That IRC room didn't happen to be #Homeworld did it?
Exploring the Uncharted Territories: A Farscape Viewing Experience
- Thread starter PsychoPere
- Start date
That IRC room didn't happen to be #Homeworld did it?
That's a great plan. I read the Background Information sections at Memory Alpha after finishing an episode when I recently watched through DS9 for the first time. When I try to find time over the summer to rewatch The Wire, I'm going to do something similar: watch the episode, then read the entry in The Wire: Truth Be Told for that episode, then finish by rewatching for the commentary track.
There wouldn't happen to be any great repositories such as Lurker's Guide for Farscape, would there?
Nope. I imagine "Peregrine" isn't entirely uncommon as a 'net handle, though much-younger-me thought it was a great name.
One thing I will say is don't forget about this episode. While it may seem like a harmless standalone, certain things eventually come back to bite Crichton in the ass.
It's all good.I know you guys, label and RoJo, were probably looking forward to reading my thoughts on "Rhapsody in Blue" tonight based on your comments about the episode, but I think that's going to wait. I've enjoyed the episodes I've watched today, but I feel sort of Farscaped out for the day (five in one day is kind of a lot).
http://www.farscapeworld.com/episodes/
It's not nearly as exhaustive as the Lurkers Guide which is just beyond incredible - that literally changed my viewing experience of watching Bab 5 the first time I watched a show in conjunction with that site, but, it's the best that I know of.
There's also this: http://www.snurcher.com/
Just found this thread - thumbs up, looks like a good one.
Yes, there's definitely a certain similarity between Farscape and Firefly. Farscape's early stages are probably less consistent than Firefly's, but I found the show more compelling to watch since, in my opinion, it has better characters.
Anyway, my views on these episodes:
Premiere: Like it a lot. Manages to tell a pretty epic story in only 45 minutes.
I, ET: OK, but kind of lacks the energy of the previous one.
Exodus From Genesis: Enjoyable and helped establish the relationships between the crew, especially where Aeryn's concerned.
Throne for a Loss: Kind of bored me a bit, especially the subplot with Zhaan.
Back and Back and Back to the Future: Fairly entertaining.
Thank God it's Friday. Again: Not bad, but a bit too Star Trek. Aeryn and Pilot's interactions were good.
PK Tech Girl: Really good. Hits a rich vein of story ideas, several of which will return later. Best episode so far, I think.
That Old Black Magic: Crichton-Crais stuff is good, but I do find the Maldis stuff a bit hokey.
DNA Mad Scientist: Valuable plot development re Aeryn's DNA. Not entirely sure I buy Zhaan in this episode, though.
They've Got a Secret: One of the best so far, great plot developments and insight into D'Argo.
Till the Blood Runs Clear: Pretty weak, I think. Didn't really hold my interest.
By this stage, I thought the show was pretty good and had great characters, but wasn't yet living up to its potential. Later, of course things get better. The first season of Farscape reminds me a bit of the first season of Babylon 5 in some ways. The potential was obvious from the start and some of the early episodes were really good, but it took a while to really get into the groove.
Thanks for those links, guys!
Now, onward for two more episodes...
Rhapsody in Blue
- Crichton's dream in the teaser was a good way of combining episode plot and character backstory. His desire to return home is understandable as its own goal, but knowing that the general goal has a specific purpose as well (as I assume at this point in time, Crichton would follow through with the proposal after returning) lends an important "immediacy" to his drive.
- Amused by the bit in the teaser about Aeryn wearing Crichton's boxers, especially since it reminded me of Back to the Future.
- I appreciate the way the show has revealed the reasons D'Argo and Zhaan were imprisoned. It would've been easy to write in some exposition in any random episode, but it's much more dramatically satisfying being able to see them both confront those past issues in the present. Along those lines, I also appreciate how each character has already been given at least one spotlight episode of their own.
- On the other hand, there does seem to be a high number of episodes in this season where the crew is mentally affected by some manner of outside influence. For the most part, I'm enjoying the season just fine (in fact, I'm enjoying the first half of the season a lot more than I did the first time I watched it) and the writers have done a good job differentiating the influences so far, but it's a recurring theme that could become frustrating after a while. Does this trend continue on a regular basis as the series progresses?
- There's something about "DNA Mad Scientist" that I now don't understand. If Delvia is ruled by a dictatorship that Zhaan opposes, then why would she have been concerned about obtaining a map to show her the way back to Delvia? It seems like she wouldn't be able to return home if Peacekeeper forces were present; if she did, she'd just be imprisoned again.
- As I said before, I appreciate characters having their "own" episodes in any series, especially when it allows us to look at one of our characters through the eyes of an outsider. An episode like this, though, also shows just how important Crichton has become to this group dynamic. No one else could have accepted the risks that Crichton did in order to help Zhaan achieve Unity.
- I'd say I'm "meh" on this episode overall. I did enjoy seeing Zhaan interacting with other Delvians, though Zhaan and Crichton were really the only two of "our heroes" to do anything in this episode. Not fully using the cast prevents me from appreciating the episode more, though it was interesting what fears were used to divert the others from being able to assist Zhaan and Crichton (Aeryn with a broken weapon; Rygel thinking he's even smaller; D'Argo believing Jothee is being pursued by Peacekeepers).
The Flax
- Go figure Crichton would be the one at the controls when they hit something invisible in space... Poor guy's never gonna live that one down.
- The squabbling between Zhaan, D'Argo, and Rygel in the teaser, and especially at the beginning of act one when Pilot interrupts it by "hitting the wrong button" to emit a loud beeping sound, reminds me of siblings fighting.
- This was a fun, fast-moving episode. Staanz was pretty amusing, especially his last scene with D'Argo where he reveals that he's actually a she in her species. The best parts of the episode, of course, dealt with Aeryn and Crichton onboard the shuttle, with Aeryn learning that she really does rely on Crichton. I also loved how Rygel came through for once, while initially appearing to have stayed true to his usual cowardly nature. D'Argo's decision to turn away from the Luxan ship and the possibility that it held maps that could lead him home was also a strong character moment. However annoying, confusing, or frustrating Crichton may be to the "aliens," this episode unambiguously shows that those onboard Moya are becoming some sort of family of their own.
- As a last note, I feel a little sorry for both Aeryn and Crichton that D'Argo interrupted them as they were about to start having sex - finally! On the other hand, D'Argo's bemused reaction was damn funny.
Now, onward for two more episodes...
Rhapsody in Blue
- Crichton's dream in the teaser was a good way of combining episode plot and character backstory. His desire to return home is understandable as its own goal, but knowing that the general goal has a specific purpose as well (as I assume at this point in time, Crichton would follow through with the proposal after returning) lends an important "immediacy" to his drive.
- Amused by the bit in the teaser about Aeryn wearing Crichton's boxers, especially since it reminded me of Back to the Future.
- I appreciate the way the show has revealed the reasons D'Argo and Zhaan were imprisoned. It would've been easy to write in some exposition in any random episode, but it's much more dramatically satisfying being able to see them both confront those past issues in the present. Along those lines, I also appreciate how each character has already been given at least one spotlight episode of their own.
- On the other hand, there does seem to be a high number of episodes in this season where the crew is mentally affected by some manner of outside influence. For the most part, I'm enjoying the season just fine (in fact, I'm enjoying the first half of the season a lot more than I did the first time I watched it) and the writers have done a good job differentiating the influences so far, but it's a recurring theme that could become frustrating after a while. Does this trend continue on a regular basis as the series progresses?
- There's something about "DNA Mad Scientist" that I now don't understand. If Delvia is ruled by a dictatorship that Zhaan opposes, then why would she have been concerned about obtaining a map to show her the way back to Delvia? It seems like she wouldn't be able to return home if Peacekeeper forces were present; if she did, she'd just be imprisoned again.
- As I said before, I appreciate characters having their "own" episodes in any series, especially when it allows us to look at one of our characters through the eyes of an outsider. An episode like this, though, also shows just how important Crichton has become to this group dynamic. No one else could have accepted the risks that Crichton did in order to help Zhaan achieve Unity.
- I'd say I'm "meh" on this episode overall. I did enjoy seeing Zhaan interacting with other Delvians, though Zhaan and Crichton were really the only two of "our heroes" to do anything in this episode. Not fully using the cast prevents me from appreciating the episode more, though it was interesting what fears were used to divert the others from being able to assist Zhaan and Crichton (Aeryn with a broken weapon; Rygel thinking he's even smaller; D'Argo believing Jothee is being pursued by Peacekeepers).
The Flax
- Go figure Crichton would be the one at the controls when they hit something invisible in space... Poor guy's never gonna live that one down.
- The squabbling between Zhaan, D'Argo, and Rygel in the teaser, and especially at the beginning of act one when Pilot interrupts it by "hitting the wrong button" to emit a loud beeping sound, reminds me of siblings fighting.
- This was a fun, fast-moving episode. Staanz was pretty amusing, especially his last scene with D'Argo where he reveals that he's actually a she in her species. The best parts of the episode, of course, dealt with Aeryn and Crichton onboard the shuttle, with Aeryn learning that she really does rely on Crichton. I also loved how Rygel came through for once, while initially appearing to have stayed true to his usual cowardly nature. D'Argo's decision to turn away from the Luxan ship and the possibility that it held maps that could lead him home was also a strong character moment. However annoying, confusing, or frustrating Crichton may be to the "aliens," this episode unambiguously shows that those onboard Moya are becoming some sort of family of their own.
- As a last note, I feel a little sorry for both Aeryn and Crichton that D'Argo interrupted them as they were about to start having sex - finally! On the other hand, D'Argo's bemused reaction was damn funny.
Normally when I rewatch shows, I skip over a lot of the standalones in favor of the arc-based episodes. I've watched Farscape so many times that I normally skip over most of Season 1. It's probably been 4 years since I've seen any of these episodes, and you're making me feel nostalgic.
Can't wait until you get to the end of the season!
Can't wait until you get to the end of the season!
We do see Glina again after the first season. I really loved her character. I saw her first in the two-parter (which were my first Farscape episodes) so at the the time I was a bit bummed out that the relationship didn't work out.
Yes, the show continues the trend of the characters being mentally affected in some way, but I think the show does a great job of keeping it original with each showing. While not a true mentally affected episode, I think "John Quixote" is the height of this trend.
Happy to see one of these threads. I happen to agree with some of the other posters here in that this show is curiously underrated, especially in light of some of the shows on the same network that did end up become quite well known (SG-1 and BSG)... go figure...
Yeah, I can respect Season 1 for its having laid the foundation and characterization for the characters and setting, but, for me, the series really doesn't come into its own until the 'Nerve'/"The Hidden Memory" 2-parter toward the end. That being said, good job at hitting the highlights of these early episodes.
Yeah, I can respect Season 1 for its having laid the foundation and characterization for the characters and setting, but, for me, the series really doesn't come into its own until the 'Nerve'/"The Hidden Memory" 2-parter toward the end. That being said, good job at hitting the highlights of these early episodes.
I don't like Rhapsody in Blue at all. It never made me care, even about Zhaan's backstory and it didn't exactly fill me with desire to learn more about the Delvians.
The Flax is pretty cool, though. I think something about this part of space must have a special effect on Rygel...
The Flax is pretty cool, though. I think something about this part of space must have a special effect on Rygel...
You know, it's funny. I love Zhann's character, but it does seem that they never really got a handle on how to portray her actual species. Didn't help that she was a bit of an odd duck for her people. Likely that's why 'Rhapsody...' was the only Delvian-centric episode I can think of...
I may be jumping the gun a bit as we're not quite at this part of the series yet, but I had much of the same attitude re: the Nebari. Chiana was a cool character, but, like Zhaan and the Delvians, she was just way too different from the rest of her species to make me care about them or relate to them in any meaningful way.
Ah, I actually do find the Nebari interesting - something about how ruthless and powerful they were I guess.
I think that largely gets at the heart of my dislike. For a civilization as supposedly advanced and superior to the Sebaceans and (possibly) the Scarrans, you'd think they would have made a larger presence in the series. Instead, we get a few episodes vaguely alluding to a 'larger plan', and a token resistance to said plan, all of which was pretty much unheard of post Season 2.
Of course, the Nebari as a narrative device did have the promise to be an interesting series Big Bad, but had the unfortunate fate of being introduced at an awkward time in the series canon, immediately prior to the introduction of Scorpius, which I think we can all agree is where the show really began to find its footing. Unfortunately, Scorpius' rapid rise to the series' antagonist spot somewhat excluded the Nebari from having any kind of role to play in that dynamic, as, by the end of Season 2, we've pretty much established the setting as a power play between the Peacekeepers and the Scarrans, with no narrative niche for the Nebari's grand schemes to play out.
I always felt that if we had gotten series five as had been originally planned we would have seen a lot more of the Nebari. They were indeed a most interesting and underused species in the show and in some ways would have been more menacing than either the Scarrans or Peacekeepers. Alas, I guess we just have to hope that maybe the comics will cover this angle at some point.
I may as well bemoan this one more time - I wanted to see a lot more on the Nebari and in particular,
that virus plotline that was hinted at but never done.
I think Farscape could have juggled multiple elements like DS9 juggled the Dominion, Cardassians and Romulans over several seasons.
Jeremiah Crichton
- D'Argo's loyalty to and insistence on continuing the search for Crichton feels very natural and appropriate, considering the events of the past episodes that I've commented on. In several situations, Crichton has been the one to refuse to give up, so it's quite right that D'Argo now feels honorbound to repay that tenacity. D'Argo is also becoming my favorite character.
- I'm a little surprised that Rygel went down to the planet with D'Argo. It's logical that D'Argo, Zhaan, and Aeryn would start having a debate about when it's no longer possible to keep searching, but I would've expected Rygel - despite some of his seemingly uncharacteristic actions in the past, such as "The Flax" - to be the first to vote to stop searching. (Of course, then the episode story would've had to bee completely rewritten, but that's beside the point.)
- As D'Argo said, Crichton "looks like dren" with that beard - but it's also an amusing look for him.
- Just once I'd like to see a fictional religion that didn't condemn people to death for not living up to its own expectations.
- Rygel expresses some interesting thoughts for a (former) hereditary ruler in this episode. He loves to be pampered and wants to be kept in affluence again, yet the opinions he expresses here are pretty damn reasonable for a king, at least based on historical Earth examples. He surprises me once again, which is certainly a good thing.
Durka Returns
- I never tire of seeing Moya exit starburst. It's such a beautiful effect.
- Nice to see Pilot take an assertive stand after the collision in the teaser. It was his/Moya's fault, so it was only right to bring the ship onboard.
- And here I am, getting the first hints of the power of the Nebari that the rest of you have been discussing over the last several posts. No warships, yet they were able to defeat the Zelbinion with just a "host ship"? That's... impressive, to say the least. A little unsettling too, even knowing the Nebari are never quite the threat the Peacekeepers are.
- Salis was creepy as hell. Is his demeanor typical of the Nebari, are they generally more like Chiana, or are they as varied as true individuals should be? (read: not the "all ______ are [whatever]" stereotypes Trek used for shorthand understanding) I'm assuming the former, based on Chiana's comments to Crichton that her people would "cleanse the lot of you" if they catch up to Moya.
- Speaking of creepy, Durka takes that to a whole new level once his real personality reasserts itself. I love the way the actor enunciates his lines and pauses between certain words for emphasis.
A Human Reaction
- Even knowing that he's not actually going home to Earth, the "goodbye, Crichton" scene at the beginning of act one was very well written and acted. It was a very touching series of exchanges between Crichton and the others.
- Since this is a second viewing of this episode, the little hints dropped throughout the episode that this isn't really happening are much more apparent, and it's fun to be "in" on those hints now.
- On the other hand, even though this is a second viewing, the scene of Rygel's corpse is still as disturbing as it was the first time.
- I think this episode has provided the best use of the "screwing with minds" trope. This alien species's quest for a new home nicely mirrors Crichton's search for a method to return to Earth, especially since the aliens had hoped Earth might provide a haven for them.
- D'Argo's loyalty to and insistence on continuing the search for Crichton feels very natural and appropriate, considering the events of the past episodes that I've commented on. In several situations, Crichton has been the one to refuse to give up, so it's quite right that D'Argo now feels honorbound to repay that tenacity. D'Argo is also becoming my favorite character.
- I'm a little surprised that Rygel went down to the planet with D'Argo. It's logical that D'Argo, Zhaan, and Aeryn would start having a debate about when it's no longer possible to keep searching, but I would've expected Rygel - despite some of his seemingly uncharacteristic actions in the past, such as "The Flax" - to be the first to vote to stop searching. (Of course, then the episode story would've had to bee completely rewritten, but that's beside the point
.)- As D'Argo said, Crichton "looks like dren" with that beard - but it's also an amusing look for him.
- Just once I'd like to see a fictional religion that didn't condemn people to death for not living up to its own expectations.
- Rygel expresses some interesting thoughts for a (former) hereditary ruler in this episode. He loves to be pampered and wants to be kept in affluence again, yet the opinions he expresses here are pretty damn reasonable for a king, at least based on historical Earth examples. He surprises me once again, which is certainly a good thing.
Durka Returns
- I never tire of seeing Moya exit starburst. It's such a beautiful effect.
- Nice to see Pilot take an assertive stand after the collision in the teaser. It was his/Moya's fault, so it was only right to bring the ship onboard.
- And here I am, getting the first hints of the power of the Nebari that the rest of you have been discussing over the last several posts. No warships, yet they were able to defeat the Zelbinion with just a "host ship"? That's... impressive, to say the least. A little unsettling too, even knowing the Nebari are never quite the threat the Peacekeepers are.
- Salis was creepy as hell. Is his demeanor typical of the Nebari, are they generally more like Chiana, or are they as varied as true individuals should be? (read: not the "all ______ are [whatever]" stereotypes Trek used for shorthand understanding
) I'm assuming the former, based on Chiana's comments to Crichton that her people would "cleanse the lot of you" if they catch up to Moya.- Speaking of creepy, Durka takes that to a whole new level once his real personality reasserts itself. I love the way the actor enunciates his lines and pauses between certain words for emphasis.
A Human Reaction
- Even knowing that he's not actually going home to Earth, the "goodbye, Crichton" scene at the beginning of act one was very well written and acted. It was a very touching series of exchanges between Crichton and the others.
- Since this is a second viewing of this episode, the little hints dropped throughout the episode that this isn't really happening are much more apparent, and it's fun to be "in" on those hints now.
- On the other hand, even though this is a second viewing, the scene of Rygel's corpse is still as disturbing as it was the first time.
- I think this episode has provided the best use of the "screwing with minds" trope. This alien species's quest for a new home nicely mirrors Crichton's search for a method to return to Earth, especially since the aliens had hoped Earth might provide a haven for them.
The more you see of Rygel, the more you realize that he is truly a much kinder, wiser character than might be immediately apparent.
Chiana is certainly in the minority. Unfortunately, we never really see enough of the Nebari to be able to comment on the species as a whole.- Salis was creepy as hell. Is his demeanor typical of the Nebari, are they generally more like Chiana, or are they as varied as true individuals should be? (read: not the "all ______ are [whatever]" stereotypes Trek used for shorthand understanding
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