I missed the Firefly episodes when they originally aired...
yet I did see the coming attractions for the film Serenity, still I failed to get a chance to see the movie too. Well, I remembered the interesting trailer when I finally got to a...
[+] Read Full Review

I missed the Firefly episodes when they originally aired...
yet I did see the coming attractions for the film Serenity, still I failed to get a chance to see the movie too. Well, I remembered the interesting trailer when I finally got to a video store (I miss Suncoast) and asked my friend working there if the film was worth my while. I was thinking of buying the DVD - and the clincher was when he said it was "right up my alley".

Most of this took place because of Summer Glau - and Joss Whedon's predilection for creating projects that contain startling teenage dynamos. Her post-Gothic whirling dervish in the trailer stuck in my mind. My pal was correct. I loved the film and purchased the Firefly series a month later. Most of the Firefly cast is super and I've really liked a couple of the stars for years, but Glau is singular. I can picture a few actors who could portray the other roles as well if not better than the present cast. It's not so with River Tam. I can't imagine anyone touching that part now that I've seen Glau performing it.

Her acting, presence and appearance fill the needs of the character so well. There is a hypnotic component that falls into place in certain scenes. Whedon developed this vision so well his directors and cameramen capture it in nearly every episode. Sometimes it occurs for a fleeting moment (as in Objects in Space, River drifting to Mal while they're in their spacesuits) or for a sustained segment (like her conversation with Badger in Shindig). It's not just the intriguing darkness, the stealthy movements, her expressive eyes or those captivating feet - it's the rare magic of viewing a performer in a role that, most probably, will become her signature performance.