Firefly 1.9 FAQ
What’s it called?
“Out of Gas.”
Who's responsible?
Teleplay is credited to the great Tim Minear ("The Train Job," "Bushwhacked").
1.9? Isn’t this the fifth hour to air?
It’s the fifth hour to air. Fox is showing them out of order (at least until midseason).
You’re so early.
It airs Friday. It’s a big episode. Almost more of a pilot than the pilot.
What does TV Guide say?
“Mal flash backs to how it all started on the Serenity after an explosion leaves the ship crippled and running out of oxygen.”
What’s that TV Guide not telling us?
Let’s be clear about this. The Serenity is crippled in the here-and-now, in the days following “Jaynestown.” The older flashbacks do not depict a crippled Serenity. The older flashbacks depict Serenity’s early, Genco Olive Oil fun days.
Older flashbacks? There are newer flashbacks?
There are newer flashbacks. Time frames shift a lot this episode. Sort of like they did in … “Pulp Fiction”!
The big news?
Everybody loves Quentin! If the “Alias” season opener featured a can’t-miss homage to “Pulp Fiction,” this week’s “Firefly” features the same homage twice!
“Alias”? The hot actioner with the evil “Alliance”?
That’s the one.
Last week, Herc said something about “Joss Whedon’s penchant for rich continuity” kicking in after 1.8. Is there a “previously on ‘Firefly’” clip package this week?
Herc lied to you. Herc is an evil, gigantic tease. That “previously on ‘Firefly’” package lies somewhere in your far future. Sucker.
We’re assuming Simon, River and Book, who came aboard Serentity in Joss Whedon’s brilliant as-yet-unaired pilot, are not in the flashbacks. But what about Inara?
The flashbacks depict how Wash, Kaylee, Inara and Jayne joined the crew.
Any surprises here?
Wash had a mustache. Kaylee was not Mal’s first choice.
Is the River Tam back? She’s dreamy!
River may have bonded to Book despite her fear of his Einsteinian visage. (She offers him a glimpse into the future this week.)
Any sign of the blue hand group?
No.
What’s good?
The dialogue. “Oh. Just step around that.” “Yeah, because sick people are hi-larious!” “I didn’t get you anything.” “Well maybe I should do that then!!” “I prefer something with a few miles on it.” “You want me. You want me on your ship.” “Mal, you don’t have to die alone.” “Jesse, you don’t call Stern.”
What’s not so good?
No clip package!
How does it end, spoiler-boy?
Just as it begins. “Son? Hey, son! You heard a word I been sayin’?”
Herc’s rating for “Firefly” 1.9?
****
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
8 p.m. Friday. Fox.
