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Farscape—Season 3's | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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fter a seven-month break, Farscape fans will finally get to see the last episodes of the third season—and what a finale it is. Early in the season, John Crichton (Browder) was twinned, and two Crichtons managed to get into twice as much trouble. One of the Crichtons sacrificed his life to keep wormhole technology out of the nasty claws of the Scarrans. But the Scarrans aren't the only bad guys in the Farscape universe interested in wormholes. In the last episode before the break, "Fractures," Crichton announced to Moya's crew his intention to go to the Peacekeeper Command Carrier and stop Scorpius (Pygram) from developing the wormhole technology.
This season's four-episode arc opens with "I Yensch, You Yensch," as a less-than-enthusiastic Moya crew begins to put Crichton's plan into place. D'Argo (Simcoe) and Rygel (voiced by Jonathan Hardy) await a clandestine meeting with Scorpius to arrange a truce that just might get the crew safely on board the Command Carrier. Scorpius arrives, and just as the negotiations are nearly finished, two thugs burst in to rob the meeting place.
Back on Moya, Jool (Tammy MacIntosh) has decided to leave. Just as she's about to board a medical ship that might help her get back home, Chiana (Gigi Edgley) slugs her and refuses to let her leave. Chiana has had a premonition, and she believes Jool's life is in danger. Moments later, Peacekeeper ships arrive, and Crais (Tupu) has no choice but to order Talyn to fire on the ships. Talyn destroys the threat, but begins to fall apart under the pressure.
As Crichton and the gang try to get an unstable Talyn under control, Scorpius and Rygel find themselves negotiating for their very lives. But it's only the beginning for everyone involved, as they find themselves pushed to the limit with only one thing for certain—nothing will ever be the same.
An ending arc that's four times the fun
Continuing the tradition, executive producer David Kemper and his crew once again offer a stunning four-episode arc to end the season, and once again there is a big cliffhanger that sets up the story arc for next season. This season's final four deal with themes that have been running through the series since the beginning, and fans should find it very satisfying indeed. In fact, Farscape just gets better and better.
The series creators have built a universe where every action has a cost, where nothing goes as planned and where everything is uncertain. And never has that been more the case than with this arc. "I Yensch, You Yensch" nicely sets up the action for the episodes that follow and offers some wonderful comic moments, especially between Rygel and Scorpius.
The season's big climax comes in the two-parter "Into the Lion's Den," in what may well be the finest two hours of Farscape ever produced. As Crichton and Scorpius dance around each other in an uneasy truce, a new villain arrives on the scene. Browder and Pygram are at the top of their form as the writers (Richard Manning, part 1, and Rockne S. O'Bannon, part 2) put them through their paces. As always, the Crichton dialogue is funny and has plenty of bite to it, and when Scorpius is around it's even better. "Lion's Den" is the gripping climax to the Crichton/Scorpius tale which started during the first season in a story that's been unrelenting and powerful. Crais (Tupu) and Aeryn (Black) also have some great moments.
The final episode, "Dog with Two Bones," manages to find resolution for the season's events and still set us up for what's ahead in the next season. Kemper wrote the episode, which smoothly travels between Crichton's thoughts and the story's action in a way that is sweet, sad and funny. This is Crichton's episode, and it's the perfect conclusion to the season. Like the best Farscape episode arcs, everything fits together like a beautiful puzzle in a way that's realistic for the characters and yet is still surprising.
What it all comes down to: Farscape has great writing and is thrillingly inventive and beautifully realized by the coolest intergalactic cast in the TV universe. And now that SCI FI has picked up the Saturn Award-winning series for a fifth year, Farscape is set to become the longest-running original series for the channel. Lucky us, especially since we're only going to wait a few weeks until season four begins. — Kathie
Also in this issue: Clockstoppers, and No Such Thing
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