. It's kind of awkward just how many offensive things there actually are. I mean, I love the show and all, but goddamn.
I'm also not sure how I feel about Inara's buildup as a character. I like HER, I'm just not sure where they were ( ... )
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For example, one of my favorite scifi shows right now is The Expanse, and it takes place in our near future when humanity has colonized the solar system and there are three different factions of humanity: Earth, Mars, and those living among the asteroid belt. They are very distinct and the way those societies and cultures work, and how it's all interwoven and interconnected in a way that's understandable and makes sense when you take ( ... )
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Yeah. Again, we may have seen more of that had the show continued, but there were definitely holes for what we got.
(It's probably why the movie Serenity kind of went in the opposite direction, sure it still was the same 'verse and everything but it had more of that scifi feel than the Western one that the show had.)
Hm, interesting. I haven't rewatched the movie for even longer than I've rewatched the show, but when I think about it you may be right. I believe there's not even that much crime the way the show has? There's some at the beginning with Fanty and Mingo, but I believe that's about it.
Reply
The movie was more or less following a particular singular plot, something to kind of tie up loose ends of one of the storylines of the show, so in a way we didn't need to see the crew doing that much crime aside from their initial heist at the beginning of the movie before shit started going sideways. Which makes sense, if you're going for a movie structure and focusing on something grander.
Plus the biggest indicator for me, on a visual level, was the color palettes. The show has more warm tones, something that is more associated with Westerns, whereas the movie had cooler colors such as blue, which is often associated with scifi.
Reply
I LOVE your point about the color schemes! You're right! The color scheme is also more blue whenever we see the Alliance. I mean, you literally hands hands of blue. I need to watch out for more of that.
Reply
I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to color grading in media. ;) Like, not only is lighting important but the use of colors too in order to set the mood and tone of a scene or setting of a story.
Reply
It seems Joss Whedon just liked Asian things and threw them into that universe without giving proper thought or respect to cultural significance and representation of characters with an Asian background. Not good, for all I love the show.
I figure her role would've increased more, perhaps becoming more and more involved in the jobs the crew got.
I think so too. That's probably true of all of the characters.
But thinking about it, I wouldn't want Inara to be the object of Mal's manpain if she were to die or something worse to happen to her. She needed to be her own character, have her own agency and exist outside of the sexual tension between her and Mal.
Exactly! No manpain. Please. That was problematic enough in AtS.
Reply
Yeah, and sadly Firefly isn't the first nor the last to do this. It's unfortunately a common occurrence in American media to this day. Seeing so many loving the Asian aesthetic rather than the actual culture or people, refusing to cast Asian actors or Asian-specific roles, refusing to cast Asian actors in general that isn't gross stereotypes and caricatures, it's frustrating.
When it comes to the show, I know that the mission statement is, "everyone and every culture is mixed", which is nice in theory, but when the show itself can't bother to cast Asian actors that aren't background extras in stereotypical ways it doesn't really back that statement it's trying to convey.
Reply
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