That was a fascinating read over there. Almost like reading about people watching election returns.

FWIW I have no quarrel with the advertising campaign. They did a great job with the trailers and blanketing the ads on the last week and, with one exception, the ads were really good.

This is me completely.

(I didn't like the ones that pointed to magazine and newspaper "buzz" about Serenity/Firefly/Whedon since those articles implied that it was a nerd phenomenon, which is not a selling point.)

Especially this. I saw that and I worried about how that was going to influence the perception of the general public and if it would scare them away with the idea that it was only for geeks. Any time you equate something that's sci-fi with a rabid fanbase, you give most people visions of people dressed as klingons or wearing Spock ears and that screams "stay away" to them.

The Lord of the Rings movies and the success of Lost last year prove that you can non-fans interested in fantasy/sci-fi stuff if you present it properly. Making them associate people who like it with people they think (wrongfully or not) are crazy is not the way to do it, though.

That said, I think Universal did an excellent job of promoting it otherwise and all we can do is wait and see.

The thing you get with Wash's death that you don't get with Simon's is the effect it has on Zoe. I was REALLY worried she was going to be ineffective or, worse, suicidal in that last battle and that raised the stakes hugely to me. Her being ineffective, by extension, would put everyone else in greater danger so along with my sadness. my fear ratcheted way up. If Simon died, Kaylee might fight harder, but that would HELP our crew, rather than hinder them, vice versa for if she died. River would behave exactly sas she did when he got wounded, so it doesn't help there either. They could have killed Zoe, but that has the same marriage-killing effects and also kills the strongest male-female friendship. They could have killed Inara or Jayne, but who on the team cared enough to have it affect them?

Heh, with Jayne, at that point in the story, they might have felt regret over losing a good fighter, at least. But, yeah, not the same effect. At all.

Robin, I think you're right, there: If he killed Inara, Kaylee would mourn, but it wouldn't turn her inside-out. Mal's conflicted emotions over her would become grief, which he knows how to deal with; he'd mourn and then be able to let her go (possibly with a tiny secret sense of relief), whereas while she's alive, he can't let her go and she spins him about. Thus, reason not to kill off Inara: she bugs Mal.

Killing off Jayne, I agree; no one would care enough to be sufficiently affected. (Well, me, but I'm not a Whedon character, thanks be to whoever did think me up).

I'm mourning Wash, hard. I'm still kinda in shock. I'm mourning for Zoe, too, because I know what it feels like. But I see why it was him. Dammit.

The Browncoats are scaring me.

Harry over at AICN shut off new registration because of "Browncoat zealots." This sentiment comes across to me like band geeks making fun of the A/V club. Some of these Browncoats are pretty hardcore I'll give you that but we have an emotional invenstment in not just the story but the success of the film. Joss said, "this is your film." This box office watching and reaction should be expected. I always thought the trekkie or trekker distinction was silly but it's starting to make some sense now. On the other hand, zealousy (is that a word?) is exactly what can turn this boat around. Browncoats could have the last laugh if they can keep Serenity in the top3 next weekend.

Surely no one is surprised by the Browncoat zealousy. Didn't everyone see that coming?

(It's zealotry, actually, but I like zealousy better!)

On the other hand, zealousy (is that a word?) is exactly what can turn this boat around.

Not if it pisses off and alienates the people you're trying to convert.

Zealousy makes it sound like the root emotion is "Firefly was better than Dark Angel! Nyah-na-na-na-na-na!" to me.

I don't think people would feel betrayed or slapped in the face unless it felt like they were perhaps uninivited to that universe.

That's probably at the root of Simon's personality makeover being my big WTF issue with the movie. While he's not my favorite character (third behind Zoe and Kaylee, actually) he is the one I identified with the most. In a weird and unintended way, it's like Joss saying to me "no, you just won't do... unless you're more action-oriented, substitute punching for sarcasm as your method of offense, and learn to like kissing girls. Goodbye."

Zealousy makes it sound like the root emotion is "Firefly was better than Dark Angel! Nyah-na-na-na-na-na!" to me.

Right like an insane jealousy. Isn't there some truth to that? I think there are some fans who want Serenity to be in held in the same regard as the Star Wars and Trek movies.

Not if it pisses off and alienates the people you're trying to convert.

What I meant was it's those fans who are going to go back and see it again next weekend.