Firefly season 1 & Serenity (2005)

Very rarely do we see shows cancelled but are somehow resurrected through the passion from the creators or fans. Many shows are churned out as pure "content" for networks as they test what sticks but many after a season or two are ditched for something else. The 2002 sci-fi series Firefly lasted for 14 episodes before the call was made to have it axed which came as a crushing blow to many of its fans who had latched on to its characters, and its creator, Joss Whedon, felt like he had more to give. 

Luckily for him, in the days before kick-starters, he was able to finish his story in 2005 with the feature film, Serenity. It didn't set the box office alight but was a big success with DVD sales and has left fans happily wanting more ever since. Something that can't quite be said of Game of Thrones... 

I first saw Serenity years before I recently watched Firefly and the film was very enjoyable at the time. Many years later, I caught Firefly on Disney+ to see what had attracted such a cult following. The story follows the adventures of a small crew in space in 2517 following a civil war, where they were on the losing side, and now scratch a living doing odd jobs around the galaxy on dusty planets while avoiding run-ins with the Alliance who were the victors in the war.

Firefly takes many cues from the sci-fi western tropes of Star Wars and the adventure aspects of Star Trek but Whedon successfully makes it his own. He's also supported by Nathan Fillion who is perfect in the lead role as the ship's ragtag captain, and along with Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin and William Baldwin to name a few. The characters all feel very real, every member of the crew is developed through neat writing and Whedon's comedic touches kept the show exciting for the most part.

But I can't say all 14 episodes are pure gold as it seems Whedon's vision he had planned was being hindered by a tight budget while executives decided whether the show was worth keeping. As a result, we get a few episodes that felt a little samey and that didn't always push the story forward which I did find frustrating. Nonetheless, Fillion's charismatic lead kept the drama compelling and even with the problems in the background, the show still delivers some very engaging episodes that will please newcomers who enjoy the sci-fi genre. 

As for revisiting Serenity for the first time since seeing Firefly, the film felt all the more satisfying now I knew the characters' backstories and it's not hard to see why fans still call for more. Whedon really makes the most of a bigger budget as he raises the stakes with Chiwetel Ejiofor's Alliance assassin sent to capture one of their crew that boosts a compelling story, vastly better special effects that still hold-up well in places today and he also succeeds in finding a fitting conclusion to his characters.

After 14 episodes, it would have been easy for the film to feel like a shallow imitation that lacks the time to develop its cast and while Baccarin's character probably suffers the most in this department, Whedon never wastes a second here to keep the story on point. I'm very happy I rewatched Serenity after seeing Firefly but the slight flaws in the show will put some-off as several episodes towards the end lacked the same polish which is a shame as the film is all the better if you make that investment. 

The talk of a possible sequel has rumbled on ever since the film released and while it would be great to see these characters return after over 15 years, Serenity is that perfect send-off so many other shows wish they had and for that I am satisfied. But would I watch more though if the cast and crew came back together? Of course!