Posted: 7/2/2008 12:04:16 AM EDT
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Just got the movie Serenity, but I haven't seen the Firefly series yet. I know I could look it up, but I don't want to come across any spoilers. Do I have to watch the series before the movie? ETA Update: Found the series at the library, just finished it today. Took the advice from here and watched it before the movie. I'm a little pissed that that's all there is to see. Great show. I have the movie ready to go, but I think I'm going to save it for tomorrow. Maybe I'll even bounce back to Stargate for a bit before I watch Serenity. I have Ark of Truth to watch still. Either way I get to see Morena Baccarin, so I guess that's a win all around.  ETA2: Watched the movie today. It was very good, but in a different way. I am glad I watched the series first though. There was a whole pile of terms and events that I would have been clueless to without the series first. I'm really hooked on some of the Firefly/Serenity music too, especially the main theme. At the end of the credits of Serenity, they played kind of a downbeat, acoustic version of the main theme. Took me a while to figure out how to do it, but I pulled that tune and saved it as an MP3 so I can add it to my playlists. Oh, and I'm currently somewhere between the sad and mad stage of withdrawal. |
+1 The series is awesome, but the movie is written well enough that it stands on its own quite well. |
BTW if you want to watch it online Hulu.com has the complete series. |
Actually yes and no. The movie covers the beginning of the story to conclusion. The series is all the adventures in the middle. They compliment each other and can stand alone. |
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You will be incomplete without the series. I don't mean your understanding of the storyline will be incom-plete. You will be incomplete. After watching the series you will find yourself quoting one-liners from the series. You will wish you had a crappy town where you were a hero. You will call her Vera. You will learn that a pretty floral bonnet can be worn in a manly way. A home-made knit cap can tell everybody you aren't afraid of anything. Get it. You will thank me. |
| To be honest, I watched the series first after I bought it for my husband. I couldn't wait to see Serenity. We own a copy of that as well. IMHO, you can watch the movie w/out watching the series but watching the series helps. It really was a great series, Fox just fucked it over, |
My favorite - "If someone tries to kill you, then you try to kill them right back". Someone should be slapped silly for cancelling that show. |
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It would be preferred to watch the series first. Then you understand the relationships between the characters better. However, if you just can't wait, it is not really necessary. In fact, if you watch the movie, then the series, then the movie again, it will probably be like watching two different movies! ETA: I think the dialog in the series and the film is phenomenal. Character development and creating a character driven show were Joss's strengths. "My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle" ETA2: Brohawk was right. I wish I had a crappy town where I was the hero. |
no it doesn't, the movie starts after the end of the series, inara and book are already gone at the begining of the movie. |
$17 at Amazon. Free shipping if you buy something to bring it to $25. |
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Because the library here has the Firefly series on DVD, someone must have donated it. I figured I'd just borrow it from there for free first, but it hasn't been there since the first time I saw it there.  Bottomline, I know, I should have just bought both.  Thanks to everyone for the replies. 
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Yep. Might as well rent or buy the Firefly series b/c you'll be hooked. Currently on sale for $17 at Amazon. Edit: dammit, beaten by Hamel. He must be a FatWallet member too. 
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There is a lot more Chinese in the series. Google will turn up several sites with translations of such notable phases as "Explosive diarrhea of an elephant!" BTW, buy the series. You will get in trouble if you borrow it from the library, then can't bring yourself to return it. Having your own copy will be... comforting. |
You SHOULD....but you do not have to. I bought the series and the movie and watched the series and then the film. It left a GREAT impression that way. Phenomenal show....mind you, the first three episodes give you a general feel for the characters so it takes a bit to "get into it" but once you do..... |
Watched movie then series. It's like Star Wars, you can watch 'em in any order
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| From what I've read and from what I've seen(firefly is one of the few shows ill crack out every coupla months to rewatch) The movie is supposed to be a conclusion of sorts, but its also off a bit in some of the details(cant remember any off the type of mah head) In that it doesnt follow the story so far to the hilt... its a might different...... So its basically a standalone for all intents and purposed |
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Serenity left the story line open for another installment, but unfortunately the box office proceeds weren't enough to go ahead with a second movie. I tried to do my part on opening day, taking the afternoon off work to catch the first show, then seeing it again in the evening with the wife & daughter, then buying the DVD when it was released. Sometimes I hear rumors of Whedon working on another movie, but I won't get my hopes up until I see something solid. |
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Update: Found the series at the library, just finished it today. I took the majority of opinions here as advice and went with the series first. I'm a little pissed that that's all there is to see. Great show. I have the movie ready to go, but I think I'm going to save it for tomorrow. Maybe I'll even bounce back to Stargate for a bit before I watch Serenity. I have Ark of Truth to watch still. Either way I get to see Morena Baccarin, so I guess that's a win all around.
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The denial stage is pretty quick. You get into anger and stay there for a while. Those of us who saw the series prior to the movie had a tool for bargaining, but that's no longer available to you. Depression will last a little while, but... ...when you reach the acceptance stage, you'll realize that canceling the show is the best thing that ever happened to it. It will never jump the shark, and you can watch it over and over on DVD realizing just how perfect it really is. |
| Yep, chipping my two cents in for buying and watching the series before you purchase and watch the movie. It does broaden the character development better by understanding how things came about. And the revolving humor, Holy shit. What a blast. It's one of the few, if not the only series I can watch over and over again. |
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Jayne: Six men came to kill me one time. And the best of 'em carried this. It's a Callahan full-bore auto-lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge. It is my very favorite gun. [he holds the gun out to Mal] Mal: You offering me a trade? Jayne: A trade? Hell, it's theft. This the best gun made by man. It has *extreme* sentimental value. It's miles more worthy 'n what you got! Mal: What I got? She has a name. Jayne: So does this. I call it Vera.  Mal: Well, my days of not takin' ya seriously are certainly comin' to a middle. |