Re:why does firefly have such a fanbase? (Score 1)

Tossing out for the moment comments about Whedon and whining about the fans of Firefly, your comments on the "issues" with the show are not all that on-target.

One: We do not know the method they use for FTL. This makes it silly to complain about the energy needs that science as we know it would require. We don't have FTL science, it is something posited for the purposes of the show. For all we know, something developed a few years from now will show that a small application of enery under the correct circumstances will allow FTL. (No, I don't think it likely. But then again, look at the energy pay off with fusion and research into the quantum foam or whatever. Plenty we don't know yet...) Not the first time sci-fi has had FTL...

Two: "Ancient" projectile weapons are still in use to this very day in many parts of the world even as engineering labs (and home hobby types) are turning out rail guns and electron beam/laser/Kill-O-Zap weapons. Technology is used when it solves problems, not when it is cool. (Okay, mostly not for the cool part.) You can buy modern blackpowder weapons (constructed with modern materials and methods but based on an old design with updates) to this very day. You seem to be hip to complain about energy demands, happen to recall the issue with packing energy weapons? Oh yeah, all the batteries. Rail gun? Recoil & power...

Three: I could be mistaken, but the reason for moving the cattle was stolen right from history... They were bringing new blood in for a herd. Could they have carried frozen fertilized eggs instead? That would require facilities on the target planet which (again IIRC) was pretty early agrarian.

All is not rosy with the realism aspect... But it is far less horrific a treatment of reality than you suggest.