I agree, Firefly is tv of the highest class! Especially when viewed in the correct order on dvd (Fox decided to air the second episode first, and the first last - not too smart). The huge succes of the dvd set (over 700 reviews at amazon with an average of 5/5 stars - pretty unusual for a cancelled show) has ensured the go-ahead for the movie. And you can see why - finishing the set leaves you hurting for more. Here's my own review:
Drama, action and wit - a show can't get better than this
I had my doubts about the wisdom of blending western (a genre I don't particularly fancy) with sci-fi, but as Firefly had Joss Whedon (of Toy Story, Angel and Buffy fame) at the helm I had to check it out when it became available on dvd - and I'm almost sorry I did. You get drawn into this world incredibly fast, it's over far too soon and you're left with an insatiable hunger for more. And not just me - this is one show (the only, I think) my husband and I are equally fascinated by. Here are just a few stellar aspects of this show, for those who didn't catch it on tv:
The Setting
Firefly is a small space ship, smuggling and doing odd jobs under the radar of the Alliance, the rulers of this future world. That's how the Firefly crew get to meet high and low in the different worlds. But most of the time, the ship is just traveling in the empty space between worlds, just a tiny fleck in the void. This solitude yet beauty of space is conveyed better here than in any other sci-fi series where the usual impression is that you can't turn your ship in a new direction without bumping into other space crafts or inhabited planets. It also puts the focus solidly on the interaction between the characters, which brings me to the show's strongest point.
The Characterisation
The people aboard Firefly are real people, with their strong and weak points, hopes and fears, world views and difficult decisions. Instead of self-important archetypes in colourful suits trying to save humanity from extinction by 'reversing the phase polarity of the tetrion field', you get complex and realistic characters with very present and understandable issues. The way they're disclosed to the viewer through their reactions to the different worlds Firefly visits, the problems they face and even more to each other is the show's strongest attraction, punctuated by the sparkling dialogue.
The Look
Firefly's world spans from the high tech you expect from a science fiction to the grit you know from a western and both are equally engaging and real to the watcher. The judicious use of hand held camera draws you into the world, but doesn't distract. Colours are used to great effect to signal the different worlds the crew move in - the yellow of the high noon prairie, the blue of high tech facilities and the deep empty blackness of space.
Firefly is an awesome show. I can't wait to see the movie, and my dearest hope is that the movie will spawn a series. Firefly is a thoroughly adult show with all the best things from Whedon's other shows - Buffy and Angel: The witty yet poignant dialogue, the way the characters' inner life is brought out in the main plot, the unexpected twists and turns of a great story arc. Get the dvd at your own risk - you'll be sorry when it's over!