Great television cut short

An Ode to Joss Whedon:

Well…not really an ode, seeing as I don’t know how to write one and never was much for poetry.

But I can definitely tout his glory.

I know he did Buffy and Angel and Dollhouse, a big huzzah for those also great shows but I want to talk about the brilliant but short-lived world of Firefly, it being the one that most interests me. The entire background of the world and the people was incomprehensibly smart. It’s set in the future, humans have reached outer space and found other worlds to inhabit, not unlike the colonies formed by Ender’s jeesh (Don’t know what I’m talking about? You either a) Don’t like science fiction writing or b) Have a poor memory and are utterly disgracing the beauty that is the Enderverse). But here’s the best kicker: the two superpowers who reigned on high at the end of a mostly unified Earth were America…and China. Not completely unfeasible, that.

Their language and the slang used were a combination of American English and Mandarin. So clever, so quick you can almost miss it when they curse. It’s tickling how fascinating it is to watch a scene of dialogue play out on the screen. He has them say, “Look at all that shiny,” instead of loot, or treasure or some other standard word. I need a synonym for clever because this man epitomizes it. To the core. Ingenious…or adroit. I like those.

Read this astute (hey, there’s another one) man’s biography and it will blow your mind how many celebrated television shows, movies and comics he’s touched through writing, directing, and acting.

Some people are just born for this. They are incredibly talented in a art form or a subject and they flourish in it and touch the world. The good ones always do either in massive ways, such as Harry Potter and Twilight (don't shoot the messenger...these stories have taken the world by storm), but also with underground followings that grow to be something much greater, like Broken Lizard and The Boondock Saints whose fans were so rabid and begged for so much more that the film industry acquiesced, bowed down, and gave the green light for Troy Duffy to give us another.

I tend to throw my lot in with both groups, but my true heart lies underground touting the brilliance of the unknown to the masses. One day they’ll learn and I’ll be there to relish another convert to the crew.