The story follows a disparate bunch of malcontents thrown together on a spaceage stagecoach, determined to stay under the radar of the authorities while looking to make some money. Although you'd likely not want to describe them that way to their faces. Maybe it's best told in the Captains own words:
"Here's how it is: the Earth got used up, so we moved out. Terraformed a whole new galaxy of Earths. Some rich and flush with the new technologies, some not so much. The Central Planets, thems formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule. A few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself. I'm Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. She's a transport ship, Firefly class. Got a good crew: fighters, pilot, mechanic. We even picked up a preacher for some reason, and a bona fide companion. There's a doctor, too, took his genius sister outta some Alliance camp, so they're keeping a low profile. You understand. You got a job, we can do it. Don't much care what it is."
And when he says they don't care what it is, Mal means it. Doubtless none of the crew will ever forget the famous wobbly-headed doll caper. As long as the work doesn't take them where they don't want to be, and the money is reasonable the captain will likely take it on. Anything from transporting unusual goods to smuggling and petty thievery is fair game. Of course anything that will annoy the Alliance is a bonus.
Yet despite all the fun and high jinx, the most intiguing aspects are the characters and their relationships. Whether the focus be on the crew, the many varied nefarious criminals they come into contact with, or simply between the Captain and his ship. Without this they could be just another bunch of low-lifes leeching out a living on the edges of the universe. And that's what makes them mighty.
