PeterDavid.net

The clips were not from the unseen pilot. That pilot is set later than the time of those clips and tells how Book, Simon, and River joined the crew.

Corey

I sure am glad that I wasn't the only one looking at that episode of Firefly, jaw open, and my head spinning.

I believe that the flashback scenes in “Out of Gas” were shot for that episode to serve as an ‘Origin’ episode. Thinking back, I don’t recall seeing how Mal meet Zoe.

I suspect that the pilot is about Simon and River finding refuge on the Serenity.

I would point out that there is a lot of possible reasons for Fox not liking the pilot that have nothing to do with quality. Confusing story, characters don’t come across as likeable, hardcore SciFi scaring away the general public. Or maybe the pilot just stinks. It’s not like what we’ve seen so far has been dipped in gold.

Still hoping of the best.

Luckily I never saw Jewel Staite in her younger days so I I didn't have the same reaction as Peter. I didn't expect her character to be so loose though.

I thought that this episode was the best yet. I didn't have any trouble following the story and I appreciated the "origins" of Jayne, Kaylee, Wash & Inara. Firefly and John Doe have been my favorite new shows this season.

Fazhoul

Nope, those weren't scenes from the original pilot. You can find the original pilot on Kazaa in crappy VHS-like resolution. Or, FOX is going to air it at the end of December.

When I saw Kaylee zipping up, the first thing I thought of was this place, which is why I was initially disappointed now to see your reaction to it last week. Now, I know. heh

-Augie

On the one hand, have to like a female character who gets hot around technology (Whedon and Co. so far have a good track record on doing female nerds and gearheads; heck, Giles and Wes aren't too shoddy either. But Willow, Ms. Calendar, Fred, and Kaylee all have the correct attitude). I am disappointed that Kaylee's engineering skills seem to be more psychic than learned though.

And I'll confirm that I've read that Fox has scheduled a showing of the pilot in the next couple of months.

I agree with PAD's reaction to Kaylee's "origin" scene. I still had fond memories of her from "Space Cases" and "Flash Forward." I guess I still concidered he that sweet, innocent girl from those shows.

As for the rest of the episode, I really enjoyed it. This show is getting much better as it goes along.

I know how Peter feels about seeing Jewel Staite's introduction as Kaylee.

The same thing happened to me when I watched American Beauty for the first time.

Thora Birch's topless scene in that movie guaranteed that I won't ever watch it again.

See, I remember her on a throwaway NBC sitcom when she was about 5 called Day by Day. (known as an early credit for Julia Louis Dreyfus) and watching her figuratively say CHECK THESE OUT BOYS now is just way too disconcerting for me.

By the way, while I can follow non-linear storytelling, I hated the episode, it damn near bored me to tears.

However, I seem to be one of the few viewers who thought so.

She was on DAY BY DAY? Jeez, I don't even remember here there. I just remember that show as being an early credit for Courtney Thorne Smith (oh, and Julia Dreyfuss, too).

The teenaged son wore his blue robe around the house. I remember liking the show at the time. Wonder what I'd think of it today if I ran across it on cable somewhere...

-Augie

She was credited with just her first name, she played one of the kids in the daycare, Molly.

Okay, how about this week's Firefly?

JW & Co. seem to be following the old Star Trek convention of Earth-parallel societies with the Confederate planet, though with the back-story they've established it makes slightly more sense here.

Speaking of making sense, does anybody want to take a shot at justifying the possibility of an interplanetary cattle drive? I mean, it looked cute, and may figure into next week's story, but really!

I think I'm geting a handle on Kaylee's character. She's an SF version of Ado Annie from "Oklahoma!"

And wasn't Larry Drake good?

Steve Leavell

Seeing as how I've been so vastly disappointed with the show so far, I think it's only fair that I give credit where its due.

I really liked the new episode. The things that have been irritating me weren't present in this episode.

I loved the old guy's comment to the girl who was insulting Kaylee's dress. "...the space of a schoolboy's wink to get you out of it again."

Oh man did I laugh my posterior off.

Day By Day also had Linda Kelsey, aka Billie from the quite good but never rerun either Lou Grant series. And, tying it into comics, Christopher Barnes went on to be the voice of Spider-Man on the Fox animated version (as well as reprising his Greg Brady role from the Brady Bunch parody episode in the Brady Bunch movies).

As for this week's Firefly, did have two problems with it. First, that the companion would even seem to be thinking about staying with the jerk (prior to the duel scene that is; her reasons there were obvious and different); given what we saw of his general behavior, she seemed way too fond of him, more than just a professional relationship (and she did choose him from 10 or so candidate clients).

Second, the final scene where we learn what the cargo was just bothers me. I suppose it's the mix of high and low tech, but I've got to wonder why genetic information or samples wouldn't be a lot easier to ship/smuggle than an actual herd of cattle. And what the heck is the tariff on cattle that makes smuggling them worth an interstellar/interplanetary trip and the cost therein?