Product Description

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 11/11/2008 Run time: 658 minutes Rating: Nr

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #760 in DVD
• Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
• Released on: 2008-11-11
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 665 minutes

Amazon.com
As the 2005 theatrical release of Serenity made clear, Firefly was a science fiction concept that deserved a second chance. Devoted fans (or "Browncoats") knew it all along, and with this well-packaged DVD set, those who missed the show's original broadcasts can see what they missed. Creator Joss Whedon's ambitious science-fiction Western (Whedon's third series after Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) was canceled after only 11 of these 14 episodes had aired on the Fox network, but history has proven that its demise was woefully premature. Whedon's generic hybrid got off to a shaky start when network executives demanded an action-packed one-hour premiere ("The Train Job"); in hindsight the intended two-hour pilot (also titled "Serenity," and oddly enough, the final episode aired) provides a better introduction to the show's concept and splendid ensemble cast. Obsessive fans can debate the quirky logic of combining spaceships with direct parallels to frontier America (it's 500 years in the future, and embattled humankind has expanded into the galaxy, where undeveloped "outer rim" planets struggle with the equivalent of Old West accommodations), but Whedon and his gifted co-writers and directors make it work, at least well enough to fashion a credible context from the incongruous culture-clashing of past, present, and future technologies, along with a polyglot language (the result of two dominant superpowers) that combines English with an abundance of Chinese slang.

What makes it work is Whedon's delightfully well-chosen cast and their nine well-developed characters--a typically Whedon-esque extended family--each providing a unique perspective on their adventures aboard Serenity, the junky but beloved "Firefly-class" starship they call home. As a veteran of the disadvantaged Independent faction's war against the all-powerful planetary Alliance (think of it as Underdogs vs. Overlords), Serenity captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) leads his compact crew on a quest for survival. They're renegades with an amoral agenda, taking any job that pays well, but Firefly's complex tapestry of right and wrong (and peace vs. violence) is richer and deeper than it first appears. Tantalizing clues about Blue Sun (an insidious mega-corporation with a mysteriously evil agenda), its ties to the Alliance, and the traumatizing use of Serenity's resident stowaway (Summer Glau) as a guinea pig in the development of advanced warfare were clear indications Firefly was heading for exciting revelations that were precluded by the series' cancellation. Fortunately, the big-screen Serenity (which can be enjoyed independently of the series) ensured that Whedon's wild extraterrestrial west had not seen its final sunset. Its very existence confirms that these 14 episodes (and enjoyable bonus features) will endure as irrefutable proof Fox made a glaring mistake in canceling the series. --Jeff Shannon

On the Blu-ray discs
Firefly has a picture that's a little softer than most Blu-ray discs (especially in the effects shots), but it is an improvement over the DVDs (even in an upconverting DVD player or Blu-ray player), and the punchy sound (DTS HD 5.1 compared to the DVDs' 2.0 surround) is a definite upgrade. In addition to the original bonus features, there are a couple new ones: a 25-minute conversation among Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Ron Glass, and Alan Tudyk in which they discuss the series and a number of specific episodes (Fillion recalls thinking he was getting fired after the first episode), and a new commentary track by the four fellows on "Our Mrs. Reynolds." And since it's easy to get sucked into watching multiple episodes, it's nice to have a Play All feature on the BDs. --David Horiuchi

Beyond Firefly on Blu-ray

Stargate: Continuum

Blu-ray Sci-Fi Bundle

Sunshine

Stills from Firefly (Click for larger image)

Customer Reviews

Better, still some grain, special effects in SD res
Only caught the series AFTER it was canceled, and have become a browncoat, to the point that, yes, I actually do wear a brown coat I bought when Serenity came out. It's a series worth checking out. The chances you'll become that much of a nerd are very low, so don't be afraid. :)

Picture quality is high compared to the original DVDs, detailed and clearer, though since the series is fairly dark at points, there's some definite noise (looks like film grain, actually) in the black backgrounds (at least on my set, a Mitsubishi). Despite initial rumors, special effects sequences remain at 480i (upconverted) instead of being re-rendered to 1080p. That's occasionally annoying if you're looking for it, but otherwise not. Sound is greatly improved.

As others have pointed out, the set is shy on new extras, which is too bad. Enjoyed the extra commentary and the partial reunion, would have appreciated more.

Packaging seems decent for a blu-ray multipack. One review complains about the packaging, but I found it efficient and not problematic (case opens with one middle piece. Middle piece has a disc on each side, third disc is on the back of the open case. I've seen worse: some mass-DVD multipacks with two dvds overlapping each other so you have to remove one to get at the other...)

Worth the money if you have a good HD set. If you're not sure, rent the first episodes from Netflix or Blockbuster.

Almost there ....
I won't bother reviewing Firefly itself because you're all shiny enough to know what's happening in the 'verse, instead I'll concentrate on the Blu-Ray factor.
This IS a better release than the DVDs, no question. The scenes that were filmed look definitively high definition and show details such as fabric weaves and monitor displays. The low light areas are also much improved and the detail is more obvious. Some scenes, primarily SFX clips, were not created with HD in mind and remain stubbornly standard definition. To my surprise this is not as grating as I'd expected. I run a 52" 1080 TV and therefore I'd presumed the SD clips would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb but no ... they integrate quite well. Bear in mind that even the SD clips will look slightly better on Blu-Ray because DVD is not quite broadcast resolution and so Blu-Ray can add those extra few lines that the DVD was missing.
The audio is very good. The DTS Master track sounds great and really reveals the subtlety in the string driven music that accompanies the series. The surround efficiency has been improved to with the 3D soundscape seeming much more coherent.
As I said, I'm surprised by how much I like this Blu-Ray release and for any Firefly appreciator with a reasonably good HD system then don't even think about not buying it!
Oh, nice menus too.

Blu-ray not worth it
The blu-ray version isn't worth it. It is an improvement, but I'm not feeling the full HD experience I've come to expect, and only a few extra features/commentaries have been added.

If you are purchasing the series for the first time, you may as well go with the blu-ray. But if you own the DVD, I wouldn't rush to buy this one.