Each week on a Sunday afternoon (uh, ish), join Alex (of Randomly Yours, Alex) and Katharine (of the unpronounceable Ventureadlaxre), as they re-watch the Australian-American sci-fi show Farscape, notable for the Jim Henson animatronic puppets, the excellent mish-mash of accents, and the best OTP ship of all time.

Season One, Episode Seven: PK Tech Girl

Our favourite fugitives have been know to find dead ships and ransack them for salvage. It’s on one of these jaunts that they happen to find one of Crais’ workers, and things spiral out from there into emotions, a fire fight with another crew seeking salvage, and Rygel’s darkest memories.

A: EW close up of Rygel’s nose is WRONG. BUT! Crais! … nope, not Crais. So sad that Crais is not back. D’Argo wants info but Aeryn wants weapons. Perfect.

K: She is, isn’t she? Dead ship though, in the uncharted territories… must be Firefly 😀

A: those graphics are beautiful

K: They are. I also like what Aeryn’s wearing in this episode. SUCH a girl crush.

A: I love Aeryn walking around with that ENORMOUS gun. So competently.

K: She probably feels way more competent and comfortable with it, rather than without.

A: aw Aeryn’s comparison of thinking about walls when Crichton was talking about forests… so telling.

K: ‘Endless stories’, apparently. As with many shows, I’d love to see more of them just sitting around together doing normal stuff – eating, cleaning, wasting time… Like the hamburger scene with the Avengers 😀

A: Domestic adventures! I would watch that.

And now we have a skull! Cool! And Aeryn’s all “eh, deep-space desiccation” at Crichton’s little shriek.

K: Aha awww, poor Crichton. Makes it all a little more real than just a ship.

A: ooookay, Rygel remembering being tortured on a ship for the first time actually makes me a bit sad for him.

K: Eh. Though I guess, 130 years of anything would be enough to make anyone a pain in the ass.

That really is a creepy looking ship with all the tangled mess everywhere and half dead lights.

A: and there’s a girl in there and YES SHE IS FROM CRAIS’ SHIP MAYBE HE WILL BE BACK IN THIS EPISODE

K: Yaaaaay adventure! She’s recently had a haircut though, so she hasn’t been there too long.

A: Aeryn being a hard-ass is a whole revelation: this really is her world, and Crichton really should butt out.

K: Yup. I don’t see how he dares to think he knows better in these types of situations. Sure, thinking Aeryn is always a little tough is one thing, but… I mean, come on. Peacekeepers. Crais. Crichton needs to let those who know the situation take control. Her world!

I think if I were in this world I’d probably be Peacekeeper, but probably tech.

A: There’s no way I’d be an officer, that’s for sure.

A Sebacean treasure, you say? How curious.

K: Adventuuuure!

A: Rygel goes over to the ship to confront his fears, as Zhaan suggested, because she is indeed the smartest person on board the whole damn ship. Except maybe Pilot.

K: She really is. Can you imagine if she and Pilot were the only ones on board? They’d lead such a chill life. They’d just coast around, maybe saving some people here or there and doing good, but somehow staying out of trouble. How refreshing!

A: I WOULD WATCH THAT TOO.

Aeryn confronts Crichton about what he thinks the Sebaceans ought to be – using their tech for “good” – and Aeryn points out some of the good that she, at least, sees in their roles. It’s a worthwhile and challenging point to make.

K: It is, really. Not everything is black and white. It would be interesting if they’d seen a flash of another timeline of what the universe could have been like if the Peacekeepers hadn’t existed, or been such a controlling force.

A: oh Rygel. This really is a difficult thing for you to be doing.

K: I should probably care more at this point, shouldn’t I?

How does the girl even recognise the body at this point?
Poor Aeryn. That weight.

A: ooooh dear, Pilot asking Zhaan to check scans is never going to be a good thing. And it is indeed the Sheyangs, who attack without mercy…

K: The bad kinda adventure. Got it.

Crichton has a fair point about the chance they’re giving tech girl.

A:  Eh he’s a softy. And aww tech talk is so sexy. See Aeryn get a bit jealous.

K: Damn right. If she has to put up with Crichton’s oddities then she’s the only one who gets the payoff. And they’re all softly speaking and gooey. Pah!

A: D’Argo loses the ability to speak sense in his anger… and this scares the crap out of the Sheyangs. Ahahaha.

K: I love D’Argo sometimes. This is one of these times. But all their language is supposed to be translated. I wonder why his words changed from English to Luxon. Or maybe he’s just screaming angry gibberish. Either way, high five for D’Argo!

A: I just assumed that he wasn’t *actually* speaking sense, so the microbes are all ‘eh, whatevs, dude.’

I LOVE the tech girl being dubious about Crichton’s tech capabilities. I am also amused by D’Argo getting all uppity about lying to enemies in battle.

K: Sometimes I forget Crichton is almost like a Chris Hadfield level astronaut. He’s just a fluffy dumb puppy.

A: oh heck these two. Just no. Making cutesy over the tech over cutting wires and getting a sore eye? Peh.

K: Eeuuuguuuughhhh. Stop sniggering. Good to discuss the brother thing though, they really blew that one out of proportion. I love Aeryn when she gets jealous and cranky though, she tends to lift really heavy things.

A: Oh Rygel. And even Zhaan isn’t being sympathetic. Although ‘find his corpse’ is some amusing advice.

K: Zhaan is awesome. It is good advice, I mean, what could be more closure than that?

A:  It’s amazing how the possibility of death makes people work together.

K: The death is very pretty though.

A: ok those graphics, of the laser beam hitting the defence screen, are awful

K: Terrible graphics, but initially pretty.

A: Crichton’s boyish charm has suborned a Sebacean tech! Hilarious.

K: John has that ability. First Aeryn, and then this tech girl. Who’s next, Crais? Would you watch that episode, A?

A: … I WOULD WATCH THAT TOO.

“Can you anchor this while I pull?” oh yeh, awesome pick up line. And just EW (and what is with that music??) – but excellent timing, Aeryn Sun. I love you.

K: ‘You know cosmic theory?’ Just as classy. John has a habit of wrapping his arms around people for the most simple of things. Imagine making a cup of tea in the same room as him.

A: Oh Aeryn, admitting to attraction to Crichton. That must have hurt. Meanwhile Crichton you’re a douche.

K: Does she even have a name at this point? Punch him, Aeryn! Lift that thing! ‘Do not come down this corridor without one’ is pretty awesome though. His voice going all deep though, he knows exactly what he’s doing, the jerk. (Oh, her name is Gilina apparently.)

A: I like that she made him uncomfortable. So you should be. I’m also really glad that Rygel found the corpse of his tormentor, but the snot-spitting is seriously disgusting.

K: He needs to stop that.

A: ok, that alien spits fire. Fun.

K: They need to stop that.

A: “you die here, I do too” – what are you, JULIET CAPULET? Pft.

K: Euuuugh. You’ve literally just met, you don’t know if she reads or if she likes dumplings or any of the important things in life.

A: I just watched Frozen and I’m having flashbacks of all “you want to marry a guy you only just met??”

Crichton’s faith in Aeryn is beautiful

K: Exactly, does he know if he can have faith in Gilina? No. Can she even make a good toasted sandwich? Who knows!

In other important news, I’m sure if a Sebacean thinks it’s hard to keep them apart (and they’re ten times stronger than a human) then I doubt John would have been able to cope that long.

A: Ah, but Crichton can do ANYTHING.

Aeryn’s certainty that Gilina will not reveal their presence is touching – and again reveals that Aeryn still feels her own exile greatly. Their final moment together is wonderful. Gilina and Crichton… meh.

K: Isn’t it interesting how Aeryn’s blue eyes are such a different vivid blue to John’s blue eyes? (That’s what I think of Gilina and Crichton.) Does Aeryn actually wish she’d been as smart as to lie, though? Surely she sees how much better her life is now. In a way. Though then John says ‘this is no way to live’. Hrm.

A: oh the intricacies of “hey”.

There are advantages to being soft? And a fella is saying that? Brilliant.

K: Why is he so dang charming. At times. Rare times.  

A: Aeryn’s shoes are awesome. But I don’t love Crichton presuming to trump Aeryn’s pain.

K: Agreed on both counts. Crichton would be even more charming if he accepted he’s had the easier life so far, and will probably continue to do so.

In summary, Alex and Katharine both hate dumb romance storylines.

Number of times Aeryn saves the day: 3

Number of times John saves the day: 4

Times John compares someplace to Earth: 1

References Star Wars: 1