Known for its “cult” following, Firefly is a fantastic sci-fi show that anyone can enjoy. It is set 500 years in the future, and follows the life of the crew of the spaceship Serenity, a small group of kind hearted characters who have a tendency for flaunting the law.

In this future setting, humans have been colonizing and spreading out from Earth. They are dominated by the Alliance, an authoritarian government that does little to help those on the so called “border planets”. Part of the main tension in the show is a result of Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his first mate Zoe being former members of a failed resistance to the Alliance.

The show has a seemingly oxymoronic blend of futuristic technology such as lasers and spaceships with lowtech horses and wagons. It creates the feeling of a wild west, where there is little law or order away from the “civilized” core planets.

Firefly delivers a compelling and interesting plot, with complex characters that will keep you glued to the screen for hours at a time. It is both serious and humorous, with incredibly witty dialogue that will leave you laughing.

The show’s greatest flaw is its length: only 14 episodes were created before it got canceled. Don’t let the cancellation fool you, however. The show was so popular that the shows’ writer Joss Whedon, writer of The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Cabin in the Woods, was able to get the entire cast back together a full year later to create a movie to tie up some loose ends.

While the small amount of episodes might leave you hesitant, Firefly is a truly awesome show that you could easily spend an entire day watching and still leave yourself feeling like you’ve accomplished something.