Hey, I've been here a year. by empressPirk

TALK STORY

Hey, I've been here a year.

POSTED BY: EMPRESSPIRK
UPDATED: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 11:31
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VIEWED: 2118
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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 9:25 AM

Hi, everyone. I just wanted to say it’s been a fun year. Shiny even.

I joined this board a year ago and today is a sort of my “official” one year anniversary as a Browncoat. Well , I actually lurked almost a month before I joined so I was a fan even before that. But anyway, I don’t think I started the “Hey, I’m new here” thread for myself back then. I just jumped right in without properly introducing myself. So I thought I’d do it now and say thanks.

First the thanks:

I tend to lurk more than contribute but just reading everyone’s posts, especially the Firefly related threads but also the other stuff, has been so great. I love reading the reviews, conversion stories, “hi, another newbie here” -threads, Favorite nonverbal Character moments, 10 things I learned watching Firefly, cheesy polls, all that. So, thanks. This is an awesome community and it’s just good to know I’m not alone and insane when I adore a tv-show so much.

Also, special thanks to people who have ever written convention, test screening reports, shared the funny stories, photos, made mp3s, videos available for the rest of us. And to those who take time to type newspaper, magazine articles or scan them and then share those with us. I for one really appreciate it.

The Fanfic: I never read any fan fiction before Firefly so thanks for that too. There’s some amazing stuff out there.

The Blue Sun Room: Some pretty, great, funny stuff in there as well. Thanks for the wallpapers, posters and the laughs.

One more thing: I owe a big Thank You to all Browncoats who posted good comments about Farscape here and other boards. I never would have stared watching it if it weren’t for you guys. Also thanks for the heads up on Lost, Battlestar Galactica and Wonderfalls.

Yeah, I think that’s it. I’ve been here a year and looks like I won’t be leaving anytime soon. When will that possible sequel get released? 2007?

There’re more ramblings ahead. How I got into Firefly and such.

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 9:25 AM

EMPRESSPIRK

Now this I should have posted a year ago:

Hi, I’m new here.

I love sci-fi, never had any problems with westerns, I think Far eastern cultures and aesthetics are fascinating and I’ve also watched, enjoyed and even loved Buffy and Angel so loving Firefly was easy once I stopped trying to watch the episodes with my eyes closed. Don’t ask, just read on.

So Firefly aired here and I’m very grateful it did cause I wouldn’t be here otherwise. Although I am a fan of Joss Whedon’s other shows I never would have bought Firefly DVDs on my own nor even downloaded the episodes from the net. But I’m a Browncoat now and in my book Firefly is the best tv-series ever. Period. Based on the quality and merits of the show as well as my own personal love and affection for it. Buffy and Angel are wonderful but between vampire dusting/demon a$$-kicking and spaceships, spaceships win.

What comes to getting hooked on Firefly it wasn’t love at first sight for me. I wouldn’t call it difficult either just... it was just kinda sleepy. I’ll put the whole story into my third post. It’s not your usual saw the guy get kicked into an engine and I was hooked – story.

Now I’ve heard people say they love Firefly but they still dislike some of the characters. Call me lucky or easy to please but I love the whole crew. River is not annoying, Kaylee is not too cheerful, Mal is not an a$$, Inara is not boring and neither are Zoe or Book. Well, Jayne is a jerk but the first Firefly episode I really saw was Jaynestown so I was never given a proper opportunity to hate him. None of the characters had to grow on me. I love them all.

And what comes to the favorite and least favorite episodes I don’t have those. I got my most and least watched episodes but all 14 episodes are great. Some are maybe better than others but really the biggest problem is that there are only 14 of them.

And yes, I. Hate. Fox.

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 9:27 AM

EMPRESSPIRK

Okay, this is how I got into Firefly:

I was really excited when I heard Firefly was going to be on tv. It was another Joss show and it was sci-fi so odds were good that I would like it. So the day came, I sat in front of the tv, excited and ready to watch The Train Job. I don’t know if it was the fast pace or all the information I was supposed to process immediately but I definitely wasn’t hooked. And about half way through the episode…it’s not like I made a conscious decision that I’m gonna close my eyes for just a second but it was late and I was tired and I kinda dozed off. And when I opened my eyes again the end credits were rolling. The only thing I remember clearly was the amused wtf was that reaction to the theme song. It was just not like anything I was expecting to hear. (Now I do think it is one of the most endearing theme songs ever.)

So I wasn’t hooked but I wasn’t about to give up either. I knew I should at least watch the entire episode to make up my mind. Week later with Bushwhacked the same thing happened. After 15-20 minutes I was sleeping. Week after that Our Mrs. Reynolds was like this: Oh, the captain got himself a wife...zzzzzzzzzzz...oh, captains new naked wife is evil and up to no good…zzzzzzzzzzz ...end credits. I could say the sedative Saffron used was powerful enough to put me asleep but I sort of regained consciousness right before that scene came on. And I wasn’t hooked.

I taped Jaynestown next week and it was the first episode I saw from beginning to the end. I liked it and thought it was funny but I didn’t get everything. I was still trying to get to know the characters and for example you don’t really know why River is the way she is and there are other things you don’t know to appreciate. I enjoyed Jaynestown a lot more when I saw it again later. Bottom line: I still wasn’t completely hooked.

Out of Gas...I didn’t tape it because after having seen Jaynestown I thought I wouldn’t fall asleep again. But guess what…I did and I was really kicking myself afterwards. I knew from the teaser this was something awesome. The stillness, emptiness, blood dripping through the grating, everything just left me with the sense of wow. But it was probably the jumping between the present, flashbacks and yesterday that made it a little confusing and I slept through most of the episode. Yes, you can laugh but as you can tell by the kicking I was a little hooked.

Now by this time I had already been here and learned some things. I knew there was a movie coming. I knew the Train Job wasn’t the real pilot. I knew the episode order was a mess. But after Out of Gas I stayed a little longer, learned a little more, read some episode recaps and scared myself for a minute thinking I might have slept through Ariel (I read a comment about that episode containing one of the creepiest killing methods ever shown on tv). And I learned there were other people out there who loved this series a lot.

You know what I needed to get completely hooked. Read the script for Serenity. Being able to read it at my own pace and focus on things. That most watched episode of mine, it’s Serenity and my favorite part of it: the scene where Kaylee gets shot. And here’s why:

I’m very much lacking in imagination, that’s been tested and proven right here on this very site but I still could hear just by reading the script the anger in Mal’s voice, the worry and concern in Inara’s, the desperation in Simon’s, the pain, delirium in Kaylee’s, the calmness, the take-care-of-the-situation-first, all-soldier tone in Zoe’s, the utter coolness in Book’s, the menace in Jayne’s and a bit later when River comes out of the box the panic and fear in hers. After I finished reading I knew I wanted more than anything to see that episode. And when I finally did…man, this was the pilot episode and they really shouldn’t have been that good. Oh, and Wash had already had me at “and we will call it…This Land.” I was definitely hooked after reading that script.

I saw Shindig next, nice episode, loved the cows in the end and had no trouble staying awake.

And Safe, Safe will always be for me the episode when I realized I loved this show. It also started to dawn on me for the first time what Fox had done and what it would really mean. That feeling got worse by each of following episodes I saw.

That’s how I became a Browncoat. I ordered the DVD set before they had finished showing the series and I’ve been here ever since. Mostly lurking and waiting for Serenity. Damn, I have never ever anticipated a movie this badly.

Ps. My least watched episode: Heart of Gold. Don’t like Rance Burgess. He’s not as cuddly a villain as Niska and Early are. And the other thing: Dr. Tam has only about four minutes of screen time in that episode which just isn’t enough.

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 9:53 AM

ODDNESS2HER

Happy Anniversary! And many more!

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 9:59 AM

PHOEBE

WOOT! Happy aniversary! I haven't been here as long as you BUT it's awesome to see someone who's been around for a while and is still posting.

I smell a par-tay!

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 10:23 AM

CHANNAIN

i DO aim to misbehave

Quote:
Originally posted by empressPirk:
Hi, everyone. I just wanted to say it’s been a fun year. Shiny even.

I joined this board a year ago and today is a sort of my “official” one year anniversary as a Browncoat.

*pouring really fresh wine*

Well this is WAY overdue, isn't it? Happy anniversary bao bei!

*passes the cup and raises her own for a toast*

May there be many more of them ahead.

Fans come and fans go...but zealots are with you until the bitter black end.
I draw...therefore I am. http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922
Minnesota Meetup - join us! http://firefly.meetup.com/45/

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 11:18 AM

EMPRESSPIRK

Quote:
May there be many more of them ahead.

Xie xie. Yep, I really, really hope we get that trilogy.

And thanks for the wine, Channain.

Edit 4.16.2006: Just a little note to self. Two years now. Serenity was great, not as adorable as Firefly but... I still woudn't mind if we got more.

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Wednesday, April 13, 2005 11:31 AM

MANWITHPEZ

Important people don't do field work.

Hey, I've almost been here a year...Got about 6 weeks to go!

Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."

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