Firefly Flashback: Out of Gas

Here it is, my very favorite episode of Firefly. The writing of this episode is simply incredible, like a flawless high-wire act in how beautifully it handles multiple timelines. This was two years before Lost would premiere on television, so an hour of television with a heavy flashback structure was a much more daring proposition then than it might seem now. What's more, this episode juggles not two, but three timelines: Mal trying to fix the ship in the present, the recent events that led to the ship's current state, and more distant flashbacks that show how the crew of Serenity first came together.

I've read that the Fox executives did indeed balk at all this, but fortunately the writers stuck to their guns and served up this dense and rewarding hour of television. Had they caved, might it have bought them one or two more episodes? Doubtful, but it wouldn't have bought them the rest of a full season in any case. I'm very happy for the uncompromised episode we did get, even if it probably did burn the last of the bridge Joss Whedon and his writers had with the network at this point.

Of course, it's not just Tim Minear's brilliant writing that deserves praise here. Director David Solomon filmed everything in a way that easily helps you through the story without the need for a single messy "24 hours earlier" card. Each timeline has its own color treatments, camera angles, and cutting rhythm -- all of which serve to anchor you at every moment of the story.

All the technique in the world wouldn't matter much if the content weren't also brilliant. Each flashback is an inspired look into the character it features: we see that Zoe did not even like her eventual husband when they first met; Jayne came into the group the same greedy mercenary he remains today; Kaylee has a serious rebellious streak under her innocent exterior. And then that perfect, sweet scene at the end, when we see the moment Mal first laid eyes on Serenity. I get chills just thinking about it.

There are endless and wonderful juxtapositions throughout the episode. We cut from past happy moments to present serious ones. Simon's joyous birthday celebration is shattered by the ship's disaster (and he ruefully mourns this fact later). And once again, the last scene gives the greatest juxtaposition of all: all the banter about how great a ship Mal was shopping for turns out to be about some other ship, not Serenity.

It might go without saying by this point how wonderful the actors on this show are in their roles, yet it would be wrong not to praise Nathan Fillion's masterful effort in this episode. Some actors can't "take a punch"; when they act injured, it's never quite believable. Mal's bleeding gut shot is an utterly credible and truly perilous obstacle in this episode. You shudder when he falls to the deck. You cringe when he administers his own adreneline shot. You groan when he drops the replacement part for the engine. You never doubt that he's in some serious pain. Nathan Fillion is a more recognized star now that the TV series Castle has become a hit, but even still it's less than he deserves.

The other thing that gets me watching this episode is the element of Wash's "recall button." Mal orders everyone else off this ship, but Wash sets up a special button on the bridge in case Mal gets the engine fixed. "When your miracle gets here...", push the button to call back both shuttles. Actor Alan Tudyk tells a wonderful story about this in the DVD special features (of he movie Serenity, perhaps?). When Firefly was canceled, and Joss Whedon promised them all that somehow, some day, he would continue the story, Alan Tudyk stole this button from the set and gave it to Joss as a gift. "When your miracle gets here, you push this button and we'll all come back." Even with all the emotion in the episode itself, that story might get me most of all.

Anyone who doesn't like this episode of Firefly doesn't have taste, doesn't like television... choose your appropriate condemnation. I don't stick plusses after A ratings for emphasis, but if I did, I'd empty my stash here. One of the best episodes of television, period.