Trying again to get into Farscape

[JirinPanthosa]

Farscape is a show that all the people who like most of the shows I like also like, so I feel statistically, I should like Farscape too.

However I've tried on multiple occasions to get into Farscape, getting a few episodes further every time, and it still doesn't click with me.

The episode premises are pretty clever but I just can't get past the characters. Most of the TV characters I get invested in are either really likable, or really dramatically interesting. Farscape characters are too archetypal and one dimensional to be that interesting, and they turn on each other at the drop of a hat. The characterization also isn't consistent. One episode it's spiritually traumatic to Zan to even consider inflicting pain on someone, the next episode she cuts the pilot's arm off without a second thought. They seem to use Rigel mostly for bodily fluid humor. The only character with moral standards is Crichton and he comes off as just your standard scifi nice guy.

I guess I see why somebody like Abed from Community would like it. There's no emotional subtlety to decode. Half the characters are either puppets or have too much makeup to see their natural facial expressions.

But, everybody I've talked to also says it gets much better after the first season and there are cast changes. And, I was thinking the same thing after the first eight episodes of Babylon 5, people said the same thing, and they were right. Is it worth for me to keep watching, or will the problems I'm having with the show now stay consistent throughout?

 

[JeffinOakland]

Farscape is a show that all the people who like most of the shows I like also like, so I feel statistically, I should like Farscape too.

However I've tried on multiple occasions to get into Farscape, getting a few episodes further every time, and it still doesn't click with me.

The episode premises are pretty clever but I just can't get past the characters. Most of the TV characters I get invested in are either really likable, or really dramatically interesting. Farscape characters are too archetypal and one dimensional to be that interesting, and they turn on each other at the drop of a hat. The characterization also isn't consistent. One episode it's spiritually traumatic to Zan to even consider inflicting pain on someone, the next episode she cuts the pilot's arm off without a second thought. They seem to use Rigel mostly for bodily fluid humor. The only character with moral standards is Crichton and he comes off as just your standard scifi nice guy.

I guess I see why somebody like Abed from Community would like it. There's no emotional subtlety to decode. Half the characters are either puppets or have too much makeup to see their natural facial expressions.

But, everybody I've talked to also says it gets much better after the first season and there are cast changes. And, I was thinking the same thing after the first eight episodes of Babylon 5, people said the same thing, and they were right. Is it worth for me to keep watching, or will the problems I'm having with the show now stay consistent throughout?

I made it through 2 seasons and the 1st episode of season 3 before I gave up. It tries far too hard to weird and different and not hard enough to develop sympathetic characters or coherent plotting. The plot and actions go so far off the rails into the realm of silliness, that I just couldn't take it seriously and the show desperately wants to be taken seriously. It's like the rare James Bond movie where the plot is just as absurd as any other Bond flick but in this one, they take it sooooooooooo seriously.

 

[The Master of Tarquin Hill]

I watched the original run in the states up until the Harvey in the head stuff. I got sick of that real fast.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Farscape was all over the place. Overall, I like it a lot. There were some really good episodes, and there were also plenty of episodes that I was happy to muddle through - but even in those there was usually some novelty or another that was interesting to think about afterward.

My daughter wanted to see it about a year ago, so we watched it back through, and I found it to be very good if watched while splitting my attention with something online - like posting here.

 

[urbandefault]

Farscape was all over the place, but it wasn't nearly as weird as LEXX.

Didn't Stargate SG1 do a parody of Farscape in one of those comedy eps? Maybe the 200th?

 

[JD]

Farscape is one of my all time favorite shows, but I can see where it might not be for everyone. I really enjoy the first season, but that is by far the weakest part of the series. If you make it through the second season and still don't like it, then I would say it's just not for you.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Didn't Stargate SG1 do a parody of Farscape in one of those comedy eps? Maybe the 200th?

I wish they had tied these together. Crichton could have finally built a wormhole to get home, and targeting it for Earth could have activated the Stargate. And Browder and Black ended up on the show, anyway, so there ya go.

 

[Australis]

It tries far too hard to weird and different and not hard enough to develop sympathetic characters or coherent plotting.

Pretty much.

SG1 did do a short parody of FS, along with one for Trek and the Wizard of Oz.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

Farscape characters are too archetypal and one dimensional to be that interesting, and they turn on each other at the drop of a hat. The characterization also isn't consistent. One episode it's spiritually traumatic to Zan to even consider inflicting pain on someone, the next episode she cuts the pilot's arm off without a second thought. They seem to use Rigel mostly for bodily fluid humor. The only character with moral standards is Crichton and he comes off as just your standard scifi nice guy.

This is one of the nicely done things on Farscape. All of the characters are introduced as cliched archetypes (yup, there's the big stoic warrior, there's the deceitful little con-man, there's the soldier with no emotions, etc) and then slowly things start getting fleshed out and you see the layers underneath that start emerging and the dimensions forming. Even the Zhann stuff.

Granted, it's a slow burn and I find that I have to tell my friends "Wait until Nerve, that's when things start paying off, but it IS brutal up until that point". And if they still aren't feeling it after that, it could simply not be for them. Unfortunately that's, like, 13 episodes on!

And skipping straight to that you miss some set-up. So... hey, you still gave it a good go, nobody can fault you for the effort!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Thanks for the input. I think what I'll do is just watch it slowly and take it in in small doses.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I've just begun a rewatch, probably the third full viewing of the entire series for me.

I think it was WGN that did the original airing in Chicago, but I never saw more than 1 or 2 episodes on TV.

I was curious enough to buy the DVD sets, even when they were out of produciton and I paid through the nose for a couple of the S1 sets.

It's a show I love as much as any other. True, as a 22 episode per season series there's some fluff episodes and it can seem to drag on at times.

 

[JD]

Farscape was originally on the then Sci-Fi Channel. WGN would have probably been syndication.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Thanks for the input. I think what I'll do is just watch it slowly and take it in in small doses.

I was just thinking about how when I first watched it that it would be in weekly doses and it came on Fridays at the end of the work week which helped made its brand of insanity quite welcome. It might be a bit much if marathoned in big chunks.

While I should probably have been going out instead it was nice when Syfy had three new shows every Friday sometimes supplemented by Enterprise or Firefly and what not.

 

[Taelon]

It was good, but there was too much focus on Ben Browder's character and all his pop-culture references that nobody else understood, got stale fast.

Zhaan was my favourite character, it was too bad Virginia Hey

Spoiler: Zhaan

had to leave because the extensive makeup was affecting her health.

 

[RoJoHen]

If you get through Season 1 and still don't like it, you probably never will. The general consensus is that "Nerve" is when the show really gets good.

Season 1 is rough, but the rest of the show is fantastic. Farscape is my absolute favorite show of all time, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

 

[MacLeod]

Sure at times Farscape could be a little wacky, and it did take a while to get going. And yes it did have it's ups and downs, but overall I enjoyed it. As others have said "Nerve" is when it starts to get more consistantly good.

 

[Forbin]

Well, I loved it. I agree the "Head Harvey" period was tedious. And "Wacky" is definitely the adjective for the show. But overall it was a refreshing change from the sturm and drang of the usual sci fi (which I also love).

 

[kirk55555]

If you get through Season 1 and still don't like it, you probably never will. The general consensus is that "Nerve" is when the show really gets good.

Season 1 is rough, but the rest of the show is fantastic. Farscape is my absolute favorite show of all time, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Honestly, when I tried to watch Farscape, Season 1 was the only consistently good season, at least until the last few episodes of the season. A few bad episodes, but generally solid. But, I'm probably alone in that opinion. I also thought Nerve wasn't very good. I guess its no surprise I only lasted until Episode 6 of Season 3.

 

[RandyS]

If you get through Season 1 and still don't like it, you probably never will. The general consensus is that "Nerve" is when the show really gets good.

Season 1 is rough, but the rest of the show is fantastic. Farscape is my absolute favorite show of all time, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Honestly, when I tried to watch Farscape, Season 1 was the only consistently good season, at least until the last few episodes of the season. A few bad episodes, but generally solid. But, I'm probably alone in that opinion.

No, I also prefer the first season over the rest of it. I liked the smaller stories that focused only on the Moya crew. That being said, I also liked what came later, I just prefer the early part of the show when things were simpler.

 

[Dr. Funkenstein]

It tries far too hard to weird and different and not hard enough to develop sympathetic characters or coherent plotting.

That is the last criticism you can give that show! Hell, even the ship itself is a sympathetic character especially once she's pregnant.

But, yes, if you get to the episode in season 1 where Crichton first dresses up as a Peacekeeper and you still don't like it, you likely never will.