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Farscape Season 3

Infinite Possibilities Part 2: Icarus Abides

FarscapeHarvey appears to have won the battle for control of Crichton’s body. Aeryn reluctantly prepares to shoot him when Jack intervenes – the clone is in control for a moment, but it’s a last, dying gasp. Crichton is free, and he quickly grasps the wormhole information flooding his mind. An advance Scarran scout boards Talyn and demands that Stark instruct the ship to prepare a neural interface that will let it take control; Stark and a recovering Crais plot to eliminate this threat. Furlow turns on the others, killing Jack and planning to sell the tech to the Scarrans, including the new wormhole weapon. Crichton and Aeryn chase her through the desert. Crichton eventually overtakes Furlow; during their fight the weapon is tossed from her vehicle, where the weapon’s power supply is exposed. Furlow once more urges Crichton to run away with her, where they can profitably exploit their knowledge. But Crichton knows the Scarrans are coming. He has to get the weapon aboard the copy of his module and into space – even if it means exposing himself to the weapon’s massive radiation.

Order the DVDswritten by Carleton Eastlake
directed by Ian Watson
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Kent McCord (Jack Crichton), Magda Szubanski (Furlow), Thomas Holesgrove (Alcar), Noel Hodda (Charrid Leader 2)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Farscape Season 3

Revenging Angel

FarscapeD’Argo demonstrates the progress he’s made with his vessel to Crichton, when something goes wrong. Blaming Crichton for interfering, he pushes Crichton against a stack of containers; the containers come crashing down on him, knocking him out and causing a dangerous level of internal bleeding. The crew can’t entirely focus on his problems, however – whatever happened to D’Argo’s ship, it’s getting ready to self-destruct, and Moya’s circuits are so fried she can’t eject the ship safely. An enraged D’Argo tosses his blade into the ship’s depths. Pilot and Moya suggest that the crew hide in one of the farther chambers, where they might be able to survive for a few days, but the crew want to try and find a way to save the ship. Harvey, meanwhile, wants Crichton to save himself – and the clone – by focusing on his need to take revenge against D’Argo. Crichton doesn’t want to go that route, but he needs to find some solution to his problem, something that will help him muster the will to fight his way back to consciousness. He begins an animated internal dialogue with D’Argo, trying just about every trick he can think of. Jool confesses to D’Argo that she may actually be responsible for the ship’s problems; she decided to investigate it in hopes they’d have something to talk about. That actually helps D’Argo’s mood somewhat, but he’s still a bit snappish when Chiana gets under his skin – fortunately so, because his cursing in his mother tongue sets off the ship’s voice recognition systems. It’s an ancient Luxan ship, and the self destruct can be stopped by one of three ancient Luxan items – including a blade.

Order the DVDswritten by David Kemper
directed by Andrew Prowse
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool)

Notes: The internal dialogue between Crichton and D’Argo is often literally animated, as a cartoon D’Argo chases a ‘toon Crichton in a send-up of Road Runner cartoons while a pen-and-ink Aeryn makes a brief homage to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The soundtrack to this episode, complete with merry melodies from series composer Guy Gross, is available in a limited edition CD.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Farscape Season 3

The Choice

FarscapeAeryn has locked herself away on a planet of supposed spiritualists, drowning in grief for the deceased Crichton and hoping perhaps to contact his spirit, or the spirit of her father Talyn. In her dreams, she begins to have flashes of memory from the timeline in which she and Crichton grew old together on a world shrouded by time mists. While awake, she encounters a deformed creature claiming to be her father, and offering blood tests to prove it. Xhalax had allowed him to fake his death, the creature says. Perhaps now they can form a relationship. He offers to help her contact her lost loved one, and promises to bring her a seer. When Stark and Rygel come down to the planet to look for Aeryn, they discover that Xhalax is still alive. They accuse Crais of betrayal, and Crais says that he took the only option available – he spared Xhalax so that she would report that they were all dead, to prevent another retrieval squad from coming after them. All three try to warn Aeryn that her mother is alive – with good reason, as Xhalax is plotting with the creature to emotionally destroy Aeryn before killing her. But to a large degree, Aeryn is already emotionally dead, and she thinks she just might welcome someone finishing the job.

Order the DVDswritten by Justin Monjo
directed by Rowan Woods
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Linda Cropper (Xhalax Sun), John Gregg (Talyn Lyczac), Stephen Shanahan (Tenek), Raj Ryan (Hotel Owner)

Notes: Stark leaves Talyn’s crew in this episode in order to accommodate Paul Goddard’s schedule on other projects.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Farscape Season 3

Fractures

FarscapeMoya receives a signal from Talyn to meet up. But at the rendezvous point, Moya doesn’t meet Talyn – instead it encounters a transport pod of escaped prisoners and a captured Peacekeeper tech. The prisoners had been used as test subjects for an experimental weapon when they escaped; in the escape, one of the prisoners dissolved into many pieces. Fortunately, this particular creature is able to reassemble and heal itself, with a little help. Meanwhile, the crew escorts the remaining prisoners. Chiana befriends a Nebari imprisoned for being an androgyn, or hermaphrodite; Rygel enjoys the charms of a Hynerian female, and D’Argo accompanies a mutilated Scarran. When Moya and Talyn do finally meet, Crichton eagerly greets the crew in the hangar. But the reunion turns sour when Aeryn can barely look at him and Crais explains that his counterpart is dead. Amongst the deceased Crichton’s personal effects is Stark’s mask, which contains a message for the living Crichton. But before he can receive it, the reunited crew must deal with the crisis at hand – one of the prisoners is betraying them all, sending signals to the Peacekeepers. And an increasingly prescient Chiana is sure that this will not end well for everyone.

Order the DVDswritten by Rockne S. O’Bannon
directed by Tony Tilse
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), Kate Beehan (Hubero), Matt Doran (Markir Tal), Thomas Holesgrove (Naj Gil)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Farscape Season 3

I-Yensch, You-Yensch

FarscapeHaving decided to try and board Scorpius’ command carrier to sabotage his wormhole experiments, D’Argo and Rygel arrange a meeting with Scorpius and Braca at a diner on an out of the way planet to negotiate terms. Scorpius demonstrates the means by which the two sides can enforce their agreement – neural bracelets that ensure that whatever one wearer feels, the other experiences as well, up to and including death. He demonstrates the bracelets on Braca and D’Argo – which is unfortunate, because two robbers bust into the diner and, in the process of shooting up the place, hit Braca in the leg. With Braca and D’Argo both out of commission, Rygel and Scorpius must find a way out of their predicament. Talyn, meanwhile, is acting more and more out of control, inadvertently firing on a hospital ship. Crais realizes the only thing that can be done is to disable Talyn’s higher functions and remove his weaponry – but first he must convince both Moya and Talyn of the virtues of his plan.

Order the DVDswritten by Matt Ford
directed by Peter Andrikidis
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), David Franklin (Lt. Braca), Ben Mendelsohn (Sko), Anthony Hayes (Wa), Inge Hornstra (Essk), Salvatore Coco (Voodi), Thomas Holesgrove (Naj Gil)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Farscape Season 3

Into the Lion’s Den Part 1: Lambs to the Slaughter

FarscapeCrichton and company board the command carrier. While Crichton quickly goes to work in the lab – after asserting his status as equal partner – the others set about ensuring Scorpius meets the rest of their demands. D’Argo wants the rings implanted in his body removed and the location of the Peacekeeper who killed his wife. Rygel wants an update on the Hynerian political situation. Crais wants Talyn brought on board so he can be repaired. This demand raises eyebrows, but Scorpius agrees, and assigns one of his lieutenants to work with Crais – a former lover who has agreed to spy on the disgraced commander. Aeryn realizes how unlike the Peacekeepers she has become, while the carrier’s crew is less than happy with having to coexist with the former prisoners. When one of them attacks D’Argo, he, Jool, Chian and Rygel choose to return to Moya. Their safety is short-lived, however. Another group of Peacekeepers surprise Moya, immobilize her, and bring her back to the carrier. Commandant Grayza informs Scorpius that the Peacekeepers are no longer interested in Scorpius’ apparently-fruitless project. Instead, they have begun building an alliance and even opening talks with the Scarrans. And the last thing they want is for the Peacekeepers to continue to be made fools of by a band of renegades with a growing reputation. Scorpius throws Grayza off his ship, but it’s only a matter of time before she returns and puts a permanent end to Scorpius’ career. He needs results, now. Confronted with the threat of the Scarrans, Crichton is even beginning to reconsider whether he should truly help Scorpius. And if that’s not enough incentive, Scorpius has more: he’s found Earth. It’s 60 cycles away by conventional means, but if Crichton won’t help him, then Scorpius will take revenge by destroying Crichton’s homeworld.

Order the DVDswritten by Richard Manning
directed by Ian Watson
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), David Franklin (Lt. Braca), Rebecca Riggs (Commandant Mele-On Grayza), Danny Adcock (Co-Kura Strappa), Sean Taylor (Lt. Reljik), Lenore Smith (Lt. Darinta Larell), Marta Dusseldorp (Officer Yal Henta), Lewis Fitz-Gerald (Tosko), Mark Mercedes (Officer Vonk)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Farscape Season 3

Into the Lion’s Den Part 2: Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

FarscapeCrichton’s getting closer than ever to unlocking wormholes, but Scorpius’ threats against Earth have just increased his resolve to destroy the project. He meets with the others out of eavesdropping range to settle on a new plan: they’ll destroy the carrier itself, in such a way that the crew will have a chance to escape. Before they can get too far in their plan, however, Crais betrays them. All but Aeryn and Crichton are imprisoned, and Scorpius demands that Crichton work harder or they will face the consequences. Crais and Aeryn manage to get Crichton away long enough to tell him the truth – Crais’ betrayal was a ruse, to get into Scorpius’ confidence and get access to Talyn. There, Crais plans to initiate Starburst within the carrier – a process that will destroy them both, but set off a chain reaction that will destroy the carrier as well. Crichton takes Scorpius aboard his module and into a wormhole to buy Crais time. With Aeryn’s help, he succeeds in his plan. As the carrier destructs around them, Moya’s crew must find their way to safety while Crichton seeks to eliminate the last vestiges of the wormhole project once and for all.

Order the DVDswritten by Rockne S. O’Bannon
directed by Rowan Woods
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), David Franklin (Lieutenant Braca), Danny Adcock (Co-Kura Strappa), Lenore Smith (Lieutenant Darinta Larell), Marta Dusseldorp (Officer Yal Henta), Sheridan Rynne (Brenna), Terrence Hepburn (Armak)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Farscape Season 3

Dog with Two Bones

FarscapeHaving destroyed Scorpius’ carrier, Moya’s crew has a final task: Moya wants to deposit Talyn’s remains in a sacred Leviathan burial ground. A rogue Leviathan, grieving over the death of her own offspring, refuses to allow Moya entry, going so far as to ram the ship. Pilot learns that this rogue has destroyed other Leviathans as well, which leads Moya, Pilot and D’Argo to one conclusion: the rogue must be destroyed. Crichton has trouble getting his head into the game; wormhole information is still spilling out of his subconscious, and he can’t stop daydreaming about the possibility of life on Earth with his friends – daydreams that never turn out well. Further confusing matters is the presence of an odd old woman, a refugee from the command carrier, who keeps offering her services without being very clear about how she can help. The crew works together a final time to repair Moya and destroy the rogue. With their work complete, they begin to say their goodbyes. Crichton tries one more time to convince Aeryn to stay, but the still-grieving ex-Peacekeeper simply isn’t ready for that. As a morose Crichton floats in his module outside Moya, Harvey unlocks one more piece of information in his subconscious – one which makes it even harder for Crichton to let Aeryn go. But it may be too late for him to go anywhere at all.

Order the DVDswritten by David Kemper
directed by Andrew Prowse
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), Kent McCord (Jack Crichton), Melissa Jaffer (Old Woman)

Notes: The Old Woman, whose arrival on Moya happens off-screen after the events of Into The Lion’s Den, continued as a recurring character in season 4, where her name was revealed as Noranti. Jaffer also played the old Nilaam in the season 2 episode Vitas Mortis

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer