You know, that's a good point. One thing that's touched on, but never really explored in this episode is the obligation we can feel sometimes to old friends, no matter how incredibly fucking stupid they are. It's been awhile since I've seen the episode, but I feel like it isn't until the gun is pulled that Mal…

I think they mentioned how he was "Running hot". I just assumed that he had a buttload of organs shoved all up in there.

I think they mentioned how he was "Running hot". I just assumed that he had a buttload of organs shoved all up in there.

You could be right, it's been awhile for me too, but there's definitely a squick element running through that, no?

You could be right, it's been awhile for me too, but there's definitely a squick element running through that, no?

Zing!

Zing!

This kind of gets back to the moral grayness of the whole thing. In my mind, smuggling organs in your body is crossing the line into truly bad territory, mostly because of the whole cutting aspect of it all. I suppose, conceivably, Tracey could be smuggling them to an outlying planet that badly needs them, but given…

This kind of gets back to the moral grayness of the whole thing. In my mind, smuggling organs in your body is crossing the line into truly bad territory, mostly because of the whole cutting aspect of it all. I suppose, conceivably, Tracey could be smuggling them to an outlying planet that badly needs them, but given…

There are plenty of other reasons not to like him.

There are plenty of other reasons not to like him.

Yeah, but at least Simon did it for semi-noble purposes, to rescue River. Also, he's more funny/awkward and less of a tool.

Yeah, but at least Simon did it for semi-noble purposes, to rescue River. Also, he's more funny/awkward and less of a tool.

I understand that his character was meant to be likable and charismatic, but he never pulled it off for me, and that soured most of the middle of the episode. Again, I loved the "lived in" scenes with the crew, but every time Tracey went around talking to people, wooing Kaylee, it hurt.

I understand that his character was meant to be likable and charismatic, but he never pulled it off for me, and that soured most of the middle of the episode. Again, I loved the "lived in" scenes with the crew, but every time Tracey went around talking to people, wooing Kaylee, it hurt.

That's fair, but a lot of weight was put on the fact that they were old war buddies. How disappointing is it that they saved his life in the war so he could become some shitty organ smuggling douchebag. That could be tragic in and of itself, and it's also tragic that Mal had to shoot him, but that's not where the…

That's fair, but a lot of weight was put on the fact that they were old war buddies. How disappointing is it that they saved his life in the war so he could become some shitty organ smuggling douchebag. That could be tragic in and of itself, and it's also tragic that Mal had to shoot him, but that's not where the…

No aliens adds a focus that some sci-fi shows lack. This is a show about people, for people.

No aliens adds a focus that some sci-fi shows lack. This is a show about people, for people.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this episode, and the end. The beginning felt lived in and gave us a chance to hang with the crew, and the end was gorgeous and sad and maybe, just maybe a bit unearned. It's sad because, well, it's always sad when a dead person is returned to his relatives, but Tracey is just…