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Malcolm and Zoe reunite with a wartime buddy, but the circumstances change as it turns out he's simply trying use their friendship to get away with a scam that will allow him to return to his home. Though they've faced death and danger innumerable times, Tracey's death hits the crew hard as they contemplate the fragile nature of the life they've chosen.

Mal and the crew cross paths with Saffron again, and against his better judgement Mal allows her to stowaway on Serenity because she may have a job for them. Stealing a valuable laser pistol from one of her former husbands, proves her undoing as Mal and Inara are a step ahead of her the entire way.  Hugo Award controversy.

After feeling left out one too many times, Wash forces Malcolm to take him along on the latest job hoping that he'll be able to finally join in the storytelling. But the return of Niska puts both of them in a difficult spot as Mal loses an ear and Wash loses his innocence. In the end, it's River that steps up and helps save the day.

During what starts as a relatively innocuous stop on a core planet, Jayne finally does what we've expected him to do, and comes within an eyelash of being shoved out the airlock. Simon provides the crew with the opportunity for a heavy payday which in return gives him a chance to move forward in his attempt to help his enigmatic sister River. Android listeners can now access the podcast using Podb...

Writer Tim Minear masterfully weaves the present with two levels of the past as we learn the details behind the origin of each of the original crew members. We've witnessed the crew experience some hardships along the way, but nothing to this extent as Serenity goes dead in the water as the result of a mechanical breakdown that even Kaylee is unable to repair. Unsurprisingly, Captain Reynolds take...

The crew's job as the middleman on a deal that actually goes relatively smoothly takes a back seat to the unlikeliest of folk heroes, Jayne Cobb. Viewed as a man of the people after standing up to the magistrate, Jayne gives these poor indentured servants hope even after they learn the truth behind his origin story. Did Dave really watch  Sharknado ?

Joshua's brother Isaac terrorizes the city, but once we learn the circumstances behind Isaac's behavior, we recognize the difficult position facing Max and Joshua. In perhaps the most heart wrenching episode of the second season, we watch as both Max and Joshua agonize over decisions they've been forced to make.

Back on Serenity after a stint as hired muscle, the crew delights to find their captain married to one of the town's women. But of course all is not as it seems as guest star  Christina Hendricks ' character Saffron has ulterior motives that don't include becoming Mrs. Malcolm Reynolds for very long.    

Max tries to work out some of her relationship frustrations through a dream that takes place on Halloween, and in a scenario reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, we see the crew as we've never seen them before. Todd Stashwick (12 Monkeys and The Originals) and Sarah Carter (Falling Skies) guest star. Listen to Michael Ahr's interview with Todd Stashwick  here .    

The Tam's backstory is explored in this episode as the crew delivers a herd of cattle, but despite her best efforts River endangers not only herself but also her brother as she's set to be burned as a witch. Captain Reynolds' actions solidify what he's told Simon all along; that if you're a member of Serenity's crew, you will be protected.

While White steps up his transgenic genocide by hiring a talented geneticist, Max and Logan deal with their forced separation by going out with Rafer and Asha respectively, but does Asha take unfair advantage of the situation? Joshua and Max's relationship grows as he begins watching out for her as well.

Serenity's crew reunites with Badger who now needs Captain Malcolm Reynolds and the respect he affords so that he can work a deal to move cattle off planet. Crossing paths at a fancy Southern inspired ball, Malcolm and Inara continue to battle, though in the end, they both come to the other's aid. And finally, we get to see the feminine side of Kaylee as she accompanies Mal to the ball, which, not...

As most of you know, Wayne and I are high school English teachers, and for the past few years, my students have recorded podcasts as part of the Imaginary Worlds unit. Three 15 year old young women, Ruby, Kiana, and Robyn discuss BBC America’s Sherlock in their first ever podcast using little more than their laptops and Skype. So sit back and enjoy; who knows, we may all be subscribing to their sh...

Max and Logan continue to seek a cure for the virus that's keeping them apart, while Alec barters for his freedom by becoming a bounty hunter for the man that's trying to erase the fact that Manticore ever existed. How long can the writers carry on this contrived separation? Taltos provided  this information  concerning the Chinese language employed in Firefly.

Serenity's crew encounters an abandoned ship adrift in space and Captain Reynolds quickly recognizes Reaver handiwork. They piece together the series of events that led to this outcome, but before they have a chance enjoy their spoils, an Alliance ship rolls up and boards the ship. In the end, River and Simon escape the Alliance clutches, this time.

As the Manticore soldiers, kids and nomalies scatter after the fire, a military force begins rounding them up for termination. Logan takes a back seat in this episode as Alec returns to help Max and the five Manticore refugees escape death and eventually run to a new and hopefully better life in Canada.

Desperate for any paying job, Malcolm and the crew agree to steal two Alliance crates from a moving train. Meanwhile, Shepherd Book and Simon seek purpose as they clearly must now operate outside their comfort zones. But more importantly, why in the world did Fox air this as the pilot?

While Max undergoes retraining at Manticore, Logan continues his quest to bring down the covert project that's risen from the ashes of the DNA lab fire. The two are reunited, but seem destined to remain apart, this time because of the retro-virus with which Max has become infected. At the end though, Manticore is brought to its knees again, and the name Sandman gives us pause regarding his role in...

On the outer edges of the solar system, Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his crew straddle the line between law and order as they do whatever they can to survive. Serenity takes on its most enigmatic passenger to date, and the nine person crew establishes itself as they try to stay one step ahead of The Alliance.

In the season 1 finale, Max, Zach and two other X-5s team with Lydecker as the struggle for power at Manticore comes to a head. We finally get the scene we've been waiting for, but just as quickly it's ripped away, and the episode concludes with Max at Manticore and Logan on the Space Needle.  

For whatever reason I wasn't drawn to The History Channel's scripted drama  Vikings  which chronicles Ragnar Lothbrok's rise from lowly farmer/raider to feared and respected king when it first aired. But once I began the journey, it quickly became one of my favorite shows, and Ragnar's shield-maiden wife Lagertha, my favorite character. Lagertha' got it all: looks, bravery, motherly instincts, and...

In an episode that juxtaposes humor related to Max's heat cycle and her desire to finally be with Logan with the impending Manticore civil war, Max and the other X-5s may surprisingly have a reason to team with Lydecker. Though Max, Logan and Zach put their lives in jeopardy to save Tinga, we're left in the dark about the success of the mission.  

The X-5s are on the run again, but this time we learn that not only does Tinga have a son, it turns out he's exceptional. Of course, once Lydecker and Madame X learn that Case exists, they both want to get their hands on the mother yet surprisingly not the boy.

The Office's Rainn Wilson guest stars as a vigilante who stumbles upon Max and her abilities. We learn that Logan's uncle's company manufactures hover-drones that have been weaponized, and because of this, Logan makes a decision to turn his back on family money.    

In another X-5 centric episode, Max must track down Ben ( Jenson Ackles ) who is battling his Manticore demons and a crisis of faith. In the end the situation leaves Max with only bad choices and the one she chooses will likely haunt her for the foreseeable future.