A Firefly and Serenity Timeline

by Chris Tobias

In the wake of this weekend’s successful Bangabandhu-1 mission, which featured the successful launch and landing of the new Block 5 Falcon 9, SpaceX is taking a full eight days off between launches. (Let that sink in for a minute. We now have a private space company that’s basically launching once a week… but I digress.) Since we have a little time before we have to discuss the specifics of the next mission, I figured I’d devote some space (yes, the pun is always intended) to a Browncoat-themed post.

Take Back the Sky is not the only cause to which this Browncoat devotes his time and energy. Since 2013, I have also been the organizer of the annual Can’t Stop the Serenity (CSTS) charity screenings of Serenity (and occasionally Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog) for the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a CSTS organizer, I have access to the global CSTS message boards at www.cantstoptheserenity.com, which really have a plethora of great information in their archives that any hardcore Browncoat would love to read through if he or she had the time. In fact, it was on these very message boards that Jeff first proposed the idea of lobbying SpaceX to name its first Crew Dragon after Serenity.

Since only the organizers or co-organizers (think captains and first mates) of local CSTS events have access to the boards’ archives, I think it’s a shame that a lot of Browncoats will never have the chance to read some of the interesting things that are contained there. So, seeing as how I’m an organizer who has that virtual all-access pass, I decided to share one of them with you.

The following is a chronological list of important dates in the history of Firefly and Serenity, presented in calendar format. It appears almost exactly as it was originally posted on the global CSTS message boards, though I have made a few minor modifications for the sake of clarity and ease of reading.

MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF FIREFLY AND SERENITY

JANUARY
19 January 2006 – Serenity released in Malaysia

FEBRUARY
15 February 2006 – Serenity released in Philippines (Manila)
15 February 2484 – Zoe Alleyne born

MARCH
29 March 2006 – Serenity released in Kuwait
3 March 2004 – Serenity is officially greenlit for production

APRIL
5 April 2006 – Serenity released in Finland (DVD premiere)
18 April 2006 – Serenity released on HD DVD
19 April 2004 – Firefly released on DVD (Region 2)
19 April 2006 – Serenity released in Argentina (DVD premiere)
26 April 2006 – Serenity released in Brazil (DVD premiere)
26 April 2005 – Serenity trailer released
27 April 2005 – Serenity test screening in Sydney, Australia (unfinished version of the film)

MAY
5 May 2005 – Serenity pre-screenings in 10 US cities
26 May 2005 – Serenity pre-screenings in 20 US cities
31 May 2006 – Serenity released in Egypt

JUNE
3 June 2004 – Principal photography commences on Serenity
9 June 2007 – Serenity and Firefly DVDs taken on Space Shuttle Atlantis‘ STS-117 mission to permanently reside on the International Space Station
17 June 2006 – First ever Can’t Stop the Serenity charity screening of Serenity in Ann Arbor, Michigan
23 June 2005 – Serenity pre-screenings in 35 US/Canadian cities
28 June 2003 – Firefly episode “Trash” airs in the US

JULY
15 July 2003 – Firefly episode “The Message” airs in the US
21 July 2005 – Serenity pre-screening in Melbourne, Australia

AUGUST
1 August 2005 – Serenity pre-screening in Adelaide & Sydney, Australia
2 August 2004 – Firefly released on DVD (Region 4)
4 August 2005 – Serenity pre-screening in Perth, Australia
16 August 2005 – First of the “R. Tam Sessions” released on the internet
19 August 2003 – Firefly episode “Heart of Gold” airs in the US
21 August 2007 – Serenity Collector’s Edition 2-disc DVD released (Region 1)
22 August 2005 – Serenity released in UK Gala Premiere (Edinburgh Film Festival)
24 August 2005 – Serenity pre-screening in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Dublin

SEPTEMBER
3 September 2005 – Serenity released in France (Deauville Film Festival)
12 September 2005 – Serenity premiere in Australia (Melbourne) with Joss Whedon Q&A
13 September 2005 – Serenity premiere in Australia (Sydney) with Joss Whedon Q&A
15 September 2005 – Serenity released in Russia (Kino Ekspo)
17 September 2004 – Shooting for Serenity is completed
20 September 2511 – “Unification Day” (Alliance victory in the Unification War)
20 September 2002 – Firefly episode “The Train Job” airs in the US (series premiere)
20 September 2468 – Malcolm Reynolds born
24 September 2005 – Serenity released in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival)
25 September 2005 – Serenity released in Sweden (Lund Fantastisk Film Festival)
27 September 2002 – Firefly episode “Bushwacked” airs in the US
27 September 2005 – Serenity official soundtrack CD released in US
29 September 2005 – Serenity released in Australia
29 September 2006 – Serenity released in Japan (DVD premiere)
30 September – “Serenity Day” (anniversary of the US release of Serenity)
30 September 2005 – Serenity released in US

OCTOBER
2 October 2005 – Universal releases first 9 minutes of Serenity online
4 October 2002 – Firefly episode “Our Mrs. Reynolds” airs in the US
6 October 2005 – Serenity released in Portugal
7 October 2005 – Serenity released in UK (general release)
13 October 2005 – Serenity released in Russia (general release)
18 October 2002 – Firefly episode “Jaynestown” airs in the US
18 October 2005 – Serenity released in Israel (Icon Film Festival)
19 October 2005 – Serenity released in France (general release)
19 October 2005 – Serenity released in Switzerland (French speaking region)
21 October 2005 – Serenity released in Brazil (São Paulo International Film Festival)
21 October 2005 – Serenity released in Norway (Bergen International Film Festival)
21 October 2005 – Serenity released in Spain
25 October 2002 – Firefly episode “Out of Gas” airs in the US

NOVEMBER
1 November 2002 – Firefly episode “Shindig” airs in the US
8 November 2002 – Firefly episode “Safe” airs in the US
8 November 2005 – Firefly official soundtrack released on CD
10 November 2005 – Serenity released in New Zealand
15 November 2002 – Firefly episode “Ariel” airs in the US
17 November 2005 – Serenity released in the Netherlands
18 November 2005 – Serenity released in Estonia
18 November 2005 – Serenity released in Iceland
24 November 2005 – Serenity released in Germany
24 November 2005 – Serenity released in Hungary
24 November 2005 – Serenity released in Switzerland (German speaking region)
25 November 2005 – Serenity released in Austria
25 November 2005 – Serenity released in Denmark
25 November 2005 – Serenity released in Italy
25 November 2005 – Serenity released in Sweden
25 November 2005 – Serenity released in Switzerland (Italian speaking region)
30 November 2005 – Serenity released in Belgium

DECEMBER
2 December 2005 – Serenity released in Norway
2 December 2005 – Serenity released in Poland
2 December 2005 – Serenity released in Turkey
6 December 2002 – Firefly episode “War Stories” airs in the US
9 December – “Browncoat Day” (anniversary of Firefly DVD release)
9 December 2002 – Fans run Variety ad thanking Fox for Firefly
9 December 2003 – Firefly released on DVD (Region 1)
13 December 2002 – Firefly episode “Objects in Space” airs in the US
19 December 2500 – River Tam born
20 December 2002 – Firefly episode “Serenity” (2 hours) airs in the US
29 December 2005 – Serenity released in Peru
30 December 2008 – Serenity released on Blu-ray Disc

As is stated on the CSTS global message boards, many of these dates appear courtesy of the now defunct Firefly Timeline and The Signal Timeline. The latter site is still well worth checking out, as many events which take place in the Firefly/Serenity ‘verse don’t have specific dates, but can be tied down to specific months.

This list is by no means complete. It makes no mention of the many Firefly and Serenity comics and graphic novels that have been published by Dark Horse Comics over the years. (The first of which, a limited series of comics called Those Left Behind, were published in 2005 shortly before the release of Serenity and were written by Joss Whedon himself as a bridge between the TV series and the film.) It also omits September 6, 2012, which is of course the date on which PA Browncoats Jeff Cunningham and Christopher Tobias founded Take Back the Sky to convince Elon Musk and SpaceX to name their first manned Dragon space capsule after Serenity!

One other date you will not find here is the date on which Firefly was officially canceled. That’s because, contrary to what we’ve all seen and heard, it never was! In late November of 2002, Fox announced the series was being placed on hiatus, and that remaining episodes would air at a later time that had not yet been determined. That was the final official statement from the Fox network regarding Firefly. There never was an official announcement that the show had been canceled, and to this day it remains “on hiatus.”

I find it interesting that many Browncoats think that September 20 is “Browncoat Day.” That date is actually December 9. September 20 is “Unification Day,” and no respectable Browncoat would want to be caught dead celebrating U-Day, since that’s the day on which the Browncoats officially lost! Once the internet gets its hooks in something there’s no stopping it though, so if Browncoats the world over want to celebrate the anniversary of the debut of Firefly on September 20 each year, I propose we start calling it “Firefly Day.”

And as I write this, I can’t help but wonder which date on this calendar will be the next important anniversary– the day on which SpaceX announces that the company’s first Crew Dragon will be christened Serenity. That day will come, but only if Browncoats commit themselves to doing the impossible once again by writing letters to Elon Musk and Gwynne Shotwell at SpaceX and telling them how strongly they believe that America should have a real spaceship named after science-fiction’s most famous Firefly class transport ship. If enough Browncoats follow through, then someday there will also come a day on which that spaceship actually launches into the black– a very shiny day on which Browncoats from all over the world (and perhaps even Joss Whedon and the original cast and crew) will gather in Cape Canaveral, Florida for the greatest shindig since the premiere of the motion picture Serenity. I wonder what they’ll eventually call that day– the day on which Browncoats will rise again and take back the sky…

Peace, love and rockets…

(For information about “Can’t Stop the Serenity” charity events near you, visit the CSTS global website at www.cantstoptheserenity.com and click on “Find an Event.”)

One comment on “A Firefly and Serenity Timeline”

Edgar Governo (@pseudohistorian) on October 27, 2018 at 11:22 AM said:

If you’re referring to my longstanding Firefly Timeline, it is not defunct–the timeline simply moved over to thingsthatneverwere.com along with my other fictional timelines when that domain was launched.

Take Back the Sky

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