Continuity mistake: Right at the end of the episode, when River says 'Also - I can kill you with my brain' to Jayne in the infirmary, in the long shots she is leaning much further through the doorway than she is in the close-ups, where her face is barely past the edge. (00:39:40)
Continuity mistake: Just before Serenity disembarks from Triumph near the beginning of the episode, there are some small areas of shrubbery and foliage surrounding the exit ramp. But once Serenity takes off, the shrubbery and foliage is gone.
Bushwhacked - S1-E2
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the episode, when Inara asks Simon how River is, River's hair is hanging down behind her back on both sides. But when Simon tells Inara that she still won't talk about what was done to her at the Academy, her hair is hanging in front of her right shoulder. A few shots later her hair is hanging behind her back again.
Out of Gas - S1-E5
Continuity mistake: When we see the flashback of Mal and Zoë first entering Serenity's cargo bay, just after Mal has bought the ship, there is a cable on the floor behind them. For a short moment, we see the cable being dragged over the grille right behind them, then the shot changes and there is nothing there at all; the only cable is much further back and lying at a completely different angle. (00:01:55)
Continuity mistake: When Mal is fighting Crow on the ship, he falls over the containers of medical supplies, knocking some of them over. A few shots later when Jayne shoots Crow, the containers are standing upright again.
Continuity mistake: When Inara finds Mal unconscious in his quarters, his head is resting up against the wall. When the angle changes to show her running over to him, he has moved away from the wall and his head is on the floor. After she has called for help, his head is once again up against the wall. (00:31:00)
Continuity mistake: As Mal approaches the desk, saying "we got a couple of DOAs" he puts his left hand directly on the corner. Cut to a shot from behind and his hand's moved about a foot.
Out of Gas - S1-E5
Continuity mistake: In the first flashback in the episode, Malcolm is showing Zoe Serenity after buying it. You can see on his left arm the stitched-up bullet hole that was from the very first episode when Mal gets shot. This episode would have taken place much later than the flashback.
Continuity mistake: At the end, when Inara is closing the lid on the trash container there are three shots. From behind Inara, she has her gun in her lap (in her right hand) and is waving with her left, but from Saffron's point of view Inara has both hands in her lap, then Inara is back to waving again.
Continuity mistake: During the duel, after Atherton breaks Mal's sword, he puts the blade to Mal's chest with his arm straight and his wrist slightly bent. The angle changes, and Atherton is suddenly holding the sword with his elbow bent and a straight wrist, in a completely different manner. (00:37:30)
Continuity mistake: Just prior to the crazy Ivan, Kaylee tells Jayne to cut the hydraulics to the port engine, yet it is the port engine which rotates to perform the maneuver. Also, the cut scenes of the engine thrusting just prior to and after the crazy Ivan are reversed.
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.