Firefly

Firefly (9/10)
(There are only 14 episodes)


Description:Set 500 years in the future after a universal civil war, the crew of a small transport spaceship takes any job so long as it puts food on the table. The disparate men and women just want to survive and maybe have better lives, but they face constant challenges on the new frontier, such as the Reavers -- flesh-eating mongrels who live on the fringes of the universe.


Bechdel Test: 9/10
The female characters of this show are diverse in their personalities, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc... they are strong even when they are suffering and are incredibly well crafted characters. The portrayals of these woman are well balanced and incredibly entertaining. The weak and fragile is also the most powerful, the naive and innocent is also the best with the ship, the strong and the fearsome is intelligent and capable, the beautiful and seductive is the best trained and most respected.






Character Development: 8/10
There are only 14 episodes (although that is only because of a stupid grudge someone in the producing field had) So although the characters aren't really given that much (prepared) time to show much change, the fleshing out of personalities and backstories is done beautifully. However, because the show was unexpectedly cut short, I warn you now that there are plots and mysteries which are never satisfactorily answered, (though many are dealt with in the fan funded movie serenity).

(angry man is angry)

(angry man is angry, with his woolly hat on)

Diversity of characters/Representation of Minorities: 9/10
Also lacking in any cannon variations upon binary gender, this show includes representation for many different minorities and is able to do so by simply incorporating it into the character, instead of the more common, turn the character into the minority. One of the main characters is a sex worker, however, against the norm in any media which does include people who work in the sex industry, she is intelligent, has her own rights which she has no difficulty upholding by herself, and out of the entire motley crew, is the most well respected and diplomatic character. Along with this, there is representation of un-diagnosed mental illnesses including in some instances PTSD, two of the main characters are visibly identifiable as POC.






Acting Skills: 9/10
Every character is a person, the actors in this show are really well chosen for their roles and are able to be their characters in a way that allows them to show a wide range of emotions (like a real person does), and even to bring in deviations to the usual personality of a character in way which still gives them a realistic and consistent portrayal.


Visual Presentation: 8/10
In a future where Asian customs (mostly recognizable as Chinese and Japanese), are melded with those of the old American West, which are then all flung out into space, this show does a really great job of showing a realistic version of how human culture might have evolved in such a situation. From the set design to the costumes and makeup, everything is strange and beautiful yet it somehow all feels normal. Their bizarre future lives at times are entirely alien and yet their clothes look lived in, their rooms are alive, and they use strange made up technology in their everyday morning routines.






Story Line: 9/10
Once again, although the story was unfortunately cut short, not a single episode is wasted and even though their lives aren't entirely structured, there are consistent overarching plots which tie everything and everyone together.

Additional Comments: This show is one of my personal all time favourites! It of course has it's problems, and will always be way to short, but if you are at all interested in some great quality sci-fi story telling and wonderful world building/ loveable characters, I would highly recommend you watch this show! (also the director apparently really likes the gun towards the audience shot because almost all the characters I searched for pictures, had at least one image fitting that description).


Let me know what you think about this show and if there is anything you would like me to review next!