Firefly

I met pinkishmew today, which was fun, but I spent all the rest of the day writing my Politcs essay, which was not fun at all. I should have started my maths tonight, but I couldn't sit down and work at all. My head hurts, not in the need-paracetamol way but in the I-can't-be-arsed-with-anything-at-all way. So I've just sat here and watched Firefly episodes one after another, and now I'm going to write about them because it's that sort of night that I'm having.

To begin with, I absolutely love this show. (It is still £16.29 with discount in HMV on Cornmarket, for reference.) Obviously, the recurring refrain is "this got cancelled?!", but trying to ignore that, it's just a fantastic show. And I think I'd like to brave the opposition and say that in some ways, it's far better than Buffy or what I'd seen of Angel. First of all, I love the dystopia. The amazing futuristic world isn't that amazing, really; it's full of miserable, unhappy people, oppressed worlds, pirates and outlaws, terrifying zombie-things, and anti-heroes. It actually helps, seeing the film (hitherto referred to as the Big Damn Movie) before the series inasmuch as it explains how the Alliance and the Independents work. But most of all, I like it for the same reason that I like everything else of Joss's - the characters. Mal is a much more likeable central character than Buffy (or at least Buffy in the later seasons). He's, aww, he's wonderful. He's funny and principled and just a teeny bit clueless, and I adore his relationship with with his entire crew. He's my favourite, but I don't think there's a single character I don't like. Wash and Zoe are just adorable; I'm really intrigued by them because I can't think of another cult show with a real, functional married couple whose relationship is mentioned without being turned into an angst-fest. I did wonder that if Jenny Calendar had survived through more than two seasons of Buffy, her and Giles's relationship might eventually have become like this: established and "grown-up", whilst also understated.

Moving on, Kaylee is exactly like Willow. I guess Joss likes archetypes, but the formula works, and Kaylee is just adorable, not least when she's with Simon, who may be the most fully-realised character apart from Mal. He (Simon, that is), is extraordinary in some ways - he gave up so much for River - and so naive in others, and the combination of qualities really rings true to me. River, too; I adore how strange and crazy she is, and how lucid she can be, and actually, this is where the cancellation thing gets me. Both Simon and River were created as being ripe for character development, and it's such a shame.

Inara and Book are probably the reverse; they need the least character development. They're both serenly self-possessed and good for bouncing the others off. I think the large cast of characters does work partly because of this. Which leaves only Jayne, whom I do not like at all. Not because I'm not supposed to like him - I know that - but because having him on board seems out-of-character for Mal. I do appreciate the total lack of explanation (so far!) for his being called Jayne, though.

I'm cutting my actual episode-related comments, because I wouldn't want to spoil anyone. ( Serenity, The Train Job, Bushwhacked, Shindig, Safe, Our Mrs Reynolds, Jaynestown, Out Of Gas, Ariel )

I have five more episodes to see. So few.

A couple of other things, before I shut up. First of all, I love the use of Chinese. The easy transitions from one to the other sound very natural, and I love the idea to begin with. It would make writing fic difficult, though. Is there any site, does anyone know, that explains what's being said for the benefit of fic writers?

And where is the good fic? I'd really appreciate some good recs, gen and canon het for now, if anyone has them. It's a great show.