Two Genres Collide in "Firefly"

I don't usually do reviews, but this one is worth the time. I have written about my love for the Western and Sci-Fi genres over the past year. I have always been a Sci-Fi fan, but over the past couple of years, my appreciation for the Classic Western has grown tremendously.

One failed TV series from 2002, "Firefly" has recently caught my attention thanks to the growing trend of major studios releasing just about anything they have EVER produced into the DVD marketplace. In this case however, it was a winner that just didn't make it, probably because of a lack of one or two network exec's support.

Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel: The Series) has created in "Firefly" a curious blend of 'western meets sci-fi' that works great in my opinion, plus the writing is "shiny" as they'd say. (that means good)

Show creator Whedon (L) and part of his cast.
Miraculously, a movie based on the same show was funded and released in 2005 under the title "Serenity". It might be the first time a failed TV show spawned a moderately beefy-budget movie (~$40 mil)

I really liked this movie, even though I knew nothing about the TV series when I saw it. It definitely stands on it's own. I thought it was well cast, and there were no "stars" in it. I found this pretty refreshing. I could get into the characters immediately. My only gripe is that it lost a bit of the Western feel from the series. Maybe this was intentional because they thought the multiple genre thing too confusing. No matter, it's still a lot of fun.

The movie wasn't really a financial hit, though I don't think it did poorly either, but it's buzz has certainly kindled interest in the "Firefly" series and now the DVD sales can benefit. I doubt that it will be revisited, which is a shame, but at least we have this one season of "Firefly" to enjoy.

If you haven't seen either the TV series or the movie, check 'em out.
(FWIW - I don't recommend the series for under 14 yr olds.)