Firefly - Episode 11: 'Trash'
Recap: Mal encounters Saffron, married to one of his war buddies, and hears of a job from her. He brings her into the crew this one time, and they infiltrate yet another one of her 'husbands.' The mission goes off correctly, and Saffron double-crosses Mal - but Inara is there to clean up the mess.
A hilarious, thoroughly enjoyable episode.
Christina Hendricks's 'Saffron' - aka Bridget, aka Yolanda - is as delightful as she was in her first appearance here. She's very clearly been assigned the role of punching bag rival - competent enough to get the drop on Mal, but not enough to avoid getting immediately outed (by herself!), punched in the face by Zoe, and even punked by Inara ('You can't do this! I have a condition!!') And her heist gives us the chance to make a super-fun mission, complete with a description of 'The Plan' and accompanying montage of execution.
There's a nice backdrop with Mal and Inara's conflict, too. Mal as usually is quick to bring up Inara's 'whoring,' but the distasteful parts aside, it's pretty entertaining to watch everyone disregarding Inara's (correct) complaints about Saffron's presence. Mal also gets extremely offended, claiming that he's not some sort of 'criminal mastermind.' He's got real thin skin for someone who belittles someone who actually makes a real living - it's hilarious how much he's bothered by Inara's accidental declaration of his latest heists as being a 'petty thief.'
This episode might feature my favorite Simon yet. For a character like Simon, I'm immensely unimpressed with displays of violence as a means to bolster his physical frailty. (I was similarly unmoved by Wesley's journey to physical prowess.) So when Simon demands to a sedated Jayne what price he was offered to betray him and begins on a threat, I'm rolling my eyes. But instead, Simon's sentence ends, 'I will never, ever harm you.' It's an unexpected, different way to show strength. And it's great.
River is more direct. 'Jayne is a girl's name,' she needles Jayne. She backs up big brother as well, adding the violent punch to his unexpected reversal: 'Also, I can kill you with my brain.'
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* Saffron's rack or Mal's butt?
* 'Marriage is hard work, Mal. But that doesn't mean we should just give up!'
* It's been a long time since we had some high octane Serenity piloting! I greatly enjoyed the low-stakes piloting that allows Jayne (and then Kaylee) to hack the trash delivery drone. Also, Gina Davis dressed like Red Riding Hood with goggles is a funny sight.
* Jayne's eloquence: 'If she figures out who you are, he'll turn you in before you can say... don't turn me in... lady.'
* Wash: 'I'm confused.' / Saffron: 'You're asking yourself if I have the codes, why don't I just walk in and grab it for myself?' / Wash: 'No, actually I was wondering, WHAT IS SHE DOING ON THIS SHIP!'
* Later in the same conversation, Jayne: 'Okay. I got a question... If she got the security codes, why don't she just walk in and grab it herself?'
* 'It ain't a hand of cards, it's called a LIFE!'
* 'I seen you without your clothes on before. Never thought I'd see you naked.'
* Mal comes clean to the guy they're ripping off, who's very candid: 'Well, I appreciate your honesty. Not, you know, a lot, but...' Also - is Saffron's alias 'Yolanda' a reference to Pulp Fiction?
A hilarious, thoroughly enjoyable episode.
Christina Hendricks's 'Saffron' - aka Bridget, aka Yolanda - is as delightful as she was in her first appearance here. She's very clearly been assigned the role of punching bag rival - competent enough to get the drop on Mal, but not enough to avoid getting immediately outed (by herself!), punched in the face by Zoe, and even punked by Inara ('You can't do this! I have a condition!!') And her heist gives us the chance to make a super-fun mission, complete with a description of 'The Plan' and accompanying montage of execution.
There's a nice backdrop with Mal and Inara's conflict, too. Mal as usually is quick to bring up Inara's 'whoring,' but the distasteful parts aside, it's pretty entertaining to watch everyone disregarding Inara's (correct) complaints about Saffron's presence. Mal also gets extremely offended, claiming that he's not some sort of 'criminal mastermind.' He's got real thin skin for someone who belittles someone who actually makes a real living - it's hilarious how much he's bothered by Inara's accidental declaration of his latest heists as being a 'petty thief.'
This episode might feature my favorite Simon yet. For a character like Simon, I'm immensely unimpressed with displays of violence as a means to bolster his physical frailty. (I was similarly unmoved by Wesley's journey to physical prowess.) So when Simon demands to a sedated Jayne what price he was offered to betray him and begins on a threat, I'm rolling my eyes. But instead, Simon's sentence ends, 'I will never, ever harm you.' It's an unexpected, different way to show strength. And it's great.
River is more direct. 'Jayne is a girl's name,' she needles Jayne. She backs up big brother as well, adding the violent punch to his unexpected reversal: 'Also, I can kill you with my brain.'
---
* Saffron's rack or Mal's butt?
* 'Marriage is hard work, Mal. But that doesn't mean we should just give up!'
* It's been a long time since we had some high octane Serenity piloting! I greatly enjoyed the low-stakes piloting that allows Jayne (and then Kaylee) to hack the trash delivery drone. Also, Gina Davis dressed like Red Riding Hood with goggles is a funny sight.
* Jayne's eloquence: 'If she figures out who you are, he'll turn you in before you can say... don't turn me in... lady.'
* Wash: 'I'm confused.' / Saffron: 'You're asking yourself if I have the codes, why don't I just walk in and grab it for myself?' / Wash: 'No, actually I was wondering, WHAT IS SHE DOING ON THIS SHIP!'
* Later in the same conversation, Jayne: 'Okay. I got a question... If she got the security codes, why don't she just walk in and grab it herself?'
* 'It ain't a hand of cards, it's called a LIFE!'
* 'I seen you without your clothes on before. Never thought I'd see you naked.'
* Mal comes clean to the guy they're ripping off, who's very candid: 'Well, I appreciate your honesty. Not, you know, a lot, but...' Also - is Saffron's alias 'Yolanda' a reference to Pulp Fiction?
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