This is more of an aside, but I’ve spent about $150 on getting people hooked on Firefly since it came out on DVD last year. I’ve given people $20 towards the cost of the DVD set, which—given the bargain basement Amazon cost of $34.99—is a healthy donation. So far as I can tell, even these nearly complete strangers have all enjoyed it, and have continued getting their friends hooked.

If you have heard of Firefly and aren’t already a fan, it’s likely because someone described it as a “western in space.” This is not to be taken as meaning “cowboys and indians” or “idealistic gadget orgy”. That is simplifying it an awful lot. Think of it as a character-driven show, whose setting merely happens to be the outer rim colonies of a united galaxy. These colony planets are very poorly developed—some of them just barely habitable balls of dust—whose occupants are largely scraping along. Very much a shoot-him-before-he-shoots-you, survival-of-the-fittest sort of environment. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the core planets – affluent, educated, cultured and civilized. These core planets are held together by an efficient but somewhat Orwellian government. This government—the reason why most of the colonists became colonists in the first place—claimed rule over the outer rim colonies. Hostilities began, and one side raged against the other. One side lost.

This is where Firefly begins.

This is also where I will interrupt to explain the real-world equivalent. Faction 1 (Firefly): a unique, well-written show experimented with a new formula that was untested. Faction 2 (Fox): A media company whose staple had become so-called reality television, and who was notorious for creating edgy, unique shows which they promptly cancelled. The two sides hung out for a couple weeks, during which Faction 2 jerked Faction 1—not to mention its audience—around an awful lot. One side lost.

Fast-forward two years. Firefly’s creator, Joss Whedon, pens a script for a Firefly movie, and finds a taker in Universal. Thus is born Serenity (which is also the name of the Firefly-class ship in the show).

It comes out September 30^th. From all accounts—that is to say, people inside the industry, or who were lucky enough to see a preview release of the movie—it continues the story set up in the television series, while (fortunately) introducing its universe and characters to neophytes. All while managing to be “fantastic” (in the words of a preview viewee).

However, if you wish to get the most ouf of the movie—and this is personal opinion—I’m recommending you go order the boxed set from Amazon. If you missed the link up top, here it is again. Who knows? I might even send you $20.