Season 1, Episode 15: “Durka Returns”
 **** out of *****

“Nebari mental cleansing doesn’t get the tough stains out.”

This is a great episode, about which I seem to have written more than usual. After some pregnancy-related starburst turbulence, Moya smashes into a vessel carrying three passengers: a Nebari named Salis, his prisoner Chiana, and the mentally cleansed ex-captain of the Peacekeeper Zelbinion and former torturer of Rygel, Selto Durka, which utterly shocks anyone who did not see the title of the episode beforehand. By the end, Salis is dead, Chiana joins the “crew,” and Durka’s de-cleansed, adrift, and bald, for which he has no one to blame but himself. For the baldness, I mean.

This episode doesn’t want to let us be entirely sure what to think about any of the three visitors to Moya until all its cards are on the table. Oh, sure, we get initial impressions, but it’s all done in such a way to tease us with an uneasy feeling about each of them that there might be something more sinister lurking beneath the surface. It makes for some effective tension. This is one of those episodes that I wish I could watch again for the first time so I could fully enjoy that aspect anew. Plus, at this point it’s hard to remember my original impression of Chiana, since my impression now is obviously colored by getting to know the character through the rest of the show. Suppose the Nebari have a type of mental cleansing that merely rids you of memories of entertainment media?

Now that I think of it, this episode revels in ambiguity: Rygel’s bomb undoes Durka’s cleansing. Or was Rygel correct, and it was already ineffective? Durka claims it was Rygel’s doing, but can we really be sure? Even more so, who did kill Salis? Durka, or Chiana[1]? We never do find out.

Even though I do know Chiana’s character from the rest of the series, this episode alone does a great job of showing us a fair bit of that character. Yes, it’s lacking some nuance and detail, but only because there’s just so much that can be shown within a single episode’s time and the context of this particular story. Within that context, Gigi Edgley brings her to life perfectly[2]. Chiana is a classic rogue: crafty, self-serving, skilled at getting out of (and into) sticky situations, and not at all interested in authority. Yet Edgley gives her plenty of flavor (and a hint of vulnerability) so that she’s never a stereotype. Her wordless reaction to the question of where she was when Salis was murdered is fantastic.

Despite her current relationship with the Peacekeepers, Aeryn still reveres Durka at the start of the episode. She’s a fan meeting one of her heroes. But that fades upon his admission that he deserted his ship and crew to save his own life. Soon she considers him a disgrace. Rygel’s not far behind in changing his thoughts on the man either, and delivers one of my favorite Rygel speeches in the series:

“The all powerful Durka is a failure. It’s the truth, Durka. You tortured me without mercy. But you never broke me. You only made me stronger. And even if you do kill me, I’ll be laughing. Because all I’ll be thinking about is you, back on Nebari for the next hundred cycles being ground back down into nothing! This Leviathan you’ve commandeered is pregnant!”

Of course, coming alongside the introduction of Chiana is our introduction to the Nebari in general. I like ’em. One of their “standard host vessels,” which are apparently not warships, engaged and defeated the Zelbinion[3], so right away they’ve got some nice ominous-cred. As an empire, they’re insidious, and not quite like any of the other major players in Farscape. As a race, the grey skin and black eyes do a nice job of making them seem alien while being otherwise completely humanoid. It’s just a shame we so rarely get to see any other Nebari.

Last line:
“This isn’t a prison transport anymore, Chiana, you can get off whenever you want. One question: where were you when Salis was murdered?”

Other Comments:
Moya crashes into the Nebari ship after exiting starburst. You know, given how large space is, it’s curious how often ships collide with each other out of nowhere in this show.

With the hair, Durka looks somewhat like Lucius Malfoy. Or, rather, Malfoy looks like Durka, given the fact that this episode came first.

There’s a bit in the cargo bay when Crichton is looking for Chiana that features a pattern of light on the floor that looks very reminiscent of a ring device from Stargate SG-1. Of course it’s coincidental, but given that Ben Browder (and Claudia Black) would join the cast of that show in its later seasons, it amuses me.

John’s answer to whether or not he’s ever been stung by a particular alien plant: “Not yet.” So he’s already gained a bit of genre-savvy.

——
[1] I’ve even heard the idea floated that Zhaan might have done it, given her recent instability and obvious disagreement with Nebari mental cleansing.

[2] And as I understand, that’s why Chiana became a full member of Moya’s crew rather than dying at the end of the episode as originally written.

[3] Assuming you believe Salis, of course.

Season 1, Episode 14: “Jeremiah Crichton”
* out of *****

“Every once in a while, you reach an episode where everything comes together: the writing, the directing, the acting–all the production crafts–and you achieve a magic, magic, perfect episode. We’re here today to talk about Jeremiah Crichton because it is, absolutely, NOT that episode.” [1]

John gets fed up about being on Moya, goes out for a fly to clear his head, and accidentally gets stranded on a planet for 3 months when Moya has a little pregnancy-related uncontrolled starburst.

I really disliked this episode when I first saw it. The writing feels weird, and very few things particularly work. I’ve intentionally skipped showing it the handful of people that I’ve introduced to the show, as I was worried that it would scare them away before we even get any Chiana or Scorpius in the mix. Upon rewatching, I can at least say that it’s not AS bad as I remember it. The episode does LOOK good. (Well, not counting John’s beard. And the outfits, which the DVD commentary rightfully calls reminiscent of the Flintstones. But the location shots and the CG work, with the exception of Rygel’s [2], are quite nice.)

So since this is the episode everyone loves to hate, and the episode with its own commentary dedicated to saying, “Wow, this one really didn’t work, did it?” I’m going to simply list a number of things that I thought went wrong, and move on to “Durka Returns,” which is a much better episode…

• The episode/concept is played too straight, and isn’t turned on its ear in the way that Farscape usually does.
• John’s fake beard (described in the commentary as looking like Browder was wearing a ferret).
• D’Argo and Zhaan’s characters feel switched. D’Argo is the one saying they drove John to leave and that they should keep looking, while Zhaan is the one saying they should forget him and it’s all his fault. Even with Zhaan being different for her recent experiences, it still feels a bit much for her, and it definitely feels out of character for D’Argo.
• John and D’Argo are captured by nets that don’t even cover them down to their waists.
• The plot requires far too many happy coincidences for it to work.
• John’s being fed up and being a dick to everyone (Zhaan especially) seems to come just a little bit out of nowhere, as there just wasn’t enough time to establish it.
• Perfectly human aliens, who aren’t apparently Sebacean. 
• And finally, it’s just…kind of boring. We know John’s not going to remain on this planet. We know they’re not going to be killed, and it’s too silly for us to lose ourselves in the story and forget this [3]. The subplot on Moya with Zhaan and Aeryn looking for D’Argo, Rygel, and John, while it does ultimately affect the plot, is very bland and feels like little more than filler.

Last line:
“Let’s hit the road.”

Other Comments:
Even the great shows have a bad episode now and again.

——
[1] Executive Producer David Kemper, from the DVD commentary

[2] Stuff like that is forgivable if they can get other things right. In this episode, it just adds to the problems.

[3] It’s also before Farscape started killing people off.

Season 1, Episode 13: “The Flax”
***1/2 out of *****

“You lost to Kcrackic on purpose?”
“You think it was easy? He was an abominable player! A switched-off DRD would’ve made a better showing for itself. Oh, please. Bluffing is what the game’s all about!”

During transport pod flight lessons, Aeryn and John get caught in an invisible pirate space-net. (That is, the net is invisible. The pirates are not. At least, I didn’t see any invisible pirates.) While D’Argo heads off with an ex-pirate “garbologist” named Staanz to rescue them and look for a Luxan ship that might have useable maps, Zhaan, Rygel, and Pilot must deal with the rest of the pirates.

A good, fun episode, if slightly workmanlike. It’s also one that shows how the people aboard Moya are beginning to take into consideration the well-being of those they travel with and come together as a “crew” of sorts. Aeryn preferred to save John and risk not getting rescued before their air runs out rather than let him die to save herself. D’Argo, who previously chopped off Pilot’s arm for a chance to get home, turns back from another chance to get home in order to save Aeryn and John. And Rygel schemes his way to helping get the pirates off of Moya and away on the wrong track rather than purely helping himself. Granted, that also helped him, too, but it’s Rygel, so we take what we can get.

Rygel’s bit is really my favorite part. He pulls a fantastic bluff, pretending to have gotten into a bad position in the game and then wagering Staanz’s whereabouts when cornered. Except it’s all an act. He already had Pilot change the coordinates in the computer and so sent Kcrackic[1] off on the wrong course, since he knew the pirates wouldn’t leave them unscathed unless they thought they’d gotten something of value. I’ll admit, he completely bluffed me as well as he did them upon my first viewing. Granted, he did have some help from the episode’s director, but still. Fantastic illustration of Rygel’s character.

The episode ends with John and Aeryn promising each other that their sexual near-miss in the pod when they thought they were about to die was a one-time thing due to the heat of the moment, and that it will never happen again. It’s clear they both aren’t really buying it, and neither of them seem particularly bothered by that…

Last line:
“One thing. Just to be absolutely certain. You are the female of your species. Right?”

Other Comments:
It seems to be terribly poor spacesuit design to have non-universally sized helmets. But, then, I’m not an engineer, am I[2]?

——
[1] I confess I had to look the spelling of that name up, and it is NOT what I’d expected it to be.

[2] No, I’m not.

Season 1, Episode 12: “Rhapsody in Blue”
*** out of *****

“When the darkness rises up from inside, that is normal. It is when you reach down to pull it up! …that the noxious warning sounds.”

A Delvian sect who fled to the Uncharted Territories after a Peacekeeper-assisted coup on Delvia draws Moya to their temple and steals Zhaan’s peace-mojo. We’re treated to more of Zhaan’s background, including a revelation about the crime that got her imprisoned in the first place.

This is one of the few times in the series (and possibly the ONLY time–I don’t entirely remember anymore) that we see other Delvians. Apparently the make-up team had their hands more than full getting all of them ready for shooting each day, and it was deemed just too much trouble to have more than one Delvian in an episode at a time[1].

I like this episode, and yet I don’t really enjoy watching it. It begins as a welcome look into Delvian culture, and the sinister undercurrent of something creepy going on with mind-screwing aliens holds my interest. Yet once Tahleen makes her move on Zhaan and the crew gets telepathically distracted[2], it does get a little slower. I think perhaps if it were more focused on Zhaan during this time rather than Crichton, it might have been better, because most of the time we’re just watching Crichton talk to his non-existent wife. I liked that John helps Zhaan get somewhat back to where she was by showing her his vision of her during unity, but aside from that (and John’s frustration with Aeryn toward the start at her not finding anything incredible), this episode needed less John, more Zhaan. That rhymes, folks, and you KNOW it rhymes[3]!

There is one line I particularly hate in this episode, though. When Zhaan blocks Tahleen’s attack on Crichton, she says, “I am now a pa’u of the Tenth Level, able to protect.” It’s just a really clunky line. I know they’ve established that pa’u levels exist and are rated by number, but said in that way, it just feels a bit too much like Virginia Hey is playing Dungeons & Dragons. Quick! Roll a save vs. flawed writing!

Last line:
“Hardly wasted. They were the best cycles of my life.”

Other Comments:
Developing a common Farscape occurrence, John gets mind-frelled again. But then, so does almost everybody in this episode.

——
[1] Which is a shame, as Delvians are one of the most visually intriguing races in Farscape.

[2] Aeryn’s particular mental distraction seems…kind of stupid. Her weapon falls apart and she immediately freaks out? I wonder if Claudia Black argued with any of the writers about this.

[3] Well, maybe it doesn’t.

Season 1, Episode 11: “Till the Blood Runs Clear”
***1/2 out of *****

“You help me capture the prisoners and I’ll split the bounty, seventy-thirty.”
“Seventy…FORTY!”
“Eighty-forty. You in or out?”

After trying to recreate the wormhole that got him to the Uncharted Territories, John and Aeryn are forced to land on a planet for repairs and discover that Crais has put up numerous wanted beacons in his search for Moya[1]. Soon they’re forced to play bounty hunter themselves when they run into two Vorcarian blood trackers named Rorf (“Worf?” “RORF!”) and Rorg. Meanwhile, D’Argo has more temper tantrums and Zhaan gets in some private time when we’re introduced to the Delvian photogasm.

I do like this episode. John’s act with the Vorcarians (and Aeryn’s reaction to it) is fun to watch, and one of the first instances of what becomes a recurring situation in Farscape[2]. Also, Furlow’s a great character. She’s clever, she’s opportunistic, and she’s an untrustworthy figure that that John is forced to trust[3]. The thing that amuses me most about her is that she’s savvy enough about her self-serving attitudes such that she makes you at least suspect from time to time that she might actually be on your side.

As for the flaws of the ep, D’Argo really gets on my nerves here. He’s blustering, bossy, loud…and he’s too stupid to get that John isn’t actually betraying him. But at least it leads to a little bit of reconciliation and common ground between the two of them. Also, the pacing is a bit problematic at times. The scene where the Vorcarians capture D’Argo seems to be mostly shots of people walking/driving through the desert.

After being forced to give Furlow his flight data on wormholes (without a copy for himself), John tells her he’ll see her in five years. Turns out he wasn’t quite right about that time estimate…

Last line:
 “You remember now, any time you need some repair work done, you know where to come! You sure you don’t want that thing detailed?”

Other Comments:
This episode also gives us the first hint of John’s obsession with wormholes in that he doesn’t really think about Aeryn being in the module in his attempt to create a wormhole.

Some similarities to Tatooine: it’s a desert, someone goes blind, and my knowledge of the third season calls to mind the line, “You’re gonna die here, you know. Convenient.”

——
[1] Fortunately, they only advertise wanting Zhaan, D’Argo, and Rygel, since Crais wants John for himself and there’s a secret offer in the beacon for Aeryn if she turns them in: honorable retirement and a quick death! Oh boy!

[2] Fortunately for John, Worf Rorf and Rorg aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer, and it mostly works. For a while.

[3] Which is another recurring situation in this show, really.

(Sorry this one took a bit to get to. I’ve been busy with A Memory in the Black stuff this week. But more on that soon…)

Season 1, Episode 10: “They’ve Got A Secret”
**1/2 out of *****

“Oh, man. I bet that thing’s gonna grow.”

While searching for Peacekeeper devices on Moya, D’Argo accidentally knocks something loose that winds up getting him blown out into space and Moya pregnant. Also, we learn Luxans can survive in vacuum for up to a quarter of an arn, though it apparently makes them a little loopy in revealing and expositionary ways.

This episode is a little slow. It lays a lot of good foundation for future episodes, but it’s not all that fantastic on its own merits. If only I knew at the time how much Farscape likes to develop characters and plots in dynamic fashion, I might have been more excited upon my original watching. As it was, I remember not finding it all that interesting that first time because I still didn’t much care about D’Argo. We do get a lot more backstory for him[1], which reveals a great portion of his current agenda and motivation, but at the time I was a bit unmoved. I know, I know, I’m a heartless monster.

As for the mystery of what’s going on with Moya, it doesn’t seem to have too much traction until toward the end when it really gets going and we get close to figuring out what’s going on. That said, the bit where Crichton runs into the whole section of DRDs just staring at him in the black is creepy in its own little way. I was thinking it was evocative of The Birds–and a minute later John hung a lantern on it with his own mention of Hitchcock, so I’m guessing that was intentional.

Nonetheless, it must be said that the concept of a SHIP getting freaking PREGNANT is really far out there on the edge of things we’d ever really seen in a TV show before. It’s weird, it’s cool, it’s Farscape.

Last line:
“D’Argo, no matter what happens to us, I will never tell anyone about your son.”

Other Comments:
This episode also shows us that after her experience in the last episode, Aeryn seems to have retained a partial understanding of how Pilot controls Moya.

Hi, Talyn!

—–

[1] Lo’loan, Jothee, and Makton are introduced, in absentia. Seeing D’Argo play with Rygel, thinking he’s Jothee, is both amusing and touching. And just a tad disturbing somehow.