The only thing I disliked about The Message was them not letting Tracey in on the plan, which would've saved him. Felt a little deus ex for the sake of revealing his treacherousness ("treachery" sounds too highflown here) and keeping him from becoming a cast member, which was just about where it was headed. Otherwise, I got no beef. I liked Womack scene-chewy. Good counterpoint to Tracey's very deliberate ingratiating smarm.

The only thing I disliked about The Message was them not letting Tracey in on the plan, which would've saved him.

I suspect it was intended as a "explaining later, running away now" type of situation, but it didn't quite work properly. Also, we might take it as proof that Tracy is too dumb to live, since who bothers to perform a stealthy escape if the plan all along is to surrender? But that didn't occur to him.

Just like, he had his visceral organs cut out, on a crook's shoddy promise that he would get them back some day.

Like I said, too dumb to live. I only hope they didn't transplant his brain into anybody.

Too dumb to live, too pretty to die.

I'm more surprised that no one had a bone to pick about "The Message" being the third occurrence of "Simon pisses off Kaylee by saying something without thinking first but everything's more or less okay by the end of the episode." I mean, I kind of like it as a recurring theme because it emphasizes that Simon, while smart and pretty and civilized, lacks useful social skills, but I was expecting someone to be annoyed by the repetition.

Actually, the Kaylee-pouting-because-Simon's-inept thing did bug me. Not that I said anything bout it. But yeah.

I identify with it. Really, I feel for Simon. Couldn't she cut the poor guy a little slack?

I think Trash might be my favorite, period. It is certainly the one I watch the most.

A friend of mine calls Trash one of the finest hours of scripted TV, period.

There is lots to love with "Trash" -- but "The Message" has Jayne's hat ! Made by his mom !!!

Watched The Message and HoG last night with some folks who hadn't seen them but are coming to the movie. We had to back up the DVD and run a scene again b/c it was skipping, and one of our friends was already reciting the funny lines along with the actors.

I am a huge and unabashed sap. I freely admit that there are major plot holes in The Message, but they don't really bother me. I love Jonathan's performance and I get teary every time I watch the last ten minutes or so. Gina rocks so hard in this one, too. Zoe draws her boundaries with Tracey so clearly, from beginning to end.

The only thing I disliked about The Message was them not letting Tracey in on the plan, which would've saved him.

I don't disagree that this is irritating, but Mal kind of did the same thing to Simon in Bushwhacked. OTOH, seems like he would have at least yelled, "We're not turning you in, you dim-witted [insert Mandarin curse here]," once Tracey took Kaylee hostage.

Similarly, in HoG, I have so much love for Melinda Clarke and how she manages to transcend what could be total crap roles. Also? Way hotter than Morena, and I'm not even an Inara hater.

HoG. Worst. Episode. Ever.

I hated pretty much everything about it, mostly because it had Mal, Zoe, and Wash all playing fools. I did think Melinda Clarke was the best part of the ep. Would that she had been cast as Inara.

Would that she had been cast as Inara.

Oh, now *that* would have been cool.