Firefly FAQ 2.04 8/20/2004
What the FAQ?
A pale, pitiful attempt at a Firefly/Serenity Frequently Asked Questions file, originally compiled by LurkingHorror. No guarantees. Let the reader beware. This DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS!!! Note to knowledgeable regulars: If you see something here that is wrong, or lacking, fix it, and re-post, with notes. Thanks. (Thanks to Laz, hel, vij, ToolPackinMama, Goldman of Chaos, Anton Sherwood, Slayah, Mr Who, Zombie Elvis, and many others for input)
By the way, it is "Serenity," NOT "The Serenity." FYI.
Also note: These are frequently asked questions and answers, and are here so that you don't have to ask, but it is in no way a statement that they are closed for debate or elaboration in the newsgroup. Dead Horses Flogged Here Daily!
Keep Flying, Browncoats!
PART ONE: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FIREFLY/SERENITY
The Number One Question is:
Q. WTF does "BDM" stand for? A. Big Damn Movie, also known as Serenity. It comes from a bit in Safe where in an exchange between Mal and Zoe, on the subject of arriving just in the nick of time, Mal asks: "What does that make us?" To which Zoe replies, "Big Damn Heroes, sir!" Which Mal affirms: "Ain't we just!"
We are still in awe. A successful DVD set AND a BDM, both based on a failed (Fox's word, not ours) tv show that only lasted 11 original episodes!
Q. ETW?
A. Earth-that-was. It ain't no more. See later in the FAQ for a transcription of a Shadow Puppet Show performance of the Earth-that-was story.
Q. Did you KNOW that Firefly was cancelled?
A. Yes, and we are DARNED upset about that. (There was a Save Firefly letter-writing campaign, and a failed attempt to sell the series to another network.)
Q. Why?
A. Why does ANY networks cancel a show? Supposedly it didn't have a large enough viewing audience. We have decided that this is debatable.
Q. Will it be back?
A. The most possibly official answer has been that as a series of movies (First one being filmed NOW!), but in 5 to 10 years, it possibly could be back as a fresh TV series. Or not.
Q. Is there a DVD set?
A. Survey says YES. Actually, the revision of this FAQ is for the benefit of first time DVD fans AND the BDM.
Q. What's this I hear about a movie?
A. "Serenity" Official Release date is April 22nd, 2005. Some fans have already scheduled vacation for that day.
Joss Whedon comments on first day of shooting:
(Chris Buchanan forwarded the following from Joss about the first day of shooting:)
Hi guys. Just wanted to give you some news but guess what? I can't get on the site. I have trouble with passwords. So hopefully Chris B will forward this to you with his wily technical knowledgablosity.
Today was (as I think you know) the first day of filming of Serenity. Which is pretty big for me (it felt weird to START with Mal's death, but scheduling isn't my area). It was a blast. Sean said it was like school was back in session after summer vacation, which I have decided to take as a compliment. Gina did a happy dance (and there are few happier sights than Gina doing a happy dance). We're still flying. And the best part is, that's not even why I'm posting.
The real news, and you heard it here first, is that Universal has thrown down an official release date! So mark your calendars, Browncoats, 'cause if you're planning to get married on April 22nd 2005, you better change the date. Seriously. Who gets married in April? Just change it.
April 22nd. Exactly when I wanted to open, 'cause it's SOON. I can't wait for you all to see what we're putting together. It's a crazy-quilt of infotainment that like to call a 'film', and it just may be the best one ever made. Or one of the ones in the middle. Probably not the worst... I'm thinking middle. High middle. So buckle up and get ready for that patented Joss Whedon high-middle excitement. It's on its way.
I'm tired, and apparently I have to direct, like, EVERY scene, so I'm crashing. Thanks again, all of you, for helping me home. It's good to be back.
-joss.
(we are pretty sure that he was kidding about the whole Mal's Death Scene)
Q. Wow! That sounds really promising! Are you excited?
A. Words are inefficient, but join us in the newsgroup as we try to vocalize.
Q. Really, though, why was Firefly, the series cancelled?
A. Ok, technically it was put on hiatus. Fox hasn't mentioned it since.
Q. Are the Fox executives STUPID?
A. The consensus here is YES. Feel free to join in on our discussions of the depths of their stupidity.
Q. Why did Inara leave a position of evidently high status in the luxurious Core to wander the frontier with a shabby bunch of outlaws?
A. We're all hungry for clues to that one. One hypothesis is that she has an incurable illness. Joss has indicated that the syringe seen in the pilot is indeed a clue (but is NOT a suicide kit; nor is it part of the standard Companion immunization pack that she gives to Simon).
Q. Is Inara a whore?
A. That's INDEPENDENT ENTREPRENEURIAL ESCORT CONTRACTOR to you, missy! Ok, Whore, Companion, Geisha, what? Inara is a COMPANION, which (as shown thru the series) denotes an honorable and professional position in the society of Firefly.
For LOTS more on this interesting subject in the newsgroup, Slayah kindly furnished this url:
(In all its glory) http://tinyurl.com/6a77q
(Or, if that one is gone, this one should be more permanent)
http://www.google.com/groups?threadm=cfa9ta%24560c6_004%40hotmail.com
Q. Who is Book really? How does a preacher know so much about crime? Why did he get VIP treatment on an Alliance cruiser?
A. A favorite topic! We have more guesses than data. He possibly was a military officer; he may be a spy, planted on Serenity to keep an eye on River. Anton's pet idea is that during the war he was an intelligence officer posing as a chaplain.
(FWIW, We also have this bit taken from a post by Lex on a meeting he had with Adam Baldwin:
"So, Adam told me a few cool things about Book! First of all, he was NOT a commander in the war, at Serenity Valley or anywhere else. He IS Alliance though, and possibly connected to the Blue Hand Group. He is a real preacher too, it's not just a cover story. His entry into the priesthood could have been a form of penance for the acts he committed while in the employ of the Alliance.")
Q. Are there other unanswered questions about the crew? A. Will Simon and Kaylee EVER kiss? Will Inara and Mal? Will Zoe and Wash pretty much reconcile their marriage problems and have a baby, or will Wash grow back his moustache? If they DO have a baby, will that lower unseen area forward of Wash's pilot chair be used as the daycare room? And what is the whole big deal with River? We are hoping for some answers in the BDM. Check back after April 22nd, 2005.
Q. I heard that Alan Tudyk has commented on the New Serenity, to be seen in the BDM?
A. Yes, the favorite statement he made is: "Hallways are a bit wider to accommodate better acting." (That is such exciting news!)
Q. What's the deal with Blue Sun? I hear that it was supposed to be something?
A. If I told you, I'd have to kill you. The best we can do is suspect a connection between Blue Sun and Two by Two, Hands of Blue. (Just reported: "Crybaby" is made up of duct tape and a BlueSun coffee can! Oooohhh!)
Q. What?
A. Two by Two, Hands of Blue, the guys with the blue hands pursuing River. Also referred to as BHG (Blue Hands Group) and other variations.
Q. And Reavers? Are we EVER going to see Reavers? A. Be careful what you ask for. It's a good possibility that we will see Reavers in the BDM. Some people are not overjoyed about this possibility.
Q. Wow!! Vera sure is a neat looking gun! Where can I get one? A. If you want to know exactly what Vera is, she's a cosmetically modified Russian SAIGA automatic shotgun with a vertical magazine feed. Add a rifled barrel for use with slugs and it'd lay down a world of hurt.
Q. The episode Jaynestown was a hoot! Does anyone have the lyrics to that song?
A. (all together now!)
The Ballad of Jayne
Jayne ... THE MAN THEY CALL JAYNE
He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor
stood up to The Man and gave him what for
Our love for him now ain't hard to explain
THE HERO OF CANTON!
THE MAN THEY CALL JAYNE!
Our Jayne saw the mudder's backs breaking
and he saw the mudder's laments
and he saw the Magistrate taking
every dollar an' leavin' five cents
so he said, 'can't do that to my people'
'can't crush them under your heel'
Jayne strapped on his hat, and in ten seconds flat,
stole everything Boss Higgins had to steal--
He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor
stood up to The Man and gave him what for
Our love for him now ain't hard to explain
THE HERO OF CANTON!
THE MAN THEY CALL JAYNE!
And here is what separates heroes
from the common folk like you an' I
the man they call Jayne, he turned 'round his plane
and let that money hit sky
he dropped it onto our houses
he dropped it into our yards
he dropped it onto our neighbors
and then he lit out for the stars
He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor
stood up to The Man and gave him what for
Our love for him now ain't hard to explain
THE HERO OF CANTON!
THE MAN THEY CALL JAYNE!
(Incidentally, Adam Baldwin himself sings a variation of this on (in?) an easter egg on the DVD set. The EE is on disk 4 with all the extra bonus material. Click thru the first menu thru the 'more' link and then scroll up with the white scrolly design to the left of the photo - that's the link for the EE!)
Q. Ok, now you've got me singing. What else you got?
A. How about the theme, The Ballad of Serenity? Words and music by Joss Whedon, performed by legendary blues guitarist Sonny Rhodes:
Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care, I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me
Take me out to the black
Tell them I ain't comin' back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
There's no place I can be
Since I found Serenity
You can't take the sky from me
Q. I heard that there were prologues on the original broadcast episodes?
A. Thanks to hel and Mr Who we have transcripts of them:
Those of you who have found this show through the DVD sets are at a disadvantage as the region 1 sets do not include the previously on bits or the prologues that were used to explain certain concepts used in the show. Here are the transcripts:
"After the earth was used up, we found a new solar system and hundreds of new earths were terraformed and colonized. The central planets formed the alliance and decided that all the planets had to join under their rule. There was some disagreement on that point. After the war many of the independents who had fought and lost drifted to the edges of the system far from alliance control. Out here people struggled to get by with the most basic technologies, A ship would bring you work a gun would help you keep it. A captain's goal was simple, find a crew, find a job, keep flying."
Mal's Prologue (version 1)
"Here's how it is. Earth got used up, so we terraformed a whole new galaxy of earths, some rich and flush with the new technologies, some not so much. Central planets, them as formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule. A few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. Got a good crew, fighters, a pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher and a bona-fide companion. There's a doctor too, took his genius sister out of some alliance camp so they're keeping a low profile. You got a job we can do it. Don't much care what it is."
Mal's Prologue (version 2, for Safe, Ariel, War Stories, Objects in Space)
"Here's how it is. The Earth got used up. So, we moved out and terra-formed a whole new galaxy of new earths. Some rich and flush with the new technologies. Some, not so much. The Central Planets them's the ones who formed the Alliance. Waged war to bring everyone under their rule. A few idiots tired to fight it. Among them, myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds. Captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship. Firefly class. Got a good crew. Fighters, pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher, for some reason, and a bona fide companion. There's a doctor too. Took his genius sister out of some alliance camp so they're keeping a low profile. You understand. You got a job. We can do it. Don't much care what it is."
(Both Book and Mal say ETW got Used up, no definition of how, but in some opinions this means that the natural resources ran out, or it got hopelessly polluted, or there was a plague, or some combination; take your pick, and debate it online NOW.
These prologues also explain that all the events take place in another part of the universe, not our Solar system.)
*Unviewed Pilot version Prologue
[narrated in a southern accent with text on the screen]
"The War to Unite the Planets was six years done, and the victorious Alliance was spreading its control further and further throughout the galaxy. Those who had fought for independence and so bloodily lost had no choice but to live by Alliance law.
Some never would, and those few found themselves drifting, flying to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, to the worlds less civilized, some barely settled, where the Alliance might not control their lives.
These were hard worlds, and work was where you found it. Those who got by lived by a simple creed.
[narrated voice only, no text]
Any job, anywhere."
Q. Unviewed Pilot version Prologue? Didn't we see the Pilot last?
A. We saw the "edited to try to make Fox Suits happy" version of the
Pilot. There remains an unseen original version.
Q. What is with the whole Earth-That-Was thing? Why WAS?
A. A nice summary was recently posted by Goldman of Chaos:
So a couple of useful working theories are out there:
1) Empty: All used up. Nothing left.
2) War: Broke planet, had to move.
3) Lost: We forgot to keep track of where it was (or lost the info)
4) Broken: Getting here broke it. (Ala Cowboy Bebop)
5) Banished: They made us leave.
6) GAFIA: Didn't like what was going on, so we split. One of the above
might have happened.
7) One way: One way trip. (Ala Stargate Atlantis)
8) Cylons: Fleeing some alien menace, we're hiding out. (questionable,
Joss has stated NO ALIENS)
Q. I really need more on this whole "Used Up" thing.
A. OK, hows this: A explanation of how the Earth was used up (As told in the Episode Heart of Gold)
(This excerpt was from the script Heart of Gold that never aired in the US but was leaked to the internet. It is the narration of the Chinese puppet show that is shown in the background while Mal and Inara "size up" Lance Burgess in the theater. The narration, in the episode, was spoken in Chinese, here it is in Browncoat common tongue. Thanks to Mr Who:)
A CIRCULAR SHADOW representing Earth-That-Was fills the frame.
NARRATOR (Chinese) "Little by little, the tribes used the Earth up. Barren, she had little left to offer them."
Silhouetted shapes appear. SPACESHIPS. They radiate out from the shadow sphere, scatter in all directions. Leave it behind.
NARRATOR (continuing) "Swollen of her, they left. And for the first time since the Great Burn that birthed her, she was alone."
The ships are gone now. A wisp of SMOKE wafts off the sphere, creates a snake of shadow.
NARRATOR (continuing) "The Earth cried, and terrible were her tears. Acid and caustic, the spawn of the tribes' rape. They flowed a century."
The smoke INTENSIFIES, becomes shadowy FLAME.
NARRATOR (continuing) "The fire that finally came did so as a blessing."
The sphere SMOLDERS now, bits of it breaking up and disintegrating under the intense heat.
Q. Tell us about terraforming?
A. Evidently some technologies exist that we have not seen up close. We know that even a small ship has artificial gravity, but it is not clear whether the gravity of terraformed moons is generated in the same way (and thus could be sabotaged) or by addition of dense matter.
"All those moons -- just like the central planets, they're as close to Earth-That-Was as we could make 'em: atmosphere, gravity and such . . ." (Zoe, in the pilot)
Most of what you need to make a biosphere is oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen; these elements are abundant in comet ice and in the atmospheres of giant planets such as Saturn. Unless the target planets came pre-supplied with such elements, we can assume that a lot of hauling went on in the early years.In "Shindig," a slaver explains that terraforming is a very dangerous labor-intensive process which requires a lot of forced labor. This would fit in with the idea that a lot of material had to be hauled.
Some worlds probably need to have their sunlight boosted with orbiting mirrors, but we've seen no evidence of that.
Another possibility might be sending large asteroids into near-miss trajectories with the "new earths" to speed up their rotation. If they spin them up fast enough, their cores might heat up and provide an additional source of heat for the planet. As the planet loses the momentum it gains, it would cool off. Maybe this was what was happening to the ice planet in "The Message." This is one of several instances where we see that terraformed worlds have their quirks which can often be detrimental to their inhabitants. There's also the mining world in "The Train Job" where the entire population suffered from a debilitating disease.
Q. Who settled the outer moons? A. Probably as in colonies on Earth, a mixture of adventurers, freedom-seekers, convicts and other exiles, and slaves.
"Once they're terraformed, they'll dump settlers on there with nothing but blankets and hatchets and maybe a herd. Some of them make it . . . ." (Mal in the pilot)
Q. So, is the world of Firefly one System, a cluster of close by stars, or what? A. Say! Are you trying to start something? This subject is frequently debated on the newsgroup. Feel free to add your two credits.
Q. This whole Planet/moon thing has me confused. What's up with the seemingly arbitrary usage of the two words? A. One personal theory is that the meaning of the words "planet" and "moon" have changed over the centuries. The word "planet" is reserved or important worlds like the "central planets" which constitute the heart of the Alliance, while backwater planets like the "outer moons" are referred to as moons because they're simply not important enough to be considered planets.
Q. I see SciFi fans, Trekkies and such, saying that what they want in a tv show is good story premise, great characters, clever plot development, and I said to myself Where WERE these people when Firefly was on the air?
A. (One answer is from Laz) They were watching it, just like us. I think the Nielsen ratings are hugely inaccurate when it comes to scifi/fantasy/horror shows (and maybe everything else, for that matter). There are at least 3 pieces of evidence that directly contradict Nielsen's claim of mediocre ratings for Firefly: Tivo, any Top x00 Box Office Champ list, and Amazon's DVD Most Popular Pre-order Lists.
According to Tivo (which is a direct measurement, not a statistical sampling like Nielsen ratings), Firefly was the second most recorded TV show of all, just behind some Nielsen hit that I can't remember.
According to every Box Office Champ list you can find, the public has an insatiable taste for science fiction and fantasy. SF/Fantasy dominates the Box Office to such an extent that you have to pay attention to find something on the list that isn't in that genre. Yet according to Nielsen ratings, hardly anybody watches those types of shows (with rare exceptions).
Finally, Firefly went to (I think) #3 in ONE DAY on Amazon's Most Popular DVD list.
Also, there is the popularity of this newsgroup. During Firefly's run, it cracked the Top 100 Most Active list. Somewhat unexpected for a TV show nobody watches.
(and a rebuttal)
Of course people who record instead of watching the live feed are worthless from a financial standpoint because they aren't going to be watching much of the commercials. They might as well not exist.
SF movies generally have a special effects budget for the movie that is greater than the special effects budget for an entire season of a tv show. This makes a difference. Another is that everyone who watches a movie in the theater more than once counts more than once. People who watch their tape of Firefly more than once don't count at all. And of course the number of viewers required with modern ticket prices) to create a respectable box office is much lower than the number of viewers required to make a successful tv show.
Also, for TV's purposes intense devotion among a small group of partisans is not what they want. They want just enough interest to get people to choose the show over the available alternatives. There are plenty of shows that I watch but wouldn't mourn much if they were cancelled. That's the mark that TV executives shoot for, the way to make money. (David Johnston, responding to original FAQ post, edited)
(and a factoid)
The popularity of Firefly on the internet, and excellent sales of the DVD set were instrumental in selling Serenity as a movie.
PART TWO - General Information
Here's direct links to the two major sections of the Official Serenity
(BDM) site:
http://www.serenitymovie.com/blog/index.php
http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/
Also:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/main.asp (FireflyFans.net)
http://fireflychinese.home.att.net/ (Chinese phrases used in Firefly)
http://pcwranglers.com/firefly.html (TPM's Humble Firefly site, online
home of FAQ)
http://whedonesque.com/ (Joss Whedon Weblog)
and the Official Firefly board on Prospero, where cast and crew often
post:
http://login.prospero.com/dir-login/index.asp?webtag=foxfirefly&lgnDST=h
ttp%3A%2F%2Fforums%2Eprospero%2Ecom%2Ffoxfirefly%2Fmessages%2F
I'm sure I missed a lot. Feel free to update this listing.
Q. What is the proper viewing order of the episodes?
A. Here is what is considered the OFFICIAL correct running order and as found on the DVD set:
EPISODES
Serenity
(Pilot (2hrs)
Writer: Joss Whedon
Director: Joss Whedon
The Train Job
Writers: Joss Whedon & Tim Minear
Director: Joss Whedon
Bushwhacked
Writer: Tim Minear
Director: Tim Minear
Shindig
Writer: Jane Espenson
Director: Vern Gillum
Safe
Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Director: Michael Grossman
Our Mrs. Reynolds
Writer: Joss Whedon
Director: Vondie Curtis Hall
Jaynestown
Writer: Ben Edlund
Director: Marita Grabiak
Out of Gas
Writer: Tim Minear
Director: David Solomon
Ariel
Writer: Jose Molina
Director: Alan Kroaker
War Stories
Writer: Cheryl Cain
Director: Jim Contner
Trash
Writer: Ben Edlund & Jose Molina
Directed by: Vern Gillum
The Message
Writer: Joss Whedon & Tim Minear
Directed by: Tim Minear
Heart of Gold
Writer: Brett Matthews
Directed by: Tom Wright
Objects in Space
Writer: Joss Whedon
Director: Joss Whedon
Q. What order were they ORIGINALLY shown?
A. (All airdates are subject to change)
The Train Job
1AGE01
Airdate: 9/20/02
Bushwhacked
1AGE02
Airdate: 9/27/02
Our Mrs. Reynolds
1AGE05
Airdate: 10/4/02
Jaynestown
1AGE06
Airdate: 10/18/02
Out of Gas
1AGE07
Airdate: 10/25/02
Shindig
1AGE03
Airdate: 11/1/02
Safe
1AGE04
Airdate: 11/8/02
Ariel
1AGE08
Airdate: 11/15/02
War Stories
1AGE09
Airdate: 12/6/02
Objects in Space
1AGE11
Airdate: 12/13/02
Serenity
Airdate: 12/20/02
(Yes, the PILOT (revised) was shown Last! LAST!!)
Q. Were there unaired episodes? What are they?
A. There were three episodes that did not air on FOX, however these episodes were aired when Firefly was broadcast in England and Canada and are on the DVD set, in their proper order.
They are:
1) Trash, about the return of Mrs. Reynolds. Writer: Ben Edlund & Jose Molina Directed by: Vern Gillum
2) The Message, about the crew transporting the body of a soldier that corrupt police want back. Writer: Joss Whedon & Tim Minear Directed by: Tim Minear
3) Heart of Gold, where the crew engages in a little Magnificent 7 action as they're hired to protect a whorehouse. Writer: Brett Matthews Directed by: Tom Wright.
Q. I've seen a script titled "Dead or Alive." What about it?
A. This was an unproduced Script that was leaked onto the Internet and had the show's production code as 1AGE06. This script was written but never produced. Writer: Cheryl Cain
(This remaining section taken from the official Firefly site, and copyrighted by FOX, 2002)
Q. What IS Firefly?
A. Set 500 years in the future in the wake of a universal civil war, FIREFLY tells the tale of Serenity, a small transport spaceship without a homeport. Captain Malcolm (Mal) Reynolds commands Serenity for legitimate transport and salvage runs, as well as more entrepreneurial endeavors.
On Serenity, crew and passengers live together in close quarters as they shuttle between the Alliance-governed galaxy and the border planets that delineate the new frontier. The crew undertakes almost any job -- legal or not -- to stay afloat and put bread on the table. Each of the passengers has his or her own motivation for being on board -some honorable, some more questionable. All have unique pasts and different reasons for wanting to get to their destination.
Serenity and its crew flies to the border planets, many of which are barely inhabited, because they want to stay away from the Alliance and below its big radar. Thrust together by necessity, the disparate men and women of Serenity face constant challenges, which test and reveal their true identities. FIREFLY is about their unpredictable lives and relationships, as well as their search for meaning in a very uncertain time.
Q. Cast and crew?
A. CHARACTERS/CAST
"You're probably safer on the move," the captain of Serenity tells a reluctant, new crewmember, "and WE NEVER STOP MOVING."
Malcolm Mal Reynolds The Captain
Mal is Serenity's captain. He is a defeated soldier who opposed the unification of the planets by the Alliance to no avail. The world he called home now gone, Mal does what he needs to do to keep Serenity flying and its crew intact. Uncertain of his role in peacetime, Mal wants a normal life, but at the same time knows he'll probably never have one an ongoing internal conflict.
NATHAN FILLION (Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds)
Canadian-born Nathan Fillion most recently appeared as a series regular on the comedy series "Two Guys and a Girl," where he portrayed likeable jukebox repairman Johnny Donnelly. Fillion recently wrapped production on the independent feature film "Wicked Season" opposite Emmanuelle Vaugier (40 Days, 40 Nights).
A veteran of Canadian stage and television productions, Fillion was attending the University of Alberta when he made his US debut in the telefilm "Ordeal In The Attic" starring Richard Chamberlain. Fillion was then cast in the daytime drama series "One Life To Live," for which he garnered a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for his portrayal of Joey Buchanan. After completing a successful three-year run on the series, Fillion moved to Los Angeles, where he landed roles in the feature films "Blast From the Past," "Saving Private Ryan" and "Wes Craven Presents Dracula 2000."
Zoe The Soldier
Zoe served with Mal during the war and is very loyal to him. She owes her life to Mal and is torn between that debt and her future with her husband Wash. Zoe has the strength and experience to take command of the ship, if necessary.
GINA TORRES (Zoe in FIREFLY)
Standing just shy of six feet, Gina Torres is familiar to television audiences for her role as Jennifer Garner's arch nemesis, Russian-accented Anna Espinosa, on "Alias." Torres recently completed work on the sequels to "The Matrix" ("The Matrix Reloaded," "The Matrix Revolutions"), slated for release in 2003.
The youngest of three children from a Cuban family living in the Bronx, and a graduate of the Fiorello LaGuardia School of Arts, Torres is a gifted mezzo-soprano, as well as a jazz and gospel singer. Following her high school graduation, she made her professional debut as the lead in "Dreamgirls" in a Connecticut production.
Over the next several years, the ingenue amassed an impressive list of versatile stage credits, including two lead roles on Broadway in "The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public" and "Face Value." Working with such acclaimed directors as Dan Sullivan, Tommy Tune and Jerry Zaks, she starred in "Antigone," "Blood Wedding," "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," among other productions.
It was a recurring character she played on the daytime drama "One Life to Live" that brought Torres to the attention of producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi. After casting her in guest starring roles in "M.A.N.T.I.S.," "Hercules: The Legendary Journey" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," Raimi and Tapert cast her in the ALMA Award-winning role of Hel in the futuristic adventure series "Cleopatra 2525."
Torres and actor Laurence Fishburne were wed in New York this past fall.
Wash The Pilot
Wash flies Serenity and is Zoe's husband. He is unassuming, self-deprecating and not at all the fiery-hero type. He is the calm one with a sense of humor.
ALAN TUDYK (Wash)
Texas-bred actor Alan Tudyk has become known for leading stage roles in off-beat productions as well as scene-stealing supporting turns in film. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Tudyk appeared in several regional and off-Broadway productions before making his Broadway debut in "Epic Proportions."
Most recently Tudyk was heard as several voices in the animated feature film "Ice Age." He is familiar to movie audiences from his turns in "A Knight's Tale" opposite Heath Ledger, "28 Days" opposite Sandra Bullock and "Hearts in Atlantis" opposite Anthony Hopkins. His additional feature credits include "Wonder Boys" and "Patch Adams." (Even MORE recently, in "Dodgeball" and "I, Robot")
Inara The Ambassador
A Companion by trade, Inara has her own space on the ship's shuttlecraft. She is a high-class courtesan in a time when prostitution is perfectly legal on most planets. Why she is on the decidedly working class Serenity remains a mystery.
MORENA BACCARIN (Inara Sera)
Born in Brazil and raised in New York City, Morena Baccarin has acting in her blood, as her mother is well known South American actress Vera Setta. After attending the Fiorello LaGuardia School of Performing Arts, Baccarin was accepted to the prestigious Juilliard School, where she became one of the subjects of the PBS "American Masters" series on the school.
Baccarin makes her television debut with FIREFLY. She has appeared in several regional theater productions and was Natalie Portman's understudy in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of "The Seagull" with Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline. Her film credits include the independent features "Way Off Broadway" and Michael Rymer's improvisational "Perfume."
Kaylee The Mechanic
The ship's engineer and bright light, Kaylee is more comfortable on her
ship than on the ground.
JEWEL STAITE
(Kaylee in FIREFLY)
Born in Canada and raised in Maui and Vancouver, Jewel Staite started her acting career at the age of six and, before she was ten, co-starred in the telefilms "The Only Way Out," "Liar, Liar: Between Father and Daughter" and "Posing." Her first series, at age 12, was "Space Cases." At 14, she went on to gain a Gemini nomination for her role as Becca in "Flash Forward." Since then, Staite has had leading roles on "Just Deal," "Higher Ground," "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and the award-winning Canadian series "Da Vinci's Inquest."
Staite has made numerous guest starring appearances in such series as "The X-Files," "The Immortal," "Seven Days" and "So Weird." Her feature credits include "Dangerous Care" with Laura Dern, "Goldiggers" and "Cheaters" with Mary Tyler Moore.
Jayne The Mercenary
Big, tough and unpleasant; Jayne's a loyal soldierŠ until he gets a better offer and for now, the best one he's got is Serenity's. For now.
ADAM BALDWIN
(Jayne Cobb)
A Chicago native, Adam Baldwin began his accomplished film and television career in the title role of "My Bodyguard." During that same year, he caught the attention of director Robert Redford, who cast him in the Academy Award-winning feature film "Ordinary People."
Most recently, Baldwin was seen in a recurring role as FBI informant/super soldier Knowle Rohrer in the final season of the long-running FOX drama series "The X-Files." Baldwin is also familiar to television audiences from his roles in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries "From the Earth To The Moon," the syndicated drama "The Cape" and the telefilms "Smokejumpers" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," in which he played the dual role.
Baldwin's additional film roles include a soldier who truly loves war in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket," an abusive stepfather in "Radio Flyer," cowboy Tom McLaury in Lawrence Kasden's "Wyatt Earp," Major Mitchell in the blockbuster "Independence Day" and Captain Wilkins in Roland Emmerich's Revolutionary War drama "The Patriot."
Simon The Doctor
Simon is the doctor on board Serenity. He comes from a wealthy background and has had a privileged upbringing. He constantly disagrees with the captain's decisions.
SEAN MAHER (Simon Tam)
Sean Maher is familiar to FOX television viewers from his performances in three of the network's drama series. Maher most recently was seen in the Darren Star ensemble "The $treet" and appeared in the final season of the award-winning series "Party of Five." Maher made his television debut in the title role of the police drama "Ryan Caufield: Year One."
Born in Westchester County, New York, Maher graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama from New York University, where he studied at the Tisch School of the Arts. His training included work with the Collaborative Arts Project Twenty-One, Shakespeare Scenework, the Experimental Theater Wing and Playwrights Horizons Theater School, as well as the Tisch School of the Arts in London.
Maher recently received critical acclaim for his portrayal of football player Brian Piccolo in the Wonderful World Of Disney remake of "Brian's Song."
River The Fugitive
Borderline psychic, River can read most minds and tends to speak not only what is on her own mind, but others' as well. The Alliance is eager to recover their genius.
SUMMER GLAU (River Tam)
Arriving in Los Angeles just two years ago, Summer Glau makes her series regular debut on FIREFLY, portraying the emotionally fragile, yet intellectually gifted River.
A classically trained ballet dancer who also studied flamenco and tango, Glau has been dancing professionally since the age of 12. After appearing in a variety of regional theater productions, she made her television debut 4 Feb 2002 guest starring on Joss Whedon's "Angel."
(The episode of Angel that Summer Glau appeared in was called "Waiting in the Wings" and was season 3 episode 13. She played the principal Ballerina in a Russian Ballet, forced to dance the same dance for the manager of the ballet.)
Book The Shepherd
He is a priest, older and a little wiser than the rest of the crew. It is unclear if Book is on a mission to spread the word of God throughout the universe or on a personal walk-a-bout. He's found God, but he still needs to find himself.
RON GLASS (Book The Shepherd)
Nominated for two Emmy Awards, actor Ron Glass is perhaps best known as the stylish and charming Detective Harris on the long-running hit comedy series "Barney Miller."
Born in Evansville, Indiana, and a graduate of the University of Evansville, Glass made his stage debut at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis -- regarded as America's foremost classical theatre company -- starring in productions such as "The Taming Of The Shrew," "Misalliance," "The House Of Atreus" and "Ceremonies In Dark Old Men." Heading to Los Angeles, Glass quickly landed several guest starring roles on series such as "Sanford and Son" and "All In The Family," before beginning his eight-season run on "Barney Miller." Glass' additional series regular roles include "The New Odd Couple," "Rhythm & Blues," "Mr. Rhodes" and "Teen Angel."
Off the set, Glass currently serves as chairman of the board of the Al Wooten, Jr. Heritage Center. With the motto "Catch the Vision," the organization's goal is to empower the growth of young people in communities that are in crisis.
CREW
JOSS WHEDON (Creator, Writer, Director and Executive Producer of FIREFLY)
Emmy and Oscar nominee Joss Whedon is one of Hollywood's hottest writers, having scripted several hit films and created some of the most acclaimed hours of television with "Angel" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Whedon garnered his first Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for his groundbreaking episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer entitled "Hush." The series was honored with the Founder's Award from Viewers for Quality Television.
Whedon earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay for the animated box office smash "Toy Story" starring the voices of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks. His big-screen writing credits also include the feature films "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Alien Resurrection," the fourth film in the Alien series, which starred Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder. He also has worked on the screenplays for the runaway hit "Speed" and the action-packed adventure "Twister."
After receiving a degree in film studies from Wesleyan University, Whedon moved to Los Angeles and landed his first writing job on the staff of "Roseanne," working as a story editor and writing several episodes of the top-rated series. He later pulled double duty on the series "Parenthood," co-producing and writing a number of episodes.
Writing is clearly in his blood, since Whedon is a third-generation television writer. His father wrote for the likes of "The Dick Cavett Show," "Alice" and "Benson," and his grandfather was a successful sitcom writer in the '50s and '60s on "The Donna Reed Show" and "Leave It to Beaver."
In addition to serving as creator and executive producer on "Angel" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Whedon also has written and directed many episodes of both series.
TIM MINEAR (Writer, Director and Executive Producer of FIREFLY)
Tim Minear began making Super-8 movies in his backyard at the age of nine. Minear studied film at Cal State Long Beach and began his professional career as a production assistant, then assistant director, on films such as "Re-Animator," "The Men's Club" and "Platoon." After writing spec scripts, he was hired as a script doctor on several feature films before joining the cable series "The New Adventures of Zorro" as a writer. Additionally, Minear served as a writer on several additional series, including the syndicated dramas "Robin's Hoods" for Aaron Spelling and Stephen J. Cannell's "Two."
Minear spent two seasons as a co-producer/writer of the action/adventure series "High Tide." He was an executive story editor on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," where he penned several scripts before joining "The X-Files" in the same capacity. For The X-Files, he wrote the episode "Mind's Eye," for which guest star Lili Taylor was nominated for an Emmy Award. Minear was a producer/writer on the sci-fi series "Strange World" before joining Joss Whedon's "Angel" as a producer/writer. Minear was elevated to executive producer of the series this past year, in addition to his writing and directing duties on Angel.
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