Well, to have something hyped to epic proportions always lead to disappointment, and I am sad to say, I am a tad bit disappointed, not because the episode is bad, no no no, but because I did not know what to expect and anticipate, and I need sometime to let the episode sink in and embrace what the episode, and possibly the other episodes, offer.
Still, this episode being a disappointment does not mean it is sub-par; Roger Ebert was disappointed with Die Hard and we all know how that turned out for Die Hard. It went on to become one of the best and most beloved action movies in the history of movies. And I believe that is the same for Firefly: Serenity; just because I was disappointed with it because of the hype does not mean it is not good, in fact, it is fantastic.
Everything in this episode looks amazing. The sets and the locations look really beautiful and detailed, with a very high production value that (heck I am saying it) rivals Game Of Thrones. The CGI of space and Serenity the ship looks magnificent, and I am a guy who thinks watching Gravity at home (even on a home theatre system) is a crime against movies, so I really think the CGI looks great. The characters are all written with distinct personalities, and they are all very likeable despite their individual character traits that may come across as weak or douchy. The camera work looks very nice (apart from a few scenes), the use of different shots capture what the audience needs to know (action/ emotion/ ...), and the wide variety of shots used puts other shows to shame. The musical score has an unique flavour to it, a bit of Western, a but of violin, and a bit of guitar.
So why did I say this episode was a disappointment? Well, I have yet to care enough about the characters to give a damn, and that's my main problem. I am sure that after a few more episodes, I would be in love with Captain Mal and Zoe and Wash, but right now, I need more to care about what's happening to the characters. And the fact that I watched the movie Serenity before watching this episode did not help either. That's like watching Game of Thrones after reading the books.
Despite this, I must say this episode is very impressive (though still a tad bit disappointing), and I really want to watch the next episode "The Train Job".