The Mind Unknown
Farscape's angriest character, D'Argo, finds he has to face whether or not he can control his rage in a fourth season episode refreshingly reminiscent of earlier seasons.
Season Four, Episode Fifteen: Mental as Anything
When was the last time an episode was about anyone's backstory but Crichton's (Ben Browder)? Not since season three. Well, I guess Jool a little bit at the beginning of season four. But this is the first episode since early in season three to focus on D'Argo's (Anthony Simcoe) past and the first time his wife's murder has been talked about since, I think, season one.
At Scorpius' (Wayne Pygram) recommendation, half of Moya's crew--for some reason only all the male crewmembers--visit a master of some kind of mental discipline, Katoya (John Brumpton), in order to receive training. Among the students is none other than Macton (Blair Venn), brother of D'Argo's deceased wife, Lo'Laan (Rachel Gordon).
It had been established earlier that D'Argo's imprisonment was for the murder of his wife and that he'd been framed by Macton who put the blame on Luxan "hyper-rage". Macton, D'Argo believes, was Lo'Laan's true killer. When D'Argo first sees Macton, his first instinct is to murder him. But eventually, D'Argo confesses to Crichton that he may well have killed Lo'Laan himself because hyper-rage also causes blackout, meaning he might have killed Lo'Laan without retaining memory of the crime.
The torment of not knowing for sure is fertile ground for great story and character development but the episode eventually does provide an answer. Before that, though, Anthony Simcoe gives a brave, unrestrained and effective performance. He does a good job of showing the horror in contemplating the possibility that Lo'Laan had been lying to him, to spare his feelings, about whether or not he'd ever hit her in fit of hyper-rage. He shows the horror of considering the possibility that he may have killed the woman who was willing to give her life for him.
Meanwhile, Crichton undergoes special training in a metal box over lava. His final escape from this is a moment of distinctly Crichton-ish, amusing, and slightly scary madness.
. . .
Farscape is available now on Amazon Prime.
This entry is part of a series I'm writing on Farscape for the show's 20th anniversary. My previous reviews can be found here (episodes are in the order intended by the show's creators rather than the broadcast order):
Season One:
Episode 1: Pilot
Episode 2: I, E.T.
Episode 3: Exodus from Genesis
Episode 4: Throne for a Loss
Episode 5: Back and Back and Back to the Future
Episode 6: Thank God It's Friday Again
Episode 7: PK Tech Girl
Episode 8: That Old Black Magic
Episode 9: DNA Mad Scientist
Episode 10: They've Got a Secret
Episode 11: Till the Blood Runs Clear
Episode 12: Rhapsody in Blue
Episode 13: The Flax
Episode 14: Jeremiah Crichton
Episode 15: Durka Returns
Episode 16: A Human Reaction
Episode 17: Through the Looking Glass
Episode 18: A Bug's Life
Episode 19: Nerve
Episode 20: The Hidden Memory
Episode 21: Bone to be Wild
Episode 22: Family Ties
Season Two:
Episode 1: Mind the Baby
Episode 2: Vitas Mortis
Episode 3: Taking the Stone
Episode 4: Crackers Don't Matter
Episode 5: Picture If You Will
Episode 6: The Way We Weren't
Episode 7: Home on the Remains
Episode 8: Dream a Little Dream
Episode 9: Out of Their Minds
Episode 10: My Three Crichtons
Episode 11: Look at the Princess, Part I: A Kiss is But a Kiss
Episode 12: Look at the Princess, Part II: I Do, I Think
Episode 13: Look at the Princess, Part III: The Maltese Crichton
Episode 14: Beware of Dog
Episode 15: Won't Get Fooled Again
Episode 16: The Locket
Episode 17: The Ugly Truth
Episode 18: A Clockwork Nebari
Episode 19: Liars, Guns, and Money, Part I: A Not So Simple Plan
Episode 20: Liars, Guns, and Money, Part II: With Friends Like These . . .
Episode 21: Liars, Guns, and Money, Part III: Plan B
Episode 22: Die Me, Dichotomy
Season Three:
Episode 1: Season of Death
Episode 2: Suns and Lovers
Episode 3: Self-Inflicted Wounds, Part I: Would'a, Could'a, Should'a
Episode 4: Self-Inflicted Wounds, Part II: Wait for the Wheel
Episode 5: . . . Different Destinations
Episode 6: Eat Me
Episode 7: Thanks for Sharing
Episode 8: Green Eyed Monster
Episode 9: Losing Time
Episode 10: Relativity
Episode 11: Incubator
Episode 12: Meltdown
Episode 13: Scratch 'n Sniff
Episode 14: Infinite Possibilities, Part I: Daedalus Demands
Episode 15: Infinite Possibilities, Part II: Icarus Abides
Episode 16: Revenging Angel
Episode 17: The Choice
Episode 18: Fractures
Episode 19: I-Yensch, You-Yensch
Episode 20: Into the Lion's Den, Part I: Lambs to the Slaughter
Episode 21: Into the Lion's Den, Part II: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Episode 22: A Dog with Two Bones
Season Four
Episode 1: Crichton Kicks
Episode 2: What was Lost, Part I: Sacrifice
Episode 3: What was Lost, Part II: Resurrection
Episode 4: Lava's a Many Splendoured Thing
Episode 5: Promises
Episode 6: Natural Election
Episode 7: John Quixote
Episode 8: I Shrink Therefore I Am
Episode 9: A Prefect Murder
Episode 10: Coup by Clam
Episode 11: Unrealised Reality
Episode 12: Kansas
Episode 13: Terra Firma
Episode 14: Twice Shy