TV Review: Firefly: Browncoats Unite


Genre: Documentary| Sci-Fi

Air Date/Time: Sunday, November 11 at 10/9c (One Hour Special)

Network: Science

Summary: Science Channel reunites Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion and the entire renegade crew of the Serenity for the first time ever to provide the complete oral history on the franchise that continues to explode in popularity – despite meeting its end a decade ago. The 60-minute special includes secrets from the set, exclusive cast interviews, and footage from this year’s colossal Comic-Con panel that dominated the pop culture conversation. Joining Whedon and Fillion for FIREFLY: BROWNCOATS UNITE are Serenity crewmembers Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres and Jewel Staite; along with executive producer Tim Minear and executive story editor Jose Molina.

FIREFLY the series is set in the year 2517, in a new star system and follows the adventures of the ragtag crew of Serenity, a “Firefly-class” spaceship. The ensemble cast depicts nine distinct characters who, have all banded together for very different reasons. Led by Captain Mal Reynolds (Fillion), who fought on the losing side of a civil war, viewers engage with characters who, are now living on the outskirts of society,

FIREFLY: BROWNCOATS UNITE is produced by Science Channel. Debbie Myers is general manager and executive vice president of Science Channel. Bernadette McDaid is vicepresident of production and Kaitlin McIntyre is producer for Science Channel.

Do I even need to say it? Anyone, from the casual to the committed fan of Firefly, the movie Serenity, showrunner/writer/director/executive producer Joss Whedon, actors Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Summer Glau, Sean Maher, writers Tim Minear, Jose Molina, and/or Jeff Jensen (moderator of the discussion), will adore this presentation.

It is made up primarily of a table discussion with Fillion, Baldwin, Tudyk, Glau, Maher, Minear, and Molina, that takes us through the story of the making of the series and movie. Baccarin, Torres, and Staite were not present at the table but their comments, shot separately, are edited in flawlessly, along with appropriate illustrative clips from the show and movie. Jeff “Doc” Jensen, Entertainment Weekly Senior Writer and clearly a fan, does a great job asking the questions that we fans would ask, but only when necessary. Most of this is simply our beloved cast and writers telling wonderful behind-the-scenes stories of our beloved show and movie. Pretty cunning, don’t ya think?

The final segments are an edited version of the Firefly Tenth Anniversary panel at Comic-Con in July, with all of the above PLUS, finally, Joss Whedon. His absence during the table talk, which was shot shortly before the Comic-Con panel, is never explained, at least not in the version I screened. (The only complete and unexplained absence from the special is Ron Glass, who played Shepherd Book.)

But the portion of the Comic-Con panel that concludes this documentary includes not only a Joss soliloquoy that should satisfy everyone’s Jonesing for The Man Himself, but includes his thoughts on what might have happened differently from the movie if the show had run for a second season. If you’ve seen the panel online, then you’ll be familiar with this segment of Browncoats Unite, but it is definite worthy of a replay. I defy you to not mist up at the end. Plus, it’s just so cool to see all of the Jayne hats in the Comic-Con audience.

The production is beautifully put together, from the cool table set to the editing to the great music, so truly, nothing will distract you from your enjoyment of this 10th anniversary lovefest.

Do not miss this show.

I give Firefly: Browncoats Unite, a shiny Five Out of Five Stars.

 

 


Erin Willard
Written by Erin Willard

Erin is the Editor In Chief and West Coast Correspondent for SciFiMafia.com