FIREFLY: Teamwork and Found Family

How do you set aside differences to work as a team? What makes a great team?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright go back in time to Cinema Therapy’s origin story when Jono and Alan bonded over Firefly. They discuss the eight principles for uniting a team as portrayed by the Firefly crew. The members of the crew all have different ways of living and thinking, but they come to form a family. Jono and Alan share why this diverse crew works so well together, they marvel at the perfect chemistry of the cast, and of course, they geek out a lot.

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Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, Alan Seawright, and Corinne Demyanovich
Edited by: Emily Colton
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis

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[TsukiKatana]

"If you're showing up time and time again and they're taking you for granted, and they're not showing up for you and you communicate that and they don't change, it doesn't mean you're doing it wrong, it means this isn't your team." I needed to hear this today. Thank you.

[kizwil]

"When you can't run you crawl, and when you can't crawl, you find someone to carry you" never fails to make me cry

[NightingaleSpica]

My favorite thing ever was the line, "well, she is our witch! So cut her down." It wasn't just about loyalty it was a wonderful statement on how to deal with a crowd. He didn't bother with need to argue against the crowd about witches but the fact the person is part of his crew and it doesn't matter what you call them.

[SirMethos]

When Jayne says "Make something up, don't tell 'em what i did.", that is the point, where Jayne realized that he actually cares about the rest of the crew, and their opinions of him.

Mal realizes that as well, that's why he pushed the button, because Jayne was no longer someone that needed to be 'let go'.

[CookiehsAndDreams]

I took a fantasy literature class in sophomore year and our teacher had a thing he called "Firefly Fridays" where the class would watch an episode each Friday. Needless to say, the writing in this show was so good that our class totally bonded with the characters, felt their pains, and truly cared for them.

[HexIsme]

The medics separation between duty and personal feelings are how you know he's a damn good medic.

[sofiehornqvist]

OMG PLEASE spend several episodes on this group of people. They are so well written, so different in everything. PLEASE. PLEASE! We NEED IT!

[trinaq]

This show was cancelled way before its time, though at least they managed to get a film three years later. The characters are immensely memorable, and so diverse, and their connections with each other really draw you in. The actors' performances also work wonders.

[Wouldyoukindly]

"Mal has a heart of gold and is pissed about it"

...that. That is how you sum up my favorite characters right there.

[stitchesandstaples]

In serenity I always lose it when during the final firefight she is comforting Simon saying how he always looked after her and she goes “my turn” and runs into the melee. It’s such a huge moment for her and the movie.

[trinaq]

I really love stories about found family, and how you don't have to be biologically related to someone to consider them kin. It reminds me of that Buffy episode where the Scooby Gang firmly lets Tara's abusive parents know that THEY'RE her real family.

[ezridx]

I love that Jonathan and Alan found family in each other through a show about found family. ❤️

[morganseppy]

Firefly is one of the best shows. This is how you portray diversity. I wish Disney and Amazon would take notes.

[Vesperitis]

Simon is one of my favorite characters of all time. He sacrificed everything for his little sister with absolutely no hope of them returning to a normal life, but he shoulders the burden of protecting his _mei mei_ with a sincere smile and zero complaints because he truly, genuinely wants to do this, and he has no regrets about any of it.

And you really get a glimpse of how much his sacrificed in _Ariel._ He didn't just sacrifice his comfort and safety, he sacrificed his potential, his dignity, his authority, the work that he loved, the untold good that he could have done for hundreds if not thousands of others. He could have been greater than all the other crewmembers combined, and he threw it all away in a heartbeat for River.

[Emil_]

Guys I think I said this before, but your subtitles are just next level, even changing position to not obstruct anything
Huge thanks to Anna Preis

[mathnerd]

Best series ever. Just saying. I'm not sure if I'm gutted that there's only one season, or relieved that I didn't have to see it drag on until the message and magic of the show got lost. Either way, it's the Princess Bride of TV series. Fun, somehow moving, endlessly quotable, and not nearly long enough.

[DoubleL]

The family unit really works because of Mal. Each member of the crew was meant to represent something that Mal had or wants to have.

Zoe is his tie back to the war and the comradery of service.
Book is his tie to his faith that died the day the war ended.
Wash is that lighthearted spirit that runs deep within him.
Jayne is the rough gun-slinging persona he shows the outside world.
Kaylee is the conduit of love for Serenity, the means that lets him escape into his own world.
Inara is a look into a life with love. An escape from a life of just getting by. I don't think it was a coincidence that her room was a repurposed escape shuttle.
Simon is a reflection of what Mal would do for his family, his crew.
River is a reminder of what the Alliance is capable of and why Mal cannot trust them, even in times of peace.

[dawnvickerstaff]

I'd seen Firefly, loved it, cried over it, couldn't get enough. Then I moved to Britain and met the man who was going to be my last forever husband. He'd never seen it. So, we both ended up getting flu early in our relationship and I was stuck at his flat. We took care of each other, hot tea with lemon and lots of tissues and we watched the whole of FireFly together. That was it. We bonded tighter than tight over Firefly and we've never looked back in anger. We adore each other and we still adore Firefly.

[readMEinkbooks]

The character of Shepherd Book completely started the change in the way I live my out my faith!

[oBlackSando]

I loved Doc's speech cause it was framed like he was going to threaten Jane but he doesn't. He became a doctor to help people, he isn't going to ruin his morals, especially when he knows Mal will fight to keep them safe too