The Message - S1-E15
Mal: If he calls back, keep him occupied.
Wash: What do I do, shadow puppets?
Out of Gas - S1-E5
Mal: Well, what do you think?
Zoe: You mean you paid money for this? On purpose?
Mal: Now, you can luxuriate in a nice jail cell... But if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you.
River Tam: Jayne is a girl's name.
Shepherd Book: Captain, do you mind if I say grace?
Mal: Only if you say it out loud.
Mal: You know, they tell ya to never hit a man with a closed fist, but it is, on occasion, hilarious.
Bushwhacked - S1-E2
Commander Harken: I notice your ship's called Serenity. You were stationed on Hera at the end of the war. Battle of Serenity Valley took place there, if I recall.
Mal: You know, I believe you might be right.
Commander Harken: Independents suffered a pretty crushing defeat there. Some say that after Serenity, the browncoats were through. That the war ended in that valley.
Mal: Hmm.
Commander Harken: Seems odd you'd name your ship after a battle you were on the wrong side of.
Mal: May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.
War Stories - S1-E9
Mal: I know it's a difficult mission, but you and I...have to get it on.
Zoe: I understand. We have no choice. Take me sir, take me hard.
Jayne: Now something about that is just downright unsettling.
[Mal and Zoe awkwardly lean in towards a kiss].
Wash: [dragging Zoe away] We'll be in our bunk.
Preacher: If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of Hell. It's a place they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.
Chosen answer: One of the premises of the show is that the two major Earth societies that survived, and ultimately merged, were the Chinese and Americans. As a result the common language includes much Chinese. Clothing, signage, and building designs also have a heavy Chinese influence.