Browncoats discussion

It's gotten very quiet around here again! I guess it's time for another easy or not-so-easy question for everyone. Which Firefly character is your favorite and why? I think Serenity could also be included as a character choice here. Can you limit your choice to just one favorite? I never can. :)

Currently my top favorite is Jayne. I didn't like him much the first time I watched the series, but he grows on me more each time I watch any of the episodes - especially Jaynestown.

I also love Kaylee. She's such a happy and positive person.

So, now it's your turn. Who is your favorite?

I have to go with Zoe. She is strong, beautiful and knows who she is. BUT...that's today. Any other day, its Mal, for the same reasons. I have to say, were I to run into Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, I would have to run away with him. :) They are all great characters, tho. Jayne is typically my second favorite. There is such a duality with all of the characters. Everyone has a secret, everyone has more going on than meets the eye, good and bad. I love it!

All the characters were great but for my favorite, it's between Mal and Wash.

For Mal, it's hard not to like him. He shoots, has a sense a humor and doesn't really care what other people think. Just an overall badd-ass with a great sense of loyalty and responsibility.

Wash was the most "regular" person on the show and therefore the easiest to relate to. He was a goofball that happened to work with his wife. He did not bring with him any crazy background, that we know of. His personality also complimented the crew nicely portraying how ordinary people would most likely react to extreme situations. He also gets bonus points because of the movie, "Serenity".

Welcome to the group, James! I like your analysis of both Mal and Wash. Well put. I agree on all points. In fact, it was Wash and his dinosaurs that first made me love the show.

Joanne - that's so true! Everyone does have more going on than meets the eye. I bet we would have even found out some secrets about Wash if the series had continued.

There are even things that seemed to have explanations that were deliberately misleading. I'm thinking specifically of Inara and the box of what I assumed to be some sort of poison in case she had to kill herself. They talk in the commentary to that episode that we were meant to assume that, but there was an entirely different explanation - and who knows if we will ever find out the real explanation for that.

hmmmmm... a good friend of mine (who dosent like the Net, so she wont join Good reads) LOVES River to such an extent that she want to open a mental helth place called River Grotto... but me i like Saffern im pretty sure i got the spelling wrong, but 1) she is hot and 2) she is ruthless.

Ahhh...yes. River is freakin' AWESOME! Its good to hear from you James and Olin, as it seems its mostly Luann and I here these days. Back to the subject~ I had heard that Joss had intended to touch on Booke's character...obviously SO much more going on with that character too. I have not checked out the graphic novels for Firefly, do they touch on some of the character backrounds that we didn't get to see before? I was hoping that, like Buffy, they would have done "Tales of Serenity" in continuation of the the stories, backstories and the like.

i hope so! after seeing all the epasodes my #1 question was "who the heck is Book REALLY???

Welcome to the group, Olin!

Joanne, it looks like we will eventually be getting more information on Book. The next comic book miniseries planned will be "A Shepherd's Tale" and will presumably be the long-awaited backstory to Shepherd Book. I posted more information about the other graphic novels and a link to the online-only comic called "The Other Half" here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...

Also, speaking of Shepherd Book, they revealed some tidbits about him at a Browncoat Cruise. Read more information here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...

It's been a while since anyone was around on this post also, but since I just joined this group, I wanna add my two cents too. Even though it seems no one will talk back to me and the discussion went elsewhere, I want to say my favorite character, hands down was Wash :)
When I watched the series, it was already out on DVD, so I never actually saw it on regular tv. I watched it from first episode to last, and then the movie.
Wash was my favorite and when I saw the movie, I cried like you can't imagine. Every single time...

anyways, Mal is my second favorite, Jayne my third, Zoe after him. Then its random order, except Kaylee. I don't like Kaylee much. She'd be at the bottom of my list :)

Hi, Cindy! Welcome to the group! I like Wash, too. In fact, watching his dinosaur scene for the first time was when I knew that I was going to love Firefly.

How come you like Jayne so much yet list Jaynestown as your least favorite episode? I'm just curious. For me, Jaynestown is one of the main reasons why I like Jayne so much. We get to know him more in that episode than in most of the others.

It's strange but I couldn't help but like Jayne, even though he was a jerk. It's a love/hate relationship between me and him :)
And as for "Jaynestown", I dunno what it is about that one specific episode, but I kind of don't see it as moving the story along. I feel like the series could've been great without it. I watch it regardless, because I love the whole series, but I just can't help to feel anxious to get it over with, and move on.
The episode that made me like Jayne at all is "Ariel" because even though, yes, he betrayed the whole crew and then tried to lie about it, when Mal is gonna have him sucked out into space, he asks him to not tell the rest what he did. That kind of just touched my heart, like "Aww...Jayne isn't a heartless *bleep* that kills people and only cares about himself and money."
And also, because he wears the hat his mother made him, regardless of how silly he looked in it :)

I like to watch "Chuck" on NBC simply because it has Jayne on it and he still plays a very Jayne-like character.

I do love that part with Jayne and the hat his mother made. "Pretty cunning, don'tchya think?" :)

There is a lady out of Canada, I think< that knits Jayne hats. She packages them out in the same way--with the straw and a replica letter from mom! One of my students (a fourth grader) had gotten one from her dad after I turned him on to the show. I will get the link for you to order your own Jayne hat!
:)

That sound so awesome, I want a Jayne hat :)
I did hear that he plays a similar role in that "Chuck" show, but I haven't had a chance to check it out...

I've seen those hats for sale on E-Bay. I bet it's the same lady!
Jayne is my favorite for all the reasons listed above. He is just sooo... scoundrelly! (yeah, I know, I made that word up)
My second favorite would have to be Kaylee. She is so sweet, but not a goody-goody. I love how her character walks that line so effortlessly!
My least favorite character is Simon. I admire his loyalty and fealty, but... he's such a cold fish! I think Kaylee would have warmed him up, given enough episodes, so I feel it's a pity. Doesn't make me like him anymore, though!

my favorite is a three-way tie between Jayne, Wash, an Mal. I love how wash can make anything funny.

Welcome to the group, Jack! I have a hard time picking just one favorite, too. There are things I like about all the characters. They make such a great ensemble cast!

I know!

I love all of the characters, but when it comes to a favorite it's hands down Captain Mal. I like that he follows his own moral code and not the one championed by society. Like most fascinating characters, he's not easily categorized as a good guy or a bad guy yet you still get the impression that he tries to do the right and just thing but doesn't always succeed. Plus, he's just freakin' hilarious.

I'm with Kandice. My least favorite character, the only one I care nothing about, is Simon. He's admirable in his obvious care for his sister but *yawn* he's just so Simon.

I know! I want to like him, because he is so loyal, and he obviuosly gave up everything for his sister, but... My favorite thing about Mal, is the way he handles and refers to River. He knows she is trouble for him and his crew, but still, he keeps he on board, and even encourages girl like behaviour when he can. Some of the things he says after her fits are just great!

I'm reviving this thread! I'm rereading Serenity: The Official Visual Companion and it's reminding me of what I love about this show, and the movie, too, of course. And really at the heart of it all is its characters. I love love love Mal, as well as Kaylee and Jayne (who I mentioned above). But another character who is always there and vital to the show is the ship Serenity. The characters even interact with her and talk about her as if she were a person they interact with.

I cannot choose at all. I like all of them except Jayne. Well, he's all right. He's like Kuwabara from Yuu Yuu Hakusho for me which isn't so bad. I really like Wash's and Mal's jokes, Kaylee's optimism, Simon's way of swearing (LOL), Inara is beautiful, Zoe and Book are cool, and River is that cool sort of creepy if you know what I mean. You can't help liking it or laughing at some of the things she says. And Serenity is an awesome boat. (I got everyone right? Main characters that is...)

Can't decide. Even if you put a gun to my head, i'll be hardpressed to pick a favourite. I like them all. Mal, Inara, Kaylee, Wash, Zoe, Book, River, Simon, Jayne and even Serenity herself....they each have qualities that you like and dislike, but when you put them all together, it's just a great team!

I lov mal he is comic and charming and doesn't know if he has done something wrong... charming.. bu i also love Simon and Jayne... All rond they are all great chracters.. love em all...:)

Okay, Anastasia and Jeannie, no fair picking ALL of them as your favorite!! :) Although I did pick more than one, so I guess I can't say much.

Yeah I do love them all.... But now that I think bout it I really like Kaylee, and I love Inara's hair.... so beautiful...

Simon, Wash and Jayne would have to be my top three. But I like all of the main characters (although it took me awhile to warm up to Mal).

Jayne is by far my favorite from the show! :D He's just too adorable in that hat!

Yeah, Jayne's hilarious.
"We're gonna /explode/? I don't wanna explode."

Alienne wrote: "Yeah, Jayne's hilarious.
"We're gonna /explode/? I don't wanna explode.""

That and "Shiny...let's be bad guys!"

I'd have to say that Mal and River are my favourite characters. Part of my appreciation of Mal comes from one of the special features on the DVD, where they're talking about how he doesn't have any huge goals or dreams, but he's not going to just drop dead, he's going to continue. I like that he's not afraid to stand up to the government, and I find it interesting how protective he is of his crew.

I find River interesting not just because she is brilliant, but because she is still a person, if that makes sense.

Darbus wrote: "I'd have to say that Mal and River are my favourite characters. Part of my appreciation of Mal comes from one of the special features on the DVD, where they're talking about how he doesn't have an..."

I also love Mal because of this, he's just so awesome :)

They're all so amazing! Choosing is just so hard. :(

1. Kaylee
2. Simon
3. Wash
4. Book

(Those four are all very, very close.)

Then there is a solid tie between everyone else.

Hmm I totally agree they are all so amazing! Its so hard to choose! I do love Simon though..

Hands down, my favorite is Mal, followed closely by Wash. Just love every scene they're in.

I love them all but I'd have to go with River. She's just concentrated awesomeness. Plus, I can relate to crazy teenage girls.

Aww itt's Jayne all the way. He's just so him. No apoligies.And he may be a jerk,but have you ever noticed how protective he is of who he considers to be his crew. He would have killed that lawman in a flash to get revenge for Kaylee. And did you see how he ran to get the doc when Sheerd Book was dying. He doesn't show it much, but when he does you can see that he has deep personel loyalties to those he considers family. Shoot he still sends home money to his mother. And he comes up with the funniest one liners.
Wash is the funniest and I cried like a baby in the theater when they did what they did to him.
Zoe is the toughest And I cried like a baby in the theater for her.
Mal is the strongest. And I would follow him anywhere.
But I gotta say I love Jayne the most. He is so basic. The primal man in all of us. With a funny twist.

Love that, Debra!! Great tribute to Jayne. He wasn't a top favorite the first time I watched the show, but he grows on me more and more each time I watch it. He definitely has a lot of hidden depth.

Thanks. Couldn't wait to see what he was gonna say next when I was whatching for the first time. My honeybear always gives me Jayne's one liners when he wants to see me smile. He was just so funny. " I call her Vera." I about all out of my chair everytime I hear that one.

I am torn between Kaylee and Wash. Kaylee is so sweet and innocent that reminds me of me. Wash is just darn funny. The whole cast is perfect but those little moments that Kaylee and Wash bring to the show just really make it for me. So yeah torn between the two. I guess if I really had to choose though it would probably be Inara because she is just in a word awesome.

Luann wrote: "Love that, Debra!! Great tribute to Jayne. He wasn't a top favorite the first time I watched the show, but he grows on me more and more each time I watch it. He definitely has a lot of hidden depth."

That's the thing with Joss Whedon's characters, most have a hidden depth that comes out over a certain period. There's a hint here and there, but it's just great character evolution/development. No character shows everything right off the bat..and no character is just the typical X Y or Z. for example Jayne isn't your typical grunt with a big gun. Mal isn't a typical CO of a ship. Wash's not your typical pilot , etc... there's a lot of depth in those characters, even if Firefly was short lived, the character depth was there.

A lot of the present-day TV shows have plain flat characters who are faced with certain drama/etc, and don't end up growing at all and aren't very deep anyway.

LOL, Maeve. It is tough to choose just one favorite, huh? :)

Malcolm Reynolds. If I HAVE to pick someone it's gonna be Mal.

Tough choice, but I'd have to go with Mal, Jayne and Kaylee as my favorites and not necessarily in that order!

I have to agree with many. Mal is the best, closely followed by Jayne.

My favorite is Kaylee. She has a great personality

Man, I actually loved all of them, but my favorite characters are Mal, River and Jayne!

I haven't watched the entire series in years, but did so recently. Before I probably would have said Kaylee was my favorite, but now have to agree on Mal and Jayne. Jayne has a way with the funny lines! I still love Kaylee too!