Farscape in review:
Oct. 15th, 2004 01:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wisdomeagle"We're So Screwed"
[spoilers for all three parts + "Bad Timing"]
These episodes are so plot-heavy and so much happens that they confuse me. I've seen them about four times and am just now finally clear on what all goes on. So besides the usual squeeing and 'ship, I present you with plot summaries:
Part One: Fetal Attraction:
Aeryn has been captured. They concoct a scheme to find her. Scorpius pretends to be a Scarran spy. Rygel fakes illness. Noranti gets him actually sick. Noranti feels guilty. People die. John goes in to see Aeryn and tries to have sex with her. Jennink tries to have Aeryn's baby put in Chiana's uterus. Sikozu turns off all the power. John and D'Argo go in and save Aeryn and Chiana. Everyone gets back to Moya safely except Scorpy. Harvey reawakens and tells John that Scorpy knows everything he does and will probably sell them upriver once the torture starts.
Part Two: Hot to Katratzi: Our heroes come up with a frelling brilliant plan. They strap a bomb to John and John offers to sell wormhole knowledge to the highest bidder. On Katratzi, Stark tortures Scorpius. Grayza offers John amnesty in return for never ever giving wormhole knowledge to the Skarrans. Scorpius turns out to have been working for the Scarrans for ten years. John gives the Scarrans the coordinates of a wormhole and they loose a ship. The Scarrans give Scorpy to John. In the meantime, D'Argo, Rygel, and Sikozu have been inciting a riot between the Scarran's techs, the Caleesh, and their warriors, the Charods. Flowers are Important for some reason. Everyone's about to escape, but Scorpy can't wait one second longer, jumps John's bones, and we cut to a TBC.
Part three: La Bomba. Scorpy gives lots of exposition on why flowers are Important and why Stark is Important. It turns out Stark is not actually Stark but a biloid replica. Everyone's stuck on the base, so Scorpy comes up with a batshit insane elevator-stealing plan, which eventually they implicate. It turns out the Sikozu is Speshul and can start fires with the power of her MIND. Meanwhile, Grayza has gone batshit insane and wants to commit suicide by waging an attack on the Scarrans. John and company run around Katratzi for awhile. Finally John drops the bomb down the elevator shaft and the flowers, along with some Scarrans, go BOOM. Braca grows a backbone and strips Grayza of command. The episode ends with D'Argo and Chiana sleeping together, Noranti cooking for Rygel, and John grieving because he killed innocent people.
So.... I love these episodes. All of them. I've been thinking about what's important in these episodes... we've got themes, we've got big ideas, we've got parallel arcs. These episodes are about loyalty, alliances, politics, promises, and about having to make tough choices, about responsibility, and about getting screwed over royally.
The political intrigue and the everyone for hirself themes really just make this episode. It's all surrounding John and the decision he made in "Prayer" to strike a deal with Scorpius. All the other deals and dealings surround that one issue, since it's really such a huge deal that they can't just let it slide. And obviously, it's about honor, and who has it and who doesn't. Scorpius is a double agent. Grayza is willing to commit suicide rather than surrender; Braca is not. (wub my Braca... but squeeing later.) And the Scarrans are all out for themselves and themselves only.
Ahem. Anyhow. Another thing that struck me is how D'Argo and Chiana are just getting screwed over in these episodes. I was thinking about character development and how everyone got some, even though it's an action-heavy episode, and really, Sikozu got tons and tons, Scorpy got lots, Stark got some, Noranti got some, frell, even Rygel got some, and it was all about John, but Chi and D'Argo and Aeryn really didn't. This isn't their kind of adventure. It's high politics and low dealings, and not much out and out battle, which is what D'Argo and Aeryn are good at. Chiana got to do a little sneaking around in the first episode, but this really wasn't her ballgame either.
And that's really epitomized in the vote to drop the bomb in "La Bomba." D'Argo and Chiana vote no, but their vote doesn't matter. They literally get no say. Moya is not a democracy, and even though D'Argo is captain... well, that doesn't mean anything. John is chasing after Aeryn, and after Scorpius, and no one else (except Sikozu) has any interest in this, but they do it anyhow, because John is batshit and is leading his entire team astray. It's wonderful.
Aeryn is totally screwed over. I know lots of people don't like S4 Aeryn because she is turned into John's lovesick puppy, but I dunno. If they actually sort of, yanno, deal with it. If they don't live happily ever after.
I worry about Farscape. I worry because I think it's too optimistic. I mean, it's terrible and tragic and awful, but I sometimes worry that they're all going to live happily ever after. Scarred and broken but all settled on some nice, quiet planet.
Of course, some of them simply couldn't go for that. Um, yes. Back to the episode.
Noranti's decision in the first episode is a definite parallel to John's decision in the last one. It's the killing people... why? To save one person who's very important to them. The thing is, this episode isn't really about some grand, noble, humane action. It's about personal relationships, it's about absolving a personal debt.
So, John is screwed. The question is: will John every have the Dorothy-Gale-of-Kansas happily-ever-after? Sure, he can't go home, but can he make a new life: wife, kids, nice quiet planet? I think the answer suggested here is no. Not even if. It's simply not possible.
I actually like Sikozu in this episode. Even though the S/S (yes, Z, that's just to piss you off. :p ) squicks me. Not because it's Scorpy. Because it's het. Eww. I liked the Caleesh rebellion thing, even if the fire setting ability is totally pastede on yay! But yeah. Scorpy/Sikozu. Eww. Interferes with OTP.
Um... this is the episode that really made me love Noranti. She's just... okay, she's insane, but she's a good soul, and she's adorably in love with D'Argo and Aeryn and John. Kind of like Zhaan, actually. It's weird, how similar she is to Zhaan in lots of ways and yet still manages to be totally different (cough Stargate writers cough "I read all of Dr. Jackson's journals" cough).
Hmm, okay, the best thing about these episodes was the middle episode, and it was all about the language. This is one of the most quotable episodes ever, and whoever wrote it was... sheer genius. John isn't holding back anything. He's witty and funny and fast on his feet and totally insane and just going with it. "Democracy? Capitalism!" "I'll give you my bike if you kill him."
This is a journey into the absurd. The fact that the third episode focuses entirely on an elevator.... "I left a nuclear bomb in an elevator." The episodes are fun because they are so out there because John is so out there. John has totally flipped round the bend. This is totally not good.
Okay, that was enough quasi-serious bullshit. Time for the obligatory squee.
D'ARGO/CHIANA! THEY ARE SO CUTE! It's not a good sign that it was Chi flirting with someone else that sparked the 'ship to reignite, but what the hell. Their love is so messed up anyhow. And they had sex. Lots and lots of mad sex. They are my OTP. Oh, I adore them so.
Um, let's see. Grayza is frelled, screwed... raped. Love John so much? Yes. But. Oh. My. God.
BRACA!!!!!!!! Braca with backbone! "Does Mommy know he's Scorpius's boy?" "Are you here to save him or kill him?" BRACA! Bracabracabracabraca!
Braaaaaaaaaaaaaca!
I cannot express how much Braca is my favorite minor character. Sometimes even my favorite character. I don't know why I love him so. But I do. He is just... beauty. There needs to be lots and lots and lots of good Braca-ness in the miniseries.
This afternoon: "Bad Timing" in review. First, I need to haul ass to women's studies.
Then.... FALL BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[spoilers for all three parts + "Bad Timing"]
These episodes are so plot-heavy and so much happens that they confuse me. I've seen them about four times and am just now finally clear on what all goes on. So besides the usual squeeing and 'ship, I present you with plot summaries:
Part One: Fetal Attraction:
Aeryn has been captured. They concoct a scheme to find her. Scorpius pretends to be a Scarran spy. Rygel fakes illness. Noranti gets him actually sick. Noranti feels guilty. People die. John goes in to see Aeryn and tries to have sex with her. Jennink tries to have Aeryn's baby put in Chiana's uterus. Sikozu turns off all the power. John and D'Argo go in and save Aeryn and Chiana. Everyone gets back to Moya safely except Scorpy. Harvey reawakens and tells John that Scorpy knows everything he does and will probably sell them upriver once the torture starts.
Part Two: Hot to Katratzi: Our heroes come up with a frelling brilliant plan. They strap a bomb to John and John offers to sell wormhole knowledge to the highest bidder. On Katratzi, Stark tortures Scorpius. Grayza offers John amnesty in return for never ever giving wormhole knowledge to the Skarrans. Scorpius turns out to have been working for the Scarrans for ten years. John gives the Scarrans the coordinates of a wormhole and they loose a ship. The Scarrans give Scorpy to John. In the meantime, D'Argo, Rygel, and Sikozu have been inciting a riot between the Scarran's techs, the Caleesh, and their warriors, the Charods. Flowers are Important for some reason. Everyone's about to escape, but Scorpy can't wait one second longer, jumps John's bones, and we cut to a TBC.
Part three: La Bomba. Scorpy gives lots of exposition on why flowers are Important and why Stark is Important. It turns out Stark is not actually Stark but a biloid replica. Everyone's stuck on the base, so Scorpy comes up with a batshit insane elevator-stealing plan, which eventually they implicate. It turns out the Sikozu is Speshul and can start fires with the power of her MIND. Meanwhile, Grayza has gone batshit insane and wants to commit suicide by waging an attack on the Scarrans. John and company run around Katratzi for awhile. Finally John drops the bomb down the elevator shaft and the flowers, along with some Scarrans, go BOOM. Braca grows a backbone and strips Grayza of command. The episode ends with D'Argo and Chiana sleeping together, Noranti cooking for Rygel, and John grieving because he killed innocent people.
So.... I love these episodes. All of them. I've been thinking about what's important in these episodes... we've got themes, we've got big ideas, we've got parallel arcs. These episodes are about loyalty, alliances, politics, promises, and about having to make tough choices, about responsibility, and about getting screwed over royally.
The political intrigue and the everyone for hirself themes really just make this episode. It's all surrounding John and the decision he made in "Prayer" to strike a deal with Scorpius. All the other deals and dealings surround that one issue, since it's really such a huge deal that they can't just let it slide. And obviously, it's about honor, and who has it and who doesn't. Scorpius is a double agent. Grayza is willing to commit suicide rather than surrender; Braca is not. (wub my Braca... but squeeing later.) And the Scarrans are all out for themselves and themselves only.
Ahem. Anyhow. Another thing that struck me is how D'Argo and Chiana are just getting screwed over in these episodes. I was thinking about character development and how everyone got some, even though it's an action-heavy episode, and really, Sikozu got tons and tons, Scorpy got lots, Stark got some, Noranti got some, frell, even Rygel got some, and it was all about John, but Chi and D'Argo and Aeryn really didn't. This isn't their kind of adventure. It's high politics and low dealings, and not much out and out battle, which is what D'Argo and Aeryn are good at. Chiana got to do a little sneaking around in the first episode, but this really wasn't her ballgame either.
And that's really epitomized in the vote to drop the bomb in "La Bomba." D'Argo and Chiana vote no, but their vote doesn't matter. They literally get no say. Moya is not a democracy, and even though D'Argo is captain... well, that doesn't mean anything. John is chasing after Aeryn, and after Scorpius, and no one else (except Sikozu) has any interest in this, but they do it anyhow, because John is batshit and is leading his entire team astray. It's wonderful.
Aeryn is totally screwed over. I know lots of people don't like S4 Aeryn because she is turned into John's lovesick puppy, but I dunno. If they actually sort of, yanno, deal with it. If they don't live happily ever after.
I worry about Farscape. I worry because I think it's too optimistic. I mean, it's terrible and tragic and awful, but I sometimes worry that they're all going to live happily ever after. Scarred and broken but all settled on some nice, quiet planet.
Of course, some of them simply couldn't go for that. Um, yes. Back to the episode.
Noranti's decision in the first episode is a definite parallel to John's decision in the last one. It's the killing people... why? To save one person who's very important to them. The thing is, this episode isn't really about some grand, noble, humane action. It's about personal relationships, it's about absolving a personal debt.
So, John is screwed. The question is: will John every have the Dorothy-Gale-of-Kansas happily-ever-after? Sure, he can't go home, but can he make a new life: wife, kids, nice quiet planet? I think the answer suggested here is no. Not even if. It's simply not possible.
I actually like Sikozu in this episode. Even though the S/S (yes, Z, that's just to piss you off. :p ) squicks me. Not because it's Scorpy. Because it's het. Eww. I liked the Caleesh rebellion thing, even if the fire setting ability is totally pastede on yay! But yeah. Scorpy/Sikozu. Eww. Interferes with OTP.
Um... this is the episode that really made me love Noranti. She's just... okay, she's insane, but she's a good soul, and she's adorably in love with D'Argo and Aeryn and John. Kind of like Zhaan, actually. It's weird, how similar she is to Zhaan in lots of ways and yet still manages to be totally different (cough Stargate writers cough "I read all of Dr. Jackson's journals" cough).
Hmm, okay, the best thing about these episodes was the middle episode, and it was all about the language. This is one of the most quotable episodes ever, and whoever wrote it was... sheer genius. John isn't holding back anything. He's witty and funny and fast on his feet and totally insane and just going with it. "Democracy? Capitalism!" "I'll give you my bike if you kill him."
This is a journey into the absurd. The fact that the third episode focuses entirely on an elevator.... "I left a nuclear bomb in an elevator." The episodes are fun because they are so out there because John is so out there. John has totally flipped round the bend. This is totally not good.
Okay, that was enough quasi-serious bullshit. Time for the obligatory squee.
D'ARGO/CHIANA! THEY ARE SO CUTE! It's not a good sign that it was Chi flirting with someone else that sparked the 'ship to reignite, but what the hell. Their love is so messed up anyhow. And they had sex. Lots and lots of mad sex. They are my OTP. Oh, I adore them so.
Um, let's see. Grayza is frelled, screwed... raped. Love John so much? Yes. But. Oh. My. God.
BRACA!!!!!!!! Braca with backbone! "Does Mommy know he's Scorpius's boy?" "Are you here to save him or kill him?" BRACA! Bracabracabracabraca!
Braaaaaaaaaaaaaca!
I cannot express how much Braca is my favorite minor character. Sometimes even my favorite character. I don't know why I love him so. But I do. He is just... beauty. There needs to be lots and lots and lots of good Braca-ness in the miniseries.
This afternoon: "Bad Timing" in review. First, I need to haul ass to women's studies.
Then.... FALL BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EWWWW, RE!
Date: 2004-10-15 06:36 pm (UTC)and yeah, 'scapeness. wow. am sorry i have not seen these. you make me miss john so much and AERYN i *love* AERYN and.... wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee scorpy wooooooooot!!!!! heehee.
ohmygod INSANITY and it's FINALLY BREAK and dear GOD compressing most of 2 and a half years of stress into a thirty minute intense attack was..... well, overall good, but INSANE. o_O
and reeeeally in the mood to watch Crackers now. wish i had it! ;)
lurv for the reness and the AERYN and the scape and scory and the real Ss. :P
-z