This episode is another contender for the title 'best episode in the series' and it is up against some stiff competition. When the crew go to Ariel, one of the core planets, so Inara can take her annual medical they are disappointed when Mal says that nobody else will be allowed to leave the ship. That changes when River attacks Jayne with a knife; her brother suggests that they could earn a lot of money by stealing drugs from an Alliance hospital and while doing that he could give River a brain scan so he could learn just what was done to her. The job appears to be going well until Jayne takes the opportunity to make a quick buck and be rid of Simon and River by selling them out to the Alliance... of course they double cross him and arrest him too. While being processed the three of them escape, just in time to avoid the arrival of two sinister men, the 'Hands of Blue', who eliminate anybody who has spoken to the Tams. Back on Serenity Simon praises Jayne's actions which led to their escape; Mal however realises that Jayne had betrayed two of his crew and thus himself so gives Jayne a talk which leaves him fearing for his life.
This was a great episode where we learnt that Jayne is really not to be trusted, Adam Baldwin is great in the role managing to make the character believable untrustworthy as well as being very funny. It was also good to learn more about what had happened to River and what effects it has had to her. The 'Hands of Blue' men were suitably creepy and it was surprising to see so much blood in a usually light-hearted series when they dispatched their victims.
This was a great episode where we learnt that Jayne is really not to be trusted, Adam Baldwin is great in the role managing to make the character believable untrustworthy as well as being very funny. It was also good to learn more about what had happened to River and what effects it has had to her. The 'Hands of Blue' men were suitably creepy and it was surprising to see so much blood in a usually light-hearted series when they dispatched their victims.