I've merged 4 links into one. Ordinarily they would have been fine on their own but I don't want things flying off the front page 2 hours after they've been posted. This is going to be a horrendously busy day (and it's only Wednesday - eek!) and I'll do my best to keep things moving along.

Simon | September 28, 12:34 CET

Wow, this is a record breaking month for Whedonesque! BTW, it would be shiny to have a link at the bottom for "More", or even a direct link to the current month's archive. It becomes tedious going through the archive to get to items that were posted earlier the same day. ;)

Oh, yeah, and great article that really gives a taste for what this fandom is all about.

AnotherFireflyfan | September 28, 12:36 CET

I agree. Mr. Bridges gives the definitive column on what it takes to be a Browncoat. I can hardly wait for the weekend.

impalergeneral | September 28, 13:51 CET

DVD column extras! Maybe more than any column I've written, this one got rewritten a lot, mostly in a failed attempt to get it anywhere close to my usual length. Here's some of what got chopped out.

(After the "What makes a fan" graf)
I’d say it’s when you start to identify with other fans. Other fans understand. Other fans Get It. Other fans will type back and forth with you for days over details that even the show’s creators never noticed. Like you, other fans have been so inspired by something that they’ve made it part of their own identity. And when they feel they've been wronged, they can move very, very quickly.

(Before the "and now our hard work" graf)
We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty, but we didn’t do it because we’re all part of some Whedonistic cult. We wouldn’t drink the Kool-Aid even if Joss told us to, although we would chat excitedly on the forums about how funny he was when he said it.

We did it because after years of wondering loudly why Hollywood keeps making crappy movies, we finally have one that makes us think and laugh and cry and we were determined not to blow this chance. If we failed, we doomed ourselves to an eternity of bland CGI fare and Rob Schneider.

C. A. Bridges | September 28, 16:03 CET

Chris is a BDH, too. I almost cried reading the column and the extras. Rob Schneider = SCARY.

brownishcoat | September 28, 16:54 CET

Chris Bridges' article was fantastic. It's a shame the section about the "Kool-Aid" had to get cut as that's one of my least favorite parts of a lot of the negative reviews.

I'm really enjoying all of the Serenity articles popping up. It's like a wildfire spreading across the web.

SDWolfpup | September 28, 17:52 CET

hee, too cute. And the USA Today article is too right -- it's GREAT seeing the movie in a theater packed with fans. The emotional pitches are that much greater when everybody laughs with you, gasps with you, gets agonized and teary with you, etc.

dottikin | September 28, 18:27 CET

All of those articles are quite wonderful. Many thanks to Chris Bridges for all his efforts.

And, much agreement with Matheson on good audience behavior. It was perfection. But, then, we all know about "special hell." A friend of mine in Sacremento saw the blogger screening last night, and said the audience was much the same, even though the mix was not all Browncoats. That's so good to hear.

k8cre8 | September 28, 18:57 CET

We wouldn't drink the Koolaid? I'm sure some of us would.

GimpyD | September 28, 23:34 CET