The Bones Star You Likely Missed In Firefly's Serenity Movie
History would tell you that adapting TV shows into movies is a distinctly hit-or-miss prospect, and, if we're being brutally honest, the approach has probably produced a lot more misses than hits. There have, however, been rare occasions when things go right, and fans are gifted a "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," a "Mission: Impossible," or even a "21 Jump Street." While we're running down a list of successful TV to film adaptations, we really should add 2005's sci-fi/western stunner "Serenity" to the mix, because it's arguably one of the all-time bests and continues to be celebrated as a genuine achievement in both narrative originality and unerring fan service (via Den of Geek).
Based on the tragically short-lived, cult hit series "Firefly," "Serenity" returned the entirety of the show's brilliant cast, and indeed boldly pushed their stories forward in a way that kept the action as accessible to viewers unfamiliar with the world as it was to those who positively reveled in it. Understandably, the movie also brought a few new faces aboard in expanding the world of "Firefly." While the additions of David Krumholtz, Sarah Paulson, and Chiwetel Ejiofor were certainly worth noting in the film, we're betting some of you likely missed an appearance from a long-time star of the hit procedural series "Bones." Here's which Jeffersonian alum appeared in "Serenity."
Tamara Taylor had an important role in Serenity
The actor in question is the great Tamara Taylor, who joined the cast of "Bones" as Jeffersonian big boss Dr. Camille Saroyan during the show's second season. As noted by CherryPicks, the role was initially to be merely a guest spot, but Taylor's quippy, no-nonsense character became an instant fan favorite and remained a series regular all the way through its 2017 finale. Landing "Bones" in 2006 was arguably the biggest break of Taylor's already impressive career, and she secured it roughly a year after a brief, yet fascinating appearance in "Serenity."
That appearance came in the opening moments of the film and found Taylor portraying a seemingly kind teacher. In this scene, Taylor's character instructs her class of preteens on the benefits of allying with the nefarious government entity known as the Alliance. Of course, among this group is the younger version of Summer Glau's beloved "Firefly" character River Tam, who's portrayed in the scene by Hunter Ansley Wryn (via IMDb).
In vintage River fashion, the precocious and preternaturally gifted youngster proceeds to dress down Taylor's teacher by sagely pointing out the Alliance's meddlesome ways of governing. To this, Taylor's teacher drops an unforgettable bit of dialogue that eerily sums up Alliance logic, stating, "We're not telling people what to think. We're just trying to show them how." It's a chilling moment bolstered by the warm, yet inherently threatening manner in which Taylor delivers the line. That menacing duality essentially sets the table for the central conflict in "Serenity."