Season 1, Episode 6: “Thank God It’s Friday…Again”
** out of *****
“I study. Every chance I can. Moya was born with a very complete bank of scientific data. I…only comprehend a fraction, I’m afraid.”
“Do the others know about this?”
“I have told no one. I prefer they didn’t know.”
“But you’ve told me.”
“I…feel I can trust you.”
Capsule synopsis[1]: D’Argo goes into Luxan hyper-rage and winds up on a planet where people are drugged into farming a root used in the production of Peacekeeper weapons.
This episode drags a bit. While it’s not without its good parts–most of which having to do with Aeryn as she starts to discover that she has it in her to be something other than what she’s been taught to be–most of it tends to go rather slowly. It probably doesn’t help that Volmae, the albino leader of this planet (or of the city, anyway–this episode seems to feature a one-city “planet” in a “sci-fi writers have no sense of scale” way rather than a Coruscant way), has a…weeiiirrd way of…tallllkinnnng that stretches things out even more.[2]
There are some good character beats. Besides Aeryn’s aforementioned self-discovery, we also learn a little more about Pilot as she bonds a little more with him (see the episode quote above), and we start to see that D’Argo’s aspirations involve more than just being a great Klingon Luxan warrior. This planet is very close to the exact life he’s looking for. Ya know, without the mind-altering drugs. It is a little bothersome that the trigger for his hyper-rage against Crichton isn’t really explained, other than that they’re both male. Then again, the concept of Luxan hyper-rage has never quite seemed to be something she show really knew what to do with, even in a 4th season episode that tried to delve into it.[3]
The episode does feature something that, I think, is likely unique to Farscape’s style: Rygel’s tannot-root-enhanced explosive urine. Has this sort of thing ever happened on any other show that you can think of? (I mean, besides Little House on the Prairie?)
The episode ends with John and Aeryn getting Volmae and her people to rebel and work for themselves again, which is all nice and special, but I get the feeling that if Moya ever returned to this planet, they’d find that the Peacekeepers put down the rebellion and glassed the whole place.
Last line:
“Those kinds of dreams cannot be found, brave Luxan. You have to build them. And I promise you: your hands are still strong, and there is plenty of time.”[4]
Other Comments:
John makes a Thunderdome reference, amusing given Virginia Hey(Zhaan)’s part in The Road Warrior. Speaking of Zhaan, she looks good in red.
[1] I figure I’ll start adding a section like this for each episode, just to trigger the memory of people who’ve seen it a while ago. (And to keep myself from feeling like I have to recap everything. 🙂
[2] This is the second episode in a row with a weird-voiced alien woman.
[3] But I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it…
[4] Poor D’Argo…
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