As much as I've enjoyed this series of reactions, I have found it frustrating to have the afterthoughts as a separate link because I usually leave them on autoplay and they're not in the playlist, so after the first 5 or 6 I gave up on going back and clicking through to hear your thoughts and just watched the core reaction. Shame that.
As a Navy veteran I think there is a subtle bit of "closure" near the end of the episode. In the beginning of the series, River was smuggled onto the ship in a box, without the captain's knowledge or permission. Despite all the subsequent comings and goings, in this episode she (for the first time) formally requested "permission to come aboard" which was granted by the captain. Hugely symbolic.
Yes. In fact, Mal had said in an early episode that nobody was allowed on the ship without his permission...which he had never explicitly given to River.
Lol I have an army buddy who loves Star Trek, but he's like: sending the captain and first officer out first? That would never happen in real life! And he told me all about why.
@@Tampahop Really? Because I remember BESS and ATT being VERY formal. Even when we toured the Nautilus in NLON. Maybe your boat was a bit more relaxed.
@@singingwolf3929 My patrol shoes were Adidas silver sneakers and my patrol hat was a brown felt pimp hat with a big green feather. Come to think of it, maybe the pimp hat was a bit formal.
This episode really speaks to me. I love the "is this object anything without the meaning we give it" existentialism that is everything this episode is. And for a bit I did wonder if River was somehow the ship.
I understand the bounty hunter.... He seems 'all over the place' mentally until you realize that he is changing his actions, tailored to each person he encounters. Having spent time outside, listening in to the crew's interactions inside the ship, he has become familiar with each person's personality and relationship with other crew members. He uses that to threaten and manipulate each in their own way. With Mal, it's a straight out assault. The captain will not be forced or manipulated into giving up River, so he is rendered unconscious immediately. With Kaylee, he plays on very pacifistic demeanor. Hearing her story about how she could not defend herself and how River had to step in and save her from the gunmen, he knows that he needs to play on her fear of suffering physical violence. With Simon, he knows that this young brilliant doctor gave up his entire life to save his sister, and makes Simon's want to protect her the focal point of his interaction. Giving Simon the hope that maybe he will have the opportunity to save River once more. He tweaks this by threatening Simon's potential love interest, Kaylee, after hearing their conversation in the hallway. With Book, he knows that he isn''t dealing with a normal man... and may or may not have already had some kind of background file on him. Like Mal, he is taking out immediately. With Inara, he knows that she is a trained companion, and well versed in the art of manipulation, and body language. He immediately spots her attempts to begin a play on him, and shuts it down. Letting a player know that he won't be played. Anyone else is locked up when the opportunity permits. River is the only wild card on the ship that he has no tactics for...
Yeah. He finds everybody's pressure point and pushes it. It's also worth noting he isn't as evil as some people seem to think, as he could easily have killed a bunch of people, but doesn't. Whatever psychological issues he may have, he's actually far more purposeful and restrained than he appears. As far as his weirdness goes, I've always kind of viewed him as being similar to River, if she were more in control but less moral. He's "what if River, but bad?"
@@stuffyouotterlistento1461 I don't see him as being anything similar to River, I means just because the two are somewhat "strange" doesn't make them similar. And he is most definitely evil, he is a clear psychopath and Rivers mentioning of him killing the neighborhood animals as a kid is a clear hint that of him being one, it is just that killing the crew right now does not further his goals of capturing River but as we saw with Simon he would pull the trigger in a nanosecond if he ever feels like that is the action that needs to be taken to further his own goals. River being in more control but less moral would be a quite different animal since she would use your thoughts against you and not just scare you with what you have perceived to be your weakness.
@@Henrik_Holst I don't buy it. I don't buy that being as restrained as he is strictly to his advantage. It even comes back to bite him in the ass when Kaylee and Mal get free. And even if he decided not to kill people for fear that River might be upset, he could still have crippled them, beaten them to the point where they wouldn't be much good, etc. And sure, he shot Simon. Once. In the leg. Giving him an injury that clearly wasn't life-threatening before walking away. That's not exactly proof that he's a heartless killer. Yes, he's psychologically troubled. Yes, he's done bad things. No, he's not a good person. But his level of restraint, and the fact that he pushes people pressure points just as hard as he feels to be adequate, without going any further is evidence that he's not completely evil. The alternative is that the episode is badly written (or at least those elements are), and I prefer to give it the benefit of the doubt and enjoy it as a better product.
"I don't know how to feel about him!" Richard Brooks is fantastic as Jubal! He plays him with a strange mix of menance and aloofness that makes him all the more threatening when he swings back and forth with such calmness. The only time he raises his voice is when River starts messing with his head and he loses control of the situation.
I had a friend back in the day who absolutely hated that line for some reason. Just, hated, it. "We already have spaceships, how is that science fiction?" And I tried to point out the difference between having very limited rockets that do very specific things, and having space RV's that you just coach around in and live on like a mobile home. I always liked the line.
@@OpenMawProductions i'm in "hated that line" camp. cell phones used to be science fiction, but today they're not, and the fact that they exist does not make psychics any more believable.
@@sirmoonslosthismind Which is why Wash's reaction is just, "So?" Because he's in your camp. But Zoe's point was that what seems like science fiction now might end up being science fact in the future as we learn more. Now, I'm with you on this that until the evidence presents itself, we shouldn't assume psychics, etc. are plausible. But I understand Zoe's perspective of "there are things we've seen that we can't explain, and if people once thought living on a space ship was science fiction, then 'sounds like sci-fi' isn't enough reason to reject the idea".
Jubal is a NASTY, NASTY man. Threatening OUR Kaylee. Kaylee, with her positive attitude, is the weakest person on that ship. She needs our protection- for Jubal to threaten her is to bully a baby. He deserves whatever he got and worse.
Joss Whedon has said (I think in the DVD commentary track) that they did a few takes of the conversation between Early and Kaylee, then he asked Jewel Staite to do one take where she gave "everything." She said that was the first time she'd ever got that note as an actress, and that's the take they used.
And that's the last we saw of Firefly the TV show. Such an outstanding episode and really the one that made River feel like part of the crew and accepted. Boy was I pissed when this ended because it really felt like we were getting started. Jubel Early has to be one of the best characters ever. There's something about of soft spoken bad guy that makes the threats he made seem even more scary. This episode originally aired after "War Stories" and they had to shoot an alternate scene with Inara and the Captain in the beginning since we didn't know she said she was leaving as three episode in between weren't aired. The show had me going with River and I thought that she could have become Serenity. One of the best lines is the one about psychic powers and science fiction and Zoe reminding Wash they live on a spaceship. So after this, Fox decided to air the Serenity pilot episode... Richard Brooks did an amazing job as Early. For a kinder side, you should check out the first few seasons of the OG Law and Order, where he played ADA Robbinette.
Just remember, Nia. Firefly never really ends. The correct way to watch is on a loop. :) The movie, Serenity wraps up major plots from the show but the characterization is a bit jarring in the movie. It's mostly satisfying and you have to remember it takes place some time after the events in the show.
Please don't analyze the movie for her. She IS going to see it after all, and you telling her what she's going to get out of it is pretty lame. For 1, she is a totally different person that you are may not agree with your opinion of the movie and 2) your input can even sway or change her expectations, and therefore, her reception ... and that can effect the reaction we see. Opinions BEFORE a person sees a movie or TV show *_IS_* a spoiler !!!
@@StevesFunhouse You seem to love to tell other people what they should or shouldn't post on here. I don't like people like you. Opinions aren't spoilers. If you don't like my opinion, don't read my posts. It's simple.
@@IceMetalPunk yea the finales were that way because they never knew when Fox would cancel them so they did the wildest inevitable outcome they could think of 🤣
Even crazier is that two shows about vampires, geared towards a young audience, were given several seasons, while a realistic show for people of all ages was cancelled because FOX didn't understand it or didn't like it. I have yet to see any reaction video where the first-time viewer didn't fall in love with "Firefly." Our brown coat ranks continue to grow and grow ....
Here's a fun fact: Richard Brooks (Jubal Early) worked with Nathan Fillion again, in a short-lived series (canceled by FOX .... so what else is knew?) called "Drive." Oh, and Richard's character name in that show was "Detective Early" - Ha! - O.K., so the movie is next. All I will say about that is strap yourself in tight because the movie "Serenity" is quite the emotional roller coaster ride !!!!
At the end of the episode, River and Kaylee were having fun playing Jacks but Kaylee was also telling River about her first "grapple" and how he must have been a genetic mutant... At the beginning of the episode, River had connected with each person on the crew. As she 'eavesdropped' on Zoe and Wash, the camera... blurred... as River was overcome by their passion. If you watch the episodes again, you will see the blur effect used every time someone hits their peak.
Did you notice that after River 'heard' Simon say "I would be there right now" early on, later Simon actually says that line. :) Fun facts - one of Nathan Fillion's ancestors was a Confederate General named Jubal Early. He was partially deaf in one ear, which they used in the episode to have Jubal Early mishear Alliance as "A lion" and also not correctly hear "bounty hunter" (we don't know what he did hear that time). Also, from his writings after the Civil War, it was clear that the real Jubal Early was a white supremacist, so their choice cast a black actor was nicely ironic. The actor plays him brilliantly!
during the making of _the message_ the cast and crew received the news that the network was pulling the plug, effective immediately. they wouldn't be able to make any more episodes. so as not to go out on such a downer, the last few episodes were re-ordered, and a couple scenes were moved. unfortunately, they created a minor continuity error. in _the message_ jayne calls river a "mind-reading genius", but in _objects in space_ jayne is genuinely surprised at the idea that river might read minds. this only makes sense in the original episode order, where _the message_ is last.
I love this episode so much because it's the first time in media I've ever heard someone mis-hear something like a normal person (that's not a major plot point). "Am I a lion?"
Great reaction. To be honest they have all been great. This series has great re-watchability as you can always find new details. To me this is a very deep and philosophical episode. Joss' real message here is that when you really think about it we are all just objects in space. At the end when River and Kaylee are playing jax, River holds the ball and focuses on it. It looks like a planet from far away and that scene drives home the point that even on a planet we are still just objects in space. I can't wait for you to watch the movie. Much love and keep on keepin on J.
It's not the closure we were looking for, but it's the best they could manage under the circumstances. I love this episode for its layers. It slowly peels them up slightly, but not off before starting on the next layer, then slicing through the whole onion to reveal the real plan at the end. And it's the reason I usually wait a few years between re-watches, because River's speech about being Jouble Early's bounty breaks my heart every time. I feel she's my own sister and I'm losing her too. That's what this show does to you when you watch it. I think Jouble was written to come across like River, perhaps an earlier (Early) version of what they meant her to be. We get to see a little of what River sees, she can more or less hear what the crew were thinking (although given shepherd Book's overreaction I think it's some of her emotion mixed in too). And we know it's what they're thinking because Simon thinks "I would be there right now" at the beginning, then when he's saying goodnight to Kaylee, he literally says "I would be there right now", word for word in almost the exact same tone. So does she hear what they're going to say well before they say it, or what they're thinking right now? [insert old el paso girl meme here] Why not both? She felt what Wash and Zoe were feeling in the moment, and she heard Jayne's guilt and Book's disdain for Jayne, both of which were never spoken out loud. So I think she heard Simon say that and knew he would admit it to Kaylee. (I just wish he could admit his true feelings for her. Same for Mal and Inara.) As an aside, my interpretation Book's thought of "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not" is that it suggests he's aware of Jayne's betrayal, but he doesn't care because it didn't work. Or it could just be that he didn't enjoy Jayne's discussion of, uhh, such activities. There's no real way of knowing. Anys ways. So Jouble had a different approach to each crew member based on their threat to his plan. He originally planned to lock Mal, Jayne and Zoe in their rooms (and Wash, but he wasn't the threat), but Mal surprised him so he had to quickly deal with him. He had to threaten Kaylee to the point of complete fear paralysis so she wouldn't move so much as a finger against him. And he had to take out Book because he knew how such a bounty hunter operates. That's why I think Jouble's an earlier version of River. He can't exactly hear their thoughts like River, but he can figure out how they work, how they would react to his plans, and change his plans to counter their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. That moment when he stopped and licked the metal pole, that was where River climbed up to listen to what the crew were saying about her upstairs. He could somehow sense that, and licked the pole to confirm if she had been there. At least that's what I interpreted that as.
very good episode, especially considering that they already knew that this was the end. and despite everything, their game remains at a level. professionals!❤
It's been great following your reactions to this all-too-short series, Nia 😊 I think my favourite episodes is 'Out of Gas' & 'War Stories', but this one is a special one as well. Jubal Early is a fascinating (yet disturbing!) character; Richard Brooks really put in an excellent guest performance here! 😊 All the best to you! 🥰
Joss had been reading books about Objectivism as he wrote this script. One of the exterior shots had a point of reference of a planet in the distance, and at the end of the episode you see the girls playing a game of jacks and the bouncing ball. Joss had the effects team use that ball for the exterior planet.
@@CaptainFrost32 Mandela Effect strikes this show again! On _my_ commentary track for this episode, Joss talked about Existentialism as the origin of this episode. In the book _Nausea_ , the primary tome of Existentialism, the protagonist (as reported by Joss) one day realizes that things don’t merely kinda sorta exist, nor do they just barely exist, but in fact they REALLY REALLY FUCKING DO!!!!!1 exist, and this realization hits him so hard it turns his stomach, hence the title. I do not know anything else about Existentialism, so I do not know if it concerns itself with the argument that objects in space have their own narrative, their own agenda, their own purpose aside from us. Such considerations have literally nothing whatever to do with Objectivism. Objectivism is named for objective reality, not objects in space. Its principles are: A) Man is a heroic being B) Happiness is his aim C) Reason is his sole tool to reach that aim. Objectivist books are concerned far more with rights of property, both intellectual and real, than with the private lives of postage stamps. They teach that government is an energy vampire on the productive and creative members of society, and that one should not voluntarily fund one’s own bullies and oppressors. That money is an outgrowth of the mind, and that prosperity and freedom are the results of integrity and recognition that objective reality exists, and will always reassert itself-that eventually chickens _will_ come home to roost, that people _do_ have to live with the choices they make, and that socialism only works until you run out of other people’s money. I think I missed the part of Objectivism Joss included in this episode.
Welcome to how the entire fanbase felt when the series just ended without ending. Thankfully they did make the movie Serenity to at least give us some sense of closure to wrap up some of the major story threads that would have played out throughout what would have been the rest of this season and season 2.
@@Robalogot Yeah... Trash, The Message, and Heart of Gold didn't air at all because the show was already being forced to air episodes out of order by FOX's management. So the show jumped from War Stories to this episode and then out of nowhere the original pilot aired mostly because FOX didn't have anything to fill the time slot that week.
This is hands down my favorite episode of the series. The unreality of it; Jubal’s actor, who’s able to inject both disconcerting moments of levity as well as horrifying moments of restrained brutality - and then unrestrained brutality; River’s POV. What a gem of an episode.
That's what happens when your series gets cut off prematurely: you don't have a chance to wrap things up properly. I think this was still pretty good, though, since it tied off River's initial arc, showing her finally becoming a full part of the crew through her cleverness. The movie will have to serve as your wrap-up.
"Dusty Foot Philosopher" that was one of the funniest and appropriate statement for a scene (Around 9:05 with your "Serenity phrase). It was fun and interesting following you with Firefly and Serenity.
@@NiaMakiReacts It's interesting that you put it that way. I'm about 6 feet from my flat screen and my stereo system so when I look down to check on my tablet then hear voice laughing or crying, I'm immediately looking up. It really did feel like I was watching it alone with you. 😇 Keep up the good work young lady.😇
This might be my favorite episode - very thought provoking. I assume next up is the movie, Serenity (and this episode is kind of a good lead in to that).
Joss Whedon had a general idea where he wanted the series to go for the next couple of years, but then it was cancelled. When the movie Serenity got the OK, he squeezed the next two years of episodes into one movie. The movie is fast and furious with tons of new things thrown at you faster than you can imagine. Just like when we all saw it for the first time, it will leave you physically and emotionally drained. It's a fantastic movie.
A bit of environmental storytelling concerning Early's horrifying character: River relates to Early the story about the golden retriever he tortured and killed. On his control panel, there's a picture of that golden retriever.
Jubal Early is a great villain. He enjoys putting fear into people by behaving mentally unstable while threatening them. River turned the tables by doing the same thing on him. I believe Jubal was intended to be another recurring character. His suit had ship remote controls built in. He just needed time to overcome the reprogramming job River had done to his ship when she was "playing with the interesting buttons".
"Objects in Space": Hard-of-hearing Bounty Hunter Jubal Early hunts the Tams, neutralizes most of the crew, River finds a new toy to play with, sets a trap for Jubal Early, and asks permission to return to "Serenity."
Other short lived series I think you would like are My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks and The Green Lantern animated series. They're all very different genres and tones but I think you would enjoy them if you haven't seen them already.😊
I don't think she is reading his unspoken thoughts. I think she is reading their deepest thought that they are not even aware of. After all, if we were honest to our deepest emotions, which one of us would want to be around River.
Best villian in the show. Without interesting villians it'd be a more empty show. However, I can understand if people don't like this episode's villian.
Have you ever had one of those days where you thought to yourself, "what if?"... what if I had gone to a different college instead of settling on staying closer to home. What if I had joined the military and gotten college paid for? What if I had stayed in the military and did my 20 and got a pension instead of just doing my 4 years-and-bounce? What if I had the chance to go back and the moment I met my ex, run the other way.... but my life wouldn't be the same, and even though things might have been better for me, I wouldn't have my kids - my kids as the persons they are today. They wouldn't exist. And there is no hardship or sacrifice or crazy ex worth giving them up. No matter the "what if's." I believe that River can read those deep, deep, often forgotten "what if" thoughts that sometimes are so subconscious that they don't realize they are there, or if they do come to the surface to tempt us with thoughts what life would be like in alternate scenarios had different choices been made, we reject them out of hand - but those thoughts are still there. Doesn't mean we believe them, truly want them or yearn for them; just that they are there. Some of them try to stab with a pang of regret, others with regret, fear and remorse (i.e. Jayne). I believe that was what River was sensing... reading... the deep, deep innermost things we bury behind walls.
So, here you are at the end of the line. Well, nearly. Just one more step to go and boy is it a doosie. Keep in mind that the show got cancelled midway through the season, so they didn't even get a full season. That's why nothing's resolved and while some plot threads were tied up in the movie, there were still plenty of threads left dangling, presumably because the intention was to make more movies. Having said that though, this is an OUTSTANDING episode and it works perfectly as a makeshift finale. I'm sure you've probably heard by now that this episode was originally supppsed to air earlier in the series, but after the cancellation this was moved to serve as the finale. I think that was a wise decision because it serves that purpose really well and was definitely the best episode to end on. It's probably my third-favourite episde and I love that it finally gives River dome time to shine. If you have the DVD or Blu-Ray, I'd highly recommend listening to the commentary for this episode (well, all of the episodes actually). It has Joss Whedon talking about the philosophical themes of this episode and it's truly fascinating. Here's to Serenity!
River sees things in a different context from others because her brain has been altered-- she has lost reference to common meaning , and sees things in her own way as "objects in space". For example, she sees a tree branch instead of a gun. Earlie, because of his schizophrenic personality and underlying psychopathy, also lacks common understanding of meaning shared by others,. But unlike River he also lacks empathy-- again due to his psychopathy. He and River are intended to be foils to one another-- he is her shadowy twin in this episode.
Psychopathy might be applicable to Early, but nothing about his behavior is suggestive of schizophrenia. I just felt the need to point that out as an actual schizophrenic. It's a disorder that is heavily stigmatized and people with schizophrenia are stereotyped as being prone to all sorts of violent and sadistic behavior. But the truth is, we are much more likely to BE victimized, harassed, or harm ourselves than to victimize or harm others. River's behavior and the "hallucinations" she sees in this episode (not true hallucinations, I know, but very in-keeping with the sort of hallucinations we can suffer) are much closer to schizophrenia than anything Early exhibits. On my first watch of the series, I was actually 90% convinced that River was supposed to be schizophrenic (though some of her actions didn't fit, I kept writing them off as dramatic license).
Stop !!! She hasn't seen the last of this crew yet, and hasn't adventured out to find other material. NO outside information. If she wants it, she'll ask for it, or she'll look it up.
Firefly didn't end, it was cancelled before the end of season 1. Generally TV shows like this have 20 or 22 episodes per season, so you and many other reactors get that part of it wrong. Episode 14 isn't a season finale.
I like that you mentioned early talks like river. I've always wondered if he's been through an earlier version of whatever they were trying to do to river
And the end. Until the movie. Words, words and words. Sad. Bitter. There are a very small number of series a person will watch more than once, this is at the very top of the list. I had more to say, but, you need to watch the movie. Quite the journey, yes? All of my best wishes. Cheers.
My least favorite episode. Not due to poor writing, acting, or anything of the sort, but because my personal experiences have soured me towards certain types of villainous behavior, and it comes into focus enough to make me feel physically ill in watching it. Sadly, when I watch through the series, I often skip this episode. But I am still glad other people like it. Despite my personal feelings about this one episode, "Firefly" is on a short list of my all-time favorite shows. Looking forward to your reaction to "Serenity"!
![[DRAGON BALL LEGENDS REVEALS ＆ STUFF] LEGENDS FESTIVAL 2024 Special Edition Part 2](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/af0phKxitX8/mqdefault.jpg)
Sorry y’all, the after thoughts is linked here:
ruclips.net/video/JDMs-kSPz84/видео.html
As much as I've enjoyed this series of reactions, I have found it frustrating to have the afterthoughts as a separate link because I usually leave them on autoplay and they're not in the playlist, so after the first 5 or 6 I gave up on going back and clicking through to hear your thoughts and just watched the core reaction. Shame that.
As a Navy veteran I think there is a subtle bit of "closure" near the end of the episode. In the beginning of the series, River was smuggled onto the ship in a box, without the captain's knowledge or permission. Despite all the subsequent comings and goings, in this episode she (for the first time) formally requested "permission to come aboard" which was granted by the captain. Hugely symbolic.
Yes. In fact, Mal had said in an early episode that nobody was allowed on the ship without his permission...which he had never explicitly given to River.
Bah! We’re a bit less formal on submarines.😊
Lol I have an army buddy who loves Star Trek, but he's like: sending the captain and first officer out first? That would never happen in real life! And he told me all about why.
@@Tampahop Really? Because I remember BESS and ATT being VERY formal. Even when we toured the Nautilus in NLON. Maybe your boat was a bit more relaxed.
@@singingwolf3929 My patrol shoes were Adidas silver sneakers and my patrol hat was a brown felt pimp hat with a big green feather. Come to think of it, maybe the pimp hat was a bit formal.
This episode really speaks to me. I love the "is this object anything without the meaning we give it" existentialism that is everything this episode is. And for a bit I did wonder if River was somehow the ship.
I understand the bounty hunter....
He seems 'all over the place' mentally until you realize that he is changing his actions, tailored to each person he encounters. Having spent time outside, listening in to the crew's interactions inside the ship, he has become familiar with each person's personality and relationship with other crew members. He uses that to threaten and manipulate each in their own way.
With Mal, it's a straight out assault. The captain will not be forced or manipulated into giving up River, so he is rendered unconscious immediately.
With Kaylee, he plays on very pacifistic demeanor. Hearing her story about how she could not defend herself and how River had to step in and save her from the gunmen, he knows that he needs to play on her fear of suffering physical violence.
With Simon, he knows that this young brilliant doctor gave up his entire life to save his sister, and makes Simon's want to protect her the focal point of his interaction. Giving Simon the hope that maybe he will have the opportunity to save River once more. He tweaks this by threatening Simon's potential love interest, Kaylee, after hearing their conversation in the hallway.
With Book, he knows that he isn''t dealing with a normal man... and may or may not have already had some kind of background file on him. Like Mal, he is taking out immediately.
With Inara, he knows that she is a trained companion, and well versed in the art of manipulation, and body language. He immediately spots her attempts to begin a play on him, and shuts it down. Letting a player know that he won't be played.
Anyone else is locked up when the opportunity permits.
River is the only wild card on the ship that he has no tactics for...
Never looked at it from this perspective before. Very interesting and you're probably right.
Excellent analysis! Though he is also somewhat "all over the place" in ways that is not just a tactic, probably suffering from severe cabin fever.
Yeah. He finds everybody's pressure point and pushes it. It's also worth noting he isn't as evil as some people seem to think, as he could easily have killed a bunch of people, but doesn't. Whatever psychological issues he may have, he's actually far more purposeful and restrained than he appears. As far as his weirdness goes, I've always kind of viewed him as being similar to River, if she were more in control but less moral. He's "what if River, but bad?"
@@stuffyouotterlistento1461 I don't see him as being anything similar to River, I means just because the two are somewhat "strange" doesn't make them similar.
And he is most definitely evil, he is a clear psychopath and Rivers mentioning of him killing the neighborhood animals as a kid is a clear hint that of him being one, it is just that killing the crew right now does not further his goals of capturing River but as we saw with Simon he would pull the trigger in a nanosecond if he ever feels like that is the action that needs to be taken to further his own goals.
River being in more control but less moral would be a quite different animal since she would use your thoughts against you and not just scare you with what you have perceived to be your weakness.
@@Henrik_Holst I don't buy it. I don't buy that being as restrained as he is strictly to his advantage. It even comes back to bite him in the ass when Kaylee and Mal get free. And even if he decided not to kill people for fear that River might be upset, he could still have crippled them, beaten them to the point where they wouldn't be much good, etc. And sure, he shot Simon. Once. In the leg. Giving him an injury that clearly wasn't life-threatening before walking away. That's not exactly proof that he's a heartless killer. Yes, he's psychologically troubled. Yes, he's done bad things. No, he's not a good person. But his level of restraint, and the fact that he pushes people pressure points just as hard as he feels to be adequate, without going any further is evidence that he's not completely evil. The alternative is that the episode is badly written (or at least those elements are), and I prefer to give it the benefit of the doubt and enjoy it as a better product.
Fifty million kids have picked up sticks and pretended they were guns.
Leave it to River Tam to pick up a gun and imagine it to be a stick.
"I don't know how to feel about him!"
Richard Brooks is fantastic as Jubal! He plays him with a strange mix of menance and aloofness that makes him all the more threatening when he swings back and forth with such calmness. The only time he raises his voice is when River starts messing with his head and he loses control of the situation.
Creepy, eerie, strange evil in this one.
"We live in a space ship, dear." That bit of meta dialog had me rolling.
I had a friend back in the day who absolutely hated that line for some reason. Just, hated, it. "We already have spaceships, how is that science fiction?" And I tried to point out the difference between having very limited rockets that do very specific things, and having space RV's that you just coach around in and live on like a mobile home. I always liked the line.
@@OpenMawProductions Right, it's the "space RV" thing. They _live_ in a space ship.
@@OpenMawProductions
i'm in "hated that line" camp. cell phones used to be science fiction, but today they're not, and the fact that they exist does not make psychics any more believable.
It's another example of Zoe's dry sarcasm that often punctuates scenes.
@@sirmoonslosthismind Which is why Wash's reaction is just, "So?" Because he's in your camp. But Zoe's point was that what seems like science fiction now might end up being science fact in the future as we learn more. Now, I'm with you on this that until the evidence presents itself, we shouldn't assume psychics, etc. are plausible. But I understand Zoe's perspective of "there are things we've seen that we can't explain, and if people once thought living on a space ship was science fiction, then 'sounds like sci-fi' isn't enough reason to reject the idea".
The Mario sound effect when Jubal takes out Book 🤣🤣🤣
Jubal is my favorite villian. I know most people don't like this episode but it's one of my favorites. I wish we could have seen more of him.
Jubal is a NASTY, NASTY man. Threatening OUR Kaylee. Kaylee, with her positive attitude, is the weakest person on that ship. She needs our protection- for Jubal to threaten her is to bully a baby. He deserves whatever he got and worse.
Joss Whedon has said (I think in the DVD commentary track) that they did a few takes of the conversation between Early and Kaylee, then he asked Jewel Staite to do one take where she gave "everything." She said that was the first time she'd ever got that note as an actress, and that's the take they used.
Best view of a psychic's POV I've ever seen.
There is a comic book named Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale, it tells about Book’s past
If you want some kind of closure, watch the movie "Serenity".
Yea. River is a random bomb but obviously cares for the crew and is better around then not. A libra decision
And that's the last we saw of Firefly the TV show. Such an outstanding episode and really the one that made River feel like part of the crew and accepted. Boy was I pissed when this ended because it really felt like we were getting started. Jubel Early has to be one of the best characters ever. There's something about of soft spoken bad guy that makes the threats he made seem even more scary. This episode originally aired after "War Stories" and they had to shoot an alternate scene with Inara and the Captain in the beginning since we didn't know she said she was leaving as three episode in between weren't aired. The show had me going with River and I thought that she could have become Serenity. One of the best lines is the one about psychic powers and science fiction and Zoe reminding Wash they live on a spaceship. So after this, Fox decided to air the Serenity pilot episode...
Richard Brooks did an amazing job as Early. For a kinder side, you should check out the first few seasons of the OG Law and Order, where he played ADA Robbinette.
Just remember, Nia. Firefly never really ends. The correct way to watch is on a loop. :)
The movie, Serenity wraps up major plots from the show but the characterization is a bit jarring in the movie. It's mostly satisfying and you have to remember it takes place some time after the events in the show.
Please don't analyze the movie for her. She IS going to see it after all, and you telling her what she's going to get out of it is pretty lame. For 1, she is a totally different person that you are may not agree with your opinion of the movie and 2) your input can even sway or change her expectations, and therefore, her reception ... and that can effect the reaction we see. Opinions BEFORE a person sees a movie or TV show *_IS_* a spoiler !!!
@@StevesFunhouse You seem to love to tell other people what they should or shouldn't post on here. I don't like people like you. Opinions aren't spoilers. If you don't like my opinion, don't read my posts. It's simple.
It's crazy how everyone reacts to Buffy Angel and This but never Dollhouse which is paced slower but still equally as smart and crazy
I *love* Dollhouse, though I didn't particularly like the season finales. But man, if it had gone on a few more seasons, it would have been amazing.
@@IceMetalPunk yea the finales were that way because they never knew when Fox would cancel them so they did the wildest inevitable outcome they could think of 🤣
Even crazier is that two shows about vampires, geared towards a young audience, were given several seasons, while a realistic show for people of all ages was cancelled because FOX didn't understand it or didn't like it. I have yet to see any reaction video where the first-time viewer didn't fall in love with "Firefly." Our brown coat ranks continue to grow and grow ....
@@sydneym4340 I mean... I also love Angel 😅
Here's a fun fact: Richard Brooks (Jubal Early) worked with Nathan Fillion again, in a short-lived series (canceled by FOX .... so what else is knew?) called "Drive." Oh, and Richard's character name in that show was "Detective Early" - Ha! - O.K., so the movie is next. All I will say about that is strap yourself in tight because the movie "Serenity" is quite the emotional roller coaster ride !!!!
The movie, Serenity, is next.
At the end of the episode, River and Kaylee were having fun playing Jacks but Kaylee was also telling River about her first "grapple" and how he must have been a genetic mutant...
At the beginning of the episode, River had connected with each person on the crew. As she 'eavesdropped' on Zoe and Wash, the camera... blurred... as River was overcome by their passion. If you watch the episodes again, you will see the blur effect used every time someone hits their peak.
Did you notice that after River 'heard' Simon say "I would be there right now" early on, later Simon actually says that line. :)
Fun facts - one of Nathan Fillion's ancestors was a Confederate General named Jubal Early. He was partially deaf in one ear, which they used in the episode to have Jubal Early mishear Alliance as "A lion" and also not correctly hear "bounty hunter" (we don't know what he did hear that time). Also, from his writings after the Civil War, it was clear that the real Jubal Early was a white supremacist, so their choice cast a black actor was nicely ironic. The actor plays him brilliantly!
during the making of _the message_ the cast and crew received the news that the network was pulling the plug, effective immediately. they wouldn't be able to make any more episodes. so as not to go out on such a downer, the last few episodes were re-ordered, and a couple scenes were moved. unfortunately, they created a minor continuity error. in _the message_ jayne calls river a "mind-reading genius", but in _objects in space_ jayne is genuinely surprised at the idea that river might read minds. this only makes sense in the original episode order, where _the message_ is last.
I love this episode so much because it's the first time in media I've ever heard someone mis-hear something like a normal person (that's not a major plot point). "Am I a lion?"
Great reaction. To be honest they have all been great. This series has great re-watchability as you can always find new details. To me this is a very deep and philosophical episode. Joss' real message here is that when you really think about it we are all just objects in space. At the end when River and Kaylee are playing jax, River holds the ball and focuses on it. It looks like a planet from far away and that scene drives home the point that even on a planet we are still just objects in space. I can't wait for you to watch the movie. Much love and keep on keepin on J.
It's not the closure we were looking for, but it's the best they could manage under the circumstances.
I love this episode for its layers. It slowly peels them up slightly, but not off before starting on the next layer, then slicing through the whole onion to reveal the real plan at the end. And it's the reason I usually wait a few years between re-watches, because River's speech about being Jouble Early's bounty breaks my heart every time. I feel she's my own sister and I'm losing her too. That's what this show does to you when you watch it.
I think Jouble was written to come across like River, perhaps an earlier (Early) version of what they meant her to be. We get to see a little of what River sees, she can more or less hear what the crew were thinking (although given shepherd Book's overreaction I think it's some of her emotion mixed in too). And we know it's what they're thinking because Simon thinks "I would be there right now" at the beginning, then when he's saying goodnight to Kaylee, he literally says "I would be there right now", word for word in almost the exact same tone.
So does she hear what they're going to say well before they say it, or what they're thinking right now? [insert old el paso girl meme here] Why not both? She felt what Wash and Zoe were feeling in the moment, and she heard Jayne's guilt and Book's disdain for Jayne, both of which were never spoken out loud. So I think she heard Simon say that and knew he would admit it to Kaylee. (I just wish he could admit his true feelings for her. Same for Mal and Inara.)
As an aside, my interpretation Book's thought of "I don't give half a hump if you're innocent or not" is that it suggests he's aware of Jayne's betrayal, but he doesn't care because it didn't work. Or it could just be that he didn't enjoy Jayne's discussion of, uhh, such activities. There's no real way of knowing.
Anys ways. So Jouble had a different approach to each crew member based on their threat to his plan. He originally planned to lock Mal, Jayne and Zoe in their rooms (and Wash, but he wasn't the threat), but Mal surprised him so he had to quickly deal with him. He had to threaten Kaylee to the point of complete fear paralysis so she wouldn't move so much as a finger against him. And he had to take out Book because he knew how such a bounty hunter operates.
That's why I think Jouble's an earlier version of River. He can't exactly hear their thoughts like River, but he can figure out how they work, how they would react to his plans, and change his plans to counter their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. That moment when he stopped and licked the metal pole, that was where River climbed up to listen to what the crew were saying about her upstairs. He could somehow sense that, and licked the pole to confirm if she had been there. At least that's what I interpreted that as.
I hope you had a chance to see the movie "Serenity ". That will be the closure you seek.
Ahhh, my favorite episode ♥ Best demented dialogue EVER!
very good episode, especially considering that they already knew that this was the end. and despite everything, their game remains at a level. professionals!❤
It's been great following your reactions to this all-too-short series, Nia 😊 I think my favourite episodes is 'Out of Gas' & 'War Stories', but this one is a special one as well.
Jubal Early is a fascinating (yet disturbing!) character; Richard Brooks really put in an excellent guest performance here! 😊
All the best to you! 🥰
Joss had been reading books about Objectivism as he wrote this script. One of the exterior shots had a point of reference of a planet in the distance, and at the end of the episode you see the girls playing a game of jacks and the bouncing ball. Joss had the effects team use that ball for the exterior planet.
I believe you mean Existentialism. Objectivism is the thing Tyr Anasazi reads books on.
@@isaackellogg3493 Joss's words in the commentary track. It is why he named the episode Objects In Space.
@@CaptainFrost32 Mandela Effect strikes this show again! On _my_ commentary track for this episode, Joss talked about Existentialism as the origin of this episode. In the book _Nausea_ , the primary tome of Existentialism, the protagonist (as reported by Joss) one day realizes that things don’t merely kinda sorta exist, nor do they just barely exist, but in fact they REALLY REALLY FUCKING DO!!!!!1 exist, and this realization hits him so hard it turns his stomach, hence the title. I do not know anything else about Existentialism, so I do not know if it concerns itself with the argument that objects in space have their own narrative, their own agenda, their own purpose aside from us. Such considerations have literally nothing whatever to do with Objectivism.
Objectivism is named for objective reality, not objects in space. Its principles are:
A) Man is a heroic being
B) Happiness is his aim
C) Reason is his sole tool to reach that aim.
Objectivist books are concerned far more with rights of property, both intellectual and real, than with the private lives of postage stamps. They teach that government is an energy vampire on the productive and creative members of society, and that one should not voluntarily fund one’s own bullies and oppressors. That money is an outgrowth of the mind, and that prosperity and freedom are the results of integrity and recognition that objective reality exists, and will always reassert itself-that eventually chickens _will_ come home to roost, that people _do_ have to live with the choices they make, and that socialism only works until you run out of other people’s money.
I think I missed the part of Objectivism Joss included in this episode.
Welcome to how the entire fanbase felt when the series just ended without ending. Thankfully they did make the movie Serenity to at least give us some sense of closure to wrap up some of the major story threads that would have played out throughout what would have been the rest of this season and season 2.
If I recall these last few episodes weren't aired back in the day, I know the pilot was broadcast as the season finale.
@@Robalogot Yeah... Trash, The Message, and Heart of Gold didn't air at all because the show was already being forced to air episodes out of order by FOX's management. So the show jumped from War Stories to this episode and then out of nowhere the original pilot aired mostly because FOX didn't have anything to fill the time slot that week.
Where's the link to your outre "thoughts" on this epi, Nia?
This is hands down my favorite episode of the series. The unreality of it; Jubal’s actor, who’s able to inject both disconcerting moments of levity as well as horrifying moments of restrained brutality - and then unrestrained brutality; River’s POV. What a gem of an episode.
It was my initial favorite, but now "Out of Gas" edges it out for me. It's really close though, and both are fantastic episodes.
Such a good bad guy...Imagine if we got a chance to see him again..oh, wait.
I really hope you watch the River Tam sessions! It gives so much insight into River and what happens to her.
"that ain't a shepherd." CHILLS
Jubal Early is certainly an interesting character.
That's what happens when your series gets cut off prematurely: you don't have a chance to wrap things up properly. I think this was still pretty good, though, since it tied off River's initial arc, showing her finally becoming a full part of the crew through her cleverness. The movie will have to serve as your wrap-up.
"Dusty Foot Philosopher" that was one of the funniest and appropriate statement for a scene (Around 9:05 with your "Serenity phrase). It was fun and interesting following you with Firefly and Serenity.
Thanks for watching alone with me!!
@@NiaMakiReacts It's interesting that you put it that way. I'm about 6 feet from my flat screen and my stereo system so when I look down to check on my tablet then hear voice laughing or crying, I'm immediately looking up. It really did feel like I was watching it alone with you. 😇 Keep up the good work young lady.😇
@@1Tankmarine lol!!!! I meant along!! Hahahahahaha that was awkward
This might be my favorite episode - very thought provoking. I assume next up is the movie, Serenity (and this episode is kind of a good lead in to that).
Joss Whedon had a general idea where he wanted the series to go for the next couple of years, but then it was cancelled. When the movie Serenity got the OK, he squeezed the next two years of episodes into one movie. The movie is fast and furious with tons of new things thrown at you faster than you can imagine. Just like when we all saw it for the first time, it will leave you physically and emotionally drained. It's a fantastic movie.
A bit of environmental storytelling concerning Early's horrifying character:
River relates to Early the story about the golden retriever he tortured and killed. On his control panel, there's a picture of that golden retriever.
Jubal Early is a great villain. He enjoys putting fear into people by behaving mentally unstable while threatening them. River turned the tables by doing the same thing on him.
I believe Jubal was intended to be another recurring character. His suit had ship remote controls built in. He just needed time to overcome the reprogramming job River had done to his ship when she was "playing with the interesting buttons".
I saw the movie before the show. Can't wait for your reaction to the movie.
My favorite episode!!!
When you watch the movie, see if you can spot the cameo! Hint, it’s a great shot of them getting punched in the face!
"Objects in Space": Hard-of-hearing Bounty Hunter Jubal Early hunts the Tams, neutralizes most of the crew, River finds a new toy to play with, sets a trap for Jubal Early, and asks permission to return to "Serenity."
It's hard to believe someone in this ship would be so irresponsible with guns.
Loved your responses.
And here comes... Serenity.
I miss your extra comments at the end! At this time they aren't up yet!
Please post the extra comments.
@@eldritch5058 she did. :)
Way back, maybe The Train Job, Mal made a joke about "tragic space dementis." Early may be the reality.
there's no link to the after thoughts
She added it in a comment.
On to the movie Serenity 🚀
Other short lived series I think you would like are My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks and The Green Lantern animated series. They're all very different genres and tones but I think you would enjoy them if you haven't seen them already.😊
I don't think she is reading his unspoken thoughts. I think she is reading their deepest thought that they are not even aware of. After all, if we were honest to our deepest emotions, which one of us would want to be around River.
me!
@@sirmoonslosthismind was that before or after you lost your mind :) ?
Who designs a ship where the staterooms can be locked from the outside?
I have a feeling that Early is an escaped subject like River.
"She didn't even bother to wake Jayne up" - I think she still doesn't trust him completely.
Am I missing how to get the after thoughts? I clicked when it said to, but it just paused the video. Is there a link?
The bestest episode.
Remember that very last scene when you watch the movie.
For any kind of closure, there's still the movie "Serenity". Who knows what may happen in that?
Best villian in the show. Without interesting villians it'd be a more empty show. However, I can understand if people don't like this episode's villian.
“All them years of priest trainin’, got taken out by one bounty hunter.” ☹️
Have you ever had one of those days where you thought to yourself, "what if?"... what if I had gone to a different college instead of settling on staying closer to home. What if I had joined the military and gotten college paid for? What if I had stayed in the military and did my 20 and got a pension instead of just doing my 4 years-and-bounce? What if I had the chance to go back and the moment I met my ex, run the other way.... but my life wouldn't be the same, and even though things might have been better for me, I wouldn't have my kids - my kids as the persons they are today. They wouldn't exist. And there is no hardship or sacrifice or crazy ex worth giving them up. No matter the "what if's."
I believe that River can read those deep, deep, often forgotten "what if" thoughts that sometimes are so subconscious that they don't realize they are there, or if they do come to the surface to tempt us with thoughts what life would be like in alternate scenarios had different choices been made, we reject them out of hand - but those thoughts are still there. Doesn't mean we believe them, truly want them or yearn for them; just that they are there. Some of them try to stab with a pang of regret, others with regret, fear and remorse (i.e. Jayne).
I believe that was what River was sensing... reading... the deep, deep innermost things we bury behind walls.
So, here you are at the end of the line. Well, nearly. Just one more step to go and boy is it a doosie.
Keep in mind that the show got cancelled midway through the season, so they didn't even get a full season. That's why nothing's resolved and while some plot threads were tied up in the movie, there were still plenty of threads left dangling, presumably because the intention was to make more movies.
Having said that though, this is an OUTSTANDING episode and it works perfectly as a makeshift finale. I'm sure you've probably heard by now that this episode was originally supppsed to air earlier in the series, but after the cancellation this was moved to serve as the finale. I think that was a wise decision because it serves that purpose really well and was definitely the best episode to end on. It's probably my third-favourite episde and I love that it finally gives River dome time to shine.
If you have the DVD or Blu-Ray, I'd highly recommend listening to the commentary for this episode (well, all of the episodes actually). It has Joss Whedon talking about the philosophical themes of this episode and it's truly fascinating.
Here's to Serenity!
River sees things in a different context from others because her brain has been altered-- she has lost reference to common meaning , and sees things in her own way as "objects in space". For example, she sees a tree branch instead of a gun. Earlie, because of his schizophrenic personality and underlying psychopathy, also lacks common understanding of meaning shared by others,. But unlike River he also lacks empathy-- again due to his psychopathy. He and River are intended to be foils to one another-- he is her shadowy twin in this episode.
Psychopathy might be applicable to Early, but nothing about his behavior is suggestive of schizophrenia. I just felt the need to point that out as an actual schizophrenic. It's a disorder that is heavily stigmatized and people with schizophrenia are stereotyped as being prone to all sorts of violent and sadistic behavior. But the truth is, we are much more likely to BE victimized, harassed, or harm ourselves than to victimize or harm others. River's behavior and the "hallucinations" she sees in this episode (not true hallucinations, I know, but very in-keeping with the sort of hallucinations we can suffer) are much closer to schizophrenia than anything Early exhibits. On my first watch of the series, I was actually 90% convinced that River was supposed to be schizophrenic (though some of her actions didn't fit, I kept writing them off as dramatic license).
A lot of people don't realize that the bounty hunter is named after a Confederate general, Jubal Early.
Yeah that was news to me
15:59 me dealing with my responsibilities
I’ve seen videos from people who do speak Chinese and they couldn’t understand most of what was said.
waiting for Nia to react to the movie is going to kill me!! lol
R Tam Sessions next, then on to the movie.
Highly recommend you watch it again with the directors audio.commentary - most interesting
Serenity Now...
I really hope that you do a reaction video to the gag reels to the series and Serenity movie.
Shepherd's character arc was supposed to be that he was a spy/assassin for the alliance. That's how he knows so much about that stuff.
Stop !!! She hasn't seen the last of this crew yet, and hasn't adventured out to find other material. NO outside information. If she wants it, she'll ask for it, or she'll look it up.
Alright
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Firefly didn't end, it was cancelled before the end of season 1. Generally TV shows like this have 20 or 22 episodes per season, so you and many other reactors get that part of it wrong. Episode 14 isn't a season finale.
Thought Serenity was a real good movie but Firefly made it a great movie to me. I saw serenity first
the ending wasn't planed it just got cancelled and they stoped making it. that's the whole thing about this show, why it has become a cult.
You have to watch the movie now. Please.
I you truly want answers you have to watch Serenity... but be prepared for tears as it is effectively the end of the story
Yea that's the series, but you still have the movie.
Hey a fellow infp!
High five over the interwebs!!
I like that you mentioned early talks like river. I've always wondered if he's been through an earlier version of whatever they were trying to do to river
And the end. Until the movie.
Words, words and words. Sad. Bitter.
There are a very small number of series a person will watch more than once, this is at the very top of the list.
I had more to say, but, you need to watch the movie.
Quite the journey, yes?
All of my best wishes.
Cheers.
Please do a reaction video on the movie Serenity
Sad, sad, sad review, reaction and set
This show was a american knockoff of Cowboy Bebop but original enough and still Great.
Oh wow! I never even realized that’s what cowboy bebop was like
My least favorite episode. Not due to poor writing, acting, or anything of the sort, but because my personal experiences have soured me towards certain types of villainous behavior, and it comes into focus enough to make me feel physically ill in watching it. Sadly, when I watch through the series, I often skip this episode. But I am still glad other people like it. Despite my personal feelings about this one episode, "Firefly" is on a short list of my all-time favorite shows. Looking forward to your reaction to "Serenity"!