After Aeryn's been kidnapped by the Scarrans on Farscape, Crichton tries to piece together her location from one clue, a single Scarran word, "Katratzi". In the process, he obsessively watches a documentary from Earth about his alien friends.
Season Four, Episode Seventeen: A Constellation of Doubt
David Kemper writes a more thoughtful episode about Moya's crew on Earth than "Terra Firma". The interviews depicted in the documentary having been conducted partly by John's (Ben Browder) nephew Bobby (Joshua Anderson) during the events of "Terra Firma". Aeryn (Claudia Black) is also interviewed by an amusing 90s style tabloid TV host (Nick Tate).
We also see a series of experts commenting on the aliens, including one played by David Kemper and another by Brian Henson.
Some of the opinions shared are a little cliche or dated, like Noranti's (Melissa Jaffer) opinion on religious zealots or the depiction of a Buddhist monk being more understanding of Chiana's (Gigi Edgley) frank sexuality than a Catholic bishop. But parts of the episode focusing on the casual alienness of the aliens, particularly Chiana, are sweet.
Though I find it hard to believe Chiana has no concept of makeup. Maybe Nebari don't wear makeup but I can't believe everyone she encounters on this colourful series is supposed to have only their natural pigmentation. But Edgley does a great job with the scene, which, according to the wiki, she believed to be her last for the series. Scenes featuring D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe) focus on Earth's military inferiority, providing an interesting contrast with Chiana's alien vulnerability.
. . .
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: PilotEpisode 2: I, E.T.Episode 3: Exodus from GenesisEpisode 4: Throne for a LossEpisode 5: Back and Back and Back to the FutureEpisode 6: Thank God It's Friday Again Episode 7: PK Tech GirlEpisode 8: That Old Black MagicEpisode 9: DNA Mad ScientistEpisode 10: They've Got a SecretEpisode 11: Till the Blood Runs ClearEpisode 12: Rhapsody in BlueEpisode 13: The FlaxEpisode 14: Jeremiah CrichtonEpisode 15: Durka ReturnsEpisode 16: A Human ReactionEpisode 17: Through the Looking GlassEpisode 18: A Bug's LifeEpisode 19: NerveEpisode 20: The Hidden MemoryEpisode 21: Bone to be WildEpisode 22: Family Ties Season Two:
Episode 1: Mind the BabyEpisode 2: Vitas MortisEpisode 3: Taking the StoneEpisode 4: Crackers Don't MatterEpisode 5: Picture If You WillEpisode 6: The Way We Weren'tEpisode 7: Home on the RemainsEpisode 8: Dream a Little DreamEpisode 9: Out of Their MindsEpisode 10: My Three CrichtonsEpisode 11: Look at the Princess, Part I: A Kiss is But a KissEpisode 12: Look at the Princess, Part II: I Do, I ThinkEpisode 13: Look at the Princess, Part III: The Maltese CrichtonEpisode 14: Beware of DogEpisode 15: Won't Get Fooled AgainEpisode 16: The LocketEpisode 17: The Ugly TruthEpisode 18: A Clockwork NebariEpisode 19: Liars, Guns, and Money, Part I: A Not So Simple PlanEpisode 20: Liars, Guns, and Money, Part II: With Friends Like These . . .Episode 21: Liars, Guns, and Money, Part III: Plan BEpisode 22: Die Me, Dichotomy Season Three:
Episode 1: Season of DeathEpisode 2: Suns and LoversEpisode 3: Self-Inflicted Wounds, Part I: Would'a, Could'a, Should'aEpisode 4: Self-Inflicted Wounds, Part II: Wait for the WheelEpisode 5: . . . Different DestinationsEpisode 6: Eat MeEpisode 7: Thanks for SharingEpisode 8: Green Eyed MonsterEpisode 9: Losing TimeEpisode 10: RelativityEpisode 11: IncubatorEpisode 12: MeltdownEpisode 13: Scratch 'n SniffEpisode 14: Infinite Possibilities, Part I: Daedalus DemandsEpisode 15: Infinite Possibilities, Part II: Icarus AbidesEpisode 16: Revenging AngelEpisode 17: The ChoiceEpisode 18: FracturesEpisode 19: I-Yensch, You-YenschEpisode 20: Into the Lion's Den, Part I: Lambs to the SlaughterEpisode 21: Into the Lion's Den, Part II: Wolf in Sheep's ClothingEpisode 22: A Dog with Two Bones Season Four
Episode 1: Crichton KicksEpisode 2: What was Lost, Part I: SacrificeEpisode 3: What was Lost, Part II: ResurrectionEpisode 4: Lava's a Many Splendoured ThingEpisode 5: PromisesEpisode 6: Natural ElectionEpisode 7: John QuixoteEpisode 8: I Shrink Therefore I AmEpisode 9: A Prefect MurderEpisode 10: Coup by ClamEpisode 11: Unrealised RealityEpisode 12: KansasEpisode 13: Terra FirmaEpisode 14: Twice ShyEpisode 15: Mental as AnythingEpisode 16: Bringing Home the Beacon