Firefly & Serenity Cast Still Active on Popular Television Shows Today

On September 20, 2002, the innovative Joss Whedon space cowboy program "Firefly" premiered in the United States and Canada on the Fox network. Starring Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau and Ron Glass, the sci-fi series rapidly achieved a cult following. However, by mid-December 2002 "Firefly" had averaged only 4.7 million viewers per episode and was 98th in Nielsen ratings, so the show was canceled after eleven of the fourteen produced episodes were aired.

That wasn't the end of "Firefly." The show has been very successful on DVD and it went on to win an Emmy in 2003 for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. This subsequent success of the show inspired Josh Whedon and Universal Pictures to make the movie "Serenity" which was based on the series. Since then comics and role-playing game have come out based on "Firefly." Today "Firefly" cast members including Nathan Fillion, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Summer Glau and Alan Tudyk can be seen on popular television shows that should appeal to "Firefly" and "Serenity" fans.

Nathan Fillion: Firefly's Captain Malcolm Reynolds - Castle's Richard Castle

Nathan Fillion, who starred as Captain Malcolm Reynolds on "Firefly," can now be seen on Monday nights on the ABC program "Castle" which premiered on March 9, 2009. Fillion plays Richard Castle, a famous mystery novelist who has killed off his main character in his previous book series and needs inspiration for a new book series. He finds his inspiration in detective Kate Beckett. The Richard Castle character is similar in many ways in personality to Fillion's surprisingly well-read Captain Malcolm Reynolds in "Firefly," although the privileged Richard Castle is more playful and less intense than Malcolm Reynolds.

Morena Baccarin: Firefly's Inara Serra - V's Anna

Morena Baccarin who played Inara Serra in "Firefly," now plays another female space travelor, Anna in another ABC hit, the sci-fi show "V" which airs on Tuesday nights. Anna, who is the leader of the Visitors, is a far cry from the a high-society hooker with the heart of gold Baccarin played on "Firefly" and "Serenity." Instead of nurturing compassion, Anna is a vicious lizard-like creature seeking to conquer the Earth for breeding purposes.

Alan Tudyk: Firefly's Hoban "Wash" Washburne - V's Dale Maddox

Another "Firefly" cast member who has appeared on "V" is Alan Tudyk. Instead of "Firefly's" playful, easy-going, Wash, much like Baccarin's "V" character, Tudyk plays an evil alien with Earth's domination on his mind who infiltrates the FBI in the first 3 episodes of "V."

Adam Baldwin: Firefly's Jayne Cobb - Chuck's John Casey

Adam Baldwin played the somewhat brutish mercenary with the unlikely name of Jayne Cobb in the series "Firefly" and the movie "Serenity." His latest role is playing John Casey on the NBC comedy-spy series "Chuck." The roles are very similar as Baldwin again plays a somewhat brutish spy who is nevertheless cunning and shrewd and apt to mutter a quip or retort, much like Jayne.

Summer Glau: Firefly's River Tam - The Cape's Orwell

The mysterious, tormented and extremely gifted River Tam on "Firefly" and "Serenity" was played by Summer Glau. Now she has a leading role on NBC's Monday night superhero drama series "The Cape" where she plays Orwell, a secretive investigative blogger who wages war on the crime and corruption. The 2-hour pilot episode of "The Cape" aired on Sunday, January 9, 2011.

Jewel Staite: Firefly's Kaylee Frye - Stargate Extinction's Dr. Jennifer Keller

Jewel Staite starred as the sweet-natured and optimistic mechanic Kaylee Frye on "Firefly" and "Serenity." Today she can be found playing Dr. Jennifer Keller on "Stargate Atlantis" and the upcoming "Stargate Extinction." While "Firefly's" Kaylee Frye was a bit insecure about her lack of education, on "Stargate," Dr. Keller is a brilliant young doctor.

Firefly Lives On

"Firefly" may live on only in DVDs, comic books and games, but the cast members have continued to garner meaty rolls, often in sci-fi and adventure rolls which should appeal to the many fans of "Serenity" and "Firefly" who still remain loyal to the series and the cast today.