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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Jun 28, 2011 21:12:25 GMT -5
general impressions 2.11 look at the princess 1: a kiss is but a kiss
*The show really kicks into high gear with these episodes. There are a lot of "first times" packed in there Crichton and the Moyans consider their role in the "bigger picture" for the first time, particularly wrt to the conflict between the Scarrans and the Peacekeepers. Aeryn and Crichton openly talk about their relationship for the first time. We see Scarrans. We hear about Scorpius' backstory. We get clues about Harvey and the neural chip. And seeing Scorpius again causes Crichton's PTSD to surface with a vengeance.
*On the lighter side of things, is the whole quasi Shakespearean sometimes silly drama going on on the Royal Planet. These episodes also have to the feel of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead or the ending of Blazing Saddles, where Crichton, the Moyans, and Scorpius have stumbled onto the set of some one else's movie, but continue to play out their own personal storyline, however incongruous it may be.
*Zhaan is once again separated from the main plotline. I don't have much to say about those scenes except that they're very beautiful and they parallel the way Crichton is tested in Unrealized Reality.
*The sound effects are hilariously over the top in these episodes. The foley artists were having way too much fun. Hee!
*The theme of hope vs powerlessness, as well as the theme home and family are explored pretty significantly in this episode.
*The kissing potion to determine "genetic compatibility" is really cool. I also like the eucharist like/matchmaking festival aspect of it. The machine that shows what your kids will look like is neat too.
*I like that Rygel finally proves his worth and turns out to be quite adept at politics. There was a reason he was Dominar, after all.
*Aeryn kissing Rygel is hilarious, but it also foreshadows Rygel carrying baby D'Argo in Peacekeeper wars.
*The scene where Crichton walks in on Chiana and D'Argo having sex (the second one on the Royal Planet, I mean) and just starts bitching about his problems totally cracks me up.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Jun 28, 2011 22:25:10 GMT -5
general impressions 2.12 look at the princess 2: I do, I think *I don't understand why Jenavian has a stiletto in her wrist, but it's pretty cool. *Some great lines in this episode: -"Now, don't feel bad. It's not you; it's me. I don't like you." I'm going have to steal that line sometime. ;D -Moya speaks! -the ominous "The wormhole knowledge in your brain makes you, to my knowledge, unique in the galaxy. And unique is always valuable." -Crichton getting ranty in the cargo ship and the "You're insane!" "What, you're just figuring that out! I thought that was common knowledge!" -"pieces of different kindling often build the strongest fire." -"The bad news is that you're married and must endure as a statue for 80 cycles in a strange world. The good news is that Chiana and I are having fantastic sex." *Interesting discussion about the value of possessions. *Harvey going all Obi Wan is so creepy, especially since it makes it clear that Crichton doesn't even have the power to kill himself. *"What am I supposed to do when there's no fight left?" when you can't run, you crawl. And when you can't crawl you find some one to carry you. Wait, sorry. Wrong show. *Blink and you'll miss the Emperor. I really wonder what his story is.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Jun 29, 2011 7:43:18 GMT -5
general impression 2.13 look at the princess: maltese crichton
*This episodes got some pretty huge plot holes, most significantly the fact that since StatueKatralla can see and hear, all anyone would have had to do is ask her what happened to Crichton. The rest is good enough that it doesn't bother me hugely though.
*Of course the palace has an unguarded foundry with bubbling acid baths in proximity to it. Hee!
*"That is either the most pathetic fabrication I've ever heard, or the most pathetic life I could imagine." Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.
*Yay for Crichton finally getting some, even if it's not with Aeryn.
*I think there must be some meta commentary about Zhaan sucking Kahaynu into the Farscape module, but I can't think of what it is.
*I'm thinking that Crichton's feelings about being an absentee father stem from his father's traveling so much when he was growing up.
*The trilogy is bookended nicely by that great scene at the end with Crichton and Aeryn, foreshadowing baby D'Argo. Awww...these 2 crazy kids just might make it work!
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Jul 1, 2011 17:04:35 GMT -5
general impressions 2.14 beware of dog
*This episode is a companion of sorts to Exodus From Genesis, with discussion of the symbiosis-commensualism-parasitism spectrum. This time it's Rygel's turn to be doubled. We also touch on the duality theme with the 2 forms of the vorc.
*And Harvey is also a parasite of sorts, feeding off Crichton's essence and thoughts.
*Rygel dissolving into the bugs makes me think of the money turns into bugs that eat Moya in Liars, Guns, and Money trilogy.
*As disturbing as the hallucinations of Harvey and the flashbacks are are, I'm thinking that they're actually a sign that Crichton's psyche is fighting back, since Scorpius never intended for Crichton to become aware of the neural chip at all.
*I love the chess set that Crichton built.
*Aww... the vorc is so cute. And I love Aeryn's description of it. Hee!
*Lots of ominous lines in this episode -"What are you doing?" "Playing a game." "Doesn't seem like much of a challenge." "Depends on how you play." [Mmm-hmm] -"The human doesn't want to talk." [Yeah, that's a bad sign. But it's commendable that Aeryn that she presses Crichton as much as she does.] -"Don't worry, I'm not going to lose my mind; it's all I've got left." [IEEE!!!!] -"When the trap closes, it'll be too late...that, um, wasn't the trap I meant." [dun Dun DUN!!!]
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Jul 6, 2011 10:01:53 GMT -5
general impressions 2.15 won't get fooled again
*Yay!!! Such an awesome episode. It's complex and fun and crazy and touches on several of themes of the series: Wizard of Oz. reality/perception, memory, identity, mind-body connection, sanity vs insanity, home/family, and games/rules.
*We finally get clarification on Harvey and the neural chip, which was hinted at in the Look at the Princess trilogy.
*This is the first extensive look in the series we have on what's going on inside Crichton's head. What's most interesting to me is that the psychosis induced by the Scarran is layered on top of Scorpius' neural chip which is layered on top of very real life mental illness (most prominently PTSD).
*Whereas A Human Reaction focused on Crichton's relationship with his father, this episode focuses on Crichton's relationship with women, most significantly his mother.
*So, about Crichton's mom. Based on what we're told here and in Kansas, I'm thinking that she had some kind of terminal illness, probably cancer, and Crichton feels guilty because he freaked and deliberately avoided her when was sick and wasn't there when she died. Yes/No? Thoughts?
*The S&M shot with Aeryn, Zhaan, Chiana, and Rygel (hahahaha) is one of my favorites in the whole series. The "Freudian slip" line is truly inspired. And, interestingly, the device that Aeryn is fiddling with is the same device that Scorpius used to implant the neural chip.
*I love Pilot playing the bongos! ;D
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Oct 29, 2012 20:46:56 GMT -5
OK, after long hiatus, I'm going to get back to doing these quick impression posts.
Also, I've since discovered that Re:Union is available on the DVD's as an easter egg, and I'm a little torn now about the watch order of the episodes. On the one hand, having it as the season order was the original intent and having the Crichton's dying dream as Rygel's is a lot more intriguing characterwise, but on the hand, I love the bumper scenes in Dream a Little Dream.
Also, I think Ben and Claudia could make a good money doing DVD commentaries together.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Oct 29, 2012 22:03:04 GMT -5
general impressions 2.16 The Locket
*I usually find the put-the-lead-actors-in-old-age-makeup episode groanworthy, but this episode always surprises me by being quite compelling. And Shroedinger's Locket could have been really cheesy, but it really worked for me.
*This is the only true use of the "reset button" on farscape. Even so, there's a call back to it later in The Choice. And I think that this episode influences Zhaan's later decision to sacrifice herself for Crichton and Aeryn. And comparing the future depicted here to the way the rest of the series unfolds reveals some really interesting things. Aeryn, despite her love for Crichton, had a family with another sebacean. Crichton had conversations with Harvey for cycles, suggesting that his downward spiral we see throughout the rest of the season wasn't inevitable.
*This letter is like a love letter to astronauts, paying homage to the love of space exploration, valued over all those planet bound loved ones left behind.
*I covet the velvety cloaks that Aeryn and Enix wear.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Oct 31, 2012 9:53:31 GMT -5
general impressions 2.17 The Ugly Truth
*I love Roshamon stories, so I love this episode. It's going to require some careful analysis to fully appreciate it. But on casual watch, it's really neat to see how each character sees themselves and the others. And Crichton pointing out the subjectivity of reality (which was the original point of Roshamon).
*best funny moments -Crichton's testimony has everyone calling the Plokavians Plakavoids -Zaahn in Aeryn's testimony saying that she has to meditate on the matter -Zaahn working flattery into her testimony
*The sets of the interrogation scene are really, cool, especially in light of their simplicity. The interrogation chair is really, really freaky, though.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Oct 31, 2012 11:25:32 GMT -5
general impressions 2.18 Clockwork Nebari
*First appearance of Winona!
*The clockwork orange image is hi-larious, not in the least because it's not anatomically possible to pull some one's eyeballs out like that. Also, everybody's still got those things attached to their optic nerves...right?
*Love that in Crichton's mind, brain washed = surfer dude.
*Nice meta humor with Rygel's "I'm nobody's puppet!" line.
*The Nebari plan for galactic domination seems to be the one major dangling plot thread in the show.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Oct 31, 2012 22:48:54 GMT -5
general impressions 2.19 Liars, guns, and money 1: A not so simple plan *Aaaand Crichton starts really spiralling out of control. *I love the Ocean's 11 homage, with the Moyans trademark dysfunction, PirateZaahn and Chiana's routine, and Rygel hanging on to the vault for dear life when it starts moving. *Stark proves to be a better strategist than anyone gave him credit for. *Natira is one of my favorite alien designs. I particularly love the detail in the (very cool looking) contacts and the teeth *The "insert the rod" is the HoYayist of all the HoYay scenes between Scorpius and Crichton. *And the Moyans think that Scorpius is dead, why? I guess its just a sign of how much Crichton is off his game that he doesn't make a quip about unkillable villains.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 1, 2012 12:57:18 GMT -5
general impressions 2.20 liars, guns, money: with friends like these... *I really like the metaphor made literal, with the money eating the ship ~ consumed by greed. *Both Crichton and Stark understand how Scorpius thinks. I think there might be nothing scarier than that. Understanding Scorpius = knowing madness? *Bringing back the one off characters from season 1 is great, giving the episode they first appeared in more weight, as well as showing how much the Moyans have changed since season 1, especially in their regard towards violence. *-Like it or not, Scorpius, I know how you think. We're sharing now, and that's how I'm going to beat you. -Perhaps you only believe that because that's what we want you to think. That's the part of love most about the whole Harvey storyline, that most of the time it's pretty much impossible to determine whether Crichton's own motivations or Harvey's is driving his behavior. Because Scorpius is Crichton's shadow self, and Harvey often acts as Crichton's subconscious. There are just so may complex layers to this story. *I like the alien sex. I mean, not that I like it, but I like how alien it is. *-You'd BURN Moya!? -To save her! *D'Argo's long hoped for reunion with Jothee, bittersweet in light of how their relationship plays out. *-You do what you gotta do. You win. -As if there ever was any doubt. IIEEEE!!!! HOLY CRAP.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 1, 2012 18:35:00 GMT -5
general impressions 2.21 liars, guns, money: plan B
*Plan B. B for Blow Shit Up, yes?
*Was there a reason to tie Crichton to the maniacal jungle gym? That part always makes me laugh.
*Aeryn compromises her principles, both on using Talyn for violence, and offering herself to Crais. Love Crais throwing her words back in her face on both counts.
*I love that the mercenaries are a bunch of screw ups like the Moyans.
*The scene where Crichton tries to confront Scorpius in the hallway is one of my favorites in the whole series. The look on Crichton's face is devastating, his discovery that he's got a problem he can't reason his way out of.
*I love that part of the treasure from the shadow depository is those toys
*Love Bekesh's "thanks for teaching me to kill again," and the look on Zaahn's face. Heh.
*Now that the Moyans have a treasure, we don't have to wonder anymore about how they're paying for food and other sundries.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 3, 2012 19:47:32 GMT -5
general impressions 2.22 Die Me, Dichotomy
*This episode is utterly brilliant, from beginning to end, visuals, music acting, dialog, editing. Lends itself to some great meta analysis. I also love that the show is daring enough take its main character the darkest places like this.
*Up until this episode, I figured that Ben Browder as Crichton was just more or less playing himself. It wasn't until this episode that I came to really appreciate his acting talent. His portrayal of Harvey is spot on. Incredibly impressive.
*The thing where they can visualize Crichton's brain without cutting open his skull is freakin' cool. The black tendrilly things are appropriately fascinating and repulsive.
*Aeryn, who in Premiere was perhaps the least trusted of the Moyans became, in 2 seasons, the most beloved. While Crichton may be the glue that keeps them together, Aeryn is the core of their little family.
*That's one hell of a cliff hanger.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 4, 2012 11:06:22 GMT -5
general impressions 3.1 Season of Death
*So...the neurochip is out, but Harvey remains. Which could be the technobabbly mumbo jumbo, but could also just be plain old psychosis. Very intriguing.
*Scorpius sucking the bits of brain off the neuro chip is the single grossest thing on this show.
*The "Hell Yeah" moment. Such a wonderful moment of joy that could only be fully appreciated by Crichton hitting rock bottom in Die Me, Dichotomy. And even better is that Stark didn't know his advice would work, just that it sounded like the right thing to say.
*I find Crichton profession of love and kissing Aeryn at the end of this episode deeply troubling since it comes essentially after the darker side of himself killed her and he's not really done much to address that.
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Post by Spaced Out Looney on Nov 4, 2012 15:59:22 GMT -5
general impressions 3.2 Suns and Lovers
*This is more a moving the puzzle pieces around type of episode. All characters adjusting to the new normal, realizing that the future may not be as any of them had hoped. -Zhaan and Stark assess Zhaan's mortality -Crichton and Aeryn reassess their relationship -The Chiana/D'Argo/Jothee disaster comes to a head. -D'Argo gets Lo'Laa, becoming a pilot in his own right. -The Moyans' reputation now precedes them.
*This is a very great episode all around, interesting one off story, very compelling character development, but very muted in emotion. As it should be, between the emotional highs of the episodes that precede and follow it.
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