Firefly 1.6 FAQ
What’s it called?
“Safe.”
Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” vet Drew Z. Greenberg (“Him”).
Isn’t this just the seventh episode to air? What’s this “1.6” business?
Fox is running these early, “stand-alone” episodes out of order, at least until midseason.
What did Herc say about this one in his Sept. 2 spoiler post?
Details have emerged on the fourth regular episode of “Firefly,” written by “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” scribe Drew Greenberg. Titled “Safe,” it deals with what happens when the Serenity’s supergenius doctor Simon chases after his severely traumatized, supersupergenius sister River and they get separated from the rest of the crew. They’re soon captured and dragged into the woods by backward, superstitious hillbillies who proclaim: “Got ourselves a doctor!”
This episode seems to definitively answer the question, “Is young River Tam in possession of bona fide psychic powers?”
The rest of the Serenity crew, meanwhile, seek out the help of an Alliance cruiser when the holy man, Book, is badly injured. The ship’s commander seems ready to tell Mal and Zoe to get lost – until a wincing Book unexpectedly hands the Alliance officers a scrap of “electronic paper.” Upon reading it, the Alliance commander orders: “Get this man to the infirmary at once.” The Serenity crew looks on, dumbfounded, as the wounded preacher is spirited away.
What does TV Guide say?
A battle with cattle dealers leaves Book in dire need of Simon's aid. Too bad the doctor - and his sister - is out of reach, having been abducted by hillbillies looking for a healer. Commander: Ron Ostrow. Gabriel: Robin Thomas. Doralee: Erica N. Tazel. Stark: John Thaddeus.
The big news?
There’s a “previously on ‘Firefly’” clip package! The weirder part is, a lot of the clips come from the as-yet-unaired two-hour pilot!
What is TV Guide not telling us?
As the clip package demonstrates, these early “stand-alone” episodes actually carry some continuity after all, and Fox’s decision to start showing these episodes out of order is starting to catch up with the storytelling. Kaylee’s affection for Simon is plainly evident, but we don’t see any of romantic interest Simon began showing Kaylee in “Jaynestown.” (Our intel tells us “Jaynestown” was produced subsequent to “Safe.”)
Do we learn the doctor’s connection with the Alliance?
This is as close as we get:
MAL: You like to tell me what really happened?
BOOK: I surely would. And maybe someday I will. It's good to be home.
Do we get more details on River?
This isn’t really River’s episode; it’s Simon’s. Besides numerous demonstrations of River’s astounding mental powers, we get this not-too-illuminating scrap of River dialogue: “I get confused. I remember everything. I remember too much, and... some of it's made up and... some of it can't be quantified, and there's secrets and..."
Any blue hands this week?
Only in the clip package.
What’s great?
We delve deeper into the enormity of the bond shared by River and Simon, and Simon’s heroic nature generally. Inara and Kaylee’s shopping trip. Jayne’s actions once the doctor is lost. The terrific flashbacks, which not only give us our first glimpse of a non-crazy River, but also establish the Tams’ parents as people who inexplicably seem to value their standing within the Alliance over the well-being of their offspring. To demonstrate how far the younger Tams have come, the child River is first seen playing “war” with the rebel independents (with whom Mal and Zoe fought) cast as the bad guys. One hopes we’ll see more of the elder Tams before anybody decides to prematurely pull the plug on this extraordinary show.
What’s not so great?
The timing of the Serenity’s nighttime rescue effort strains credulity, but serves its purpose.
How does it end, spoiler-boy?
Simon learns why the Serenity came back for him, and the crew sits down for chow.
Herc’s rating for “Firefly” 1.6?
***1/2
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
8 p.m. Friday. Fox.
