Heart of Gold

Overview: The Serenity crew defends a bordello against a gunslinger who got a prostitute pregnant and now intends to collect the child.

Airdate: 08/19/2003

Directed by: Thomas J. Wright

Guest Stars: Angie Hart (Lucy), Doan Ly (Emma), Fredric Lehne (Ranse Burgess), Heather Black (Helen), Jim Lau (Puppet Theater Narrator, Melinda Clarke (Nandi), Sandy Mulvihill (Belinda), Tracy Leah Ryan (Petaline).

Of Note: This episode was supposed to be scheduled as episode 14

Quotes:
Mal: Good. Remember, shoot the man, not the horse. Dead horse is cover, live horse is a great pile of panic.

Review By: Jason James Rating:

To be honest this is one of my least favorite episodes. I do have to give props to the whole old west shoot out that this story presents. You would think that it would fit in pretty well with this series. That might just be the problem, it seems like to logical of a fit. Or should I say something that we have seen done in westerns many times before. I just does not seem to fit in with the other jobs that the crew has taken on before. Sure there is pay involved but normally the crew does not stick its neck out the way it does just because. I also didn't like the scene having Sheppard fighting with a water hose. Him an Zoe were both just kind of standing in the open but never seemed to get shot or even shot at. Guess the tinkle of water really was scary and painful. Overall I just had a hard time getting into this episode. Though if it was entended to be a season ender then this would have made sense as a good place to leave off. Nothing like leaving a little suspense at the end.