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Captain Hornblower
Rates the Farscape Episodes
The Captain gives "Kansas" a rating of:
4 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:
"Kansas" is an interesting and fun episode. It registers
with the viewers on so many different levels, and it sets up an
overall direction for episodes to come.
First of all, this is an effective continuation of "Unrealized
Reality". All of that scientific techno-babble in the previous
episode gets played out in reality in this one, as Crichton tries
to fix the consequences of his little trip back in time. As it was
described in the previous episode, any changes to the timeline ripple
outward from the person themselves. So, Crichton goes right to his
home in 1985, and does find an important change in his family. His
Father is set to go on the doomed Space Shuttle Challenger, and
Crichton must get his Father not to go without causing more damage
to the timeline. All of this is played out very well in terms of
Crichton's thought processes on what to do to accomplish this, clarification
of important details to the idea behind what's going on, and the
emotional drama of Crichton getting to see his late Mother, knowing
he can't save her life, too, without doing damage to the timeline.
I also liked the fact that they chose to do this episode with the
backdrop of the Challenger disaster being the cause by which Crichton's
Father will die unless Crichton can fix things. This disaster was
the biggest event of the 1980's, and was certainly the most traumatic
event in my childhood, as I'm sure it was for many people who remember
that time. I think this gave the impending disastrous change to
Crichton's timeline a solid connection to reality for the viewer,
and the topic was treated with a great deal of respect whenever
it was brought up.
Beyond the interesting, more thought provoking elements of the episode,
this was also a fun romp for Crichton's companions, who finally
get to experience Crichton's home world for REAL. Aeryn watching
Sesame Street, the middle finger as a "greeting", D'Argo
saying "bite me", Rygel getting into Halloween-all very
funny and very well performed by the cast. And, purely from a guy's
prospective, you had to love that retro-top Aeryn was wearing. And
she did kind of look like Cher, only sexier. (Now, I just want to
see her dancing on a battleship, singing "if I could turn back
time!")
There was even some important developments on Moya. The revelation
that Bracca is working with Scorpius will definitely have ramifications
in future episodes. It shows Scorpius is still very much a player
on the Peacekeeper scene, and that he has plans for dealing with
the forthcoming peace between Peacekeepers and Scarrens, a peace
that Scorpius believes is a bluff that will prove deadly for the
Peacekeepers. I think it also puts forth a tantalizing question:
how does Scorpius intend to enlist Crichton's aid in preventing
peace with the Scarrens and in possibly destroying the Scarren threat?
But Grayza is still not a very compelling character to me. It is
still very unclear why she is so hell bent on capturing Crichton,
even taking a detour from a meeting to establish peace with the
Scarrens just to catch Crichton. The only apparent reason she wants
him is because she is angry at him for overcoming her boob sweat
and leaving her in the stirrups. Without any other apparent motive,
that ridiculous one is all we are left with for her pursuit of Crichton,
and that is a problem since the pursuing villain has been an important
Farscape plot element from the beginning. It makes that element
less than compelling, where it was very compelling in the past with
Crais and Scorpius, in turn, as the pursuers.
Finally, the end of this episode leaves the viewers with a resounding
"huh?" Crichton finds his Dad on board Moya when they
meet up with her, in orbit around Earth in 2003. This leaves the
viewer frothing at the mouth for the next episode, so that the answers
to how that happened will be revealed. A great surprise ending for
this great episode.
Well, that's my take on "Kansas". What did you think of
the episdoe, and this reviews?
Captain Hornblower
Keeper of Jenavia's Jewel Gun
Worshiper of Aeryn's Remarkable Vessel
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