Lashings of Wild West action in an outer space setting, with razor-sharp, insta-quotable dialogue delivered by a cast that would make many a genre fan weak at the knees? Yep, that’s likely the best way to describe Joss Whedon’s Firefly; a series which still to this day has a huge fandom yet was shockingly cancelled by FOX after just one single fourteen-episode season. Sure, we’ve may have got the Serenity movie and then several comic book tales to expand the adventure, but it’s still unbelievable that we didn’t get the chance to see the antics of Nathan Fillion’s Mal and Co. continue in a TV setting, particularly with the budget and time now given to similar small screen series these days. Full of imagination and near-endless possibilities, Firefly captured the attention of so many during its brief-yet-memorable stay.

Of course, you’ve all likely heard all there is to know about Firefly as a show by this point in time. After all, the series premiered way back in 2002 and so we’ve all had time to digest just how brilliant the show was and is. So, the bigger question here isn’t about just how wonderful Whedon’s masterpiece is, more it’s looking at whether this new release is really worth your time.

If you’re a Firefly fan – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – then you likely already own one of the previous releases of this one-season marvel. As such, you’re likely a little cautious about handing over yet more pennies for another release of the series. Now, while the swanky slipcase that this anniversary comes in is rather glorious to look at, the discs themselves don’t feature anything that hasn’t been seen before in terms of special features and bonus content. Unless we’re mistaken, all of the on-disc extras were all included in the previous Blu-ray release; a release that has seemingly been taken out of circulation now. Fear not, though, for there are some new goodies for fans to enjoy here, with the release featuring a nice array of character cards, a sticker set, and even a map of the Verse. The stickers are pretty standard stuff – “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal” proving to be a particular favourite – but the cards and map are mightily impressive pieces that will have longtime fans purring with excitement.

So, to summarise, Firefly is still just as brilliant as it ever was and you’ll still struggle to understand why the show was canned after just a solitary season, but whether you pick up Firefly: Complete Series – 15th Anniversary Edition will largely come down to a) whether you already own a previous Blu-ray or DVD release, and b) just how much you want to get your greasy paws on the collector’s content included with this release. The overall package is a stylish, crammed release, but it’s ultimately your choice whether you deem the cards, stickers and map enough to justify splashing more cash on the property. For those who for some reason don’t own a copy of Firefly, this should be an absolute must-have. Captain’s orders.

Special Features: Character cards / Map / Sticker sheet / Cast roundtable / Audio commentary on selected episodes / Three featurettes / Deleted scenes / Gag reel / Audition tapes

FIREFLY: COMPLETE SERIES – 15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR & WRITER: VARIOUS / STARRING: NATHAN FILLION, GINA TORRES, ALAN TUDYK, MORENA BACCARIN, SUMMER GLAU, ADAM BALDWIN, SEAN MAHER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW