Firefly: The Game Review (Expansions Included!)

Hi all! Finally coming back with the review of Firefly: The Game, now that I've actually gotten to play it with all the current expansions available (promo material not included)!

Base Game

The base game does a lot right. The Firefly theme is felt in every element of the game, and there are a ton of references for fans of the show to enjoy. When you're working jobs and upgrading your ship, it can really feel like you're a ship captain working your way through the 'Verse. Especially when things go wrong -- Reavers, ship malfunctions, running out of fuel, and other unfortunate elements.
Every time you take an extended trip through the big black, you take the risk of random things happening. Sometimes their good... but that's pretty rare.

The Reavers aren't actually much of a threat in this version. There's one ship that may get moved around a couple spaces, but there's really only one card that forces them upon you and, even then, it's easy enough to prepare for. The Alliance Cruiser, being centrally located and opposed to some of the best characters in the game, poses much more of a threat... if you're not keeping things strictly on the up and up. And it's MUCH more lucrative to play on the other side of the law.

Other players... well, they really don't matter. Very minimal interactions, you're just hoping they don't accomplish the goals, which are variable based on the chosen setup card, before you. Even then... that can take PLENTY of time.

My first game was with two other players and we were at it for about six hours. And we really, really enjoyed it.

Breakin' Atmo'

This was just a booster pack of cards for the various decks, It added a couple of interesting items/characters, but didn't in any way impact game mechanics.

Pirates and Bounty Hunters

This was an awesome expansion!
-It added two new, very unique ships. They offer substantially different play styles than the Fireflys, and they play to different styles -- one a super fast ship with little storage place but offering plenty of opportunity for hunting the galaxy's most wanted or maybe even engaging in a bit of piracy. The other is a slow, lumbering cargo hauler that... well, is really damn awesome at hauling cargo.
-It also added bounties -- using the characters that already have Warrants on their cards, now they may randomly become open season for all aspiring bounty hunters. Some huge payoffs, but taking these bounties aren't always safe... especially if they're on another player's ship!
-Piracy added an element of PVP, and some more tension between players. Is he coming by because he needs to get some shopping done at the Space Bazaar, or does he have a mission that allows him to board my ship and steal my goods? ... Better mosey...
-The new items and characters were also solid additions.

For the new ships alone, this expansion was awesome -- now six players can traverse the 'verse at once... though this WILL create MUCH longer games. Strongly recommend ONLY playing this many with an experienced group. The PVP was a nice touch, too!

The slow cargo hauler.

Blue Sun

This expansions expands the board, adds a new shopping destination and two new contacts, AND makes the Reavers (which are now three in total!) MUCH more of a threat. Seriously, I got munched on twice, and didn't have time to collect the Mechanic/Pilot combo needed to get out of the way :/

No real new mechanics, other than those that relate to the Reavers, but the additional space, items, locations, and faces were very welcome. I'm really looking forward to seeing what they add next, considering they've already used a lot of fairly minor elements from the show and movie...

The new board and the Reaver threat!

On another note, the base box kind of sucks. Its beautiful, but it just doesn't keep things organized or have enough room for the expansions. I actually decided to do some crafting for the first time ever, and made a custom box insert. It... well, it's rough, and I miscalculated all of my measurements by a half centimeter, but it is currently functional, fits everything from all the expansions, and makes setup/clean up MUCH faster. Seeing a show version 1.1 is a little rough (1.0 already had to have a couple modifications), I'll be waiting for version 2.0 before I do a write about about customizing the box... but this has been a project I enjoyed doing and would really like to look into for my other games... and it may make for an interesting series of posts. More on this later!

P.S. If you're on Instagram, you can always follow my progress there! You'll also see images from our game sessions, pictures of the work I've been doing on the Nerd-Cave, and maybe some pictures of a really cute baby. Who knows.

The Nerd Reviews EVERYTHING!

Ok, that's a bit over dramatic. But there was a lot I wanted to talk about, and I don't ever seem to be able to set aside them time. Or, when I do, I fall asleep.

... 4 months of fatherhood will do that to you.

So I'm going to give a quick comment on things I've been meaning to touch base on, with the promise of a longer review for the super mysterious last item, that I won't reveal until... well, you've scrolled down the bottom of the page, I guess.

Saga #24

This issue was full of win. It's a story about making The Will better. We learn some things about him, his sister meets up with Lying Cat and Co., and the final panel, featuring Marko and Prince Robot IV, is freaking perfect.

Spider-Verse Event

The event has been going strong. I'm liking it, for the most part. I dislike the villains being stupid strong for no apparent reason, and there are a lot of deus ex machina moments, but the writing is decent and some of the alternate Spiders are really interesting. They have killed off some Spiders that I'd rather they didn't, the pacing in general is so-so, and the fights really inconsistent, but it's entertaining enough on the surface. All the artists have been solid as well, and I'm getting a Ben Reilly kicking around for awhile.

Until they invariably kill him, too :/

New Star Wars Trailer

I dislike the name of the movie, the new lightsaber is dumb, everything else looks pretty damn good. Really hoping Finn's story (the guy in stormtrooper armor in the opening shot) is awesome and actually stormtrooper related -- I'd like to see one of the movies follow characters on both sides of the fence.

TV

I don't have time to watch TV, what is this?

But I have rewatched Firefly... twice... in the past week. Dammit Fox.

Speaking of Firefly...

 

Firefly the Game

I picked this up and was able to play a solo game and a three player game. I've picked up a couple expansions and am looking forward to playing again. When I do, I'll do a full review on the game, with it's own post and everything. Shiny.

Review preview: I'm loving it!

September's 'Galactic' Loot Crate Review

I like things. I like collectible things especially. Subscription services, such as Loot Crate, offer a chance to get random things for a set price.

I... well, I don't much like surprises. So these subscription services generally go unnoticed by me, with the minor pang of regret when I see something I missed (dat Groot POP! figure!). But mostly I ignore them.

This month, they done advertised right. The theme was "Galactic," and they said it'd include loot related to Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, and Alien. And more. But I don't need more, they had me at St--.

So I signed up. Used a coupon code. Total cost was about $16 for the month.

It came this weekend.

I'm happy with the loot included, but I also don't think Loot Crate is for me.

The Good:

1. The total value of the included items surpasses what I paid.
2. The packaging/presentation is spot on.
3. They had interesting things that I would not have purchased on my own.
4. The box included:

Even if they're not super interesting pieces, I do love me some Firefly, so the mini-Mal and the credit stack are fun. And the Han Solo poster looks pretty boss on my wall (featured in the most recent Never Split the Party Podcast episode...). The Tribble, surprisingly, was my favorite item in the box, however.

The Bad:

1. It kind of felt like someone got a discount at Newbury Comics, bought some random (related-ish) items, and threw 'em in a box. That's actually not an awful idea... but I'd rather just have the discount myself (or preferred things I COULDN'T find easily on my own).
2. There were several items I just didn't care about, and will create clutter (or trash):

To be fair, the "Galactic" book was interesting, but it isn't something I'm normally interested in keeping. And, as much as I love the Alien series, I don't care for this style of figure (I personally get the Alien, which was a small plus). As for the digital comic, meh. I dislike both Halo... and digital comics!

The Ugly:

1. There is no easy way to sign up for a one-month deal. You sign up for a subscription that bills you each month until you cancel, then have to send a written request through their website to cancel your subscription. This isn't unexpected, but I think they'd go a long way with offering a one-time purchase offer. That would entice me to try more. Now, knowing it's a bit more of a hassle to cancel, I'm less likely to try again, even if they advertise a theme that interests me.
2. Not every month is created equal. Some months have much rarer, more collectible items (that end up having more value in the long run). Last month's Groot figure is an example of this. This month offered nothing on that level of rare-ness. Not saying I don't love my mini-fig Captain Mal, there's just a clear discrepancy.



Honestly, I have similar issues with anything that includes a random element. Booster packs for card games or miniature games are the bane of my existence. But I know what I can possibly get in those, so I don't mind going back for more. Here, I really have no clue what I'm in store for, and it's entirely likely that a decent percent of the items simply don't interest me.

I'm happy with my loot crate, but this will probably be my last one. Unless they do a special "Maximum Carnage" themed one. Or maybe a Cthulhu theme...

To Read and Not to Read

Popping in here with an unusual Suggested Reading post, mainly because it's including something I decidedly don't suggest!

Before we get to that, let's start positive.

The cover also makes me
want to see the movie...

I recently read Cloud Atlas and was pleasantly surprised. I hadn't heard about the book until the movie was coming out and, while the movie looked interesting, the reviews were harsh enough that I skipped it. Then, some months later, I found a copy in a library's recycle bin (don't judge me, they were giving books away that hadn't sold at their book sale). Being a mild horder, especially of books, I grabbed it. With my long commute and sporadic downtime at work, I've had a lot of time to read, and Cloud Atlas happened to jump out at me during one day's glance at the book shelf for something new.

It is a series of stories set in different times and, potentially, different worlds that are all connected in some way. This relation is in certain story references, but never anything overt or drastic. Instead, there's a running theme that is executed very, very well across time periods spanning from the Californian Gold Rush (not set there, but same time period) to a Post-Apocalyptic future that takes place in Hawaii.

For all stories, there is an incredible attention to detail, a lovely level of awareness throughout the book, and characters that are unique, interesting, and unusually tied together.

That's about as much as I want to say without delving into spoilers. Pick it up, give it a read, and come back to let me know what you think. I personally give it an 8 out of 10, and that's only because I really would have loved to see a couple of these stories drawn out more, possibly into their own books (which is the problem I have with any "short" story, though this book is more of a complete novel and story collection).

---

The bad kind of breaks my heart. The new comic book series Serenity: Leaves on the Wind is the first comic in the Firefly universe to be a direct sequel to the show. About nine months have passed and we're still seeing the fallout from the 'verse-wide revelations made in the film Serenity, as well as what's come of the crew.

I love that something more is being done, and I'm even happy it's in comic format, but two things have irked me so far, enough that I can't really suggest it, even to Firefly fans. First, not much as actually changed in the 'verse after Serenity. There are some talking heads, done almost in a Dark Knight Returns style, that argue back and forth about the truth of the broadcasts. The main result seems to be a "New Resistance" that has popped up (apparently among disenfranchised kids). This has some merit, but not quite as much as one might hope after the tumultuous film the broadcasts originated in.

That middle panel is River, Mal, and Inara.
Supposedly, anyway. Uhg.

The second problem, and this one is glaring, is the art! Holy cow, I don't believe the artists has ever even SEEN any of the source material, much less pictures of the actors they're supposedly depicting. I'm all for an artist having their own style, but this is not what's going on. A capable, dedicated, or mildly aware artist could still get awesome renditions with the ability this artist has, yet the characters do NOT look anything like themselves. Moreover, they all look alike! I couldn't tell that River WASN'T Kaylee until three pages after she was introduced (some of that may have been on purpose, but it wasn't done well). The worst part isn't even that they don't look like the actors... they simply look bad. The faces are inconstant and ugly. This is the same reason (well, main reason) I stopped reading Red Hood and the Outlaws.

And, yes, there are some issues with the nine month time jump. Things like characters no longer on the crew or other crew members already being in the advanced stages of romantic relationships. These are stories we wanted to see, not have forced on us. But, and this is why I'm not actually adding it as a gripe, we may very well see flashbacks. That'd at least sit well with a Firefly story. But we'll see.

Very, very sad I didn't love this. Or even mildly like it. I'll stick on for another issue, maybe two, but that's probably more abject laziness than actual hope it might get better.

You can't take the sky from me, but I'll be damned if they aren't tryin'.


EDIT: Oh crap. I just realized that the artist here is also responsible for the Buffy Season 8 and 9 comic series. I haven't read them yet, but assume I'm bound to have my heart broken again, just as soon as I finish the show and move on to the comics... Seriously, this guy needs to stop working with beloved characters. I won't say he's without talent, but this is NOT where his abilities lie.

Day 29: Difficult Shows to Start

Have you ever wanted to what a show that you've heard about, only to find it difficult to get into? You can't start at current/later seasons, and starting from the beginning sometimes means watching episodes over a decade old. Not all of these shows age well and many of its fans love them due to loyalty or nostalgia goggles.

I've run into this issue with multiple shows, so I'm going to do my best to explain when certain shows should hook you. At the very least, I'll explain when they hooked me.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Somewhere in here, you'll get it.

This is a show I tried several times to get into, but the general campy-ness of the first several seasons really hindered that. Eventually I pushed through them because A) I've heard a lot of interesting things about the later seasons, B) the comics look very interesting and C) Nathan Fillion is in the later seasons.

So I toughed it out and am it is now one of my very favorite shows.

It wasn't until about the middle of Season 3 that I actually began to really, really enjoy the show. I don't have a specific episode, but, eventually, the character growth started to show and the relationships grew on me. The world had an interesting and sometimes unique background, and the future was relatively unpredictable. Also, there were enough supporting cast members that were interesting, and the show was pulling on its history at this time in a way I very much appreciate. It's continued to do that since then.

So. Get through Season 3 and you'll be hooked.

Angel

This show was another reason I wanted to get through Buffy. They are related series and I knew I couldn't start this until I knew the background. Even so, it took an entire season of Angel for me to get interested, and another full season for the show to shift up its gears. Now it is very unpredictable and the character relationships are very unique/unusual in their paths.

Get to Season 3. Not sure why it takes Whedon so long, but it's worth it in the end (well, still haven't gotten to the last season, but I'm working on it).

Firefly

This one is only on here because I've heard a lot of people are a bit apprehensive about starting this series.

It should only take the first episode to get interested, and the second episode to get hooked. These characters are amazing and constantly get better.

Even if you're afraid of the short series, don't be. It may be bittersweet, but it is worth it!

Lost

This complete set looks AWESOME!

This was a hugely popular show while it was running. Now that it's all said and done, a lot of folks see how long it is and have heard a lot of negativity about the finale and are put off.

It is a long show, but the twists and turns really are worth it. After the 3rd episode, you should be pretty hooked on the strange, strange dynamic between characters, of which the Island is a major player. Even when some of the seasons get really out there, the suspense is kept at a soap-opera level. And this soap-opera isn't just for your
grandmother (disclaimer: as far as I know, my grandmother doesn't watch soap operas, but I'm not quite sure who else would).

Warning: the ending of the series is lousy. Know that going in, but it really isn't a factor until the very last episode. I'm happy having taken the journey, even if I am a bit bitter about how it "wrapped up."

Big Bang Theory

This show is generally pretty easy to get into, but I see a lot of backlash from the Nerd-community due to its portrayal of Nerds as socially incapable. My suggestion is to actually watch the show from the beginning -- invariably, no one who I've spoken with that dislikes the show has ever actually attempted to watch it. This seems both humorous and sad to me, but it has happened on several occasions. It only took me the first episode, but I could see needing a follow up with the second to get some more exposure.

Yes, the characters are given very negative attributes along with their Nerd-like qualities. This is no different from any show that uses character archetypes and gives them negative qualities for comedic effect. Nerds just have some stigmas that still sting, apparently, and are on the defensive about the character portrayal on the show. Get over it -- you're probably not a genius AND a nerd anyways, so they're not reflecting you. And, if you've seen it since the beginning, the characters make many strong points for the Nerd community.

Also, Wil Wheaton guest stars as Wil Wheaton several times in the series.

Disclaimer: I'm not enjoying recent seasons quite as much, but at least the first few seasons are gold, and should only take a single episode to get into.

Trigun

This is an anime. If you do not like anime, you will not like Trigun.

If you like anime, it will only take you about three episodes to get into this show. At first, the main character, Vash the Stampede, is just too idiotic to follow. This is quickly explained and you see glimpses of the real character underneath, albeit briefly. From there on, you're happy to put up with his advanced idiocy to get the next glimpse of the man they call the Human Typhoon.

Also, you'll eventually meet Wolfwood, which should be enough inspiration to keep on keeping on.

Wolfwood's waiting.

Supernatural

This is another show that should take you about three episodes to get hooked. Seeing anything farther in will probably damage your opinion early -- this is a show that definitely needs the supporting character backgrounds/stories to make any kind of impact or sense. It starts off as a pair of brothers hunting monsters while trying to find their father. The monsters are interesting and the family connections are downright bizarre. Later seasons evolve into plenty of crazy scenarios, but the family relationship always remains a focal point.

Later seasons have tapered off a bit, but they do, eventually, add at least one episode a season with Felicia Day, so it's all good.

-----

That's all for now. There were a few more I wanted to touch upon, but they've slipped my mind. I'll do a follow up post when I remember!

Day 13ish: A Fan of Firefly

Yes, I recognize that I’m running a day behind. Assuming I don’t pass out (again), I’ll post again this evening.

Since I’m attempting to catch up, I figured I’d write an easy post on the good things about Firefly, as determined by The Nerd.

1. The characters. From Captain Mal to Shepard Book, each character is unique, mysterious, and very       likely to subvert expectations. There are no true heroes in the show, instead they are people put into extreme situations that generally come up with extreme answers.
a. My favorite character, though there isn’t a single one I dislike, would be Captain Mal. He is a true outlaw, which many shows try to make a “white knight.” Captain Mal isn’t afraid to kill an enemy, but he isn’t without a personal honor code that he will never break. His history as a soldier on the losing side is the perfect cowboy dossier, and it is refreshing to see the cowboy shtick outside of a Western. More so when it is done well, which it was here.

2. The setting. Set in the future with space travel, new frontiers, and a very Western air in regards to settling new territory while still being under the yoke of an over-sized government. It’s well-crafted and amazingly diverse. Being set after a giant civil war adds to the cowboy setting but it never restricted what we would see on the show. Many of the characters felt contemporary, even while working alongside obvious cowboy-types. Also, the technology was refreshing – old-looking slug shooters firing off next to lasers almost gave the show a steampunk feel which wasn’t overdone, as most ‘punk pieces are wont to do.

"War's long done. We're all just folk now."

3. The cast. Before this show, I’d never heard of any of these actors. True, they had been in other things (Buffy the Vampire Slayer featured at least one of them), but these were all relatively new faces. And they absolutely killed their roles. I do not doubt that the characters would have been much less successful if not cast just so. Success being measured on how much I like them, of course…

4. Revealing of backgrounds. There was no expose to introduce us to characters. We got them in the present and learned about their current personas as they were. Many we would eventually catch glimpses of, be is flashbacks with Mal, insightful comments from Book, or realizing that Jane really has always been a scum bag. Even the archetypes in the show were made compelling, possibly because punches weren’t pulled. It’s a very “Han shot first” universe, and the characters’ pasts are gritty, not idealized.

5. The potential. While the show was incredibly short lived, every coming episode was a hidden treasure because the show wasn’t restricted to being on thing. It ranged from your standard Western fare to a more high-tech heist scheme, to an emotional rollercoaster. Each character had unexplored stories and none of them truly got their personal desires for the future recognized or revealed, something that could have carried the show in any setting, much less one with nearly infinite potential.

This image tells so much...

In an effort to post this quicker, I’ll submit it as is. These were some of the most important reasons why I watched and enjoyed the show. Someday I’d like to do a character break down because, truly, each character was interesting and a concrete example of how to use archetypes to extreme advantage. I’ll make a week of it soon, I think.

Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!

Day 6: The Idiot Box

In my last post, I mentioned fandoms. This got me thinking about favorite TV shows, and I don't think I've really ever touched base on my actual favorites. Here's a short list with short reasons why I've enjoyed the given series.

Gilmore Girls

That's right, I said it. I own every season and think the writing on this show is fantastic. The quips from Lorelei and Rory are phenomenal and every single character is interesting to some degree. Except Taylor. Bastard.

The Wife: Also a fan of the show. Hell, even her mother borrows my sets.

Supernatural

A TV show that creates its own monster-based dogma loosely based off of folktales and such? Yeah, sure, it's been done. But Supernatural was the first to do it right and I absolutely love the cast on this show. Dean and Sam (who is played by the actor who plays Dean in Gilmore Girls...) can be serious or depressed or intense, but they're at there best when they're being funny. As the seasons go on, the show is definitely losing its appeal. And the lack of really interesting baddies has dragged them down, but I am about a season and a half behind, so maybe I've missed something. Either way, the first handful of seasons are gold.

The Wife: I think the relationship between the brothers really drew her in as well -- we watch this show together. It's entirely possible that the actors, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, have something to do with it, though...

You know, these guys.

Firefly

I don't think I need to write much here. It was short and bittersweet and the best damn sci-fi (and sometimes even Western) show to ever grace the television screen. In my arbitrary opinion, of course. Nothing has really come close.

The Wife: While she doesn't fully agree with my level of sadness, she does understand it and she'll watch the series with me when I re-watch it every couple months.

Mobile Suit Gundam

There are many different Gundam series, and I've enjoyed several. Giant robots with lasers and shit? Yes please. The original holds a special place in my heart, and in any game where I can change armor color, I invariably make a character dressed all in red and name him "Char."

The Wife: ANIMATED giant robots with lasers and shit? Absolutely not.

The Red Comet

Sherlock

Some of the best writing in any TV show I've ever seen. The episodes are long (1hr 45mins) and the seasons short (3 episodes), but even my least favorite episodes (Season 1, Episode 2 and Season 2, Episode 2) are still awesome in many ways. The character of Sherlock is incredibly well done. Most eccentric characters lack any appropriate character growth. They either get weirder or normalized. Sherlock's changes are minimal, graceful, and generally quietly done. Also, and this isn't something I normally care about, but the cinematography is spot on. Love the camera angles and the different styles they'll work into a given episode.

The Wife: Possibly loves the show as much, if not more, as I do. With the lengths of the episodes, this is surprising -- usually she tends to fall asleep when we watch longer things later at not. Not so much when Sherlock is on.

One of the best episodes, and I don't even like music.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

It's taken a while, and I still have a season and a half left, but I eventually did fall in love with this show. Again, this is mostly do to a solid cast and witty writing. Also, I can't get the songs from the episode, "Once More, With Feeling" out of my head. I don't always like Joss Whedon's TV shows, but Buffy has been well and truly great, and I'm actually excited by the thought of going back and watching the first few seasons with my updated perspective.

The Wife: She never really got into when I started, but that's mostly because I watched the first few seasons pretty quickly. I'll try again when I go for the re-watch.

Always Sunny in Philadelphia

This is a strange one for me, because I don't generally enjoy outright comedy. Always Sunny may be dark humor, but it is, at heart, a comedy. That being said, the characters are all a kind of quirky I enjoy and the show has something I respect above all else: a sense of memory. You will still see references to season one even after half a dozen seasons, and it doesn't feel tacked on. If you'd never seen previous episodes, it wouldn't be glaring, but it adds to the humor. Apparently the gang always uses the same cassette tape when they have to record something (which isn't too often). When they eventually play any videos, you always catch a brief snippet of something that happened in one of the previous episodes. And then there's Kitten Mittens. Or that one episode where they actually repeated a previous episode, and it was STILL hilarious.

The Wife: Another show we watch together and equally enjoy.



Well, I'll end this list here, but one suggestion -- find a show you can watch with your significant other. Even if you're both dead silent during, it is a nice experience. And it'll make for interesting talk or references later. I'm often told by my wife to, "Shut up, bird."

Friday at the Movies: Best of Netflix

Hi all,

Just posting this as a place holder. I spent far too long beating my first campaign of XCOM tonight and didn't set aside time for... well, anything else.

Sorry again for being late! Now, I'm going to list my Netflix Streaming suggestions, give a brief line as to why, and then move on with my weekend!

TV Series

Supernatural - Click the link to see the blog post I wrote about Supernatural previously!

Doctor Who - I did a couple blog posts about this, too. There will be more, when I eventually re-watch the remaining seasons...

The Firefly's Crew

Firefly - Follow Malcom Reynolds and his crew about their spaceship, Firefly. The cast is fantastic, the storyline amazing, and the universe feels unique. And remember, Captain Reynolds aims to misbehave...

Lost - One of the first TV series I watched completely on Netflix, Lost is a rollercoaster ride of a show. It all starts when an commercial airplane crashes on an apparently deserted island. There are survivors from the crash, and they have to adjust to their current living situation, as well as each other. Oh, and to the island, which isn't exactly uninhabited. Or in any way normal. Show is amazing for those who like suspense and twisting storylines. I will warn you, the first few seasons are the best, then it is downhill. Worth it, but downhill. And the ending is crap. But worth it!

Heroes - I really enjoyed watching the first season of Heroes. I felt it was an interesting view on what would happen if normal people randomly got super powers. Unfortunately, the later seasons decided that premise wasn't enough (I think they watched too much Lost), but it's at least interesting.

Breaking Bad - I'm only a couple seasons in, but this show is fantastic. Walter White, a suburban dad and high school teacher, finds out he has cancer. He turns to cooking and selling Meth to support his family.

That's the premise, anyway. It gets all sorts of nutty and awesome after that. If you're not hooked by the first 2-3 episodes, you're nuts. Another rollercoaster, but it ossilates between suspense, action, and "WTF?" moments.

Twin Peaks - This show's premise isn't exciting. A girl gets killed in a small, secluded town and an FBI agent arrives to try and find out who. What is interesting, however, is the FBI agent, Agent Cooper, and his really, really strange approach to... well, everything. Seriously, this show is 100% worth watching, simply because of him.

It IS another example of a show that starts good but doesn't maintain it. I loved the first season. It hits the suspense just right, it introduces phenomenally interesting characters, and focuses mostly on Cooper. The second season pulls a bit away from Cooper to include additional side stories, and, once the main suspense elements are cut in the second season, the show falters. In fact, it goes a touch too crazy, which is when I stopped.

Still, the first season alone makes it one of my favorite television shows, ever.

Movies

The Fifth Element - My favorite Bruce Willis movie (well, tied with 12 Monkeys, which is also on Netflix...), The Fifth Element takes place on Earth in an advanced future. The end of the world is approaching (literally), and it's up to an unusual group to put a stop to it.

Really, really interesting characters, and I especially love the main antagonist. Additionally, it has one of the best shoot-out scenes ever, especially since it is set during a Space Opera.

Blade Runner - Another futuristic movie, though Blade Runner features a much darker, grittier Earth. Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a retired private detective type character who specializes in hunting down artificial humans, also known as Replicants. He gets called out of retirement when a gang of Replicants get loose on Earth.

Amazing dystopian setting, mind bending questions, and a not too clear ending make this one of my favorite films of all time.

Kick-Ass - This is a movie that is based on one of Mark Millar's graphic novels which mocks super hero comics. The "super heroes" in this movie are simply regular folks who dress up and try to fight crime.

Sounds a little lame, but it is awesome. And, despite the premise, it quickly picks up the pace and turns into an action packed comic book movie with a main character that you can't help to sympathize with.

Bunraku - This one... is hard to explain. It stars Josh Hartnett, Woody Harrelson, and someone named Gackt as protagonists set in a dystopian world where guns are outlawed and the only fighting that occurs is with melee weapons. It is a super-stylized film and has a very different art style, but the fight scenes are awesome and it reminds me of a good anime, only with real people.

Highlander - An immortal guy has to cut off other immortal guys' heads to take their power. It's set in a relatively contemporary world for when it was made.

A Knight's Tale - Heath Ledger masquerades as a knight to win fame and honor on the tournament field.

Also features a kickass soundtrack the most interesting depiction of Chaucer I've ever seen.

Serenity - This movie is the sequel/ending to the tragically short Firefly show. It's decent in its own right as well, though you'll appreciate it more if you watch Firefly first.

Tomorrow, When the War Began - I actually just watched this last night. It's basically Breaking Dawn set in Australia, which is pretty awesome. The characters are mildly archetypal,  though that doesn't stop them from being enjoyable and interesting to watch as they react to their homeland being invaded.

Apparently it's based off of a book series, which I will now how to hunt down and read.

Daybreakers - In this movie, vampires rule the world while humanity is a natural resource that is running out. It's really this premise that makes it interesting, but that's enough if you want to try a different take on vampires.

If I remember correctly, it's a touch gory at times, but I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Anime 

High School of the Dead - Watched this recently and enjoyed it. There isn't too much plot until the end, but the setting of a zombie outbreak and a group of high school students having to fight their way to find friends and family was done much, much better than I would have expected. Being only one season, there are a lot of loose ends -- I'm hoping a second season eventually sees daylight.

Trigun - Check out the recent blog post if you missed it!

Other

The Guild - These "episodes" are done in the style of a video blog. They are very short, though interesting none-the-less. The cast are a group of MMO players that, at the start of the show, end up setting into motion plans to meet in real life for the first time. It is very, very funny.


Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - I've already blogged about this because I love it so damn much. Go watch it NOW!


This post was more difficult than I thought! I didn't realize how many shows rotated OFF of Netflix Instant Streaming after I'd watched them -- this list is more of suggestions as of today, I really could post all my actual favorites, because they're disc only now.

Either way, this list will get you started. Maybe I'll do a different list on another Friday for my top five movies of all time... That'd be interesting. And Difficult.

Spacey

Another quick one:

Star Wars 1313 announced as bounty hunter game taking place on Coruscant. Targeted to a more "mature" audience as well as staying away from a Force powered hero. I am not happy with the announcement, but am interested to see more.

Also, watched an episode of Firefly tonight and am still (as I am everything I watch Firefly) astounded that the show was cancelled. Great characters, setting, and the writing is damn good, which is rare these days.

Here's looking out for some good news in the near future...