Review of Farscape: The Complete Season 4 (Box Set)

Introduction

Farscape passed me by when it was aired. I had brief misgivings about Henson`s Creature Workshop involved in sci-fi, and had a flashback to Pigs In Space from the Muppet Show. That was a foolish notion however, quickly dispelled when I caught the first season of Farscape when it made its BBC debut. A sole human cast forth in a wondrous and distant part of the universe, meeting strange and fascinating beings and trying to find his way home. It was a grittier sci-fi, with most of the stories centred on a group of escaped prisoners as they tried to keep one step ahead of the Peacekeepers and the dreaded Scarrans. Then the legendary BBC scheduling stepped in, and episodes began to appear with increasing randomness, and at the oddest times. With oodles of other sci-fi competing for my attention, as well as this new fangled obsession I had developed with DVDs, Farscape pretty quickly dropped off my must-watch radar. It`s a shame really, as the few subsequent episodes that I did manage to catch grew ever more intriguing. If that contributed to the show`s premature cancellation, then I humbly apologise. This is my chance to make up for it though, as Contender Entertainment gathers the individual releases to create a Farscape Season 4 boxset, the final season. 10 discs of concerted Farscape viewing where I can boldly go to a galaxy far, far away (how`s that for mixing my sci-fi references?).

Farscape was a new kind of sci-fi when it appeared on our screens. A spaceship crew exploring strange worlds, so much so Star Trek, but these were a group of escaped convicts. Farscape was far grittier, far grungier, which gave it more of a Star Wars feel, but even then there was something else going on. There was an overall irreverence to the genre, a sense of wit that many other po-faced shows lacked. This was a show that was replete with pop-culture references, and invited the viewer to join in with the fun. Perhaps most telling was the presence of arcs in the storyline. There was a time when Star Trek and its ilk were wholly episodic, employing a reset button at the end of every episode that put everything back at Square One. Slowly, shows began to abandon this approach and introduce story arcs. Things would happen over the year, and even over the entire series that made viewing compulsive, as it became imperative to keep in touch with the story`s development. Babylon 5 was one show where missing a key episode could prove disastrous. However Farscape went one better by incorporating character arcs at its heart. While it was essential to watch to keep up with the way the story developed, it was even more important to watch the characters grow and change. More than in any other sci-fi show, these people were affected by what they went through, and they changed and developed because of that. It made caring for the characters very easy, and this more than anything else distinguished Farscape from its contemporaries. It also means that coming back to the series after a couple of years leaves me a little lost. It`s fortunate then that nestled at the heart of Disc 1 is The Story So Farscape, which throws up some intriguing character developments.

Testing a new spaceship for IASA, John Crichton was thrown through a wormhole to a distant part of the universe. He encountered a ship of escaped convicts, fleeing from their Peacekeeper captors. His resemblance to a Peacekeeper himself caused more than a few problems, but he soon became comfortable aboard the living starship Moya, with his new friends, Luxan Ka D`Argo, Delvian Priestess Zhaan, Dominar Rygel XVI of Hyneria and the Moya`s integral Pilot. Added to that mix was the disgraced Sebacean Peacekeeper Aeryn Sun, and Chiana the Nebari. Pursuing them was Peacekeeper Crais, who blamed Crichton for the death of his brother, and later from Season 2, half Scarran half Sebacean scientist Scorpius, who wanted Crichton for his wormhole knowledge. At one point, Scorpius even captured Crichton, and although he failed to extract the knowledge he sought, he implanted a neural clone of himself in Crichton`s mind, leaving him prone to hallucinations of a figure he came to call Harvey. I was still watching when Moya gave birth to Talyn, a nimble spaceship that grew attached to Aeryn, and I saw Aeryn and John`s relationship start and begin to develop. But I missed out on John being duplicated, and one of the duplicates leaving with Aeryn, while the other stayed on Moya. Aeryn and John finally became close and acknowledged their feelings. That John Crichton died in Aeryn`s arms and she returned to Moya, where reuniting with the other John Crichton was difficult to say the least, especially as she was now pregnant. After Talyn`s death, the crew decided to split up and go their separate ways, but at the last minute, John learned of Aeryn`s pregnancy and left Moya to pursue her. Which is when a wormhole opened and pulled Moya in, leaving John Crichton alone, lost in space…

Disc 1

1. Crichton Kicks
This first episode starts some time later, with John Crichton living aboard a dying Leviathan called Elack, working on wormhole theory, and growing a beard while teaching the resident DRDs the 1812 Overture. He`s interrupted when a ship crashes into the cargo bay, revealing a young woman with a warning. Sikozu is still learning Crichton`s language when a group of scavengers invade the ship. Crichton and Sikozu have a hard time protecting Elaak from those who want to harvest the ship`s brain tissue, so it`s fortunate that Chiana and Rygel return in time to help put up a fight. Sikozu`s loyalties are questionable though.

2. What Was Lost: Part 1 - Sacrifice
The Elack takes Crichton, Rygel, Chiana and Sikozu to the world where Jool and D`Argo are working on an archaeological dig. There`s no sign of Moya though. The planet is rumoured to hold the secret of galactic peace, as well as a devastating weapon. The Peacekeepers are back on Crichton`s trail, although there has been a change in the power structure. Grayza is in charge now, and Scorpius a plaything in her torture devices. She has her own plans for Crichton, and her feminine wiles are more powerful than most. The planet holds even more secrets though, and the old woman has her own plans for Crichton.

Disc 2

3. What Was Lost: Part 2 - Resurrection
Chiana, Jool and the old woman Noranti are still prisoners, Crichton is under the tender mercies of Peacekeeper Grayza and her suite of bondage, and the planet will soon be uninhabitable as the magnetic fields increase in intensity. Not to worry though, as D`Argo and Sikozu have a plan. It`s better for Crichton if he doesn`t know what it is though.

4. Lava`s A Many Splendored Thing
Searching for Moya, hunger begins to bite. However, Noranti`s remedy requires a quick toilet break to a barren volcanic planet. The inquisitive Rygel manages to find a cave full of treasure, and his grubby hands set off a trap, sealing him, Crichton, D`Argo and Noranti inside. Then the owners of the treasure show up.

5. Promises
Moya`s made contact, and it`s time for a reunion. But Pilot is unusually reticent about what happened after Moya was pulled into the wormhole. There`s a pleasant surprise for Crichton as Aeryn is on board. It`s a bittersweet reunion though, as she is suffering from heat delirium, and her saviour is none other than Scorpius, to whom she has promised safe harbour. Scorpius wants asylum, and Aeryn is keeping secrets. Then a massive hostile ship appears.

Disc 3

6. Natural Election
While Crichton is busy practicing wormhole predicting, Moya and Pilot wait patiently for the crew to choose a Captain, and Aeryn is trying to find the right time for a `relationship` talk. When John strikes it lucky and actually predicts a wormhole, their jubilation is short lived as consoles start exploding and the stars vanish. It`s time for the crew to break out the weed-killer.

7. John Quixote
John and Chiana are away from Moya, and in their absence Scorpius gets up to some mischief. John gets an emergency call from Moya, but before he can respond, Chiana drags him into a virtual reality game she has discovered. However, when John tries to leave the simulation, he learns he is trapped. Apparently Stark has left him a little gift.

8. I Shrink Therefore I Am
Crichton and Noranti are returning to Moya with groceries, but they come back to trouble. Bounty hunters are aboard the ship and the crew are in chains. John will have to do his best John McClane to take back the ship and rescue his friends. It`ll mean turning to Scorpius for help though. They have their work cut out for them as the invaders have a unique way of confining their prisoners, in jam jars.

Disc 4

9. A Prefect Murder
Fleeing both the Scarrans and the Peacekeepers, Moya leaves the Uncharted Territories for Tormented Space. Supplies are scarce though, and it becomes imperative to find somewhere to trade when Moya becomes dormant. Unfortunately, the first planet they come to takes offence at Chiana`s gregarious personality. Then Aeryn starts seeing things.

10. Coup By Clam
Moya needs some maintenance, and the only likely place in Tormented Space is a forsaken outpost with ridiculous quarantine procedures. The visiting doctor brings a repast by way of compensation. A bad case of shellfish later and he`s demanding a fortune in ransom in exchange for an antidote.

Disc 5.

11. Unrealized Reality.
Crichton has stepped out for a breather. He`s floating in space, waiting for a wormhole to open. Only this time, the wormhole opens up and sucks him in. This is no simple trip through space however, as he find himself in an odd limbo, conversing with a black-eyed superior being. He learns that there is more to the wormhole phenomenon than space travel, when he ends up back on Moya, on that day he encountered D`Argo, Zhaan and Rygel for the very first time.

12. Kansas
A wormhole deposits Crichton back at Earth, unfortunately he`s in orbit with no way down. Back on Moya, they pick up his signal, and leaving Sikozu and Scorpius behind, the others travel through the wormhole to rescue John and get their first look at his home planet. He isn`t quite home yet though, as listening to the radio, they find that they have travelled back in time, and in doing so history has been changed. It`s a good thing it`s Halloween.

Disc 6

13. Terra Firma
The right time, the right planet and Jack Crichton is there on Moya to welcome his son home. It`s an uneasy reunion at first, but John is finally back on Earth. Now the US has to get used to the reality of aliens vacationing in Florida. But Grayza has left a little gift for John on Moya that may make his homecoming a brief one.

14. Twice Shy
Back in Tormented Space, Moya`s crew are trading for maps. Only Chiana picks up a stray called Telika into the bargain. Suddenly things are getting more bizarre than usual aboard Moya. Not an episode for arachnophobes.

Disc 7

15. Mental As Anything
John, D`Argo and Rygel go to a spiritual retreat at Scorpius` behest to learn some mental discipline, while the women stay behind to look for a Leviathan spare part. D`Argo comes face to face with his past, when the man who killed his wife appears at the retreat.

16. Bringing Home The Beacon
Chiana, Aeryn, Noranti and Sikozu venture aboard a trading outpost to get a spare part that will mask Moya`s signature. Only the Peacekeepers turn up. It would be bad if they were after Moya`s crew, but it`s actually worse. The Peacekeepers are there to make a deal with the Scarrans.

Disc 8

17. A Constellation Of Doubt
What did Moya`s crew get up to during the few months that they sojourned on Earth? John finds out when Moya intercepts a transmission from Earth, the warts and all documentary, `Alien Visitation`. It`s bare distraction from the fact that the Scarrans have Aeryn.

18. Prayer
To get Aeryn back, Crichton makes a deal with the devil. He`ll give Scorpius the wormhole tech in return for his aid. Meanwhile Aeryn is being interrogated by the Scarrans as to John`s whereabouts, and she is serious considering turning to divine intervention for help.

Disc 9

19. We`re So Screwed: Part 1 - Fetal Attraction
John has a plan to rescue Aeryn, but it`s one that will take Moya into Scarran space and require an audacious masquerade. The Scarran ship holding Aeryn is close enough to touch, but going in with all guns blazing is not an option.

20. We`re So Screwed: Part 2 - Hot To Katratzi
The Scarrans may have lost Aeryn, but they have Scorpius instead, and they are probing his mind for wormhole secrets. Against his better judgement and at Harvey`s urging, John ventures into Scarran space to affect a rescue. It means gatecrashing a high-level peace conference.

Disc 10

21. We`re So Screwed: Part 2 - La Bomba
Scorpius pulls a double cross at the last minute, and the plan looks like it will fall apart. Suddenly the Scarrans are holding all the cards and Moya`s crew are up a certain creek without a paddle.

22. Bad Timing
Just when everyone is settling down to a bit of peace, the Peacekeepers show up demanding Scorpius, as well as an alliance with John Crichton. It isn`t easy to say no when John hears what the Peacekeepers relate. The Scarrans are intent on using the wormhole to invade Earth. John`s only two choices are to either ally with the Peacekeepers, or destroy his one way home.

Video

Farscape Season 4 comes with a splendid 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer. It is exceptionally clear and sharp for the most part, showing off the cinematic quality of many of the episodes to excellent effect. The only problem is a perceptible level of grain that mars the darker scenes with a degree of ghosting. It isn`t cause for complaint, but it is quite noticeable at times. There are also some oddly placed layer changes on the dual layer discs. It would have been better to have one episode to a layer.

Farscape is an absolutely beautiful show to look at. All aspects of the show, the production design, the costumes, the make up, the creatures, to the CGI and the alien starscapes make this show a visual feast. I`ve watched a fair bit of Star Trek, and have grown up with the idea of the forehead alien. Then along comes Farscape and presents the truly wondrous, the fantastic and on occasion the downright creepy. It`s not just a matter of look, as there is a degree of thought put into the aliens` backgrounds that increases the bizarreness factor. Where else would you find a character that p***es fire and farts helium? Naturally, the CG lacks the budget of the typical feature film, but it`s kept simple yet stylish, so when the ships and the worlds appear on screen, they still feel tangible and real, instead of plasticky. I had no problem in accepting the Farscape universe as a storytelling device.

Audio

Once again, Contender do a great job with the presentation, giving Farscape a dynamic DD 5.1 soundtrack that once again bring out the cinematic aspects of the show. The speakers are put to excellent use conveying the action and effects of the show. From subtle ambience to pulse pounding action, Farscape sounds wonderful, and loud. The music is outstanding, giving Farscape a unique feel in terms of orchestrations, incidental music and themes. The dialogue is clear throughout, which makes the lack of subtitles almost forgivable… almost.

Features

The extras are distributed liberally around the discs in the set, which are presented with wormhole style animated menus.

Disc 1

The Story So Farscape (27 minutes)
An essential recap for those such as me, that takes almost half an hour to get people caught up with the major characters, relationships and stories of the first three seasons of Farscape. It comprises clips from previous episodes with informative captions.

Anthony Simcoe Interview (10 minutes)
The man behind Ka D`Argo talks about working on the show, and the direction his character takes in Season 4

Deleted Scenes (7½ minutes)
Deleted and extended scenes from the first 5 episodes.

The gallery contains some designs, make up tests, and stills, while Farscape Facts contains production notes for the first five episodes.

There are text profiles for Aeryn Sun, Chiana, Pilot, Rygel XVI and Stark, giving some background into the characters and their stories so far.

Disc 1 concludes with an audio commentary for Crichton Kicks, supplied by Director/Producer Andrew Prowse and Gigi Edgley, who plays Chiana on the show. It`s an interesting commentary as they discuss the episode in some detail, as well as talk generally around the show and the characters.

Disc 3

Commentary for John Quixote with director Tony Tilse and puppet co-ordinator Sean Masterson. They discuss this episode penned by Ben Browder, and how it was realised on the screen. It`s a slow paced laconic track, which tends to stay on the technical side of things, although they do point out the many film and pop-culture references.

Disc 4

Claudia Black Interview (16 minutes)
The actress who plays Aeryn Sun talks about what she learnt from Farscape, her career so far, and how her character grew over the series.

Farscape VFX Commentary (10 minutes)
You get a look at the animatics compared to the final realised shots, as the effects crew discuss how they worked. It`s a very technical featurette.

Deleted Scenes (4½ minutes)
Scenes that didn`t make it to the broadcast versions of Episodes 6 and 9

Farscape Swearing
A neat little dictionary to keep your `Frell` and `Dren` in order, with links to scenes putting the words in context.

There are text profiles for John Crichton, Ka D`Argo, Scorpius, Jool, Noranti and Sikozu, giving some background into the characters and their stories so far.

The gallery contains some designs, make up tests, and stills, while Farscape Facts contains production notes for episodes 6 to 10.

Disc 5

Commentary for Unrealized Reality with director Andrew Prowse and actor Anthony Simcoe (D`Argo). This is more of a general commentary, speaking around the episode and only occasionally directly commenting on it. It`s interesting to hear the director`s take on the story, how it was played with in post-production and how the final show differs from the original script. It`s very much a case of Anthony Simcoe interviewing Andrew Prowse and it is well worth listening to.

Disc 6.

Wayne Pygram Interview (10 minutes)
The man behind Scorpius speaks, and he discusses his career, the show and the character. It`s interesting to hear how much input he had into the character, and how Scorpius became something of a role model for the disabled community.

Deleted Scenes (8 minutes)
Extended scenes and scenes cut from episodes 12, 13 and 14

Make Up Tests (7 minutes)
A look at the galley set, and the original make up concepts for Zhaan, D`Argo and Chiana.

Moya`s Menu
Another flick through the dictionary, this time for Farscape food, again with links to relevant scenes putting the words in context.

There are also Farscape Facts and a Gallery of images for episodes 11 -14

Disc 8

Gigi Edgley Interview (12 minutes)
The actress behind Chiana talks about her career, her life and the inspiration and support she got from her family. Naturally she discusses the show and the character as well, as well as what she gained from the experience.

Deleted Scenes (17 minutes)
Scenes that didn`t make it to episodes 15, 16 and 17, with the majority of them from episode 17.

The Farscape Dictionary is visited twice on this disc, once to look at the alien slang, and once to examine the technical terms used on the show. Once again there are examples of usage in the show, and it is somewhat refreshing to see that the technobabble section is a small one.

Peacekeeper Profiles
Biographies for the characters of Grayza and Braca.

There are also Farscape Facts (Production Notes) and a Gallery of images for episodes 15 -18

Commentary for A Constellation Of Doubt.
Andrew Prowse and Anthony Simcoe reunite for another interesting track. This one is much more focused on the episode and how it was realised. This show had a tortuous history, not least because it was during filming this that it was learnt that the show had been cancelled. On a lighter note there is a look at the Australian sense of humour and how it applied to Farscape.

Disc 10

Deleted Scenes (4 minutes)
Taken from episodes 20 and 22

Farscape Outtakes (16 minutes)
Mistakes and goofing around, with plenty of funny stuff.

Terms Of The Uncharted Territory
One last look at the Farscape Dictionary, again with links to relevant scenes.

There are also Farscape Facts (Production Notes) and a Gallery of images for episodes 19 - 22

Audio Commentary for Bad Timing with Andrew Prowse and Gigi Edgley
Naturally they talk about the cancellation, in this the most reflective of the commentaries. They also pause to savour the best moments of the episode. It is a tad bittersweet, but ends on a positive note, advertising the then forthcoming mini-series.

Farwell (18 minutes)
It`s a goodbye to Farscape, with the actors talking about hearing of the cancellation, their last scenes and how they dealt with the end. There is also a look at the legacy of Farscape and the fan movement to bring it back. Now wipe that tear from your eye, and go and watch The Peacekeeper Wars mini-series.

Conclusion

Oh Wow! One question, whose idea was it to cancel this diamond of a show? Another question, whatever possessed me to stop watching it in the first place? I should have put up with the BBC breaking up the schedules for Golf, Snooker, Political Party Conferences, repeats of Fresh Prince and all other manner of rubbish to stay in touch with the Farscape story. I must admit that the sight of 10 discs on my `to review pile` was a little daunting at first, but as soon as I started watching, I couldn`t stop. 22 episodes flew by in a relative wink of an eye. As I enjoyed Farscape Season 4, I came to realise that this is the best television sci-fi that I have seen in years. Admittedly, the shows that I have been watching in recent years have hardly been the pinnacle of the genre. Stargate has settled into a comfortable rut, and it seems that its spin-off is in danger of following suit. Buffy and Angel were enjoyable and entertaining, but became too dependent on their own mythology to attract new audiences, while the four year long disaster that was Star Trek Enterprise will probably have lasting effects on future productions in the genre.

I dove into the deep end with Season 4 of Farscape, yet I found that I had little need for prior knowledge to get into the show, and would probably have managed just fine without the Story So Farscape recap on the first disc. While there certainly is a mythology and back-story to the show and the characters, the stories are told in such a way that whatever you need to know, you`ll learn in the episode. Farscape is also refreshingly free of technobabble. Where Star Trek stuck you knee deep in the verbal diarrhoea, Farscape uses its running time more efficiently to actually tell the story, to focus on the characters, to keep the viewer engaged.

And what stories! Farscape has an irreverent tone. It refuses to take itself seriously, and although it never stoops so low as to wink at the audience, this is clearly a universe that is supposed to be fun. Part of it is down to John Crichton himself, an apparent sci-fi geek who has grown up with the genre, and when he sees something vaguely familiar in the Farscape universe, he has to relate to it in familiar terms. Which means plenty of pop culture references. Yet with all this light heartedness, the stories have a very strong sci-fi depth to them. This season sees wormholes aplenty, time travel, and virtual reality, first contact with aliens, strange beasts, lost civilisations, a killer space weed, and bad shellfish.

In one of the commentaries, Andrew Prowse reflects that Season 3 was the most consistent of Farscape, while this one was a little more hit and miss. I must have been numbed by years of other mediocre shows, because there wasn`t an episode I failed to enjoy in this run. While the quality does vary, it`s never less than good, and some of the episodes reach truly sublime levels of excellence. Unrealized Reality is a case in point. It`s the episode where Crichton begins to come to grips with the wormhole knowledge that he has been gifted with, and becomes aware of the true power of the knowledge he possesses. The episode structure is disjointed as he takes trips through wormholes into his past to see what could have been, as well as alternate realities where others perceptions of him alter, and one where Moya and her crew are strangely different. This episode is linked by Crichton`s encounter with a strange being in an icy limbo. Visually and in terms of narrative it bears more than a passing similarity to 2001. In fact, that is one of Farscape`s strengths. It shies away from the traditional episodic format and at times takes wild, unprecedented risks in the way the stories are told.

A Prefect Murder has a structure that plays with the mind and the preconceptions. Told from different viewpoints and out of sequence, it is an astounding and compelling mind-`frell` episode. Mental As Anything actually goes someway towards convincing that D`Argo is not who he has always claimed to be. Given the history of the character and how much has been established about him, to make us question his very history at this stage is a powerful achievement. Most of the stories and the concepts in Season 4 aren`t original. There`s very little in modern sci-fi that is absolutely brand new, but the way that the stories are presented contribute a lot to making them fresh and exciting.

What makes the most difference of course, are the characters in the show. Farscape took a lot of chances with the character of John Crichton. To have as your main hero, someone who is emotionally damaged, someone who hallucinates, who has arguments with characters in his head is a tremendous risk. It also gives you the added strength of actually knowing what a character is thinking, something usually restricted to the written medium. It also shows that this is a man who has been affected by what he has been through. Indeed none of these people are static. They all grow, change, suffer and rejoice at what life throws at them. It is Farscape`s greatest asset, the characters are people who the audience can relate to and care about. They may be aliens represented by make up and prosthetics, but in the most fundamental ways, they come across as very human. After perhaps their toughest challenge in the penultimate episode, the crew of Moya escape from the Scarrans after Crichton uses mankind`s greatest invention, the nuke. As you would expect, everyone is in a celebratory mood, but then the story takes a darker turn when we get to Crichton, who instead of celebrating is trying to come to terms with what he has just done. The average show would be popping champagne corks at this point, keeping the high going until the end credits, but this shows intelligence and depth in character that gives the show an added realism.

At the heart of the show is the relationship between Crichton and Aeryn, and the chemistry between Claudia Black and Ben Browder is just magic on the screen. It also salvages the one real stinker in the series. Every series has to have a stinker, and in this season it is Twice Shy. If you have seen the Emohawk episodes of Red Dwarf, then this episode will be painfully familiar. It`s the same story, but played seriously. There`s no shrinking underwear, no Dwayne Dibley, but emotions are being sucked out of our heroes by an unwelcome guest, and Crichton still has to go out with a big gun and "twat it!" It`s a terribly weak episode in comparison to the rest of the series, yet in terms of character development and story arc, the final scene will have the average Farscape fan grinning from ear to ear. It`s truly an ensemble cast though, and one of my favourite characters is the quirky Chiana, whose damaged innocence is endearing, as played by Gigi Edgley. D`Argo (Anthony Simcoe) at first acquaintance seem much like any stereotypical sci-fi warrior, (not naming any names but Worf & Teal`c take a bow) but there is an underlying sensitivity and wit to the character that adds layers of depth. I had a lump in my throat at his final scene in this series. The characters of Rygel and Pilot add a truly alien feel to the show, much more than any CG creations could. The cast are able to interact with them in real time, and they inhabit the universe.

As for villains, there are none so memorable as Wayne Pygram`s Scorpius. From the amazing costumes and the make up, to the actor`s performance, this is another rounded and fleshed out character in the Farscape universe, with infinity of depth, intelligence and wit. When he faces Crichton it is a battle of minds, they almost mirror each other and it is as compelling a dynamic as the one between John and Aeryn. Not so rounded is the Peacekeeper Commandant Grayza. This is a villain of the old school, scenery-chewing, vampish and lacking dimension. I must admit her resemblance to Blake Seven`s Servelan speeded up the old heart rate, but there wasn`t much depth to her. Similarly short changed, although probably because she was a new addition to Season 4, was Sikozu. Her character serves pretty much as a mobile encyclopaedia for most of the season, and it`s only near the end, when her relationship with Scorpius begins to develop that her character comes into her own.

Of course there is that ending. John and Aeryn in a boat, the alien fighter on a strafing run. One can only wonder at how fans reacted. It was brave of the producers to stick with the original cliffhanger ending and not alter it. I remember Quantum Leap`s simple caption stating that Sam Beckett never returned, and the less said about Enterprise`s final episode the better. Audiences felt cheated. But with Farscape, this ending unambiguously states that there is more story to tell. It was something that fans could get organised around, and their concerted effort paid off with the Peacekeeper Wars mini-series. Yet even with that series in mind, watching the final episode of Season 4 felt like a kick in the gut.

Farscape is funny, exciting, dramatic, and sexy television. Season 4 is the most unadulterated fun I have had watching sci-fi in years. The show`s irreverence and wit is unique, but no more so than the depth of its characters and the intelligence of its scripts. This release collects together all the Season 4 discs in one convenient boxset, and put together, the five excellent commentaries, deleted scenes, interviews and featurettes make this a very attractive package. To coin a phrase, a boxset isn`t just for Christmas, it`s for life.