DISCLAIMER: we spend a large chunk of the opening (about 6 min to about 18 min) discussing the threat of rape/sexual assault in this episode/the series in general in depth. If this is not for you, skip ahead. There is some similar talk scattered lightly throughout the ep.

Anyway! We have reached the series finale, if one could call it that, of Joss Whedon's short-lived Firefly. MBT welcomes special guest Alex for what is certainly one of the best, if not the absolute best, episode produced by this show. It's trippy, it's creepy, and it plays to all of Whedon's strengths as a writer/director. If the show had to go out, this was the way to do it.

Alli and Mary lament what feels like a lot of repetition for a short show like Firefly: these episodes particularly suffer from two emotional funerals of one-off characters. Two funerals! In a row! Dear Joss Whedon, this isn't ER, we're not watching for that mad depressing drama dude. We also discuss how Firefly's character arcs are reminiscent of Buffy's season 6. Heart of Gold and The Message are an interesting contrast, the former is an excellent affecting episode, while the latter is a touch overwrought and melodramatic. Additionally, insanely sweaty sex scene. Tone it down, set sweat people. 

17:20-17:45 MAJOR DOLLHOUSE SPOILERS.

This week Alli and Mary talk streaming services and bitch about Hulu's business model. Let us know your thoughts on the following: is Niska is supposed to play as Russian or German? What are your theories about what Book's backstory was supposed to be vs. the eventual comics? In the first episode, Wash takes a Xander-esque turn this week with a whiny snoozer of a storyline. Luckily, the rest of the ep is pretty fun. Then, Saffron returns for another heist. But more importantly: WHERE IS OUR FUTURISTIC TECH? OUR ROBOTS? OUR SOCIAL PROGRESS? Unbelievable. 

This week on Firefly, we get insight into everyone's first interaction with and impression of the good ship Serenity. Mal captains his little heart out and manages, despite all odds, to scare off a large group of killer scavengers. In Ariel we get the world's easiest heist, only put into danger by Jayne's Big Bad Betrayal of Simon and River. Don't worry, everyone's ok in the end. Subject for discussion this week: comparing Firefly's plot-heavy nature to Buffy and Veronica Mars' character-based concepts.