After an explosion leaves Serenity crippled, Mal orders everyone to abandon ship, while he stays behind in an attempt to make repairs - and reminisces how he found the ship and picked it's crew

I'm a little annoyed as I type this. I've just composed a lengthy post only to be greeted with the 'Cannot find Server' page, and instant deletion of the content of what I'd typed :mad:

Anyway, that aside, I'll try again.

I've always quoted Serenity as my favourite episode of Firefly before now, but after rewatching this one, I'd have to change that. Not only is this great by Firefly's standards, but this is one of the best hours of episodic television that I've seen. The quality of the writing manages to weave the three different perspectives and timeframes into the plot superbly. Unlike other episodes, the humour is quite thin on the ground. Not surprising given the nature of the plot itself. This however works to prove that not only can Firefly do the humourous stuff, but it can excel with pure drama just as well. I'm really hard pushed to find anything wrong with this, the episode is just full of little gems. The different introductions; love Wash's tache, and Zoe's "I don't like him..." :lol: Kaylee's intro is, well, interesting shall we say, and Jayne's is fairly typical :rolleyes: The final shot of Mal picking out Serenity was priceless as well.

One further thing that sprang to mind as I watched this episode, a belief I already held, but with this, was further justified, is that Nathan Fillion is a great leading man. He's created, along with Whedon, in Mal Reynolds one of the genre's greatest characters over recent years. Not bad for a show with a limited (thus far) lifespan. One of the highlights for me so far in the Farscape rewatch, what little I've kept pace with anyway, is Ben Browder's John Crichton. Nathan Fillion/Mal Reynolds stands right there with him as two of the genres greatest characers/leading men over recent years. Even in an ensemble piece such as Firefly, Fillion excels. It's a great testament to Joss' writing that no character is left out. Compare and contrast this with a couple of incarnations of Star Trek and you'll see how difficult that can be.

Faultless.

:thumbsup: This episode had me totally gripped. The flashforwards to show Mal close to death set the tension up perfectly.

What can I add, again the episode looked great, the flashbacks to the gathering of the crew were superb, loved Jayne's arrival :lol: and Kaylee's

Very well done as knowing the character's history to Serenity made me even more desparate for them to survive. The story of Mal getting the new engine part although brief done in small clips totally kept me on the edge of my seat.

Loved Wash fighting to stay with Zoe and Mal breaking him into helping their situation, showing all the way through what a great leader he is for his crew.

After all the emphasis on the red button great twist that he never made it, instead Zoe wanting to go back for him :tear: :tear:

and Mal being so happy that his crew are around him when he wakes and falling asleep happily in the knowledge that they are there :tear:

I agree absolutely brilliant episode :)

My favourite of the series :thumbsup:

Hmm, must go and watch it again... :shifty:

I loved the flashback sequences to show us how the crew came to be and I was so glad that we got to see that before the show was axed. Kaylee was a revelation, I had no idea she was that kind of girl! ;) Very funny to see Zoe declaring that she didn't like Wash and the ending was just superb with Mal looking over and we see Serenity in all her glory. Coupled with the darkness of Mal's impending demise it made for another fantastic episode :D

:lol: Loved Zoe's reaction to Walsh, (and the out-takes with the tashes :lol: )

Oh god, that was hideous! Like a hamster had taken up residence on his top lip! :lol:

I watched this ep with commentary a couple of days ago, but then had to go and watch it again without, it was that good.

One thing that I noticed in this ep was how the crew's favourite word was 'shiny' but I don't recall it cropping up again in the series.

This this first time I've seen this episode Finally the backstory I've been waiting for now I know how the crew was formed :thumbsup: [/QUOTE]Kaylee's intro is, well, interesting shall we say[QUOTE] Can I just say :drool: I never expected that :thumbsup: Gripping drama!

this has to be one of my favourite episodes from the season, love they way you find out abut how they ended up on serenity together, kaylee's entrance made me laugh as the other episodes you see her as the innocent one, not anymore!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: Kaylee's entrance is a revelation :lol: great idea.

Its a really emotional episode isn't it, I showed it to my friend who hadn't yet warmed to Mal and she loved him by the end of it :thumbsup:

Joss Whedon is a genius :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Really interesting to see how the crew was picked. Loved Kaylee's entrance and Zoe's reaction to Wash and his very funny mustache :lol:

It's just pure class isn't it? :yahoo:

I just love the way each time frame has a different tint to it, wonderfully simple and yet so clever :thumbsup:

Did I mention that this is the best flash back episode of any programme I've ever seen :ph43r:

No, you hadn't Nick :o :lol:

Well in that case:

this is the best flashback episode of any programme I've ever seen. :ph43r: :lol:


with the exception of 'it was just in dream in Dallas'

That was the best episode of the series so far, of which I have seen. I was really sad. I'm glad Mal survived! :thumbsup: I don't really like some flashbacks but I thought these flashbacks were brillient! Wash's mustache was funny! :lmao:

Watched it again last night. No matter how many times I see this episode I never get bored. It's sad, funny, dramatic, exciting and very, very clever. The way it conveys the feeling of being so stranded is brilliant.

Just love the way, after he collapses on the deck, that Mal remembers his first conversation with Zoe on Serenity, and then as they walk through the door the camera pans back down to him on the floor :thumbsup:

Mal giving himself the adrenalin shot :o

River's comforting words to Book :lmao:

And a special mention for the argument Mal and Wash have on the bridge, starts out very serious and ends up hilarious:

Wash: Yes, Mal, it would boost the signal. But even if some passerby did happen to receive, all it would do is muck up their navigation!
Mal: Could be that's true!
Wash: Damn right it's true, they'd be forced to stop and dig out our signal before they could even go any place! (....pause....) Well maybe I should do that then!
Mal: Maybe you should!
Wash: Okay!
Mal: Good!
Wash: Fine!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

And then the final shot, as Mal sees Serenity for the first time :thumbsup:

Of course, the other thing that happens every time I watch this is that I get extremely upset and annoyed that a series that can produce such a w**k of genius can have been consigned to the dustbin so readily :tear:

I know - it's such a shame :( . Still fingers crossed for a trilogy. I was listening to the commentary for Serenity on Saturday and JW alludes to a lot of back story being filled in, most notably Book's history :o :thumbsup: . That I'm sure would be better than having a few new episodes, no?


By the way did I mention that this episode is.................. :whistling:

Can't wait for Serenity, praying we'll get a trilogy, but I think I'd still have preferred the series to continue :ermm:

Still thankful for what we've got, though :)

The word 'Shiny' is peppered all over the series, I think it is Kaylee's favourite word :lol: But the rest of the crew say it too :D

At the risk of repeating what everyone else has already said, I think this is probably my favourite episode :thumbsup: (maybe tied with Objects in Space :unsure: ).

A joy to watch from the initial scene of blood drops :tear: , to the last scene of Mal's smiling face as he sees Serenity for the first time :D

As ever when I watch this I am shocked when Mal is shot so callously by the other captain, I laugh when Zoe tells Mal she doesn't like Wash, I cry out in dismay when Mal drops the engine part and it slips through the floor, and I smile and get all teary when Mal asks if they will all still be there when he wakes up :tear:

Amazing :thumbsup:

I was looking forward to this episode because I wanted to see how Mal put his crew together and I wasn't disappointed. Loved the flashback scenes and like everyone else was very surprised at Kaylee's intro - and she's always seemed like such a quiet girl!

One thing that surprises me is that an episode like this can follow the laugh-fest that was "Jaynestown" and not look out of place. I also liked how the flashbacks were done, they slotted very nicely into the story and provided some comic touches in comparison to the current scenes with Mal, which were very dark and sad. I too was shocked when the captain of the other ship shot Mal and tried to take Serenity, but then again we've seen the crew of Serenity scavenging off other ships in the past so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised that there are other bandits in space.

Another thing I liked about the ep was that although it was all about Mal staying behind with his ship and reminiscing about how he picked out the crew, the other characters weren't pushed into that background. And it was a nice twist that Zoe was the one who saved the day - I'd have expected Mal to reach the button and bring everyone back, instead it was the crew who returned to him, which shows how loyal they've become (except Jayne of course :lol: ).

And again I only wanted to make a few points and I've ended up rambling on for ages, just shows how much I love this show! :yahoo:

Interesting, listening to the commentary, to hear how they totally restructured the second act :ponder:

Another favourite bit, from the first flashback when Mal shows Serenity to Zoe for the first time:

Zoe: Get her running again?
Mal: Yeah.
Zoe: So not running now?
Mal: Not so much.

:lol:

What do you mean?

By the way......... :whistling:

Apparently all of the scenes in act two were originally in a different order :blink:

Don't say it - greatest flashback episode ever :lol:

really? how strange, I'll have to watch that commentary.


I didn't say anything :lmao:

I've just finished watching Out of Gas. Firefly just gets better and better. There's some really class acting throughout, the plot is totally gripping, and it's great to know more about how the crew got together in the first place (some of which are quite surprising :lmao:. I loved the look on Mal's face at the end when he sees Serenity for the first time.

It struck me how one of the themes throughout the series is love in all it's different kinds - everyone's love for the ship - espcially Mal and Kaylee, Zoe's love for Wash, Simon's love for his sister, jayne's love for, well, himself, Book's love for his flock, Inara's levels of love for her clientele, the crew, the ship, it bonds everyone together against the bad out there. It's a theme which Joss also explores in Buffy as well.

I can't believe I only have 3 episodes left to see...

:blink: How come you only have 3 eps left, or did you watch the others after. :shrug:

I love this episode so much :tear: I can't believe there is so much emotion contained in such a small space of time.

oops...my bad... I'd lost disc 4..:blush: (found it again now...:))

:D no bad, you've got more Firefly to enjoy now :lol:

I love this episode, but sometimes I can barely watch it as it has me crying almost from the first scene :lol: :ph43r:

Just watched OOG and the commentary as well. Interesting that Tim says the episode is meant to be a submarine type disaster. Maybe he has seen the Star Trek episode 'Balance of Terror' as well where the analogy is a bit more pronounced.

Tim also comments that he liked his flashback episodes on Angel so it was a case of more of the same.

Pretty enjoyable. sk

shooting script for 'Out Of Gas'.

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