I still have my "Wanted: Farscape Season 5" posters on my wall, they have been there since Season 4 was being shown.
This is by all accounts a true Farscape story - But it feels like the continuity which had built up in Farscape the Series was broken somehow. Changes in Jool's appearance, In Rygel's, In Sikozu, in Jothee, even in "War Minister Akhna" (Chricton's Real Life Wife Francesca Buller - Who was also the great character from S1E20 "M'Lee")- All worked against me initially in my own suspension of disbelief. In fact, this story had lost some of the unique 'Farscapese" which we loved week after week, I can never imagine Rygel using the phrase "Don't get your Knickers in a Twist" - He would have used some other more disgusting (and alien) words. Also, Guy Gross' Music is not very Farscapish or Subvisionish, it is traditional - Not like the show at all, although he did almost 3 seasons worth of music.
But as the story gets more involved, that continuity returns and we once again enter Tormented Space and The Uncharted Territories which is where Moya and crew were when last we looked.
Had we a season 5, there would have been more explanation of why "Grunchlk" was still alive and exactly why Chiana could see across "Unrealized Realities", also we never really got into what Sikozu really was, other than what is shown here.
And it also seems that the Skarran Empre was not slowed down one bit by the destruction of Staleek's "Bird of Paradise" farm, and they are kicking the pants off of the Peacekeepers.
If this story had been told across a 22-Episode 5th season, maybe we could have gotten those answers. But here has to end the story of John and Aeryn. Unfortunately, some other stories end here as well, which what upset me most. Mostly because it meant "No More Farscape" in it's current form.
What made Farscape unique was the involvement of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, So putting on this Mini Series was difficult enough, a year after the cancellation of Farscape- Some of the series production design did not transfer over well, maybe this was due to destruction of original sets, but even in the series, those were destroyed as well, in the episodes. Moya survived well, she looked great on the inside and outside.
The best part of this was probably the last few visits John has with "Harvey" - And I never understood why John called Scorpie's Neural Clone "Harvey" until this was shown, then the reference to the 1950 Jimmy Stewart film became clear. After that, I was able to visit all of the episodes where John talks to Harvey and it makes a lot more sense.
John Chicton was a walking, talking encyclopedia of Movie and TV knowledge, spouting phrases in Klingon, even taking on the mantle of The Roadrunner from the WB Cartoons. It's what made Farscape great, and so in this last Farscape "Episode" John Chricton is in fine Chricton form. As is Ka D'Argo. Unfortunately, Pa'u Zhaan never was found by Stark, or at least we never saw that. But even Stark is perfectly Stark, now that he shaved his head again. And Chiana was a great Chiana. But when I saw Sikozu, I asked "who is That?" Maybe it was the influence of being Scorpies Girlfriend. Scorpy, mystery as he is, has become the most Human he can ever be, even to the point of trusting someone and having feeling for them. Poor Scorpy, he cold not help being Scorpy. Jool was great, but not enough of her, my favorite 3rd season Moya Passenger.
It was mainly the little details that made Farscape the phenomena it was, and some of those were lost, but many of them remained- Enough remained for one last Starburst into The Uncharted Territories.
This is by all accounts a true Farscape story - But it feels like the continuity which had built up in Farscape the Series was broken somehow. Changes in Jool's appearance, In Rygel's, In Sikozu, in Jothee, even in "War Minister Akhna" (Chricton's Real Life Wife Francesca Buller - Who was also the great character from S1E20 "M'Lee")- All worked against me initially in my own suspension of disbelief. In fact, this story had lost some of the unique 'Farscapese" which we loved week after week, I can never imagine Rygel using the phrase "Don't get your Knickers in a Twist" - He would have used some other more disgusting (and alien) words. Also, Guy Gross' Music is not very Farscapish or Subvisionish, it is traditional - Not like the show at all, although he did almost 3 seasons worth of music.
But as the story gets more involved, that continuity returns and we once again enter Tormented Space and The Uncharted Territories which is where Moya and crew were when last we looked.
Had we a season 5, there would have been more explanation of why "Grunchlk" was still alive and exactly why Chiana could see across "Unrealized Realities", also we never really got into what Sikozu really was, other than what is shown here.
And it also seems that the Skarran Empre was not slowed down one bit by the destruction of Staleek's "Bird of Paradise" farm, and they are kicking the pants off of the Peacekeepers.
If this story had been told across a 22-Episode 5th season, maybe we could have gotten those answers. But here has to end the story of John and Aeryn. Unfortunately, some other stories end here as well, which what upset me most. Mostly because it meant "No More Farscape" in it's current form.
What made Farscape unique was the involvement of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, So putting on this Mini Series was difficult enough, a year after the cancellation of Farscape- Some of the series production design did not transfer over well, maybe this was due to destruction of original sets, but even in the series, those were destroyed as well, in the episodes. Moya survived well, she looked great on the inside and outside.
The best part of this was probably the last few visits John has with "Harvey" - And I never understood why John called Scorpie's Neural Clone "Harvey" until this was shown, then the reference to the 1950 Jimmy Stewart film became clear. After that, I was able to visit all of the episodes where John talks to Harvey and it makes a lot more sense.
John Chicton was a walking, talking encyclopedia of Movie and TV knowledge, spouting phrases in Klingon, even taking on the mantle of The Roadrunner from the WB Cartoons. It's what made Farscape great, and so in this last Farscape "Episode" John Chricton is in fine Chricton form. As is Ka D'Argo. Unfortunately, Pa'u Zhaan never was found by Stark, or at least we never saw that. But even Stark is perfectly Stark, now that he shaved his head again. And Chiana was a great Chiana. But when I saw Sikozu, I asked "who is That?" Maybe it was the influence of being Scorpies Girlfriend. Scorpy, mystery as he is, has become the most Human he can ever be, even to the point of trusting someone and having feeling for them. Poor Scorpy, he cold not help being Scorpy. Jool was great, but not enough of her, my favorite 3rd season Moya Passenger.
It was mainly the little details that made Farscape the phenomena it was, and some of those were lost, but many of them remained- Enough remained for one last Starburst into The Uncharted Territories.