Weren't the changes supposed to address why Inara was still around after Heart of Gold?

We didn't really get anything on that, beyond a vague "I'll be going soon, I really will, I don't know why I'm here" kind of thing, accompanying a Meaningful Glance.

That may have been what was cut out then. I don't remember any hints of Inara leaving from my viewing of OiS, but I've only seen it once (part of me can't bear the thought of seeing it again as the last episode, since in the US it was followed up with the two-hour Serenity pilot). I've got War Stories and that waiting for a screening - I don't think I'll be able to hold out until the DVDs.

Well, Inara did say, "I don't know why I'm still here" when River was on walkabout, with the unheard words River heard being "I'm a big girl--you can tell me," while Mal thought "None of it means a damn thing." This leads me to think that Inara was thinking that Mal felt nothing for her, while he thought that she would do anything for her career, and nothing he would say would have any affect on her decision.

Okay, so I foolishly made plans to catch up with an old friend last night, which meant taping Firefly. I swear to goodness, I was like a parent leaving their child with a babysitter for the first time m- I kept running to the bathroom so I could phone my mother to make sure she was recording!

However, I have now watched the episode, and had a little "I can't believe it's over" cry, and have to echo strongly what has already been said, that was truly an amazing episode to go out on. I loved the focus on River, I've adored River from the beginning, and on several previous occasions during the series run Summer Glau's performance has just made me burst into either tears or laughter becuase of it's beauty. In this episode she was just incrediable. I loved early on when she was walking through Serenity, and running her hands along the wall, and she tried to catch a shaft of light. It was just a little, incidental touch, but it seemed so perfectly River.

I too guessed she was on Early's ship, though I didn't notice the background thing. Did you mean that on the shots in space you could see her in his ship, or that she was always in the b/g on Serenity, cause now I'm going to have to go back and rewatch (oh no, the horror!)

I thought it was interesting when River was doing her wandering at the beginning that everyone just carried on talking right around her, like they didn't notice her, at least until she started playing with guns. Also that the only person's secret thoughts we didn't hear were Kaylee's. I haven't decided if that has any significance, but still...

I'm also finally completely getting the Simon thing. Don't get me wrong I've always liked him as a character, but the moment where, despite being shot in the leg, he still threw himself down those stairs at Early, I was just punching the air in delight. That was his moment, he didn't win, but he wasn't going to stop fighting, and it was so impressive. Interesting that River didn't know he would do that. So now we know that she's not completely psychic, she didn't predict that, and you'd have thought that if she knew anyone's mind it would be Simon's.

Also loved the end, the easy camraderie returning to the crew. In particular Kaylee finally feeling settled around River again, that was a nice touch.

It's such a shame that there won't be more, there were several points during the epsiode that I had to quietly repeat to myself "there will be a movie, there will" just so I could keep watching without getting too emotional. I've adored this show, and I'm going to miss it soooo much. Can't wait for the DVD's now though!

Can I just say, for UKers who don't know, that Jubal Early was played by a guy who spent several years on Law & Order, that most straight-laced of shows, where he played a straight-laced assistant prosecutor. He didn't really come into his own as an actor till he left L & O and got his weird on. (He was also in the short-lived G vs. E, which was, or so I thought, basically The Mod Squad as written by Saint John the Divine on amphetamines.)

happy phantom, I couldn't agree more. As you'll have gathered.

Did you mean that on the shots in space you could see her in his ship, or that she was always in the b/g on Serenity

All through the scene on the Bridge, where you could see the star-scattered darkness behind Early's head and hear River's voice, whenever you could see his ship (which was most every frame with the sky in the background) there was some kind of motion going on inside it. i.e. River. Which is a fucking lovely detail.

...He didn't really come into his own as an actor till he left L & O and got his weird on

Really? 'Cause I've got to say, his weird was pretty well and truly on. Props to him.

(SO wish we knew what Early knew about Book, too...)

Also that the only person's secret thoughts we didn't hear were Kaylee's.

Perhaps because they didn't want us to think Kaylee had inner demons. Or perhaps River did not think of Kaylee as having any ill will towards River. I feel that everything we saw with River were products more of her mind than psychic. She was seeing things, and the whole cargo Bay scenario was a part of her medications acting as a psychotrope.

Also that the only person's secret thoughts we didn't hear were Kaylee's.

We didn't hear Zoe & Wash's either, but I think we can guess what they were thinking at that moment (which was the point).

So I, one holiday, two battles with the video, and a lucky Sci-Fi repeat late, finally saw Objects in Space.

Wow. It literally took my breath away. After 'Heart of Gold', I had fears that Firefly would leave me broken, because this great concept had been wasted.

I'm still broken, but in a better way. This episode was fantastic-- let me count the ways.

1) River. She was wonderful. Creepy. Weird. Funny. Clever. Beautiful. Fucked up in a thousand different ways. I was stunned, repeatedly, by the quality of the performance-- on a second watch. The first time, I was so wrapped in the story I didn't notice the acting.

2) Early. What a wonderful villian. With a plan, and dealing with Kaylee, and... ooo. Just... good villian.

3) Wash and Zoe. Wash the skeptic, and the funny man; Zoe the calm, the open-minded, and the taker-of-bullets-out-of-poor-Simon. I love them.

4) Simon. Oh, Simon. Simon, Simon, Simon. Teaching a complete beginner surgery by talking her through taking a bullet out of your own leg, because you were all brave and attacked Early to save your sister. God, Simon. And even I, dyed-in-the-wool slasher, was cheering for you and Kaylee.

5) River-as-Serenity. When that began, I hadn't worked out that River was on Early's ship, and I had a sudden flash of a whole future for Firefly in which River and the ship really *were* melded into one being. That was great. And the way it was filmed? Eye candy. And not just any old candy. Best quality Belgian chocolate.

6) Mal, especially at the end. And at the start. And all the way through. "Glad we made that distinction." Welcoming River back aboard at the end. Oh, Mal. Wonderful captain.

7) Jayne. What more do I need to say?

8) The sequence of River walking through the ship and hearing everyone's thoughts, though they don't see her.

9) Book. Not a Shepard? WTF? I need to know more about Book. Now.

10) The FX. The whole look of the show. It's beautiful-- River in the leaves. Her dancer's pose as she listens to the conversation a floor above her.

11) Summer Glau.

Wrod to the 'I just want to hug the show'. That's just how I feel, too.

12) Simon without a shirt. Although with this danger overtone, because of what Jubal had just said to Kaylee.

13) The dinosaurs are still on Wash's piloting desk.

14) Everyone and everything. Mal, Inara, Wash and Zoe, River, Simon, Kaylee, Jayne, Book. The sets, the stories, the sounds. I love them all. I'm still in love with this show. I can't quite believe it's all over.

I believe in movies.

Book. Not a Shepard? WTF? I need to know more about Book. Now.

does happy IN YOUR FACE dance of insider knowledge

I know whether Book is a good guy or a bad guy, and I AM SO NOT TELLING!

Because there will be a goddamned movie, or a comic, or some fucking thing that will tell us all his story. Or I'm going to lose my shit.