Firefly
Brian Truskey

With so many options on television now-a-days, it’s hard to find a good program to watch. When I think of good TV, however, Firefly is usually one of the first series that comes to my mind. Firefly, the TV series that debuted in 2002, was created by Joss Whedon. Though short-lived, it retains a strong following, even today.

Technically of the science fiction genre, it also has a very strong western element. Based 500 years in the future, the crew aboard the Firefly Class transport ship, the Serenity, tries to make a living getting whatever work they are offered. Often skirting moral boundaries, they are faced with dilemmas such as taking on questionable cargo or going without fuel and food, while at the same time trying to avoid a corrupted government whose power and territory seem to be ever-broadening.

The show ended after 15 spectacular episodes, one of FOX’s biggest mistakes according to many fans ‘including me’. You can still buy the series on DVD, which includes several unaired episodes or watch the series online by visiting www.hulu.com. The movie that followed it, Serenity (2005), helped tie together a few loose ends left unanswered in the television series. Both are great buys, well worth the money, and definitely deserving of the Emmy which the show won in 2003, as well as several other awards and nominations for both the show and movie.