Ten years ago today, I sat down to watch a new sci-fi show on Fox. That show was Firefly and I had no idea at the time that it would have such a huge impact on my life.
I was already a Joss Whedon fan because of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so I made sure to watch Firefly from the very beginning. I remember sitting in the living room with my dad, entranced, as the first episode, "The Train Job," aired. I was hooked before the first commercial break on the unique premise, the well-formed characters and the promise of interesting stories in this new universe.
I watched the show it faithfully, though I did miss the last few episodes that were aired at the end because I was so upset about the cancellation. Once the DVD was released, I re-watched and fell in love all over again.
I rejoiced when it was announced that there would be a major motion picture. I saw Serenity on the opening night and then several more times in the theater.
But it wasn't until I moved down South that I found a group of other fans, otherwise known as Browncoats and become involved in the fandom. It was nice to make friends who loved Firefly as much as I did. I met my best friend in part because we were fans of the show.
Since then I've attended several Can't Stop the Serenity shows for charity and was on a host committee for the 2010 Browncoat Ball. The fandom just keeps growing as more people discover Firefly.
I'll always wish there had been more than one season and one movie. But I'm so glad for this show and for my fellow Browncoats who have kept the signal going for all of these years.
