Firefly (TV Series) Out of Gas (2002) User Reviews

Out of Gas

[storey_12 · 10/10 · 27 September 2006]

I am not usually a fan of flashback episodes. My initial reaction is traditionally a roll of the eyes and get out my crafts. But not this one. I say it has to do with AMAZING EDITING!!! It truly is the best flashback episode I've ever seen and is my favorite Firefly episode. After reading a previous comment, I have to say that I agree. It would have been an amazing final episode. I highly recommend that anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi show catch this one on DVD or reruns. Then watch Serenity. We've gotten several people addicted to the series after the fact and all of them are disappointed that it was canceled so early on. I keep my fingers crossed that it will come back. The chemistry of the cast from the get go is enjoyable.

Best. TV. Episode. Ever.

[McCrackan · 10/10 · 16 December 2006]

"Out of Gas" is the "Citizen Kane" of television episodes. Everything about it is perfect: the stellar cast, Tim Minear's brilliant and moving script, David Solomon's direction (fantastic pacing), the melancholy soundtrack, the clever lighting--everything. I can watch this ep over and over, which I can't say about any other ep of any TV show I can think of.

I disagree with the other commentator that "Out of Gas" should have been the final ep; the best series finale to "Firefly" was never made because it would have given closure to seven years of outstanding television.

Speaks volumes about the series itself

[Mr-Fusion · 10/10 · 5 September 2015]

It'd be an understatement to call "Out of Gas" just a great "Firefly" episode; it's one of my favorite pieces of television, period. Superbly structured, it weaves together how-they-all-met scenes with harsh images of a dying Mal, dragging through Serenity and trying to get her back up and running. These are rough as hell to watch (don't give this episode a shot after a bad day at work), but they make the sentimental segments all the more touching. This episode is brimming with character, and beautifully shows the bond between a captain and his vessel.

Outstanding.

10/10

Out of Gas

[Joxerlives · 9/10 · 3 January 2012]

Out of Gas

The good; Really, really good, a classic 'submarine' story told with comedy and tension yet with wonderful character touches too. Lovely little details like even when they're all freezing to death Jayne stays in his shirtsleeves or Simon mourning the loss of his brithday.

The bad; I'm almost a little disappointed that Mal just bought Serenity at a second hand spaceship sale, I always thought he won her in a card game or stole her from the Alliance (or even the Independents?) in the dying days of the war.

Notches on the Serenity bedpost; Bester gives Kaylee a tour of his engine room

Capt subtext; Interestingly Inara says that she loved Serenity the moment she saw her too, just as Mal did. She also says 'I don't want to die at all'. One theory I've heard throughout the series is that she's actually slowly dying (like Darla) and that the syringe we see her with in Serenity was for medicine rather than narcotics or a suicide kit. Here she says that she doesn't want any of the crew just bursting into her room unannounced, she's not bashful of her nudity, could she be hiding something else? Is this part of the 'little clues' they speak of in the commentary?

Whedon clichés; Devoted siblings, haunted charismatic leading man. Teenage girls with superpowers. Hookers. Babbling insane girls with truth in their madness. Fake cockneys. Misguided religious zealots. Numbered t-shirts. Girls with botanical names (Willow, Saffron, Jasmine). Absent fathers. Clever use of extensive flashbacks (Fool for Love, Lies my Parents told me, Are you now or ever have been?)

Knocked out; Zoe rendered unconscious by the explosion Book; 2 Simon; 1 Kaylee; 1 Jayne;1 Mal; 1 Wash; 1 Inara; 1 Zoe; 1

Alliance good or bad?; Mal talks of the Serenity representing freedom to him, that they can 'live like real people' which he doesn't feel able to do with the Alliance. They're sneaking about under the radar 'the way it should be' even when it takes them hugely out of the way, it hurts the crew. Now of course, flying under the radar and living as an outlaw from civilisation is all very well UNTIL something goes wrong (or to put it another way, even anarchists dial 999/911). Wash lacks Zoe/Mal's antipathy towards the Alliance and resents that Mal's hatred for it has landed them in this mess and may cost Zoe her life. Interestingly Inara was in favour of unification and supported the Alliance in the war, just as River and Simon did. Mal's no fool, he's suspicious of the 'rescue' crew, knowing there's no honour or trust in the wilderness.

Missing scenes; Rumoured to be a scene where we see Mal and Zoe meet for the first time during the war, she catches him stealing supplies for his unit and then he realises she's doing the same.

Shot; Mal shot by the other captain Mal; 2- Kaylee;1- Jayne;1- Book;1-

Reminds me off; The opening with the camera panning around the empty ship is very Alien again. Mal's leadership under pressure is inspired and he reminds me of great Irish Unionist hero Ernest Shackleton (check out Kenneth Brannaghs excellent version of the story) and of Apollo 13. Wash with his moustache and Hawaiin shirt is very Magnum PI. Kaylee is actually very close to her daddy, just like Fred. The whole ep very similar to the Space; Above and Beyond episode 'Who monitors the birds?' which Joss cites as his inspiration for the Buffy ep 'Hush' plus the Babylon 5 ep Walkabout.

Questions and observations; This almost strikes you as a third pilot, we're introduced to the crew one by one and everyone's role on the ship is explained. Bester kinda reminds me of the workman in porn who turns up to fix something at the lonely housewives home. Book seems a lot more scared than everyone else which seems atypical of the character we know. Has he had a similar experience to this in the past? Is the gun Mal finds something he planted earlier for just such an emergency or one that was left lying around by Jayne or something?

9/10; eps like this tell me why Firefly has such a devoted fanbase, hope the rest are like this

That one episode

[orpr · 10/10 · 5 August 2022]

Up until this point, it was a nice series full of interesting characters. But "Out Of Gas" breakes past barriers. As said in a review before, I'm not one for flashbacks usually but man, they were absolutely necessary here. They helped so much to just sink in the "we are about to die" scenario. It certainly is the darkest episode (so far) and the time shifts with hurt Reynolds only strengthen the tension. Amazing pacing, editing, acting and the plot just keeps giving.

Bravo Whedon and team. One of the best single episodes I can think of.

How the crew was recruited

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 24 September 2010]

'Out of Gas' is yet another great episode although it is darker in tone than most episodes. As it opens Mal is alone on Serenity, gasping for air and bleeding. Through the episode we see two sets of flashbacks, one showing how he got to be in this predicament the other showing how the various members of the crew were recruited. As the story progresses we learn that there was a fire aboard Serenity during which the life support system was damaged; Kaylee knows how to fix it but she doesn't have the correct part. As the air starts to run out Mal orders the others to leave on the shuttles while he hopes somebody will receive their mayday. Somebody does and they offer Mal the part he needs; unfortunately they want a little too much in return. The flashbacks showing how each of them came to join the crew provide some light relief; particularly amusing was seeing how Kaylee came to join the crew... the first time Mal saw her she was having sex with Serenity's previous mechanic in the engine room, and Jayne who was with a gang trying to rob Serenity until Mal and Zoë offered him a better deal.

This episode was great for several reasons; it was fun seeing how each of the crew members came to be aboard and the main story wasn't as light as the previous stories and it looked as if Mal was in real danger. I liked how we were never told which tame period we were watching, instead each was lit in a different way, the present had a cool bluish tinge, the recent past where we learnt how things got the way they were was lit normally and the more distant past was slightly over exposed giving it a very bright look. As always the entire cast put in great performances, especially Nathan Fillion as the wounded captain.

Tense Episode

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 30 October 2016]

Mal and the Serenity crew are celebrating Simon's birthday when there is a fire in the engine room. Soon Keylee learns that the life support system is not working since they need a new converter. Mal order his crew to live Serenity in the two shuttles and Wash releases a distress signal. While breathing with difficulty, Mal recalls how most of the members of his crew joined him in the Serenity while waits for a miracle.

"Out of Gas" is a tense episode of "Firefly" and maybe the best so far. The plot is well developed with the use of flashback and the conclusion is great. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Out of Gas"

Bravo!

[Fluke_Skywalker · 10/10 · 13 March 2018]

Plot; Three separate timeframes show how the crew of the Serenity came together all while they deal w/a damaged engine and rapidly failing life support in the present.

Binging my way through this breathlessly praised "cult" series has been a real treat. Despite its lofty status my expectations were somewhat muted, but almost immediately it hooked me and I've thoroughly enjoyed my hitch w/the crew of the Serenity. But as uniformly good as it's been, nothing to date can touch "Out of Gas", one of the best hours (okay, 42 minutes) of television I've had the pleasure of watching. Starting off w/a scene that shows how close the crew has become in such a short time and then introducing a catastrophe that tests those bonds, it is, on paper, a simple story. Where it shines, and I mean shines like a super nova, is in its execution. Expertly cutting between timeframes--past, near present and present--it weaves a tale equal parts warm and white-knuckle. It's a fully satisfying four course dramatic meal. By the end, I was a tad bit teary eyed, and surprised by how quickly I'd come to care for this crew. Bravo.

Easily, one of the top-10 TV episodes ever!

[thegulls1 · 9/10 · 8 January 2023]

What a shame the Producers never stuck with this series. This was just one of many memorable episodes with a scene I would rank up there with Dr. Watson's enigmatic first interview with Mycroft in the initial Sherlock series.

Friendly camaraderie around the table is disrupted by a sudden explosion and a Sr. Crew member getting seriously hurt. What to do? As Captain Mal (Nathan Fillion) struggles to do a damage assessment, the oxygen supply starts to dwindles and hard choices must be made. Catch this great line when a crew member tells Mal he doesn't need to stay behind & die alone. 'EVERYONE DIES ALONE.'

Woven into this tragic account is a flashback to when Mal and Zoe were first shopping for space vessels. Mal sees the Firefly and is gobschmucht! He can't see any other ships--it's love at first sight.! We realize, then, that Mal wants to save the Firefly as much as he needs to save the crew.

Brilliant stuff. Like every FIREFLY episode, the dialogue is fresh and snappy, as Whedon spins a crackling script, never using retread terms or phrases.

Yes, A "10". Here's Why...

[TMAuthor23 · 10/10 · 20 February 2024]

My review (and rating) aren't based on my being a fan, which I am. There are episodes in this series that are frankly not all that great. But even those have value because they add layers to the character's stories, relationships and plot arcs.

This episode is IMO the best of the series, closely followed by "Objects In Space".

Written by Tim Minear, the interlaced plot lines are beautifully conceived and edited. In one we get a straight forward catastrophe where the crew, and mostly Mal, are faced with an agonizing death. But instead of chopping through to a simple predictable outcome, we see relationships strained to the breaking point, unrequited yearning, and two twists.

In the second plot thread, we see how the core crew (Mal, Zoe, Wash, Jayne and Kayley) are brought together. Shiny.

The third, less obvious, subplot is Mal's love affair with Serenity. Their first meeting, his against the advice of others head over heels embracing of her, and the slow assembly of her working order and crew.

The artful interweaving of these threads is incredibly well done, and offers layer after layer of characterization and relationship details that make it rich.

I love the intended broadcast order of the series, but an argument could be made to make this the second episode.

Added icing to the (protein) cake are the multiple iconic lines that live on even after the show has been off the air for over twenty years.

Keep flying.

Great

[wolfordcheyenne · 9/10 · 27 March 2020]

This was the best episode of the season. I was very impressed. The transitions between past and present were flawless. I also felt a certain dread the whole episode. I was constantly worried about Mal, even though I knew he was going to be fine. Also, the episode's structure was perfect. The only problem was how easily Mal was able to get the other crew off his ship.

Firefly died, so that Serenity could come into creation!

[pietroschek · 7/10 · 10 September 2015]

Contextually I agree with a lot written in the IMDb review by Joxerlives. I won't repeat it here, as it is already available!

This review comes from someone who had never watched Firefly before. While I do appreciate 'Serenity', and even consider it one of the best movies in the decade, I only selected the 'Out of Gas' for the mentioned Flashbacks. Those could help one understand and find into that Firefly theme, I thought.

Firefly is often called a space western. In my opinion one should add patchwork-familial to that term, so patchwork familial space-western. Because emotional ties and loyalties make an important part of it.

A loyal team of rebels eagerly avoid the enforced norm of a government. But calling them criminals may really be more proper. Outlaw families, and Mafia families, are a known concept. Suiting the space western well, too. Even Lucky Luke had the Dalton's.

But Firefly, contrary to 10 out of 10 votes by fans, does show flaws and actually heralds its own end.

In example it uses classic concepts, and lessons learned, which often fail to reach a youth eager for the new, as their definition of the new means their own ways' depiction.

Additionally the characters are well-portrayed, just that they display personality-streaks many don't appreciate in heroes, heroines, and idols. Like the hint at sex of Bester (?) with Kaylee Frye; The cheap, loveless, down and dirty kind not working to impress the audience, NOR to grant depth, maturity, or believable character to the roles.

The term 'scum' comes more to mind than terms like hero or beloved protagonist on too many occasions. While I hate to admit it, it remains true that concept examples like Star Trek or Babylon 5 keep it cleaner for in example more quote among kids and youngsters, and that reliability of professionalism which is, often rightfully, associated with those who stay away from drugs and street-crime mentality.

There was no need for a conspiracy, Firefly simply made enough mistakes to prove the 10 out of 10 votes... Well, lets call it fan's overreacting.

We get a solid sci-fi or space western, and actually a formidable one. Just that the actors lack role-playing experience or other reminders why the protagonists (often auto-considered the good-guys) are not allowed the same flaws, quirks, and deficiencies than antagonists, monsters, and figures designed to be hated by the audience.

The Flashbacks do work in both, creating some 'sympathy for aka identification with' the characters portrayed, the crew. And they work in making us watchers understand some of it.

Still the age of worshiping criminals is simply over, as our modern society has a fiercer disrespect for such. And we had it in really plenty of video games, too.

Firefly makes no really bad expression, but neither does it make a flawless good impression. Given that it gave birth to the movie 'Serenity' I accredit it with 7 out of 10 stars.

I rated this episode 10/10. I was wrong. It's at best a 5.

[yadaboy · 5/10 · 2 May 2023]

Wonderful story and wonderful editing. But the the whole "Mal gets the pillaging gang off the ship with a hidden gun" thing is utterly absurd. I love, love, love this show. But rewatching this beloved episode is revolting. Yeah, there, I said it!

Crap! Imdb says I don't have enough characters above to qualify! I hope this rant puts me over. Imdb doesn't seem to realize that some rants are sufficient in their compactness. Is this enough, imdb?

Apparently not. I really like imdb, But this "We won't publish your review because you haven't typed 600 characters" thing is really sad. Imdb, take a breath. Some of us can summarize with fewer than 600 characters.

The loyal bonding of the crew

[piratecat-2 · 10/10 · 31 December 2006]

In this episode we have a cerebral element added by the present, flashbacks to the present, and to the past. We initially see a crew bonding at the supper table telling jokes and stories. The fun ribbing of each other. A piece of mind with each other that where else would they be or want to be. A story of family and the unspoken love for each other in this episode. While relaxing and celebrating Simon's birthday making the Tam's feel wanted on the ship an explosion takes place in the engine room. Now sealing the ship off, dead in space, air running out, no help coming, and no parts to repair the engine the crew is in dire straits. The captain gives orders to abandon ship. We see Inara's love for Mal. We also see Wash's meltdown for the safety of Zoe who is fighting for her life. A gut wrenching episode that the crew, family, is abandoning the ship and the captain. Only a miracle could save this little boat in the verse. The miracle comes but with a high price. A crew of pirates acting as a salvage operators try to hijack the firefly transport leaving the captain at death's door. Regaining the upper hand Captain Reynolds takes back his ship. With a gut shot he begins repairs only to drop dead before he can call the crew back on there shuttles. First Mate Zoe Alleyne Washburn awakens from her coma giving the order to return to Serenity which saves the day.

Nothing equals this, nothing.

[purrshaped · 9/10 · 26 May 2022]

I'm right there with Mr Fusion.

It's not just the best episode of Firefly, it's one of the best episodes of anything, anywhere. The depth of the characters created prior to this in the series only sets you up for this truly emotional and bonding episode. Not giving anything away but the ending will probably give you goosebumps.

The first 9/10 of the show

[nicofreezer · 9/10 · 21 July 2022]

"Out of Gas" is the best episode of Firefly yet, all previous episodes were only decent or solid, between 7/10 and 8/10.

But out of gas is a strong episode of TV, clearly another level is reach, im hoping firefly got at least one more episode this good in stock.

But its Funny to read some review talking about the best episode in TV history, when Out of gas did not even make the top 500. They clearly never watched shows like Breaking Bad sopranos Lost X files and many more, the kind of shows when every episodes are at least 9/10.