is there one in particular you'd recommend that I ought to watch before I see the movie?
Serenity (the pilot) because it sets up all the relationships.
or, Out of Gas because it's so good (and nonWesterny) and also does some backstory.
or, Objects In Space because it's so good (and nonWesterny) and establishes a few things that are useful for getting the movie.
Of the unaireds, Heart of Gold has the most "arc"-y plot. Trash, is, however, quite argueably, the best of the three.
The episode with the terrifying space monkeys, as they play a pivotal role in the movie.
Pay especially close attention to space monkey #3 (the one with the fez).
What tianxiaode said. Heart of Gold is my least favorite ep, but it does have some important character development. Trash is the best one though.
There is some important stuff in the Message too (re:
Simon/Kaylee
)
I would say that in Heart of Gold the important stuff is
Mal/Inara
and a bit of
Wash/Zoe
.
I have to vote for Serenity and Objects in Space. If you caught Serenity, then just OiS will probably do you. It's probably the episode most crucial to the main plot of the film. Plus, I really like it (it's my favorite episode).
So -- Heart of Gold, then?
(Hec, thanks, but I've seen the ones that aired, so I've seen all those.)
t edit
(And Gris, thanks, but I *have* seen the ones that aired, so I've seen Serenity, OiS, etc.)
Is the whitefonted stuff about the movie, or the unaired eps? One I don't mind reading, the other isn't supposed to be here.
See, I just don't know which ones aired. =) If the unaired eps are Heart of Gold, Trash, and The Message then, um...
I'd say you don't actually NEED to see any of those. Trash is my favorite of the three. The Message and Heart of Gold are my least favorite eps of the series, which many I think would agree with.
ETA: And if you already don't like the Westerny parts of the show, then you'll HATE HoG. Probably.