{"id":47,"date":"2008-02-10T00:00:02","date_gmt":"2008-02-10T05:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/?p=47"},"modified":"2022-12-05T18:19:20","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T23:19:20","slug":"finding-serenity-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/articles\/finding-serenity-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Serenity<\/em> Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

F<\/strong><\/span>or a TV series that died an unspectacular, mostly-unnoticed death at the hands of brain-dead Fox TV executives, Firefly<\/em> is proving to have a remarkably lively corpse. First it sold millions of copies as a 13-episode DVD collection, then this show of interest prompted Universal to back a movie based on the series. Another sign Firefly<\/em>\u2019s undeath is Finding Serenity<\/em>, a collection of essays deconstructing the series\u2019 complex heroes, intriguing plot lines and philosophical foundation.<\/p>\n

The soft-cover book consists of 22 essays compiled by editor Jane Espenson, who wrote the episode \u201cShindig\u201d and contributed to Whedon\u2019s earlier Buffy the Vampire Hunter <\/em>series for five years. Most of the essays in this book focus on analysis, figuring out what made Firefly <\/em>work, as well as speculations on what didn\u2019t <\/em>work. This later elevates the book above a mere collection of love letters to Whedon, and it\u2019s refreshing to hear the occasional disparaging words, even if I don\u2019t agree with them.<\/p>\n

The first of these essays Larry Dixon\u2019s \u201cThe Reward, the Details, the Devils, the Due\u201d, which explains that it was the little things \u2014 from the richly detailed set to how Whedon used this set to establish the tone of various scenes to the comfortable, easy-going dialogue that makes folks feel like they just came home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Heirs of Swaney Beane\u201d speculates on the nature of one of Firefly<\/em>\u2019s most disturbing \u2014 and rarely seen \u2014 villains: the monstrous barbarians known as the Reavers. Author Lawrence Watt-Evans compares the Reavers to the urban legend of Swaney Bean, who allegedly founded an extended clan of cannibals in the 1700s. His ruminations on how the Reavers \u2014 which as barbarians shouldn\u2019t be able to maintain a space-faring culture \u2014 provide plenty of food for thought. Of course, with Serenity<\/em>\u2019s release we learned much about how the Reavers were able to become and maintain a space fairing society, but having the answers doesn\u2019t lesson the essay\u2019s impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re All Just Floating in Space\u201d by Lyle Zynda explains the existentialist thinking behind the surreal episode \u201cObjects in Space\u201d, which revolves around objects and their meaning as River battles a bounty hunter sent to capture her. While I\u2019m not partial to that particular philosophy, this essay did help place the episode firmly in context.<\/p>\n

Space Hookers and Female Warriors<\/h2>\n

As I worked my way through the book, I found the analysis pieces revealing as much about Whedon fandom as they did about Firefly. <\/em>Scratch that; they definitely reveal more <\/em>about the followers of the Jossian Way, because prior to reading this book, I had no idea that Whedon\u2019s Buffy <\/em>and Angel <\/em>were so popular in feminist circles.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t particularly problematic, but many off the essays seem to assume that a) you understand the terminology and pre-existing arguments being used and b) you\u2019re versed in the feminist interpretations of Buffy <\/em>and Angel. <\/em>The essays are certainly readable without that understanding, but those with that background would probably find them easier to digest.<\/p>\n

Six essays that focus on genre roles, of which five are written from an explicitly mainstream feminist perspective. \u201cMore Than a Marriage of Convenience\u201d presents an analysis of why Wash and Zoe\u2019s marriage works, looking at how the geek pilot Wash\u2019s pilot and the soldier-turned-mercenary Zoe compliment one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cRe-imagining the Female Warrior\u201d argues that Zoe\u2019s the only female warrior on TV who isn\u2019t neutered or objectified in that role; she just is. I take issue with some of her analysis \u2014 I don\u2019t think the only sort of women that 18-30 year olds want to see is big-breasted, scantily clad superheroes (though that\u2019s certainly what Hollywood thinks we want to see), and I don\u2019t think that Dana Scully\u2019s character represents an androgenize female hero \u2014 but all in all it\u2019s a good essay.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhores and Goddesess\u201d explores the sexual archtypes surrounding Serenity\u2019s companion, Inara, delving deep into Earth\u2019s cultural history to do so. It\u2019s a fascinating read, all the more so because it\u2019s written by someone who can relate to Inara\u2019s role: Joy Davidson, Ph.D. and certified sex therapist\/marriage therapist. \u201cI Want Your Sex\u201d analyzes the balance of gender power in the Firefly universe, and finds it lacking. This essay is the one most deeply steeped in feminist thought and rhetoric, as well as the entirety of the Whedon universe mythology. It\u2019s an interesting read, because it is <\/em>so deeply immersed in its own viewpoint, and because I found myself often mentally arguing with its premises.<\/p>\n

These essays may reach divergent conclusions; but all come at the issues from feminist perspectives. There is one essay that attempts to offer a different view \u2014 \u201cJust Shove Him in the Engine\u201d, which discusses the nature of chivalry (or rather, the improper implementation of it) \u2014 but it reads almost like the obligatory right-wing, traditionalist essay thrown in as a token nod toward balance, and the editor clearly disliked it. I can\u2019t blame her too much \u2014 I disagreed with some of the writer\u2019s arguments as well \u2014 but as an attempt at balance, it fails miserably. An essay by someone like someone like Wendy McElroy of iFeminists, who approaches feminist issues from an individualist prospective and often challenges the standard dogma \u2014 would have truly expanded the book\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n

Political Jokes<\/h2>\n

The book breaks up its more intense and philosophical parts with humorous essays, some of which work, some of which don\u2019t. \u201cThe Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Firefly\u201d by Glenn Yeffeth unfolds as a series of mock memos that trick and explain the thinking behind the Fox execs that killed the series. It\u2019s amusing, but only just so. \u201cFirefly vs. The Tick\u201d by Don Debrandt is a humorous comparison of Firefly and The Tick animated series, and again, its amusing, but not fall-down funny. Several other comedic essays \u2014 including one in which the Serenity crew crosses over into the Star Trek universe, are included, but none of them felt particularly needed.<\/p>\n

They serve as a decent buffer between more serious subject matter, but it\u2019s a buffer I would happily have done with out, particularly if that space had been allocated to patching the book most glaring hole: politics.<\/p>\n

In direct contradiction of Star Trek\u2019s benevolent federation, Firefly introduced the Alliance, a massive governmental superpower that on its most benevolent days is a smothering, conformist nanny state. And on its worst, it uses its power to perform horrible experiments on its own subjects, while forcibly subjugating those who don\u2019t buy into its collectivist vision. This, as much as anything else, was one of the defining aspects of Firefly: it\u2019s distrust of the state and its motives. Now that can be interpreted in a variety of ways \u2014 I can see (and have heard) heartfelt arguments about what this means from liberal, conservative and libertarian perspectives, but none of these are addressed in the book.<\/p>\n

Instead, we get jokes about Fox executives\u2019 obsession with T&A.<\/p>\n

I would have loved some essays penned by contributors to the various mainstream political magazines, and while their absence here does not cripple the book, it certainly diminishes it.<\/p>\n

Final Analysis<\/h2>\n

Finding Serenity offers plenty of thoughtful examinations of a science fiction series many of us have come to love. While it has its flaws, it\u2019s still a good read and a worthwhile addition to any Firefly fan\u2019s library.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kenneth J. Newquist brings us a review of Jane Espenson’s unauthorized anthology of essays based on Joss Whedon’s Firefly<\/em> ’verse. — ed, N.E. Lilly<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,13],"tags":[35,54,75,126,36],"media":[299],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1182,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47\/revisions\/1182"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47"},{"taxonomy":"media","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?post=47"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}