Would you want Firefly without Mal?
POSTED BY: GWEK
UPDATED: Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:55
VIEWED: 20272
PAGE 4 of 8
I, too, feel like it wouldn't be Firefly/Serenity without the original characters. I guess I'd be game to see life go on without Book and Wash, but that's it.
However, would people be willing to replace the existing actors? If Nathan can't be Mal, then I would have no problem with Jonathan LaPaglia as the next Captain of Serenity.
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There might be other actors out there we don't even know about who can do a great job and lead the story in a slightly different direction with a slightly different group dynamic, so the Browncoats can both enjoy the show and say that would never happen in the original. I was listening to one of Nathan Fillion's interviews and he was asked on how he acts out a scene in character, and I believe he said something to the effect that he never really acted out a scene in character and he would ask himself how would he react to this situation and take it from there. To some or many actors that approach may seem limiting, but honestly, in my opinion, I think it is refreshing and it weaves into the tale a new level of honesty on top of the already great script writing.
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I would hate it, but I would be open to watch it. Think of it this way. If Firefly lasted 9 seasons, would Mal still be there? By season 9 we could have all new characters. Actors and Actresses are always leaving their shows.
Firefly would be like CSI with Grissom.
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Quote:
Originally posted by NewOldBrownCoat:
Personally, I'm an old school kinda guy, I like hopeful, happy endings.
"Happy ending" is all about perspective, isn't it?
I,for example, think that Kaylee and Simon (or Mal and Inara) ending up together would NOT be a happy ending--since neither is really a good couple.
Joss has done an interesting thing with both pairings. He's created two couples who cannot legitimately exist off of SERENITY. In each case, the parties are (literally and metaphorically) "from two different worlds," and could not exist on either native world. (In SHINDIG, we see what happens to both Kaylee and Mal when they step into the world of Inara/Simon, and Inara and Simon would fare no better trying to fit into the native environments of Mal/Kaylee).
On the ship, we have an environment that exists, quite literally, "between the worlds," giving these relationships an artificial home in which to thrive and prosper. Take that away, and both couples are doomed (which, let's face it, is a lot of what makes the two couples so much fun to watch and root for).
More likely (I think) that a legitimately "happy ending" would involve Mal and Kaylee as a couple, living on their beloved Serenity with a passel of kids (note that Kaylee and Mal are the only ones who really treat SERENITY as a character; they both truly LOVE the ship. Heck, in the pilot, when they survive the Reavers, both of them pat the ship almost simultaneously).
I also don't think a Simon/Inara pairing would be an unhappy one (at least until Inara dies from whatever horrifying condition Joss has already given her). They are of essentially the same world, and have, from their earliest scenes, shared a bond of trust and confort that is distinctly different (but no less valid) than what they share with Mal/Kaylee.
www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."
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A lot of very interesting (and faily consistent) opinions are showing up.
Perhaps I should revise the question to something lile:
Would you rather see:
a) FIREFLY (with the entire surviving crew) continued as periodic direct-to-DVD movies (or possibly made-for-TV miniseries)?
b) A new series continuing the adventures of the surviving crew (Kaylee, Simon, River, Zoe, possibly Inara, maybe Jayne)?
c) A new series set in the 'Verse, but not featuring the crew of Serenity in any major role?
www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."
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a. If you want to build an audience you have to have as much draw as possible. Right now Nathan and Morena are probably the most bankable stars from Firefly.
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Quote:
Joss has done an interesting thing with both pairings. He's created two couples who cannot legitimately exist off of SERENITY. In each case, the parties are (literally and metaphorically) "from two different worlds," and could not exist on either native world. (In SHINDIG, we see what happens to both Kaylee and Mal when they step into the world of Inara/Simon, and Inara and Simon would fare no better trying to fit into the native environments of Mal/Kaylee).
On the ship, we have an environment that exists, quite literally, "between the worlds," giving these relationships an artificial home in which to thrive and prosper. Take that away, and both couples are doomed (which, let's face it, is a lot of what makes the two couples so much fun to watch and root for).
Hmm, well I don't disagree with your point about social status being an obstacle in both cases...
I do disagree that it completely invalidates the two pairings as couples.
For me, Shindig was as much about Mal and Kaylee not fitting into Inara and Simon's worlds as it was about as it was about Inara not fitting into her own world and Mal not fitting into his. It's not so much that Serenity is an artificial environment where these two worlds are coming together, but rather it's where all of these characters are trying to escape their worlds.
Mal can't go back to Shadow, for obvious reasons, and he actually doesn't fit the profile of his new role as a criminal (Inara: "And that's why you are ALWAYS getting into trouble!"). Simon can't go back to his world, for obvious reasons as well (Better Days comments indirectly on this). There are some pretty strong indications that Inara can't go back to Sihnon for some reason, and on the border and rim worlds, the perception of companions is very different, so she doesn't fit into the upper class out there. Kaylee seems like the only character who could still fit into her world, though maybe that's wrong, we may not know the full reason behind her being so eager to get off her homeworld, it might have been more than "Ooh, mechanics job and travel! Shiny!"
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Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
"Happy ending" is all about perspective, isn't it?
I,for example, think that Kaylee and Simon (or Mal and Inara) ending up together would NOT be a happy ending--since neither is really a good couple.
Joss has done an interesting thing with both pairings. He's created two couples who cannot legitimately exist off of SERENITY. In each case, the parties are (literally and metaphorically) "from two different worlds," and could not exist on either native world. (In SHINDIG, we see what happens to both Kaylee and Mal when they step into the world of Inara/Simon, and Inara and Simon would fare no better trying to fit into the native environments of Mal/Kaylee).
On the ship, we have an environment that exists, quite literally, "between the worlds," giving these relationships an artificial home in which to thrive and prosper. Take that away, and both couples are doomed (which, let's face it, is a lot of what makes the two couples so much fun to watch and root for).
More likely (I think) that a legitimately "happy ending" would involve Mal and Kaylee as a couple, living on their beloved Serenity with a passel of kids (note that Kaylee and Mal are the only ones who really treat SERENITY as a character; they both truly LOVE the ship. Heck, in the pilot, when they survive the Reavers, both of them pat the ship almost simultaneously).
I also don't think a Simon/Inara pairing would be an unhappy one (at least until Inara dies from whatever horrifying condition Joss has already given her). They are of essentially the same world, and have, from their earliest scenes, shared a bond of trust and confort that is distinctly different (but no less valid) than what they share with Mal/Kaylee.
This is a fascinating and brilliant thought that deserves to be expanded -- it would fit right in with the essays in Finding Serenity.
To a degree, I would disagree with you-- my grandparents were about as diverse a group as you can get from European stock-- an Irish Catholic, a German Jew,a Swiss-German Protestant, and a French-Canadian Catholic. And they didn't pair up neatly- the Irishman was married to the Jewish woman, and the French Canadian to the German Protestant. They had 2 marriages that lasted " till death do us part", and produced bunches of children.
My wife comes from old Boston/Virginia/English stock on one side, and lower class Colorado frontiersmen on the other-- we've been married for 30+ years now, and still going strong.
"Isn't it wonderful, Sadie? Only in America---"
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Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:Quote:
Originally posted by NewOldBrownCoat:
Personally, I'm an old school kinda guy, I like hopeful, happy endings.
"Happy ending" is all about perspective, isn't it?
I,for example, think that Kaylee and Simon (or Mal and Inara) ending up together would NOT be a happy ending--since neither is really a good couple.
Joss has done an interesting thing with both pairings. He's created two couples who cannot legitimately exist off of SERENITY. In each case, the parties are (literally and metaphorically) "from two different worlds," and could not exist on either native world. (In SHINDIG, we see what happens to both Kaylee and Mal when they step into the world of Inara/Simon, and Inara and Simon would fare no better trying to fit into the native environments of Mal/Kaylee).
On the ship, we have an environment that exists, quite literally, "between the worlds," giving these relationships an artificial home in which to thrive and prosper. Take that away, and both couples are doomed (which, let's face it, is a lot of what makes the two couples so much fun to watch and root for).
More likely (I think) that a legitimately "happy ending" would involve Mal and Kaylee as a couple, living on their beloved Serenity with a passel of kids (note that Kaylee and Mal are the only ones who really treat SERENITY as a character; they both truly LOVE the ship. Heck, in the pilot, when they survive the Reavers, both of them pat the ship almost simultaneously).
I also don't think a Simon/Inara pairing would be an unhappy one (at least until Inara dies from whatever horrifying condition Joss has already given her). They are of essentially the same world, and have, from their earliest scenes, shared a bond of trust and confort that is distinctly different (but no less valid) than what they share with Mal/Kaylee.
www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."
I see your point but I also disagree. I know couples who come from different worlds that you would never expect but yet out of my friends they are the happiest.
As the saying goes, "opposites attact."
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Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
A lot of very interesting (and faily consistent) opinions are showing up.
Perhaps I should revise the question to something lile:
Would you rather see:
a) FIREFLY (with the entire surviving crew) continued as periodic direct-to-DVD movies (or possibly made-for-TV miniseries)?
b) A new series continuing the adventures of the surviving crew (Kaylee, Simon, River, Zoe, possibly Inara, maybe Jayne)?
c) A new series set in the 'Verse, but not featuring the crew of Serenity in any major role?
Is it cheating to say a, b and c?
wo men ren ran zai fei xing.
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