Virtual Firefly episode 1x16 (act four)
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
"The Big Stick" (act four): This is the first episode of the Virtual Firefly project. Look for our web site in early 2006.
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 4067 RATING: 8.0 (PG) SERIES: FIREFLY
EXT. HAVEN – MAIN STREET – DAY
FOLKS run in every direction, in a bit of semi-organized chaos. An evacuation of sorts seems to be in progress.
Jayne walks against the crowd, checking Vera.
Simon, wandering within the crowd, finds himself face-to-face with Jayne.
SIMON: Any word from the Captain?
Jayne shakes his head no.
JAYNE: These folk really think they can hide in them mines?
SIMON: It’s their best chance, I suppose.
JAYNE: Heard they’s got a few shuttles hidden somewhere. We should “borrow” one. Could be off-planet when things turn red. Captain’d pick us up in a few days…
SIMON: You’re not suggesting we abandon—
JAYNE: Didn’t say it was what I’s gonna do, Doc. Said it was what we SHOULD do. If we was smart.
It dawns on both of them that River is there, barefoot, watching.
RIVER (to Simon): Like I said. We can trust him now.
EXT. FORT LIBERTY SECURITY CENTRAL – NIGHT – ESTABLISHING
Security Central is a bunker built into the side of a small mountain. It’s a fenced-in military installation, and the front blast-doors are protected by two of the large guns that surround the city.
INT. FORT LIBERTY SECURITY CENTRAL – FRONT OFFICE – NIGHT
The room is small and utilitarian. An OFFICER sits at a desk, which is in front of a heavy looking door. He’s fiddling with something on his computer.
Two GUARDS, armored and armed with rifles, flank the door.
Book and Zoe stand in front of the desk, dressed in their disguises. Book is doing a tremendous job of selling the commodore act. He has a sneer of bored disdain on his face and looks like he’d kill the Officer soon as shake hands with him.
OFFICER: Everything seems to be in order for your visit, sir… If you’ll just give me your datacard, I can pass you right through.
Book hands over the card with an annoyed sigh.
INT. SERENITY – DINING ROOM – NIGHT
Mal and Inara sit at the table.
INARA: They’ll be fine, Mal.
Beat.
MAL: Should be there my own self.
INARA: Mal, you can’t always—
Hicks rus
Had a very Firefly feel, all of it.
Minor quibble: I find it a bit odd that Inara and Mal seem to cordial at the end when they spent most of the episode very tense around each other, plus the unresolved issue of her leaving. How did they go from that to dancing, which seems a lot more friendly than they even usually are on good days...?
The rest? Whee! I'm looking forward to January. :)
You can't take the sky from me
However, here come the criticisms.
Jayne and River. I don't buy into Jayne not only being comfortable around River, but commenting on her attractiveness. If they'd interacted at all since "I can kill you with my brain" I'd be less bothered, but this seems so out of character for him, it was a real stickler for me.
While River's actions were spot on her dialogue really wasn't. She was far too sane. She talks the talk, but it feels like too much. There was obviously some thought put into what she meant every time she talked, and it really shows. In the show she rambles, half of it is crazy, the other half can be interpreted in half a dozen ways. In this, it's obvious what she's talking about every time. She's existing in her own little world that makes sense to her whereas she confesses in the series and movie that her craziness makes just as little sense to her as it does to everyone else. I think you need to be much smarter with her dialog, or much crazier.
I'm not sure how I felt about Inara joining in the caper, I think my main problem is I didn't understand it. It's never really explained why she's there, other than she's needed.
Also, her and Mal dancing at the end felt very wrong.
Overall though a very nice start to the series. Well done!
I enjoyed all the dancing at the end, you can definitely see them all celebrating after a successful caper!
Overall, I really enjoyed it, but it's main points that made me go "ooooh, excellent" were two points that refer to the movie, the first appearance of Haven, and also the first mention of Mr. Universe, who Mal doesn't even know at that point. A little skeptical there, too. In the BDM, it is implied that Mr. Universe and the crew of Serenity have a history- Mr. U's "you always bring my the very best violence." It feels like a cheap set-up reading it now. And without watching the movie, you don't understand the context of Hicks' statement at all.
also a big thumbs-up for showing us some Book goodness, though how much he's willing to help on the heist is suspicious. Also it seems to be written in a way that implies Book lost something he wants (and wants back) in the Alliance, which is a sense I never got at any other time.
Re: Book losing something he wants back - I read that as he was being remorseful for his past deeds in the Alliance and having gone back in the environment has brought back terrible memories - but maybe I'm reading it wrong.
I agree that Mal and Inara probably wouldn't dance, just stare longingly when they thought the other wasn't looking. ::knocks their heads together:
The only thing I thought that really felt out of place was Mal calling Hicks "little brother." He'd probably come closer to calling him son, like he does Simon.
Overall, I'm very impressed. I really didn't think this would mesh so well with the other episodes, but you guys DONE GOOD!
Can't wait until the next round.
Among many smaller things (such as: why does Inara go with Mal to meet the contact ?) I constantly had the feeling of seeing nothing new. The characters felt right but their dialoge feels simply recycled.
Same with the big finale: The slavers (waaay to cheap pseudo-threat) are shot down with the cannon just like in Serenity. This is not only unoriginal, it is simply stealing.
All in all, the basics are there but I can't help thinking, "someone like Joss should go over this and make it right".
However I just didn't get the River/Jayne pairing, it just didn't seem very much in character for the two. I don't necessarily feel that every character needs to be paired up with another.
Also Jayne just seems a bit too noble, I'm still waiting for him to do the wrong thing, which consistenly he usually always does.
But excellent portrayal into Book's possible past Alliance connections.
Overall very well done and I can't wait to read more.
I look forward to every new episode more eagerly than anything on my mailing lists.
Thanks for all the hard work!! :)
Annie
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