Catching the Little Things (sp. Firefly) When Re-Watching

[LightPhoenix]

I love when I'm watching something again, and I catch little things that aren't obvious on the first viewing. Perhaps my favorite movie to do this with is High Fidelity, but by far my favorite show is Firefly.

I was watching Objects In Space again (for maybe the tenth time). The show obviously plays with expectations, given the heavy emphasis on existentialism. We get a key bit of mystery from Early on Book - that he isn't a Shepherd. However, one thing that I never caught until my most recent viewing was how River's mind-read of Book ties into that. When Book is talking to Jayne, his thought is that (paraphrased) "I don't give a damn if you're innocent, where does that leave you?" Of course, the obvious interpretation is that Book doesn't care about Jayne's innocence, especially given the talk about sex. However, if you take innocent not to be the opposite of sinful but the opposite of guilty, that shines a whole new light on that line. Given all the other clues, I have to think Book was some sort of well known Alliance Sergeant.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I thought that Book was much higher ranking than that (consider the treatment he gets from the alliance capital ship in that early episode when he is wounded), and the way that Early(?) treats him in the final episode.

After watching the film, I thought that Book was probably an 'operative' before becoming a shepherd.

 

[fba827]

well, Book
* does get special treatment and surprise when people scan his ID card
* he has knowledge of weaponary types
* he knows how to handle a weapon (aka he isn't a novice in actual use of)
* when his ID card is scanned he is not arressted or questioned (so you know he's not "on the run")
* his default/prefered problem resolution method is peacefully talking it out if that seems possible.


So I always figured he was some sort of high ranking soldier and something tragic or life-altering happened either during the war or just after it to make him decide it wasn't the life for him and thus turn away from violence. I.e. maybe he did something violent (under orders) that caused the death of someone/people he thought should have been spared, etc.

of course, no real evidence any which way, but that's how i took it.


as to the OP's point in general -- yes, it is a lot of fun to rewatch things and catch things you didn't notice before (stuff that was foreshadowing later events and the like -- I remember rewatching Gargoyles and at one point Demona says to Puck "You serve the human and now you can serve me" which didn't make sence at the time but after a later episode it becomes clear that the line is foreshadowing a reveal that didn't come until a season the fact. I would never have caught or understood that without having rewatched it. And there are other such examples of that very same phenomenon...

 

[RichCsigs]

I have no evidence but since the movie came out, I've been assuming that Book was the one who ordered the administration of the aggression suppressing drug on Miranda.

 

[fba827]

after poking around ...
some Dark Horse comic, apperently scheduled for print later this year , will be called "A Shepard's Tale" will focus on Book's background.

Wikipedia also has a little more info about his background (however reliable you want to say Wikipedia is)
[sblock]
Ron Glass (the actor portraying Book) mentioned a couple otherwise unrevealed points including: (a) Derrial was not the shepherd's real name, but the name of a man he had killed. Also, (b) a part of [him] is artificial, (c) he found God in a bowl of soup, and (d) he is best known for his greatest failure.
[/sblock]
Source: Derrial Book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (last paragraph in the character background section)

But that item "a" (if true) puts a spin on the privledges he got as a result of his ID card.

 

[Wik]

I love when I'm watching something again, and I catch little things that aren't obvious on the first viewing. Perhaps my favorite movie to do this with is High Fidelity, but by far my favorite show is Firefly.

I was watching Objects In Space again (for maybe the tenth time). The show obviously plays with expectations, given the heavy emphasis on existentialism. We get a key bit of mystery from Early on Book - that he isn't a Shepherd. However, one thing that I never caught until my most recent viewing was how River's mind-read of Book ties into that. When Book is talking to Jayne, his thought is that (paraphrased) "I don't give a damn if you're innocent, where does that leave you?" Of course, the obvious interpretation is that Book doesn't care about Jayne's innocence, especially given the talk about sex. However, if you take innocent not to be the opposite of sinful but the opposite of guilty, that shines a whole new light on that line. Given all the other clues, I have to think Book was some sort of well known Alliance Sergeant.

High Fidelity is one of my favourite movies, as well as probably being the most-read book in my house right now. Brilliant, all around. And Firefly is also quite often watched, although for entirely different reasons.

If you really like rewatching films and analyzing absolutely minute clues, I obviously have to recommend Bladerunner. On the off-chance you haven't seen it - SEE IT. It's definitely right up your alley.

As for shepherd book - He's always been my least favourite crew member, and I rarely pay any attention to him when I rewatch the shows. I'm generally too busy anticipating the next Jaynism.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

As for shepherd book - He's always been my least favourite crew member, and I rarely pay any attention to him when I rewatch the shows. I'm generally too busy anticipating the next Jaynism.

Love Jayne!