Customer Reviews

Farscape Forever!: Sex, Drugs And Killer Muppets (Smart Pop series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Farscape is my favorite television show, with Firefly at a close second, so when this book appeared on Amazon I snatched it right up, especially after reading the impressive and thought-provoking Smart Pop book on Firefly, Finding Serenity. This book, unfortunately, is not like Finding Serenity at all. The first five or so essays are devoted to why Farscape is great, why Farscape is better than everything else, why Farscape is a brilliant work of incredible genius, why Farscape is the key to eternal salvation. You get the point.

I should interject at this point that this book is worth reading if - and probably only if - you're a hardcore Farscape fan. There is some decent insight here, as well as a couple attempts at humorous essays which fall flat. Several of the essays ("Theater of Faces," for example, which still manages to come back around to "Farscape rocks") are truly worth reading and contain some valuable gems to think about as you watch your DVDs (and I know you have them).

I hope it says something that I, who enjoys Farscape over any other show, feel that some of the praise in this book goes a tiny bit too far. I don't want to be reminded that Farscape is a great show - I can get that without putting down fifteen dollars. If you were as delighted with Finding Serenity as I was, you'll be disappointed with this tome, as much as it pains me to say so.

An interesting read, a facinating concept. Various sf writers delve into aspects of "Farscape," from a "NASA memo" that reprimands Crichton for tarnishing Earth's good name in distant parts of the galaxy, to essays that compare Zhaan to several different ancient Earth goddesses/myths.

However, the book's publisher needs to hire a real proofreader, instead of relying on (probably Windoze's) spell checker. One writer calls D'Argo a "Luxan," another, a "Luxon." On page 49 there's a quoted line of dialogue I'm sure must be a typo. A British writer gives a "new meaning" to the TV jibe of "jumping the shark" -- no, it doesn't mean the consummation of two characters longstanding attraction; the phrase comes from an episode in "Happy Days'" waning years, in which Fonzie (at least, his stunt double), on waterskis, indeed "jumped a shark" in a desperate attempt to lure viewers back to the show. Most "Farscape" fans would agree that the show never "jumped the shark."

Frankly, most of these "essays" didn't grab my attention. I was bored throughout this book. I thought it was going to be a nice walk through the past of one of my favorite shows - some stellar insight into what made Farscape great. But all I got was a lot of prentention, a lot of "let me show you how smart I am" prose. A waste of money.

This is the book for you. Chapters on the science, plots, characters and humor of Farscape. And praise for the show, in the way it explores subjects, deals with issues and allows its characters the freedom to decide where they will go and what they will want. Plus chapters on traveling in the Uncharted Territories, how to design your own Moya, and why crackers don't really matter.
The only fan who should not read this book are those of you who have not finished watching all the episodes, because there are spoilers. Lots of spoilers.

This book is a complation of essays, written by professional writers who also happen to be fans of Farscape. Different authors writing about different aspects of such a great series, from different points of view makes for a terrific read for anyone who was (and still is) a fan of this remarkable TV series. After you read this book, it gives watching the syndicated re-runs a whole new perspective! A "must read" for all Farscape fans!

While long time 'Scapers may become annoyed at the constant reminders of how great the show WAS--and how its demise came far too soon--this book may be of help for those who start watching it in syndication and quickly become lost, since the network doesn't show it in sequence.
Many of these essays give an interesting slant on the episodes. I especially enjoyed "Superior Villainy: 6 Secrets of the Pros", which must have been required reading by today's corporations...
Since Season 5 is out of the question (though one can always hope), this book gives a glimpse of what television sci-fi can achieve and is a great addition to any Farscape (or sci-fi) fan's collection.

I've probably read 30 to 35 collections of essays on various TV series and this is among the best that I've read. Although I've written some pretty theory-laden essays for such collections myself, I find that the anthologies I most enjoy and learn from are those mainly produced by writers rather than people striving to use a show to exploit hardcore academic theory. The essays in this collection strive to appreciate FARSCAPE as a series, not to use it as a springboard to write about their particular academic saw. Is every essay in the book good? No, certainly not. And reading a few was not a very good use of my time. But several reminded me precisely why I loved FARSCAPE so much and why it is a show worth our time and attention.

One thing that these essays allowed me to do to a degree that I hadn't before was appreciate the wonderful and intentional chaos of FARSCAPE. One of the essays talks of the structure of each episode being less about the introduction of conflict and its resolution, but of the introduction of conflict, intensifying that conflict, making it messier and messier, and eventually semi-resolving it in a way that left consequences that weren't always anticipated.

There were some aspects of the show that weren't sufficiently highlighted, but that is largely the luck of the draw in collecting the essays. FARSCAPE was, in my opinion, the show that took greater risks than anyother one that I know. The whole Season Three arc of the creation of the two Johns, Aeryn's falling in love with one of them, her lover's death, and the strained attempt of the other John and Aeryn to pick up the pieces was, in my mind, the most grandly epic love story ever depicted on TV. It was so original and shocking as to defy comparison with anything else that had been done in the depiction of love. It wasn't the greatest show ever. Some of its risk-taking resulted in some very bad episodes (like the absolutely abysmal "Revenging Angel," the partly animated episode that followed the heartbreakingly wonderful "Infinite Possibilities: Pt. 2 - Icarus Abides." And there were a number of standalone episodes that didn't achieve much except to pad out that season's 22 episode order. But at its best, FARSCAPE justified the risks it undertook. I personally would put it up there with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and FIREFLY as the best outer space SF that TV has produced.