By Oliver Pulumbarit
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The short-lived but fan-favorite space saga, “Firefly,” created by revered writer-director Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”) is finally being shown locally on the C/S channel (Mondays, 8 p.m.). Many years after it was canceled, the precursor series to 2005’s “Serenity” feature film remains a tautly conceptualized “space western,” an occasionally rowdy and straightforward exploration of human conflicts and perspectives, as exemplified by its main motley band of space-farers. Several centuries into the future and amazing technological breakthroughs later, survival is still the name of the game, and unlikely alliances may be the only way to assure that.

The team of nine, led by former soldier Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), traverses the blackness of space with the Firefly-type ship Serenity, and gets smuggling jobs while trying to steer clear of sinister lawmen, vengeful crime lords, and the barbaric cannibals of legend called Reavers. Mal isn’t the typical hero figure; he knows how to fight dirty and has questionable motives sometimes. But he also knows when to fight for what he — or his crew — believes in. Among Whedon’s colorful menagerie of hero characters, Mal can be counted as one of the cockier, more conflicted ones.

Disparity

As with previous Whedon ensembles, “Firefly” has a cast of characters that shows strength through disparity. Mal’s second-in-command Zoe (Gina Torres) and the expert pilot Wash (Alan Tudyk) are spouses with contrasting personalities. Simon (Sean Maher) is a fugitive doctor who has a psychically attuned teen sister River (Summer Glau). Inara (Morena Baccarin) is the comely, classy courtesan; Kaylee (Jewel Staite), the sprightly, girl-next-door mechanic. Enigmatic figures such as the cleric Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) and the amoral mercenary Jayne (Adam Baldwin) lend profound angles to the group’s adventures.

Attention to the differences within that melting pot/cross-section of humanity doesn’t waver; each member of the crew reacts differently to specific crises, so life in the ship isn’t exactly harmonious. The development of the characters is constant, and the span of 14 episodes does give each one shining moments. Much is revealed in Whedon’s standalone “Serenity” movie about certain crew members’ origins, as well as the final fate of others, but the “Firefly” series actually fleshes out most of these renegades and complements the 2005 film’s many key moments.

Unpredictable

Also, while the story is set in space, there is an absence of alien/extraterrestrial beings, yet the cultures and customs of human colonies in corners of space add enough mystery and narrative gloss to specific story lines. It’s quite amusing, for instance, that Mal “accidentally” married a strange woman shortly after they met, without him knowing it. In another planet, Jayne is wrongly celebrated as a hero by a community unaware of the real circumstances behind his “heroic” act from years back.

“Firefly” has ample doses of action and drama, and very few of its episodes fall into the predictable formula trap. The rescue missions, romantic tensions, obligatory but well-scripted infighting, and unexpected standoffs stand out and are a joy to watch. It’s easy to have favorites among the many misfits, and there are even some that you’ll love to hate. The show is practically a mini-series because it didn’t last a full season, but the distinctly unique meshing of genres and its cross-cultural romps make “Firefly” a true classic.