Television Review: The Train Job (Firefly, S1X02, 2002)

The Train Job (S1X02)

Airdate: 20th September 2002

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

Running time: 43 min.

Firefly's fate was sealed from the start, with Fox Network botching the show's introduction. The feature-length pilot episode was discarded, and The Train Job, a standard episode, was forced to take its place. This meant that all the meticulous world-building and character introductions were wasted, leaving viewers in 2002 confused about the show's premise, the fictional universe it inhabited, and the protagonists' motivations and issues.

Director Joss Whedon and co-writer Tim Minear attempted to fill some of these gaps. The opening scene, set in a bar on Unification Day, provides some background information. The combination of action, humor, and desert setting in this sequence tries to establish the fusion of space opera and old-school Western that defines the series.

The main plot, a train robbery on the backwater mining planet of Regina, is uninspired and reminiscent of similar scenes in Melville's crime film, Un Flic. The plot twist near the end, revealing the true nature and importance of the stolen cargo, is conveniently contrived to highlight the protagonists' conscience, despite their criminal actions.

The episode's pacing is slow, with character introductions taking precedence over plot development. The final segments, however, are satisfying, featuring physical action, black humor, and dialogue that pays homage to the 1970s BBC television series, Blake's 7, which was a clear inspiration for Firefly.

The acting is generally good, with guest stars Michael Fairman and Gregg Henry delivering standout performances as crime lord Adelai Niska and no-nonsense sheriff, respectively. However, the regular cast members are given limited material to work with.

Ultimately, The Train Job is a forgettable episode that fails to capture the essence of Firefly. Despite its shortcomings, it does provide some interesting character moments and sets the stage for the series' exploration of morality and the consequences of one's actions. While it may not be the ideal introduction to the Firefly universe, it is nevertheless a satisfactory, if flawed, starting point.

RATING: 5/10

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