Family Ties

Hi everyone! Welcome to the SACC review of Family Ties! Sorry this is a bit late, I spent most of today driving to Rochester for an audition so I didn’t get a chance to review it until this evening. I haven’t read the BBoard in 24 hours, and so as soon as this is posted I have about 10 pages of reaction to read! :-) WARNING!: Spoilers. Big ones. May make you cry.

Overall:

• When Farscape has and episode with a theme, they go ALL out! If you really want to see how powerful this episode is, watch the Premier beforehand. It’s been a long strange trip, and not without it’s potholes and flat tires, but our family is finally whole. Some of the biggest changes: D’Argo, who at the beginning could bairly stand Aeryn or Crichton and was simply a gruff warrior, finally reaching the point we’ve been waiting for since "Till The Blood Runs Clear"...Aeryn is a trusted comrade and Crichton has graduated to friend. Chiana, who was mistrusted and disliked as an awkward teenager, matures into a full fledged woman who is treated with respect she has earned. Rygel, the spoiled brat who couldn’t see past the end of his own nose, finally getting chewed out by his elders and beginning to see that there is a better way of life. And Crichton does what I feel is the healthiest thing for him psychologically...finally admits that the chances of him getting home are slim or none, and while he still hopes he now feels its more important to have a life with the people he’s grown to care about and not long for the one he has left behind. Hopefully everyone will survive long enough to reunite and continue to grow.

Crichton:

• As absolutely strange as this appears when you look at the position he’s left in, I’m VERY happy to report that our favorite Rocket Jockey finally has an entire episode without one even MINOR injury!! Our prayers are ANSWERED!! Can I get a HALLELUJAH?!?!

The Good: Strap in, there’s a lot!

• One of the best things about the spoilers we got from the TV Guide is that, while it gave us stuff to think about and appeared to be vital, it really wasn’t! The stunning revelation of Rygel selling out the crew happens before the first commercial break!
• I think Scorpious knows full well what happened to the PK assigned to M’Lee!! :-)
• Hmmm...Scifi channel leaves in torture, bitch, and some rather gross blood and guts from other episodes, but bleeps out the God from Crichton’s "God damn Chair"? I don’t necessary disagree with the choice, but I wonder what the rational is.
• I wonder how Scorpious knew when Rygel was lying or telling the truth. Pupil reaction perhaps?...he was making some serious eye contact.
• While this episode was just FILLED with excellent performances, I was most impressed with Gigi’s Chiana. Here is a character who started out not caring about anyone...and suddenly finds herself in a situation where she has people who care about her, who want to help her, and are willing to sacrifice their lives for her. She’s proven that she wants to be part of this family, and has put her actions behind her words. Now D’Argo wants her to try and save herself, lock up in the cell and lie to the PK’s about her part in it. You can see how distraut she is, not about putting on restraints or being locked up, but of loosing D’Argo or anyone else. And when D’Argo gets angry and says she’s a "pain in the ema", she flinches and looks so genuinely hurt that D’Argo HAS to be honest and add "But one I have come to enjoy."
• "It’s a Jerry Springer kind of family, but for what it’s worth, you ARE family!"
• Love the look Crichton gives Aeryn after she says the battle worn solider that appeared before her bunk was her mother. A mixture of surprise, "oh of course!", "what was I thinking" and "why am I surprised at this!"
• Those of us who love to see Aeryn smile had a field day in this episode, starting with the warm one she gives Crichton when he tells her to leave her father a message.
• Understatement of the Century: Crais after appearing on Moya, "Clearly an awkward situation."
• Watch D’Argo’s eyes get HUGE when he first see’s Crais on Moya!
• Zhaan gets pissed...watch her stick her gun in Rygel’s face and order him to "Move it" as Aeryn pats down Crais.
• For what it’s worth, I think that everything Crais says to Crichton when they are talking in the cell block is true. Crais has just viewed his entire life thanks to Aeryn, and I think instead of driving him insane (as I previously thought) it put a new perspective on his life. He see’s how happy someone as intelligent and capable Aeryn is as a non-PK, and how he will have no life once Scorpious is done with him, and has come to some tough decisions. And his admission to Crichton that his hunt should have been about his brother but turned away from it is the final part of it. Without the PK’s to tell him what to do, and without his bloodthirsty revenge, Crais can truly become a new man.
• And does Crichton forgive him? He finally got what he wanted way back in That Old Black Magic, Crais believes it was an accident and even admits what he’s done is wrong. I don’t think Crichton can fully forgive him, but he can/will accept the apology and let Crais move on.
• More from Chiana...I blow a raspberry at all of you who went nuts over Crichton and Chiana’s kiss!! This was one of the best scenes in the episode! Chiana is watching the man responsible for her having a caring family go off to save her life again, and her despair and anguish are tear-jerking! She tries to thank him the only way she knows how, a tender wistful kiss. And Crichton shows how moved he is to see that his influence has helped Chiana turn into a full fledged family member who cares deeply. He gently turns down her open hearted advances, and gives her the same lesson he gave Gilina in PKTeck Girl...try to save a life, return the favor given to you. I cry every time I watch this scene. BIG round of applause to Ben and Gigi!!
• One word for the music in this episode: AWESOME!
• Aeryn has taken her role as second mother to Talon (great name BTW!) very seriously, and her look of death when defending the baby from Crais is great, but when the two are on the ship and at the end when she angrily demands Crais leave the baby alone!
• Continuing to set all his affairs in order, Crichton see’s straight to the heart of the matter with Rygel. He didn’t choose not to sell them out, no one was buying. And he gives Rygel the hard truth (helped out by Scorpious being ready to kill him as a traitor). And when Rygel is at least willing to admit Crichton is right, and listens to how to make it better, Crichton gives him his forgiveness (a simple kiss on the brow). I think this is a defining moment of Rygel...after what he was going to do, these people are still going to risk their lives for him. He must finally acknowledge who his friends are. Let’s hope he has the chance to return the favor.
• Someone (sorry I don’t remember who) put into a fanfic they wrote that Chiana was a great cook, and how she was helping to earn her keep by cooking meals that were delicious. Well looks like they were right! Watch Zhaan try to cry and smile at the same time as she thanks Chiana with a simple squeeze on the arm, and the wonder on everyone’s face at all the food.
• I love how Crichton is playing with the DRD w/blue tape he injured then fixed in the Premier.
• "I hate this stuff." "Chicks love it."
• "How are you doing?" "I have to pee."
• "First base!!"
• I love how Scorpious is both respectful of and pissed at Crichton being able to outsmart him!
• That explosion just ROCKED!
• They may all be very brave in the face of death, but no one is ashamed to shed tears when the dren hit’s the fan.
• So what is Crais going to do with Talon? Hmmm...

The Bad:

• The only thing I didn’t like was how, after 3 episodes with plots going at a breakneck speed, this one in comparison appeared to come to a halt. I totally understand why, it’s hard to have a last supper and final good-byes when plot is flying at you. But I can’t help but wish it was paced a bit better.

The Nitpicky:

• "I am a Dominar of action!" Yes, it’s all new ACTION Rygel with Kung-Fu grip!!
• I still maintain that Nerve, Hidden Memory, BtBW, and Family Ties all happened in very little time, perhaps 2 days total. I’ve said my reasons before, but one extra one: I’ve gotten the feeling that the uniform Crichton is wearing is the same one from the Gammak base. I can’t believe he’d WANT to stay in it, and dren’s been hitting the fan to fast for him to stop and change his cloths. At the very beginning, when he’s coming out of his room and pulling down his shirt (the Picard Maneuver? :-) ) and complaining that "this is not happening" I get the feeling he was finally trying to change.
• While all that leather looks great on everyone, man does it make a lot of noise! Poor Scorpious creaks at EVERY movement!
• What was that thing Rygel had in the bath with him at the beginning? Some kind of flat, knife-like rubber ducky?
• Added Dialogue: Crichton as he speaks to recorder and plays with DRD: "I’ve got..." taps the DRD, "...to get me one of these things! He is SO cute!"
• More added Dialogue: as the moon ignites, Crichton: "Burn baby burn!"

It’s going to be a long few weeks until season 2!!!

I love hanging with you man! - Crichton to D’Argo
Lauren (OboeCrazy)
SACCer #1: The Most Vocal Defender
TAC, TAR12, FA10.5