Tag: SyFy / Sci-Fi Channel

Talyn flies dangerously close to a nearby sun and resists Crais’ commands to pull back. Crais reports that some kind of signal from the sun is compelling Talyn to fly directly into the star, but the ship’s hybrid nature allows Talyn to resist just enough to settle into orbit. The crew begins looking for ways to further filter the signals, but the stress has caused Talyn to overproduce a stimulant called drexin, which begins to leak into the ship’s corridors and influence each one’s behavior. Rygel begins to compulsively overeat, Crais becomes even more aggressive and paranoid than usual, and Crichton and Aeryn find their libidos in overdrive. Stark watches a strange woman materialize in a recently-grown section of Talyn, a woman who is overjoyed to finally encounter someone who can see her. Named Sierjna, she has been trapped in the star for cycles, watching Leviathan after Leviathan plunge to its death in the siren star. Another being appears to Crais, Crichton and Aeryn on the bridge, claiming the siren star is a natural phenomenon and warning the crew to evacuate while they can. The crew don’t believe him, however, and continue to search for the source of the signals while trying to overcome the drexin. Sierjna’s joy is short-lived when Stark tells her that she is trapped between realms, and that the only help he can give her is to help her pass into the next world. Stark soon realizes that the new chamber is a vestigial Pilot’s Den; eager to help Sierjna and the ship, he joins himself with Talyn. But when he loses contact with Sierjna, he begins a search that brings Talyn ever closer to a fiery death.

written by Matt Ford
directed by Ian Barry
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Susan Lyons (Sierjna), Mark Mitchell (Mu-Quillus), Linda Cropper (Xhalax Sun)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

When Crichton and D’Argo return to Moya two days into a forced ten day vacation (because their bickering is driving everyone crazy), Crichton tries to convince Pilot that the situation really isn’t their fault and they should be allowed to stay. See, everyone was having a good time in this bar, and these two girls came on to Crichton and D’Argo, but it was just a ruse, because the next thing you know the two of them are waking up without their money and Crichton’s wearing women’s stockings. Another patron from the previous night’s partying shows up to tell them Chiana and Jool are in trouble, and takes them to this goofy alien whose tentacles you can put up to your eye and it’s like a VR ViewFinder, and Crichton and D’Argo see this total sleazeball give Chiana a whiff of something, at which point she’s all over him, and that can’t be good. D’Argo heads to the sleazeball’s pad to get the girls, but they’re having way too good a time to scram. Only problem is, shortly after D’Argo gets his butt kicked out of the place, sleazeball hooks Jool and Chiana up to a machine that extracts their bodily fluids. Turns out those fluids are the source of freslin, the stuff sleazeball’s been using on the girls, and it has a bunch of freaky effects. Just for starters, their new friend uses it to turn D’Argo into a dancing machine and a totally weird looking alien. I mean, weird compared to his usual appearance. Like I said, this freslin’s freaky stuff. Long story short, Crichton and D’Argo have to get in and get the girls out. But when does anything ever go simply for these guys?

written by Lily Taylor
directed by Tony Tilse
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Tammy MacIntosh (Jool), Francesca Buller (Raxil), Tamblyn Lord (Fe’Tor), Laura Keneally (Theiadh), Anthony Martin (Mitols), Milan Keyser (Sarl), Jaye Paul (Heska Tinaco), Julia Trappe (Blue Girl), Rachel Sheriff (Green Girl)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Crichton gets a feeling that the Ancients are trying to contact him again, and guides Talyn to a rendezvous point. The alien that appeared to him in his father’s form materializes inside the ship, once more in the guise of Jack Crichton. He’s not happy, and wastes no time in pulling John into a telepathic exchange. The Ancients have found a safe homeworld. Jack, however, has chosen to stay behind to guard the others’ way, at which point he saw an alien in what looks like Crichton’s module flying out of a wormhole. Jack accuses Crichton of betraying the Ancients’ trust and letting wormhole technology fall into the wrong hands. But Crichton insists he knows nothing about it. Harvey (the Scorpius clone) takes a moment to remind Crichton not to let Jack know of his presence, and suggests that the guilty party is likely Furlow, the technician who helped Crichton repair his module after one of Crichton’s earlier wormhole experiments. Talyn sets course for Dam-Ba-Da, only to find it almost totally desolate. Crichton, Jack, Aeryn, Rygel and Crais head to the planet surface, where Furlow’s shop is under siege. They manage to get to the shop, but Talyn is exposed to the system’s intense solar flares and Crais is blinded as a result. Rygel mans a turret to defend the shop while Aeryn, Jack and Crichton enter to find that Furlow has been imprisoned and tortured by the Charrids, who want to use the wormhole tech she has developed based on Crichton’s notes as a weapon. They, along with the Scarrans, want Furlow’s tech, and when a Scarran dreadnought taps into Furlow’s computer to get the data, Jack says there’s only one solution – they must beat the Scarrans at their own game and build their own wormhole weapon, one that will destroy the dreadnought. But Jack can only do that with help from Crichton, by unlocking the wormhole knowledge in his subconscious. And that means that Harvey has to go . . . Crichton’s brain isn’t big enough for the two of them anymore.

written by Carleton Eastlake
directed by Peter Andrikidis
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: Kent McCord (Jack Crichton), Magda Szubanski (Furlow), Thomas Holesgrove (Alcar), Patrick Ward (Zylar)

Notes: The Ancient Crichton knows as Jack first appeared in season 1’s A Human Reaction. Furlow repaired Crichton’s module in that season’s Till The Blood Runs Clear, and in exchange Crichton provided her with schematics to the module and the data from his wormhole experiments to that point.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Harvey 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.

written 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

D’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.

written 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

Aeryn 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.

written 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

Moya 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.

written 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

Having 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.

written 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

Crichton 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.

written 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

Crichton’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.

written 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