Happy Birthday Joss Whedon.

On this day (23rd of June) in 1964 Joss Whedon was born. So continuing the (very) occasional feature in which I celebrate people I like on their birthday by rambling on about how much I like them and why they are just awesome – here is a post about Adam Faith.

Only joking. But seriously, what to do about this post? I could literally waste hours of your time blathering on about this dude (and over the course of this blog’s history – I probably will) so I thought, “Let’s keep it (relatively) brief and make it a list.”

So that’s why you are now reading the incredibly original and exciting top twenty list of Joss Whedon written/directed episodes* based solely on my own opinion and the whims of personal preference [catchy title ain’t it?]. Obviously, some things have been omitted from the list so, if your favourite episode is missing, that doesn’t mean that I don’t like it – it just means that Joss wrote more than twenty things. Also don’t get too worried about the numbering of the list – some have been placed over others for the most arbitrary of reasons.

* With one exception – If you can tell me which one then you are a huge F***ing nerd.

Let’s get started then, shall we, by clipping through the bottom five in one go (otherwise, we’ll be here all day)

20) Graduation Day (Parts 1&2) (Buffy Season 3)
19) Innocence (Buffy Season 2)
18) Becoming (Parts 1&2) (Buffy Season 2)
17) Lie To Me (Buffy Season 2)
16) Spin The Bottle (Angel Season 5)

Okay, first off – yes, there are two end-of-season two parters in the bottom five. Again, this is not because I don’t like them, but because the season finale works because it pays off everything that has been building all series – as such, they don’t always stack up when they stand alone (that, and I have a preference for, shall we say, more ‘self-contained’ episodes.) Aside from those, Innocence makes the grade because it is the first appearance of Angelus, Lie To Me because it helps establish the grey morality that would become one of Whedon’s signatures and Spin The Bottle because it is funny as hell and has an interesting framing device.

15) Once More, With Feeling (Buffy Season 6)

The (in)famous musical episode, considered by some to mark the point at which the series ‘jumped the shark’ (not me though, I’m actually a fan of season 6 – I won’t tell you why now because that’s whole other thing). This episode makes the list as a member of what I loosely call the “audio trilogy” (with the other two episodes appearing down there somewhere). This is the most obvious member of the trilogy – and you’ll see why by reading on… [Also, on a side note, this episode makes me smile because this was the first ever episode of Buffy a mate of mine ever saw and I can only imagine what he made of the whole thing.]

14) Who Are You? (Buffy Season 4)

Buffy and Faith switch bodies. That’s not too complicated to understand is it? Until you factor in that Faith is a pretty screwed up chick with major self-worth and identity issues, who at various points has tried to usurp and/or destroy Buffy through jealousy and, oh yeah, is a wanted felon. So there is a ‘be careful what you wish for’ element to the story and Faith’s psychological problems are brought to the surface when she is confronted by Buffy and, during the resulting fight, keeps screaming ‘I Hate You!’ We can’t quite be sure if she is saying this to Buffy (the woman inside Faith’s body) or Faith herself (the woman that Buffy looks like) and then headaches ensue. This episode is also part of a four-episode crossover with Angel, which is kinda cool.

13) Serenity (Parts 1&2) (Firefly)

Ahh… Firefly, we still miss it. And this is the episode(s) that started it all off. The original pilot is a marvel of how to introduce a whole universe in a relatively short amount of time, making it rich and layered and historic, whilst still offering us a compelling (yet coherent) thrill-ride. Most of this establishment is achieved through subtlety (Blue Sun probably being the most notable example, particularly because it was never paid-off), yet, thinking back on the episode, we see the Reavers, Badger, the last stand of an inter-planetary conflict, the shining cities of the central planet Persephone and the bristling docks/market place that feeds it, the lawless outer planet Whitefall and we are introduced to all eight central members of the crew. Not bad for an hour and half screen time.

12) Ghost (Dollhouse Season 1)

The first (and only) entry on this list for Dollhouse. This show is a little tough for me because, on the one hand, I did enjoy it (largely thanks to the complexity of its central premise – which I am not even going to begin to explain here) but on the other, it frustrated the hell out of me. It impressed me because it had a fantasy / sci-fi element (which Firefly didn’t) yet remained very firmly grounded in reality (more so than Buffy/Angel). The frustration comes in the second season, where the pace is suddenly and artificially accelerated (because it was prematurely cancelled) which is very noticeable. I’m pretty sure that it would have ended up in roughly the same place had it had a full run, but the ‘shortcuts’ taken just leave me wondering what might have been. [I just realised that I wrote a whole paragraph without mentioning this particular episode so… Ghost is good – you should watch it]

11) Prophecy Girl (Buffy Season 1)

The series finale of Buffy’s first season gives us the first promise of things to come and, more than likely helped secure a second series. This episode takes a major departure from other ‘superhero’ stories in that the predominant part of the episode deals with Buffy’s reluctance to risk her life in the fight against evil – highlighted in the moving “show me my fortune” scene, where Buffy quits being the slayer after being told she is destined to die. Eventually, she comes around but the fact that she wavered – as any ‘normal’ person would – shows a real respect for the character’s motivations and tolerances that would prove to be the key to the show’s success.

10) Family (Buffy Season 5)

If anything unifies all of Joss Whedon’s work* it is the notion of family – be it the one of blood that you were born into or the one constructed yourself from the people closest to you. This episode takes these two notions of family and forces them together in a confrontation. It is also an episode centred around Tara, a character who (despite her longevity) never really rose beyond that of an almost ancillary character. Ordinarily, she is never given much to do – except in the episodes written by Joss (Think of her role in The Body, The Gift, Restless…). Which makes me think that he had a bit of a soft spot for her.

* With one exception – If you can tell me which one then… actually if you can come up with a theory of how Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog is in fact about family – then I’ll happily listen.

9) Amends (Buffy Season 3)

This episode sets the template for Angel and clearly shows the dynamic between the two – Buffy is about fighting evil while Angel is about living with it (actually both do both but you get what I mean). It also contains a cute bit of fridge logic when compared with Buffy season 7 [spoilers] by introducing The First. Namely that, in order to defeat The First’s army of evil, two mystical objects are needed – The scythe that the slayer uses and a mystical amulet which must be worn by “someone with a soul, but stronger than human.” By trying to kill / turn Angel in this episode, The First attempts to undo this combination as, without the amulet’s power, (which is worn by Spike in the end) Buffy would have failed to save the world.

8] Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog / Commentary! The Musical.

Okay, first off, this is a really stupid name for a show [and the fact that Zack hung a lampshade on it doesn’t get you off the hook.]. In fact, if I have a criticism of Joss’ work then it is the names he chose for them. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – it’s not exactly a name that can be said with confidence – it sounds like a parody of itself. Anyway, Dr. Horrible is in turns the daftest, silliest, funniest thing he has made but also one of the darkest [It‘s all about a guy who kills some chick]. I would say something about Commentary! The Musical but I promised I wouldn’t.

7) The Body (Buffy Season 5)

In a show that deals with death and bereavement on a weekly basis, this episode takes that idea and slaps you around the face with it. It takes the opportunity to morn the death of a much loved, long running character (Joyce – Buffy’s mum) but also shows the immediate aftermath of her death by running almost in real-time from the moment Buffy finds her. So many shows, after the death of a character, cut straight past this part to the funeral. The Body is also part of the “Audio Trilogy” – so called because the three episodes play with the audio track – in this case, the episode contains no music (the TV equivalent of a minute’s silence.) It’s not an easy episode to watch but it is well worth the endurance as there is nothing else like it.

6) Hush (Buffy Season 4)

The concluding part of the “Audio Trilogy” (actually, chronologically it’s the first part, but on this list it came out top) Hush contains (for a large chunk) no dialogue. Given Joss’ propensity to get a little chatty at times, this episode is a real challenge and by taking away one of his major tools (Buffy Speak) and is, frankly, just showing off. A great episode, which features, quite probably, the creepiest monsters to ever walk (or float) through Sunnydale.

5) Serenity (Film)

I more or less said all I have to say about this film when I reviewed it so…. I know what I can tell you that I haven’t said before – Serenity is usually the first film that I watch in a new year. This is mainly because I know this film so well that, no matter how wasted I get on New Year’s Eve, I can still follow it. Plus, it’s a good message to start a year with. This is a great film, and we need more like it.

4) The Gift (Buffy Season 5)

Confession time: I never watched a single episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer until season five! That’s right Buffy fans – I never knew that Dawn wasn’t supposed to be there. You can imagine how confusing it was. Never the less, I still got hooked – thanks largely to this episode. My favourite part is the first half of the episode, which sees team Buffy on the ropes and bunkering down in the magic shop trying to make a plan to defeat a god and save her sister. Plus it had those last heartrending 5-10 minutes which some feel should have marked the close of the series (not me though, I still like season 6).

3) Restless (Buffy Season 4)

Easily the most abstract episode of Buffy, Restless is set largely in the subconscious. It also stands out as a season finale that is a little different. The typical ‘big fight’ that usually rounds things off actually occurs in the episode before this, leaving this episode to show us what happens immediately after (everyone falls asleep). It would take pages and pages to pick this episode apart, with all its internal symbolism, back referencing and foreshadowing, so it’s probably quicker if you just watch the episode and work it out for yourself. Truly an episode that you can come back to again and again and still find something new.

2) Objects In Space (Firefly)

Another episode that I watch once a year, this time on my birthday. The last episode of Firefly (well, not including the film) which Joss uses as an excuse to go off on a philosophical tangent. This episode takes on the monolithic discussion of matter itself and the physicality of the world around us. It explores the notion that we are all just minds, moving about via bodies, through a world that we experience by touch. A truly mind bending idea when you start to get into it. Why do I watch it on my birthday? Because Objects in Space reminds us, in both the literal and the abstract, that our feet are on the ground. [Plus, I know I said I wouldn’t talk about them any more but, the commentary for this is really interesting.]

1) A Hole In The World (Angel Season 5)

If anything Joss has done can be called a masterpiece, then this is it. This episode takes us from the hilariously funny (the astronaut vs. caveman debate / argument) to the bitterly tragic (the death of Fred). It has a scope which is both epic (the literal hole through the centre of the earth) and yet uncomfortably intimate (Wesley’s last moments with Fred). It has a Shakespearian quality (and I’m not even a fan of The Bard – but I do mean that as a compliment). I view A Hole In The World as Joss’ farewell love note to Angel (and by extension the entire Buffy-verse) and is reserved for special occasions.

So, that’s that, twenty reasons why Joss Whedon is one of the best television writers / directors / creators, certainly of our generation. I guess all that is left to do now is for you to pick one, watch it and enjoy it. And don’t forget to raise a glass to the birthday boy.

Film Review: Serenity.

‘We’re not telling people what to think. We’re just trying to show them how.’

Note: This was written sometime ago, for a completely different purpose. I just put it up here so you have something to look at while I come up with new stuff. Sorry about that. Enjoy.

In 2004 there was a TV show called  firefly, which was cancelled prematurely by the studio that produced it, 20th Century Fox. A year later Universal Pictures released Serenity, a spin-off film based on the show. This was an unprecedented event in the business-orientated world of TV and cinema and it happened for one reason only- the fans demanded it. Something in the show had touched them to such an extent that writer/director Joss Whedon (best known as the creative drive behind the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel) was compelled to add the next chapter in the story he had created on the small screen. And so Serenity took to the air once more.

    The plot is set in the distant future, where humanity has spread out and colonised a new solar system. Things did not go smoothly however, when an inter-planetary civil war broke out between the central planets and those further out. The central planets, known as the Alliance, wanted to build a utopia by unifying everyone under one rule while an opposing faction, the Independence, resisted and fought for individuality. Eventually however, the Alliance won and took control of the system. Several years after the war Malcolm Reynolds, (played by Nathan Fillion) a former volunteer for the Independence, is the captain of a small transport ship named Serenity. He and his crew go from planet to planet trying to avoid the Alliance wherever possible whilst searching for work, which is sometimes honest but is more often illegal.

Mal- I put this crew together with the promise of work which the Alliance makes harder every year. Come a day there won’t be room for naughty men like us to slip about at all… So here is us, on the raggedy edge. Don’t push me and I won’t push you.

Life gets more complicated when Mal takes on two fugitives, a young doctor named Simon (Sean Maher) and his sister River, (Summer Glau) a child prodigy abducted by an Alliance program that experimented on her brain. She is a psychic, or ‘reader’, but she is so mentally traumatized that she rarely makes coherent sense. A shadowy agent of the Alliance, known only as The Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor), is sent to hunt River down and keep her from revealing any secrets that she may have locked in her mind, no matter what it takes. If that was not enough to deal with, Mal also has to avoid the Reavers, a race of brutal cannibals who inhabit the farthest edge of the system. He soon finds himself trapped between the judicious Alliance and the savage Reavers, while desperately trying to uncover the secret that burns inside River’s mind.

The style of the film is hard to define as it blends elements from sci-fi and westerns, with moments of action, emotional drama and comedy. The roles of each character or faction are not a clear black and white either. Mal, for example, is more a rogue underdog than a hero and is not above resorting to violence or treachery in order to achieve his aims. The Operative on the other hand is not strictly villainous as he is often calm, intelligent and methodical. Above all, he believes that killing River is the right thing to do for the good of the people. As the Operative himself puts it:

‘Nothing here is what it seems. [Mal] isn’t the plucky hero. The Alliance isn’t some evil empire. This is not the grand arena.’

The central theme of belief is conveyed through thorough yet subtle characterisation. Throughout the Operative displays his devout belief that his actions, although they are evil, will help to build a better world for the future, the raison d’être of the Alliance. One of Mal’s confidants Shepherd Book (Ron Glass, reprising his role from the series) tells Mal that ‘Only one thing is gonna walk you through this… Belief’ before giving a key insight into the Operative’s mindset.

‘The sort of man they like to send believes hard. Kills and never asks why.’

He goes on to tell him later in the film ‘I don’t care what you believe. Just believe it.’ thus giving him the weapon he needs to beat the Operative. In order to destroy the man he needs to destroy his belief.

Mal- A year from now, ten, they’ll swing back to the belief that they can make people better. And I do not hold to that. So no more running. I aim to misbehave.

Another character worth noting is River who would typically be the standard damsel in distress. In Serenity, however she is far from helpless and actually poses a significant threat to the crew after the Alliance uses a subliminal message to trigger her into a one-woman dervish of violence and destruction. Summer Glau’s tender portrayal is not without a sense of vulnerability however, which is best shown in her relationship with her brother Simon. River often talks in fragments, which serves both as a device to conceal her predictions and as a way to show her unbalanced state of mind. A good example comes when she is describing the Alliance using a series of seemingly unconnected statements

River- Show me off like a dog. Old men covered in blood. It never touched them, but they’re drowning in it. I don’t know what I’m saying. I never know what I’m saying.

From a film-makers point of view the film also takes some bold choices, such as the first introduction of the ship and it’s crew. The scene is a continuous shot that takes us from the bridge, through the ship, to the cargo bay, meeting all the characters along the way, without a cut. This is not mere self-indulgence as it serves the purpose of showing that this is not just a ship but also the home of the characters that live aboard it without having to have the characters state it explicitly. This adds to the jeopardy of the action scenes as, when it is attacked, it is not just a ship being blown out of the sky but a home being destroyed; moreover, it is the only home that these people have and they want nothing more than to live on it in peace.

This scene is typical of the film as a whole in as much as each moment has to be vital and justifiable in terms of progressing the story. This stems primarily from the fact that Joss Whedon is used to writing for TV where he has the luxury of setting something up in one episode and paying it off in another, a luxury denied him in writing a one-off film. This also caused problems in terms of its dual audience of people who are already familiar with the world and its characters and newcomers who have never set foot upon a firefly before. The challenge was to bring closure to the existing fans without alienating the casual cinemagoer, which he meets with exciting and intriguing results.

Serenity is a cult classic and, like all cult films, it has a relatively small yet ardent fan base. If any film deserved a universal audience, however it is this one as it is a well-written, well-executed piece of storytelling by one of the best of his generation. It contains comic moments that don’t draw attention to themselves, moments of emotion that don’t become sentimental; you don’t need to be a scholar to understand its finer points and neither do you have to abandon reason to enjoy the action sequences. The largest amount of praise has to go to the actors who give life to flawlessly believable, lived-in characters in a world that could have so easily become just another hammy sci-fi schlock. This is the reason that the fans of firefly and Serenity are still calling for more. Until then however, the ‘verse is the best kept secret in the history of TV and film.

‘Secrets are not my concern. Keeping them is.’ – The Operative.