Wednesday, January 23, 2008

No See TV: Life Without Cable part I

So my dearest Jimmy Eat World and I got rid of cable. We decided we wanted to spend more time time sitting and staring into each others eyes or writing poetry...can you hear Honey Bunch retching right now? But really, the expense just wasn't merited, we weren't watching anything worthwhile and wanted to be watching less anyway. TV was just serving as a distraction from life and from each other. So we canceled it and because we live in the Hobbit Hole our bunny ears only gets PBS and if you squint you can make out CBS, NBC and ABC- and that is with tin foil and a precariously balanced fork. Now I can't be expected to just sit and do nothing on nights when Jimmy Eat World is working his late hours so I get things to watch from Netflix. For a mere $16 a month we get 3 movies at one time unlimited plus all I want to watch online! As I go through my viewings I'll give you a little review of what I'm watching.





This month will be my Firefly Review.

Firefly was created by Writer/Director Joss Whedon who also did Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Angel series. Joss Weadon is an excellent writer director and this shows in all his work. The thing I like about him is that he keeps you guessing and no one is ever safe. He will kill off people you love therefore you are always on the edge of your seat wondering.

When you think Firefly think space cowboys with hearts of gold. This series only ran for one season but had such a hardcore fan base that after it was canceled they came out with the full length motion picture Serenity to wrap up where the series left off. This movie was fairly successful and opened at number two. Think about that- a major motion picture coming out of a short lived canceled series. Pretty cool huh?

Meet Malcolm Reynolds, renegade smuggler captain of the Firefly ship named Serenity and former Sargent in the war between the Alliance and the Independents. He was on the losing side and Serenity starts around 6 years after the war. Zoe is his first mate as she was in the war with him and always calls him Captain. She is totally sassy, she fights, slings pistols, is smart and funny and totally hot. She's married to Wash, who pilots Serenity and adores her to no end and he's very funny!




Jayne, who is your shiftless no-good, back-stabbing, pig-stealing hornball jerk. He's likable because he's super funny but he'd sell his mother if the price was right. Occasionally his conscious creeps in on him and you can see him struggling to cope with the feelings of guilt that are not something he's used to. Kaylee is a cute down homey girl who is a wiz mechanic, good hearted and has a serious crush on the Doctor.





The non-crew inhabitants are Inara, who "rents" space in the ships pod and is a registered companion which is essentially a very high class call girl but more respectable and sought after. There are sparks that fly between her and Mal quite a bit.



Simon, the Doctor and River, his sister are what often ends up complicating the lives of the crew of Serenity. Simon enters as a wealthy doctor looking for transport but you find out that he rescued his sister from an elite school of sorts and is now wanted by the Alliance.



River is a very psychologically damaged girl and he tries to figure out what happened to her so he can help treat her. Their relationship is very loving and you come to understand that he gave up his whole life to try to save his little sister.



Shepherd Book is the Preacher Man. He's funny, knows more about politics, guns and such than you would expect from someone living in an abbey to know. There is more to him than meets the eye. Together they make up a little family/community on board their ship and you can see they have genuine affection for one another.

One of the things I love most about this show is the opening song that plays with the credits, this was written by Joss as well. It sounds like an old cowboy singing about independence and I can't stop myself from singing along each time it plays. Watching it just now made me a little...weepy almost...I just really grew to love these characters and I'm sad that this show was so short lived. ...sigh.



You HAVE to watch the opening credits below if for no other reason but to hear the great theme song.





Firefly is well written, the characters are compelling and the dialogue is really funny. It's good men (and women) in hard times still doing what is right because its right. Its a shame it only lasted one season.
****************************************
5 of 5 stars.
some sexual situations
partial nudity (like the side of an ass or a bare back)
Violence...lots of it but not gory.



...what? There's a writers strike? I hadn't noticed! During this programing drought what are you doing with your time while you wait for the latest episode of Desperate Housewives?
What's that? You want to comment? Just click on the itty-bitty words below that say "Gimme Some Sugar". Can you see them? Good. We can't wait to chat with you.

15 comments:

Sister Honey Bunch/Judi maloney said...

I think I just threw up in my mouth! You guys are such mush balls.

Ok, I am a TV-aholic. That's right. I'll own it. I can always find something good to watch.

For instance, Top This Party on Lifetime. It's my current obsession. If you have cable, watch it this Friday at 10pm. and see how insane people with too much money and time on their hands get when they hire a party planner. So. Good.

Wanna come watch with me Sassy?

Ashlee said...

I've had no cable, cable, Satellite...you get the idea. We are actually going from Dish Network to Cable TODAY. I honestly think I would go insane without it. It entertains my daughter when I need a momentary babysitter :0) and fills the empty spaces when I don't want to do what I'm supposed to be doing. Think of how much MORE time I would be online if it weren't for HGTV, E!, and the Food Network. They are my favorites!
I've never even heard of Firefly. The theme song sounded like it belonged to an old western, not a space cowboy kind of show. :0)

Sister Sassy said...

stop gagging Honey, Ashlee- the song fits with the show perfect though. There is even an episode where the crew has to smuggle a bunch of cattle. :)

Leesa said...

Sister Sassy: thanks for stopping by my blog today. Netflix sounds good - but I actually use the public library to watch many movies. I don't really care if I am the first to see the new "fill in the blank here" movie, so it works out great for me.

I don't watch TV, but I used to purchase DVDs - then I thought about them eventually hitting the landfill. So I sort of stopped it.

Julie Julie Bo Boolie said...

Love love LOVE Firefly... I still get all teary every time we watch it thinking about how there are no more and never will be :(

Welcome to life without cable.. it's really not so bad once you get used to it :)

(a fellow Beck Fan)

Jim Burke II said...

I was a little reluctant to watch this show (like many things my dearest Sassy recommends me to do ;) But Firefly is a good show, good charater developement, some comedy, and lots of good story lines to keep you interested.

And I have to say that last week my Sassy was able to get in a football game for me using tin foil, some precarious balancing, and clothes, boxes, and the TV as a base. Thanks again for the 'MacGuyvering' there ;)

Anonymous said...

I'm with Honey Bunch. I think my cable/netflix bill is more than my mortgage payment! I'm watching an OnDemand movie right now; The Yard. Jouquain Phoenix, James Caan, and I think the Wahlberg guy. Earlier I watched an episode of Arrested Development that I recorded while at work, and tomorrow I'll watch Project Runway that will record tonight, since I can't stay up late enough to watch it. TV Rocks!

Beck said...

We cancelled our cable once and then I got pregnant and ended up on BED REST. Hello, cable!

Sister Sassy said...

Beck- I was in the same boat as you-Bedrest- but it was impossible to get cable so Hello Dish Network.

Sister Honey Bunch/Judi maloney said...

When I was on bedrest I would watch TLC A Baby Story constantly. Then the channel went out. Oh, the wrath of a hormonal woman. I called the cable company demanding that they fix it. Now.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love Firefly! I found it when I was in a similar situation (ie no cable) through Netflix. Have you seen Serenity? It just makes me so sad this show was cancelled...
Good luck with the no t.v. watching and the Netflix!

Unknown said...

We don't have a cable outlet in one of our bedrooms but discovered that if you connect one end of coax cable to your tv and put foil on the other end of the coax, you can pick up all the local channels in HD. Crystal clear reception and no bunny ears. :)

Sister Sassy said...

Betty, if that works I'll kiss you on the mouth. I HAVE to try it. Actually I have made a VCR work with a TV with nothing but a trail of paperclips from one to the other- awesome huh!

Unknown said...

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