| Episode No. | Firefly Season 1, Episode 12 |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Vern Gillum |
| Written by | Joss Whedon & Tim Minear |
0:02 : There is no narration in this episode, for the second episode in row.
0:35 : The Barker trying to secure trade is played by Morgan Rusler, who also appeared in Mad Men and the excellent Galaxy Quest (1999).
0:49 : As you may have noticed, there are no aliens or extra-terrestrial life-forms in Firefly. This was done, in part, for practical reasons, but also to set the show apart from other science fiction shows, such as Star Trek: Enterprise which was also on the air at the same time.
1:50 : Kaylee and Simon seem to be teetering on the edge of their first date – until Kaylee misinterprets his compliment as an insult. Back to square one, Doctor Tam!
2:56 : Kaylee sarcastically asks Simon in Mandarin “Why don’t you tell the cow about its beautiful eyes?”
3:00 : Wash in this scene is amazing. Alan Tudyk‘s comedic timing and delivery is always spot on, but this scene is particularly laugh-out-loud funny. Even Zoe gives her husband an odd look.
3:28 : Mal has tried unsuccessfully to find a buyer for the Lassiter, which they stole from Durran Haymer in Trash. Inara thinks it’s too noticeable an item.
4:10 : Amnon greets Mal like an old friend; presumably Mal makes this journey for mail regularly. He also wears a Jewish kippah on his head. He’s played by actor Al Pugliese. He reunited with Nathan Fillion on Castle in 2010 and died in 2021.
5:29 : Jayne’s mother sends him a lovely letter, complete with a crocheted hat to keep his head warm. The crew think it’s ridiculous, but Jayne loves it, as did actor Adam Baldwin. The fans also started making their own once the series had concluded.
6:14 : Jonathan M. Woodward may look familiar. He’s been around the Mutant Enemy shows a few times now, turning up in Buffy‘s Conversations With Dead People as vampire Holden Webster and on Angel as the treacherous Knox. He plays Mal’s former soldier, Tracey Smith, in this episode.
7:18 : Per the caption, this is 7 years ago, during the Battle of Du-Khang in 2510.
9:22 : A great moment: Zoe tells Tracey that the first rule of battle is not to let the enemy know their location. Seconds later, Mal, their superior officer, comes in shooting, yelling for the enemy to come for him!
12:46 : There are advertisements for the Blue Sun Corporation on the outside of the space station.
15:15 : Officer Womack is played by Richard Burgi. As an actor he’s been in over 100 episodes of General Hospital and over a 100 more of The Young and the Restless. He was Susan Meyer’s ex husband Karl on Desperate Housewives and also guest starred on Castle.
17:56 : Look closely to Kaylee’s left when she’s listening to Tracey’s last words in her hammock in the engine room: there’s an action figure of Star Wars‘ Han Solo, encased in carbonite, on her shelf.
19:26 : This scene with Mal and Zoe toasting and laughing over their departed friend was the first scene filmed after the cast were told of the series’ cancellation. As two friends mourning a lost one, the scene felt oddly appropriate.
21:30 : Mal automatically thinks the Feds are pursuing them over the stolen Lassiter. Inara wonders aloud if Saffron sold them out. Saffron was last seen in a trash compactor, awaiting arrest in Isis Canyon on Bellerophon, as seen in the last episode.
23:25 : Surprise! Tracey is alive, having sedated himself to simulate death!
24:07 : There’s a tattoo of a blue sun on Tracey’s back. Good thing Tracey is never around River…
30:34 : Book uses whatever knowledge he has about Alliance troops and assignments in the local space. He’s also the one who realises that Womack is acting without authorisation and the one who talks him down at the episode’s conclusion. Not the role of a Preacher, but definitely more like an officer…
34:36 : Wash calls for his mother in Mandarin when he realises how close the ship is to danger during Womack’s chase.
42:26 : The crew of Serenity fulfil their promise to their fallen comrade and return his body to his family. Series creator Joss Whedon makes a cameo amongst the mourners.
42:26 : The score here was Greg Edmondson‘s favourite piece on the series. This episode was the last episode filmed and was in the process of shooting when the cast were informed the series was cancelled. As a result, the final funeral scene was made all the more poignant for the cast, the crew and, finally, the audience.
The Watcher's Guide 