Firefly Season 1 Episode 8: Out of Gas

Welcome to my favorite episode!!! Every time I watch this series, this episode always as the best. There's something about learning the back stories of each member of the crew and how they ended up on the ship that moves me. It was written by Tim Minear and directed by David Solomon. 

The episode goes back and forth between three different times, starting with the present, where we find Mal falling to the ground exhausted. He flashes back to when he first got serenity, and Zoe is not a fan! At all, but Mal is convinced that the ship is perfect. For him, the ship is freedom. It's the chance to live the life he wants, free of the Alliance. If only they can get the ship up and running again. Something Zoe is not happy about, but she goes along with him. 

Back in the present, Mal forces himself to get back to his feet, picking up the part he needs to fix his ship as he does. The same part, that Kaylee has been warning him needs to be replaced since the first episode! As he heads further into the ship we jump to the third time zone. 

The whole crew is sitting down to dinner when Wash shows up and tells them the course is laid in. The crew is telling stories about their lives, when it's Simon's turn, Jayne makes it clear no one cares. The mood is light and fun and full of celebration as it's Simon's birthday. All that changes when there is an explosion and Zoe is hurt. Simon tries to go get med supplies, but Jayne stops him. The ship is sealed up tight, if they leave the kitchen they will lose air and everyone will die. It was the only way to get rid of the fire. Once it's out, they get Zoe to Simon's lab. 

Mal sends Kaylee down to engineering and order's Wash to the bridge, Wash tells him no. He wants to stay by his wife's side. Mal throws him against the wall and orders him. Wash goes, but he is not happy about it. 

This sends us to our next flashback, where we see them hire Wash, he has a mustache! He looks so weird with one! Mal likes Wash, Zoe seems unsure. She doesn't seem to trust him, he rubs her the wrong way. Then we meet the mechanic, it is not Kaylee!!!

In the present, Mal injects himself with Adrenaline to keep on his feet, so that he can fix the ship. It's clear he's not having a great time. 

Back in the past, Kaylee tells Mal the ship is dead in the water and there is no Oxygen. If they stay on the ship, they will all be dead in a few hours. Simon treats Zoe, who is still out cold before having a touching conversation with Inara about death. It's rare that the two of them have a deep conversation. It was sweet. River tries to cheer up Book, it doesn't work. She doesn't really understand normal emotions. But it's kind that she tries. 

Mal checks in on Wash to see how things are going, but Wash blows up at him. The two of them almost come to blows. Wash has just given up, but Mal is determined to get them back on their feet. They scream at each other, as Wash agrees to Mal's idea and Jayne reprimands them for using up the Oxygen. You gotta love Jayne.

Back in the past, Mal goes and tries to find out why the ship still isn't working. The machinic is busy having sex instead of fixing the ship. He keeps making excuses as to why he can't fix it, but the girl he was having sex with seems to know how to fix the ship. Take three seconds to guess who he was fucking. . . Kaylee!! She fixes the ship and steals his job. 

Back in the almost present, Kaylee is having a break down. Mal tries to motivate her, but there is no use. They need a new part. She can't fix the ship with what they have. While in the here and now, Mal is finally in the engine room, attempting to put the part in. He drops it. You can see that he is only holding on by a thread. 

Back a bit in time, Mal tells the crew the situation. They have to abandon the ship. They don't have enough fuel to get anywhere safe, but it's better than staying on the ship. They send the shuttles out in opposite directions. Four people per shuttle. Mal is staying on  the ship. Wash heads to the cockpit to give Mal a device to call everyone back if the ship gets fixed. Inara tries to talk him into coming with them. She clearly cares for him and doesn't want anything to happen to him. Mal warns her about trusting Jayne. 

In the past we see as Inara rents the shuttle from Mal. She sets rules and he agrees to them. Rules, that we know he breaks over and over again. He tries to play hardball with him, but she out plays him. These two characters are perfect for each other. I enjoy the boom comics, but they really do miss the mark on the characterizations. Mal and Inara should have ended up together. 

In the almost present, Inara keeps trying to convince Mal that he doesn't have to die alone, but he is stubborn. He won't listen. He sends everyone away. Wash tells him how to call everyone home. It's sweet seeing how Wash and Mal have mended fences. There is a deep respect there. Meanwhile Jayne sets aside a space suit for Mal, to give him a little extra time if he needs it. His crew loves him. It's so clear. Something the Boom comics never seem to understand. 

Mal sleeps in the cockpit as everyone leaves, he is still there, asleep when he finally gets a response to their distress beacon. A ship has arrived. They dock with the Serenity. The other captain is playing it really safe, but they come to an agreement, they have the part and Mal lets them in. The rush of oxygen is a relief to Mal that is short lived as they pull blasters on him. 

This leads us to another flashback, where some thugs have Mal and Zoe at gunpoint. One of the gunmen is Jayne. Jayne points out that he is great tracker, Mal seems impressed and asks him how much he is getting paid. He starts to point out to Jayne how they are taking advantage of him. Mal gives him a bigger cut and his own room. Jayne switches sides and joins their side. 

Back in the almost present, the other crew confirm that the ship is empty and they shoot Mal. They decide that they are taking the ship. Mal pulls his gun, gets up and orders them off his ship, telling them to leave the part. This more or less gets us caught up to where the present started at the start of the episode. The other ship leaves him as we cut back to the present, where Mal is once more attempting to fit the part in. 

The engine starts back up, and Mal makes him way back to the cockpit to try and hit the button, calling everyone back. He makes it to the cockpit, but his wound gets the best of him and he falls to the floor, out cold. This could be the end of our beloved captain. 

But we do have a few more episodes left. Mal wakes up in the medbay, the whole crew is back on the ship. Wash gave Mal some of his blood to help him stay alive. They returned because Zoe woke up and ordered them back for Mal. I love their friendship, another thing the Boom comics got wrong, shack my head. This whole crew love each other. They are a family in every sense of the world. 

Back in the past, some guy is trying to sell Mal a ship, but Mal isn't listening. He saw Serenity off in the distance and that's all he cares about. That ship is everything to him. 

This episode is all about character, all about love and friendship. It's everything this show is, all rolled up into one episode. It's the perfect Firefly episode. ​