Farscape First time watch thread....

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Distorted Humor, Jun 16, 2011.

  1. Captain Craig

    Captain Craig Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I'm jumping right in to announce I've begun Farscape for the first time and in the past 10 days finished Season 1.

    It was a purchase last Black Friday for an insane Amazon.com price of $55 for the entire set. I'd seen a dozen+ episodes during the shows run back when it aired but never fully got vested in it. Felt it was worth the time and for the $$$ felt the mostly blind buy was worth it. All the praise for it here over the years didn't hurt either.

    As I watched I really enjoyed the Pilot, Thank God It's Friday...Again, A Human Reaction and especially the last 4 episodes of S1 being Nerve, The Hidden Memory, Born to be Wild and Family Ties.

    Hated that Jelena(sp), the blond Peacekeeper in love with John died. I liked her and was hoping maybe she would be a recurring character. It may not be adequate but I felt a Tasha Yar about her characters passing(not that the actor wanted out) but that perhaps her as a character would be missed down the road.

    Looking forward to S2 as I dive in next week.
     
  2. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    For many shows, it seems like there is always that "thing" with the 1st season where people might call it the weakest because it took a while for the series to get going. That's something I see affecting Farscape too and while Season 1 might be the weakest, that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. There are a ton of awesome episodes in the first season probably to the point where I would rank above Season 4, and the series really did get off the ground running.

    Glad you're enjoying it and have fun with Season 2. Season 3 might have been the best written season, but I really love the quirkiness of Season 2, mainly because it gave Farscape that weird identity that I gravitated to on the first watch and why I think it's one of the greatest sci fi shows ever made.
     
  3. Booji

    Booji Commodore Premium Member

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    I just started watching Farscape last week for the first time myself. So far I'm about 5 eps into season 2, and it's a really cool, fun show. It's not at all what I was expecting... which was a generic good guys vs bad guys deal.

    if the first season is considered the weakest, then I can't wait to see what happens from here on out cause I thought season 1 was one of the best opening seasons I've seen for a sci fi show yet. there definitely some bad episodes, but they were at least watchable due to being fun, sorta in a TOS way. I love the humor on the show and I'm diggin the space muppets. I really like the Pilots design and Rigel is a trip. watching this show baked is an absolute blast :D

    can't wait to see what happens the rest of the way!
     
  4. Captain Craig

    Captain Craig Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I'm about to start season 2 and all of John's commentary when referencing Earth sci-fi/monster films is awesome. In some small way it's almost Whedon-esque. I could totally see Buffy/Xander spouting off some comment like John did to Dargo before they ejected into space near the end of S1 and Dargo said something vaguely poetic and John goes, "Kirk and Spock, Abbott and Costello, man I like you big guy"
     
  5. Captain Craig

    Captain Craig Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I'm into Season 2 now and just recently finished the 3-parter: Look At the Princess. This should rank among top 10 modern sci-fi episode arcs.

    The ties with Scorpius are stronger plus we had a return of the "space vampire" from S1(forget his name) as John calls him who feeds on fear and wanted revenge on Zan.

    The last episode on this most current disc with the 3-parter was really the first "bad" episode 'Beware of Dog'.
     
  6. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Aw, I like "Beware of Dog." :(
     
  7. Booji

    Booji Commodore Premium Member

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    i just finished season 2...:wtf::vulcan::borg:
     
  8. Can

    Can Commander Red Shirt

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    So Captain Craig and flavaflav what are you comments about last episodes you watched and what is your general review about Farscape saga so far ? Any favorite episodes ? What do you think about characters ? ( which is I think strongest part of Farscape )
     
  9. coolghoul

    coolghoul Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I think Beware of Dog is one of those milestone eps in Farscape. Not that anything HUGE happens. But it marks a major visual change in Farscape from this point onwards, they really aced the visuals.

    I just finished watching all 4 seasons of Farscape via Netflix. I was surprised by

    1) how much I adored Aeryn's severe hairdo in season 2 and 3 and how much I founds s4's look for her as jarring.

    2) How early the ending arc for Farscape begins in s4. And how much I enjoyed that trip.

    3) How much of a pain Jool is and how much I enjoyed Sikozu ==> somebody who would actually think and call the Moya crew on their stupidity. Her scenes with Scorpy are just crackling.

    4) How much I had forgotten about some of the intermediate episodes. The Look at the Princess 3-parter was almost like watching something for the first time.

    5) How unflinchingly unapologetic is Chiana. She stays true to her character - including her flaws & high points - all through the series.
     
  10. Captain Craig

    Captain Craig Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Just finished Season 2 and if I didn't know there were 2 more seasons I'd be concerned about Aeryn. As it stands I'm just curious on how she's going to be revived. Convenient that they are at a type of healing facility??

    So, love for 'Beware of Dog' it seems. I just didn't really get that episode. Maybe cause it came off that good 3-parter, I don't know.

    I've watched the last 8eps to close out S2 and I'm calling for help from the sidelines. In "Won't Get Fooled Again" we have our standard crew in the story. Then in the next episode, "Locket" suddenly Stark is on board Moya. No explanation. No intro episode like Chiana got in S1, he's just there. Did I miss something? Last I recall seeing him he was still locked away on the hidden Peacekeeper asteroid base playing with the Aurora chair.

    As for the episode, Locket, I really enjoyed it. It gave me shades of TNG S5 ep Inner Light.

    Really liked Clockwork Nebari. I'm now very interested in what that species is doing on their planet. Infecting the populace with a virus then doing various mind altering to ensure your pacified. Hoping for a follow-up to this in the next 2 seasons.

    Liars, Guns and Money was another good 3-parter. They followed their first one up with a good sequel. I will ask this, Does John get this chip out of his head? The neural clone Scorpius has been interesting but I don't think I'm up for 2 more seasons of playing peek-a-boo with who's in control of John's body.

    The finale, Die Me, Dichotomy was great and is one of the few episodes I recall seeing on TV besides the pilot at this point. The eps I saw parts of or whole must be S3-4.
    Anyway I know Aeryn can't stay dead but I'm curious to see how it unfolds. John left a mumbling vegetable on the operating table should be interesting to unfold. Will the "similar compatable" DNA used to repair him make him "more than human".

    I've got a busy 4-day week ahead so it may be the weekend again before I get into S3 but I'm eager to at least wrap up the conclusion to Die Me Dichotomy. May at least squeeze in the first episode of S3.
     
  11. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    Stark escaped the Gammack Base along with the rest of Moya's crew at the end of "The Hidden Memory" in Season 1. Once aboard Moya, he helped Gilina pass over into death.

    Then he disappears.

    In "The Locket," there is a throwaway line that explains that Stark borrowed one of Moya's transporter pods after they escaped the base. He returned it while Zhaan was in her quarters meditating, which is why he was on board when she woke up.
     
  12. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I stopped trying to figure out anything about Stark being there and why and just enjoyed it when he was. :)
     
  13. Quinton O'Connor

    Quinton O'Connor Commodore Commodore

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    These threads always make me happy. To see that Farscape lives on... such joy. :)
     
  14. Booji

    Booji Commodore Premium Member

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    Okay, I'm currently up to ep 7 of the third season. Happy to see Aeryn didn't kick the bucket. Sorta figured that wouldn't happen since she got frozen and all. Zhaan, on the other hand, was a surprise... as long as it sticks. i'm thinking she really is a goner though since they brought the new red haired dame in...

    which is one of two things I really don't like about the show so far. She reminds me of Orihime from Bleach. All she ever does is heal injuries and screams "Kurosaki Kun!" all the time. Well, the new dame goes doctoring peeps and screams... and piss, bitches and moans constantly. maybe this character gets interesting down the road but right now i want her dead and off the show.

    the other complaint I have is Chiana, another character i just can't stomach. my hatred doesn't go to a Wesley Crusher level, but it's certainly at a Troi level. there's not one thing i can pinpoint to complain about... it's just everything. bleh.

    otherwise, the rest of the show is frickin awesome.

    I really dig Crichton and his whole storyline thus far. i really feel for the guy with all the bad shit that's happened to him and i hope things eventually end good for him. i don't see that completely happening though. i also love the humor he brings to the show. especially the the one liners he's always good for.

    Rygel is probably my favorite character. i was hoping the little fella would get knifed when i first started watching, not because i didn't care for the character, but because he was such a stuck up, selfish little prick who bit people! now i love him? every time i hear him say "blue skinned bitch" i laugh my ass off. and the puppeteers did a wonderful job with him. he's the best puppet character since Yoda.

    speaking of Muppets, the use of them throughout the show has been really cool and the designs pretty badass. some corny stuff here and there, but for the most part fantastic.

    definitely looking forward to seeing what happens with Crais and Talyn. I love the whole concept of organic ships.

    and is it just me, or does Moya look a bit Vorlonish? actually, the whole show seems to me to have a B5 +1000 years vibe to it. this show could def be set in the far future of that universe. but anyway...

    Scorpius is an interesting villain, and i like his mental plane version HeadScorpy too. certainly curious to see how his wormhole thing plays out.

    not sure if I have a fav ep yet. since i'm kinda doing a marathon watch, all the eps just bleed together. a second watch thru will give me a better grasp on a fav ep.

    well, let me get back to watching :D
     
  15. Can

    Can Commander Red Shirt

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    I just don't like "The Locket" much. Sure character moments are OK but it is also like a standart "time travel-reset button-none of this ever happened" episode. There is almost no after effects of that episode. Both "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "A Clockwork of Nebari" are awesome though. Both episodes push though the limits of televised space-opera series genre and that is before Season 3 !

    I would do anything just to purge my memories of Farscape so I can enjoy it again....Especially Season 3...
     
  16. Trubinator

    Trubinator Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Glad to see you folks new to Farscape are enjoying it so far. It's an amazing show!
     
  17. DS9Continuing

    DS9Continuing Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Yeah, pretty much everyone reacted to Jool the same way. But just remember how you felt about Rygel when you first met him, and how you feel about him now.


    Things are about to get more interesting for Chiana. She has a lot of growing up to do, and boy does she do it, especially in the fourth season.


    Despite being puppets acted by technicians and voiceovers, Rygel and Pilot are more interesting and better realized characters than most of the humanoid characters on other SF shows. Hell, Moya and Talyn are better characters, and they're played by lighting rigs and sound effects.


    Ah, I disagree. Go back and listen to Zhaan's explanation of what's going on to Stark. It sets up a major revelation right there in plain sight that becomes important almost two years later. And it gives you a clue to what Zhaan's role in the whole big mess would have been, had the actress been able to stay.

    Plus there's "The Choice"...

    .
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2011
  18. Captain Craig

    Captain Craig Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I was skipping over Flav's posts cause he's a half dozen or so eps ahead of me. Read this one thinking I was safe and find out Zhaan departs the show!!! No big, just messing but I should go back and rewatch The Locket at some point for a revelation or it's never realized cause Zhaan (Virginia Hey) leaves?
     
  19. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I'm not 100% sure what lvsxy808 is referring too with this Zhaan revelation, but I have an inkling. It's kind of cool to think about, but it's not really anything that makes a difference in the end.
     
  20. DS9Continuing

    DS9Continuing Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    My apologies - I had been on the verge of telling another poster off for getting too close to spoilers, and then I go and fall into the same trap myself. I suppose I just assumed that people would know the fact that she left, even if they didn't know the how or why. Again, my apologies.


    I wouldn't really call it a "revelation" - only a "hint" really. The story still goes the way it would have probably anyway, just without Zhaan's involvement.

    .