From Firefly to Lanterns: every Nathan Fillion TV show ranked across his career
From Soap Opera to Firefly
Fillion began with small acting roles in the early 1990s before joining One Life to Live as Joey Buchanan. He held the role from 1994 to 1997 and received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Young Actor.
His breakout came as Captain Mal Reynolds in Firefly, a cult hit that ended after one season. The series became one of his best-known roles, despite its short run.
Two Short-Lived Dramas
In 2007, Fillion played Alex Tully in Drive, a drama about illegal street racing. Fox canceled the series after only four episodes aired. One Life to Live ran from 1968 to 2013 and accumulated more than 5,000 episodes. Its long run contrasts with Drive, though the account notes that the soap opera is difficult to compare with modern serial dramas.
Comedy and Voice Roles
Fillion starred with Firefly co-star Alan Tudyk in Con Man, a web series created by Tudyk. The comedy drew on their experiences in convention culture and fandom, with Fillion playing Jack Moore, an exaggerated version of himself.
Fillion voiced Preston Northwest, Pacifica’s eccentric father, in Gravity Falls. He also played Jacques Snicket in Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, appearing alongside Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf; Snicket is eventually killed by Olaf.
Key points
- Fillion earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for his role as Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live.
- Firefly ended after one season but became one of Fillion’s best-known roles.
- Fox canceled Drive after only four episodes aired.
- His roles include Con Man’s Jack Moore and voice work in Gravity Falls and A Series of Unfortunate Events.