Shiny Sci-Fi Saturday Night

Ahhhh, another Saturday night. For the younglings, Halloween is over, but they've still got some candy to last them a week or two. However, for many adults, I assume the costumed festivities continue through the weekend.

I once lived in the paradigm of "Weekend = primal instinctual pursuits/denial of functional reality." Was just a phase though. Everyone has phases.

For now, I'll take the pale, blue glow of the laptop screen and images of things that are not so much "bump in the night" as they are "coursing through the vacuum of space."

Shiny Sci-Fi Saturday Night continues this week with its third installment. The best gifs culled from the Tumblr machine from the realms of science fiction, science and the minds of people who realize its the 21st century. Added a few pieces that might not fit into those designations, but am certain you'll still find them visually pleasing anyway.

And as usual, each gif is named from the source listed on Tumblr. It doesn't mean that person created it. But they did have the good sense to share it with the world.

Also, and I don't know if I'm supposed to say this or not, we've got some big changes happening here at Action A Go Go. Bigger. Bolder. You know...high tech, low life! (And maybe finally a platform that always does what its supposed to do). Keep us on your radar and certain awesomeness will unqestionably appear.

Thanks for being. See you in the 'verse.

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at Sumner@vierlights or on the Tumblr machine at NX01Sumner.

Action A Go Go can also be followed on Facebook here.

Read More

Firefly for Rookies

Recently wrote a piece entitled Firefly Approved Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Review. I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to learn that there are people in the world who've never even heard of Joss Whedon's Firefly. But that jolt to my system only arose because the show has become so engrained in my daily sphere of functioning, I had forgotten how I was introduced to it.

For years my brother would mention during conversation,"Dude, have you seen this show called Firefly? It's really good. Done by the same guy that did Buffy the Vampire Slayer." My response was usually,"Dude. What the hell kind of name for a show is 'Firefly' and do you think mentioning another show with 'Buffy' in the title is going to sell it to me?" (And yes...we say "dude"...a lot.)

Because my brother is awesome, he actually sent the first season of Firefly as a gift. He included in the note:

"Dude. It's like what Han Solo would've been all about before he hooked up with the Rebel Alliance."

How could I ignore a statement like that?

That night, disc one gets popped in. During the first couple of episodes, primary thought was,"What the hell is this?" Over episodes two and three, thinking shifted to,"Whoa. This is awesome." By the end of the first season, complete addiction took hold. The show was new, different and refreshing compared to almost anything else I'd ever watched. There was an absence of formula and an emphasis on creative non-conformity, with tons of action, excellent writing and sharp humor. And perhaps most importantly, the crew felt like family.

Quickly went online to find season two. Found nada, zip, zilch, bupkis. Called my brother. "Dude. Can't find season two for sale online. What's the deal? Is it out of print or something?"

His response?

Words that are forever etched into the very foundations of my mind. Words which upon hearing caused a thousand serrated daggers to rip my heart to shreds. Words that bit and clawed with the ferocity of savage space cannibals. Words that lead to thoughts of jabbing knitting needles into my eyes and then running madly, screaming, into the night.

"Dude. There's only one season. And if you didn't notice, its not even a full season."

Because of severe mismanagement by the TV execs, the show had been cancelled.

Previously on Action A Go Go, I'd written a series of articles entitled Trek for Rookies which people seemed to appreciate. Geared towards folks that were turned on to the Trek universe by the Abrams reboots, but didn't know where to start regarding the television series.

Because the Firefly series is almost a blink of an eye compared to the extensive history of Trek, it doesn't require multiple articles. However, if you'd like to simply get a taste, or perhaps you're already a fan and need something to share with others to open their eyes to the awesomeness of Firefly, then this article may be of help. Enjoy!

Firefly Overview
Joss Whedon (writer/director) described the show simply as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things". Others have described it as a "space western," but I've always felt that does it a disservice, since the label "western" carries much baggage. (And I, generally, am not a fan of the genre. I think the only cowboy I ever found fascinating was The Stranger in The Big Lebowski.)

My brother was right. Malcolm Reynolds is cut from the same cloth as Han Solo. He, and the rest of the crew on the Firefly class ship named "Serenity" are all misfits, trying to find their way in the universe. Smuggling, running from the law, finding trouble and then getting out of it.

Cast/Characters 

Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) - Captain of the ship. A rogue. A man of action. Anti-authoritarian. Anti-government. Anti-religion. Cynical on the surface, but that's just to cover up that he actually cares. Well, cares most of the time anyway. Aw hell. Some of the time? Hard to tell.

Zoe Washburne (Gina Torres) - Second in command. Skilled in tactics and combat. Dominating presence. Married to Wash. "Amazonian goddess-warrior" is a term that comes to mind. 

Hoban "Wash" Washburne (Alan Tudyk) - Pilot of the ship. Married to Zoe. Not someone you'd pick first to help out in a fire-fight, but would be awesome to have him sitting at your poker table. Funny as hell and an expert at handling the ship. 

Kaylee Frye (Jewel Staite) - The essence of kindness. A smile that would warm the most bitter of hearts. Master mechanic. 

Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin) - Not that bright. Driven mostly by his hormones. Morally ambiguous. And because of that, he is awesome. We live in a politically correct, corporate, cubically-driven society. Living vicariously through Jayne is a wonderful thing. 

Inarra Sena (Morena Baccarin) - A professional courtesan. Looking at her, one would think she's trained in a thousand arts of pleasure. But it's actually more like twenty three thousand. 

Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) - Claims to be a man of God. But there's a past. Someone once asked him if the Bible didn't have some specific things to say about killing. His response? "Quite specific. It is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps." 

Simon Tam (Sean Maher) - Although a brilliant, handsome doctor, he is completely incompetent around women he finds attractive. Cares more for his sister River than anything else in the universe. 

River Tam (Summer Glau) - To write anything of her would be to give too much away before viewing the show. However, will share a gif that gives a clue as to what lay down the road:

Alphas 
 - Action packed, but not at the cost of substance.
 - Much humor at all levels, from the prurient to the subtle.
 - Multiple-viewing shelf life. To this day, after seeing an episode for the dozenth time, I'll still catch subtle things I'd missed before.
 - Every single crew member, regardless of what faults they may have, is likeable. They become like family.
 - If you're a fan of language, the show contains a smorgasbord of cool colloquialisms and slang.
 - It's no secret that the paradigm of women as mere sex objects runs rampant in Hollywood. However, even though all the women on Firefly are sexy, they also show amazing depth of character and embody tons of admirable qualities. You know. The way it should be.
 - Special effects are pretty awesome considering it was made for TV. Stunning on Blu-ray.
 - Speaking of which, when looking to buy the series and the film, minimal damage is done to one's bank account. But when you have them in your possession, clear the weekend schedule and turn off your phone. The words "Firefly" and "binge" usually go together.
 - And if you're a fan of Christina Hendricks, you'll be happy with a couple of her appearances, made before Mad Men existed.

Deltas
 - As stated in the intro, if you watch the first episode cold, one may think,"What the hell is this?" Be patient. Watch a few episodes. It sometimes takes time for the mind to realize the greatness of something new.
 - Fourteen episodes. One movie. That's it.

Is Firefly right for you?
If you like science fiction; if you like action; if you like word play; if you like dry humor; if you like seeing authority being bested by the underdog; if you like seeing people doing the right thing even when it would be more expedient to do the easy thing; if you liked Joss Whedon's work with The Avengers (2012) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D; if you always wondered what a TV show about Han Solo would've been like; then Firefly just may be right for you.

Will close with an image to which every fan of Firefly can relate.

The photo above is for entertainment purposes only. It is a metaphorical representation of the inner existential turmoil experienced by fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly and is in no way advocating actual violence. Please do not do this in the real world. Mr. Travolta was unavailable for comment.

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He's proficient in Klingon swearing and has attempted the Vulcan process of Kolinar (with only mild success.) His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/.

Read More

Firefly Approved Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Review

Special Note: There are two kinds of people in the world:

1) Regular people.

2) People who understand that Firefly is one of the finest shows ever created and that Joss Whedon is a master craftsman.

This review of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is written particular for folk in that second category. People in the first might think it's a bit off the axle. Dong ma? If you'd like an introduction to the show, check out Firefly for Rookies.

Now, I was raised that if I couldn't do something smart, I could always do something right. That's what I aim to do here.

Let's look the Reaver in the eye and just come out and say it: If Mal and his crew have been a regular part of your existence, maybe to the point where others might be thinking you're a bit whimsical in the brain pan, then all them reviews of Whedon's new series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D by them'at ain't know a thing about Browncoats are about as useful as a 80-04 with unbraced extenders.

Ain't no purpose in going into story and characters. I'm not some BUN tyen-shung duh ee-DWAY-RO that's going to spoil it all if you intend to give the show a visit.

To keep it so simple that even Jayne could understand, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is shiny!

A motley crew working together in a heroic fashion? A mode of air travel big enough to have its own ramp? Gettin' into all sorts of gorram trouble while doing what's right? Some faces that might give you a tingle 'twixt your nethers? A vehicle that we know is Whedon's requisite hovercraft?

Joss Whedons Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC Tuesdays at 8 Eastern.

After seeing it with my own eyes, I can say that the show is pretty. So very pretty. And that makes it mighty.

When you get right down to it, if wishes were horses, we'd all be eatin' steak, and Firefly would be back on the air. Aw hell. That's all just air through the engines though, ain't it?

It's easier for critics to pull things apart than it is for them to make'em right. And if someone tells you Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ain't worth watchin', just pull a Crazy Ivan and tell that Ching-wah TSAO duh liou mahng to go drink some Shiong mao niao.

And without damaging your calm too much, the first episode already had one familiar face we'd all remember as being more friendly to Browncoats than the Alliance. He wasn't giving any sermons though, which is a good thing, since we've already figured out that asking for help from on high is a long wait for a train don't come.

Live to serve. See you in the 'verse.

(And if you're really serious about translating the Chinese above, check out a page of awesomeness called Firefly-Serenity Chinese Pinyinary). 

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He's proficient in Klingon swearing and has attempted the Vulcan process of Kolinar (with only mild success.) His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/.

Read More

Actionable Quotes - Firefly (Pics & Vid)

For years, my brother kept telling me I needed to watch a show called Firefly. I always responded, ”Why would I want to watch a show with that name?” He finally sent me a copy. During the first two episodes I thought, ”What the hell is this?” Next couple of episodes? I became completely submersed in its awesomeness. By the end of the first season, the characters had become family. I quickly attempted to order the second season, only to have my heart ripped from my chest while it was still beating, watching it shredded and gorged upon by the fiendish brutal hell-hounds also known as “studio executives.”

There was no second season. Because of the suits in charge, a whole mess of mistakes were made regarding marketing, air times and show content. Ratings that were hoped for weren't achieved, so it didn’t even run its entirety on air. And yet, it was one of the most creatively original sci-fi shows ever filmed.

But fear not. The complete episodes (even those originally unaired) are available on Bluray. Also, there was enough of an outcry from fans for a full length feature film entitled Serenityto be made that helped give some closure.

There are a ton of reasons to like the show: spaceships, sexiness, lots of action, cannibalistic-berserker-pirates known as Reavers. But what held it all together was Joss Whedon’s writing. Please find below some of the brilliantly written humor and wisdom from the show. Once you get this taste, you’ll rush out and buy both the season and the film. But make sure you don’t start watching until it’s a Friday, because watching the exploits of the Firefly crew is all you’ll want to do for a couple of days.

“We work before we play.”

“You turn on any of my crew, you turn on me.”

  

“Yeah…and if wishes were horses, we’d all be eating steak.”

Version 2: “When you can’t run, you crawl, and when you can’t crawl, well…you know the rest.”

 

“Look, you got a little stabbed the other day. It’s bound to make anyone a might ornery.”

Shiny = Multiple uses. Cool, good, sweet, beautiful, awesome.

Weak tea = Unfruitful, doesn’t pay off, not worth the effort.

Gorram (pr: “gore am”) = God damn.

The ‘verse = The universe.

Rutting = used as synonym for the word “f**king.” For example, “The whole rutting planet’s covered with Reavers!”

A thrust = sex.

“Wheel never stops turning…but that only matters to the people on the rim.”

“Live to serve.” = Stated after telling someone you’ll help them.

 

“That’s air through the engine.” = Water under the bridge or what’s done is done.

“See you in the world.” = See you later.

“Whimsical in the brainpan.” = Crazy, loopy, not all there.

 “We sniff the air, we don’t kiss the ground.” = We’re not staying in this place very long.

“So this is what going mad feels like.”

“Completely off her axle.” = Crazy.

 “Don’t go visiting my intentions.” = Don’t think you know what I’m thinking.

“Hey Mal…looks like we got some imminent violence.”

“Someone ever tries to kill you, you try to kill’em right back!”

“I’m lost, I’m angry and I’m armed.”

And to close out, here's some vid:

Am hoping you found this a shiny post. See you in the 'verse!

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/

 

Read More