When a cargo negotiation with the bloodthirsty Tavleks turns into a kidnapping, Moya's crew must race against time to save their shipmate...

Favourite line......

John: (arms crossed, still stewing) You shanghai my ass down here and now you want me to lead? Give me one good reason.

Aeryn: Lots of reasons. Land mines. Fire snakes. Razor grass. Night vision snipers, Morlian death spiders...


There is some fantastic John/Aeryn moments in this episode, and I had quite forgotten how many of my favourite lines came from this one, I don't remember liking it that much the first time around ;)

I agree: I thoroughly enjoyed it this time around. It's still not the Farscape I know and love - there's definitely a feeling that they hadn't decided what audience they were aiming for at this point, hence the knockabout humour and still-stereotyped D'Argo.

But there is some decent dialogue in here. Zhaan actually comes across really well in this episode, and manages to spring a few surprises. It's kind of strange, looking back at these early episodes, how big a part Rygel is playing in all of them, too. I didn't really remember that.

The music still grates during the episode - again, an indication that they hadn't decided on the tone and feel of the show at that point, which is understandable in such formative stages. It's also the first time they have really got to do some action with pyrotechnics: a scaled down glimpse of things to come.

And the Tavloids - sorry, Tavleks - are pretty cool. The gauntlet is an interesting weapon, and it's nice to know that we'll be seeing them again in the future.

All in all, an episode that's lightweight but fun :)

Not too much to add I'm afraid. It was okay, some very good lines from Aeryn as Melian has already quoted. Nice blue tint to the foliage :lol:

The gauntlet (don't say Buffy, don't say Ms Post :lol: :lol: :lol: ) erm, interesting weapon :rolleyes:

This was better than the previous episode, although I'm afraid had I not got the entire season already, I wouldn't be giving the series the attention I'm sure it will deserve. Out of interest, when does the series really get kicked up a gear?

Sorry, I feel I'm being needlessly negative, but unlike other series I'm afraid Farscape still hasn't really gained my attention. Fingers crossed it will improve though (and hopefully I'll speed through S1 :))

Before I tuned out of the Beeb transmissions, A Human Reaction was the first episode that I really liked.

I felt much the same at this stage when I first watched it, Phillip, because it doesn't feel like it's covering any new ground, and which resulted in me giving up on the series until I caught season 3's Suns and Lovers by accident and found that a quantum leap in the level of quality in all aspects had occurred.

Personally, now I think that things start to improve from 1.07 PK Tech Girl onwards. I view the first season much like that of B5, Stargate etc - there are a few stinkers, a few average and a few corkers, but even in the worst episodes there are hints towards what they were striving for.

Each season has a similar structure, in that they start with several standalone stories, with the big arc kicking in at around mid-season and then dominating until the big multi-episode climaxes.

James is right - A Human Reaction is where the Farscape story really begins, in terms of the ongoing arc. The latter stages of season 1 show marked improvement, culminating in three or four stunning episodes which change the direction of the series completely.

But, even after this very shaky start, it ended up being a show with real balls, and it was uncompromising and inventive right up until the end. There aren't many shows around that can claim that.

I remember catching parts of Nerve and The Hidden Memory when they originally aired on BBC2 as well. Unfortunately I didn't see enough of those episodes to win me back. Don't think I've ever seen any of Season 2. The only real reason that you were able to tempt me with the rewatch Steve was because for some unknown reason I picked up the Into the Lion's Den 2 parter on DVD. Even as a non FS fan at the time, and even not knowing what had gone on over the past couple of years, I still thought those episodes were brilliant.

Lisa's probably the best person to give a view on it, as this is her first time through and she came to it completely fresh and unbiased.

I think the way I became a fan was probably the best way I could have done it, as I was inevitably comparing it to other shows at the start. Returning to it during season three and seeing the quality, getting drawn into its universe and then going back and watching the first two years from a new perspective worked really well for me.

Pretty much what I did. You'd have thought I'd have learn't my lesson after nearly missing out on B5 by making that mistake :rolleyes:

It's a natural reaction, to compare things in that way, and I do think the writers invited those comparisons during the early stages by telling stories that had been done better elsewhere.

I think most shows suffer from that problem Steve, not just Farscape.

Exactly.

It's true, Farscape does borrow from other shows, but they put a unique slant onto an old story, and come up with something that feels totally fresh, or at least that's how I've found it to be.

Phillip, there are some truly dreadful eps in both seasons 1 and 2, but it's worth getting through them, because there are so many excellent eps you'll be rewarded with. It took me 6 or 7 episodes to start liking it, but half way through season 1 I was totally hooked.

Trust me when I say, I don't think I've ever seen a leading television actress as good as Claudia Black, she has on occasion literally moved me to tears, she's that good. Ben Browder too, has been sensational in the latter half of season 1 right up to our current eps in the season 3 rewatch.

(the leather trousers help too, isn't that right Steve :P :lol: :lol: )

<_< :lol:

I found this when I was looking for PKW related articles. Pretty much sums it up (I've edited spoilers out of it):

I think that I've done more than enough plugging for the series, now... but it always sounds better when it comes from someone else :lol:

Complex by who's standards? (sorry this is a sore point so I'm going to moan) I don't think its ever been too complex for its fans. Its an odd approach these days to science fiction on television to continually worry about making things accessible to a new audience we are not stupid.

IMO Farscape was successful because of its original stories. Yes I understand the networks want as many viewers as possible but changing the content is not going to help.

To me its more a question of broadening the marketing and advertising of shows like farscape. If the next step was to me a movie then a fabulous trailer goes a long way. (It would stand a much higher chance of getting a larger audience than via television)

I have converted many people into watching sci-fi shows who were totally unaware of their existance. Its a shame that television companies don't put in the same effort. :mad: :mad:

Sorry rant over :D

Wow, nice rant, Alex! :lol:

Basically, I think they're looking for excuses for the series' cancellation. The sad fact of the matter is that Sci Fi's viewing figures for the show dropped off dramatically during the third and fourth seasons, which has been attributed to the nature of the ongoing arcs which, they say, prohibits potential viewers from entering the experience. I think that's utter tosh, seeing as I really "discovered" the series early in the third season having given it a miss for quite a while.

I have to say that I never found the stories too complex, but they were complex in a clever and satisfying way. Also, because the story wasn't tied down by militaristic or political trappings there was a lot more freedom and scope for the writers to experiment and just have a lot of fun. Farscape's stories evolved more organically than practically any other series I can think of: they were borne naturally out of character dynamics rather than being enforced by plot structure, which is a problem I've had with other shows. For me it made the series wonderfully unpredictable and freeflowing.

Totally agree on the marketing points. It's ironic, if understandable, that the biggest push the series has received is for The Peacekeeper Wars. Had they put that amount of effort in during the series' run it may have been a different story.

But a counterpoint to that is that Farscape never compromised for anybody: it never altered its values for the sake of viewing figures, and that is something for which I am very grateful. I hate to think what would have happened had that been a concern for the production team. Can you imagine Farscape's answer to Seven of Nine? :x

Unfortunately a lot of people just don't get it. It's their loss.

:D Good point about the militaristic formulae that many American shows seem to adopt. It put me totally off Stargate, Voyager and countless other carbon copies. I am trying to give Stargate Atlantis a try but to me it pales in comparison to Farscape. I think thats why I liked DS9 because Starfleet regulations blah blah blah went out the window :D


It does show how the underlying prevelant politics of a country can affect program making and luckily Farscape bucked the trend.

I know there are a lot of people who will never get Farscape but I honestly believe that it never reached its audience potential. I would never have it altered in any way shape or form like you and just glad we got as many episodes as we did.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Totally agree. I think this has a lot to do with why I find most of the other space shows so tired these days. The military structure seems to be de rigeur.

For me, the only show that may have surpassed Farscape in my affections, or at least equalled it, was Firefly. It worked on a lot of the same principles, particularly with regard to putting the characters first, and - again - there was the total absence of an enforced structure (military or otherwise) that allowed the whole exercise room to breathe.

I'm sure it's not a coincidence that both shows were cancelled before their time. Maybe the target audience requires that "structure" in order to feel like they're on safe ground. It screws the rest of us, though. <_<

:D I did enjoy Firefly but am too annoyed that it got cancelled so early on, just as I was getting into it bam its gone, arrrgghhh. (I felt this way after Farscape was cancelled for quite a long time and couldn't even watch the dvds because it made me so sad).

Its trivial in the order of things but having waited since the original star wars films, 20yrs ago to be finally given a show that not only met but exceeded my expectations only to have it taken away is just so cruel. Do we have to wait another 20yrs I hope not.

Sorry I'm only moaning now because I'm new and have to get these things out. I'll have wonderful things to say about the rewatch:)


:D

At least we have Serenity to look forward to, as some kind of closure for Firefly anyway :thumbsup:

Hey, don't worry, Alex, I'm pretty certain all us 'Scapers feel the same way. I don't think it's any coincidence that I too am a huge Star Wars fan. So what if it's trivial? So what if it's just another tv show? It's escapism of the purest kind and in the world we live in that kind of escapism is a refuge many of us need, be it sci-fi, horror or soap. Actually, those last two kind of go together. :lol:

I sincerely hope that we don't have to wait another 20 years for a show like this to come along. Firefly was the shining beacon of promise, imo. Let's hope that both The Peacekeeper Wars and Serenity are resounding successes all around the world. Maybe then we'll get what we want. :)

You beat me to it, Lisa :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Great minds and all Steve ;)

B)

:thumbsup: Yay you have cheered me up, must be the awful weather getting to me. I will look on the bright side and hope that we get more of each, Firefly & Farscape soon!! :clap:

My work here is done! :01: B)

Only problem is I feel as depressed as hell about it all now :lol: :lol: :rolleyes:

:lol: :lol: :lol:


This will cheer you up, I watched Eat Me again this morning.

When can we start posting on it? I don't want to spoil for others:)

:thumbsup:

Post any time you like. :thumbsup:

I don't think anyone views the threads until they've watched the episode, and if they do they have to expect spoilers anyway. ;)

:thumbsup: Excellent :thumbsup:

Thanks

All of this and I didn't even mention some of my favourite dialogue from this ep:

John: You don't want Rygel anyway.
Bekesh: Why don't I?
John: Because... he's not really a king.
Rygel: I'm not?
Bekesh: He's not?
John: He's... an escaped mental patient. Believes he's royalty.
Rygel: You're the mental patient if you expect anybody to believe that-
(Bekesh kicks Rygel)
Bekesh: He's not insane.
Rygel: I could be.
John: No, he's not insane. But he is sick.
(Rygel coughs)
John: He's very sick, very contagious. You ever hear of chicken pox?
Bekesh: He's not sick.
John: Okay, he's not sick. But he is worthless.
:lol:

John: Rygel is an obnoxious gasbag, and who's gonna shell out for that?
Rygel: He's right. I'm unloved, unwanted, unpopular (Kick), unconscious...
:lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: :lol:

Don't you just love Ryg :D

Rygel is my hero, when i grow up i want to be just like him.........................
Mean,selfish,spiteful,childish,greedy,horny,voyeuristic,foul mouthed,greedy,short,fat,legs that don't reach the floor,lazy,idle,

Oh yeah i already am like him.

That's why i like Rygel, 'cause he is (to quote Kirk)
'the most human' character of all of them, including Crichton,
he's the most like us!

:lol: :lol:

Great description of him, Jon - spot on. And, to be fair to him, he does actually care and he usually comes good in the end. :thumbsup:

And he's ticklish, always a sign of a 'heart of gold' as they say in soapland!

But, as a certain 'big,blue bitch' said, he is also the most wise.

I'm still laughing at his speech to Crichton in 'Crichton Kicks', whic i watched on sunday, and i've seen it 4 times already!

Maybe we should have a thread for Favourite Rygel Moment. :unsure:

:thumbsup: I was thinking the same. Can we start one with spoilers as I'm thinking of a particular episode in S3 that not everyone has seen yet:)


:thumbsup:

'Tis done! :thumbsup: