In the eleventh episode of the second season of Farscape, holy shit, THAT IS A REALLY LONG TITLE. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Farscape.
I know it’s gonna seem like I’m repeating myself if you watch the video for this episode and then read my review, but I can’t help it. This episode works so well because the writers take a trope – that of the accidental marriage – and then commit to it. I fully expected some sort of tidy resolution at the end of these forty-five minutes, and instead, I get a tear-jerking monologue from Crichton about how he’s giving up the chance to ever see his family and friends on Earth just so he can save a single planet. WHAT THE HELL, HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT.
Anyway, this is a very dense episode, so I’ll be splitting this up by what I want to address.
Sexuality
This show has certainly not avoided talking about or depicting sex, but it’s about a million times more frank and upfront in “A Kiss Is But a Kiss,” and I gotta say: I love it. IÂ do wish the show would pursue something other than heteronormativity, since all we ever get is passing nods to the existence of bisexuality or pansexuality or polyamory, and a lot of those nods are also jokes. I mean, there’s a man who seemed perfectly willing to make out with Crichton here! At the same time, it seems like this culture is determined to pair people based on their biological compatibility with one another, so I don’t know how they view queerness or homosexuality, you know?
Anyway! There’s a constant subplot burrowing its way through this episode about happiness, sex, and romance, and goddamn, it’s done really well. The writers approach the Crichton/Aeryn and D’Argo/Chiana pairings with a respect to their pasts and their cultures, and it’s something that’s always relevant. If you look at how Crichton and Aeryn have grown, particularly this season, it’s clear that Aeryn has a huge hurdle to get over. Her culture has always dictated that she avoid falling in love with anyone. Temporary physical pleasure is perfectly fine, but it should never develop beyond that. But hey, Aeryn gave up being a Peacekeeper over a cycle ago, and it’s clear that she’s willing to change what she believes and what she does. So I’d say that this is only part of her problem. But it does inform her confusion and her erratic behavior.
I think of it like this: she’s completely not used to courting another partner. She’s not used to navigating the complicated, uncomfortable process that comes from romance! But I also think it’s important to make sure to factor in Crichton into all of this, because he’s not terribly helpful for Aeryn. He’s demanding, first of all. Not just of sex, but of change. He never seems willing to take things slow, and hell, even Chiana calls him out on this. This is not going to be an easy thing for Aeryn, and yet? Crichton comes off as petty, jealous, and impatient throughout most of this. Which is kind of the point. This show does anti-heroes better than most because all of these characters have unlikable aspects to them at the forefront of their characterization. In this case? You’ve got cultural confusion slamming up against stubbornness, and THEN EVERYTHING IS SAD. They said goodbye WOW, way to punch me in the heart.
I am mildly suspicious of the Chiana/D’Argo pairing for one reason: there are too many hints here that they’re merely enjoying one another for the moment. Because y’all, I LIKE THEM TOGETHER SO MUCH. I know that in some parts of the universe, interspecies romance is looked down upon (THAT’S AN UNDERSTATEMENT), so I love that they’re on a planet that is so liberal about such things while they learn to enjoy one another. And lord, do they ever enjoy one another. Again, the show is frank about depicting their sexuality. I mean, y’all, Crichton walks in on them having sex twice. He actually tries to have a conversation with Chiana while she’s receiving oral sex from D’Argo! (That actually speaks to Crichton’s mental state, since before he bolts from their quarters, but this time, he sits down and just continues talking until Chiana is so embarrassed that she leaves.)
So: more queerness, but I’m super happy that the show is doing this.
Accidental Marriage
I still can’t get over this. How many times has episodic science fiction given us this story? (Did anyone feel like Angel slightly referenced this specific arc at the end of season two of their show? That’s where my mind went! Oh god, I love those episodes, I NEED TO GO RE-WATCH THEM.) Hell, even beyond the trope itself, there’s a distinct fairy tale tone to “A Kiss Is But a Kiss.” Crichton is the hero… sort of? He finds that he’s got the weight of an entire dynastic empire resting on his shoulders when he learns that he’s genetically compatible with Princess Katrella. Save the empire by marrying the princess, or leave and commit them to certain doom?
See, that would be an easy conflict to deal with. It would! I could see the show finding a solution in less than forty minutes. But in yet another example of the writers’ willingness to go to really uncomfortable places, they add a massive set of complications to this story. There’s a lot of political power plays unfolding here, namely one that will disrupt the anti-Peacekeeper policies set into place for nearly 2,000 cycles. Katrella’s brother, Clavor, who POISONED HIS OWN SISTER’S DNA WHAT THE FUCK, is determined to ascend to rule in order to fulfill a pact he made with Cargn, a Scarran, to recognize the Scarrans in a political covenant. (PHEW. What a mouthful.) It’s a shortsighted plan, obviously, one that the current Empress is painfully aware will throw their empire into war with the Scarrans and the Peacekeepers. (Oh god, I should have noticed that it made no sense for there to be a coronation WHILE THERE WAS STILL A LIVING EMPRESS. holy shit I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.)
This episode does give us our first true Scarran, which helps explain a lot. We get to see how they have the power of MIND INVASION! Now I know how Scorpius can do that! But it also made me really curious about Scorpius fits into the greater narrative of this world. He’s half Scarran, half Sebacean, and I bet that’s pretty rare. I don’t imagine that happens all that often. If that’s the case, could this explain those weird coils in his head? If Sebaceans have to regulate heat, what happens when you combine Scarran biology with Sebacean biology? Are Scarrans cold-blooded? LOOK I AM ATTEMPTING TO PIECE THINGS TOGETHER HERE.
I mean, let’s just talk about one of the big shockers here: HI, SCORPIUS, YOU JUST SHOWED UP LIKE YOU WERE THE BEST MAN AT THE WEDDING. Oh my god, I love this his entrance here is coded as if he were a friend showing up to a party. IT’S SO TERRIFYING. Because then Crichton’s choice is made even worse:Â Scorpius is what happens if he doesn’t marry Princess Katrella.
LORD. LORD. And somehow, there’s something here that makes this choice EVEN WORSE for Crichton:
Statues
Yet again, Farscape comes up with something so patently bizarre and weird and then COMMITS TO IT. Because as it turns out, these people have a very specific cultural requirement of their emperors/empresses. After they’re married, they are immediately forced to become a living statue for eighty cycles. During this period, all they can do is observe the government. This helps them get a better grasp of internal politics and governing without allowing them to interfere, and it’s clearly why they have such a successful system. This has worked for two thousand cycles!
I just… holy shit. I suppose that the horrible cliffhanger might lead this story in a direction where the statue doesn’t happen, but WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK, Y’ALL. Also, did anyone else think that this reminded them of Crichton’s decision to turn himself over in “My Three Crichtons”? Crichton’s a flawed character, but he’s quick to do what he thinks is right, and this is another example of that.
The Builders
I CAN’T DEAL WITH THIS. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. MOYA’S CREATORS. There are beings who created the Leviathans? ARE THEY ACTUAL GODS? help me HELP ME I CAN’T DO THIS. I’m happy that it’s Zhaan who is accompanying them on this journey. How beautiful was that scene where she sang to Pilot and Moya? Anyway, excuse me, I’m gonna go freak out over the possibilities of this plot.
The video for “A Kiss Is But a Kiss” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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