Television Review: The Message (Firefly, S1X12, 2003)

Trash (S1X12)

Airdate: July 15th 2003

Written by: Joss Whedon & Tim Minear
Directed by: Tim Minear

Running time: 44 min.

When the cancellation of Firefly was looming, the producers, cast, and crew of the final episode, The Message, might have felt compelled to put in extra effort to give the show a memorable send-off instead of a disappointing whimper. However, Fox Network executives' decision not to air the episode, followed by its eventual premiere alongside two other unaired episodes on the Sci-Fi Channel, ultimately marred the production crew's intentions. Nevertheless, The Message stands as the twelfth episode in the show's internal chronology, and its world-building and character development make it a worthy addition to the series.

The episode begins with a splendid example of world-building, showing that humanity's centuries-long colonization of space has yet to yield an encounter with extraterrestrial life. The script by Joss Whedon and Tim Minear skillfully conveys this through the crew of Serenity's visit to the station, which features a carnival and a barker claiming to possess proof of alien life. The crew's scepticism is met with a mutated cow fetus, a dead-end that underlines the vast emptiness of the universe.

The real purpose of their visit to the station, however, lies in collecting mail, including a large package for Mal that reveals to be a coffin containing the body of Tracey Smith (played by James A. Woodward), a former Independent soldier who fought under Mal's command during the Unification War. The coffin also contains an audio message from Tracey, pleading with his former superior to deliver his body to his family on the snowy mining planet of St. Albans. Mal agrees, but their journey is complicated by the revelation that many details of Tracey's story do not add up, and they are pursued by Lt. Womack (played by Richard Burgi), an Alliance law enforcement official determined to retrieve something of great value and importance that Tracey was carrying with him.

The Message is a serious episode, maintaining a sombre tone tone until its poignant and bittersweet conclusion. The script delves into the show's portrayal of the war that forged Mal's character, as well as how it affected other people differently, including Tracey, who, like so many veterans in wars since the beginning of time, found himself lost in the peacetime and prone to make wrong choice, which would, like in this episodes, have tragic consequences. Jonathan A. Woodward delivers a commendable performance as Tracey, making the character likeable despite his flaws. The addition of Richard Burgi, physically imposing star of The Sentinel, as a menacing and formidable character who would have been great recurring villain if the show hadn’t been cancelled .

However, not all elements work seamlessly. Attempts to lighten the content with humour, such as the romantic tension between Kaylee and Simon, feel forced, and the ending appears rushed. These flaws do not detract from the overall quality of the episode, which stands as a testament to the show's world-building and character development.

The Message is a very good episode, despite its flaws, and would have made for a more than decent way to end the show.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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