Browncoats Unite

I don't know if you people know it, but I am a Browncoat.

What's a Browncoat?

One of the many people who adore the TV show Firefly. Course...I don't know if adore is the right word. Maybe obsess would be a better term. You have to be obsessive to be a true Browncoat, I think. Yeah. I'm an obsessive Browncoat.

So what's Firefly? If you haven't seen it, then rent it. Like...right after you read this review.

Firefly is a TV show by Joss Whedon (better known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) that is a sci-fi/western. Sounds bizzare, huh? Well, it ain't. It's awesome.

While placed in a fantastic setting, Firefly is among the truest pieces of storytelling I have ever witnessed, on television or otherwise. It portrays interesting characters in a compelling and realistic way, hereby strengthening the core of the story, which is ultimately a character study. There are characters we hate, there are characters we love, and both are treated with care and delicacy. In a two-hour pilot entitled Serenity, we find ourselves thrown into the story of nine individuals, each of whom is crafted in such a way that we cannot pull ourselves from their lives.

My heart sank when I considered what mindset FOX must have been to to not want show something this funny, action-packed and dramatic. Don't be put-off just because it was cancelled. It lasted 11 episodes before it was chopped, but even then, it had a wonderful fan-base, even though FOX showed many episodes out of order.

Such as not showing the Pilot episode first.

Firefly is a space Western set 500 years in the future, in the aftermath of a civil war between rebels known as Independents (Browncoats) and a tyrannical conglomerate called the Alliance. The Independents lose the war, and under Alliance control, corporations rule openly; Anglo and Asian influences merge into a eccentric polyglot culture; men in black (with blue hands-they wear gloves) carry out sinister covert operations; and astonishingly ugly cannibals called Reavers plunder at will. On the outskirts of this universe, the crew of the Serenity (part of a class of ships called Firefly), led by a former Browncoat, survive by pulling off heists and outsmarting the authorities.

Instead of putting Firefly out on its best two feet, FOX stumbled. The seemingly nutty concept of taking the Western metaphor out of Sci-Fi Westerns and making it obviously a Western requires someone crazy or genius. It's incredibly fresh, exciting, and has made Westerns into something watchable and even exciting and enjoyable.

Let's go over the characters, shall we?

First off, we have the captain, Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) who is a world-weary ex-Browncoat whose crew acts as his dysfunctional, post-apocalyptic family. He's the one that keeps all of them together as a family.

First mate and former soldier, Zoe (Gina Torres), is the chick who can whup up on any bad guy.

Pilot of the ship and Zoe's husband, Wash (Alan Tudyk), is the coolest character (in my opinion) who has some hilarious moments. He likes playing with toy dinosaurs, too.

Cheery ship's mechanic, Kaylee (Jewel Staite), is the naive child of the ship, you might say. She's very optimistic all the time.

Hunky mercenary, Jayne (Adam Baldwin). Adam Baldwin put Jayne in this way: Rude, booze, girls, Jayne.

Companion, Inara (Morena Baccarin), is sort of an interesting character. She's a space hooker you might say, but in a very esteemed way.

Galactic preacher, Shepherd Book (Ron Glass), is the father figure who keeps everyone in line. He even reminds Captain Mal that there's a "special" hell reserved for child molestors and people that talk in the theater.

Distractingly handsome doctor of the ship, Simon (Sean Maher), and his troublesomely telepathic sister, River (Summer Glau), are fugitives escaping from the purple-bellies (Alliance).

Here's a site to learn more: www.fireflyfans.net