In the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of Farscape, I can’t believe what this show just did. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Farscape.
Well, that happened.
Let me start off by saying that this episode has done a thing that is both exceedingly rare and something I always end up wanting from genre stories. With “Terra Firma,” Farscape has taken the existence of this entire hidden world – the galaxy of life outside of the Milky Way – and brought it to Earth. Look, it was bad enough that I thought Crichton wasn’t ever going to go home. I was certain that wasn’t the endgame of this show, and not only was I wrong about this, BUT NOW THE WRITERS REVEAL ALL THE ALIENS TO THE ENTIRE PLANET AND WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK!!!!
I know that I do enjoy when genre shows toy with the concept of hiding an entire world within another. Shows like Buffy, Angel, Fringe, The X-Files, etc., all kept their universe hidden from public view. Sure, they all did this in compelling ways, and it was always great to see when people were introduced to said world, but I always found myself wishing that something would get so big and ridiculous that no one could hide it from public scrutiny anymore. Farscape does this in strides by making all of Earth aware of the existence of extraterrestrial life. I’m so pleased by the way in which they do this and the extent to which they explore what this would mean for humanity.
Of course, it’s with equal parts humor and drama. Rygel and Noranti discover the beauty of popcorn. (IT’S A VERY BEAUTIFUL THING.) Chiana and Aeryn discover shopping. And the American scientists working on the Farscape project discover they don’t know shit. Which I love! I adore that this episode doesn’t posit that humanity would be able to comprehend extraterrestrial technology quickly. If anything, I’d say that’s a big part of the conflict between Crichton and his father. They can’t agree on what to do with whatever they learn from this momentous… occasion? Discovery? Twist of fate? I’m not sure how to refer to this.
Regardless, all of the issues that Jack and his son have are trotted out in full view because of this. Mixed up in with that is the increasing fear Crichton has that he can’t ever fit in on Earth anymore. Oh, and there’s his denial over Aeryn. Oh, and there’s Skreeth. OH, AND THERE’S SO MUCH GOING ON IN ONE SINGLE EPISODE THAT I FELT DRAINED BY THE EXPERIENCE. But unlike some of the moments earlier this season, I didn’t perceive this to be a negative thing. It worked. The chaos, the jarring change in tone, the terror, the humor… it all feels so very Farscape in the best way imaginable.
Let’s talk more specifically about a few things.
September 11
I’m not ashamed of that groan of mine once Jack Crichton rationalized that the Farscape project had to stay American because of September 11th. BOO TO YOU, and YAY TO JOHN CRICHTON for not accepting such a bullshit answer. I admit it was a little strange for this show to reference the real world so directly; like the Challenger reference in the past episode, I think I was pulled out of the immersive storytelling for a bit, but I enjoyed where the show took it. It’s entirely believable to me that my country would react exactly the way they did here. I believe that the media would jump on the chance to surround aliens with the sort of attention we see here, and I believe my government would weigh their own national interests over that of the world’s.
Of course, Crichton is agonized over what he knows. He is certain it’s only a matter of time before the Scarrans try to attack Earth, at least if he can’t stop them. He knows that he can’t exactly tell his father or any government official that a bunch of terrifying reptilian aliens might come and DESTROY THEIR WHOLE PLANET. On top of that, I imagine that once Skreeth revealed himself, it was clear that Crichton posed a risk simply by remaining on Earth. He had to leave. So I’m glad that by the end of “Terra Firma,” he convinces his father that it is shortsighted to limit this knowledge to just one country. (Well, I also think there’s a subtext here that Jack Crichton is beginning to accept that his son is his own man. Don’t worry about me, I’m full of emotions.)
Aeryn
Let me call foul right now: Crichton is being the worst. There’s a moment where Chiana and D’Argo joke about forgiveness, and it made me realize that this show is possibly trying to sell me this story. Crichton is waiting to forgive Aeryn, which… what? What? What the hell has she done that she needs to apologize for or earn forgiveness for? On top of this, it was obviously very frustrating to see Crichton do everything in his power to avoid Aeryn and make her feel uncomfortable, such as re-igniting his romance with Caroline. (Though let me state that I am absolutely thrilled that the writers did not pit Aeryn and Caroline against one another. That was such a great scene where Caroline admits that Crichton can barely be in her presence and that he appears to just be testing himself to see if he can live without Aeryn.
I guess I’m prone to sympathy towards Aeryn because I can’t even imagine how frustrating and scary this whole situation is for her. She’s finally made it to Crichton’s home planet, and nothing about it is like what she expected. There’s no grandeur and romance to it because she spends so much time having to tiptoe around him. Which means I totally get to flip the middle finger at Farscape for using that unfair trope of interrupting a vital romantic question with a sudden burst of plot. NO, HE WAS SUPPOSED TO ANSWER, I NEED THIS DESPERATELY.
So what the hell is next for these characters? I imagine they’ll reunite with Sikozu and Scorpius, they’ve got to avoid being captured by Grayza, and somehow, they’ve got to stop the Scarrans. What are they doing, by the way? I really don’t think we’ll see Earth again for the remainder of the series, and I fear that Jack Crichton was right. He won’t see his son again. How could Crichton return home after all of this???
This show is so ridiculous, I swear.
The video for “Terra Firma” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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