The Train Job (20 Sep. 2002)

Mal and his crew pull a train robbery.

Director:

Joss Whedon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator), Joss Whedon,

Stars:

Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Nathan Fillion	...	Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds
Gina Torres	...	Zoë Washburne
Alan Tudyk	...	Hoban 'Wash' Washburne
Morena Baccarin	...	Inara Serra
Adam Baldwin	...	Jayne Cobb
Jewel Staite	...	Kaylee Frye
Sean Maher	...	Dr. Simon Tam
Summer Glau	...	River Tam
Ron Glass	...	Shepherd Book
Tom Towles	...	Lund
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Crow
Michael Fairman	...	Adelai Niska
Gregg Henry	...	Sheriff Bourne
Valerie Red-Horse	...	Deputy
Kevin Will	...	Officer

Storyline

Captain Mal Reynolds and his motley crew of space traders get a job that seems to be right up their alley. Gangster Adelai Niska wants them to rob a train and deliver the goods to them. Mal and Zoey have little trouble getting the job done and even convincing the local authorities that are just a married couple who have come looking for work. When the overhear that the stolen cargo was urgently needed medical supplies, Mal reconsiders whether he wants to do Nishka's dirty work. Back on the ship, Dr. Simon Tam continues to worry about his sister River who is still having nightmares about her institutionalization.

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Plot Keywords:

train | robbery | medicine | heist | hung by one's feet | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

20 September 2002 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

42 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Serenity approaches to dock with Niska's space station, you can see what looks like a US Space shuttle docked in much the way it would be at the International Space Station.

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Goofs

The position of the rolling tray, the objects knocked off it, and the sheet on the medical bed changes between shots after River awakes from her dream.

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Quotes

Mal: [on Niska] He's not the first psycho to hire us. Nor the last. You think that's a commentary on us?
Zoë: I just have an image in my head of a guy hanging from the ceiling.
Mal: I've got an image of it not being me. Let's do the thing.

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Connections

References Starship Troopers (1997)

User Reviews

Action Railway Style

OK, this show Firefly was a great show that got screwed over by fox. Premiting show times, moving show times, and most important not showing the pilot first. Train job was the first aired. This is out of sequence. Serenity pilot should have been the first aired. So fox who didn't like the pilot wanted a more A team approach so this was written in literally in a weekend. Its still a quality job done by the firefly boys. A western railroad train heist in the spirit of Ole Jesse James Gang except ya have a space ship coming down on a hyper train riding on air in arid type planet of the future. The crew of Serenity on the wrong side of the law perform a heist on a train in military fashion. With a sheriff who is fair and extremely upset that what is stolen is medicine for his small mining town. The crew of the firefly transport working for a gangster are remorseful and give it back. But now the motley crew has to deal with the gangster's hench men.