Premiere - 1.01

[silvervixen]

I love this episode! I love how innocent John is and how filled with wonder he is when he realizes he is someplace very very different. I love how that wonder and joy plays across his features.

It is a little painful for me watching from the beginning because I know what's coming for our poor lost astronaut. Juxtaposing this John with the John that he becomes by season 4, it's almost like he is two completely different men. He changes so much, and true to Jack's words, he does become "his own kind of hero."

I love how the first thing he thinks to say when meeting real aliens is "Hi, my name is John."  Neither D'Argo nor Zhaan appear too impressed with this, and of course, poor John nearly gets strangled for his efforts.  "What is wrong with you people!" 

  NakedJohn! Sorry. Where was I? Umm...oh yeah! John meets Aeryn for the first time. Again, the expression on his face tells you everything: he sees a beautiful young woman who appears to be human. He likes what he sees. He walks toward her, hand extended, and introduces himself, like any normal guy would. Aeryn's having none of it and proceeds to wipe the floor with him. John has just met the woman of his dreams, even if he doesn't realize it yet. Or does he?

I kind of think that on some level, John does know that Aeryn is special because he goes out of his way to make sure that she is unharmed. He intercedes for her with Crais when he deems her irreversibly contaminated and forces D'Argo to take her with them when they escape. I always sigh when he tells her "you can be more." Aww...John. He is such a sweetheart! 

Other favorite lines:

"You fart helium!?"
"Stop! Or I'll fill ya with...little yellow bolts of light!"
"Boy was Spielberg ever wrong. Close Encounters, my ass!"
"Compassion? Wh- you're kidding right? It's a feeling that you have when you see someone else’s pain and instead of taking advantage of their weakness you help 'em."

[K_Lara7]

What stands out to me is at the end of the episode, John is talking to Aeryn.  He's just had that conversation with D'Argo who threatens him.  Aeryn says he should choose his aliances carefully.  Crichton makes the comment about Aeryn's people.  At this point he's already identifying himself with the aliens over the human-looking Peacekeepers. 

Then again the aliens haven't threatened to disect him.  D'Argo took him back to Moya. 

[shester]

What stands out to me is at the end of the episode, John is talking to Aeryn.  He's just had that conversation with D'Argo who threatens him.  Aeryn says he should choose his aliances carefully.  Crichton makes the comment about Aeryn's people.  At this point he's already identifying himself with the aliens over the human-looking Peacekeepers. 

Then again the aliens haven't threatened to disect him.  D'Argo took him back to Moya. 

I always think about Crais threatening John with "taking him apart" when Aeryn tells John in AHR that PK wouldn't do what the humans did to Rygel.  Excuse me Aeryn.  Crais was looking forward to the PK dissecting John.

Sybil

[Eirenne]

Or wear that duster and all that leather.

Sybil

Or come to know D'Argo, Rygel, Chiana, Pilot and Moya....it's a love story on so many levels. 

[AP Angel]

Premiere is one of my favourite episodes. I might have difficult choosing others to go in my top 10 but Premiere would always be there. I was trying to think why I like it so much and what are my favourite bits but that would just include more or less every scene.

I like that we get a glimpse of John's relationship with his dad (and with DK) before he leaves, "Farscape One, I am free and flying",  his sheer bewilderment at his first sight of Moya and then being faced with a large bald blue woman and a huge guy with tentacles (not to speak of his first sight of Rygel), John introducing himself to the chick in the black leather and getting thrown around and sat on, his wonder at finding himself standing on another planet, his instinctive desire to try and help Aeryn, "You can be more", and the first time we see John get the rest of the Moyans out of a fix as in figuring out how to get away from the command carrier. A theme we will see again and again. He may be out of his own world but John is so often the one who comes up with a plan. I know they don't always work  But, left to their own devices, Moya and the rest of the crew wouldn't have made it past the first episode!

The beginning of a beautiful friendship, even if it's a little hard to see at the time.

One of my favourite endings too, John finding a little quiet place and sitting talking into the recorder, sending a message to his Dad that he may never hear, while fixing up the little DRD.
 

[Bimo]

One of my favourite endings too, John finding a little quiet place and sitting talking into the recorder, sending a message to his Dad that he may never hear, while fixing up the little DRD.
 

That's one of my favourite episode endings as well, even more so since it manages to establish a lot of emotional depth and scope at a very early point of the show. I just love how the motif of John recording messages for his father gets repeated throughout the entire series, probably most prominent and most crucial  in "Human Reaction" and "Bad Timing".

As the show's general tone and its themes are changing such a great deal over the course of S1, I'm always amazed by how much of Farscape's "essence" seems to be there right from the start. John's relationship with Jack, with Aeryn and also the visuals and metaphors employed, for example the use of water/water-like  imagery with regard to John. Right in the opening scene of "Premiere" we have John, at the beach, looking out into the ocean. Especially in retrospect that scene strikes me as incredibly powerful, conveying so very much from adventure to a sense of foreboding. Watching it gives me the goosebumps every time!

Oh, and Crash, if you are reading this: Thank you so very much for organizing a non- viewing time /non-time zone bound rewatch! (because time zones were exactly what kept me from joining the previous one)

Bimo

[KernilCrash]

Oh, and Crash, if you are reading this: Thank you so very much for organizing a non- viewing time /non-time zone bound rewatch! (because time zones were exactly what kept me from joining the previous one)

I can't take credit for changing the method.  I only implemented it, and as 'host', put out the invitations.    Part of the rewatch group was doing this type of week-long rewatch at a different forum before bringing it to Feedback.  They're the ones who need to take a bow.  But no matter who triggered the change, I'm glad it's going to work out better for a larger group of people.  The more the merrier!

[DRD Pike]

I must agree about the ending. It is really well done. Quiet, yet so engaging.

I really like that the male lead is a scientist. In a lot, but not all, of series, there is often a scientist/technical person/doctor as a main character, but not as the male lead. Eg. Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis (Jack O'Neill and John Sheppard, military, are the leads while Daniel is the archaeologist and McKay is the scientist). I like both forms, but Farscape is one of the first series where I picked up on the scientist as the lead and how it gives the series a different feel. It's nice that there is variety among television series.

[silvervixen]

I really like that the male lead is a scientist. In a lot, but not all, of series, there is often a scientist/technical person/doctor as a main character, but not as the male lead. Eg. Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis (Jack O'Neill and John Sheppard, military, are the leads while Daniel is the archaeologist and McKay is the scientist). I like both forms, but Farscape is one of the first series where I picked up on the scientist as the lead and how it gives the series a different feel. It's nice that there is variety among television series.

  I love how John is a scientist and a bit of a geek but he's also the captain of the football team. He breaks through the typical stereotypical roles in Science Fiction. I'm glad that the TPTB didn't make him either the brilliant yet socially clueless prodigy or the charming and always prepared hero, a la Captain Kirk.

I've read articles which talk about John as being the anti-Kirk, which I suppose is kind of the point. It would be hard to relate to and look through the eyes of someone who always has the right answer and never messes up. John stumbles right from the beginning when he says "hi." He has no clue what to do, so he does what feels most natural to him. Then he gets beaten up by the girl instead of getting her in the sack. John spends a lot of the first season getting beaten up. 

[StarkacusII]

Ack! Frell! Crap! I forgot all about the rewatch...oops. I knew there was another site I was forgetting to check out this week...oh well. Let's see where the discussion is going, shall we?

*reviews thread*

Okay then.

I kind of think that on some level, John does know that Aeryn is special because he goes out of his way to make sure that she is unharmed. He intercedes for her with Crais when he deems her irreversibly contaminated and forces D'Argo to take her with them when they escape.

To me it seems like that's just who Crichton is. Those are Crichton moments far more than they are Aeryn moments. I really don't think it's about him thinking she's special, or "love at first sight" or anything like that. I think it's about the way Crichton treats people in general, and of course that's reflected in the way he treats Aeryn when they first meet. I just don't think Crichton would treat Aeryn that way just because he thinks she's special somehow, or because he has a bit of a crush on her. If you ask me, Crichton would treat her that way regardless of what he thought she was like as a person - well, Season 1 Crichton, anyways. At this early point in the series, Crichton is far more of an Innocent Nice Guy than a Super Determined Crazy Awesome Badass (which he becomes later on.) So I would view Crichton's actions towards Aeryn in this episode as a reflection of who he is as a person, not a reflection of what he thinks about Aeryn.

He breaks through the typical stereotypical roles in Science Fiction. I'm glad that the TPTB didn't make him either the brilliant yet socially clueless prodigy or the charming and always prepared hero, a la Captain Kirk.

Yeah, they did a good job of placing him between the two extremes. He can be charming, but he can also tick people off almost immediately. He can come up with a brilliant plan to save the day, but other times he screws things up right from the get-go. Like real people, he's a combination of flaws and good qualities.

[shester]

Ack! Frell! Crap! I forgot all about the rewatch...oops. I knew there was another site I was forgetting to check out this week...oh well. Let's see where the discussion is going, shall we?

*reviews thread*

Okay then.

To me it seems like that's just who Crichton is. Those are Crichton moments far more than they are Aeryn moments. I really don't think it's about him thinking she's special, or "love at first sight" or anything like that. I think it's about the way Crichton treats people in general, and of course that's reflected in the way he treats Aeryn when they first meet. I just don't think Crichton would treat Aeryn that way just because he thinks she's special somehow, or because he has a bit of a crush on her. If you ask me, Crichton would treat her that way regardless of what he thought she was like as a person - well, Season 1 Crichton, anyways. At this early point in the series, Crichton is far more of an Innocent Nice Guy than a Super Determined Crazy Awesome Badass (which he becomes later on.) So I would view Crichton's actions towards Aeryn in this episode as a reflection of who he is as a person, not a reflection of what he thinks about Aeryn.

Yeah, they did a good job of placing him between the two extremes. He can be charming, but he can also tick people off almost immediately. He can come up with a brilliant plan to save the day, but other times he screws things up right from the get-go. Like real people, he's a combination of flaws and good qualities.

Sybil

[K_Lara7]

My techno-nitpick is Jack's headset.  The cord is all screwed up.  You're telling me a NASA astronaut, who by the nature of his job has spent eons wearing a headset, cannot get it on correctly. It drives me insane.  I want reach into the TV and correct it. 

I completely agree with that!

I figure John isn't too happy about that walk in the hall with his father.  If his father wasn't who he is, Jack wouldn't be there becuase he wouldn't have the clearance to be there.  The look on DK's face when he refers to Jack as "One small step", you get the feeling that Dad isn't really wanted there and John never finishes that conversation with DK.  During the walk down the down the hall John finds out that someone tattled on him to his father about breaking out of the rat cage.  John can't do anything at IASA without someone reporting to his father what he is doing. 

His father is even in the command when his son is about to run the experiment, watching every move John makes, although he has no official reason to be there.  It's almost like Jack is trying to live vicariously through his son. 
~~~
Later in the episode, when John sees Aeryn for the first time, I think his gut reaction is here’s someone I can relate to.  She’s human, someone he can relate to.  (Even if later he realizes she’s not.)  When Aeryn sticks her neck out to protect him from Crais, he’s going to return the favor by insisting D’Argo takes her back to Moya too.   

[StarkacusII]

She’s human, someone he can relate to.  (Even if later he realizes she’s not.)  When Aeryn sticks her neck out to protect him from Crais, he’s going to return the favor by insisting D’Argo takes her back to Moya too.   

That's true.

[charliebz]

Premier is definitely one of my favorite Farscape episodes.  I love the opening shot and music when Crichton is staring at the sunrise and we know what he's in for.  I love that he's a genuinely kind and thoughtful person.  I like that Aeryn is very menacing at the end.  She's warning him but in kind of a scary way.  She's at the mercy of all her prejudices and superiority so completely different from him. 

I also love Zhaan and D'Argo's little talk.  Love that the writers gave us that moment without the hero being involved.  Great way to show us that each character is important!

It's interesting to watch this episode and then Terra Firma just to see how much they've both changed. 

[panic]

Premiere is one of my favourite episodes. I might have difficult choosing others to go in my top 10 but Premiere would always be there. I was trying to think why I like it so much and what are my favourite bits but that would just include more or less every scene.

I like that we get a glimpse of John's relationship with his dad (and with DK) before he leaves, "Farscape One, I am free and flying",  his sheer bewilderment at his first sight of Moya and then being faced with a large bald blue woman and a huge guy with tentacles (not to speak of his first sight of Rygel), John introducing himself to the chick in the black leather and getting thrown around and sat on, his wonder at finding himself standing on another planet, his instinctive desire to try and help Aeryn, "You can be more", and the first time we see John get the rest of the Moyans out of a fix as in figuring out how to get away from the command carrier. A theme we will see again and again. He may be out of his own world but John is so often the one who comes up with a plan. I know they don't always work  But, left to their own devices, Moya and the rest of the crew wouldn't have made it past the first episode!

The beginning of a beautiful friendship, even if it's a little hard to see at the time.

One of my favourite endings too, John finding a little quiet place and sitting talking into the recorder, sending a message to his Dad that he may never hear, while fixing up the little DRD.
 

I love that too.  I sometimes wonder if all the former messages from S1 are still there or they have all been given to Dad when John was on Earth in TF. 

[tara]

Premier is definitely one of my favorite Farscape episodes.  I love the opening shot and music when Crichton is staring at the sunrise and we know what he's in for.  I love that he's a genuinely kind and thoughtful person.  I like that Aeryn is very menacing at the end.  She's warning him but in kind of a scary way.  She's at the mercy of all her prejudices and superiority so completely different from him. 

I also love Zhaan and D'Argo's little talk.   Love that the writers gave us that moment without the hero being involved.  Great way to show us that each character is important!

It's interesting to watch this episode and then Terra Firma just to see how much they've both changed. 

I love that scene too...   

[Nette]

I love that too.  I sometimes wonder if all the former messages from S1 are still there or they have all been given to Dad when John was on Earth in TF. 

I wondered that as well.  Certainly would have been interesting for Jack to listen to his son in those early days and comparing how he was in TF.

[K_Lara7]

I wondered that as well.  Certainly would have been interesting for Jack to listen to his son in those early days and comparing how he was in TF.

I think John leaves the tape recorder on the Moon in Bad Timing.  He's on the phone with his dad and tells him he's left information for him at Serenity base.  (I thought I saw the tape recorder in that scene.)  During TF I don't think John was ready to share that with his dad.  It might have been that he was afraid of what his dad would do with the information.  It might have been that he didn't want to see his dad's reaction to what he had seen and done.  He knew in Bad Timing he wasn't going to see his father again.  He might also have wanted his father to understand the need to seal the wormhole and with so little time, the tape recorded journal would be the best way to do it.