There are three things that are certain in life:
- Death
- Taxes
- Serenity is the best Firefly episode
Serenity is the perfect opener to a season. It highlights the character’s of Firefly exceptionally well, and draws you back in for more, even when some of the following episodes are considerably weaker.
But what is it that makes this pilot such an incredible start to the Firefly season? How does it set up the ‘verse so well? At FinalBoss, we believe it’s all down to one character in particular, and it’s not anyone you’d expect.
Why Agent Lawrence Dobson Makes Serenity the Best Firefly Episode
Above is our extensive look at why Alliance Agent Lawrence Dobson is perhaps one of the greatest narrative devices ever put to the small screen. However, if you don’t have the time or inclination to watch a 10-minute long Firefly video, here’s a quick recap:
Dobson impacts a number of characters in significant ways. His actions reveal important traits of our favourite Serenity crew members, including Mal’s cavalier attitude to threats, Jayne’s diversity as more than just a thug and Kaylee’s indeterminable strength.
By climbing aboard Serenity, and carrying out his mission to find Simon and River, Dobson allows the characters to develop in a stressful and hectic environment at incredible pace. His actions directly affect how their traits are displayed to us, in a way to allows us to really get a sense of Serenity crew in a very short space of time. It means that, once we head off into more adventures, we’re already fully aware of what these people are like, how they’ll interact with the world and what they’re all about.
As a result, we don’t waste time on basic development. The use of Dobson is the catalyst for some much information, and engineered in such a way, that by the end of Serenity, we have a detailed understanding of everyone from Mal to Shepard Book.
This is why Dobson makes Serenity the best Firefly episode, and why he’s one of the best characters you’ll find on any TV show. He’s just used so damn effectively.
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