Science Fiction (and Fantasy) on Television

External Links

Official Farscape Site

The other Official Farscape Site at SciFi.com

Farscape Buy Farscape Posters At AllPosters.com

Farscape is a wonderful, innovative series that really tries to do something a little different.

John Crichton (Ben Browder) is a human - an astronaut on a test mission who gets sucked into a wormhole and gets transported to a distant point in the universe where they haven't heard of Earth. He meets up with some renegades many of whom are radically different species to him and is forced to join up with them.

There is Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black) who is from a race (Sebacean) that very much resembles humans, but she is an ex-Peacekeeper. It is the Peacekeepers that are the primary enemy to this group of characters. Due to a little accident that occurred as John exited the wormhole, he instantly becomes one of the hunted. Aeryn has to come to terms with being not a Peacekeeper - not always easy.

In the first few seasons, we are entertained by the spiritual Zotoh Zhaan (Virginia Hey) who is, to put it in simple terms, actually a blue plant. Of course she is far more than that - an 812 year old Delvian 10th-level Pa'u (priest) to be exact. This character background does allow for some very interesting stories.

The large interesting looking Luxan warrior is called Ka D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe) and he is quick to anger and fearsome with it. Wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife (he really didn't - and a late episode does some twisting around this). His son Jothee (Matthew Newton) figures prominently for a while in the series. Over time, he learns that violence isn't always the answer.

The greedy, selfish, gluttoness ex-Dominar (president) of the 600 billion strong Hynerian empire is Rygel XVI (puppet, voiced by Jonathan Hardy). He is two feet tall, arrogant, steels what he can, eats himself silly and farts helium when nervous. With that description, it is becoming clear that this series is not filled with "nice" people doing "nice" things. What a joy that is!

Pilot - the creature know as 'Pilot' is another puppet, (voiced by Lani Tupu). I hate to use the word "puppet" actually, because the two characters that are thus animated are very advanced, operated by multiple people and a far cry from children's puppets. They are simply so alien, and different in size, that they can't be portrayed by people. However, the fact that puppetry (by Jim Henson) is used, does lead many TV stations to air this series at quite ridiculous times. This is not a kiddy show by any stretch of the imagination. It is an adult science fiction show that has adult themes, violence, paranoia, dark stories, etc. that even when it is hacked to fit into a 6 p.m. slot, it is still completely unsuitable for young children to watch. In fact, there is nothing to compare with watching it, in order, uncut, as one wants, on DVD. Much more so than most TV series. Anyway, Pilot is directly linked to the ship, almost part of it.

Next character is the ship itself which is actually a creature - a Leviathan called Moya. The writing of this series is full of wonderful ideas and these ideas are executed remarkably well. Moya is enslaved to the Peacekeepers until freed by Zhaan, D'Argo and Rygel (who were imprisoned on her).

First enemy, (later sort of friend), is Bialar Crais (the real Lani Tupu). He is a Peacekeeper and it is his brother that Crichton accidentally kills at the beginning. Revenge drives him for a few seasons, before the interaction changes foot. And there we have an example of the excellence of character driven plot that Farscape celebrates. Characters are not simply put into little boxes to serve the plot - they change and grow over time.

Second and long lasting enemy (and inner demon/friend of Crichton) is Scorpius (Wayne Pygram), one of the most evil, nasty enemies one could have. But not in a cardboard cutout way. No, Scorpius has good reasons for what he does and again, changes over the seasons make this brilliant characterisation change and reform over time. Scorpius starts out as a Peacekeeper leader, although he is not exactly a Sebacean, no, not at all. He is the result of a Scarran-Sebacean breeding program and if you see the Scarrans, you know that is not a good thing. His main interest is actually to gain control of wormhole technology.

Later friends to our renegades are:

Chiana (Gigi Edgley) joins quite soon - she is the very sexy, (and sexual), naughty, occasionally thieving hot grey Nebari babe.

Stark (Paul Goddard) for two seasons in the middle - a very strange character on the verge of another level of reality. A Stykera from the Banik race, he heals people, but if they're beyond healing, he eases hteir passing to the next realm.

Joolushko 'Jool' Tunay Fento Hovalis (Tammy McIntosh) is quite hot and very full of herself (at least she is when she first joins), although being very well educated in a technologically advanced society, she does sometimes have a point... Like many of the characters, she thinks of herself first. But as she was a frozen body when we first meet her, you'd think she'd be more grateful.

Sikozu Svala Shanti Sugaysi Shanu (Raelee Hill). (How long can you make a name?) Sikozu knows about Leviathans and is pretty smart. She is a renegade who picks up with Moya's crew by chance.

Utu-Noranti Pralatong (Melissa Jaffer) is a herbalist from Trask. Beware Noranti's third eye! It seems she is discovering life (and has been for centuries, so she knows a thing or two!)

This is unquestionably one of the best shows ever made, but not given the respect it is due by all those TV companies who don't really understand science fiction. And it is surprising it was cancelled when it still had at least one more good series left in it. But that is not the end. Jim Henson has plans to continue Farscape in other forms and we wish him the best of luck in doing so. If you like Farscape and buy DVDs, then consider putting this at the top of your list.

I will have plenty more to say about this series in the future, including storylines, returning characters, etc. so check back again in a few months time.

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