Customer Reviews

Farscape Season 1, Vol. 8 - Durka Returns/A Human Reaction [VHS]

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"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.

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.

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!

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.

Even if you have already Recorded or seen Durka Returns or a Human Reaction this DVD is great. There are several un released sceens that are quite good. One of wich shows that even early in season one shows how well Cluadia Black can express an impressive amout with out even speaking.

Farscape is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi shows. I thought the first 2 years of the show were the best- the last 2 weren't bad either.

These two episodes are some of the best episodes from season 1- I especially like the episode "A Human Reaction"- the episode was so good I cried, yes, cried after watching the episode.

The prices on these Farscape dvd sets are finally coming down, and the price for this collection is very reasonable.

Highly Recommend.

With these two excellent episodes, Farscape began a run of outstanding shows that would introduce many pivotal elements and characters that would figure prominently for the remainder of the series. Prior to these programs, it was still a very fine program, but here (and even more so with the next two episodes) it began to shows signs of the excellence that was still to come.

"Durka Returns" introduces Chiana (Gigi Edgely), a sexy, chalk-white love slave who is being transported back to her homeworld to pay for her "crimes." Her custodian's assistant just happens to be the very same Durka (David Wheeler) who once tortured Rygel. His mind has been wiped, making him docile and manageable, but Rygel is not impressed and resolves to revenge himself. His efforts have predictably disastrous results.

In "A Human Reaction," Moya encounters a wormhole that appears to lead back to Earth. Crichton (Ben Browder) takes the plunge and undergoes a mind-bending adventure that leaves him changed in a way that will impact his life for the rest of the series. The plot device used here is not a new one for SF fans, but seldom has it been done so well.

Durka Returns is the first appearance of Chiana. While the Nimbari plot line is underplayed and Durka's return to evil is not well explained. This episode get's 5 stars just for having Chiana's first appearance. A Human Reaction is a vaugley transparent plot whose questions turn out to be more annoying than intriguing.