Home on the Remains

Welcome to the SACC review of Home on the Remains. This review has major spoilers...don't eat them even if you are starving if you haven't seen the show! As always my reviews are my own, and I haven't even had time to read the BBoard since last night none the less steal ideas :-)

Anyway...

Overall:

• Welcome to the New Orleans of the Uncharted Territories! Where the food is fried, the hospitality is limited, the gambling is risky, and the stakes are high. One of Farscape's greatest strengths is taking a colorful backdrop like this and placing several different story threads on it at the same time. While the goal is the same for all the threads (find food and save Zhaan) it's like several people riding a rollercoaster: all kinds of twists and turns happening at the same time even if everyone is headed for the same outcome.

Crichton:

• We're still waiting for it to be easy, but it never is. Putting aside starvation, we have the paralyzing attack from Zhaan, being bitten by Rygel (and biting back...ptwey! :-) ), and getting knocked around by the Keva. This episode gets a Deadly Gorilla's in the Mist rating.
• At least he didn't die.

The Good:

• "You can eat anything if it's fried."
• I love the look on Rygel's face when Chiana shows up in that outfit...eyes wide, big smile, "Well that's nice" is right!
• Best visual effect: "flying" through the Budong! Cool!
• Ya gotta love D'Argo for not leaving Chiana, even for food, until it's clear she's with a friend.
• "We're here for Zhaan, Maverick, not games." Somehow I find it hard to picture Mel Gibson playing Rygel! :-)
• "It's not exactly Domino's but it got here in 30 minutes"
• I can't help but laugh when Rygel tries to bluff his way out of the lost game by THREATENING the gamekeeper!
• Great D'Argo/Chiana Scene #1: after D'Argo bursts in on Chiana trying to "frell B'sogg into submission"...the scene is great because each of the characters has a different way of showing they care, and those ways drive the other crazy. D'Argo wants to help and protect Chiana, while Chiana will do whatever it takes to save the others.
• I love the smile Aeryn flashes when she's connecting the lights to help Zhaan and says "I'm doing this on my own." Aeryn has succeeded in becoming more...and is loving it!
• I know we all love wonderful, peaceful, calm Zhaan. But wow, no one plays evil like Virginia Hey! She could give Scorpius a run for his money!!
• I wonder if it's Aeryn's new non-PK attitude or the Pilot DNA she has (or both) that makes her so quickly willing to put her own life in danger to save Moya.
• Best Reaction Shot of the Episode: Crichton, while wandering around in the Budong looking for D'Argo, encounters the Keva for the first time.
• And that scene itself is great...reminded me of some of the best Raptor scenes in Jurassic Park.
• "There is no reason for both of us to die! I'm a Dominar, you are....just you!!"
• The Keva was an excellent creation...not just life-like and a cool animal, but such a classic Henson creature!
• I was torn between laughing and running for tissues listening to Aeryn's stuffed up accent.
• Zhaan and Aeryn have such an interesting relationship. Both are at opposite ends of the violence spectrum fighting towards a balance. And Aeryn's reaction to trying to help Zhaan as she fights to control her primitive self is great...you think she might do the Unity thing and then WHAM!
• "You're a Delvan 10th level Pa'u. You trained your mind to control your thoughts...do it now!"
• The scene where Crichton kills the Keva reminded me a lot of the Rancor scene in Return of the Jedi...both beasts killed by those huge spiked doors, although I think Crichton was bit more upset at the end about having to kill the beast.
• And of course, it wasn't a good meal until you can loosen your belt at the end of it!!
• Great D'Argo/Chiana Scene #2: of course the last scene in the show. These star-crossed lovers have come a long way, and with one kiss D'Argo finally answers the question Chiana has been asking him for several episodes now: if he's not her brother, or shipmate, or just a friend, what does he want to be with her! It will be VERY interesting watching this relationship grow and change.

Music Major Moment:

• I loved the music during this episode, and not just because through a lot of it sounded like an English Horn playing in the background (especially when Chiana is stroking B'sogg's head crack!) And the best choice for music was when Crichton first meets the Keva...nothing at all except the sounds of the beast! Sometimes the best choices a background musician can make is to not have any music at all!

The Bad:

• Rygel has just warned Crichton that he will bite the human's fingers off to get him off his floating throne. I think the last thing I would then do would be stick my finger in his face!!
• While B'sogg was a fun bad guy, there was a lot left out of his character that made him hard to understand, and sometimes he was a bit too one-dimensional. It was clear to me from the beginning he was using his power over the miners to keep them from scoring big, and I got the impression he's been doing that for a while. Why DID he have control of that mine? Where did he get the meat from? Why don't the miners revolt and kick him out, especially if it appears that when someone scores big the Keva just happens to come along and then B'sogg finds the stash?

The Nitpicky:

• Uh...those Dentic's Crichton's frying up at the beginning don't look a lot like the one from Exodus from Genesis.
• "I must have food or I'll die." Uh, Zhaan...I think that's something EVERYONE can say! :-)
• I did have a lot of added dialogue, but most of it was me adding "BOY!" onto the end of B'sogg's sentences. i.e. to Chiana: "You've got some nerve, boy!"
• When Aeryn goes to get Zhaan after talking with Pilot, the door to her quarters starts to open before Aeryn reaches out to touch the door opener. Whoops...
• Anyone else at the very end think Zhaan looked a bit like Pinhead? :-)

Are you and Chiana together?
No.
No or not yet?
That is up to her. - Altana and D'Argo
Lauren (OboeCrazy)
SACCer #1: The Most Vocal Defender
TAC, TAR, FA, FBBHB