Firefly/Shindig

Shindig
Season 1, Episode 6
Airdate	November 1, 2002
Production Number	1AGE03
Written by	Jane Espenson
Directed by	Vern Gillum
← 1x05 Out of Gas	1x07 → Safe
Firefly — Season One

Shindig is the sixth episode of the first season of Firefly.

Starring: Nathan Fillion (Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds), Gina Torres (Zoe Washburne), Alan Tudyk (Hoban "Wash" Washburne), Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra), Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb), Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye), Sean Maher (Dr. Simon Tam), Summer Glau (River Tam), Ron Glass (Shepherd Book)

Guest Starring: Mark A. Sheppard (Badger), Edward Atterton (Atherton Wing), Larry Drake (Sir Warrick Harrow)

Co-Starring: Carl Bresk (Wright), Larry Pennell (Murphy), Michael McMillian (Younger Hopeful), Joshua Grenrock (Porter), Kim Onasch (Banning), Janora McDuffie (Cabott), Casey Piotrowski (Older Farmer), Hunter Cochran (Younger Farmer), Roy Werner (Gentleman)

Plot Overview

On the planet Persephone the crew contact their old "friend" Badger the ruthless crimelord to transport some goods on behalf of a local lord. While at a ball to arrange a transport job with the lord, Mal defends Inara's honor when her current customer insults her. By local custom he unintentionally challenges her date, Atherton Wing, to a duel.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Blue Sun: During the game of Top Card, River is shown rummaging through the ship's food stores and tearing off labels from canned goods. Her motivation for doing this is unclear and the viewer is meant to write it off as one of her manic episodes. However, she can be heard muttering something in relation to the Blue Sun Corporation. Although the Blue Sun plot point wasn't fully explored in the series, it is assumed that the company has some connection with what happened to River. Although, the closed captions imply that there is simply something sinister in the food itself.

Characters

• Kaylee: In this episode it's revealed that Kaylee is short for Kaywinnit Lee, and her last name is Frye.

• Zoe: According to costume designer Shawna Trpcic on the DVD commentary, the necklace that Zoe wears in the series is representative of her marital bond to Wash.

Trivia

The Show

• That's Not Poker: Although Jane Espenson claimed that the card game, Tall Card, that Book, Simon and Jayne were playing could be found on the official Firefly website, it turned out that it was only a script excerpt. Several fan versions of the game have been made.

• Narration Change: The opening narration changes as of this episode to include the information about "a whole new galaxy of Earths."

Behind the Scenes

• CG Cows: Cows will never walk on a grate or a grid-like pattern. According to Jane Espenson, the cows at the end of the episode are all computer generated.

• Original Opening: Originally the introduction involved Mal and Inara talking in a wooded area, but the scene was changed several times until it became the two of them in a pool hall with Inara failing to fit into Mal's world.

• Wedding Dress: The dress that Inara wears at the ball was partially made out of Shawna Trpcic's wedding dress.

Quotes

• Inara: (as a bar fight ensues) Love this place, I'll tell my friends.

• Badger: Of course, you couldn't buy an invite with a diamond the size of a testicle, but I got my hands on a couple.

• Badger: Captain Reynolds. Heard you was in town. Thought we might have a bit of a sit down.

Mal: I'd prefer a bit of a piss off.

• Mal: I don't like fellows that kill me. Not in general.

• Mal: Stay for a while, resupply. Sniff the air, we don't kiss the dirt.

Zoe: I wasn't planning on the dirt kissing, sir.

Wash: I wouldn't stand for it anyway, Captain. Jealous man like me.