History ShoutOut / Firefly

* Alan Tudyk's character in ''Series/{{V 2009}}'' was [[spoiler: impaled by a stake...]] Sound familiar?

* You might be aware that Joss Whedon is a vivid reader of Creator/HenrikIbsen. Mal being left naked in the middle of a desert is a ShoutOut to Theatre/PeerGynt, who ended up being robbed and quite naked in the middle of the Sahara wasteland at one point in the play. By a bedouin girl who seemingly fell for his act.
* Many elements of the show are a possible unintentional shout-out to Cowboy Bebop, most notably the spaceship of misfits and the ship captain wearing long coats, always getting into fights and being a slight anti-hero.
** The Reavers of the film share the name and behavior of the Scottish/English Border-Reivers, with similar political circumstances. Born of cruel war, they exist on the boundaries of a distant, uncaring empire, swooping down upon anyone who hasn't the weapons and connections to resist them.
* The cut down rifle Zoe usually carries is the very same prop as the "Mare's Leg" from ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''.

* [[{{Pixar}} A113]] can be seen on top of the train in "Train Job".

* The cut down rifle Zoe usually carries is the very same prop as the "Mare's Leg" from ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''.

* The cut down rifle Zoe usually carries is the "Mare's Leg" from ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''.

* The cut down rifle Zoe usually carries is modeled after the "Mare's Leg" from ''Series/WantedDeadOrAlive''.

** The Reavers of the film share the name and behavior of the Scottish/English Border-Reivers, with similar political circumstances. Born of cruel war, they exist on the boundaries of a distant, uncaring empire, swooping down upon anyone who hasn't the weapons and connections to resist them.

* Many elements of the show are a possible unintentional shout-out to Cowboy Bebop, most notably the spaceship of misfits and the ship captain wearing long coats, always getting into fights and being a slight anti-hero.

* River's GirlInABox introduction is seen by many as a ShoutOut to the anime ''OutlawStar.''

* A subtle one to ALittleNightMusic. [[FanNickname YoSaffBridge]] ran off with a security programmer named Heinrich who worked for her husband. At the end of ALittleNightMusic [[spoiler: the main character's wife runs off with his son named Heinrick.]]

* You might be aware that Joss Whedon is a vivid reader of Creator/HenrikIbsen. Mal being left naked in the middle of a desert is a ShoutOut to Theatre/PeerGynt, who ended up being robbed and quite naked in the middle of the Sahara wasteland at one point in the play. By a bedouin girl who seemingly fell for his act.

* In a deleted scene from the pilot episode, Simon's encyclopedia can be heard mentioning a General Richard Wilkins who led the Alliance forces at the Battle of Serenity. Mayor Richard Wilkins was the BigBad of season 3 of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', also created by JossWhedon.

** This ShoutOut gets a ShoutOut in the ''Series/{{Castle}}'' episode "Boom!" Not unusual for that series, though, [[NathanFillion considering the male lead]].

* A subtle one to ALittleNightMusic. [[FanNickname YoSaffBridge]] ran off with a security program named Heinrich who worked for her husband. At the end of ALittleNightMusic [[spoiler: the main character's wife runs off with his son named Heinrick.]]

* Jubal Early's line "Well, here I am" could be a reference to the song "Space Oddity" by David Bowie: "For here am I, floating round my tin can…"

** This ShoutOut gets a ShoutOut in the ''Series/{{Castle}}'' episode "Boom!"

* One of the fictional historical figures is called [[{{Disney/Mulan}} Shan-Yu]].

* Alan Tudyk's character in ''{{V}}'' was [[spoiler: impaled by a stake...]] Sound familiar?

* Jayne's line "I was gonna get me an ear too" is very likely a Shout Out to ''ReservoirDogs''.

* Jayne's line "I was gonna get me an ear too" is very likely a Shout Out to ''ReservoirDogs''.

* The [[{{Franchise/Alien}} Weyland-Yutani]] logo is visible on the heads-up display of the anti-aircraft gun used by Mal in the pilot.

* The [[Franchise/Alien Weyland-Yutani]] logo is visible on the heads-up display of the anti-aircraft gun used by Mal in the pilot.

* A subtle one to ALittleNightMusic. [[FanNickname YoSaffBridge]] ran off with a security program named Heinrich who worked for her husband. At the end of ALittleNightMusic [[spoiler: the main character's wife runs off with his son named Heinrick.]]

* In a deleted scene from the pilot episode, Simon's encyclopedia can be heard mentioning a General Richard Wilkins who led the Alliance forces at the Battle of Serenity. Mayor Richard Wilkins was the BigBad of season 3 of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', also created by JossWhedon.

* In the pilot, when the crybaby is released, Wash gives a shout out to TheBeatles song of that name.

* [[FanNickname YoSaffBridge]] ran off with a security program named Heinrich who worked for her husband. At the end of ALittleNightMusic [[spoiler the main character's wife runs off with his son named Heinrick.]] That always sounded like a ShoutOut to me.

* [[{{Pixar}} A113]] can be seen on top of the train in "Train Job".

* The planet Miranda in ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' is a ShoutOut to {{Shakespeare}}'s ''Tempest'' and by extension, Huxley's ''Brave New World''. Of course, this is also a reference to real-world naming conventions, as all the moons of Uranus are named after Shakespearean characters, and one moon is in fact named Miranda.

* In the pilot, when the crybaby is released, Wash gives a shout out to {{The Beatles}} song of that name.
* In "Out of Gas", we learn that Serenity's first mechanic was a guy named "Bester." Later we hear Mal call him "Alfred." Alfred Bester was an important author in the post-war, founding era of modern sci-fi (as well as a character in {{Babylon 5}}).
* In a deleted scene from the pilot episode, Simon's encyclopedia can be heard mentioning a General Richard Wilkins who led the Alliance forces at the Battle of Serenity. Mayor Richard Wilkins was the BigBad of season 3 of ''{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}'', also created by JossWhedon.

* Alan Tudyk's character in V was [[spoiler: impaled by a stake...]] Sound familiar?

* In Out of Gas, we learn that Serenity's first mechanic was a guy named "Bester." Later we hear Mal call him "Alfred." Alfred Bester was an important author in the post-war, founding era of modern sci-fi (as well as a character in {{Babylon 5}}).

* "I was aiming for his head." - Avon says exactly the same line with regards to Travis in BlakesSeven.

* In Out of Gas, we learn that Serenity's first mechanic was a guy named "Bester." Later we hear Mal call him "Alfred." Alfred Bester was an important author in the post-war, founding era of modern sci-fi.