Trying again to get into Farscape

[JirinPanthosa]

I think Scorpious is a good villain, I just think there should be more of a break in between Scorpious episodes to make the Scorpious episodes more special and build up more anticipation. That's how you make the central villain interesting instead of tiresome. I've also started watching through Buffy for the first time and they always have a few episodes in between episodes where the main villain is the main threat. It helps keep the threat fresh even when the villain is a little cheesy.

Die Me, Dichotomy:

There are a few things I liked about this episode. I like the fight with the skerin and the way they had to kill him. Also, I know Zhann dies at some point in the series. Is this what kills her or does she come back from this and die later? If so, that's a great way for her to go out, trading her life for Aeryn's. Also the way Crichton throws head-Scorpious into the dumpster in full dream-control mode. One thing I do notice that's kind of a minor thing but a recurring thing. It seems like every time the heroes run in the opposite direction down a corridor, it's assumed they have escaped the entire highly secure complex.

Grade: B

Suns and Daughters:

The thing I like most about this episode is the alien design. The spider-barkeep is well designed and there was a good makeup job on the signal girl. I'm not sure I get the Chianna/Jathy thing, that affair doesn't make a lot of sense and is more soapy than dramatically interesting. I like the way there's several threats at once going on and they're all trying desparately to put out the most immediate fire.

Grade: B-

Since I mentioned Buffy in this thread I want to get out a small Buffy observation. Why is it, sometimes they make a big deal about vampires needing to be invited to enter a building, but other times, they just come in without being invited?

 

[Forbin]

Vamps have to be invited into a private home, but a public building is automatically "anyone can come in" open invitation.

 

[JD]

It's Scarran and Jothee.
At this point I think almost every episode is a "Scorpius" episode. He doesn't always play the same role in every episode, but I think the he makes some kind of an appearance in every episode, at least into the end of the first comic miniseries. I haven't seen more than the first couple pages of each issue from that point on, but I think he don't think he appears in the second, and third miniseries. After that he got his own miniseries to explain where he was when he didn't appear, and then he popped back up in the ongoing series, but I'm not sure how big of a role he had there.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I'm in the middle of a first-time Farscape viewing with a friend wherein we're doing 3 episodes/night. "Whacky" is by far the best adjective I can think of for the show, and I have to admit that every time I think they've pushed things as far in a given direction as they can they manage to push them just a little bit more.

I think "DNA Mad Scientist" was the first episode I really took notice of; if nothing else the alien design in that one was quite memorable to me. Oh, and there was the part with the arm.

I like watching the show well enough, but I have to admit I'm having trouble becoming overly attached to it. It does a lot of fairly daring things (characters who aren't necessarily likeable, some significant arc development), but I agree that it feels inconsistent, and the ratio of great to not-great episodes isn't as high as I'd prefer.

Still, I think my friend and I will make it to the end. The great episodes really are great, and I'm impressed by how many commentaries we get with the show.

I always get only a few episodes into the first season. My brother watched it during its original run and swears that its excellent and gets better and better as the seasons go on. I will try again to watch the show. Hopefully I can make it past season 1.

 

[RoJoHen]

It's Scarran and Jothee.
At this point I think almost every episode is a "Scorpius" episode. He doesn't always play the same role in every episode, but I think the he makes some kind of an appearance in every episode.

More or less every episode, yeah. Come Season 3, Scorpius is basically a main character, even if he's not a member of the main crew.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I'm in the middle of a first-time Farscape viewing with a friend wherein we're doing 3 episodes/night. "Whacky" is by far the best adjective I can think of for the show, and I have to admit that every time I think they've pushed things as far in a given direction as they can they manage to push them just a little bit more.

I think "DNA Mad Scientist" was the first episode I really took notice of; if nothing else the alien design in that one was quite memorable to me. Oh, and there was the part with the arm.

I like watching the show well enough, but I have to admit I'm having trouble becoming overly attached to it. It does a lot of fairly daring things (characters who aren't necessarily likeable, some significant arc development), but I agree that it feels inconsistent, and the ratio of great to not-great episodes isn't as high as I'd prefer.

Still, I think my friend and I will make it to the end. The great episodes really are great, and I'm impressed by how many commentaries we get with the show.

I always get only a few episodes into the first season. My brother watched it during its original run and swears that its excellent and gets better and better as the seasons go on. I will try again to watch the show. Hopefully I can make it past season 1.

It gets a lot better. I never disliked S1 at all, it's a formative time where the characters get more comfortable around each other and start trusting one another.

If you can't make it through Farscape S1, how did you make it through any of the modern Star Trek series'? They were all uneven early on, but got better. And Farscape is much more interesting in it's own early stages than any of the ST.

It might seem a little over the top, with all the aliens, at times, just try to relax and enjoy whatever the episode throws at you.

 

[JD]

Yeah, the show does change quite a bit. Most shows do though, if you can push through Season 1 you might like it more in the later seasons.

 

[DWF]

After all the hassle to get Jothee I thought it was kind of stupid to let him go, so if Scorpius could to it all again if he wanted to.

 

[fireproof78]

After all the hassle to get Jothee I thought it was kind of stupid to let him go, so if Scorpius could to it all again if he wanted to.

Dargo would not force him to stay. Jothee seemed uninterested and unwilling to abide by the Luxan code of honor, and Dargo didn't stop him from leaving.

Also, I think Scorpius is a fantastic villain, and introducing him by essentially removing Crais from power is a great way to do it.

Spoiler: spoiler about Scorpios later on

Head Scorpios actually becomes an interesting character in his own right as he and Crichton develop an weird internal monologue relationship.

I understand people's frustrations with trying to get in Farscape, but it becomes very interesting as the seasons moved on. It goes a lot darker than many people realize.

 

[DWF]

I've seen the show me than once all the way though, but the IMO the fianl two years of the show has a number of problems.

 

[fireproof78]

I think the final couple of seasons did have problems. I think that they tried to hard to push the war narrative, and to keep upping the ante in terms of villains and how evil they were and things like that.

But, I think the larger narrative of Crichton going from a fish out of water to a major player is interesting. I just think they tried to go too dark.

 

[kirk55555]

When it comes to Farscape, season 1 and 3 are the best for me, Season 2 is tolerable but hugely flawed, and Season 4 is intolerable. I basically tapped out trying to watch Season 4, but I'd go back to 1 and 3 whenever I want to watch some Farscape.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I'm in the middle of a first-time Farscape viewing with a friend wherein we're doing 3 episodes/night. "Whacky" is by far the best adjective I can think of for the show, and I have to admit that every time I think they've pushed things as far in a given direction as they can they manage to push them just a little bit more.

I think "DNA Mad Scientist" was the first episode I really took notice of; if nothing else the alien design in that one was quite memorable to me. Oh, and there was the part with the arm.

I like watching the show well enough, but I have to admit I'm having trouble becoming overly attached to it. It does a lot of fairly daring things (characters who aren't necessarily likeable, some significant arc development), but I agree that it feels inconsistent, and the ratio of great to not-great episodes isn't as high as I'd prefer.

Still, I think my friend and I will make it to the end. The great episodes really are great, and I'm impressed by how many commentaries we get with the show.

I always get only a few episodes into the first season. My brother watched it during its original run and swears that its excellent and gets better and better as the seasons go on. I will try again to watch the show. Hopefully I can make it past season 1.

It gets a lot better. I never disliked S1 at all, it's a formative time where the characters get more comfortable around each other and start trusting one another.

If you can't make it through Farscape S1, how did you make it through any of the modern Star Trek series'? They were all uneven early on, but got better. And Farscape is much more interesting in it's own early stages than any of the ST.

It might seem a little over the top, with all the aliens, at times, just try to relax and enjoy whatever the episode throws at you.

I like the first episodes well enough I was just working so much I couldn't seem to get into it. I think my fatigue really colored my views on the show. I will be giving it another chance soon. My brother has all the seasons on DVD.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I saw, maybe 2 episodes ever on TV. I think WGN was rerunning the series at some point. It was almost like a blind buy when I decided to get the DVD's. It was more what I read about the series that got me interested.

Earlier this year I finished my 3rd complete watch of the series right before a rewatch of 2 seasons of Orphan Black.

I've got so many other shows to watch, but I'm itching for another go at Farscape.

 

[alpha_leonis]

One thing I'll say for Farscape: the character of Bialar Crais had literally the most dramatic character arc of any character I've seen anywhere in sci-fi.

At the beginning, Crais was indistinguishable from Inigo Montoya. (I mean that literally: "you kill my brother, prepare to die.") By the end...

Spoiler: The Development of Crais

When Crais and Talyn commit suicide together, destroying Crais' old Command Carrier in the process, all in an attempt to save Crichton and his Hearty Band of Travellers ... that was a satisfying ending.

 

[fireproof78]

One thing I'll say for Farscape: the character of Bialar Crais had literally the most dramatic character arc of any character I've seen anywhere in sci-fi.

At the beginning, Crais was indistinguishable from Inigo Montoya. (I mean that literally: "you kill my brother, prepare to die.") By the end...

Spoiler: The Development of Crais

When Crais and Talyn commit suicide together, destroying Crais' old Command Carrier in the process, all in an attempt to save Crichton and his Hearty Band of Travellers ... that was a satisfying ending.

Indeed.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I think that was equally (or more) about revenge, but Crais was definitely a complex guy.

There are times you think he really might have changed, but then he does something completely underhanded.

 

[IcecreamLtDan]

That whole scene was one of the most heart wrenching events of the entire series. I still get goosebumps when I recall the line "Talyn....Starburst!".

 

[bigdaddy]

That whole scene was one of the most heart wrenching events of the entire series. I still get goosebumps when I recall the line "Talyn....Starburst!".

That is my favorite episode of the series and one of my favorites in TV. I loved everything about the episode, it felt so grand. And then when Scorpious walks down the stairs as they flood, beautiful.

 

[RoJoHen]

^Guys, remember the OP hasn't watched the show yet. Be careful with what you say.