MovieChat Forums > Skyland (2005) Discussion > This show rips off Firefly?

This show rips off Firefly?

posted 14 years ago by goldeagle905-1
4 replies | jump to latest

Don't get me wrong. It's a great and original show. It is artistically wonderful and refreshing to see such a concept story like this.

But for anyone who is familiar with that other cult scifi show, one can pick up some striking similarities between the two shows.

- Story of two siblings, a brother and sister duo. Both talented and gifted. The brother is physically gifted (Mahad is a pilot, Simon Tam in Firefly is a doctor), the sister is gifted with powers (Lena and River Tam respectively) and the sister is abit of an enigma.

- Both duos are wanted by an evil all-powerful government that rules the world or universe. The sister's powers and abilities is in fact sought by this powerful entity in both stories. (The Sphere, The Alliance)

- The siblings find refuge in a spaceship or airship in Skyland's case, commandeered by a ragtag crew of different unusual characters, headed by a charismatic swashbuckling rather rambunctious captain (Aran Cortes, Malcolm Reynolds)

- Both ships are significantly important and powerful. (Saint Nazaire, Serenity)

- Both stories are set in a dystopian future. With perhaps the exception of the original concept of a shattered earth and with the story not set in outer space, Skyland like Firefly is a lawless chaotic world filled with factions, shifting alliances, criminals, outlaws, remote colonies or remnants of settlements, advanced flight and weapons etc. Dangers come in all forms, whether political, social or metaphysical etc.

- On smaller notes, the themes on both stories pays tribute to the Wild West and to certain visual representations of Asian culture in particular. (Firefly has the presence of Mandarin and other aspects of East Asian culture being made visible, Skyland also has these representations, mentions of philosophy, practice of martial arts by some characters, and the presence of characters Cheng and Professor Tybald).

- The character Diwan resembles the character The Operative (not from Firefly but from the Serenity movie)

There's probably some more but here are some stark similarities. Maybe Gorinstein and La Patellière, have read up on their Joss Whedon. :)

[–] TheDoctorMan 14 years ago

Nice points.

[Neytiri is CGI]

[–] the_source05 14 years ago

I can understand your points but honestly when you look at anything its hard not to see similarities with something else within the same genre.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] goldeagle905-1 14 years ago

Yes, but there are similarities between the two shows that go beyond the cosmetic features of each show such as for example both shows being in the same genre. This topic wouldn't have been brought up if there weren't more important factors that seem to show imitation for lack of a better word, on Skyland's part.

The factors that seems to show a lot of similarity is the script and premise of Skyland's story itself. The characters themselves, the plot outline, the way the story develops and unfolds out all seem to show a marked similarity to the stories told in Firefly, so much so that there does seem to imply some copying on the part of Skyland's writers to that of the other show.

The only difference I can see of course is the artistic sensibilities given to the cartoon. Skyland being Euro-animation after all. And the very idea of a shattered Earth with no land but still having a full atmosphere is still fascinating storytelling.