Firefly

If you haven't seen Firefly yet, or the spin-off feature film Serenity, then be warned that I'm going to get spoilery.

If there's one thing Browncoats can all agree on, it's that none of us liked it when Wash (played by Alan Tudyk) died. I think a lot of fans' problems with Wash's send-off in the movie Serenity had to do with how quickly he was written out while the crew moved on to the next bit of action. Sure, no one wanted to see him go, but it might've been nice if writer/director Joss Whedon would've slowed down for a moment and let the characters (and fans) say goodbye.

That goodbye is coming, and from a surprise celebrity Browncoat -- actor/comedian Patton Oswalt. Oswalt is writing the one-shot comic Serenity: Float-Out for Dark Horse, set for release on June 2. In the comic, Wash's old friends, from the days before he piloted Serenity, gather together to tell stories about their dearly departed friend. Oswalt hopes to give the fans some closure, while taking a deeper look at one of his favorite characters.

(via MTV)

It wasn't love at first sight for me and Syfy's Warehouse 13. The first few episodes showed some promise, but the series' fun and kooky concept was weighed down by a batch of stale case-of-the-week procedural plots. Thankfully, things got better as the first season progressed. The show got funnier and weirder, and it took on a more serial tone, leading to a thrilling season ender that left me jonesing for more.

And more is on the way. Syfy says production on the 13-episode second season officially kicks off this month, for a premiere on July -- you guessed it -- 13! The ol' relic hunitin' gang -- Saul Rubinek, Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Allison Scagliotti, and CCH Punder -- is gettng back together to take down big bad MacPherson (Roger Reese) and to bag some more supernatural souvenirs. And just like last year, the show will welcome some geek-friendly guest stars in season two.

The first will be Jewel Staite, aka Firefly/Serenity's Kaylee. Staite tweeted the news about her upcoming guest appearance earlier this week:

"Got offered a lovely role on Warehouse 13. Wish I could tell you more. All I can say is, you Browncoats are gonna freak," she posted.

So what's so "freaky" about Staite's Warehouse role? Will she be playing a spaceship mechanic? Will she appear as twins, with one twin acting like Kaylee and the other walking and talking like Dr. Keller from Stargate Atlantis? Whatever the case, I can't wait to see her, and the show, return to TV.

Graphic designer hewtab is keeping the signal alive with her own custom Serenity shirt, featuring a Firefly in a jar. I see what you did there, hewtab.

The shirt is available for $20.99 from MySoti and comes in three colors (powder blue, navy blue, and black -- though I wish one came in brown). I think Firefly fans have been a largely untapped market for merchandise, so whenever I see something cool like this, I have to share it with my fellow Browncoats.

(Thanks to @ReelDistraction for the link!)

I watched the double episode of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse last week, and it's taken me some time to cool off.

Fox TV really gets my blood boiling sometimes. Not only did they take Dollhouse off the air during November sweeps, but they're doubling up on episodes in the wasteland of December/early January television so they can let it die an unnatural death. Now they can blame the low numbers on the show, when in large part it's a time when people are distracted by the holidays (or in the case of students, exams).

Bad form, Fox. But hardly unprecedented. The Fox channel is notorious for snapping up high concept shows, hyping them until just before they premiere, and then abandoning them if they don't immediately become a hit. I don't know who I'm more annoyed with, Fox or Whedon, for yet again falling prey to Fox.

X-Files was lucky, with 9 seasons and 200 episodes, but it didn't start on top. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer was abandoned five seasons in when the numbers dropped from 4.4 to 4.2 million (thankfully UPN picked it up for two more seasons). After that, anything high concept seemed to be dropped quickly if it wasn't an immediate hit. Space: Above and Beyond only aired 23 episodes.and John Doe only 21. Don't even get me started on Firefly, another Whedon project, which not only had a truncated season of a mere 14 episodes, but Fox aired episode 11 first, ensuring it would be hard to follow.

While Dollhouse is as fortunate as Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles to even get a second season at all, It's an insult to Whedon and those who crave high concept stories.

So Joss, next time Fox wants to buy one of your shows, just say no.

Are you aware that Joss Whedon is the best thing since sliced bread? 'Cause he is. Apparently the Producers Guild of America agrees, since they've selected him to receive the Vanguard Award, which "recognizes achievements in new media and technology."

Okay, so I'm admittedly a total Whedon fanboy and am completely aware that this places me in the most rabid and terrifying fanbase roaming the interwebs. Ever bear witness to a Browncoat vsTrekkie debate? I'm having an aneurysm just thinking about it. However, when you are the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, you've earned my undying devotion (and my forgiveness for scripting the appalling Alien: Resurrection).

The reason for the award, though, definitely appears to be Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, which, in addition to being the best science fiction musical about a mad scientist yearning for love ever made, proved that web-based media could not only look and sound professional, but could become a sensation beyond a niche audience and could be financially viable. Considering that Whedon has a Gilliam-esque penchant for disaster when he works within the studio system, new media represents an opportunity for him to make what he wants, when he wants and deliver it straight to his audience via the magical power of the internet.

These are exciting times and Whedon is a trailblazer. The next decade is going to see more and more exciting work being created strictly for internet consumption; how content is made and how we view it are going to change dramatically.

And Joss Whedon gets a plaque or a trophy or something come January 24th, so hoorah!

As much as we all fervently and loyally love Joss Whedon, it's time to face facts: His mojo is off. It's not gone -- I'd never suggest such a thing. One look at Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and the better episodes of Dollhouse prove that the magic is still there. However, it has lost its focus, writhing in the ether, struggling to gain the fame of his earlier television work -- fame that while never massive, was solid, loyal, and passionate.

With Dollhouse canceled, the question on everyone's mind is how can he get back to the success of Buffy? How can he shrug off the pain of two battles for ratings and second seasons, and present a show that ushers in a fandom rivaling what came before with Buffy, Giles, Willow, and Xander?

Hit the jump for 5 sure-fire ways to get Joss back on track.

Last night's Halloween-themed episode of Castle, starring a spry as ever Nathan Fillion, featured a few surprise winks to Joss Whedon and Firefly fans. Not only was Buffy referenced in an episode involving vampires and werewolves, but Fillion even dusted off the ol' brown coat and boots to dress up like Firefly's Captain Mal Reynolds.

The get-up was part of novelist/detective Frank Castle's "space cowboy" costume, but those of us who attend Serenity midnight showings on a regular basis know that Fillion and the show were giving a huge shout out to Firefly fans.

Head after the jump for a clip of Fillion reliving his Alliance-fighting glory days on Castle. And, yeah, we really, really miss Firefly too.

Welcome to Captain's Log -- your (semi) daily round-up of sci-fi randomness from around the web. Here's what's happening:

Hello, Mal! Firefly might be long gone, but SciFiWire noticed that next week's Castle has Nathan Fillion dressed in a verrry familiar outfit and referencing a certain vampire slayer.

A new Spanish post-apocalyptic short film called Waiting Room will screen before The Road at the Stockholm Film Fest. See a trailer for the 13-minute film over at Quiet Earth.

In Canada, they give out little awards called Geminis, and Variety reports that during the first round of award giving, Stargate Atlantis grabbed wins for Dramatic Series Writing and Make-Up.

Fringe is getting a new villain, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sebastian Roche (CW's The Beautiful Life) will play a soldier from another dimension, replacing Thomas Kretschmann who had a scheduling conflict. Added bonus: Trent Reznor is getting in on the musical action.

MTV recently talked with David Duchovny, and he thinks yet another X-Files flick could happen.

Get ready for more Vampire Diaries. Variety reports that CW has ordered a full season of the show based on L.J. Smith's YA series.

Their engines whine; their walls creak. These spaceships may look like antiques from the future, but many pack more punch under the hood than they let on. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a spaceship by its rust-holes and sputtering warp drive. What space-faring rattletraps make the cut in our top five list of "hunk of junk" spaceships?



5. EAGLE V from Spaceballs

The most impressive thing about the Eagle V is its amazingly pristine (and retro-hideous) 1973 Winnebago chassis. Piloted by Captain Lone Starr and his Mawg co-pilot, Barf, the Eagle V is a ship-for-hire last seen crash landing on the surface of MoonaVega. I would say it was last seen on the recent Spaceballs cartoon series, but that would imply that people actually watched it.

FEATURES: Interior shag carpeting, perfect for camping.

DRAWBACKS: Screen door, chemical toilet, small fuel tank.

Need that perfect gift for the Browncoat who has everything? Got an extra couple thousand dollars laying around? Quantum Mechanix is offering pre-orders for their gorgeous 1:180 scale Serenity Firefly-class replica starting on October 30th, 2009.

The beloved spaceship, last seen in Serenity, the film version of Joss Whedon's Firefly, is limited to a mere thousand pieces, and signed by "Captain Mal Reynolds" himself, Nathan Fillion. It's selling for a cool $2,495, but what do you get for all that dough? Three customization options ("Crazy Ivan" mode, docked or undocked shuttles, open or closed reactor shutters), a remote control to activate realistic "hard burn" engine lights, 32 different lighting effects, eight tiny crew figurines visible in the ship's bridge, hand-painted graphics (no decals!), and your very own in-person session with a highly trained Companion! (Please note that the personal visit by a trained Companion is not guaranteed by Quantum Mechanix, and may solely be the wishful thinking of this author. Especially for that price.)

The Serenity model is absolutely loaded with bells and whistles for the hardcore collector, and comes with its own display stand so you have somewhere to put it when you aren't flying it around your room by hand and making spaceship noises with your mouth. Each unit is hand-made by actual cinematic special effects artists employed by QM when they aren't out there building models for movies.

Honestly, with today's economy, Serenity: The Big Damn Replica may be a fairly sound investment. If not, then you've got something truly spectacular to display in your foreclosed home.