Unpopular Opinions
POSTED BY: Lexan
UPDATED: Monday, August 3, 2026 22:05
VIEWED: 61897
PAGE 14 of 25
Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
A further unpopular opinion is Joss lost some of his confidence and went back to some age old means. "Super Buffy mode" being one of them. (and no, I do not buy that argument about empowerment.)
Ain't that the truth. Joss hesitantly admits to this in the movie commentary. I think some of his executives may have voiced the same opinion that fell on his deaf ears. Like... huh, Joss these scenes look way to familiar... ala Buffy verse.
We exit the Firefly door, and re-enter via the Buffy backyard slider. He doesn't accomplish anything by empowering her this way except to confirm (what he doesn't ironically want us to see) that River and the BDHs are existing in two different movies. It is just simply illogical, from a critical viewpoint.
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I don't agree with that at all. Just because Joss made the movie feature a small girl doing the physically impossible, which by the way was entirely relevant, does not mean he was going back Buffy familiarity. The scenes don't particuarly resemble Buffy... River doesn't resemble Buffy. The fighting and that wasn't about empowerment, it was about River and what was pertinent to her story... Think about it...
Also, an opinion that seems to be quite unpopular- River, in terms of personality and character was better in the series. She had so many dimensions and layers. If there was such a thing as a one million+ dimensional character, River would be it. Serenity River was also great but I felt as though some layers weren't present and her dialogue wasn't as brilliant. It tended not to have as much meaning.
I also find River as the pilot at the end of the film very believable and appropriate and a nice call-back to "Objects in Space".
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Quote:
Originally posted by Lexan:
If there was such a thing as a one million+ dimensional character, River would be it.
And that's the best argument why a wider viewing audience did NOT receive River’s character well as a main character, in the BDM. They didn't know what to make of her.
She's too indefinable, almost alien (Joss' description) Viewers couldn't relate to her on a human level because she became too omnipotent. She's instantly reading minds. Does telepathy even work that fast? She's warning Mal, Zoe, and Jayne on the heist. She's kicking ass in the Maidenhead. If someone died shouldn't she be held accountable? Oh, that's right she was triggered, because we all succumb to subliminal behavioral messages . Heck, I want a cheeseburger right now.
She's witty and clever too. She looks for patterns in sand and tries to count the tiny pieces, but can only do it if you drive slower. God, I was so glad they cut that! Jayne's "bad guy" line is way cooler!
And then suddenly she's asleep (unfortunately about the same time my Grande Cadillac Margarita buzz was wearing off) and now she's chained, and crying, screaming, and suicidal (If no one else steps up, I'll volunteer to carry the bullet)
And then she escapes, convinces Mal, shares her awful thoughts, good characters die along the way (ones we really like), and she screams some more. She fights hundreds of horrible flesh eating Reavers, by herself, without receiving a scratch. Not one of them thought to put a bullet to her like they did her brother? Hey, What happened to the poison dart guy? Is he not that skilled?
And then we get to the end...she's not cured, but better, and is Serenity's new co-pilot, because ya know, she's a ship too. HUH??
And the only question anyone asks at this point is: Do you think Mal and Inara have a chance?
Unpopular opinions, oh yeah
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You speak the truth; The majority of the audience doesn't understand River much at all. This is why I think Joss simplified her character a little for the movie. However, when Joss is really going by what he believes the story needs, (I assume) he doesn't take what the audience will understand into much consideration. Nevertheless, he might have for this movie. Clearly it wasn't enough for some people but it was enough for me to notice there was something missing. This was the only problem I had Serenity.
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Quote:
I don't think that anyone else on the ship would have gotten married, or have kids. I could have seen Wash and Zoe maybe having kids, but really, having all of the other characters getting together and married, with kids, (which I've seen in many fics) is just to sappy for me. I seriously doubt that those people would find true love, or whatever you want to call it. It's far to predictable, and very un-Joss.
Well I didn't think I had that many unpopular opinions when it came to Firefly, but after reading this thread then maybe I do.
I personally think it would have been GREAT if Zoe had got pregnant. I agree that it would be nigh on impossible to raise a kid in that environment and that is exactly why I think it would have made for such good TV. This is the only time we see Zoe express an opinion that wasn't complete common sense. Makes her more falible. I could see her going behind Wash's back and getting pregnant when he was against the idea (yet more tension). I would have enjoyed her struggles with the decision of whether to leave the ship or let someone else raise the kid, or even how she would have coped with loosing it.
Does all this make me a very bad and cruel person?! Face it, anguish makes for gripping storylines! Pile it on, I say!
___________________
Hissssssssss!
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stumbled into the arms of this strange and outrageous thread...
my most often held (but i sometimes drop it) unpopular opinion is that Simon MAY not have told (or allowed us to see) the truth about what happened to River - and why she's in a fracking box!
i sometimes believe he was complicit in her 'going to the academy'
and that he was lying about the brain scan in ariel...
none of which necessarily lessons his very real love for river - it just adds guilt to the mix...
Quote:
Originally posted by annuette:
I think Kaylee would have become bored by Simon.
I think after the movie it would have been all sex and fun but i just think it would have fizzelled out.
well i agree completely except for the fun part!
Quote:
I also think Kaylee would have been the one to end the relationship.
Simon wouldn't know how!
Simon has way too much invested in River for the relationship with Kaylee to work long term...
and now to quote my favourite robot Bender - "cheese it!"
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Thanks for bumping this, Wytchcroft. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who gets involved in a fandom (doesn't matter which one) and suddenly finds out that all his/her opinions are considered very unpopular. For example:
The music in Serenity is more moving than the Firefly music. Firefly music is atmospheric, and occasionally gorgeous. Serenity music gets to the soul of the story as well as keeping to the tone.
None of the "popular" continuity errors in the BDM were actually continuity errors.
Simon never said he wasn't personally involved in the rescue, and he was not] badass in it...he was reserved in personality, and managed to pull a needle out of River's head, open a window, and climb on a little platform, looking very conspicuous all the while. He was more badass when jumping off a catwalk onto Dobson or jumping on Early with a thigh wound. Punching Mal was a result of desperation and character development, not character switch.
Mal has never been good with dates, so his "eight months" quote is entirely within character. Mal is not suddenly not considering Simon and River as not-quite-crew because the plot demands it, it's just that things have gotten really tough and he's giving a lot of bark to Simon 'cause he can't bring himself to actually give them up, because in his heart, as he shows in the BDM, they really are part of his family now, as he said in the series. It's all talk with Mal.
River is not any better by the end of the BDM...she's still a schizophrenic, just a slightly less traumatized one who knows her abilities.
Simon and Kaylee would not live happily ever after, nor would their relationship fizz out. They both seem to have enough maturity that eventually, after a long and frustrating semi-courtship, would lead them together, because Kaylee values the respect and devotion Simon shows to her, and Simon values the brightness and affection that Kaylee shows to him. Simon only messes up under stress, and once the first kiss is out of the way, he'll put his foot in his mouth much less. (Objects in Space, anyone?) Once Kaylee starts hearing more of relaxed Simon, she'll be able to take his occasional messups much better. I've seen many marriages work with even more imperfect and downright clashing people, so there's got to be hope for Simon and Kaylee.
I don't like Mal. At all. I see his good side, but it just doesn't work for me. He's often more clueless than Simon, and reacts violently and illogically to most circumstances.
Inara is best when she's dealing with Simon and Kaylee and River...every other encounter, I wonder why people like her.
I didn't mind that Wash died. He was funny and interesting, but not that much.
I don't like Our Mrs. Reynolds or Out of Gas. They are well written, from a purely stylistic point of view, but I don't enjoy them.
Safe and Objects in Space, on the other hand, never fail to really move me and ring true.
I don't see River and Jayne getting together as a romantic couple, but I heartily support them having a relationship on par with Mal and Zoe's. I don't think Jayne or River could have a healthy romantic relationship with anyone at all, actually.
My ideal sequel to Serenity has Simon and Zoe dying, with Kaylee and Inara dying in the last movie of the trilogy. There's a lot more to my opinion on sequels than that and why I think it would be ideal, but that's an idea for another thread.
Inara and Book were deadweight on the show...they could have been more, but they never were.
The Train Job has painfully pathetic dialogue, and I hesitate to include it as canon sometimes.
The Message should be considered the last episode...it's the only way the series makes sense character-development-wise.
Jayne's interesting in the series and movie, but 95% of fics make him too soft and therefore not interesting anymore. Likewise most fics make Simon either too wussy/dumb/inarticulate or too articulate and...perfect.
Neither Simon nor Kaylee nor Wash need to learn how to fight. There's a place in the world for noncombata
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Thanks for bumping this thread.
I didn't know it was unpopular, but I don't consider River to be insane. Because of her vast IQ, few of us or the cast should be able to fully understand her. When she focuses her language talents upon us normals, then she can generally convey the point she wants, like when she talks to Badger in Shindig. Otherwise she doesn't speak untruths, other than that Book's hair thing in Jaynestown.
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Quote:
Originally posted by redhead:
Oooh everyone is so brave! Do you all feel better for getting that off your chests? (Strokes chin thoughtfully)
Seriously though, I couldn't stand the River and the Reaver scene in Serenity. She's drug backwards through the doorway by her feet. I'm a black belt and with that many (20 something?) Reavers there is no way she gets up. AND then the Damn door opens while she is standing there (looking very cool, I'll give you that). AND who the heck opened the door? It's only supposed to open from the outside and River's hands are full. What she does Telekinesis, too?
My vote is River should have died! And don't get me wrong, I think Summer is an awesome actress and I loved the fragile girl coming to life in the series but I loved the series BECAUSE it was about people. I didn't want Super girl.There I have Jayne to protect me (or at least one of the Ninja Turtles) so no one can flame me too bad!
I never thought I would live to see the day I would agree with anyone who dares diss Firefly/Serenity. But, in earnest, I have to agree with you on the River-Reaver scene. It weren't exactly my thing, either. Too action figure like. Out of character, really; and done for marketing reasons, no doubt, so they could stick her on that Serenity poster as the bad-ass killer girl. Ugh. Dressed her up like a gorram doll!
--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam
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I sort of agree...I liked the scene the first time I saw it, just because of the emotional impact I felt when I saw her taken by the Reavers. I did like her fight scene. But they held it just a little too long, and she was just a little too posed.
--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown
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