Today I want to introduce you all to a great television show called Firefly. It remains, to this day, one of my favourite television shows and a staple in sci-fi television series. If you’re interested in Science Fiction at all, you need to give this a watch.

Firefly is, arguably, less sci-fi and more western. Seldom do we see high tech laser gadgets, and never do we meet an alien species. The series is fully homo-sapien in its casting. So what makes Firefly a show that tops my list?

The characters. The story of Firefly revolves around a interstellar cargo-ship that sometimes ventures towards smuggling illegal shipments to cover expenses. Keeping the ship, Serenity – a firefly class vehicle, is priority number one. It provides a refuge and symbolizes freedom from the Alliance for the captain and first-mate of the ship – both whom fought on the losing side of the war. They are joined by a pilot, a mechanic, a grunt, a prostitute, a priest, a doctor, and a psychotic young girl. These 9 characters make up the show and each episode. The dynamics of the relationships shared between these characters is what makes the story shine. With witty writing and very distinctive personalities, the crew of Serenity makes television worthwhile.

Lest I spoil the rest for you, I’ll stop my pen. Sadly the show only aired for one season, and a movie followed in 2005. But perhaps that, too, can be considered a boon to Firefly – that the studio executives didn’t get a chance to murder the series, had it perhaps aired for several seasons. I take solace in that justification. :-)