Serenity (Part 1)

_*****

The crew of the Firefly-class ship Serenity find themselves in need of supplemental income when an Alliance broadcast sullies their would-be business dealings. They are soon forced to choose between the safety of one of their own and the threat of capture when one of their new passengers is revealed as more than he seems.

This review was originally posted on September 8th as part of Pilot Season.

The ever-stretching blackness of outer space represents a new era, a fronteir where any man can have his ranch, any prospect is possible, and the competition for the prize is absolutely cut-throat. This series takes the concept of the space-western and runs with it, creaeting an ever-shifting dynamic between the characters and the situations they get themselves into.

The chemistry between these actors is incredibly good, and it's completely believable that these people have worked together aboard this vessel for a while now. Even in moments where Jayne (Adam Baldwin) mocks Kaylee (Jewel Staite) it's clear that he's doing so in a brotherly fashion, however inappropriate he may be.

The way that both religion and prostitution are handled is done in a very professional manner; neither is shown in an overtly negative or positive light, they are both just shown for what they are to those who are involved. Nathan Fillion's Mal reacts to both in very telling ways; in regards to Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) he is somewhat hostile, due to having lost his faith in God at the end of the war, and toward Companion Inara (Morena Baccarin) he lashes out with veiled insults, due in part to his clear attraction to her and the natural jealousy felt when she openly lays with other men.

Simon (Sean Maher) follows Mal by two steps, and doesn't manage to catch up to him despite the fact that Mal is walking at a brisk pace and Simon is running. There's no reason he couldn't have cut Mal off at the pass, or, better yet, simply revealed to Mal his intentions on board in an attempt to avoid the reveal of his parcel.

400 years in the future, in a society that has grown so mixed that Mandarin is somewhat fluent, I find it hard to believe that there are still so many white people when they likely would have bred into the minority.

Great performances are given by everyone involved, from lead actors, such as Gina Torres (Zoë) and Alan Tudyk as her husband Wash, to the guest actors, notably Mark Sheppard as smuggler Badger. Every actor brings an intensity and knowledge of their character to their role that truly envelops them in to the world we're meant to buy into, and, due in part to the great chemistry between the main cast, the script truly shines.

Creator Joss Whedon directs the pilot episode almost as though it were being seen through the eyes of a documentary film-maker. Whedon is a fantastic visual storyteller who truly understands how to convey the thought processes of his characters through simple camera angles and movements. During the love making of Inara and her client, she, as a companion, has created a fantasy wherein they truly are in love, where anything he wants can happen, and the camera pans above the duo to show them as Inara would have her client see them. The camera closes in on them and the screen blurs momentarily as they climax. When the focus returns, it is clear that they are no longer in the fantasy, and it's an effective visual clue into Inara's state of mind when she's conducting business.

Written also by Whedon, the script is strong and well-paced, the characters are fully-formed creations, and every moment counts.

The mystery surrounding Simon and his cargo will, clearly, be the driving force of the next episode, and is likely to create the first major arc of the series. The crew's trouble with the law, as well as the animosity between Jayne and the rest of the characters, is set up nicely here.

The review for "Serenity (Part 2)" can be read here.