Firefly

You know how some people watch tv like they're detectives cracking a case? "A-ha!", they say, "that scene was completely wrong! That would never work in real life!" I'm generally not like that. I watch tv to be entertained, not to have to sit and think. I usually just accept everything at face value, sort of like how you accept green talking aliens in sci-fi novels at face value.

We were watching the "Trash" episode of Firefly last night. Now, I'll describe the scene and see if you can pick up on the glaring continuity goof.

Mal walked up to his old army buddy, Monty. He wants Mal to meet his wife, Bridget. He hollers for her, she walks up to them. The very second Mal and Bridget face, they pull a gun on each other. Monty says, "So, you guys have met?" Then the scene cuts to the opening credits. When it comes back a fight breaks out between Mal and Bridget. It ends by Monty, who is a pretty big guy, holding them each out at arms length so they can't get to each other. Monty asks what is going on, and Mal explains that Bridget had married him a half year earlier in a ruse to steal his ship. Bridget says, "You're a liar, Malcom Reynolds." Monty gives her a strange look and says, "Now I ain't never got t'tellin' ya his name." At that point, Bridget knows she's been caught in a lie.

Okay now, hold on, back up! Did you notice the part where Mal and Bridget obviously know each other pretty darned good? The part where they pulled guns on each other and Monty said "So, you guys have met?" Right, that part. It's already been established that they'd met before. Most people, not even criminals from the future like on Firefly, do not pull guns on their old friend's spouses without a reason. So it also makes sense that they would know each other's names. So why does Monty know Bridget is lying about being married to him when she calls Mal by his name? She never said that she did not know Mal, she was saying that he was lying about their being married. She called Mal by his name, but as we've already determined they had met before. So how do you explain Monty kicking his wife off his ship and leaving her stranded on a rocky planet with the same guy--Mal--who she had just tried to kill?

It just doesn't make any sense! Great series though, I love it.