Does it really improve after 1st season?

[Rand]

I missed this while it was on the air, and just started watching it on DVD. The member reviews at Netflix insisted that, while it began poorly, it got better towards the end of the season, and a lot better by season 2. Problem is, the people who write the reviews on television programs are almost invariably devoted fans.

I'm now at the end of the first season, and think it's somewhat better at this point than it was in the first several episodes, but not so much that I'd recommend it to anyone else. As the thread title asks, does it get better in later seasons? I remember that ST: DS9 began rather badly, but was well worth watching by season 3.

 

[j d worthington]

I remember attempting to watch Farscape when it first broadcast. I was not impressed. At all.

Some years later, I came across it at a later point, during reruns on the SciFi channel... and found a vast improvement in characterization, plotting, intricacy of entire set-up, and in general was much more favorably impressed... enough so to try catching it whenever I could. Eventually I got to see the majority of the later series, and yes, I would recommend it. It is awfully shaky to begin with, and has its off moments here and there later on, too... but for the most part, it really did become well worth seeing, and often a genuinely imaginative and intriguing production. I'm glad I gave it a second chance....

 

[J-WO]

Totally agree with the above. Persevere.

 

[Rodders]

Yeah i agree. I didn't get into this at all when it was on TV. When i started watching the DVD's i was hooked. A great story with it's fair share of twists and turns as it goes along. Stick with it and i hope you enjoy it.

One thing's for sure, you'll not see anything like this for a long, long time.

 

[Mouse]

I watched this from the day it aired on TV, then never missed an episode. I'd yell at anybody who dared to speak during an episode of Farscape! I loved it from the pilot, but I'm not a sci-fi person so I don't know if that reflects anything. I just loved the characters.

 

[J-WO]

I loved it from the pilot, but I'm not a sci-fi person so I don't know if that reflects anything. I just loved the characters.

Its not exactly hard line SF, not even to the level BSG is. Its character driven science fantasy of a kind most TV wouldn't dare go near. It reminds me oddly of a lot of 60's sf novels- Babel 17 comes to mind, now I think about it.

Sadly, much like a novel, Farscape was nigh on impossible to get into half way through. That's why it got axed early*. The studio chose to save the woeful Stargate instead, due to its greater accessibility.


*By all accounts the proposed final series would have been wide screen space opera of the most explosive kind. As it was, we got a two part finale that was more than excellent, but still...

 

[j d worthington]

I think one of the things which made the later Farscape work for me was their willingness to take chances, regardless of expectations. This made for more dramatic tension (as well as some very wonky things that didn't quite work, as well...) and allowed a tighter form of storytelling in some ways.

At any rate, a very unusual series that deserved better than it got, though if someone had told me when I first saw it that I'd ever have such an opinion... well, you know the rest.....

 

[Rand]

Thank you all, I appreciate the feedback.

I think I'm getting to the point where the puppets aren't making me quite as crazy anymore, and am now enjoying the late addition of the character Chiana (the one who looks like Daryl Hannah in Bladerunner). Guess I'll be sticking with it a while longer.

 

[Mouse]

Chiana's great! If I remember rightly, she had a sort of weird slow way of talking when she's first in it, but that disappears after a while.

Stark's my favourite, look out for him.

 

[j d worthington]

Yes, Chiana rapidly grew on me. I think Gigi Edgley managed an excellent performance in that role, bringing (over time) a lot of layers to a character who could have all-too-easily been one-dimensional. But then again, that was one of the things about the entire cast of characters as the show went along; they all grew tremendously (much more than is common in genre-based shows, it seems), which I think is one of its greatest strengths.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I loved this show and watched it on TV religiously through the first 2 seasons. I miss it.

 

[J-WO]

Yes, Chiana rapidly grew on me. I think Gigi Edgley managed an excellent performance in that role, bringing (over time) a lot of layers to a character who could have all-too-easily been one-dimensional. But then again, that was one of the things about the entire cast of characters as the show went along; they all grew tremendously (much more than is common in genre-based shows, it seems), which I think is one of its greatest strengths.

There's one episode later on where they all swap bodies. OK, so its a total SF cliche but, here, the actors' enthusiasm for it is infectious--it's obvious they are all relishing the chance to impersonate each others characters.

 

[Mouse]

I loved that episode! Anthony Simcoe in particular looked like he was enjoying himself.

 

[FeedMeTV]

I know i'm resurrecting an older thread but just wanted to add that I encouraged (ok demanded) that my OH start watching Farscape and he really didn't like it at all and I was so disappointed. I then watched some of the first season with him and I have to say I was a little embarrassed at how bad it was after extolling its virtues. I then watched a couple of the later ones by myself and adored it again so it is definitely worth persevering with the earlier episodes to get to the good stuff.

 

[Rodders]

I keep seeing an advert in the SF magazines about Farscape being released for the first time in one big box set. I'm very tempted, but i want to wait until it comes out on Blu-Ray.

 

[No One]

For me Farscape started strong (namely due to a great cast and characters) and did get stronger through the second season. After that, I wouldn't say it improved.

I think the 2nd season finale was a critical point. Doing a U-turn on the events of that finale set the tone for the rest of the forthcoming seasons - all of which, to my memory, played out in a similar one-step forwards, two-steps back, sorta fashion. I never respond well to that. After a point of toying with the characters so much, the show lost much of its impact and direction imo.

That's not to say there aren't great episodes throughout the series though (some are very unique and some downright hilarious) or that Ben Browder, Claudia Black and co. aren't consistently good or great, but I do look back on Farscape and think it could've achieved more.

 

[J-WO]

Had it been around now- post-Lost, Post-The Wire, post-BSG etc- it could definitely have achieved more. Back then, people weren't so comfortable with a long arced, character heavy Sci-Fi (B5 being the exception that sort of proves the rule).