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Captain
Hornblower Rates the Farscape Episodes
The Captain gives "Lava is a Many Splendored Thing" a
rating of:
3 Moyas
Captain's Rating Scale
5 Moyas-one of the best episodes
4 Moyas-an excellent episode
3 Moyas-a good episode
2 Moyas-a fair episode
1 Moya-a not so fair episode
0 Moyas-a poor episode
Review:
"Lava is a Many Splendored Thing" is a pretty good action/adventure
story. Its a well constructed story with a basic premise of Crichton
and crew landing on a planet, Rygel finding a stash of loot, and
getting the others into a confrontation with bad guys intent on
stealing the loot and seeing Crichton and comrades as threats to
that intent. The action is well done, the dialogue is good, the
plot is clear and concise, and there is a good mixture of humor
thrown in along the way.
The best thing about this episode has to be the portrayal of Crichton
and D'Argo, both as partners and as individuals. Its a teaming with
a great mixture of trust, partnership, collaborative thought, and
sense of humor. This episode clearly showcases how far along their
relationship as friends, allies, and dynamic duo has come in the
past three years of the show.
These two characters as individuals were also showcased in very
much a back to their roots sense. Crichton, while still being the
fast action hero he has involved into in this series, thought and
acted very much like a scientist in this episode. His use of theories
regarding forms of energy and his deductions on how to use the shielf
belts to protect him from the lava showed his lately dormant scientific
know-how and innovative thinking. At the same time, while D'Argo
has quite often lately been turned into a somewhat goofy character
and an old softy, in this episode, he is back to being a kick ass
Luxan warrior. It seems that so many of the endearing qualities
of these two characters, both as individuals and as partners, shines
through in this episode. And Crichton even got a great fight scene
with the head bad guy, mono a mono.
There are also some great character moments for Chiana, Rygel, Sikozu,
and (at long last) the old lady (who's name I keep forgetting).
In the case of the ladies, they were each shown in their own way
to be innovative as well. Even the old lady used her powder for
clear purpose for once, to distract the bad guys.
The humor in the episode was also well done. All of the characters
have some great one liners. And I feel what must be the funniest
scene so far this season is when Crichton and D'Argo react to seeing
the old lady disrobe.
Although this episode was overall good, it was not without some
difficulties. There really wasn't any great drama in this episode.
While, normally, having an ep that doesn't have as much great drama
is not necessarily a bad thing, the fact that the drama has been
kind of dry since the beginning of the season kind of makes the
viewer wish there had been more of it in this episode.
Also, they're still has not been enough resolution to the cliffhanger
elements left from the end of Season 3, and it continues to be a
distraction from the flow of the story. What happened in D'Argo's
quest to find Macton? One would think someone would have asked him
about it, Crichton at least. But if they have, we sure haven't seen
it. What happened to Moya when she fell down the wormhole? What
happened to Aeryn? Though these last two might get some answers
in the next ep, since at the end of this one they hear from Moya,
these answers have been far too long in coming and has interrupted
the show's forward motion into the plot of the new season. Then
again, since other questions (such as the one about D'Argo) have
not been answered, perhaps they will blow off the what happened
to Moya and Aeryn questions as well in the next episode.
If they do, then the new season's plot will be hindered even more
by too many unanswered questions STILL left from the Season 3 cliffhanger.
This distraction needs to be ended, then the show could move forward
with more impetus and less confusion and plot holes.
Overall, this is a pretty good action/adventure story, sort of in
line historically with such episodes as Home on the Remains: good,
but certainly not excellent or very memorable. Nothing to write
home about.
But I will say this for "Lava is a Many Splendored Thing",
its a much better shoot em up episode than Crichton Kicks was, and
LIAMST is the best episode the show has put forth so far this season.
Feedback is, of course, always welcomed. What did you think of the
episode, or this review?
Captain Hornblower
Keeper of Jenavia's Jewel Gun
Worshiper of Aeryn's Remarkable Vessel
Caretaker of Porthos, the Enterprise Dog
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