"SERENITY" Movie vs. the Comic Book - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

tv star collector · 01-21-2006, 04:19 PM

I just watched the "SERENITY" DVD this morning for the first time. I had already
read the Dark Horse comic book adaptation. I realize that, like most movie
adaptations, the comic was adapted from the original screenplay, not the finished movie. In such cases, there are usually some MINOR differences between the way a story is originally written and the final product. But, in the
case of "SERENITY," there are some MAJOR discrepancies. Spoiler Alert here:
in the comic, Shepherd strikes Mal. This never happens in the movie. But the
biggest alteration is that, in the film, two major characters (Shepherd and Wash) die! In the end of the comic, however, both characters live. Does anyone think the film would have been better had it followed the original screenplay (as depicted in the comic book version)? Were such major changes as the deaths of two key characters really necessary? If so, why was it not written that way in the first place? Did actors Ron Glass and Alan Tudyk decide
they didn't want to be in any possible future sequels and, thus, were written out by being killed off? Does anyone have an opinion about this?

TJL · 01-21-2006, 05:57 PM

At first I didn't like that they killed of both Wash and Shepard in the film, but ultimatly, you can't beat the dramatic impact.
In a way it was like a closing of the door on the series version of "Serenity" and opening up a new door on the film series, with a whole new dynamic for the crew to deal with.

Sadly, i don't think we'll be seeing a sequel to "Serenity" on the big screen. It just didn't make enough money. Hopefully, they'll do a TV sequel for sci fi channel or something.

tv star collector · 01-22-2006, 09:07 AM

I, too, was disappointed that it didn't do better at the box office. I hadn't paid
a lot of attention to it when it first aired on Fox, I must confess. I did watch it
every week for a while but grew tired of it before it finished its original run. Then
when it returned on the Sci-Fi channel, I really became a devoted fan of the
series. I have seen every episode now except "Out of Gas." Somehow, I missed
that one (which was supposed to be one of their best episodes). Anyway, in
retrospect I think the show had the same great ensemble cast as Joss
Whedon's hits BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL. But the public is
fickle and you just can't predict what will or will not be a hit.

01-21-2006, 04:19 PM	#1
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	"SERENITY" Movie vs. the Comic Book I just watched the "SERENITY" DVD this morning for the first time. I had already read the Dark Horse comic book adaptation. I realize that, like most movie adaptations, the comic was adapted from the original screenplay, not the finished movie. In such cases, there are usually some MINOR differences between the way a story is originally written and the final product. But, in the case of "SERENITY," there are some MAJOR discrepancies. Spoiler Alert here: in the comic, Shepherd strikes Mal. This never happens in the movie. But the biggest alteration is that, in the film, two major characters (Shepherd and Wash) die! In the end of the comic, however, both characters live. Does anyone think the film would have been better had it followed the original screenplay (as depicted in the comic book version)? Were such major changes as the deaths of two key characters really necessary? If so, why was it not written that way in the first place? Did actors Ron Glass and Alan Tudyk decide they didn't want to be in any possible future sequels and, thus, were written out by being killed off? Does anyone have an opinion about this?

01-21-2006, 05:57 PM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	At first I didn't like that they killed of both Wash and Shepard in the film, but ultimatly, you can't beat the dramatic impact. In a way it was like a closing of the door on the series version of "Serenity" and opening up a new door on the film series, with a whole new dynamic for the crew to deal with. Sadly, i don't think we'll be seeing a sequel to "Serenity" on the big screen. It just didn't make enough money. Hopefully, they'll do a TV sequel for sci fi channel or something.
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01-22-2006, 09:07 AM	#3
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	I, too, was disappointed that it didn't do better at the box office. I hadn't paid a lot of attention to it when it first aired on Fox, I must confess. I did watch it every week for a while but grew tired of it before it finished its original run. Then when it returned on the Sci-Fi channel, I really became a devoted fan of the series. I have seen every episode now except "Out of Gas." Somehow, I missed that one (which was supposed to be one of their best episodes). Anyway, in retrospect I think the show had the same great ensemble cast as Joss Whedon's hits BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL. But the public is fickle and you just can't predict what will or will not be a hit.