Armed with maps Stark found on the commerce station, Moya heads for a planet that might heal Zhaan. But her journey is interrupted by a collision with another ship, which suddenly exits a wormhole and rematerializes partially inside the Leviathan...

This is one of those Farscape rarities in that it is an episode that is bogged down in technobabble. In fact, there's so much of it that it comes across like an episode from one of the Star Trek series (although a vastly superior episode). Even having said that I think these are two of the weaker episodes this year, but seeing as it's an astonishingly strong season that isn't really a bad thing.

I like the way the aliens cannot understand Crichton and co when they first encounter them. That wouldn't have happened on Star Trek. It's a nice touch, and I also like the way Neeyala refuses to allow the rest of her crew take the translator microbe injection. Other than that, the makeup is impressive - but more on that in part two if I remember.

I can't be bothered to work through the science, though. Effectively, the collision between the two ships knocked them through the wall of the wormhole and into the area between it and normal space.

Once you strip away the technobabble and get to the heart of the story you can see that it is aiming towards one purpose, which ultimately happens, but there is some other interesting stuff going on. Perhaps most illuminating is Aeryn's insight into John's character, that he is blinded to all else when wormholes enter the equation because of his understandable desire to get home. Even the fact that Moya is only an arn away from a planet that might have the environment necessary to save Zhaan he is prepared to halt their progress in order to investigate the wormhole. The ramifications of that form the bulk of the two-parter's story.

But it goes further than that. Both D'Argo and Zhaan repeatedly voice their concerns over Crichton's decision making, which Blue feels is driven by selfishness, particularly when he is prepared to go along with Neeyala's plan that will result in Moya's destruction. When the truth is revealed Crichton even begins to doubt himself, riddled with guilt for trusting the Pathfinder. I find it refreshing when a series allows its hero to screw up in such a big way: it's a further development of John's character, and of those around him and their attitudes towards him will change because of it.

Then, of course, there are further developments in the D'Argo/Chiana situation. At the start of the episode he is unprepared to talk about it when Aeryn tries to coax him on the subject. It is still eating away at him. Later on when they do talk about it he admits that he is angry with himself because he feels that he can almost forgive Chiana. Pip, for her part, is desperate to return their relationship to some sort of normality, especially once they are thrust into this life and death situation. She says that she felt cornered, and that she doesn't think straight in when she's in that position.

We also have the arrival of Jool. I like Jool. At this stage she is an incredible irritant, screaming and whining and basically making a nuisance of herself. And her outfit is hilarious. But, as usual, the writers do a wonderful job of developing her in the future. She's a welcome addition to the family.

And then there's the serpent which, apparently, only lives inside wormholes. It's an interesting plot device, adding an air of menace and effectively diverting our attention away from the real danger. The only thing I don't like about it is the cliffhanger, which feels unnecessarily tacked on and more than a little cheesy.



D'Argo: We're already destroyed, Aeryn -- it's just that some of us don't know it yet.

John: What? I mean, we're not even on the fairway? We're in the rough?

Chiana: When I'm cornered, I...I don't think clearly.
D'Argo: At least now you're speaking the truth.

Aeryn: Do you understand any of those words?
John: Yeah, I watched all kinds of Star Trek, it's just the order they're in.

Stark: I have a darkness which frightens lovers away. Whenever I assist the dying I cannot help but absorb a tiny spillet of their existence and over the cycles the endless parade of death, I've accumulated a vast reservoir of evil. I cannot bear to lose the one thing that mitigates this twisted core of my existence.

Rygel: We were thrown together against our will and we're all just trying to make the best of it until we can get the chance to screw the others to get what we want. I vote out at the next gap.

John: Do you think Scorpious is still alive?
Harvey: Without doubt.
John: What's he doing with the information he stole from my brain?
Harvey: The knowledge placed there by the Ancients is by now the center piece of a sprawling new research facility.
John: Once he masters wormhole technology what will he use it for?
Harvey: Faster delivery of pizzas.

John: Zhaan, Pilot is unconscious, Moya's nexus system is so backed up the Roto-Rooter man couldn't get it…
Zhaan: I know the litany, John. How desperate you must be for this wormhole knowledge.
John: Unfair.
D'Argo: You place your obsession above the lives of your friends.
John: What?
Stark: What have these strangers done to so earn your trust?

D'Argo: Now, John, we're trapped in the vawn of a wormhole, Pilot's unconscious, Moya is dying and my son has slept with my betrothed. Lock this woman up!

D'Argo: I cannot take you back Chiana, but I won't leave you alone in pain.

John: Hey Pilot, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Could'a, would'a, should'a.

Ok. Again I think alot of this is just a repeat of what Steve has mentioned above (great review there Steve btw :D ) but then again, what the hell!

3.3 Self inflicted wounds. Part 1: Could’a, would’a, should’a.

This is one of those episodes where they try to squeeze so much into it that it is hard to take in all in one viewing. But do I really need to see Pilot projectile vomiting again?

There is also a little too much techno-babble here for me. It’s something that I’ve not come to expect from Farscape and I tend to tune out and hope that someone will break it down for Chi or D’Argo at some point ;)

Speaking of Chi and Big D, she seems all upset and guilty (good!) about what she has done, and goes to (the ever weaker and closer to death) Zhaan for comfort and guidance. He, on the other hand, seems remarkably good for someone who was considering suicide last episode. And Jothee is nowhere to be seen. In fact, he isn’t even mentioned. I wonder how long after SL this episode is set?

Everyone seems to blame John for what happened but it was Pilot that stopped the search for a planet to save Zhaan to show John the wormhole, and he only wanted to take a few readings before moving on. How could anybody know that a big arsed corkscrew ship thingy would come flying out at them?

Neeyala and crew, you can't like them - the smarter-than-thou attitude, secret-keeping, hissing and poison darts - but Neeyala is interesting to watch, and it is fun to wonder which way she's going to jump next in order to save her crew and ship, and how many members of Moya's crew are going to jump with her... It seemed to me that most of the Moya gang was far too quick to agree to leave Moya, especially Aeryn who is closer to Pilot than anyone. Are they forgetting how many times that ship has saved their lives?

Now for the new crew member, Jool. How annoying is this woman? Though I did get a huge sense of satisfaction from watching D’Argo tongue jab her! And how dare she try to kill John. Rygel is such a rat :angry:

And what is that serpent thing about? It doesn’t really seem to serve any purpose other than to cause a cliff-hanger ending (Literally :D ). Maybe all will be revealed in the second part.

Favourite line:

John: "If Scorpius masters the wormhole technology, what will he use it for?"
Harvey: "Faster delivery of pizzas."

:lol: I've said something similar about Jool. She is incredibly annoying at this point.
Yay D'rgo

:lol:

I forgot about Rygel setting John up, how despicable!

I have to admit, I wasn't much for this one. probably not helped by me having to watch it over two sittings. I was tired and fell asleep halfway through the first time around :rolleyes:

I just never really found myself being able to get into it. The aliens came across as 'off' from the very beginning, and it was more a matter of 'how' they were screwing the gang rather than 'if'.

Steve's mentioned the weight of tehnobabble, and it's something I've come to expect Farscape steering clear of. That being said, it wasn't that bad, certainly better handled here than say an episode of Voyager.

Jool, I'll take your word for Steve, she annoyed the hell out of me at this point :lol:

I've come to expect a lot from multi-episode stories, I just found this a little disappointing. Fortunately, it picks up in the second episode :thumbsup: