Going back to what Zenkitty said: having the episode end with that nice familial dinner scene just underscores the whole family thing.

especially when River nicks Jayne's food, I've always loved that little touch

re Simon: I don't think of him as a repressed homo; he's just a brainiac who's clueless about women b/c he spent so much of his time studying that he didn't get a chance to spend any time with girls.

re Simon: I don't think of him as a repressed homo; he's just a brainiac who's clueless about women b/c he spent so much of his time studying that he didn't get a chance to spend any time with girls.

I definitely think that's what both the writing and actor were trying to make clear. I'm perfectly willing to accept an argument that he gives off gay vibes, though, whether intentionally or not.

So you're saying Simon could be a Buffista?

you're saying Simon could be a Buffista?

Repressed and sending off confusing vibes?

Well, who doesn't have a sibling that they've had to rescue from a secret government research facility and are therefore doomed to care for while on the run for the rest of their days?

t crickets

Dammit, sumi. You've blown my cover. Now I'll never be able to come back here.

t sniff

Bye, everybody.

I also thought that Simon was simply repressed and also an upper-class guy in an entirely different social situation than what he was used to. He didn't always know what to say to Kaylee because he had probably never met anyone like her before. He always seemed most comfortable talking to Inara, because they came from similar worlds.

Maysa is me. The reason he appears so repressed is because he's surrounded by people who are comfortable in their lives (which makes it much easier for them to interact with each other on a more intimate level) while he is himself extremely uncomfortable at more or less all times. Where I think a lot of people have started to draw certain conclusions from this is in the comparison between him and the others; stick him in a show based on Osiris and I'm thinking there'd be less of a gay vibe about him.

And all this without bringing up how he's the sole male cast member who defies typical notions of masculinity pretty much without cease. Even Wash gets in more macho bits than he does.

And all this without bringing up how he's the sole male cast member who defies typical notions of masculinity pretty much without cease. Even Wash gets in more macho bits than he does.

Yeah, I never thought about it like that before. Simon's bravery comes from a more traditionally feminine place - sacrifice. He's basically River's caretaker, and you don't usually see male tv characters in that kind of role.