Ten years after their only season aired, the cast and creators of the television series Firefly were reunited at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con. FOX cancelled the series after airing only eleven of the fourteen episodes which were shown out of sequence. Instead of going gently into the night, the initial DVD release created a fan-fueled phenomenon, which was followed by the feature film continuation of the series, Serenity. The fan base continued to grow. Browncoats, as the fans call themselves, now have conventions and groups specifically formed to celebrate Joss Whedon’s Firefly. And now that the Science channel is broadcasting the original series, it’s sure to garner a bunch more fans. In fact, the emotionally filled Firefly fan panel reunion that took place at this year’s Comic-Con will air on the Science channel in the fall after another marathon. One of the highlights of the panel was when Adam Baldwin jokingly replied to a question, “You call yourself a reporter” while slamming his fist down on the table. In a true Jayne-like moment, his microphone went flying off of its stand.
Other highlights included:
Q: What exactly do you think Firefly says to women, and what do you think it says to men about women?
Joss Whedon: Everything that I do, is going to contain the very simple message not to men but about them, that men who are comfortable with powerful women are more powerful men. It’s just ingrained and doesn’t matter what kind of power they have. You know, we’re watching the clip of Kaylee and she can’t fire a gun and she’s not a violent person, but she can fix anything and she basically has like ship fixing super powers. Everybody has, I mean the great thing about Firefly to me particularly was, that they are all so different. That they were all carrying a very different power, a very different energy, a very different look which also helps the costumer…But the look, the feel, the energy, the differences in their characters, including the companion and the power that she had which some people obviously also debate on this level for me was just the way you‘d be in that life. You don’t get through that universe if you don’t have the stones to be on that ship. It’s just the way it is. For Zoë in particular, I would say, you know this debate is always going to go on. …At the end of the day, Gina Torres, was playing a dedicated wife, a trusted friend, an intelligent person, and the sexiest and most badass of people. So, I feel like we covered our bases.
Q: If the success of the special goes well, are you thinking about a reboot for Firefly?
Joss Whedon: Yes, because we need a younger cast. (Laughter) Captain Andrew Garfield.
Nathan Filion: Captain River.
Sean Maher: Zac Efron as Simon. (Laughter)
Q: If you do do another film-adapted sequel to Firefly, will you be pulling a Blake 7, now that you’ve killed off half of the cast? Will you be bringing them back as evil twins, or clones, etc.?
Joss Whedon: In all honesty, I don’t believe in evil twins or clones in the Firefly universe. I think it would be wrong and doesn‘t make sense to me. You have to move on. You have to deal with the present. And by that, I mean, you have to have an intricate flashback sequence. (Laughter) I will tell you honestly, that in my head the opening scene of the sequel is a conversation between Wash and Book. And where it goes from there, I can’t tell you.
Q: Firefly is a far less Utopian view of our future. What do you think it says to us about that future?
Joss Whedon: We’re doomed? (Laughter) I don’t… I don’t have any faith in mankind. But I love my friends. And the faith that I have is in their ability to band together when things are appalling and protect each other. That is the definition, the biological reason for family. To create a family is what I believe in.
And in my opinion, that right there explains the longevity of Firefly. So stay tuned to the Science Channel in December for the next Firefly marathon as well as the premiere of the 10-year reunion.
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