somerocketeer:

9 reasons why you should watch Farscape

John, Aeryn, and the planets between them  

You once said it was as if the fates meant for us to be together. Well, then, if it’s true, we will be together. 

Insurmountable, impossible, and beyond hope. There are few shows that actually take the time to build relationships between their leads, let them make mistakes, hurt each other and love each other. Farscape takes John Crichton and Aeryn Sun and, from the first episode to the last moments of The Peacekeeper Wars, leaves them in perpetual motion, hurtling through space like remnants of a supernova. Obstacle after obstacle falls between them, borne from inside their own insecurities and fears and from the Universe and it’s most terrible creations. We are left to watch them struggle and fight for themselves and each other, proving the fates one way or another in one of the most epic and complete relationships to ever exist.

Sexy times 

Resist the mist. 

Most ‘shippers are left wanting; for a gaze, a touch, a smile. Farscape, on the other hand, wastes no time in establishing the most intimate of moments early on in the series, slowing plodding along afterwards with consistent and believable interactions between John and Aeryn. It doesn’t spend innumerable seasons hinting or teasing, but it instead opts to approach them with respect and allows their relationship to grow and change organically. It never feels forced or is used as a throw-away plot point to move the story forward, but instead becomes the story. And it never shies away from showing two people in love, either. Their kisses are legendary (mostly because TONGUE) and the chemistry between Ben Browder and Claudia Black will most likely result in spontaneous pregnancy. They’re hot. Goddamn hot. Unf.

The angst 

Don’t worry about me. I’ve never felt better. 

Farscape kills. It kills with feelings. It gives you cake in the form of sexykissinglet’sjustbeallovereachother and then rewards the rainbow unicorns and Kermit flailing with stone cold angst. Death, mistrust, fear, and even old emotional baggage plays its part in creating the vortex of pain that is Farscape. Unless you’ve sat and watched, it’s impossible to describe. It exists and it hurts so good.

The villains 

I condemn you, John Crichton, to live so that your thirst for unfulfilled revenge will consume you. 

Half-Sebacean half-Scarran Peacekeeper Commander Scorpius and his neural clone Harvey (who resides in John’s brain). Scarran Emperor Staleek. Commandant Grayza. War Minister Akhna. Farscape is replete with complex villains. Nothing is in black and white and nothing makes sense. They are all pieces to a galaxy-wide chess game and the goal is power and control over the ultimate weapon: wormholes. They each possess a unique foothold in John’s future and are not above treason and backstabbing in order to accomplish and fulfill their personal battles. Scorpius/Harvey in particular is standout, as his relationship with John is terrifyingly intimate and absurdly complex. How many stories take their main villain and place him, not only inside his head, but also on the same ship and force upon them similar goals?

Space 

TV hasn’t seen space or a space ship in quite some time. As of posting this, there is not a single new television show currently airing that takes place in space and that is just sad. Space is awesome. A living ship that thinks and feels, giant command carriers, stars that eat leviathans, planets filled with all sorts of varied denizens seeking all kinds of things from our heroes, and dozens of alien races with some of the most intricate and amazing makeup and costume designs. Space is awesome and the Farscape Universe is particularly stunning. Space operas are a reason for living.

The crack 

Can I help you find a place to theathe that thword? 

Sometimes, Farscape is on crack. Serious crack. It is one of the most humorous sci-fi shows ever to grace our TV screens. Driven insane by a blind alien trying to soak up some sun, trading minds several times over, Don Quixote-esque adventure with an ogre and a princess and…I could go on, but these moments are really something to be experienced. Absurdity at it’s absolute best. 

Continuity 

That’s it, open your eyes. You see all these stars? They’re yours. 

Except that one. That one’s yours. 

Continuity may seem like an odd reason to recommend a show, but Farscape wrote the book on it. It’s amazing at creating threads that run throughout entire SEASONS. Character histories, mentions, camera shots, words shared in intimate moments, everything is used as a reference later on. It helps to create a genuine story and makes the characters feel real. Nothing is forgotten and everything is important. Some of them will bestill a beating heart, others will break it. 

The crew 

The crew on Moya is family. They don’t start out that way, but that’s where they wind up. In the beginning they are selfish, arrogant, and spiteful prisoners, stuck together on a living ship without course or concern. For most of the show in the early seasons, they put their own needs before the others. Their singular goal is to escape, to make it back home and they will do whatever is necessary to get there. A warrior, a priest, a thief, a pilot, a throne-less king, a scientist and a shaman. They are the family that John finds, bonded by obstacle and circumstance, held together by love and respect. They have seen each other at their worst and stood with them at their best. 

The journey 

Look up, and share…the wonders I have seen. 

 To quote youpicktheplanet:

This is a journey filled with friendship, love, need, intensity, passion, loyalty, devotion, trust, and finding happiness within yourself and within another person. This is a journey filled with soul-crushing angst, sorrow, tears, frustration, doubt, and fear. This is a story about reaching your greatest potential, not because you were forced to change into someone you weren’t but because you wanted to become a better person and all you needed was the fates to place someone by your side. This is a story about discovering what it means to truly love another person. This is a saga about love and loss and learning to love all over again, in new ways, in ways you never could have imagined.

Watch this show for that. For John and Aeryn and the planets between them. For John and Aeryn when nothing in the Universe can tear them apart.

(via succession)