Lisin April 17, 2014 Share April 17, 2014 I always laugh at the statue reveal in this one. I also really like how Book is nice to River and tries to explain the bible and ends up letting her keep it even though he doesn't really want to. Also River being scared of him with his hair out is a fun scene. I always feel so sad for Jayne at the end. 1 Link to comment
jhlipton April 17, 2014 Share April 17, 2014 Now that is what I call SHINY! Even Inara was good -- they should have used her words and deeds in this episode to guide her words and deeds in the others. A Companion isn't a ****-buddy, he or she provides a pleasant romantic and thoughtful experience. But, man, how I love Jayne. He is so uncomplicated. Give him some drink, some food and a hot, willing lady (or two) and he's a happy camper. (He likes money, but only so much as it buys him more of the aforementioned.) When something punctures that titanium skull, it really resonates! "The hair is gone." "No, it's just [hiding/waiting/...]" Loved the scenes with Book and River. The thing is that when they were arguing over the Bible, they were both right. The Bible as a stand-alone work (of history or fantasy, depending on your beliefs) doesn't make a lot of sense -- two conflicting accounts of the origin of everything in Genesis, the need for "quantum animals" on the Ark -- and let's be grateful that River didn't reach the Song of Solomon (although her take on that would be interesting!). But it's a book of faith more than anything else, and faith doesn't need to be logical. From Book's p[oint of view, the Bible is just fine as is. 2 Link to comment
decembar13 April 17, 2014 Share April 17, 2014 Ahhhhhhh, the hero of Canton, the man they call Jayne... I think I love everything in this episode, there wasn't a boring moment in it (personal opinion). Jayne is just amazing and Adam is what sells that character and this episode as whole... From his bravado to his confusion, from his embarrassment to his anger, he was perfect in every scene and every line delivering. Not to mention that his sadness over a death of a boy was just palpable... AND we got Adam to do a tribute of THAT song! Watch and be amazed: Other things I loved:1. Simon> from the moment of the statue reveal and Simon's perfect "son of a bitch" reaction (especially funny 'cause at the very beginnig of episode he's explaining Kaylee how he only swears when it's appropriate) and much quoted "this must be what going mad feels like", to his drunk complaint of how he attached leg to a girl only to have that girl name her hamster after him... Simon was just too good for words. And I believe this episode introduced a very much loved "man ape gone wrong" description Simon had of Jayne.2. Book and River> they had a grandfather/granddaughter rapport in their scenes and kudos to Ron and Summer for accomplishing that task. And then "just keep walkin', preacher man." Ha!!!3. Inara> I feel like this is the first episode where I finally understood what Joss was trying to sell about companions early on and what was he aiming with her character.4. Wash/Kaylee> "We gotta go to the crappy town where I'm a hero!" / "Wherever I move to, his eyes keep... followin' me." Bahahahaha!5. Mal> "Every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of sumbitch or another"... Now, I know captain is a smart guy, but this line was just perfect in every sense of a word and Nathan really delivered that line... And it made me think. I hate when tv shows make me think because thinking usually makes me sad, and I don't want tv shows to make me think/sad (I want mindless fun, damn it!!!), but it felt so right in the context of the whole episode... And while episode ended on a sad note, I'm more than happy to end my rambling with this exchange (one of the personal favourites):Mal: "The management here don't take too kindly to sightseers, which is why we're posin' as buyers. There ain't a one of us looks the part more than the good doctor. I mean, the pretty fits, soft hands, definitely a moneyed individual. All rich and lily-white, pasty all over..."Simon: "All right! Fine, I'll go. Just... stop describing me."Mal: "You're the boss, boss."Jayne: "He's the boss now? This day just keeps gettin' better and better." I'm off to watch this episode yet again... 4 Link to comment
halgia April 22, 2014 Share April 22, 2014 I had mostly forgotten about this episode, somehow, but that's crazy – the song is so great! We get a lot of funny lines at the start, we add some depth to Jayne, we get a great River/Book interaction, Inara finally kind of works though it's a bit cliche, and Simon/Kaylee have some fun. The thematic "faith!" connection between the Jayne and River/Book plots is pretty explicit without quite hitting you over the head with it. If you want to take the parallel literally, it maybe says that Book gets something good out of his religion even if it's not "true," and even if he doesn't know the real reason that he's getting those benefits. And maybe it'll cost him in the end, but maybe he'll be okay with that. 3 Link to comment
Joe Hellandback June 4, 2018 Share June 4, 2018 On 17/04/2014 at 1:12 AM, Lisin said: I always laugh at the statue reveal in this one. I also really like how Book is nice to River and tries to explain the bible and ends up letting her keep it even though he doesn't really want to. Also River being scared of him with his hair out is a fun scene. I always feel so sad for Jayne at the end. You shouldn't, this is a moral lesson for him, if they'd showed the series in order it might have improved his character. On 17/04/2014 at 11:59 AM, decembar13 said: Ahhhhhhh, the hero of Canton, the man they call Jayne... I think I love everything in this episode, there wasn't a boring moment in it (personal opinion). Jayne is just amazing and Adam is what sells that character and this episode as whole... From his bravado to his confusion, from his embarrassment to his anger, he was perfect in every scene and every line delivering. Not to mention that his sadness over a death of a boy was just palpable... AND we got Adam to do a tribute of THAT song! Watch and be amazed: Other things I loved:1. Simon> from the moment of the statue reveal and Simon's perfect "son of a bitch" reaction (especially funny 'cause at the very beginnig of episode he's explaining Kaylee how he only swears when it's appropriate) and much quoted "this must be what going mad feels like", to his drunk complaint of how he attached leg to a girl only to have that girl name her hamster after him... Simon was just too good for words. And I believe this episode introduced a very much loved "man ape gone wrong" description Simon had of Jayne.2. Book and River> they had a grandfather/granddaughter rapport in their scenes and kudos to Ron and Summer for accomplishing that task. And then "just keep walkin', preacher man." Ha!!!3. Inara> I feel like this is the first episode where I finally understood what Joss was trying to sell about companions early on and what was he aiming with her character.4. Wash/Kaylee> "We gotta go to the crappy town where I'm a hero!" / "Wherever I move to, his eyes keep... followin' me." Bahahahaha!5. Mal> "Every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of sumbitch or another"... Now, I know captain is a smart guy, but this line was just perfect in every sense of a word and Nathan really delivered that line... And it made me think. I hate when tv shows make me think because thinking usually makes me sad, and I don't want tv shows to make me think/sad (I want mindless fun, damn it!!!), but it felt so right in the context of the whole episode... And while episode ended on a sad note, I'm more than happy to end my rambling with this exchange (one of the personal favourites): Mal: "The management here don't take too kindly to sightseers, which is why we're posin' as buyers. There ain't a one of us looks the part more than the good doctor. I mean, the pretty fits, soft hands, definitely a moneyed individual. All rich and lily-white, pasty all over..." Simon: "All right! Fine, I'll go. Just... stop describing me." Mal: "You're the boss, boss." Jayne: "He's the boss now? This day just keeps gettin' better and better." I'm off to watch this episode yet again... Does it end on a sad note? On 22/04/2014 at 2:30 AM, Dougal said: I had mostly forgotten about this episode, somehow, but that's crazy – the song is so great! We get a lot of funny lines at the start, we add some depth to Jayne, we get a great River/Book interaction, Inara finally kind of works though it's a bit cliche, and Simon/Kaylee have some fun. The thematic "faith!" connection between the Jayne and River/Book plots is pretty explicit without quite hitting you over the head with it. If you want to take the parallel literally, it maybe says that Book gets something good out of his religion even if it's not "true," and even if he doesn't know the real reason that he's getting those benefits. And maybe it'll cost him in the end, but maybe he'll be okay with that. The thing about River is she had faith in the Alliance, look what they did to her? JAYNESTOWN The good; The bit where the gang see Jayne's statue alone had me laughing out loud, then the song is even better. Inara's confusion over her client referring to Jayne but she thinks it's Mal is also hilarious. The River/Book scenes where she tries to correct the bible are terrific. Also love the bit where Zoe welcomes 'her boys' home and her faked adulation of Jayne once she hears the story. The bad; Handing Stitch the loaded gun is deeply stupid, no matter what the magistrate's motivation. What IS the cargo they pick up? Stitch fires a shot in the air when we first see him confront Jayne but doesn't work the action and eject the spent cartridge until he shoots the mudder, he actually threatens Mal with an empty gun. Best line; Kaylee (to Inara who's off to see a client) "Have good sex!" also like; Simon; (upon learning of Jayne's folk hero status) "This must be what going mad feels like" upon hearing the Jayne song; "No, THIS must be what going mad feels like" plus Wash; "Let's go to the crappy town where I'M a hero" and; River (to Book whilst correcting the Bible); "Just keep walking preacher man!" Packing heat; I'm informed that Zoe's cut down carbine is referred to as a 'mare's leg', possibly because of it's kick? Stitch has a sawn-off Remmington shotgun. Kinky dinky; Simon finally tells Kaylee that she's pretty and they get all snuggly over 'mudders milk' (nice pun). Notches on the Serenity bedpost; Jayne possibly sleeps with the barmaid but unconfirmed. Inara has another paying customer. Inarra;2- 2 paying customers, 1 possible, Atherton. Wash; 1-the missus Zoe; 1-the hubby Jayne; 1 possible, Jaynestown groupie. Capt subtext; I thought that the toppling of the Jayne statue was actually a comment about the similar destruction of Saddams statue during the liberation of Iraq but that actually happened afterwards (much as The Initiative on Buffy was very Guantanamo Bay but also occurred beforehand) Total Serenity crew; 9 Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Wash, Kaylee, Inarra, Book, Simon, River Subverting the Hollywood cliché; Big tough Jayne whimpers as he pulls the surgical tape off his skin Whedon clichés; Devoted siblings, haunted charismatic leading man. Teenage girls with superpowers. Hookers. Babbling insane girls with truth in their madness. Fake cockneys. Misguided religious zealots. Numbered t-shirts. Girls with botanical names (Willow, Saffron, Jasmine). Absent/overbearing fathers. Women good/men bad; Really like Inara's 'what makes a man' speech to her client. Not so fond of Jayne casually tossing his groupie aside the next morning with only a goodbye spank of her ass. Kills; Jayne kills Stitch Jayne; 7- Happy high-class hookers in Space; Inara kisses on the mouth. Her guild gives her enough leeway to reject her clients father if she'd wished to but she seems genuinely fond of the son. Ceremony plays an almost more important part for her in her work than the sex. Know the face? Kevin Gage who plays Stitch essentially recreates his role of the odious Waingrow in the wonderful Michael Mann film 'Heat', best cops and robbers story off all time. Whedon alumni- Joss likes to reuse the same actors in his series, let's count up their appearances (let me know if I miss any) Jack Jabaley; 2-the bartender here and Xander's friend Tito the Plumber from Buffy. Crew injured; Simon gets roughed up AGAIN! He's beginning to remind me of Joxer the Mighty. As Kaylee observes "You got to be steeley, can't let men be stomping on you so much" Reminds me off; Bare chested Jayne reminds me off the late Kevin Smith playing Ares in Xena. River sounds very like Fred when she starts talking physics when rewriting the bible. Book with his hair down reminds me of an Afro-American Albert Einstein. 'You fought the law' may refer to the song by The Clash. Mal's remark about the Mudder's Jayne fixation being about what they need as opposed to reality is reminiscent of the Dollhouse's philosophy. Questions and observations; So, beer was intended to keep the masses down? I wonder what went wrong? Surely Stitch can't have been wholly in the box for 4 years, his muscles would have atrophied until he couldn't walk and no one would be able to stand the stench to release him. A town so backward they don't even know what a menu is, Simon really is in hell. He comes off the ship and starts really participating in their crime for the first time. Interestingly Zoe is left behind and Mal takes Wash with him, maybe because there's not going to be any gunplay in Canton. Jayne starts to develop a conscience, he and Mal beginning to bond again in the final scene. Stitch is one tough hombre to keep fighting with a Bowie knife in his chest (take that Deadliest Warrior who said the stiletto was better). Magistrate Higgins got what he wanted, his son is now a real man, standing up to his overbearing father. 8 out of 10, fairly lightweight but truly very, very funny episode with a Jayne brought to the fore for the first time and some absolutely killer lines. Link to comment
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