In the year 2517, humankind has expanded outward throughout the galaxy after depleting all of Earth’s resources. As more and more planets were terraformed and colonized, the Alliance, a sort of interplanetary government, sought to unify all the worlds under one rule. Naturally resistance broke out, pitting the freedom-seeking Independents (affectionately titled “Browncoats”) against the Alliance, invoking a brutal civil war which decimated the Independents’ numbers and violently set straight any and all opposing the Alliance’s power. The Alliance swept in and took control of the more civilized inner-planets to create prosperous, flourishing worlds but doing so left a large number of abandoned isolated colonies in the outer reaches of the universe to govern themselves, often eroding into crime and decay, many times falling to mob-rule.
It is six years since the Unification War and former voluntary Browncoat Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds captains a junky Firefly-class transport ship called Serenity (named for the Independents’ big and bloody last stand in Serenity Valley, in which Reynolds earned medals as a sergeant). Disheartened and directionless, Mal survives pulling odd jobs all over the ‘verse, whether legal or somewhat on the other side of the law, never missing an opportunity to throw a wrench into the Alliance’s gears. Firefly begins with the addition of several new members to Serenity’s crew; an enigmatic shepherd who goes by the name Book, and a suspiciously clean and fashionable pretty-boy doctor smuggling his rambling, insane younger sister away from the government’s grasp. As the new faces become permanent onboard residents, Serenity becomes an increasingly dangerous place and rising tensions, a lack of funds and dogged pursuit from the Alliance make survival a delicate balance out in the black.
There is much to praise in Firefly’s design; series creator Joss Whedon has built a colourful universe with pages and pages of history and culture in every set and costume choice. In the show Earth’s two largest superpowers, China and America, have gradually melded into a large universal culture and the markets, homes and personal affects across the galaxy are awash with the clash of Eastern-Western customs. This even goes as far as language, where Mandarin has become the base language of humankind; all people in Firefly seem to speak Mandarin, especially in moments of high emotion. If you’ve ever known a person who learned English as a second language, you are probably familiar with the concept. It’s a nice touch in fleshing out the vibrant history of the show, but also serves as an indicator to social status (English is more formal and unofficially seems to be more respectable). Whedon has also deliberately created a world at odds with itself. Firefly is explicitly meant to mirror the times of colonial America, where people were forced to survive in harsh conditions on the fringes of society. By placing this simplistic, primitive time period in juxtaposition with the conventional assumptions of a technologically rich space-faring future, he emphasizes the isolation out at the edges of space and focuses on the dependence on humanity and character interaction in such a desperate existence, rather than the sterility and cool gadgets of the future. It’s a delightfully strange combination of diametrically opposed visuals and themes and for better or worse (it’s been known to make or break the show for audiences) it permeates the entirety of the series.
All of this is nice, of course, but Firefly would be nothing other than another cool sci-fi fantasy romp if it weren’t for the use of characters as the crux of the series. Joss Whedon’s care and attention for all his characters shines in the show and I think Firefly is the prime example of a TV series driving its story through relationships and personal motivation. Firefly is a perfect representation of the term ‘ensemble cast’ because although Malcolm Reynolds is technically the lead of the series, the eight other crew members have as much importance as the captain, and each has his or her own sub-story that draws from and adds to the main storyline – personal progression of every character influences and relies upon that of another aboard the ship. It allows for some of the best character development that I’ve seen in a television show to date.
Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is the proud captain of the show’s titular transport ship. Veteran sergeant of the Battle of Serenity, Mal watched the freedom and spirit of the Independents perish and has since fallen to drifting in the Black. Too proud to shed his brown coat and join society under the Alliance’s flag, he chooses to struggle for survival by taking whatever job he can find out in the fringes of the ‘verse. At the show’s start he is darkly sombre, quick to anger and seemingly an unlikely hero. He has a penchant for wise cracks and little patience to spare. As the series progresses however, Mal reveals to be fiercely loyal and possessive of his crew. Although he works hard to suppress his emotions, he cares deeply for everyone on board and despite his attempts to disguise his good nature he becomes a powerful and inspiring leader to his crew. Mal is constantly struggling to decide whether he is the lone gunslinger or the paternal leader at heart and much of his progression stems from this decision. The arrival of the Tams forces Mal to face himself honestly and stop hiding behind his damaged ego.
Zoe Washburne (Gina Torres) is Mal’s right hand woman, having fought alongside him in the Battle of Serenity, and being the first to join the crew. She is married to Serenity’s pilot, Wash, and manages to simultaneously play the roles of soldier and wife, both with persistence and control. Zoe is strong and capable, always the first to pick up a gun and jump into battle. She unofficially plays one half of the maternal role (the authoritative, strong-handed half) aboard Serenity, often serving as the voice of reason to Mal’s orders, and the rest of the crew often goes to her with trouble on board, particularly with the captain. She has plans to settle down with her husband and start a family, but her military experience with Mal keeps her loyal to the captain until their journey (whatever it may be) is completed.
Hoban “Wash” Washburne (Alan Tudyk) is Serenity’s pilot. Neurotic and useless around weaponry, Wash often keeps to the bridge where he is safe behind the controls. He has a unique brotherly relationship with Mal on the ship, usually the only one capable of keeping up with Mal’s quick wit. His sarcastic quips are often at the expense of the absurd situations involved in the show and this nod to the fourth wall, as well as his distance from the rest of the crew, serve as a bridge for the audience into the series. Wash is deeply in love with his wife Zoe and tension and jealousy arise when he calls Zoe’s blind loyalty to Mal into question. However his ability to brighten the mood is the perfect foil for Zoe’s calm severity and likewise, her control is what keeps Wash tethered in moments of excitement and fear. Wash intends to leave Serenity with Zoe and start a family on-world but remains patient with Zoe, who refuses to leave the ship before her job is done.
Kaylee Frye (Jewel Staite) is a natural talent at mechanical maintenance. One of the youngest aboard Serenity, she is quick to emotion, fear and passion. She is the heart of the ship and her care is evident all over the series, from her actions and words to the homey decorations painted throughout Serenity. Kaylee is usually the central force that keeps the crew together, and when arguments or violence break out she is the first to react and try to mend things.. Naturally curious, she seeks out members of the crew to inquire about their lives and is the active force in forming the family bond on Serenity. Mal takes most easily to the fatherly role with Kaylee, and most openly shows affection for her, and the rest of the crew seems to naturally gravitate toward her as well. Kaylee wants more than anything to keep the crew together and maintain a familial bond between all nine characters aboard Serenity, especially Simon Tam, to whom she takes an instant liking, but coming from a humble upbringing she feels inadequate around him and takes to admiring him from afar. 
Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin) is a registered Companion who lives in one of Serenity’s two small shuttles, as opposed to the ship proper, in order to ply her trade. A Companion shares much of the cultural status of a Japanese geisha but serves a functional role more similar to a prostitute, however sex is not always the purpose of their trade; a Companion’s job is to form a deep, intimate bond with their customers whether it be physical, psychological or emotional in nature. Companions are of high status and paying for the service of one is considered an extravagance, so Inara’s presence brings a level of respect and status to the ship. Among the crew Inara fills the other half of Zoe’s maternal role, caring for the crew members with attentive care and emotional aid, particularly with Kaylee. Because of her lifestyle and training, Inara is especially aware of the romantic relationships aboard Serenity, and usually is the one to give a helpful nudge in the right direction, however her own love/hate relationship with Captain Reynolds is a frustrating test of stubbornness on each of their parts. According to her, Inara left her homeland in order to see the universe, yet her bittersweet relationship with Mal leaves her confused and she tends to find her career at odds with her life aboard Serenity. 
Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin) is the enforcer aboard Serenity. Hired by Reynolds after he is held up by Jayne’s gang, Jayne believes he is loyal only to the highest bidder, but over the course of the show he passes up several occasions to sacrifice his crewmates for a quick buck. Like Mal, he believes himself to be more of a bad guy than he really is, putting himself in situations he’d rather not be to appease his own misplaced sense of pride. One such situation is the relationship he has with the Tams; Jayne is the most outspoken about the brother and sister’s danger to Serenity and often goes out of his way to cause tension between them and the rest of the crew. He is often motivated by greed and anger, especially toward Simon and River. This is mostly because he, like the rest of the crew, thinks of himself more as a hired gun than a part of the family, although over time he becomes increasingly attached to them and they to him. Jayne is often goaded by the rest of the crew for his simple-mindedness and oafish personality, yet he has several moments of surprising clarity and sincerity. 
Derrial Book (Ron Glass) is the mysterious Shepherd who takes up a bed onboard Serenity in the series’ first episode. Book talks little about his past, and often uses vague language to dissuade further talk of his youth, but over the course of Firefly it becomes clear he’s very capable with firearms and has a familiar understanding of the criminal underworld. Book, being a preacher, is often the voice of hope and faith onboard Serenity and though not all claim to believe in a god (Mal being the most outspoken about this) there is an air of respect and attention when the Shepherd is present. Book seems to be drifting through space upon his arrival on Serenity and though he claims he is just going where the Word of God is needed there seems to be something more direct in Book’s presence on the ship.
Simon Tam (Sean Maher) is the wealthy young doctor who brings aboard a mysterious package in the first episode of Firefly. Sticking out like a sore thumb, Mal is immediately suspicious of him and quickly reveals that the strange crate Simon is transporting contains his cryogenically frozen little sister. Simon admits to rescuing River from a government facility where the Blue Sun Corporation had been running disturbing invasive experiments on her, and his need to stay hidden away from the Alliance. Kind, sensitive and a brilliant doctor, Simon is in many ways a foil to Malcolm Reynolds, who sees Simon as a threat to Serenity’s security and struggles with the decision to abandon them on-world. Simon is outcast from high society after abandoning his prestigious career to save River and flee, yet he is also an outsider to life aboard Serenity, struggling to find a place within the social structure on the ship. Being unfamiliar with his new lifestyle, Simon has many unfortunate blunders with the crew, especially Kaylee, who he has strong feelings for. Kaylee’s own affection toward him unfortunately goes largely unnoticed because of Simon’s dedication to his sister’s health, and this becomes his main conflict; his care for River blinds Simon to his own needs and desires. Eventually Simon finds a home aboard Serenity as the ship’s medic and makes a place among the crew.
River Tam (Summer Glau) brings about the beginning of Firefly’s main plot when her discovery in Serenity’s cargo hold upends life for everyone on board. However Blue Sun’s constant attempts to recapture her not only drive the primary action, but spark many of the conflicts between characters in the show. Kaylee particularly takes a liking to River, happy to find an age-appropriate friend on the ship (as well as a way to get closer to Simon) but everyone else is a lot less welcoming to the stowaways. Aside from a few moments of clarity, River has become dissociative and schizophrenic as a result of the medical procedures forced on her, and her behaviour causes fear and discomfort around the rest of the crew. Jayne especially takes a disliking to River and her brother, trying more than anything to have them removed from the ship. Mal finds himself faced with his biggest dilemma since the Unification War when forced to decide if he is cold enough to leave River and Simon to their fate on-world, or good enough to face the Alliance head-on for two complete strangers. This decision – what to do with the Tams – hangs over the heads of everyone on Serenity and more often than not results in harsh words, the exchange of blows, and personal/social conflict, so in many ways River initiates all the progression in the series. Although River spends most of her time on the ship rambling or caught up in hallucinations and flashbacks, she is coherent enough to have her own personal motivation; River understand Simon is trying to protect her and she desperately wants to take the burden off her brother and be a normal girl again.In Firefly, Joss Whedon demonstrated how characters can directly influence a story’s development. This is no more evident than in Serenity, the feature film intended to wrap up all the loose ends left after the series was cancelled by Fox, in 2002. Serenity is an ambitious movie, winding many strands of story together in a two hour run-time and it manages to maintain a surprisingly logical, well-paced plot. Naturally though, so much action and story left little room for the characters to breathe and interact, and the result is a facsimile of the fully-developed personalities and relationships come to be expected in the TV show. To be honest (I’m about to be the target of many angry fans here) I think Firefly’s cancellation was a blessing in disguise; one of the show’s biggest successes was the brevity of our time with the characters. It’s now known that Whedon had planned the series to last seven years and I’m sure there would have been a lot of really interesting episodes in that time. However the first season of Firefly preserved some of the most sincere characters on television and in seven seasons, I’m sure they’d have their backstories and future lives all fleshed out and detailed in excruciating detail. I’ll give you my best example; the tension between Mal and Inara is one of my favourite instances of a romantic relationship in a TV show – I love that they never fully communicate their feelings for each other and that *SPOILER* they never come together in the end. In seven seasons of Firefly, that dynamic would be broken. It wouldn’t matter if they got married, fell out of love, or revealed they were robot clones of each other at the end of it. The point is the emotional need for closure was severed and it gives the audience a permanent interest in the relationship. I absolutely love every bickering, teasing moment between them when I re-watch the show because I want to capture every feeling they have for one another before it’s cut short (Awww I know, I’m a girly man). Situations like this abound throughout Firefly and the abrupt ending of it all conserves the passion we had for the characters and the worlds out in the ‘verse. We should stop grasping at straws to keep the franchise going; we were blessed once with Firefly and again with Serenity. I think two blessings are enough - Shepherd Book would frown upon asking for any more than that.
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