01/27/2004 Archived Entry: "Farscape: Season One"
When this show first aired I was pretty turned off by it for a couple of reasons. First of all it was aired on YTV which doesn’t have any credible live action shows and this was a Jim Henson production with puppets as main characters which reinforced the whole “this isn’t serious sci-fi” thing. So I never paid any serious attention to its original run on TV. It was only near the hoopla caused by its eventual cancellation and actually siting down to watch one-quickly-turned-to-four episodes that I realized how wrong my perception of Farscape was.
Farscape is the best sci-fi series since DS9 and has the strongest first season of any show I have seen this side of Twenty-Four. I like this show for the same reason I liked DS9 and 24, because it tries to tell one whole story. Each episode of Farscape isn’t simply just the next chapter in the-disjoint-adventures-of-some-characters. There is an overall plan for the series, an ultimate destination for the characters, both physically and mentally (if not, it at least seems like there is).
In only the first season, so much happens to these guys that changes them and the way they interact with each other, and most importantly, they remember this stuff several episodes after the fact! Each episode also always finds time for the characters to interact meaningfully. They bicker, bond, cry (a lot!) and it never feels forced and isn’t for the sole purpose of advancing the plot. John and Aeryn have one of the strangest yet coolest relationships ever.
Aside from the continuity there’s the fact that it’s a pretty creative show. For one thing, their ship, a living ship!, is symbiotically bonded to its pilot. There’s also the vast array of aliens who don’t look like humans with weird foreheads. And even the humanoid aliens usually have weird enough internal physiology to make them more than just aesthetically different humans (photogasms being the best).
I also love the costumes on the show, especially how the costumes keep getting better and better as the series goes on. Like when someone realized that D’Argo didn’t really look all that menacing in a pink robe. And no one makes better use of leather than the Peacekeepers. The best outfits belonged to the PK commandos who wore the tan suits with all the belts and buckles, later used by Aeryn to our great pleasure.
I keep wanting to compare Farscape to Enterprise but there is no comparison worth making. Farscape beats Enterprise to a bloody pulp feeds the pulp to Rigel and sends Rigel’s excrements into the nearest star. There are only three reasons for watching Enterprise; subtract T’Pol and the only reason left for watching Enterprise is my wasted loyalty to anything Trek.
One of the episodes that stands out the most from Season One is: 1x16: A Human Reaction.
Throughout the whole episode it seemed obvious that a twist would be forthcoming and I kept waiting for it, and probably not paying as much attention to it as I should have. This is definitely the episode that I remember the most, maybe because it was so weird, but also because it was very much not your typical “humans know better than any species in the universe, no matter how advanced” Trek style sci-fi.
Replies: 13 comments
Hey andy, think we should let him into our little fanclub?
Posted by Hyperion @ 01/27/2004 06:26 PM EST
After that post? Yeah, I guess so. ;)
The outfits keep getting better to! John in his leather duster? Hot! (Aeryn looks pretty hot herself mind ya!) If I can ever find one I've got my next Halloween costume!
Posted by Andy @ 01/27/2004 11:03 PM EST
I think I might be moving back to Penticon for Halloween.
Posted by Hyperion @ 01/27/2004 11:13 PM EST
lol. Let me know if you ever see one in Kelowna. :P
Posted by Andy @ 01/27/2004 11:14 PM EST
Fanclub? huh?
Get one custom made and take pictures. LOTS of pictures.
You know what? Cam, lets just chip in and get one made for her. Measurements, please.
Posted by Rayne @ 01/28/2004 12:48 AM EST
Message me ;)
Posted by Andy @ 01/28/2004 01:09 AM EST
Its on order
Posted by Hyperion @ 01/28/2004 04:46 AM EST
Farscape aired on YTV?
Posted by Romer @ 01/28/2004 11:16 PM EST
I think a big reason DS9 was so good was the writing. Michael Pillar was really instrumental in that and you can see it in his other work. The Dead Zone is still relatively new (only just shotting its third season) but it seems to have the same overall plan for the show and excellent writing from episode to episode.
Posted by Romer @ 01/29/2004 12:19 AM EST
'ey! Shawn's making random unrelated comments and prmoting offspring!
Spare me the Details!
Posted by Romer @ 01/29/2004 12:20 AM EST
'ey!
the offspring rules!
hit that
Posted by shawnathan @ 01/29/2004 12:36 AM EST
It sure did air on YTV, lachlan can give you all the details about it. I believe the first season and maybe a bit more was on YTV.
Posted by Mike @ 01/29/2004 01:14 AM EST
he's just trying to get more hits to his site. how sad.
Posted by Rayne @ 01/29/2004 03:50 PM EST