Reviews (3)

*DVD* Please! Let's get these out on DVD!
I had a fabulous time today, having a molar extracted. You see, my wacky dentist has TVs on the ceiling, with VCRs, and he chose to show me a pair of "Dinosaurs" episodes, while he did his bloody work. It was SO hard not to just bust a gut laughing. (What was he thinking? He was laughing too!)

If the two episodes I saw are a good sample, this is a *wildly* funny show, just relentlessly hilarious -- with a bit of an "edge", if you'll excuse the cliche.

I'm ready to buy the complete series on DVD anytime -- after less than an hour, I'm an instant convert!

Love it!
This used to be on TV and I couldn't get enough of it! It's cute, teaches lessons with simple family and day-to-day situations. Love the themesong! You'll never be able to forget baby dinosaur's motto: "I'm the baby, gotta love me!"

Great for kids. Parents too.
This Movie has me still laughing. It's the best. Hopefully you will like it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kids love this Muppet take on Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate classic, about the pirate Long John Silver (Tim Curry) and his takeover of a ship in order to track down buried treasure. His friend and then nemesis is earnest cabin boy Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop), who teams with the captain of the ship (Kermit the Frog) and several shipmates (including Gonzo, Ratso, and Fozzie) to foil Long John's nefarious plot. An odd subplot finds Captain Kermit stopping at a desert island to find his long-lost love (Miss Piggy--who else?). The Muppets have not lost their wild sense of humor, which works on enough levels to amply entertain children and their parents in imaginative fashion. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Treasure Island Will Never Be the Same Again!
"Muppet Treasure Island" tells the story of the classic novel, with a Jim Henson twist. Kermit is the dashing Captain Smollett, Miss Piggy as the ravashing Benjamina Gunn, Fozzie is the dimwitted Squire Trelawney, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew as the intelligent Dr. Livesay, Gonzo, Rizzo, and Beeker as themselves, and several other memorable Muppets. Tim Curry steps in to play the most dreaded pirate ever to sail the Seven Seas, Long John Silver. And Kevin Bishop makes his first appearance on the Silver Screen as the brave, young Jim Hawkins. The Hispaniola and Treasure Island together are now the equivalent to "A Cruise to the Bahamas For Rats"-- compliments of Rizzo the Rat and Rat Tours Limited, the Sweedish Chef makes a rather odd-looking cook on the island, and Statler and Waldorf are the "mermaid" figureheads of the Hispaniola. With brillant songs and musical numbers in addition, this is one movie your family will want to watch again and again!

Lots of pirate fun, and muppet fun too!
Except, perhaps, for the new movie Treasure Planet, I'd have to say that, despite the fact that this movie stars our favorite Frog and Pig, it's one of the best retellings of the classic swashbuckling adventure by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Jim Hawkins lives at an inn, where he also works for his keep as the bus boy, along with his compatriots Rizzo and Gonzo. Billy Bones is a frequent patron of the inn, and constantly tells the story of Captain Flynt's buried treasure. Most dismiss the tale as a result of too much rum...until Blind Pew, a doddering bat, delivers the Black Spot; the pirate's death sentence. Billy frantically bequeaths a treasure map to Jim. Jim flees the attacking pirates with his friends, and enlists Squire Trelawney (Fozzie), an interested son of the shipbuilder, to charter a ship. The rest is classic history: Jim meets cook Long John Silver - - the man with the one leg that Billy warned Jim of - - and the ship sails to the lost island in search of treasure.

The characters are excellently-cast; even those that aren't Muppets. Tim Curry makes an excellent Long John. It's always interesting to see how Jim and Long John befriend each other on the ship, and Curry and Bishop pull it off convincingly.

All the while the movie plot is going, the Muppets perform just as usual for their audience, while not ruining the premise of the film, which probably wasn't easy to do. ("He died?" asks Rizzo over Billy Bones. "And this is supposed to be a KIDS' movie!")

They sing lots of catchy songs on board the ship and the island, and Kermit the Frog engages Long John Silver in an amphibian/pirate sword duel before the movie is through. It's sure to entertain all audiences, young and old.

Here's my one beef with the film: Towards the end, a person (Okay, it was Long John Silver) uses the H-word. Perhaps a permissible word for some, but not for others. This was a stupid move, putting even one not-so-nice word in a kids movie, and one which, fortunately, we were able to bleep out of our video copy. Just to give parents a heads-up about the movie. Other things that would frighten young kids would include a band of singing skulls in the very beginning, and hanging skeletons guarding the treasure site.

Funny movie, but not for younger kids
My 4, 5, and 7 year olds love this movie. It's really funny (even from an adult persective)

However, because of the pirate violence, some of the songs (Cabin Fever and the one played on the island scared my younger kids), and ect, this movie is probably best served for older kids.

Tim Curry for president!
I love the muppet movies. They are fun for adults. Frankly, many of the lines would sail right over kids heads! Like the "me, I couldda been a contender" No kid will get the Brando joke! Add in Tim Curry who I would watch read the phone book, you have one super movie.

My only complaint!! WHY did they not replease this in WIDE screen. It would have been so much better.

For 5 stars for Curry 1 or cheap a** Disney for not giving us letter box!

Muppets are At It Again!
The muppets are back, and this time they are sailing on the sea and fighting pirates! As every other muppet movie, this is a great family film, with lots of laughs, and a few catchy singing numbers. Tim Curry also appears in this movie as Long John Silver. If you're a muppet fan, you should definitely check this one out! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I need the DVD. I need all the DVDs. How much do you want?
Considering all the myriad BAD business decisions they've been making lately (they *really* passed on distributing Moore's new film? WHEW, they're gonna regret that!) I guess we shouldn't be surprised that Eisner's Disney is hiding this great series in a sealed vault, as if it were a 20-year-old black-market shell of Sarin gas.

It just ain't fair. Why does one of the most poorly-managed corporations of the 90s/00s get to own such GREAT stuff?!?

As I said on another review . . . I think they're missing out on tapping the SIMPSONS/SOUTH PARK fan base. Idiocy! Bithering, numb-skulled, Bush-minded IDIOCY!!

GREAT concept/execution, VERY funny stuff
I want all these episodes on DVD. Come on!!

This is "classic" Disney fare, you know, it's made for kids but it's got humor that only adults will "get". I have four or five tapes with three episodes each. Great stuff. I want ALL episodes on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

My Friend Loves This Video
My Friend Loves This Video After Watching It At A New Years Eve Party I Liked It. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brian Henson directs his late father's creations in the Charles Dickens classic, the best known (and most oft-filmed) Christmas story of all time. Michael Caine plays the old miser Scrooge with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Cratchit's wife, and a host of Muppets (including the Great Gonzo as an unlikely Charles Dickens) taking other primary roles in this bright, playful adaptation of the somber tale. Or at least it starts brightly enough--the anarchic humor soon settles into mirthful memories and a sense of melancholy as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future take Scrooge on a journey of his lonely, wasted life. Michael Caine makes a wonderful Scrooge, delightfully rediscovering the meaning of life as fantastic creations from Henson's Creature Shop (developed specially for this film) take the reins as the three ghosts. While the odd mix of offbeat humor and somber drama undercuts the power of Dickens's drama, this kid-friendly retelling makes an excellent family drama that adults and children alike can enjoy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (118)

Odd with the muppets, but the best by far!
Sure, the muppets mixed in with a Christmas classic it does sound sort of strange, but it works out beautifully! While this story is warped into too many emotionally sterile versions(like Scrooge, in the seventies or so, Mrs. Cratchet wasn't even mourning Tiny Tim! Albert Finney Could NOT act and the music, most of it, was terrible!)this one really focuses on the humanity of the story and characters. Human emotions were finally shown! Michael Caine was excellent as Scrooge. The love between him and Belle was really believable(when he joins her at the end of her song, you can tell he has repeated her parting words ever since; he MUST have loved her!). Emily Cratchet was finally mourning her son(THATS what a real mother would do!), and Bob Cratchet's speech about being parted from a loved one is a fact of life is one of the most touching moments. The score to the movie, why didn't they make a soundtrack?! They each tie into their scenes so well that if they were removed, it would just be missing something; When love is gone is one of the saddest, most beautiful love ballads ever heard and its sequence is equally heartbreaking; no wonder Scrooge (and Rizzo)was crying when Belle left, he must have loved Belle very much and seeing it happen again...it would break the hardest heart, it did with me, and I'm 17 and hardened through and through, although I do care about others! I just can't go past that scene; its too much! This movie is just SO touching! I highly recommend it!

Ridiculously accurate!
At first, its easy to be skeptical of the idea of this classic of literature being portrayed by a frog, a pig, and their assorted friends. Believe it or not, however, this is probably the most touching rendition of "A Christmas Carol" I have ever seen! Although the Muppets present things in a light and sometimes downright silly way, the characters are so incredibly likeable that I really "got" the point of the story from watching this version.

The video features sarcastic humor and visual jokes and will make you laugh from beginning to end. At the same time, you can't help but care for all the characters, and you really are concerned for Tiny Tim and his family, almost forgetting that they are frogs and pigs. The video transitions neatly back and forth from humor to sensitivity. Although obviously this video is not completely accurate to the details of Dickens's version of the story, the spirit that he was trying to convey is definately present. Aside from the adorable plot, the music in this movie is wonderful! The songs are touching and memorable, and the fact that they are sang by rats and vegetables is just an added bonus. "It feels like Christmas" is absolutely adorable!

Don't think this video is just for kids either! Even my father couldn't help but chuckle at the dry humor of Gonzo in his role as Charles Dickens. This is a video that the family can watch and rewatch together, and should become a part of anyone's Christmas tradition.

I love this dvd!
My kids and I both adore this video. Around the end of November it suddenly begins to enter into our movie rotation, and we watch it a lot of times when its no where near Christmas times! And I can stand that! This movie is adorable, and a good way to expose kids to Dicken's legend.

I highly reccomend this!

Despite DVD flaws, still a great movie!
This is probably the best of the Muppet Movies. It was a time right after Muppet creator, Jim Henson had passed, and everyone was determined to keep the Muppets alive. This determination shows in every performance. No one settled for less than perfection. The result, a WONDERFUL movie.

Unlike "Muppet Treasure Island," which was heavily altered from the original novel, "Muppet Christmas Carol" remains faithful to Dickens' classic. Very few liberties were taken (the most noticable is Jacob Marley has become Jacob AND ROBERT Marley, roles perfectly suited for Stater and Waldorf--the "balcony guys"). Other than that, much of the prose and dialog from the original novel is intact.

Granted, the DVD version is not the original widescreen version, but manufacturing flaws aside, it is still a GREAT movie.

I can't believe it
I really can't believe it. I've waited for so long for this DVD and now I know that it is a "edited version" of the original film. WHAT? I should buy a cutted version of the movie? Are you crazy? Selling this, Walt Disney is fooling us all. It's like to buy a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci with just the face and without the body, the hands and the mountains. I wonder what you guys had in mind. One of the most beautiful film ruined by someone without brain. They' ve even cut some scenes!!! I'm sorry for Amazon, but I hope nobody will buy this dvd until the Disney band will reflect on their deeds and their sins. And this is even a special edition, yeah, a special trick. And someone still wonder why people keep downloading the films in internet... ... Read more

Description

Farscape: Season Two Volume 2.5 episodes: "A CLOCKWORK NEBARI" A brainwashed Aeryn and Rygel return from a Commerce Planet with a surprise forChiana-two fellow Nebari to take her home and "mind cleanse" her as well. Chianalearns her brother, Nerri is still alive and now the head of the Nebari resistancemovement.

"LIARS, GUNS AND MONEY-PART I: A NOT SO SIMPLE PLAN"A plan to steal loot to buy D'Argo's son Jothee from the Slave Traders goes terriblywrong when D'Argo is captured in the heist.The crew's attempt to rescue him iscomplicated by the arrival of Crichton's nemesis Scorpius.

"LIARS, GUNS AND MONEY PART II: WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE..." Scorpius wants to make a deal: D'Argo's son in exchange for Crichton. A plan to use thestolen loot to hire old foes and rescue Jothee makes sense, until it is discovered that thevaluable ingots are actually alive... and eating Moya!

"LIARS, GUNS AND MONEY PART III: PLAN B"No money. Angry mercenaries. An injured Moya. And Crichton in the hands of Scorpius!Only an all-out assault has any chance of rescuing him. But even if Aeryn's plansucceeds, can Crichton rescue his own mind from Scorpius?

"DIE ME, DICHOTOMY" The neural chip Scorpius put in Crichton's brain finally takes over, turning him againstour crew. Aeryn is forced into a deadly confrontation with Crichton/Scorpius that onlyone will survive. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wonderful ending of the second season!
The last five episodes of the second season are truly wonderful. A great story line and set supported by wonderful performances really hook you for the third season. One simply needs to know how things turn out. I am truly impressed with the quality and scope of Farscape. If you have not watched the show yet you should go back to the very beginning of the first season and watch all the episodes. It is a great story! As mentioned in a review below you should make sure to watch the second episode on the FIRST DVD last (the episodes are out of order). Outstanding show! Shame on the Sci-Fi channel for cancelling this creative work.

Fun show
Very entertaining show. These are some of the best episodes of the second season.

What a sad loss...
I remember starting a thread on the farscape newsgroup about how I worried that the series would end up cancelled much as Babylon5 was. Alas, here is a dvd set that shows what a tragedy it is. If this is the first Farscape you have read reviews about-
My feelings toward this show are best summed up by the feeling that I actually care what happens to each of the characters. It is as though they are my friends. It is said that the Henson group planned a 5-season story arc, One can only hope they'll manage to do a movie or two to finish it.

New Fans Be Warned
I started watching Farscape into the fourth season....my son finally conviced me to watch it. A little ironic isn't it, since it has been cancelled!
So...I have been buying all the dvds and going back to the beginning. I have enjoyed every episode, even though I know about some of the future. Now to my warning...for people like me, trying to watch the show from the beginning, and for people like me who just purchase without always reading amazon comments, BE WARNED that the episodes are out of order on this dvd set. I watched the final episode of the set, which is on the first dvd, and boy was I confused. I went to a web site that lists all the episodes and of course, I figured out what had happened. So, buy these, enjoy them, but do it in order!!!

THE BEST OF A GREAT SHOW!!!
These episodes is among the best of a truly great show and I can't recommend them high enough!! Just imagine the Liars,Guns and Money trilogy in a theater and it'll put the Star Wars prequels to shame.....Great acting,suspense,humor,drama,writing;what else can be said about a show that hasn't been said before??? Get these for the unconverted and maybe they'll undertstand what the fuss is about!!! Shame on you Sci-Fi for cancelling this wonderful show.... ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Bit Drawn Out But Still Wonderful Entertainment!
This telling of the classic story is great to look at and is just a beautiful film altogether. Mathew Modine stars as Jack Robinson, a man who has been made to believe that he won't live pass 43 as his relatives with the same names have died at that age. Jack soon finds out that the Jack and the beanstalk story has to do with the curse of his family. He finds himself pursued by a mysterious young lady played by Mia Sara and having secrets hidden from him by his so called close family friend played by John Voight.

Although this has it's flaws, like not being able to understand the giants half the time, John Voight's bad accent and the over makeuped Darayl Hannah. It still is full of wonder, adventure, lively effects and good performances by Mathew Modine, Mia Sara and Vanessa Redgrave. Plus it makes 2 big points about greed and trust. I don't really recommend watching it straight through, since it's so long it can be hard to sit through. Just like Lord of the Rings I can't say the length hurts the altogether entertainment level though.

This movie makes sense, but not suitable for kids.
Whether you prefer the classic or this new version, it doesn't make any difference. The classic Jack and the magic Beanstalk is not suitable for kids anyway,Why? It teaches Killing and Stealing. No Parents will allow their children to watch a movie which if you'll analyze the meaning of the whole story, It's a horrible one.
The Giant, The golden eggs and the harp represents the Rich man with a lot of wealth. Jack represents a poor man who wants to get rich easily. What Jack did, he relied on this magic beans to get to the top where wealth is abundant. The key word here is "Magic". This is not the way to start teaching child how to live. In the real world there's no such thing as magic. If you want to live you have to work. Not by killing Giant (Rich People) or stealing someones golden egg (Money).
This movie makes sense because no matter how cruel the Giant was, Jack doesn't have the right to kill and take the Giants wealth.

Major disappointment -- What a waste!
"Jack and the Beanstalk" was my favorite fairy tale when I was a child; and I had great hopes when I heard about this television adaptation that Hollywood would finally do it justice. They did not. The Abbott & Costello take on the story (released in 1952) at least gives you a few good laughs. Why on earth has NO ONE tapped into the incredible cinematic potential which the earliest version of this story has??? I was fortunate enough, when young, to be exposed to retellings based on the earliest surviving text of this folk tale, which was published in 1807. For those who are interested in reading the original, it may be found in The Classic Fairy Tales, a scholarly work by Iona and Peter Opie (published by Oxford University Press). The vocabulary used in this earliest version is well above that of younger children, and it reads more like a novella, with its long flashback section. In it, Jack does not find himself in some fanciful cloud-kingdom in the sky when he reaches the top of the beanstalk; he finds himself in an arrid wasteland (presumably at the top of a cliff up which the beanstalk grew). He does not steal the treasures from the Giant for the fun of it (which would, of course, make him amoral); a fairy in the disguise of a beggar woman tells him that the cannibalistic ogre had gained the confidence of Jack's father, who was as rich as a prince, stabbed him to death, and then stolen all his treasures. His duty is to punish the Giant and avenge his father's death. When Jack reaches the Giant's castle, he is admitted by a normal-sized woman who leads him past a dungeon, where the groans of future victims for the Giant's table are heard. The Giant does not come stomping in reciting a silly rhyme: "Fee Fi Fo Fum, etc." -- but simply says in a grim fashion: "Wife, I smell fresh meat." This sustains an atmosphere that is by no means light. Moreover, it is quite clear that the Giant could not be even 20 feet high -- let alone sixty. Given the size of his wife and the fact that no mention is made of abnormally sized furniture, etc., it seems reasonable to suppose that he would be 10 or perhaps 12 feet high. This makes him monstrous, without turning him into a cartoon-like figure such as one sees in Disney's (excellent) "Mickey and the Beanstalk" (1947). Jack steals a hen that lays golden eggs, and on the second and third trips up the stalk bags of money and an enchanted harp. Must we impose political correctness on a robust, traditional fairy tale??? Save political correctness for real issues: women's rights, racial equality, etc. I mean, really, this IS a fairy tale. The giant is a murderous man-eating monster who deserves death; he isn't some poor fellow with a pituitary gland problem! I can just imagine what a marvellous story might have been told with the budget wasted on this piece of tripe. And Vanessa Redgrave --what a delightfully sinister fairy she would have made! The beanstalk effects were very well executed; how great it would have been to see them incorporated into a story set entirely in the past (in the 9th century, in the reign of King Alfred, to be precise). In addition to the unneeded political correctness, there is too much comedy in this version; I mean, give me a break, the Giant in this version has (if I recall correctly) a chef with an Italian accent!!! I could go on and on, but I won't. If you want to see a good, old fashioned fantasy film, watch "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (1958) or "Jack the Giant Killer" (1962). Some of the effects may be creaky (particularly in the latter film), but at least they don't mangle the rich story-telling tradition that has existed since 750 B.C., when Homer wrote the Odyssey and first gave us an evil-flesh-eating monster in the form of the Cyclops. And, if you want to see an adult version of "Snow-White," for example, watch "Snow White: A Tale of Terror," with Sigourney Weaver. AVOID "Jack and the Beanstalk - The Real Story" like the plague unless you want to see Hollywood mangle a traditional story and serve it up as pabulum for people with no stomach for traditional stories, which are not going to warp a child's mind. I did not turn into a sociopath from reading the violence-filled fairy tales, which some psychologists feel help children work through the issues we all face when growing up. Enough said!

A return to great storytelling
I've shown this movie for three years now in a creative writing class for kids. I continue to be amazed at how intricately it weaves its story -- I discover something new on each viewing. It's a complex story and the pacing is at times slower than what kids (12-13 years old) are used to, but I prepare my students for that up front and it never fails to catch their imaginations. I rejoice that here is a movie that doesn't spoon-feed the audience but requires that you become an active viewer, to search out clues, to allow yourself to sit with the mystery and not know exactly what the real truth is all the time as the story masterfully leads you through its unfolding. My only complaint -- the reference to genetically engineered food, I give an aside on that as to what the pros and cons of such a venture are.

The Henson Magic at it's Best
What a wonderful way to take a fairy tale that we all grew up with, turn it around and give it a whole new slant..while keeping the core story the same. Brian Henson, Son of Jim has brought the Magic of Henson to the TV screen in a "Giant" way :)

The visual effects are outstanding..some of the best I have seen ... and incredible for a shoot that was only 11 1/2 weeks long (source: special features-behind the scenes- on DVD) .

The actors did an outstanding job, with John Voigt pulling in a comedic performance that is a total surprise and very refreshing indeed!! Matthew Modine is, as always the best at his craft. He speaks with his eyes and face when he acts.... He is terrific. Darryl Hannah, Richard Attenborough, Mia Sara and Vanessa Redgrave round out the cast with equally well done characters. The role of Thunderdell is completely believeable in "both" roles..You will have to watch that to know what I mean... and is just outstanding.

Buy this movie with confidence!! It is a wonderful rainy night, sit down with a bowl of popcorn and escape movie!! Enjoy!! ... Read more

Description

"Bone to Be Wild": While hiding in an asteroid field from Crais' Command Carrier, Moya picks up an urgent distress call. As Aeryn stays on board to help the Leviathan bond with her newborn, Crichton, Zhaan, and D'Argo answer the call in hopes of finding charts that will steer them through the field. But the garden-like asteroid from where the distress signal originated holds only two inhabitants. One is a feral female; the other, a massive plant-like male. When each proclaim the other is a ruthless killer, Crichton, Zhaan, and D'Argo are forced between the two aliens--a place that makes them easy prey for one... or both!

"Family Ties": When the crew fails to evade the pursuing Peacekeepers, one of Moya's own steals a transport and flees to the Command Carrier to betray the others in exchange for his own life! To deal with the treachery, Crichton devises a dangerous, possibly fatal mission that places them all in jeopardy. But the traitor finds a surprising collaborator on the enemy ship--one who will change the crew's destiny forever. Discover the nerve-shattering cliffhanger that had critics on the edge of their seats and fans screaming for more! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great climax for season 1 Finale
This DVD marks the end of season one and these two episodes are indicative of this great series. "Bone to be wild" is a good who do you trust episode. The crew while hiding in an asteroid field to avoid Crais and Scorpious are hailed by an unknown alien. Once meeting this alien they find that a creature is preying upon them as they find remains of previous victims. They are attacked by another plant like creature who is more than he seems. They find out that they only have a short time before the creature attacks again but who are they going to trust?
"Family Ties" sees Rygel up to his old tricks in trying to sell out his comrades to save his own green hide. But with Crais under arrest and Scorpious in charge he knows he has much of a chance to cut a good deal. He instead makes a deal with Crais and comes back to Moya with him. So Crichton is faced with one of his nemises, will he overcome the urge to take revenge? It ends with a great cliffhanger in this season finale. Look out for this one if you are a farscape fan or someone who enjoys a good drama and great acting, sci-fi or no. Enjoy:)

"Farscape" ends Season One with a massive starburst
Volume 11 finishes off Season 1 of "Farscape," and heralds the return of the audio commentaries that allowed the first DVDs in this series to set the standard for being fan-friendly. Of course, you are not going to listen to the commentary tracks until the second time around, where Anthony Simcoe provides solo commentary on "Bone to be Wild" and Ben Browder and Claudia Black do their tag-team act on "Family Ties." However, one thing that cropped up in the latter is useful for appreciating what we are seeing, namely that "Farscape" had not been reviewed when they started filming the finale of Season 1. Consequently, you want to read "Family Ties" as not only a cliffhanger, but also as a possible grand finale (sort of like this year's final episode of "Angel").

Episode 21, "Bone to Be Wild," starts with Moya still hiding in the asteroid field from the Peacekeeper Command Carrier of Crais (Lani John Tupu). While Aeryn (Black) checks out the newborn Leviathan with its intriguing synthesis of Peacekeeper technology, Chrichton (Browder), D'Argo (Simcoe) and Zhaan (Virginia Hey) answer a distress call. What they find is an asteroid that is a garden paradise and two creatures, each claiming the other is a killer. The title has to do with the fact that the female of the pair only eats bones and the only animal life on this asteroid is her opponent and, as we discover, two of the three visitors. Meanwhile, Crais discovers he is in a losing power struggle with Scorpius (Wayne Pygram), and Aeryn starts to build a relationship with Moya's newborn offspring. Obviously there is a lot happening in this episode that we will have to remember down the road.

Episode 22, "Family Ties," is fairly impressive as a season finale in terms of the massive galactic train wreck that is created by the time the producers credit pops up at the end of the episode. Keep in mind that for most of the filming the cast thought this was their final episode, so there is a sense of gravity here beyond that dictated by the situation. The chaos begins immediately as Rygel goes off to cut his own deal with the Peacekeepers on their Command Carrier, where Crais is on the verge of losing control to Scorpius. Things start getting really worse until Moya's crew has to come up with a desperate and complicated plan to get out of the asteroid field alive. Then the situation gets so bad that when it ends they do not even need to tell you "to be continued," because the thought of ending the series at this point is too horrible to contemplate.

"Farscape" certainly ends its first season on a high note, ironically by charting the depths of despair. The commentary tracks provides lots of insights into the details of the show, such as how to turn the instructions in the language of Papau New Guinea for getting to a McDonalds into a Delvian blessing (drop one consonant per word). The commentaries were recorded at the end of Season 3 so the actors are able to provide perspective on what would be happening down the road (there are lots of references to "seeds" being planted). You will also find a pair of video profiles this time around, featuring series creator Rockne O'Bannon and executive producer David Kemper, along with a look at the Jim Henson Creature Shop in Australia, conceptual designs, and other goodies.

Season Finale Triumph
Family Ties is such a strong episode that I have ignored its unfortunate pairing with Bone to be Wild (an episode of little consequence and terrible storyline placement) and given this a 5 star rating. Family Ties is everything a season finale should be -- enemies old and new, each character coming fully into their own, Farscape's typical wit mixed with the most poignant moments to date, and of course a cliffhanger that makes you glad the SciFi channel is goofy enough to air the final four episodes right before the beginning of the new season so you don't have to agonize too long. These actors can handle anything with style, and Family Ties is one of the most stylish episodes from any season.

Great and Silly episodes
The DVD's are well coordinated and the menus are easy to follow. The clarity is excellent.

Farscape was (and I specify was) one of the best new SciFi series out. I recommend all episodes in season one and season two however, starting with the ending of season three it has become silly and juvenile. Chreiton's brain implant is becomming redundant and needs to be resolved. I do not plan on purchasing any additional episodes (perhaps even watching) unless they get new writers (someone over the age of 12 at least)for the upcoming episodes.
LETS HOPE THEY RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL CONCEPTS OF THE SERIES.

Two great episodes to watch over and over
Being Sci-fi fans for a long time, particularly of the Star Trek franchise (our favorite was Voyager), we have been bowled over by the Farscape series. It is far more creative and adventurous than anything before it--thanks to the amazing work of Henson's Creature Shop and the bold vision of its creators...but the real success of the show is due to its fabulous cast, who make the scripts sing and sizzle...funny and poignant and raucous adventure, all rolled into one! These two episodes are truly representative of Farscape's best features, with creatures to die for (Bone to Be Wild) and the captivating performances by the cast (Family Ties). Our full salute to this inventive show! ... Read more

Description

"Til the Blood Runs Clear ": While out studying solar flares in his module, Crichton unexpectedly creates a wormhole. Aeryn manages to pull the module away before they're sucked in. They are forced to land at the Dambada Depot where they discover a Wanted Beacon offering a reward for the return of Zhaan, D'Argo, and Rygel. When confronted by two vicious Bloodtrackers determined to get the reward, Crichton and Aeryn must also impersonate bounty hunters. The situation gets even more complicated when D'Argo comes down to the planet and is captured by the Bloodtrackers…

"Rhapsody in Blue": The crew wakes to find Moya has StarBurst on her own accord to answer the distress call of another Leviathan. But the call was merely a psychic ruse by a stranded Delvian sect who needs Zhaan's powers to heal their leader, Tahleen, from madness. Crichton and the rest of the crew are helpless as they become victims of the sect's mystical powers, as Tahleen attempts to steal Zhaan's soul! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Best sci-fi on TV!!!
In short, Farscape is the most brilliant science-fiction television show in television history. The absolute best way to see them are on DVD. The picture and colors are amazing, and you get the complete episodes. On Sci-Fi, at least 5 minutes are trimmed out of every episode, unlike in the UK, where they get to see the whole thing. Now, we can too!
These two episodes are wonderful, by the way, particularly in character development.
Oh, and as far as the extras, it turns out that there were no commentaries for the past few disks, because of licensing problems. At a recent Science Fiction convention, a rep from ADV films, who produce this disk, said that this problem has been cleared up, and the commentaries, and much more features will return by the 11th volume, and will be for all volumes after that. So don't stop buying the DVDs...The lack of extras is not the DVD producers' fault and they are returning them soon!

Personally, the amazing picture quality and extra scenes are reason enough to buy these DVDs. The extras are just icing on the cake!

Forced landing and hallucinations ......
If you've ever seen Farscape, then you have yet to see till the blood runs clear and rhapsody in blue.

Till the blood runs clear is where Crichton and Aeryn are forced to land Farscape One Module on the planet Dam-Ba-Da after it suffers a plasma leak during a failed experiment to create wormholes. While there, they notice a Peacekeeper Beacon broadcasting rewards for the capture of D'Argo, Zhaan and Rygel. A pair of bounty hunters also take notice of the broadcast, forcing Crichton to impersonate a bounty hunter himself in order to ensure the safety of the others.

Rhapsody in blue is about the entire crew who experience strange and powerful dreams. Moya, imagining the distress cries of a pregnant Leviathan, starbursts without warning in search of the call. Moya and the crew discover it is not a ship but a small colony of Delvian missionaries who followed their leader into the Uncharted Territories. The become distracted by powerful hallucinations of their pasts, activated by the mind control of the missionaries.

To keep you on the edge of your seat, I can speak no more of these 2 great episodes. All I can say is, you WILL enjoy them. If you're not a Farscape fan, you will be after viewing these episodes.

Very Pleasing!
I enjoyed this dvd like I have enjoyed the other ones.I really enjoyed ''Till the Blood runs Clear'' it shows John finding the beginnings of a wormhole and what that does to his module.The Aeryn-John relationship progresses some as well.Plus,D'Argo and John come to an understanding with one another.This episode also forshadowed some things in season 3 which I found to be interesting .
''Rhapsody in Blue'' was also a interesting episode for it showed some more delvians and more of Zhaan's past and why she is a prisoner on Moya.John we see has had a long-term relationship with a woman named Alex who he almost had proposed to which I found to be interesting thing to know as well.But I am a fan of the John-Aeryn relationship so I am glad he is in the UT with everyone on Moya.These two episodes showcase how far the characters have come in the short time the show had been on at this point.It is half way through season 1 and it has been One helluva ride!

Crichton continues to set things straight on "Farscape"
This is my first trip through the "Farscape" universe and by the time I have gotten halfway through Season 1 my recurring thought is that John Crichton (Ben Browder) really needs to stop hogging the stage. Now, I understand that this earth astronaut stuck in a galaxy far, far away is our conduit into this particular science fiction realm, but I am really much more interested in the other characters on Moya. The recurring plot element at this point in the series is that every time one of the others becomes the focus point, Crichton is required to save the day.

"Till the Blood Runs Clear" has the crew discovering that bounty hunters are looking for the reward posted by Captain Crais for Zhaan, D'Argo and Rygel. This leaves Crichton and Aeryn (Claudia Black) off the hook for the time being, but they cross paths with a pair of Bloodtrackers. At this point Crichton goes into an alpha male routine as the baddest tracker in the galaxy (he is "Butch" and Aeryn is "Sundance"). This is all quite inconvenient for Crichton because while out in his spacecraft he almost created a wormhole and he needs the ship repaired before the localized phenomenon dissipates. At least in this episode Crichton and D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe) have a long overdue talk, but the, ah, intense pleasure Zhaan (Virginia Hey) gets from soaking up the rays is a missed opportunity for further exploration.

The good news is that "Rhapsody in Blue" involves the crew encountering a remote Delvian outpost, but the bad news is that all of the blue skinned women there have hair. Consequently, none of them look as great as Zhaan (Virginia Hey's decision to shave her head clearly set the bar too high for the actresses playing the other Delvian women in this episode). The head priestess says she wants to help Zhaan control her madness, but, of course, she has something else in mind. Actually, everybody in this episode has something else in their mind as the Delvins play head games with the crew. "Rhapsody in Blue" is the first episode to really unravel Zhaan's past and Crichton has to deal with more than just learning about the crime for which she was imprisoned.

The obvious formula of the series at this point, to always keep Crichton center stage, is working against the evolution "Farscape." It is not surprising that the aliens are more interesting than the one "human" character." By this point viewers are clearly hooked on the series and they should be opening it up more in favor of the rest of Moya's crew. Having a poignant moment of understanding between Crichton and one of his crewmates each week becomes quite dull from all this repetition. Volume 6 of Season 1 of "Farscape" includes a look at Moya and Pilot, but, once again, the commentaries that made the first three DVDs so fan-friendly are missing.

Two Great FARSCAPE Episodes
One of the things that the FARSCAPE tv series does so well is explore the boundaries of television science fiction and take on the task of giving their stories interesting turns and twists of both plot and characterisation. The sixth DVD disc of the first season is no exception to this rule.

The first episode on this disc is "Till the Blood Runs Clear." In the story, Crichton and Aeryn, while out researching wormholes, are forced to land on the desert world of Dam-Ba-Da, and seek the help of the mechanic Furlow to repair Farscape 1. They discover that there are warning beacons out on the characters now, and Crichton and Aeryn are forced to pretend to be a pair of bounty hunters when they encounter two Vorcarians, seeking the rewards for the fugitives. Complicating matters are Zhaan's reaction to the solar flares in the area, and D'Argo's impatience with Crichton and his arrival on the planet - only to be captured by the bounty hunters, and putting Crichton in a dangerous position. This is a terrific episode that focuses on Crichton and Aeryn, and leads to some interesting revelations as Crichton and D'Argo come to a mutual understanding about their relationship. The extras here provide some interesting depth to the characters, and make some of the storyline a bit clearer. One terrific episode, that owes a lot to some of the sf movies that have been out there for a while.

"Rhapsody in Blue", the second offering on the DVD, is a story in which the strange dreams about past loves that Moya's crew have, coupled with Moya's own Starbursting in response to another pregnant Leviathan, leads the crew into the clutches of a group of renegade Delvians led by one Tahleen. She wants to learn the secrets that Zhaan possesses that prevent Zhaan from succumbing to her "dark impulses," but when Zhaan offers to show her the means in Unty, a Delvian form of joining of two spirits/souls, Tahleen takes the extra step and *steals* the knowledge from Zhaan. With the rest of the crew being disrupted by the other Delvians' manipulating their worst fears and desires, it's up to Crichton to show Zhaan the path back to her loveable self. A superb episode that sheds light on the Delvian Seek, on Zhaan's crime, and on the love of John Crichton's life. It has some interesting ramifications for the future, and sees several changes in the personalities of Moya's crew. The extra footage here enhances elements of the "Delvian experience", but isn't a necessity.

Like the previous DVDs in the series, the sixth DVD of FARSCAPE's first season has the commercials ads at the beginning... but the episodes presented and the sheer quality of both sound and picture are abso-frelling superb. While the extras on this DVD are once more pretty skimpy - presenting a Profile on Moya, Pilot, and the folks who bring these beings to life - the reason for the lack of extras on the last few DVDs has been explained as a licensing problem (one that has been cleared up, and will see other features once more, such as the commentary versions of the episodes on the DVDs, on them from the eleventh DVD on). That doesn't mitigate the cost of the DVDs however, as these are quite expensive, but FARSCAPE is a series well worth owning on DVD. Overall, "Till the Blood Runs Clear" and "Rhapsody in Blue" are terrific episodes of FARSCAPE that emphasize the true boundaries to which sf can be pushed, but the lack of extras make the DVDs not necessarily everyone's cup of tea. ... Read more

Description

"DNA Mad Scientist": When a mysterious DNA researcher, Namtar, holds high the promise of helping Zhaan, D'Argo, and Rygel return to their home worlds, they will let nothing stand in their way. Caught up in their excitement, they begin to turn against each other, with no price seeming too great for the opportunity to go home. But how selfish will their sacrifices be…?

"They've Got a Secret": Trying to clear the ship of all Peacekeeper devices, D'Argo inadvertently causes an extremely strange reaction within Moya, at the same time driving himself into an inexplicable delirium. As D'Argo relives the painful events that led to him becoming a prisoner of the Peacekeepers, Moya's life support systems begin to shut down. Pilot falls unconscious, cutting off all hope of communication with Moya. The DRDs transform from mechanical servants to deadly protectors, attacking the crew with chilling resolve. As they race against time to correct the problem, the crew is in for a shocking surprise…. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wonderful episodes, wish this DVD had commentaries
"DNA Mad Scientist" is one of the best of the early Farscape episodes. "They've got a Secret" is also good, and gives information about one of the characters that is important for later episodes in the series. This is a wonderful scifi series, much better than Star Trek, which has gotten tired and boring in its latest incarnations. Farscape mixes humor, drama, romance, action, great stories and characters into a very satisfying whole, and takes on some of the great human themes and problems that go beyond genre, as the best scifi does. My only real complaint is that I loved the commentaries on the first three DVDs in this series, and I wish we could have them back on future DVDs--please! Or maybe an extra of outtakes and bloopers.

It's No Secret, One of these episodes is really bad.
As you can tell from my title, one of these episodes does not impress me at all.

"DNA Mad Scientist" features one of the best Henson creations of the series with Namtar, who is the title character of this episode. Basically, he is a fully realized alien species complete with backward knees (like the rear legs of dogs or horses).

The storyline is pretty straightforward. Namtar is collecting DNA from a variety of species and offeres the Moya crew a complete map of the galaxy in exchange for one of Pilot's arms. D'Argo, Rygel, & Zhaan go behind Aeryn & John's back to collect the arm (with Pilot screaming in agony, this is one of the most shocking scenes in Farscape history). With the DNA collected from the arm, Namtar then infects Aeryn and she begins to transform.

Although you can probably guess how it will turn out, there is an interesting surprise that's revealed at the end of the show about the origins of Namtar. The special effects are once again top notch, especially the scene with the map of the planets floating in Namtar's office. Overall, this is a fine episode and one of the better ones from the pre-Chiana days.

"They've Got A Secret" is simply the most boring episode of Farscape ever produced. Unfortunately, this episode cannot be ignored because it began two of the most important running plots in the series. The first one deals with D'Argo as he was accidentally cast out of Moya during the teaser. He is recovered, but his mind is drifting and we get to know something important about his past. His "secret" does manage to produce a tender scene with Zhaan, but that's about it.

Moya also has a "secret" and while it's revelation is somewhat interesting, the time it takes to get there may have you fast forwarding the DVD to get to that point. Basically, we have a twenty minute show stretched into fifty minutes with one long, pointless scene after another with the crew guessing as to what is wrong with D'Argo & Moya. I swear to the Lord above that one scene alone with John & Aeryn conversing about "what is going on", time itself comes to a stop.

I know that many 'scapers will disagree with me about my review of this episode. And all I can say is that I call 'em like I see 'em. This could've easily been a thirty minute show with room to spare and we wouldn't have missed a thing.

Ken

The bad side and the good side of the Farscape crew
Volume 5 of Season 1 of "Farscape" offers up an interesting counterpoint between two episodes that show the characters at their worst and at their best as crewmates. In "DNA Mad Scientist" D'Argo, Zhaan and Rygel barely blink before they cut off one of Pilot's arms in order to trade it for a crystal that will show them how to get home and avoid the Peacekeepers. At that point they turn on each other in the great tradition of "Treasure of the Sierra Madre." Meanwhile, the titular mad scientist turns Aeryn into an intergalactic guinea pig in one of those plotlines I hate where playing with DNA has characters evolving/devolving with the greatest of ease, leaving it to Crichton to restore sanity and order to our dysfunctional little family.

"They've Got a Secret" keeps us guessing as to who exactly they turns out to be in this episode, which has long-range implications for the series. In a previous episode we had been teased with the idea that D'Argo has not revealed the true reason that he was imprisoned by the Peacekeeper. Yes, we find out what his deep dark secret is in this episode--it proves to be very deep and very dark--and, no, you never would have seen this one coming. Certainly we see a different side of D'Argo in this episode, turning the blustering warrior into a much more sympathetic figure.

I am not surprised but Crichton, the only human character on "Farscape," turns out to be the least interesting one of the bunch. Part of the reason for this is that he is so busy saving the day in episode after episode that his character development consists of nothing more than making pop culture references and missing Earth. In this particular volume it is D'Argo who clearly grows the most as a character. Having lauded these DVDs for the tag-team commentary on the first three discs, I would add my voice to the chorus of those who are bitterly disappointed that the practice does not extend to the entire series. This DVD series started off setting the standards for being fan-friendly and now it is fairly pedestrian. Now we have the irony that just as the episodes were getting a lot better, we lose the commentary and insights from the cast and crew.

Two Great Eps, but No Substance :(
As a latecomer to FARSCAPE, I was pleased to see that ADV was releasing the episode of the series on DVD, and the first season is working its way along on these 2 eps per disc DVDs. While the first three DVDs had some neat extras on them, the last two (including this one) don't. And that's sad, given the price on these DVDs.

One of the things that FARSCAPE excels at is the story driven by character, and these two episodes have it. The disc begins with with "DNA Mad Scientist," one of my favourite episodes from the first season. With the possibility of finding a way home based on the help of scientist Nam'Tar, Moya's crew are willing to sacrifice a little bit of DNA from their eyes in what is obviously a highly unpleasant procedure. But when the demands for the starchart information the crew wants means one of Pilot's arms...well, let's just say the ruthlessness of some of the crew surprises the viewer. Things take on a more dangerous slant, when Nam'Tar injects some of Pilot's DNA into Aeryn Sun, and only John Crichton can make things right as the rest of Moya's crew are preoccupied by their own agendas and greed. A terrific story, with lots of really good character development, a few shocking bits along the way, some cool special effects, and a set of extra footage that makes the episode come more sharply into focus.

The second episode is "They've Got A Secret", in which apparent malfunctions on Moya and diversion of the ship's nutrients and energy flow threaten both Pilot and Moya's crew...but leads to a surprising development which will play a major part in the rest of the first season story arc, and leads into a morass of ramifications for the second season to deal with. Strong in characterisation and the element of suspense, this episode's extra footage provides some illumination on a couple of the characters and adds immeasurably to the story being told here. One of the best episodes of its kind in television science fiction, with a truly unique surprise that is not all that telegraphed.

As noted, there are no extras on this DVD, other than the extra footage per episode and the Profile on Rygel (and some of the folks behind-the-scenes on this annoying little Hynerian). I still get ticked off at the fact that ADV insists on putting their commercial advertising for other ADV products at the *beginning* of the DVDs, rather than as a menu feature, and that the last couple of FARSCAPE DVDs have had no real special features on them. On the other hand, the quality of the DVD and its two episodes with the extra footage doesn't quite make up for the lack of any additional features. The Rygel feature is entertaining in its own right, but there's nothing on the DVD besides the two episodes that makes it worth the price. The only reason I've given this episode three stars is for the quality of the episodes themselves and the fact that the extra footage in each one adds something to the shows in question.

Two Excellent Eps
DNA Mad Scientist is great. The creature in this episode is amazing. And secret is an excellent character builder. ... Read more

Description

"Durka Returns": When Moya nearly collides with another transport, Moya feels obligated to make repairs and brings the vessel aboard. Once docked, they find the ship carries a powerful race known as the Nebari---including a Nebari official, Salis, a Nebari criminal, Chiana, and Captain Selto Durka, the ex-Peacekeeper Commander responsible for the torture of Rygel. Durka has been mentally cleansed by the Nebari to remove all those thought processes deemed unacceptable, making him incapable of inappropriate behavior. Seeking revenge, Rygel attempts to kill Durka, but instead breaks the mind cleansing.

"A Human Reaction": Crichton finds a wormhole and returns to Earth. However, only his father, Major Jack Crichton, believes he is really his son. When Moya's Transport Pod blasts through, Crichton convinces the military not to shoot, but he can't prevent them from drugging and imprisoning Rygel, D'Argo and Aeryn. In horror, Rygel is killed and dissected. Aeryn escapes with Crichton and they steal away to a safe house where they give in to their long-standing passion. The next morning, with his father's help, Aeryn and Crichton plan an escape until he realizes that nothing is as it seems. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Enter Chiana
"Durka Returns" and "A Human Reaction" are two excellent episodes. The first ep involves Moya accidently colliding with a Nebari transport. The transport is brought aboard, from which a Nebari male, Salis, a female Nebari prisoner named Chiana, and a Sebacean exit the pod. Much to Rygel's horror, the Sebacean is the dreaded PK Captain Durka - The one who tortured him for so many cycles during his captivity. Salis, the Nebari official, informs the crew of Moya that Durka has been 'cleansed' of all aggressive, violent behavior and that he consitutes no danger to anyone. Rygel and the others are skeptical; You can take the Sebacean out of the Peace Keepers, but can you take the Peace Keeper out of the Sebacean? Why is Chiana a prisoner? Is she as dangerous as Salis claims? Perhaps, even a murderer?!?
"A Human Reaction" takes place when Crichton finds an unstable wormhole. In the hope that the wormhole will take him back to Earth, he flys his module in. What he finds is Earth, but his welcome home isn't what he had hoped for. Aeryn, D'Argo, and Sparky, worried about Crichton, follow him in a pod to Earth. But is Earth ready for the likes of these alien beings? Or is something more sinister at work than Crichton realizes?

Moya will never be the same with the introduction of the sex kitten and all around B-girl, Chiana.

Chiana arrives on Moya and Crichton returns to Earth
The standard first season episode of "Farscape" involved human John Crichton (Ben Browder) saving his alien crewmates aboard Moya from whatever peril of the week afflicts them in a particular episode. That makes the two episodes collected in Volume 8 of Season 1 of "Farscape" stand out all the more, because which the earth man remains the focal character, we are not dealing with the same old stories this time around:

"Durka Returns" but the Peacekeeper responsible for Rygel's torture is not the only visitor who arrives aboard Moya. Chiana (Gigi Edgley), a Nebari prisoner, introduces an element of discord back aboard Moya, more so than Crichton did in the beginning. But the main plot line has to do with Rygel's attempt to get revenge on Durka; of course, Rygel's efforts propel things from bad to worse. This is not a perfect episode, mainly because Rygel does not take a prominent role is dispatching Durka; actually, the fact that after facing his inner demon, personified by Durka in a previous episode, Rygel finds himself back to square one is a bit of a let down since it renders the previous episode rather moot. However, in the end the point is not that Durka returns, but rather than Chiana arrives (to be continued...).

"A Human Reaction" is one of the most intriguing episodes from the first season even though this is a standard Science Fiction plot line. Moya finds a wormhole that appears to have Earth at the other end (Crichton's crewmates have fun dissing his home planet). Crichton takes the risk and uses the wormhole to return back to Earth (Australia to be specific). There he is held captive by those he used to work with; apparently after he left the wormhole never shut down, everybody on Earth has freaked, his ship has been upgraded with unknown alien technology, and there are concerns about those funny little microbes that help Crichton understand every language on the planet. The only person who believes his story is his father (Kent McCord), but that might not be enough. Then Aeryn (Claudia Black), D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe) and Rygel follow Crichton to Earth and the suspicion escalates. Obviously there has to be a catch with this episode since "Farscape"cannot continue with Crichton back on Earth. There are some nice moments between Crichton and D'Argo early on in the episode when the Earthling takes his leave of his shipmates, and a real sense that the crew has bonded.

This is one of the better sets of episodes available from Season 1 of "Farscape." If they indicate the importance of character over plot, then it simply confirms what has been established by every other successful Space Opera television series since the original "Star Trek." Meanwhile, Moya's pregnancy is progressing slowly but surely.

Have They Made A Bad Episode Yet?
Even on subsequent viewings, FARSCAPE keeps getting better and better. Going back now (after three seasons) and watching these 1st season outings, a viewer can only appreciate, in greater depth, the subtletys in all of the performances, characters, and situations. Truly, this is the 'thinking man's STAR TREK.'

DURKA RETURNS is relatively formulaic, creating a situation where Rygel revisits the horrors of his previous incarceration and torture when the spaceship Moya rescues a transport carrying his former captor, Durka. The torturer has been reduced to a peacenik through alien mind suppression programming, but -- as one might expect -- that doesn't last for long. However, also along for the ride is the introduction of Chianna, one of FARSCAPE's most beloved heroes or femme fatales, depending upon your perspective. Gigi Edgley plays Chi with an edge of sexual curiosity, brazen antiauthoritarianism, and moral promiscuity. If genre shows deserved Emmys in the acting category, Gigi would certainly be nominated.

A HUMAN REACTION, for me, is one of the highlights of the show's 1st season. Again, the story is relatively formulaic: a wormhole opens up directly in front of Moya, and John Creighton can see that it leads directly to Earth (a tad too convenient ... or is it?). Of course, not missing the chance to return home, Creighton travels back to his homeworld, but things are far different than what he left behind. Kent McCord is on board, guest starring (once more) as John's father, and the surprise / nonsurprise ending is handled with incredible poignancy.

Where STAR TREK has succumbed to appealing to a viewer's more basic instincts, FARSCAPE continues to strive to tell interesting, thought-provoking, CHARACTER-DRIVEN space opera stories with plenty of laughs AND flashes thrown in for good measure.

Long live FARSCAPE!

Chiana Debut Enhances DVD #8
It was bound to happen. On a ship like Moya, which can hold many more prisoners/passengers than it contains, the production team was bound to shake the crew up by adding a new shipmate. This eighth DVD of the first season of FARSCAPE brings that new character on board, while containing two stories that have all manner of ramifications down the line for the series.

The first episode on the DVD is "Durka Returns." When the pregnant Moya collides with a Nebari transport after emerging from Starburst, seriously damaging it, the transport is brought aboard the Leviathan. Three people come onto Moya - a Nebari, Salis, bringing his female prisoner, Chiana, and a Sebacean male whom Rygel recognises with horror as Durka, the Peacekeeper captain who tortured him on the Zelbinion all those many cycles ago (first mentioned in "PK Tech Girl"). Durka has been cleansed of all his evil, violent, aggressive tendencies, and is no danger to anyone. When Chiana escapes from custody and an attempt to kill Durka removes his conditioning, it's only a matter of time to see which one of the two is more of a threat. When Salis shows up dead, the stakes are raised to a new level. This episode is one of the more chilling episodes of the series to this point, and the "creepy" factor with Salis and the early Durka is really good. The extra footage on the DVD for this one isn't that bad, and really does enhance the story. I think it also makes very clear whether Chiana or Durka killed Salis, too, something that is one of the hottest topics for debate in FARSCAPE fandom.

The second episode, "A Human Reaction" gives Crichton an opportunity to go home, when an unstable wormhole is found at the other end of which lies Earth. While he seems to have made it home, he doesn't receive the welcome that expects. When Aeryn, D'Argo, and Rygel follow him to make sure he's all right in a transport pod, they are captured, and Crichton finds himself faced with a dilemma. However, all is not what it seems, and the question becomes whether Crichton will manage to free his friends, and even if he does, can they make it back to Moya. The extra footage in this episode contributes very much to the story overall, adding a sequence that makes it very clear whether Aeryn and Crichton slept together or not, and the other extra scenes add to the overall feel of the whole story's main premise.

This DVD is a marvellous experienece overall, although the continued advertising of ADV products at the beginning of the DVD is still annoying, and there is little extra material included on this one (per usual) that makes the price of the DVD somewhat high (also annoying). That said, the Profile on Gigi Edgley/Chiana is simply terrific, and she discusses some of the various decisions made on the portrayal of Chiana that explains a lot about her first six to eight appearances in the series. These two truly superb episodes are enhanced by the Chiana Profile material, and make this DVD worth the price and a valuable asset to the FARSCAPE fan's collection. Recommended.

Very Intriquing!
I thought both episodes were pretty intriquing in their own right.Then first episode introduces,Chiana, a nebari prisoner.It isn't clear on why she is being imprisoned until later in the series.She helps John and the others to distract Durka, a old enemy of Rygel's who tortured him over a 100 cycles ago.A Human Reaction I thought was pretty interesting episode John thinks that he is going back to Earth he goes in the wormhole then he is back and everyone thinks he is dangerous.Aeryn,D'Argo,and Rygel follow him to see if he is okay.But then they are captured as well it is a pretty good episode that pretty much gets things ready for the future of the show....J/A relationship issues,Wormholes,ancients,ect. ... Read more

Description

"The Flax": When Crichton and Aeryn's Transport Pod is ensnared in an invisible drift net called The Flax, a former Zenetan pirate offers to free it for a small fee. He also promises he'll take D'Argo to a Luxan ship that is similarly trapped. But when readings indicate that Crichton and Aeryn's pod is running out of atmosphere, D'Argo must make a difficult choice-retrieve the star charts that will take him home or save his friends! "Jeremiah Crichton": After Moya starbursts without warning, Crichton finds himself stranded on the planet Acquara, an earth-like paradise where he is more than happy to stay. Paradise is lost, however, when D'Argo and Rygel land on the planet in the middle of a dispute between Crichton and a young warrior, and Rygel is hailed as the Acquaran's savior. Can Aeryn and Zhaan find a way to rescue Crichton before Rygel's true identity is revealed? ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Must Have For Fans of the Show
It's wonderful that this excellent television series is being released to video and DVD. After all, it should be viewed in order, and those who miss the episodes on TV can catch up this way. As with all the Farscape, these two episodes continue to show the growth and change among the various characters. My only objection is that the U.S. is releasing the DVDs more slowly than the British, who have almost concluded Season Two in their DVD offerings. Patience is *not* one of my virtues! Also, when it comes to the "extras" packaged with the DVDs, I know fans of television shows would love to see previews, ad spots, missing scenes, and...perhaps most importantly...BLOOPERS! Thus far, most of the DVD available today lack these elements, although the Farscape disks are packed with other goodies to keep the fans entertained long after the initial episodes conclude.

Another awesome DVD of this sci-fi series!Captions missing!
This is another awesome DVD of the Farscape series. The first episode has Crichton and Aeryn trapped in outer space. The crew must mind a way to rescue them. But will they make it in time? This episode also expands Crichton's and Aeryn's relationship.

The second episode has Crichton stuck on alien planet after Moya accidently leaves . Crichton lands on planet and lives with the people there for 3 months. The crew of Moya find their lost friend. But the planet also has a secret . Rygel is also worshipped as a god. But can the crew save their lost friends on a paradise like planet?Also Crichton is bearded and shirtless for the female fans! It's only for about 10 minutes though !

The only problem with this DVD is there is no captions! There was captions on a few of the earlier DVD's. But not this DVD!

Enjoyed this Very Much!
I really enjoyed these two episodes.I liked ''The Flax'' so much better on this dvd then I did when it was on tv.The story had more focus of Aeryn and John in this I thought.Plus, we meet Staantz who is actually a female of his species and is being hunted by his kind.Rygel is fun in this one he plays a game that they point of it is you have to bluff it is great! plus John and Aeryn reach a new point in their relationship.''Jeremiah Crichton'' I thought was a okay episode it isn't one of the best of Farscape that is for sure.After viewing the second time I thought that this story wa sprety mediocre.John bascially gets frustrated with the crew and flys off in his module when Moya is dealing with her pregancy and starbursts away and John thinks his crewmates have abandoned him,but they look for him the next 3 months.Then find him on a island where their is no energy so anyome who comes to this planet is stuck.D'Argo and Rygel go down to retrieve him too.John doesn't want to go back but other circumstances ensue and then John does return.It is funny when the islanders start to worship Rygel.Overall I thought that episode needed some work.But if you are a Big Farscape fan(like me) you should definetly purchase this and add it to your collection.

Love, Abandonment, & Games all in one.
It was well into the first season before the Farscape we've come to know and love arrived. "The Flax" is one of the first episodes to capture that spirit.

"The Flax" is three subplots that meld into one fine show. Onboard Moya, Zhaan & Rygel must delay the guardians of the 'flax' (a kind of space web that traps ships for plunder). These pirates must be delayed because John & Aeryn are trapped in the flax and are running out of air. D'Argo, with the assistance of a rogue collector, sets out to free John 'n Aeryn. But he gets diverted to a gigantic salvage yard to search for clues about his son's wherabouts.

Admittedly, there is a certain "soapy" quality to each plot, but the acting and nice storyline twists keep this way above the "All My Children" level. 'Shippers (a term for those who follow John 'n Aeryn's budding relationship) will note that this is the first episode where they reveal their feelings for each other (the earlier episode PK Tech Girl only scratched the surface). Not to mention the top notch special effects work, particulary the junk yard with the Luxon ship.

A real highlight is the fantastic music by Subvision. Take particular note of the scene when D'Argo says, "...but can I look him (my son) in the eye." The background music is simply wonderful.

"Jerimiah Chricton" starts off with a great tease of John being abandoned by Moya after an accidental starburst. He's stranded on a paradise-ish planet where a dampning field prevents power sources from working. The Moya crew manages to find John and keep him from the clutches of the natives.

This episode features some really good special effects (take note of the first scene after the credits where John is sunbathing on his ship) and some humerous moments with Rygel. But all in all, it's not that interesting since the "natives" look like refugees from "Xena: Warrior Princess" and lack the ability to act. Plus the plot is boringly predictable, despite a end of show twist involving Rygel.

All in all, a worthy edition to your Farscape collection.

Farscape at its best
Two A-plus episodes that showcase all of Farscape's strengths. ... Read more