Michael G. Munz

Farscape Rewatch: “The Ugly Truth” (spoilers)

February 4, 2015 By Michael G. Munz Leave a Comment

Season 2, Episode 17:
“The Ugly Truth”
out of *

“We should just execute all of you. Then we could be sure the guilty party was punished.”

It’s been almost half a year since the last post in my Farscape Re-watch series, and part of the reason for that is that writing up this particular episode in a way that did it justice was a daunting task. I kept putting it off while working on other things (including writing and reading the Percy Jackson series for the first time) until the immediate memory of it wasn’t as fresh. I suppose that’s even fitting for this episode, come to think of it. [Read more…]

Farscape Rewatch: “The Locket” (spoilers)

August 31, 2014 By Michael G. Munz Leave a Comment

Season 2, Episode 16: “The Locket”
* out of *****

“It’s boring. Like everything else around here: BOR-ring!”

Finally, I’m back to blogging about Farscape! Based on my memory of it the first time it aired, I wasn’t looking forward to this one. I only saw it the one time, going so far as to skip it when showing the series to others. I know, I’m a bad man. Maybe that’s why it took me so long to get to it. (Not that I didn’t have other things on my plate…) I know some people regard this episode highly, so I was prepared to find it much better than I remembered. [Read more…]

Farscape Rewatch: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (spoilers)

July 13, 2014 By Michael G. Munz 2 Comments

Season 2, Episode 15: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
***** out of *****

“I like your style, hombre. But this is no laughing matter. Assault on a police officer. Theft of police property. Illegal possession of a firearm. Five counts of attempted murder. That comes to… $29.40. Cash, check, or credit card?”

Won’t Get Fooled Again is very nearly the weirdest episode of Farscape. (It’s not John Quixote, but it’s close.) John finds himself back on Earth as if the Farscape project did NOT hurl him into the uncharted territories. Instead, he actually just crashed the module. Were the past two years all a dream???

Of frelling course not! Being savvy television watchers, we know this. Being a savvy television character, John does, too. After his experiences in A Human Reaction, he wastes no time trying to figure out if it’s real or not. He KNOWS it’s a sham from the moment he wakes up in that nauseatingly green hospital room. It’s not about what’s going on so much as WHY it’s going on, and who’s doing it. [Read more…]

Farscape Rewatch: “Beware of Dog” (spoilers)

July 3, 2014 By Michael G. Munz Leave a Comment

Season 2, Episode 14: “Beware of Dog”
out of *

“Our parasite problems are solved.”
“Rygel’s decided to leave us, has he?”

This is a simple little episode, perhaps made simpler by its coming right after a three-parter, but it’s not without its charm. It’s also a critter ep (John: “I hate critters!“) with a parasite getting aboard Moya to cause havoc, as sci-fi parasites are wont to do. It’s a fairly standard plot trope for sci-fi, yet Farscape manages to add its own particular twists to make it enjoyable. [Read more…]

Farscape Rewatch: “Look at the Princess, Part III” (spoilers)

July 2, 2014 By Michael G. Munz Leave a Comment

Season 2, Episode 13:
“Look At The Princess, Part III” (The Maltese Crichton)
1/2 out of *

“I know, it hurts. You want it to not hurt? Well next time, hold onto THE FRELLING WALL!!”

And the third part of Farscape’s first three-parter comes to a close in a (mostly) satisfying way. To summarize:

I need one of those things. Because reasons.

John loses his head before the opening credits and spends at least the first quarter of the episode as a MacGuffin while everyone tries to either destroy the head, steal it, hide it, or reattach it. John gets (his) head, the Scarren kills Prince Too-Stupid-To-Live, then gets killed himself, and John escapes the planet after it’s decided that they may as well let the princess’s boyfriend pretend to be John since John can’t re-statuefy anyway.

Aeryn learns a lesson out in the barren lands (namely, gravity is a cruel bitch-goddess, and don’t go climbing with strangers), Zhaan proves worthy to watch over Moya, D’Argo does his best Caped Crusader impression to save Chiana (“How Batman was THAT?”), and we find out Scorpius has some sort of hidden influence on John.

Oh, and also John and Aeryn seem to be biologically compatible, and are reasonably pleased about the fact.

While I feel there’s slightly too much time spent on Aeryn’s climbing expedition out to the Devastator Reefs (which I believe are located south-southeast of the Cliffs of Insanity) and the still-lackluster Kahaynu plot, this is still a great episode. There are one or two plot…issues (3 hours in acid and John’s head is fine? And why doesn’t anyone think to ask Katralla who cut off John’s head?), but they’re minor bumps in the road so far as I’m concerned.

Captain Kirk would be proud.

One thing that did strike me as a bit odd is the whole bit with John sleeping with Jenavian while he’s in hiding. While he’s not really in love with his current wife, he doesn’t seem the sort to cheat even on that sort of relationship. Jenavian is arguably the one doing the seducing, but Crichton’s certainly willing to go along with it. Did he do so to make sure she stays an ally now that she knows he’s not a spy, or just is he just having a bit of life-affirming sex after nearly being killed? (I’m struck with the idea that he’s Captain Kirk being seduced by a female James Bond.)

Despite my thinking Aeryn’s subplot drags a little, it was at least nice to see that Sebacean-Ken (who claims to be rated “expert” at climbing but winds up being “novice” at heights) turns out to have some depth to him. He counsels Aeryn on her feelings for John–which he rightfully points out she runs from because she’s uncomfortable with things she’s not trained to deal with–in a genuinely stereotype breaking moment:

“Emotional pain you wear like a badge. It means you’ve been there. And it can’t get calloused because each fresh hurt stings like the first.”
“And why would you WANT that?”
“Because of all the days before it hurts. The good days, when you’re in love.”

“Now that’s REAL acid, so I want to see GOGGLES, people!”

Finally, this episode further develops things with Scorpius. For one thing, we finally get a reason for Scorpius’s outfit and cooling rods. Even better, there are now some definite signs that he’s done something to John. Scorpy tells D’Argo, “You underestimate the strength of the relationship. Even your friend does not yet understand.” Plus John can’t seem to bring himself to kill Scorpius. It’s a great touch when, afterward, Scorpius just gets up, glides his hand through the acid like a cocky bastard, and walks off with a grin. Admittedly, I didn’t understand quite what was happening in my original viewing, but of course in hindsight he was likely just testing the neurochip’s control.

Last lines:
“And I have noticed that you’re not talking to me.”

Other Comments:
That’s some dense acid, given how Crichton’s metal noggin floats in it. Later, the Scarren sinks when he falls in, so I guess Scarrens must be REALLY dense. On a side note, I still love the design of the Scarrens. It’s just a shame they couldn’t articulate his mouth better.

For some reason, there’s just nowhere with less security than the room in which completely helpless planetary regents are kept. Speaking of which, I can’t imagine being stuck as a statue for 80 years, conscious and aware the whole time, without going insane.

Click here for more Farscape rewatch blogging!

Farscape Rewatch: “Look at the Princess, Part II” (spoilers)

June 27, 2014 By Michael G. Munz Leave a Comment

I bet you thought I’d forgotten about doing these, didn’t you? (Or maybe you didn’t even know I did them at all?) Time to change that!

Season 2, Episode 12:
“Look At The Princess, Part II” (I Do, I Think)
out of *

“Look, Aeryn, ALL men are stupid, okay? Men: Stupid! If you want them to know something you’ve got to TELL them!”

(And even though I left off after part one of this three-parter six months ago, the “previously on Farscape” has me right back in the thick of it. Well, that, and my own memory, I suppose. After so long, experiencing the opening credits again feels better than I anticipated. Cool.)

So, yes, to sum up Part 1, Sebacean independent colony, princess with sabotaged DNA who can only have kids with humans, and Crichton trapped between 80 years as a statue/ruler or being fed to Scorpius. Also, Scarrens for the first time. Also Zhaan/Moya/Pilot off on their own. Also D’Argo-Chiana pairings. Also John about to be killed at the end. [Read more…]

Farscape Movie???

April 21, 2014 By Michael G. Munz Leave a Comment

Big news for my fellow Farscape fans out there (and no, it’s not that I’m resuming my Farscape rewatch blogging–though I do plan to do that soon, and thank you for considering that “big news,” oh hypothetical reader…)! Farscape creator Rockne O’Bannon let it slip at Wondercon that Justin Monjo, writer of 14 episodes of the series, is currently penning the script for a Farscape movie.

It was only a brief mention at the end of an interview, and who knows if it’s going to be a Serenity-style theatrical movie or another mini-series like The Peacekeeper Wars, but here’s hoping it makes it through pre-production and gets onto a screen of some size!

Word is already spreading, though I myself heard it via a tweet by Gigi Edgley (Chiana):