Joss Whedon’s Firefly is probably one of the best sci-fi series ever created.
Unfortunately, the show was abruptly cancelled at the end of the first season, leaving millions of fans in the lurch.
True, one can endlessly speculate about what the crew of Serenity is up to in an alternate universe, but such hypothesizing is probably best reserved for another article.
For now, reminiscing about the show with the lovely Summer Glau – aka River – will just have to do.
During a recent interview with the LA Times, Glau attempted to explain why Firefly is a cult-classic adored by hardcore fans worldwide.
“I think they love it because of Joss [Whedon] and because of the way that Joss writes. I think that he has many, many special gifts, but one in particular is that he writes characters that people instantly feel that they know.
“… A big part of the magic of ‘Firefly’ is that it was a group of people [who] couldn’t be more different, living in close quarters and becoming a family, and I think viewers instantly found someone to identify with specifically… That’s why people still love it today. I think our audience immediately connected in an emotional way.”
Glau also told the Times that working on Firefly was a truly unique and “special experience” she would never forget.
“Even now, looking back – it’s been eight years – it really was a special experience I could never replace. Everyone was so in love with the story, and everyone really, really wanted to be there. I think our chemistry as a cast was extraordinary,” she said.
“And I learned so much. I can’t believe how forgiving everyone was of me not really knowing what I was doing. They treated me like an equal, and I made a lot of embarrassing mistakes in the beginning, and they never made me feel like I didn’t deserve to be there with them. It meant a lot to me.”
Finally, Glau paid tribute to her devoted fans, telling the interviewer that her sci-fi roles have been “a blessing.”
“I love it. Joss tried to describe the fan base to me when I first got started, and I had no idea what this kind of devotion was going to mean to my career.
“I feel like ever since I started out with ‘Firefly,’ everyone has kind of looked at me as a little sister, and they have supported me as I have gone on to other projects… [Yes], I’ve done other things, but it always seems like my sci-fi projects have been what people respond to the most, because those fans are extraordinary, so passionate.”
