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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
As great a season as any in the history of television, September 16, 2004
Warning: Spoilers galore! Free roaming discussion of the season story arcs!
First, before proceeding to heap excessive amounts of praise on this extraordinary season, I have to express my extreme anger at the ongoing refusal of the owner's of the series copyright to make it available to the public at a reasonable or even affordable price. I do not own this set on DVD and do not plan on doing so as long as they continue pricing it as such absurd levels. I'll struggle along with my tapes for now. I'm not angry only because their price means I can't afford it; I am angry because the price keeps a host of would-be fans from discovering this remarkable series. There is simply no excuse for the way they have gone about the DVD releases for FARSCAPE. I thoroughly encourage anyone who loves Sci-fi or quality TV to explore this series-I promise you will be delighted with it-but I also encourage everyone to avoid purchasing this set at this price. As consumers we need to let the companies know that they have a responsibility to make their products available at a reasonable price.
Season One of FARSCAPE saw the debut of a new and superb Sci-Fi series. Season Two saw a marvelous development of all of the main characters, increasingly complex relationships between them, and the expansion of the many story arcs. But absolutely nothing in either Season One or Season Two prepared viewers for how extraordinary the show would become in Season Three. This season is unquestionably one of the greatest seasons any series has enjoyed in the history of television, and is in my opinion the greatest season any Sci-fi show has ever enjoyed. What makes the season so spectacular is that they take a huge number of extraordinary risks, and manage to pull all of them off. To cover merely some of the highlights, how many shows will begin a season by raising one character from the dead, killing off one of the main characters for good, savagely end a romance between two of the principal characters, create a clone of the show's main character, have the other main character embark on a torrid love affair with one of the clones, kill that clone off, and then savage the potential romance she might have with the other clone? Then, to make matters even more interesting, kill off two more major characters in the season finale while suddenly and inexplicably inserting a new character from nowhere? Sound complex? It is! But complex can be great when you assemble a team of great writers, great producers, great designers, and great actors. This was an exceptionally ambitious season, and the miracle was that their ambitions were all realized.
Season Two ended with the death of Aeryn Sun and the removal of the implant that Scorpius inserted into John Crichton's brain. Towards the end of Season Two, John and Aeryn seemed finally to be moving towards the fulfilled romance for which they seemed destined. In a way, the challenge facing the writers in regard to John and Aeryn reminds me of the famous Monty Python cheese shop sketch. In that skit, John Cleese enters a cheese shop to buy some cheese. As he asks for each kind of cheese, none of which the shop possesses, the shop owner tries to concoct a new excuse for why they do not have that particular kind. The game is to continually invent new excuses for why they don't have any cheese. Similarly, the writers over nearly four seasons had to create a host of reasons for why Aeryn Sun and John Crichton weren't a couple, all while creating an overwhelming desire in all the show's viewers that they end up with each other. So, each season presents a series of hurdles for John and Aeryn to leap over, all while maintaining a high degree of interest in one another. The first hurdle is, of course, Aeryn's death in Season Two, just after she has declared her love for John and at the hand's of John, though temporarily possessed by the personality of Scorpius via the implant. Aeryn is saved by Zhan, which eventually leads to her own death a few episodes into the season. I have read varying accounts of the reason why Virginia Hey left the show, though all agree that it was her decision. The essence seems to be that she was tired of the physical demands that the role made on her. She not only had to put on blue body make up that generated allergic reactions, but she had to wear contacts that bothered her eyes, and had to shave both her head and her eyebrows. Zhan leaves the show after a double sacrifice, first saving Aeryn's life but leaving herself in a condition that will eventually lead to death and later in intervening in a situation that costs her life immediately.
Shortly after Zhan's death, our heroes encounter a villain who clones individuals to produce food for consumption, leading to our seeing both D'Argo's and Chianna's clones being killed, but John's survives, which sets off a chain of events that colors everything else that happens this season. After a couple of episodes in which the two Johns make everyone feel exceedingly awkward with their presence, Moya's crew gets splits for several episodes, a few going with Crais on Talon, and the rest on Moya. Most significantly, the two Johns are split, and Aeryn goes with one of them onto Talon. Of course, this John and Aeryn finally allow themselves to fall passionately in love, and give it the fullest possible expression, to the extent of the two of them talking of staying together even if John can get back to earth. Unfortunately, this John dies after extensive exposure to radioactive material, which leaves Aeryn devastated. When she eventually returns, she finds it impossible to face the other John. The situation is unprecedented in Sci-fi, in that the man that Aeryn loves has both died and is yet still alive. It is an impossible situation emotionally, and one can both sympathize with her pain and agonize over John's heart break as he realizes that the woman he loves has given her heart to him, but not this particular "him" but the "other" him. The season ends shockingly with an emotional confrontation between John and Aeryn, with their flipping a coin to determine whether she is going to stay on the ship or leave, her departure when the coin doesn't bounce John's way, and finally the shocking revelation that she is pregnant, presumably with the other John's child. It could have been a terribly silly story arc, but instead it was handled magnificently. In my opinion, it was one of the truly great seasons in the history of TV. For my money, during the 2001-2002 television season-with apologies to BUFFY, ANGEL, 24, and ALIAS-it was the best show on TV.
There was much, much more to the season. John's struggle with Scorpius reached epic proportions. Crais, a villain in Season One and a grudging ally in Seasons Two and Three, dies along with Talon in a heroic death. D'Argo and Chianna fall apart as lovers. There are a host of spectacular single episodes. All in all, it was a remarkable season. By all means see it, but rent it, borrow it, watch it in rerun. Just don't encourage the DVD industry by buying it at such absurd prices.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Farscape comes into its prime, October 23, 2004
The third season of "Farscape" captures the show in its prime; the various story arcs developed here are better than anything that came before. The writing and character development is, for the most part, top notch. Season three features the unusual episode "Revenging Angel" where the bulk of the episode occurs in a Looney Tunes Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote type of cartoon with Crichton and D'Argo. "Infinite Possibilities" another two parter features one of the Ancients appearing in the form of John's dad. They unlock the secrets of wormhole technology in Crichton's mind to prevent the Scarrans from escaping with a dangerous new weapon.
The stand out episodes in my mind that signify this development is the two part ""Into the Lion's Den" from the conclusion of the season. Crichton agrees in this episode to help Scorpious achieve his dream of wormhole technology. Scorpious plans on using it to develop a weapon of mass destruction that can be used against the Scarions. In return, Crichton and the crew of Moya will receive diplomatic immunity. Things sour very quickly when Crichton realizes what will become of this new found weapon.
Picture quality is pretty sharp throughout most of the discs. To answer one question--why isn't this in widescreen? Because it was shot in fullscreen format. It is, however, a high definition transfer. The usual extras are included such as commentary tracks, deleted scenes,interviews with the various actors and behind-the-scenes glimpses of props, the creation of various villains, etc. The only thing missing here is any extra discs or information. ADV essentially took the fans twice here--buying the individual titles cost more than this boxed set does. If you purchased this expecting extras not on those discs, you'd be disappointed.
A terrific season of "Farscape" only surpassed by season four and the conclusion chapter "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars".
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The series continues to evolve, September 17, 2004
The show keeps getting better and matures for yet another season of excellence. The quality of the sets, the writing, the costumes, etc.... all seem to have grown for the third season.
They introduce a new character, the annoying and bratty Jool. A long time cast member finally dies. They explore more around them and actually explain some of what is going on. The previous two seasons they were running and escaping so much nothing was explained in any sort of detail. You finally see the interaction of D'argo and Jothee. The reasons behind Scorpius's obsession for wormhole technology. Crais is accepted as being Talyn's protector and shows why he feels a bond with him.
The characters themselves also seem more mature. D'argo is more trusting and not as bull headed as before. John isn't as whiny as before, and keeping his knowlege secret is his duty. Aeryn is evolving emotionally, and not as filled with rage as before. Even Rygel shows more human qualities while still remaining the bastard we have grown to love.
Highlights include
The Season Of Death: Aeryn is pulled from the land of the dead by Zhann, with dire consequences. John is restored to his old self.
Suns and Lovers: The ship lands on a merchant station to restock their supplies. But the station is being targetted by a group of religious fanatics that believe it is on holy ground and must be destroyed, so the crew helps out rescuing people in the broken base. Chian and Jothee make some bad choices.
Self Inflicted Wounds 1& 2: The ship collides with a group of strange alien scientists. Moya is damaged and they are caught in a space between wormholes. The aliens want to abandon Moya and leave in their ship, while the crew wants to try to save their friend. A crew member dies and another is introduced.
Different Destinations: The crew is somehow pulled back in time to a group of missionaries besieged by an overwhelming enemy. They find that they can alter time, but want to return before they change things for the worse.
Eat Me: They are in a pod and encounter a disaster, so they land on a seemingly deserted leviathon to make repairs. The ship is full of strange inbred peacekeepers and an even stranger maniac. A strange new character is introduced.
Thanks for Sharing: Talyn is badly wounded and they are trying to find resources to help out on the planet, inhabated by sci fi goths. But there is strange resistance, and they think there is a conspiracy against them. Possibly by the same Peacekeeper squad that attacked Talyn.
Green Eyed Monster: The crew was seperated, half on talyn and half on moya. Talyn is swallowed by the biggest creature in the galaxy, a budong.
Relativity: Talyn lands on a jungle planet to assist in healing. Aeryns mother turns out to be charge of the squad to capture Talyn, and is deadly efficient.
Incubator: Scorpius tries to show the clone of john created on the chip his reasons for hating the Scarrans and obsession with wormholes. So we get to see his disturbing history.
Scratch and Sniff: Farscape on acid, on a 70's style beach planet. The crew is put off Moya so pilot and Moya can have some silence. They are waylayed by a drug dealer who wants Jool and Chiana for a drug made from sentient creatures pheramones.
Infinite Possibilites I&II: John and Aeryn are contacted by the Ancients to find why someone is using wormhole tech. Turns out that the odd mechanic Furlow created a prototype, and is being hunted by Scarran allies for the working model.
Fractures: The crew is reunited, and find another group of prisoners on run from the Peacekeepers, including a Nebari, a Scarran, a Hynerian, and a captured Peacekeeper.
I Yensch you Yensch: Scorpius is willing to cut a deal with the crew for wormhole tech. They introduce a Yensch bracelet, what one feels, the other feels, and plan on putting on on Scorpius, the other on John to insure they keep their bargain. Talyn shows his paranoia and aggressive behavoir and attacks Moya, then agrees to be shut off.
Into the Lions Den I&II: The crew is now on a Peackeeper command carrier, and working with the enemy. But John secretly wants to sabotage the project but walks on eggshells to keep Scorpius from discovering this. We get to see more of the Peacekeepers and how they function internally. Including the sultry new Commandant Grayza.
Dog With Two Bones: The crew goes to bury Talyn and prepare to part ways. John makes a shocking discovery about Aeryn.
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