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Post by Squeemonster on Oct 27, 2010 11:30:49 GMT -5
This is the place to discuss all things Farscape! I doubt there'd be any threat of spoilers since the show is off air, but just in case: THIS IS A NO SPOILER ZONE. Spoil us at your own risk.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Oct 27, 2010 11:36:48 GMT -5
So observations in my farscape rewatch so far:
If the overarching theme of BTVS was sex and violence, the overarching theme of Six Feet Under is life and death, the overarching theme seems to be about mind-body connections, mind vs body, losing one's mind, finding one's body, etc and it really all begins with the DRDs injecting Crichton with the translator microbes*. Fascinating stuff.
ETA: And D'Argo, Zahn, and Rygel stripping him naked, and examining him and his own native flora microbes
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Post by Lola m on Oct 31, 2010 19:15:38 GMT -5
So observations in my farscape rewatch so far: If the overarching theme of BTVS was sex and violence, the overarching theme of Six Feet Under is life and death, the overarching theme seems to be about mind-body connections, mind vs body, losing one's mind, finding one's body, etc and it really all begins with the DRDs injecting Crichton with the translator microbes. Fascinating stuff. I've always thought another over-arching theme of Farscape is the choice between isolating or engaging when faced with others. That's why it's important that Farscape is one of those SciFi stories where the lead character is the only human.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 10, 2010 14:54:59 GMT -5
OK, I finished rewatching seasons 1-4. Not the mini-series, cause I can't find a way to watch it online. I'm really tempted to buy all the DVDs even though I don't really have any money. Maybe in January and I can justify it as a health investment?
Anyway, I really have to say that the show makes a whole lot more sense when watched in order. I wonder if there could be a tv show that has a completely different, yet coherent meaning depending on what order you view the episodes in. Hmm...
The biggest thing that I got that I had completely missed before was that Crichton had absolutely no idea how to handle a gun in the pilot, which is really striking when you consider how trigger happy he gets later in the series.
So I'll just mention a few brief thoughts about the show for now. Might write more thoughts on specific episodes later when I do another run through.
*The premise of the show and Crichton as a the protagonist really jive with my own world view. That the motivation of the characters wasn't to save the day, but rather to survive in order to live another day. And that the gang gets themselves into and out of trouble only to find themselves caught up in bigger and bigger events despite themselves in a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sort of way. And as a geek, space nut, academic/intellectual, scientist (albeit more biology and medicine rather than physics and engineering), explorer, wandering traveller, zobsessive, a little bit wacky type, who left his birth family and places of origin to find a new home and a new family with fellow misfits living on the fringes of society, I identify a lot with Critchon, who generally does exactly what I would do in the situations he finds himself in.
*I love all the characters and relationships. The ones I'm most interested in are Crichton and Aeryn and the Crichton/Aeryn and Crichton/Scorpius-Harvey relationships are the ones that interest me the most.
*That the 2 Crichtons stuck around for a while after the end of Eat Me, rather than just getting resolved at the end of the episode. And later when Crichton is jealous of himself for getting together with Aeryn. Love it.
*That the show played out the whole complex John/Aeryn relationship from the beginning in logical progression, rather than running into the problem of getting couple together and then not know what to do with them, like so many other shows do.
*I really like Sikozu. I haven't really read much of the fandom chatter, but I suspect that that's not a popular opinion.
*The show aesthetics: bright colors, black leather, muppets. Constant pop culture references. The rapid fire pacing. Excellent production values. Experimental episodes and shifting perspectives. The choice to make the only human character be played by an American actor and the rest be played by Australian actors. The complexity of the storylines and the worldbuilding. The fake swear worlds that the show made up so the characters could swear the way normal people do. Also, the show gives really good explosion.
*that the aliens are really alien, in the way they look, talk, move, how they live, what they value. And the way the Sebaceans and humans are almost completely identical except for a few key differences, and how these similarity/differences were used a major plot point, not just a lack of imagination on the writer's part.
*the use of wormholes as a macguffin rather than just a means of transportation.
*that moya and talyn were characters in their own right.
*Hot chicks kicking ass.
*the exploration of isolation and confinement, one of my pet interests
*exploration of science and scientists.
*the running gag of The Plan never working.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 10, 2010 14:56:01 GMT -5
So observations in my farscape rewatch so far: If the overarching theme of BTVS was sex and violence, the overarching theme of Six Feet Under is life and death, the overarching theme seems to be about mind-body connections, mind vs body, losing one's mind, finding one's body, etc and it really all begins with the DRDs injecting Crichton with the translator microbes. Fascinating stuff. I've always thought another over-arching theme of Farscape is the choice between isolating or engaging when faced with others. That's why it's important that Farscape is one of those SciFi stories where the lead character is the only human. *nods* And there's a lot about symbiosis and other interdependencies, connections to each other, the cost and benefit of relationships with others, finding and losing, doubling and halving. And while the family theme is common to many other shows, it does seem particularly strong in farscape.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 10, 2010 15:14:08 GMT -5
These are the episodes that really stand out for me:
*Thank God It's Friday, Again
*A Bug's Life
*The Nerve
*Hidden Memory
*Crackers Don't Matter
*The Ugly Truth
*Won't Get Fooled Again
*Liars Guns and Money Trilogy
*Die Me, Dichotomy
*Different Destinations
*The Choice
*Into the Lion's Den 2 parter
*Unrealized Realities
*Kansas
*Terra Firma
*We're So Screwed: La Bomba
Favorite moments:
Crichton/Aeryn moments. Too many to pick, but I'll just list a few -end of Mind The Baby -beginning and ending of Look At The Princess trilogy -end of Beware Of Dog -end of Dog With 2 Bones -end of Twice Shy
All the moments inside Crichton's head, especially the Harvey moments. I...can't narrow it down.
Hallway scene in Liars, Guns, and Money where Crichton is screaming and shooting at everything but Scorpius.
The "Hell, yeah!" in Season of Death and Stark later saying that he didn't know that his advice would do any good, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. Ending of Fractures, when the Moyans get a new sense of purpose
The Talyn/Crais death scene.
Sikozu bitching about the shrinking not making any sense in I Shrink, Therefore I Am and Rygel basically telling her to just go with it.
Crichton seeing his dad again, for real this time, at the end of Kansas and pointing a gun at him. I think in that moment, Jack must be thinking, "what the HELL happened to my son?!," cause Crichton's so far at that point from the upbeat guy in the pumpkin suit who had never held a gun in his life when Jack last saw him in the Premiere.
The bits in Terra Firm where Sikozu is arguing with the phone about getting an xray and the bit with Noranti and Chiani singing along to the sing along book and Sikozu throwing the book out the door.
All the Moyan's in the elevator scenes in the We're So Screwed Trilogy
Crichton telling Grayza off in We're So Screwed: La Bomba
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 10, 2010 15:22:06 GMT -5
So those are my thoughts so far. I'm guessing they're not that unusual as far as fandom goes, but I haven't really done much reading of other review and analysis yet. What do y'all think? How do my impressions compare to yours?
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 10, 2010 15:32:50 GMT -5
Oh, and it occurs to me that Fred in Pylea is very much what Crichton might have become if he hadn't gotten mixed up with the Moyans. Their stories are very similar.
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Post by Lola m on Nov 19, 2010 22:17:01 GMT -5
OK, I finished rewatching seasons 1-4. Not the mini-series, cause I can't find a way to watch it online. I'm really tempted to buy all the DVDs even though I don't really have any money. Maybe in January and I can justify it as a health investment? Anyway, I really have to say that the show makes a whole lot more sense when watched in order. I wonder if there could be a tv show that has a completely different, yet coherent meaning depending on what order you view the episodes in. Hmm... I would be very intrigued by a Memento-type TV show, for example. Different feeling if you watched it backwards than forwards, etc. I think that Crichton's character is really only understood if you watch the eps all in order. I mean, all the characters have true development, but Crichton in particular changes so much. I love that he is completely a scientist, not a fighter / soldier at all when he's thrown into a war. And then to see him toward the very end, when he can't even visit Earth or see his dad, can only take extreme action in order to safeguard Earth (he hopes) from the violence that has become his normal. I "blued" the stuff that really really resonated with me too. So much about this show that was awesome to the extreme. Reading your comments has made me get the DVDs out again for a re-watch.
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Post by Lola m on Nov 19, 2010 22:23:06 GMT -5
These are the episodes that really stand out for me: *Thank God It's Friday, Again *A Bug's Life *The Nerve *Hidden Memory *Crackers Don't Matter *The Ugly Truth *Won't Get Fooled Again *Liars Guns and Money Trilogy *Die Me, Dichotomy *Different Destinations *The Choice *Into the Lion's Den 2 parter *Unrealized Realities *Kansas *Terra Firma *We're So Screwed: La Bomba Favorite moments: Crichton/Aeryn moments. Too many to pick, but I'll just list a few -end of Mind The Baby -beginning and ending of Look At The Princess trilogy -end of Beware Of Dog -end of Dog With 2 Bones -end of Twice Shy All the moments inside Crichton's head, especially the Harvey moments. I...can't narrow it down.OMG, yes! The heartbreaking scenes when he knows he is going crazy and is hiding it from the others, or when they know but can't help? Again with the nodding agreement!! When I do my rewatch, I'll have to post my own additional fave moments.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 19, 2010 23:55:18 GMT -5
These are the episodes that really stand out for me: *Thank God It's Friday, Again *A Bug's Life *The Nerve *Hidden Memory *Crackers Don't Matter *The Ugly Truth *Won't Get Fooled Again *Liars Guns and Money Trilogy *Die Me, Dichotomy *Different Destinations *The Choice *Into the Lion's Den 2 parter *Unrealized Realities *Kansas *Terra Firma *We're So Screwed: La Bomba Favorite moments: Crichton/Aeryn moments. Too many to pick, but I'll just list a few -end of Mind The Baby -beginning and ending of Look At The Princess trilogy -end of Beware Of Dog -end of Dog With 2 Bones -end of Twice Shy All the moments inside Crichton's head, especially the Harvey moments. I...can't narrow it down. OMG, yes! The heartbreaking scenes when he knows he is going crazy and is hiding it from the others, or when they know but can't help?Again with the nodding agreement!! When I do my rewatch, I'll have to post my own additional fave moments. Totally eetah. That's one of those instances where knowing what happens at the end totally enhances the storyarc of the season. That all along in season 2 Crichton knew that something wasn't right but couldn't tell anyone or didn't want to tell anyone and the few times when other people picked up on something being off they didn't clue into the fact that SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH HIM. And all along, those horrible black tendrilly things were continuing to grow around his brain. *Shudder*
It also occurs to me that the aftermath of the Aurora Chair plays a little like the alleged experiences of abductees who were experimented upon by aliens, which is kind of a nice touch in a pop culturally way.Also, I've been thinking about that bit after Grayza raped Crichton and he's practically catatonic and Noranti comes up to him and instead of offering comfort, blows magic dust in his face and starts rambling about whatever she's rambling about and OMG can't you see he's so not in the mood? I can only think that maybe if people stopped messing with his mind and body, that maybe he wouldn't be so screwed up.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 20, 2010 0:19:54 GMT -5
Yayness about doing a rewatch! When I go through the series again, I'll try to post some of my specific impressions about each episode as well.
Also, is there something weird about trying to keep my own sanity by rewatching a show about a guy who slow loses his? Or would that be considered cathartic?
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 21, 2010 14:19:34 GMT -5
general impressions on 1.1 Premiere
*For a pilot, it's incredibly solid. Nearly every beat is followed up with and fleshed out through the course of the series. The teaser also does a great job of establishing who Crichton is before he goes off on his adventure, and the short conversation he has with his father does an excellent job setting up their relationship, which is all pretty important, since that's all we really get to see aside from dreams, reflections, and distortions until season 4.
*On the other hand, compared to the rest of the series, the pacing is incredibly slow. Not that it drags exactly, but it doesn't have that rapid fire pacing that is characteristic of the show.
*The parallels between Aeryn and Crichton are really strong probably not as obvious on initial viewing. It also helps to be a bit of a space nut to understand where Crichton is coming from. Both arrived on Moya by accident, lose their former, comfortable, unchallenging life, and lose the status that they previously enjoyed (Crichton as a legacy astronaut, son of one of the ones who walked on the moon no less, going on his 3rd flight being in the prime of his career and gotten the approval to conduct an experiment in space; add in his PhD, he's done an incredible amount of work to get to where he was in the teaser). Crichton is "contaminated" by going through the wormhole as much as Aeryn ever is.
*Crichton is the one who makes the first move in transitioning the group towards forming a family when he gets D'Argo to agree to let Aeryn stay aboard Moya.
*Why were there no other prisoners on Moya and what happened to all the peacekeepers that were onboard?
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 23, 2010 19:57:15 GMT -5
general impressions on 1.2 I, ET.
*the aliens of the week are of the star trek forehead wrinkle (or rather earlobe wrinkle) variety, not the kind the show becomes known for, but I think it works because Crichton has to feel comfortable and familiar with them for the point to get across. I like how the episode turns the classic first contact scenario on it's head; Crichton and the Moyans aren't there for any grand purpose or to provide enlightenment, they're just there for a pit stop, and they don't know anything more about life the universe and everything than Linea and the rest of the aliens do. There's also the nice Martian Chronicles aspect, when Crichton realizes that *he's* become the alien.
*"Guy knows mud." Hee.
*The first time I saw this, I thought the bog resembled degoba about 5 seconds before Crichton said it. Heh.
*In this episode, we see the Moyans start to work outside the box and work with each other for the first time. Each of them at some point starts to act they're in charge, only to be cut down to size and then have to expand their repertoire of experiences. They all have to become less before they can become more.
*The Moyan's start to borrow each other's language. Crichton says "hezmata;" Aeryn says "crap" (which may have just been a continuity error on the writer's part, not having fully determined their farscape speak yet, but it's nice to give it an in story explanation).
*I wonder is Linea is an avatar of Crichton's mom in some way. They kind of have a physical resemblance, and there are certainly parallels drawn between Fothro and Crichton. The structure of the story seems a bit like Kansas, in a way. That may be a stretch, I dunno.
*we see a bit of Crichton's potential for aggression to get what he wants when he threatens Linea and Fothro when they freak out about the scanner thing going off.
*The reference to D'Argo laid out on the autopsy table seems like foreshadowing of fake Rygel laid out on the autopsy table in A Human Reaction.
*One major quibble I have about this episode is about Linea and Rothro were able to understand Crichton without translator microbes. At least, I assume that they didn't have translator microbes since they hadn't made contact with other species yet, yes?
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 23, 2010 22:11:28 GMT -5
general impressions 1.3 Exodus from Genesis
*I really like the idea of dentics instead of toothbrushes. And I really like the idea that advances in this 'verse (translator microbes, dentics, leviathans, chakkan oil, flowers the skarrans eat) being biological rather than technological in nature. It's a very green thing, that progress relies on maintenance of living systems and symbiosis rather than soley on technological innovation.
*The episode has some good development of the relationships between the Moyans and is a good exploration of relationships, dependencies, and the symbiosis/commensualism/parasitism spectrum, a major theme of the show.
*Aeryn is the first one to bring up the idea that the Moyans could become a family.
*The commandos eye make up was kind of stupid and I'm glad they dropped it.
*This episode has the use of doubles (who are kind of similar in concept to the biloids of season 4; Crichton even kills NotAeryn like he does in Bringing Home The Beacon), the first possession plot (and Zhaan's description sounds an awful lot like Crichton's experience with Harvey), first baby plot, and the first mention of heat delirium
*I think the commandos make reference to "advance pattern Durka."
*I wonder what happened to the commandos after this. Did they go back to Crais and face the consequences, or are they still wandering around the uncharted territories pretending to look for Crichton?
*Crichton's reaction to the bugs (pulverizing it without even thinking) and reaction to the peacekeepers (attempting reason, verbal threats, and bravado) sets up an interesting contrast and establishes a baseline from which to compare his future behavior. His question to Zhaan in the end, "who lives and dies in your world? is it as arbitrary as it is in mine?" sets up a major theme both in Crichton's character development and of the show as a whole.
*I love the terrace set. I wish they had used it more often.
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