Similarities between Serenity/Firefly and Gilligan's Island?

[Dusty Chalk]

The Skipper is Mal.

There are Gilligan traits in both Jayne and Wash; professor traits in both Simon and Book.

The contrast of Ginger's glam and Mary Ann's plain-ness in Inara & Kaylee (and in both cases, there is still a friendship/comraderie).

I have no idea who Mr. and Mrs. Howell would be associated with, but Simon definitely has an air of nobility/snobbiness about him, so perhaps Simon/River.

Zoe doesn't really have a counterpart, other than she's sort of the second in command. But there are more characters in Firefly/Serenity, so of course they're not going to all match up.

...or maybe it's Lost In Space...

Thoughts?

[ojnihs]

Was this show and that movie really that good? I should check it out.

[ojnihs]

Just like Fox to get rid of great shows, they fucking got rid of Arrested Development and that pissed me off.

[Dusty Chalk]

Was this show and that movie really that good? I should check it out.

Yes, it really was, and you really should. I own the movie, and will eventually get the series (and I rarely buy DVD's).

I liked the movie, except for one or two minor details (for example: they didn't do any of the long shots in space that I liked so much during the show; the only time there wasn't any sound effects in space was the first few seconds of the movie [i think] -- it was a big deal to me in the series, because despite it's fantastical nature, it gave it that attention to detail and realism that I like so much...and they changed the guy who did the soundtrack music), but these are minor criticisms. From the perspective of "storytelling" (which is first and foremost to me), I definitely think it succeeded.

There's also a comic book in between the two that explain certain discontinuities between the two, Those Left Behind.

I've heard the movie criticized as being an extended episode -- and it kind of is, but I don't think of that as a bad thing. It was sufficiently "big" enough for me.

[Dusty Chalk]

Also, it should be mentioned that apparently there are two versions of the Complete Series on DVD, is that right? I'm glad someone mentioned that here, because otherwise I wouldn't have known, and might've gotten the wrong one...(the older one apparently didn't have all the episodes that the later one did, or something?)...

[909]

I used to watch G Island as a Kid, but I am clueless about the other....

what gives?

[Dusty Chalk]

"What gives?" I'm afraid I don't understand the question. Watch the series, then think about my comparison and decide for yourself whether or not it has or lacks merit. I cannot explain to you the series -- you really have to see it. It's like a western set in space. Action/comedy/drama. Dramadiction. Acomtionrama. Or something. What's the word for "beast with three heads"?

Oh yeah, Cerberus. It's a Cerberus.

[909]

You nailed it regardless of my poorly stated question. What time and channel?

[Dusty Chalk]

You'd need a time machine (or a DVD player). Probably the single biggest uprising after a cancellation, ever. The movie would not have been otherwise made.

[hirsch]

Similarities between Firefly and Gilligan's Island?

Both were television shows.

Neither starred Jude Law or Ben Affleck.

Beyond that, they're rather different...

[Dusty Chalk]

Similarities between Firefly and Gilligan's Island?

Both were television shows.

Neither starred Jude Law or Ben Affleck.

Beyond that, they're rather different...

Did you even read the first post?

Here's another one:

They both have a silly theme song.

[hirsch]

Did you even read the first post?

That would make it too easy. There's actually a better analogy to something like the early part of "The Outlaw Josie Wales", where the war has been lost and Clint Eastwood is running, family lost, no home. Come to think of it, there's actually a pretty good analogy of Firefly to "The Seven Samurai". Forgotten warriors without homes after the war is over. Quixotic causes over profit motive (dominant theme in "Serenity"). Whedon infuses a bit more overt humor in than Kurosawa into his characters (but Kurosawa's humor is present and very subtle).

"Gilligan traits"? You can't have Gilligan's island without a real honest to G-d Gilligan. Not to mentioned the marooned and out of touch aspect that is not present in Firefly.

We're going to have this conversation on a movie night with Dave around.

[Dusty Chalk]

We're going to have this conversation on a movie night with Dave around.

He needs to have seen the whole series, first. And you know how long that can take. But yeah, I'm up for it.

I'm not saying that G'sI is it's primary reference point, it's more of a secondary one, just like Scooby Do is a secondary reference point for the Buffy series.

But I like the Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven analogy, and I agree with it. The whole amorphousness to the question of whether or not they're really in it for the money or not can be directly tied to that one character.

[polyglot]

LOL ... I just had this epiphany at 5:45am, not really awake, approx 15 years after having seen the series (saw it late),
and had to get up and google it to see if it was just me. 😅

Arranged by Category:

• The Capt: Skipper vs Mal
• The Dr: Professor vs Simon
• The Married Couple: Howells vs Washburns (Wash/Zoe)
• The Seductress: Ginger vs Inara
• The Girl Next Door: Mary Ann vs Kaylee
• The Clueless: Gilligan vs Jayne
• The Boat: Minnow vs Serenity
• "And the Rest": from the season 1 theme song (refers to a male and female) vs Book/River
• Appears twice and locks everyone up: Japanese Sailor vs Saffron

And as cosmic proof...

as seen on Amazon: "Gilligan's Island Firefly Towel"

...NOW, have you ever noticed the Spooky Presidential Coincidences between Kennedy and Lincoln??? 😂

[Pars]

A 14+ year necro thread... not an auspicious first post.

[swt61]

But, it may be a great one to be his last post.

[n_maher]

5 hours ago, Pars said:

A 14+ year necro thread... not an auspicious first post.

I gave him a wee timeout to ponder his future here.  It's not the worst first post I've seen.