If there’s one thing Joss Whedon can do, it’s write characters well. No, I’m going further than that, and saying that it isn’t necessarily that he writes them well, but that he creates such a perfectly eclectic mix of characters in his shows that they always bring out the awesomeness in one another. It’s because they interact so well, that they are so intertwined, that makes it hard to choose just one favorite. But I bullied the team into choosing their favorite Firefly character, and here’s what they had to say:
Julia: Kaylee, for sure. She’s kind of that girl that every girl like me felt like, the one who was always “one of the boys,” but not in a tomboy way, but in a nerdy, mom/little sister sort of way. I love that Zoe kicked so much ass and I love that Wash is such a fundamentally good sort of guy, but Kaylee’s a girl after my own heart.
Katie: I would like to stress this was a very, very close call for me, because all the characters are great. But, if I had to choose just one, it would have to be Wash. His humor helped bring balance to many of the more serious episodes, and I love that he is the yin to Zoe’s yang … or the other way around. Slight spoiler alert, he is also the reason I have a hard time watching Serenity all the way through.
Ivey: Serenity herself. If ever an object could be considered a part of the cast, it was that beloved clunker.
Keith: Wait … As someone who loves to preach about it being “all about the characters,” you chose an emotionless, mute hunk of malfunctioning machinery?
Brett: I’m going off the board and choosing Saffron (Christina Hendricks). Her first appearance, in “Our Mrs. Reynolds,” was great, and the return in “Trash” was even better. Had things worked out a little differently where the longevity of the series is concerned, I like to think we would have seen her again from time to time.
An: I’m going to shoot for Zoe. As a minority, I loved having another sci-fi character I could dress up as since Uhura. Plus, Gina Torres rocks. Between Zoe and Starbuck, my 2003-2004 need for an Amazonian warrior, post-Xena, was full sated. For awhile I didn’t get Zoe and Wash. In fact, I really wanted a flashback episode showing how they got together because I originally thought the biggest browncoat badasses with the biggest badass guns should get together. However, by the time “War Stories” rolled around, I had fully pulled onto the Zoe/Wash train.
Are you disappointed the CliqueClack team showed no love for Jayne or Book, Simon or River? Or did you notice that somehow Captain Mal himself was left off our list? Vote below and elaborate in the comments!
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jun 13, 2011 @ 13:27 EST5EDT
This is “the impossible question” because if I were to rank all nine crew members in order of my love for them it would be an 8-way tie for first with Simon running a close second. I picked Mal in the poll above, I identified with Wash more because he was just a big kid in a man’s body, but always rooted for Jayne to do something stupid yet good. Book was the most enigmatic of all the characters and the one I wish we would’ve gotten the chance to learn more about, River was just badass crazy, while Zoe was just badass cool. Simon was the least interesting, but he was a good doctor willing to do anything for his sister. I’m sure had the series continued he would’ve gotten more interesting. Inara was a more complex character than she at first seemed and I think Morena Baccarin looked infinitely prettier with long hair and not so damned stick thin like she is today. Kaylee? Ah, well she was just the sweetheart of the bunch. How could you not love the sweetest girl in the ‘verse who could also fix anything while being just so damned cute?
Now I’m just getting myself all angry at Fox again for canning this show. The more I think about it the more I miss it and have come to think of it as my favorite science fiction franchise by a long shot.
I’ve not seen the comic book relating to Book’s story, but I keep hearing about it.
https://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99120-The-Secrets-of-Fireflys-Shepherd-Book-Will-Finally-Be-Revealed
I hate when a show is continued in comic book form rather than a novelization. The reason must be that it tends to sell better, but in a novel the stories can be lengthier and more complex. Plus, the art in a comic kind of blows the illusion for me since the depictions of the characters is often less than accurate while my mind’s eye will show me the characters exactly as I remember them. I’d like to learn more, but I am very much opposed to a comic book, so much so that I’ll take my chances on reading about Book’s past on some blog or in some article one day.
Amazing, that is sort of the reason I’ve stayed away from comic books. I’m very particular about art, and I just can’t give my eyes to what sometimes seems like ugly scribbles. I’d rather trust my minds eye. So here we both are waiting for Book’s story to land in our laps. Maybe some kind soul out there will have mercy on us…..?
The story of Book told in a book? Now there’s a novel idea! Wokka wokka!
There are those, my friends, that would consider Comic book’s an art unto themselves.
Oh I agree, that why I said “sometimes”. I think much depends on the artist. Still not gonna buy it though :)
Oh yeah, well, well … Um … Yeah!
I’m actually not a massive comic fan either, but I have read every issue of Buffy Season 8 (Though the way it ended, not sure I’ll read Season 9). I truly care less about the art than I do about the story.
Exactly! I couldn’t have said it better, I voted for Mal too. It was his boat, his family and he held it all together. I also agree that it is my favorite series by a long shot.
In my defense, I’m not the only one who considers Serenity a “character” on the show:
“Serenity is described by Whedon as the “tenth character” of the series…” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_(Firefly_vessel)
Well Serenity sure has character. It’s hard to think of a cozier ship, and those cute little ladders going down to the crews quarters!
I think all fans consider Serenity a character in the show every bit as much as the Enterprise was one in Star Trek, I guess it’s just unexpected to hear that Serenity was your *favorite* character.
I can relate. The Enterprise was my favorite character in the most recent Star Trek movie. :)
Was it the Engine Room/Brewery?
:P
Ha. No, I didn’t particularly like the inside. It was too bright and lens flarey. I liked the beauty shots of the ship rising through the space mist, and I loved the sound of the ship going into warp – in the theatre, you could feel the BOOM right in your chest. And I loved that moment when the Enterprise arrived with all guns blazing.
I actually wrote my thesis on Serenity and how the show depicts her as a character.
See, even SMART people think of Serenity has a character!
If I must pick one, it would have to be Mal. But I loved Wash – oh Wash. And Jayne was such a great character. Everyone of that crew and passengers dammit. And Badger. And Saffron. Screw you Fox. (sob)
I have to choose River. Second would be Jayne.
River was hilarious, she had some of the best lines imo.
For instance, when she freaks out over Book’s hair and is hiding, “It’s still there, waiting…”, or in Heart of Gold she looks at the pregnant lady and says “I wonder who’s in there?”.
River put the most smiles on my face, I love that character so much. Summer Glau did a really good job.
I have to agree with the person who chose Serenity herself. If I had to choose a “live” character, it would have been Mal, who is the ship epitomized, but since every single regular is a part of that ship in one way or another, then Serenity herself, who is “live” to me, represents each and every other character who flies with her. So yes, Serenity is as much a character as any of the others, and I vote for her.
If you had plunked me on Serenity, I’d be Kaylee, and she’s totally lovable.
Or possibly, Wash. I’m a great pilot!
Zoe is the one I’d like to have around to depend on.
And Mal is, without a doubt, the most decorative.
While I probably wouldn’t like Jayne if I had to be around him all the time, he’s the funniest one of the bunch. Or maybe he just sets up the funniest situations for the rest of them. As in “Did he just go crazy and fall asleep?”
I went with Shepard Book, even though I have to say it is actually a tie between all the characters. But, the character of Book was full of mystery. So much so that I found myself getting more and more curious about his past as the show progressed. Also, I am a HUGE fan of the camera crew. All the interesting and clever angles and filming techniques really gave the show it’s own feel. Can’t help but feel guilty for singling any part of the show out for praise, because every aspect of it was praise-worthy.
The true beauty of the series is the strength of every character, although I’d have to agree with Tom that Simon is my least favorite along with Shepard. Mal may technically be the leading role, I never really got the impression that any one character is more important than any other. I can’t think of any other show I’ve seen this to be the case.
You have strong independent, talented, beautiful, and competent women in Zoe, Kaylee, Inara, and River all determined to make it in a man’s universe. Jayne the brute you hate to love (and never quite trust). Wash and his loveable childlike nature. And of course our fearless leader Mal. Bright, confident, funny, loyal, and protector of the weak. He screams natural born leader, the type of man people would walk off a cliff for. Even the depth in the sub characters makes this show shine. Saffron, Badger, Tracey, Niska, Jubal Early, Nandi and her bordello (I was almost as pissed as Mal when she died). All characters who felt a part of the universe, and not just some one time throw away faces.
All the Firefly characters were pretty good, but I mostly watched the show for River. She was so unique, mysterious and beautiful that I fell in love with her from the beginning. The only problem was that there was not enough screen time for her before the BDM, but I’m glad the movie changed it all. She’s pretty much the perfect sci-fi character.