In the first episode of the second season of Farscape, well, I wasn’t ready for this. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Farscape.Â
I tried. I TRIED REALLY HARD.
This is good opener to the season, and it sets up a main narrative arc that I’m very interested to see unfold. I do, however, have two things that struck me as weird in terms of story choice that I want to start off addressing. Then we can go back to me GUSHING FOREVER BECAUSEÂ FEELINGS.
Zhaan
My confusion over her story in this episode could be devoted to me missing something in this episode, but Farscape has dropped us into the midst of a crisis or a plot thread before without explanation. Here, though, I’m bewildered by how sudden and inexplicable Zhaan’s decision to follow the Seek is. If I gathered the timeline correctly, “Mind the Baby” takes place shortly after “Family Ties.” Perhaps a few weeks at most? Whatever the timeline is, we still don’t get any sort of explanation for why Zhaan has chosen to seek enlightenment and ascend to the next level in the Delvian Seek. It’s happening, the end. And it’s really jarring to see because it’s given no context at all. I think it’s an interesting story, and it was only a matter of time before Zhaan sought out her own spiritual enlightenment. She wasn’t going to stay away from it forever! I just wish we’d seen anything to bridge the gap between episodes. At least Aeryn and Crais’s development is given some context. We find out precisely what they’ve been up to in the interim, but that’s not the case with Zhaan. It just felt weird, that’s all.
Crais as Master
I don’t think the show necessarily ignores how fucked up it is that Crais, who kidnapped Talyn, eventually becomes Talyn’s pilot, I did feel slightly confused about this choice. I won’t deny that I am COMPLETELY into the idea of Crais pursuing a sort of ambiguous redemption, and Lani Tupu takes full advantage of this wonderful development. HE’S SO GOOD HERE. So I know I’m not really going to have any issues with this decision after this episode. I’m ready. BRING IT ON.
Here’s what confused me: Wouldn’t it make more sense for Aeryn to have been chosen just in terms of characterization? Crais is clearly the better choice for the story, but… okay, let me explain. We saw last season how Aeryn was essentially the only character able to get through to Talyn, and she used her own past as a Peacekeeper to help calm Talyn’s fears. She was entirely responsible for bringing Talyn back to his mother and naming him. And what little we see here in the early scenes of “Mind the Baby” show us that Talyn responds quickly to Aeryn because Crais is too used to being obeyed. He’s intimidating! It’s Aeryn who helps Crais learn how to talk to Talyn, and yet… why the hell does Talyn then choose Crais as his pilot? Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to latch on to the person who respected him and treated him well from the beginning? Again, I totally get why Crais works for a future story, but I think that it kind of backfires on the writers that they made Aeryn almost like Talyn’s aunt or a motherly figure. She just seems better suited!
Reunions and Revelations
Otherwise, I did like this episode. It’s not the most exciting thing, and by the end of “Mind the Baby,” it almost feels like the show hit a reset button. The crew is reunited, they escape Scorpius and the asteroid field, and they’ve got a lot of fleeing to do. There are some subtle changes, namely in D’Argo’s tanned face (which I’m guessing is from being unprotected while floating in space) and his attitude towards Crichton. Then we’ve got Scorpius, who doesn’t behave any differently than before, but WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING IN HIS HEAD. Oh god, is his outfit intentional? I just assumed that he was supposed to look like a villain, but does it have a purpose for looking the way it does???
This episode is also a lot of fun just purely for some of the character reactions. Look how irritated Pilot is when Chiana and Rygel are discussing ditching Moya! Or how about Chiana’s ecstatic leap into Crichton’s arms once she realizes he’s really back? OR RYGEL’S DIFFICULTY BREATHINGÂ BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT HYNERIANS DO WHEN THEY ARE EMOTIONALLY OVERWHELMED??? OH MY GOD, THAT WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER.
But holy shit, Aeryn. If there’s anyone who carries the weight of this episode, it’s her. Her journey here is one of practicality. Stuck in a complicated situation, she tried to do whatever she could to save her friends. Despite that she knew D’Argo and Crichton would be furious with her for making a deal with Crais, she saw it as her only chance to keep Talyn away from Scorpius. It’s why she later chooses traveling with Crais over remaining onboard Moya. It’s heartbreaking to her to have to leave Crichton behind! Look, I don’t think Aeryn makes perfect choices, but she’s always trying to be rational, and as uncomfortable and sad it is for her to do this, she knows that she can temper the worst parts of Crais. That’s precisely what she was doing while D’Argo was in a coma! Unfortunately, her plans fall apart pretty quickly when Talyn chooses Crais with the Hand of Friendship. (I think the concept is cool, but oh my god, y’all, that is the worst name for that apparatus. Terrible. Just terrible!)
BUT GUESS WHAT? CRICHTON AND AERYN CUDDLING. IT’S CANON. IT HAPPENED. AND IT’S WONDERFUL.
So, there’s a lot set up here, and “Mind the Baby” certainly serves that purpose. I admit I’m looking forward to future developments because I ultimately do find myself excited for Crais’s story. Plus, we’ve got Moya having to deal with the fact that her son rebelled… well, like weeks after he was born. THEY GROW UP SO FAST. Will Talyn ever return to Moya? Will I find out why the hell Scorpius has those things in his head? What the hell is his lieutenant’s name? I swear, I’ve never once noticed anyone saying it.
ONWARDS.
The video for “Mind the Baby” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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