Reviews (63)

Treasure Island Will Never Be the Same Again!
"Muppet Treasure Island" tells the story of the classic novel, with a Jim Henson twist. Kermit is the dashing Captain Smollett, Miss Piggy as the ravashing Benjamina Gunn, Fozzie is the dimwitted Squire Trelawney, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew as the intelligent Dr. Livesay, Gonzo, Rizzo, and Beeker as themselves, and several other memorable Muppets. Tim Curry steps in to play the most dreaded pirate ever to sail the Seven Seas, Long John Silver. And Kevin Bishop makes his first appearance on the Silver Screen as the brave, young Jim Hawkins. The Hispaniola and Treasure Island together are now the equivalent to "A Cruise to the Bahamas For Rats"-- compliments of Rizzo the Rat and Rat Tours Limited, the Sweedish Chef makes a rather odd-looking cook on the island, and Statler and Waldorf are the "mermaid" figureheads of the Hispaniola. With brillant songs and musical numbers in addition, this is one movie your family will want to watch again and again!

Lots of pirate fun, and muppet fun too!
Except, perhaps, for the new movie Treasure Planet, I'd have to say that, despite the fact that this movie stars our favorite Frog and Pig, it's one of the best retellings of the classic swashbuckling adventure by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Jim Hawkins lives at an inn, where he also works for his keep as the bus boy, along with his compatriots Rizzo and Gonzo. Billy Bones is a frequent patron of the inn, and constantly tells the story of Captain Flynt's buried treasure. Most dismiss the tale as a result of too much rum...until Blind Pew, a doddering bat, delivers the Black Spot; the pirate's death sentence. Billy frantically bequeaths a treasure map to Jim. Jim flees the attacking pirates with his friends, and enlists Squire Trelawney (Fozzie), an interested son of the shipbuilder, to charter a ship. The rest is classic history: Jim meets cook Long John Silver - - the man with the one leg that Billy warned Jim of - - and the ship sails to the lost island in search of treasure.

The characters are excellently-cast; even those that aren't Muppets. Tim Curry makes an excellent Long John. It's always interesting to see how Jim and Long John befriend each other on the ship, and Curry and Bishop pull it off convincingly.

All the while the movie plot is going, the Muppets perform just as usual for their audience, while not ruining the premise of the film, which probably wasn't easy to do. ("He died?" asks Rizzo over Billy Bones. "And this is supposed to be a KIDS' movie!")

They sing lots of catchy songs on board the ship and the island, and Kermit the Frog engages Long John Silver in an amphibian/pirate sword duel before the movie is through. It's sure to entertain all audiences, young and old.

Here's my one beef with the film: Towards the end, a person (Okay, it was Long John Silver) uses the H-word. Perhaps a permissible word for some, but not for others. This was a stupid move, putting even one not-so-nice word in a kids movie, and one which, fortunately, we were able to bleep out of our video copy. Just to give parents a heads-up about the movie. Other things that would frighten young kids would include a band of singing skulls in the very beginning, and hanging skeletons guarding the treasure site.

Funny movie, but not for younger kids
My 4, 5, and 7 year olds love this movie. It's really funny (even from an adult persective)

However, because of the pirate violence, some of the songs (Cabin Fever and the one played on the island scared my younger kids), and ect, this movie is probably best served for older kids.

Tim Curry for president!
I love the muppet movies. They are fun for adults. Frankly, many of the lines would sail right over kids heads! Like the "me, I couldda been a contender" No kid will get the Brando joke! Add in Tim Curry who I would watch read the phone book, you have one super movie.

My only complaint!! WHY did they not replease this in WIDE screen. It would have been so much better.

For 5 stars for Curry 1 or cheap a** Disney for not giving us letter box!

Muppets are At It Again!
The muppets are back, and this time they are sailing on the sea and fighting pirates! As every other muppet movie, this is a great family film, with lots of laughs, and a few catchy singing numbers. Tim Curry also appears in this movie as Long John Silver. If you're a muppet fan, you should definitely check this one out! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This final sequence of Farscape episodes is as effective and powerful a climax as those of earlier seasons. The three-parter "We're So Screwed" starts with "Fetal Attraction," in which the crew of Moya attempt to rescue the pregnant Aeryn Sun from her Scarren captors and end up starting a dangerous epidemic on a space station. They get Aeryn back and lose Scorpius; in "Hot to Katratzi," the necessity of saving his worst enemy--who just knows too much to be left a captive--forces John Crichton to gate-crash the Sebacean-Scarren peace conference and bluff his way to success. Seemingly betrayed by Scorpius, John snatches victory in "La Bomba," striking another deadly blow against the Scarren empire. The title of the last episode, "Bad Timing," refers both to the show's cancellation--the cast and crew felt real bitterness towards the SciFi Channel over this--and to the cliffhanger ending; the crew of Moya have to prevent a Scarren ship finding its way through the wormhole to Earth. Farscape was perhaps the best-ever television space opera and certainly the most sexy, stylish, funny, and dramatic. It will be greatly missed. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Farscape Season 1 - 4 dvd
How to star my review. Well lets get AdvFilms release of the dvds out of the way. While there releases have been great the only reason they get five stars is because of the show. Advs dvds for farscape have been lacking, while you get the episodes uncut and with a little added footage the extras are laughable, but at least a little is better than none.
Season 1 - Well season 1 is the start of something great. We get character developement story lines that confound the imagination. The main storyline of season 1 is that Captain Crais is desperatly hunting the Moya crew to get at John. At the conclusion of the season Crais becomes that which he has been hunting, a fugitive from the new Peacekeeper villian Scorpious.
Season 2 - This season we get more into relationships between crew members. John & Aeryn as well as Dargo & Chiana. Scorpious is after John now for a diffrent reason than Crais was, he wants him for th wormhole tech in Johns head. At the end of the season is were John risks it all in order to save Aeryn.
Season 3 - Starts off great, but in my opinion the two Johns and splitting the crew between Moya and Talan made this season a little less perfect than the rest. Although it had some really great episodes this season.
Season 4 - The greatest season of farscape. This season John returns to earth, He has greater control of wormhole tech, Aeryn is pregnant, John & Aeryn get engadged to be wed. The only bad thing that came out of this season was its cancellation after filming of the season concluded.
Farscape Peacekeeper Wars - The savefarscape campain has worked. With the help of loyal fans there will be a continuing story. From what I have read this miniseries will tie up alot of the current loose ends but leave new loose ends. Hopefully if the fans of the show can get it good enuff ratings then maybe scifi channell will either order a new complete season like they did for that crappy show Battlestar Gallactica. If not a new complete season maybe a half season or even more miniseries. LETS HOPE FOR BIG RATINGS SO THE FARSCAPE STORY CAN CONTINUE ON!!!
Well this concludes my first an to this date only review. I am sorry I couldn't be more discriptive on the seasons but there is just to much to cover and I am only aloud 1000 words. Tune in October 17, 2004 for the miniseries.

Best Sci-Fi show ever cancelled prematurely
Season 4 of Farscape has some of the best episodes of the entire 4 season run. One of the greatest SciFi shows of my time, and it was cancelled. The SciFi Channel cancelled Farscape because of its inability to grow outside its fanbase and that the show was becoming to expensive. I believe it was that latter that heralded the downfall of Farscape, because as Internet sites proclaim Farscapes fanbase has grow and continues to grow.

The episodes of this collection are the final 4 of the series. Like all the season before it, Farscape leaves you with a cliffhanger ending to end all.

With great dialogue, excellent actors, superb writting, and a take on outerspace that was unique to itself, its a wonder why the show was cancelled.

If you like Andromeda, or Star Trek, you should check out this show. You will love it.

And watch for the 4 part Farscape mini-series coming later this year. Hopefully that will not be the final ending, but the begining of a whole new chapter in Farscape.

Farscape was the bomb (or La Bomba!)
As fans and even casual TV views have asked, how could the SciFi network keep Stargate SG-1 and dump this gem of a show? It was only 12 episodes away from achieving syndicated status when it was cancelled in 2003. These last 4 episodes certainly are memorable. In the 'Were so Screwed' trilogy, John Crichton builds a tiny atom bomb and goes to a secret Scarren base to rescue Aeryn Sun. The acting, writing, cinematography, and SFX are all top-notch in what is arguably the best 3-part story in the series. The show's humor is what made it so appealing and entertaining. With subtle nods to Blake's 7, Star Trek, and Star Wars, Farscape still became an original and innovative sci-fi adventure. This set completes the release of all 88 original episodes on DVD. Despite some horrible packaging decisions for seasons 1-3, the 5 DVD sets for Seasons 3 & 4 have all been winners for ADV Video. I can't recommend this enough to anyone who enjoyed this show.

Farscape Rocks!!!
Not only was it the best sci-fi show on television,but also gives the movies a run for their money!! The final 4 shows of this season was not only the best of the whole show,but puts the other sci-fi shows to shame..What other sci-fi show or any kind of show for that matter would end their series like the way Farscape did??? This show deserves not only rave reviews and rewards,but deserves a bigger fanbase,too!! Great writing,sets,acting;etc...it has it all!! I've always thought that Farcape were like little movies on the small screen and these final 4 eps could easily play on the big screen and make a bigger impact than any of the Star Trek movies ever had!!...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED....BUY THIS FOR YOUR FRIENDS....

Raised the bar for riveting scifi...
I rarely write reviews, however this series has a place in my heart. There are noticible writing styles throughout the series and you can tell that the cast and crew really loved this epic. Even with the way that it was forced to end it is my hands down my favorite TV series. With the upcoming miniseries we can all hope that this has an ending that follows the original vision.

This series is the epitome of scifi perfection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The fourth volume of Farscape's fourth (and final) season does all those things that the later stages of any season should do: individual episodes play interesting games with how we think television works, while the tension of the overall story arc builds and builds. Of the individual episodes here, "Mental as Anything" is an ensemble piece for the male members of Moya's crew: D'Argo's back-story gets some sort of resolution and Scorpius puts John Crichton through hell for the best of reasons. "Bringing Home the Beacon" is rather more fun--the women of Moya frustrate a Sebacean/Scarren peace treaty--but ends in stark tragedy. In "Constellation of Doubt," Moya picks up, and the crew obsessively watches, a documentary from American television about their recent visit to Earth: Crichton gets to see human paranoia and wishful thinking through cold, intelligent alien eyes. Finally, in "Prayer," Aeryn suffers terribly at the hands of her Scarren captors and Crichton makes a devil's bargain with Scorpius to save her. By this point the season is building to the surprises of its last episodes: Farscape was about to be canceled, but it never lost its edge. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Amazon.com

The beat goes on for television's Farscape sci-fi series with this, the third volume of episodes from the show's second season. This two-disc set includes five episodes: "Out of Their Minds," based on a clever mind-switching premise in which the cast flexes their collective acting chops; "My Three Crichtons," which finds Crichton (Ben Browder) meeting up with both primitive, Neanderthal-like and futuristic, super-smart versions of himself; and "Look at the Princess," an elaborate three-parter. Farscape fans will no doubt debate the merits of this season versus the first run, and while the stories may not be as strong this time around, the character-driven episodes feature the other qualities that distinguish the show--namely its mix of drama and humor, convincing effects, and the delightful puppet characters designed by the Jim Henson Company. DVD features include deleted scenes, a bio of actress Virginia Hey (and a study of Zhaan, the character she portrays), and more. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Look at the Princess
4 very strong episodes, and one somewhat weak episode: Out of their Minds has good performances by 6 of the actors playing one another's characters in the Farscape turn on the old "body-switching" cliche, some character development, and rather backstabbing bird-like aliens. The three-part Look at the Princess is brilliant, with lots of character development, political intrigue, assassination attempts, confrontations with various bad guys (including an early encounter with a Scarran, and a complex bit of dancing with Scorpy), backstory on Moya, and an intriguing central plot point; like the other great three-part arc episodes (Lies, Guns and Money, and the interrupted Nerve/Hidden Memory/Family Ties), it really pushes the series along and bears rewatching again and again. My Three Crichtons, on the other hand, is just a rewrite of the old "split into two halves" SF cliche with the two halves being "past Crichton" and "future Crichton," but with the original combined Crichton being kept around for safety. Tiny amount of character development, but really not up to the standards of the other episodes.

Another great Farscape Volume!
This is a great DVD set which includes the episodes, Out of their Minds, My Three Chrictons, and Look at the Princess Parts 1-3.
Here are my own personal ratings for each
Rating Scale
5 One of the best
4 an excellent episode
3 a good episode
2 a fair one
1 a poor episode
Out of their Minds-4 an Excellent episode
My Three Chrinctons-4 an excellent episode
Look at the Princess Part 1-3 a good episode
Look at the Princess Part 2-4 an excellent episode
Look at the Princess Part 3-4 an excellent episode
Don't miss out on this great volume on DVD.

MASTERPIECE!
Wow, was I wrong about this show. It's tightly written, well acted and amazing story. Possibly the best science fiction show I've yet seen!!!!!!!!!

awesome
a continuation of a GREAT scifi Show!

The Cows Have Not Come Home
This review is not meant to criticize the phenomenal series, but to draw attention to lack of quality in the DVD release. The first season of Farscape on DVD established a quality of excellence that has yet to be matched by the second season. There is a definant lack of the highly informative, as well as entertaining commentaries thus far in the second season. Character backstories as well as alien encounters have been diminished from actual interviews to mere reading material with no additional insight. And this particular set claims to have "deleted scenes." Season 2 had previously deleted scenes available on an extras menu, but this release does not indicate that on either disc. If they were reincorporated back into the program, a "commentary would be helpful to let us know what's new to us since the original US airing as was done in season 1.

I cannot help but to wonder that since this fine program has such a great US fan base, why are we just recently getting season 2 while season 3 is already in Australia? I know that the show is filmed there, but is that any reason to make us wait? And I can't help but to wonder if their DVD's contain even more footage and informtion that is not supplied to us.

I think that the notion of setting four or five episodes per set is supposed to make up for that which is lacking from the season 1 releases. I am grateful that my affection for this program has not been diluted by those that market it for public sales. And although I will miss the future episodes that will never be aired, thanks to the myoptic suits in charge of not allowing this incredible vision to continue, I will not mourn the loss that the vision of what fans have been forced to accept as a definative release of a now, not-so "commercial product" in this consumers' eyes, has suffered from a multitude of selfish corporate wrongdoings. ... Read more

Description

Episode 319: I-Yensch, You-Yensch
D'Argo and Rygel meet with Scorpius and Braca to negotiate Crichton's safe passage onto the Command Carrier. As a safeguard against doublecrosses, Scorpius suggests that Crichton and Lt. Braca wear matching I-Yensch bracelets that synchronize their nerve impulses so they experience one another's pain. However, before the deal is completed, two heavily armed crazies burst in and hold up the diner. Meanwhile, Talyn is in a dangerous mental state, and the only way to heal him is to shut him down and completely erase his personality.

Episodes 320: Into the Lion's Den, Part I: Lambs to the Slaughter
The crew boards Scorpius's Command Carrier under the falsehood that Crichton is there to master wormhole technology. Ex-Peacekeepers Aeryn and Crais are forced to confront their past lives, and D'Argo, Rygel, Chiana, and Jool encounter hostility from all sides. Talyn is brought on board for a cognitive replacement. While Crichton searches for a way to sabotage the Carrier, he is watched by Scorpius, who is ready to exact deadly retribution if Crichton does not cooperate.

Episode 321: Into the Lion's Den, Part II: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
On the Command Carrier, Crichton is making incredible breakthroughs in his wormhole research. His crewmates are not so sure about the success of the plan, and are debating whether to leave or stay. When Crais is denied access to Talyn, he realizes he needs a bargaining chip. He goes to Scorpius and reveals Crichton's true intentions: to sabotage the wormhole research and destroy the Carrier. Moya's crew is immediately arrested, and it seems all is lost.

Episode 322: Dog with Two Bones
Moya transports the remains of Talyn to a sacred Leviathan burial ground. Those on board are at a crossroads, each wanting to pursue a separate path. Crichton dreams of returning to Earth with Aeryn at his side, but Aeryn is unsure. Upon entering the graveyard, Moya is attacked by a huge rogue Leviathan. The crew must team up once more to save their home, but it seems that no matter which way the battle goes, their intertwined fates are sure to unravel. DVD Features: a printed insert with official episode synopses, a behind-the-scenes interview with Claudia Black (Aeryn), "Farscape Season 3: A Look Back," with Executive Producer David Kempner, updated character histories: Pilot, Moya, and Talyn, cool Farscape Facts on Aliens Encountered, Sets, Props, & Costumes Gallery, deleted scenes, Farscape trailers, and Previews. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Good writing for a change...
It's so very rare is television programming to find any series that manages to combine both well-thought out stories and wit as well as develop genuine feeling for its characters. This season put the characters through so much and the end with these final episodes shows that the writers were at the top of their game and not simply kicking back and relying on a firm fan base to excuse sloppy writing or half-baked ideas. The twin episodes of "Into the Lions Den" made for an excellent climax for this season's story arc, and the final episode made for a good if not slightly confusing resolution (i.e., pay attention...the devil is in the details here).

It's interesting that people either love or hate this show, and it's still a crime that the Sci-Fi channel gave up this successful series (or rather, sabotaged it with poor times and almost no attention in its last season) to replace it with abominably bad new or other shows. All good things do come to an end, and this series certainly went before its time...

I love Farscape
Why is it on a very rare occasion we are able to catch a series that doesn't completely suck, and just when you get used to television that isn't mind-numbingly dumb they take it away from you? Ahh, another disappointment. Farscape Rocks and this DVD rocks along with all their other DVD's. It's a shame the SciFi channel has sold out and replaced Farscape with crap like Scare Tactics. It's tragic. I love Farscape!

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!
A Farscape mini series is being filmed as you read this. I hear it is to be 4hours and it will complete the story. Sometime in 2004 possibly early in the year it will be released. I'm not sure whether it will be on Sci-Fi channel or not.

So buy all the boxsets of Farscape so you can keep your mind fresh for the conclusion. Right now I'm grining from ear to ear, this is so exciting!! ;-D

The fantastic Season 3 of "Farscape" comes to a close
Season 3 of "Farscape" began with Aeryn Sun dead, but she was brought back to life by Zhaan (who then proceeded to die), so that we are basically able to end up the season right where we started, with another traumatic separation for Crichton and Aeryn. However, before we get to this season's cliffhanger, there are some major plot lines to be resolved regarding Scorpius and Crichton's plan to take him down once and for all:

Episode 63, "I-Yensch, You-Yensch" (Written by Matt Ford, Aired January 21, 2002) begins with Dargo and Rygel actually meeting with Scorpius to negotiate immunity for Moya's crew in exchange for Crichton aiding Scorpius in his wormhole research. To establish good faith, the principle parties get to wear I-Yensch bracelets, which make you feel the pain of the other person: hit Crichton in the head and Scorpius will goes reeling. In this episode, the negotiators get to find out how much fun this can be for themselves. Meanwhile, Talyn, who has become increasingly paranoid, fires on a hospital ship and kills 6,000 innocents. Crais recommends shutting down Talyn and basically resetting him, but neither Talyn nor Moya are receptive to the idea. This episode is a solid one, setting up the first of several key elements for the final story arc. (4 Wormholes)

Episode 64, "Into the Lion's Den, Part 1: Lambs to the Slaughter" (Written by Richard Manning, Aired January 24, 2002) begins with one of those sights we never thought we would see: Crichton, Aeryn and Crais being welcomed aboard Scorpius' command carrier. However, while Crichton and Scorpius begin working on wormholes, Moya's crew begins searching for a way to destroy the vessel if the effort to sabotage the program does not work. Meanwhile, Crais and Aeryn meet up with some old friends. (4 Wormholes)

Episode 65, "Into the Lion's Den, Part 2: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" (Written by Rockne S. O'Bannon, January 28, 2002) has Crichton's efforts going nowhere, making him decide the only thing left to do is to destroy Scorpius' command carrier. The But Crais has been getting too familiar with some of the Peacekeepers and apparently has his own plans for Talyn. Meanwhile, a new arrival tries to pull rank on Scorpius with regards to the wormhole project and the agreement with Moya's crew. This forces Crichton to find a way to destroy the vessel right now. A couple of major plot threads are resolved in this episode in quite an unexpected way, making this penultimate episode as important as the grand finale. (5 Wormholes)

Episode 66, "Dog With Two Bones" (Written by David Kemper, January 31, 2002) takes it title from Aesop's fable of the dog crossing a bridge with a bone in its mouth. The main story line has to do with Moya visiting the final resting place of the Leviathans before the crew splits up and goes their separate ways. Crichton is envisioning a future in which he takes Aeryn back to earth and they have a wedding, attended by all of his family and friends, from both Earth and Moya's crew. The comic sight of D'Argo at the wedding reception contrasts with the parting of the crew and one of those jaw dropping discoveries that has you eager to find out what happens in Season 4 (5 Wormholes).

Clearly the dominant thread of Season 3 was the relationship between Crichton and Aeryn, which went through several cycles of death and separation. When you consider how many television series "jump the shark" once the male and female leads get together romantically, you have to be impressed with how "Farscape" finds a way of complicating the relationship between these two. Even though we end up essentially at the end of the season where we were at the beginning with these two, you cannot accuse this show of having just tread water during Season 3, which was the best to that point.

waste of money
I can't recommend buying any of the farscape DVDS since the SciFi channel decided to end the series without producing a final episode. ... Read more

Reviews (118)

Odd with the muppets, but the best by far!
Sure, the muppets mixed in with a Christmas classic it does sound sort of strange, but it works out beautifully! While this story is warped into too many emotionally sterile versions(like Scrooge, in the seventies or so, Mrs. Cratchet wasn't even mourning Tiny Tim! Albert Finney Could NOT act and the music, most of it, was terrible!)this one really focuses on the humanity of the story and characters. Human emotions were finally shown! Michael Caine was excellent as Scrooge. The love between him and Belle was really believable(when he joins her at the end of her song, you can tell he has repeated her parting words ever since; he MUST have loved her!). Emily Cratchet was finally mourning her son(THATS what a real mother would do!), and Bob Cratchet's speech about being parted from a loved one is a fact of life is one of the most touching moments. The score to the movie, why didn't they make a soundtrack?! They each tie into their scenes so well that if they were removed, it would just be missing something; When love is gone is one of the saddest, most beautiful love ballads ever heard and its sequence is equally heartbreaking; no wonder Scrooge (and Rizzo)was crying when Belle left, he must have loved Belle very much and seeing it happen again...it would break the hardest heart, it did with me, and I'm 17 and hardened through and through, although I do care about others! I just can't go past that scene; its too much! This movie is just SO touching! I highly recommend it!

Ridiculously accurate!
At first, its easy to be skeptical of the idea of this classic of literature being portrayed by a frog, a pig, and their assorted friends. Believe it or not, however, this is probably the most touching rendition of "A Christmas Carol" I have ever seen! Although the Muppets present things in a light and sometimes downright silly way, the characters are so incredibly likeable that I really "got" the point of the story from watching this version.

The video features sarcastic humor and visual jokes and will make you laugh from beginning to end. At the same time, you can't help but care for all the characters, and you really are concerned for Tiny Tim and his family, almost forgetting that they are frogs and pigs. The video transitions neatly back and forth from humor to sensitivity. Although obviously this video is not completely accurate to the details of Dickens's version of the story, the spirit that he was trying to convey is definately present. Aside from the adorable plot, the music in this movie is wonderful! The songs are touching and memorable, and the fact that they are sang by rats and vegetables is just an added bonus. "It feels like Christmas" is absolutely adorable!

Don't think this video is just for kids either! Even my father couldn't help but chuckle at the dry humor of Gonzo in his role as Charles Dickens. This is a video that the family can watch and rewatch together, and should become a part of anyone's Christmas tradition.

I love this dvd!
My kids and I both adore this video. Around the end of November it suddenly begins to enter into our movie rotation, and we watch it a lot of times when its no where near Christmas times! And I can stand that! This movie is adorable, and a good way to expose kids to Dicken's legend.

I highly reccomend this!

Despite DVD flaws, still a great movie!
This is probably the best of the Muppet Movies. It was a time right after Muppet creator, Jim Henson had passed, and everyone was determined to keep the Muppets alive. This determination shows in every performance. No one settled for less than perfection. The result, a WONDERFUL movie.

Unlike "Muppet Treasure Island," which was heavily altered from the original novel, "Muppet Christmas Carol" remains faithful to Dickens' classic. Very few liberties were taken (the most noticable is Jacob Marley has become Jacob AND ROBERT Marley, roles perfectly suited for Stater and Waldorf--the "balcony guys"). Other than that, much of the prose and dialog from the original novel is intact.

Granted, the DVD version is not the original widescreen version, but manufacturing flaws aside, it is still a GREAT movie.

I can't believe it
I really can't believe it. I've waited for so long for this DVD and now I know that it is a "edited version" of the original film. WHAT? I should buy a cutted version of the movie? Are you crazy? Selling this, Walt Disney is fooling us all. It's like to buy a "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci with just the face and without the body, the hands and the mountains. I wonder what you guys had in mind. One of the most beautiful film ruined by someone without brain. They' ve even cut some scenes!!! I'm sorry for Amazon, but I hope nobody will buy this dvd until the Disney band will reflect on their deeds and their sins. And this is even a special edition, yeah, a special trick. And someone still wonder why people keep downloading the films in internet... ... Read more

Amazon.com

There isn't a sci-fi show on TV that has done more with less than Farscape, the adventures of a motley band of fugitives in a mercenary universe, and the second season of this unpredictable series races to a breathless climax in this five-episode collection. After escaping the clutches of mind-cops in "A Clockwork Nebari," the crew of Moya steel themselves to free the son of warrior D'Argo from slavery in the thrilling three-part "Liars, Guns, and Money." They launch both an elaborate heist of and a Dirty Dozen-like commando raid on the most impregnable vault in the galaxy (run by a sadistic, eye-collecting lizard woman who could be an Alien pinup), while all-American boy John Crichton goes schizophrenic as visions of the show's cadaverous über-villain Scorpius dance in his head. The action-packed, high-powered trilogy is followed by "Die Me, Dichotomy," a cliffhanger finale that tips Crichton's increasingly precarious identity over the cliff. The hostile alien worlds, organic designs, and dark, textured sets are among the most creative on TV, and the dynamic, densely plotted story line approaches epic proportions. It remains a high water mark of the series.

Be aware that, to fit the trilogy "Liars, Guns, and Money" on a single disc, the episodes are presented out of order. The two-disc set also includes deleted scenes, featurettes on actress Gigi Edgley and her wild-child character Chiana, as well as galleries of art, stills, and definitions. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Wonderful ending of the second season!
The last five episodes of the second season are truly wonderful. A great story line and set supported by wonderful performances really hook you for the third season. One simply needs to know how things turn out. I am truly impressed with the quality and scope of Farscape. If you have not watched the show yet you should go back to the very beginning of the first season and watch all the episodes. It is a great story! As mentioned in a review below you should make sure to watch the second episode on the FIRST DVD last (the episodes are out of order). Outstanding show! Shame on the Sci-Fi channel for cancelling this creative work.

Fun show
Very entertaining show. These are some of the best episodes of the second season.

What a sad loss...
I remember starting a thread on the farscape newsgroup about how I worried that the series would end up cancelled much as Babylon5 was. Alas, here is a dvd set that shows what a tragedy it is. If this is the first Farscape you have read reviews about-
My feelings toward this show are best summed up by the feeling that I actually care what happens to each of the characters. It is as though they are my friends. It is said that the Henson group planned a 5-season story arc, One can only hope they'll manage to do a movie or two to finish it.

New Fans Be Warned
I started watching Farscape into the fourth season....my son finally conviced me to watch it. A little ironic isn't it, since it has been cancelled!
So...I have been buying all the dvds and going back to the beginning. I have enjoyed every episode, even though I know about some of the future. Now to my warning...for people like me, trying to watch the show from the beginning, and for people like me who just purchase without always reading amazon comments, BE WARNED that the episodes are out of order on this dvd set. I watched the final episode of the set, which is on the first dvd, and boy was I confused. I went to a web site that lists all the episodes and of course, I figured out what had happened. So, buy these, enjoy them, but do it in order!!!

THE BEST OF A GREAT SHOW!!!
These episodes is among the best of a truly great show and I can't recommend them high enough!! Just imagine the Liars,Guns and Money trilogy in a theater and it'll put the Star Wars prequels to shame.....Great acting,suspense,humor,drama,writing;what else can be said about a show that hasn't been said before??? Get these for the unconverted and maybe they'll undertstand what the fuss is about!!! Shame on you Sci-Fi for cancelling this wonderful show.... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Farscape is genre television at its most ambitious, inspired both by the cult appeal of Babylon 5 and the continuing success of the Star Trek franchise, but taking a visual and conceptual leap beyond those shows. Making extensive use of CGI, prosthetics, and state-of-the-art puppetry, courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the Farscape concept has a freshness that makes it look and feel completely original.

After the nail-biting cliffhanger at the end of the first season, the second season gets off to a shaky start in "Mind the Baby," as all the loose plot ends have to be gathered and resolved. Crais apparently has a change of heart, and Scorpius takes his place as Crichton's new nemesis. In "Vitas Mortis," D'Argo falls for a lonely Luxan, with catastrophic and barely plausible results for Moya. "Taking the Stone" showcases Chiana's grief in an episode that manages to be even more confusing. Fortunately by the fourth episode, "Crackers Don't Matter," the show has really hit its stride once again: the crew slowly succumbs to a state of paranoia-fuelled madness, fighting and trying to kill one another thanks to the presence of an odd light-seeking alien. Crichton has a string of great lines ("I hate it when villains quote Shakespeare") and a lot of fun doing an impersonation of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Now that's more like it!
No, "Farscape" is not yet being put into full season sets, but this is a vast improvement. As the plan goes now, a new 2-disc set will be released each month, with 4-5 episodes on each. And that's much better than only 2 episodes, every few months, as we've previously been getting.

"Farscape" is, bar none, the best science-fiction on TV. It's daring, bold, insane, whimsical, scary, and fun...and also has one of the most complex, involving, and brilliant mythologies of any sci-fi out there, including some fascinating stuff about wormholes.

With that said, on to the episode reviews...

"Mind the Baby" is an excellent season-opener that picks up from the season finale with a punch, and leads the show into its new direction for the new year. Its only weakness is the fact that it was not originally meant to be the season-opener, but the second episode. The first one was aired later in the season, and turned into a flashback episode, where we find out what happened. Therefore, some of the aspects of the previous season finale cliffhanger are strangely resolved without an explanation...Although that explanation will be given later in the season, in the episode, "Dream a Little Dream."

The next 2 episodes, unfortunately, are not the best "Farscape" has to offer. "Taking the Stone" and "Vitas Mortis" are both rather slow, unexciting episodes. Although each focuses on a different character and provides some great, sometimes crucial, character development, the actual stories don't pack the right amount of punch. That is not to say that they are not worth watching. Just they are not as good as they should have been.

The fourth episode of the set, however, is the crown jewel of the 4, and completely makes up for the minor weaknesses of "Mind the Baby" and the more serious ones of the other two. "Crackers Don't Matter" is an utterly brilliant, demented, hilarious, black comedy that strikes a perfect balance between the dark and the funny. It is one of the best episodes the show has ever done. It's impossible to describe the episode without giving it away, but, suffice it to say, it is brillant on every level: character-wise, plot-wise, comedy-wise, drama-wise...Very few shows can produce an episode that can make you laugh till it hurts, and cringe, also. It also greatly benefits from being an episode with a stand-alone plot which also speaks a great deal aobut the characters, and foreshadows the major story arc of the year, something that won't come completely into focus and be fully revealed until much later in the year, in the ingenious "Won't Get Fooled Again," which will take away its crown as the best episode up to that point.

What is great about "Farscape" is how it always manages to top itself. Therefore, "Crackers Don't Matter" was the best episode for a while, until "Won't Get Fooled Again" took its place, which was then taken by the season finale, "Die Me Dichotomy." And that doesn't even factor in the two brilliant trilogies: "Look at the Princess" and "Liars, Guns, and Money." Wow, you people who have never seen this season before are in for a real treat...!!!

Fun story, weak direction
I'm very glad that the new season of Farscape is available on DVD. As mentioned in an earlier review, there are few sci-fi series on television and we have to be appreciative of what we get. Still, I can't help wishing Farscape was even better.

Most disappointing in this set is "Crackers". Other reviewers liked it and it's clear the Farscape people think it's great because it's the only episode that they give a commentary track too. But the episode is trite, trotting out every cliche from every "they all go mad" episode of every tv series including even the "tilt the camera" trick that was so overused on the original Star Trek.

In the commentary track the director explains how he tells the actors "to not act, just relax". Ben is so relaxed in this episode that Crichton looks like he's about to fall asleep in every scene. Rigel is excellent but you would think the human actors would be able to match his performance.

There are scenes, particularly between Ben and the ever lovely Ms Black, that work well but there are way too many others that look like first walkthroughs.

And what happened to Virginia? I'm going to have to find a fan site to catch up on the gossip. I have no idea why Pa'u Zhaan is so under-utilized so far this season.

I started with these, now I'm hooked!
I'd seen bits of Farscape season one and at a glance equated it to every other syndicated sci-fi drama (Andromeda, Stargate SG-1, and the like). Then I rented this one on a whim, and ...WOW am I hooked. This show is what Star Trek Voyager should have been. A show that explores the unknown should be surprising, fascinating and dangerous. Farscape pulls it off in spades (by comparison current Star Trek looks wimpy and new Star Wars, badly written).

To me, these are the episodes that get the show rolling in the right direction. Farscape at it's best shows off Crichton's reactions to the bizarre environment he's become trapped in, and this is where he really starts to loose his marbles. The addition of Scorpius is inspired. From here on the episodes improve dramatically.

Watch the Best of Season One to get updated (The very first episode and season one's finale are a must to know what's going on, and DNA Mad Scientist is very cool), but Season two is where Farscape takes off.

Great show, but not the best showing
Now - I love Farscape. I came into the show late in the game, but it has quickly joined my list of classics...a show not to be missed and now, after it's cancellation, to be mourned.

Knowing this, I must say that this set is not Farscape's best showing. So, if a new fan - don't start here....actually, start in Season 1, episode 1. It's imperative!

The redeeming feature of this set is the episode "Crackers Don't Matter." It *might* be my favorite Farscape episode of all time. The paranoia/hysteria are hysterical and chilling....and it sets up the Scorpius arc for the remainder of the season. This episode, at least, is not to be missed!

A rather disorienting start to Season 2 of "Farscape"
Season 1 of "Farscape" ended with as many cliffhangers as they could cram into the season finale. We had Crichton (Ben Browder) and D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe) floating in space; Moya new born baby boy turns out to have built-in Peacekeeper technology, which thrills Captain Crais (Lani John Tupu); Aeryn (Claudia Black) in a Prowler hiding from Scorpius (Wayne Pygram); and Moya starbursts away with Zhaan (Virginia Hey), Chiana (Gigi Edgley), and Rigel. To be fair, there was no "To Be Continued" announcement for that season finale, probably because the fate of the show was still up in the air, but with the "Farscape" crew scattered to the winds of space there was a sense of anticipation as to how they were going to get out of their respective messes.

That is why "Mind the Baby" is such a great disappointment. When I started watching the episode I thought I had the wrong one in the machine because suddenly Crichton and D'Argo are no longer in space. They must have saved a small fortune not having to do the special effects to show how this happened, but it comes across as a cheat to me. It really go the whole episode off on the wrong foot for me and every new revelation as to how things would be different in Season 2 ended up being met with skepticism. I liked the second episode, "Vitas Mortis" a lot better, which is rather ironic because the story has absolutely nothing to do with any of the new plot elements that were just established. D'Argo meets up with another Luxan, a Orican (holy woman) named Nilaam, who wants him to attend to her death. However, their association has unexpected consequences, both for the two Luxans and for Moya. This look at Luxan culture is rather brief, but it does give D'Argo some new depth to go along with the dark skin colors he picked up floating around in space between the first two seasons. After all the new information thrown at us in the previous episode, a character study of one of Moya's crew other than Crichton stands us in good stead.

Chiana takes center stage in "Taking the Stone," when she is driven by grief to visit a Royal Cemetary planet where she joins a group of decadent youngsters who engage in ritualistic jumping off of cliffs to test death. The group is led by Molon (Anthony Hayes), who has even more disdain for the visitors than he does for his own people. Meanwhile, Crichton is trying to convince Chiana not to "take the stone." This episode reminds me of the "Star Trek" episode "Miri," although Chaina provides it with much more emotional depth. "Crackers Don't Matter" is one of those episodes where the characters are driven semi-insane by alien forces and the actors get to cut loose (the cunning Pilot was my favorite). Behind it all is Traltixx (Danny Adcock), who was called in to help make Moya undetectable to sensors and instead is making her walls glow. However, it is only the fourth episode of the second season, so why would the cast need a change of pace episode already?

The DVD extras are pretty much a mixed bag, especially after the above average batch of additives from the first season set. There is a character backstory on John Crichton and an actor biography of Ben Browder, but they are both text pages that you have to flip through rather than filmed featurettes; they are also rather brief. There is a commentary track on "Crackers Don't Matter," which is mostly actress Claudia Black interviewing director Ian Watson about his craft in general. There are several deleted scenes just for something different this time around and more pages offering a look at the alien encounter with Nilaam and some conceptual drawings, including nice costume drawings for Nilamm. Finally, there is the Farscape Dictionary of alien slang so you can know what "blez," "frodank," and "loomas" mean. So these end up being rather average episodes of "Farscape," although obvious the season premiere is setting the stage for what is to come. I am sure we all had our problems with some of the new directions the show is taking at this point (Talon's choice for the big "honor" totally rubs me the wrong way), but judgment should be reserved until we see what the show does with them. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This ambitious miniseries begins with Jack's descendant (Matthew Modine) and works its way backward to the story of the original young man and the beanstalk. Because the first Jack used that towering vine to steal a giant's magic goose and harp, an entire world was reduced to poverty and a bloodline was cursed--all Robinson men die in their 40s, and the modern-day Jack is around that age. Fortunately, Ondine (Mia Sara), a visitor from the giant's alternative reality, has a plan. If she and Jack can recover the stolen items in time, they may be able to solve both problems. The made-for-TV movie boasts top stars (including Vanessa Redgrave and Jon Voight) and Jim Henson's Creature Shop's nifty special effects. Although children younger than 10 may find the complex narrative confusing and the implied violence scary, Jack and the Beanstalk is an inventive retelling that adds new life to an old story. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Bit Drawn Out But Still Wonderful Entertainment!
This telling of the classic story is great to look at and is just a beautiful film altogether. Mathew Modine stars as Jack Robinson, a man who has been made to believe that he won't live pass 43 as his relatives with the same names have died at that age. Jack soon finds out that the Jack and the beanstalk story has to do with the curse of his family. He finds himself pursued by a mysterious young lady played by Mia Sara and having secrets hidden from him by his so called close family friend played by John Voight.

Although this has it's flaws, like not being able to understand the giants half the time, John Voight's bad accent and the over makeuped Darayl Hannah. It still is full of wonder, adventure, lively effects and good performances by Mathew Modine, Mia Sara and Vanessa Redgrave. Plus it makes 2 big points about greed and trust. I don't really recommend watching it straight through, since it's so long it can be hard to sit through. Just like Lord of the Rings I can't say the length hurts the altogether entertainment level though.

This movie makes sense, but not suitable for kids.
Whether you prefer the classic or this new version, it doesn't make any difference. The classic Jack and the magic Beanstalk is not suitable for kids anyway,Why? It teaches Killing and Stealing. No Parents will allow their children to watch a movie which if you'll analyze the meaning of the whole story, It's a horrible one.
The Giant, The golden eggs and the harp represents the Rich man with a lot of wealth. Jack represents a poor man who wants to get rich easily. What Jack did, he relied on this magic beans to get to the top where wealth is abundant. The key word here is "Magic". This is not the way to start teaching child how to live. In the real world there's no such thing as magic. If you want to live you have to work. Not by killing Giant (Rich People) or stealing someones golden egg (Money).
This movie makes sense because no matter how cruel the Giant was, Jack doesn't have the right to kill and take the Giants wealth.

Major disappointment -- What a waste!
"Jack and the Beanstalk" was my favorite fairy tale when I was a child; and I had great hopes when I heard about this television adaptation that Hollywood would finally do it justice. They did not. The Abbott & Costello take on the story (released in 1952) at least gives you a few good laughs. Why on earth has NO ONE tapped into the incredible cinematic potential which the earliest version of this story has??? I was fortunate enough, when young, to be exposed to retellings based on the earliest surviving text of this folk tale, which was published in 1807. For those who are interested in reading the original, it may be found in The Classic Fairy Tales, a scholarly work by Iona and Peter Opie (published by Oxford University Press). The vocabulary used in this earliest version is well above that of younger children, and it reads more like a novella, with its long flashback section. In it, Jack does not find himself in some fanciful cloud-kingdom in the sky when he reaches the top of the beanstalk; he finds himself in an arrid wasteland (presumably at the top of a cliff up which the beanstalk grew). He does not steal the treasures from the Giant for the fun of it (which would, of course, make him amoral); a fairy in the disguise of a beggar woman tells him that the cannibalistic ogre had gained the confidence of Jack's father, who was as rich as a prince, stabbed him to death, and then stolen all his treasures. His duty is to punish the Giant and avenge his father's death. When Jack reaches the Giant's castle, he is admitted by a normal-sized woman who leads him past a dungeon, where the groans of future victims for the Giant's table are heard. The Giant does not come stomping in reciting a silly rhyme: "Fee Fi Fo Fum, etc." -- but simply says in a grim fashion: "Wife, I smell fresh meat." This sustains an atmosphere that is by no means light. Moreover, it is quite clear that the Giant could not be even 20 feet high -- let alone sixty. Given the size of his wife and the fact that no mention is made of abnormally sized furniture, etc., it seems reasonable to suppose that he would be 10 or perhaps 12 feet high. This makes him monstrous, without turning him into a cartoon-like figure such as one sees in Disney's (excellent) "Mickey and the Beanstalk" (1947). Jack steals a hen that lays golden eggs, and on the second and third trips up the stalk bags of money and an enchanted harp. Must we impose political correctness on a robust, traditional fairy tale??? Save political correctness for real issues: women's rights, racial equality, etc. I mean, really, this IS a fairy tale. The giant is a murderous man-eating monster who deserves death; he isn't some poor fellow with a pituitary gland problem! I can just imagine what a marvellous story might have been told with the budget wasted on this piece of tripe. And Vanessa Redgrave --what a delightfully sinister fairy she would have made! The beanstalk effects were very well executed; how great it would have been to see them incorporated into a story set entirely in the past (in the 9th century, in the reign of King Alfred, to be precise). In addition to the unneeded political correctness, there is too much comedy in this version; I mean, give me a break, the Giant in this version has (if I recall correctly) a chef with an Italian accent!!! I could go on and on, but I won't. If you want to see a good, old fashioned fantasy film, watch "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (1958) or "Jack the Giant Killer" (1962). Some of the effects may be creaky (particularly in the latter film), but at least they don't mangle the rich story-telling tradition that has existed since 750 B.C., when Homer wrote the Odyssey and first gave us an evil-flesh-eating monster in the form of the Cyclops. And, if you want to see an adult version of "Snow-White," for example, watch "Snow White: A Tale of Terror," with Sigourney Weaver. AVOID "Jack and the Beanstalk - The Real Story" like the plague unless you want to see Hollywood mangle a traditional story and serve it up as pabulum for people with no stomach for traditional stories, which are not going to warp a child's mind. I did not turn into a sociopath from reading the violence-filled fairy tales, which some psychologists feel help children work through the issues we all face when growing up. Enough said!

A return to great storytelling
I've shown this movie for three years now in a creative writing class for kids. I continue to be amazed at how intricately it weaves its story -- I discover something new on each viewing. It's a complex story and the pacing is at times slower than what kids (12-13 years old) are used to, but I prepare my students for that up front and it never fails to catch their imaginations. I rejoice that here is a movie that doesn't spoon-feed the audience but requires that you become an active viewer, to search out clues, to allow yourself to sit with the mystery and not know exactly what the real truth is all the time as the story masterfully leads you through its unfolding. My only complaint -- the reference to genetically engineered food, I give an aside on that as to what the pros and cons of such a venture are.

The Henson Magic at it's Best
What a wonderful way to take a fairy tale that we all grew up with, turn it around and give it a whole new slant..while keeping the core story the same. Brian Henson, Son of Jim has brought the Magic of Henson to the TV screen in a "Giant" way :)

The visual effects are outstanding..some of the best I have seen ... and incredible for a shoot that was only 11 1/2 weeks long (source: special features-behind the scenes- on DVD) .

The actors did an outstanding job, with John Voigt pulling in a comedic performance that is a total surprise and very refreshing indeed!! Matthew Modine is, as always the best at his craft. He speaks with his eyes and face when he acts.... He is terrific. Darryl Hannah, Richard Attenborough, Mia Sara and Vanessa Redgrave round out the cast with equally well done characters. The role of Thunderdell is completely believeable in "both" roles..You will have to watch that to know what I mean... and is just outstanding.

Buy this movie with confidence!! It is a wonderful rainy night, sit down with a bowl of popcorn and escape movie!! Enjoy!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In its fourth season, Farscape is as much dramatic and romantic fun as it's ever been and it's even more stylish than ever before. A pity, then, that this season is also the show's last, following its abrupt cancellation by the Sci-Fi Channel. If at times the tone seems a little lighter here than in its gloriously doom-laden predecessor, that is because its story arc is the first half of what was intended to cover two seasons and some of the material is clearly here for the long run. It is, for example, probably no coincidence that the priests' chant in "What Was Lost" has been part of the show's signature tune from the beginning.

There are five episodes here. In "Crichton Kicks," Crichton has been a castaway for months on a senile Leviathan which is waiting its time to die. He has worked out wormhole technology, trained an orchestra of DRDs to sing the 1812 Overture, and is generally content, until his worldly resignation is shattered by the arrival of the beautiful, bossy, and untrustworthy Sikozu, a bunch of aggressive butchers and a somewhat battered Chiana and Rygel. "What Was Lost, Part 1: Sacrifice" takes them to an archaeological dig where they join Jool, D'Argo and the mysterious, annoying old woman Noranti and start to uncover lost secrets that change everything. In "What Was Lost, Part 2: Resurrection" Crichton, drugged into bed by the seductive evil Peacekeeper Grayza, regains his self-respect by helping save yet another world. "Lava's a Many-Splendored Thing" is a puzzle episode: how to rescue an amber-encased Rygel from the bottom of a pool of lava without getting crisped or shot by renegades and how to use D'Argo's ship to rescue him when it is keyed to his DNA. Finally, "Promises" takes everyone back to Moya to find a dying Aeryn Sun and a Scorpius she has promised to protect--the issue here is how to outwit both a Peacekeeper torpedo and an extortionist with a big ship and a taste for hiding behind holograms. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Beginning the final season of "Farscape"
This is the start of the fourth and final season of "Farscape," and with this first five episodes Moya's crew reassembles and John Crichton gets some good news and bad news by the end of this 2-DVD set. As always you will find some fan friendly extras along with the episodes:

Episode 401, "Crichton Kicks" (Written by David Kemper, Aired June 7, 2002) starts off the season back in the Uncharted Territories with a bearded Crichton reunited with Chiana and Rygel aboard the decaying Leviathan Elack. A group of Grudek mercenaries intent on harvesting the Leviathan's rare neural tissue mercenaries show up and have to be stopped. Moya's crew is not back together by the end of this one, but at least Crichton shakes off the cobwebs and starts getting acclimated to the idea that Aeryn is out there somewhere carrying his baby...or is she?

Episode 402, "What Was Lost, Part 1: Sacrifice" (Written by Justin Monjo, Aired June 14, 2002) has more of Moya's crew showing up on a planet where Interion scientists are conducting an archeological dig. Then Commandant Grayza shows up and uses a sensual spell to try and get to Crichton's secrets and the Old Woman, convinced Crichton will crack, figures killing him would be a good thing. Fortunately they put the second part on the same disc here as the story continues.

Episode 403, "What Was Lost, Part 2: Resurrection" (Written by Justin Monjo, Aired June 21, 2002) has the Farscape gang trying to stop the Peacekeepers on Arnessk from recovering an alien weapon of mass destruction while Crichton tries to resist Grayza's sensual assault. D'Argo and Jool have a plan, but you know how well those things work out. Fortunately, the dying Leviathan Elack makes for one heck of a trump card and it looks like maybe Crichton will not have Scorpius to kick around any longer (yeah, right, but Moya does lose a crewmember).

Episode 404, "Lava's a Many Splendored Thing" (Written by Michael Miller, Aired June 28, 2002) has the crew still searching for Moya but being forced to make an emergency landing on a desolate planet. There Tarkan freedom fighters capture Rygel inside a cavern filled with lava after Sparky's love for shiny objects gets him in a stick situation once again. Chiana and Sikozu become the new bickering couple for the series but manage to avoid coming to blows for the time being. This is a comic relief episode that, for many reasons, strikes me as a tongue in cheek homage to the original "Star Trek." But I am probably reading too much into it.

Episode 405, "Promises" (Written by Richard Manning, Aired July 12, 2002) starts off with good news and bad news. The good news is that Moya is finally reunied with her crew and Crichton gets to see Aeryn. The bad news is that she is in the company of Scorpius (you thought he was gone for good?) and in the throes of Heat Delirium. To prove his good intentions, Scorpius finally removes "Harvey," his neural clone, from Crichton's mind. Then a giant Lukythian Ship rockets up to Moya, preventing starburst, and its captain accuses Aeryn of being part of team of assassins who killed the Prime Lukythian. The Lukythians infected her with Heat Delirium and will provide an antidote in exchange for the names of those who ordered the hit. If this was not enough fun, Grayza has a prototype Peacekeeper missile for killing a Leviathan.

The Begining of the End
From the start, Farscape has been an amazing show, far better than anything else on T.V. It's dark tone and mixture of science fiction and fantasy, coupled with alien characters who, at times seem more human than many of us make this an engaging space opera. Now that the DVD collections have reached the fourth season, I find myself becoming wistful again.

The fourth season, particularly these five episodes attempted to completely reintroduce the main characters to a completely new audience without alienating it's core viewers. A daunting task, but Farscape pulls it off (regardless of what the ratings may have said). Season four continues the show's trend of improving, and not underestimating it's audience.

Bottom line: If you're a science fiction fan, than you have to at least check out Farscape. If, like me, you're a longtime fan, than this set is a must. It completely sets the tone for season four, which became one of the most cerebral and surreal of the series four year run.

Until the miniseries airs, I will simply have to sit and watch this DVD over and over again.

The Best Damed SiFi ever!!!
Damed Because it was Just too good to last.This is what wide screen, hi-def., TV's with surround sound were made for.
there is nothing on the tube that can compare to the all around quality of Farscape. I really miss this show.
Dr.Joe DJ/MC

I Love Farscape
Why is it on a very rare occasion we are able to catch a series that doesn't completely suck, and just when you get used to television that isn't mind-numbingly dumb they take it away from you? Ahh, another disappointment. Farscape Rocks and this DVD rocks along with all their other DVD's. It's a shame the SciFi channel has sold out and replaced Farscape with crap like Scare Tactics. It's tragic. I love Farscape!

Farscape: Season 4 begins...
Well, as this final season of "Farscape" is brought to DVD, a few changes come along with it. The most obvious is the widescreen presentation of the episodes, but the other noteworthy change is (unlike the show's previous gloom-and-doom season premieres) some much-needed laughs after several emotionally tough and dramatic episodes. Our hero john Crichton was left alone at the end of the previous season, but when we see him again, he has managed to find a dying Leviathan to call home and find time to study his knowledge of wormholes (while growing a Jim Morrison-esque mane to boot). But, things can be quiet in the world of "Farscape" for so long before circumstances drag him out of exile and into reunions with his old friends. But the biggest shock of all is the one person John Crichton distrusts more than anyone may need Crichton's help to survive. While the first five episodes in this set bring our band of misfits back together, it also sets up a tense atmosphere that plays out rather well throughout the season. Mind you, the REALLY GOOD stuff of season four isn't on DVD yet, but the epsiodes, including the two parter "What Was Lost" and the dramatic reunion of John and his love Aeryn in "Promises" manages to keep things interesting. All in all, a must-own for "Farscape" fans, and for those non-fans, well... ... Read more

Description

Contains:

Episode 314: Infinite Possibilities Part 1: Daedalus Demands
An Ancient - again taking the form of Crichton's father Jack - appears on Talyn and accuses Crichton of sharing wormhole stabilizing technology with the Charrids, a vicious race allied with the Scarrans. Crichton realizes that Furlow, the mechanic from Dam-Ba-Da depot who once repaired Crichton's module, is the real guilty party. With a Scarran Dreadnought on the way, Jack must unlock the wormhole technology in Crichton's brain to build the ultimate weapon - but must first confront the evil Scorpius Clone in Crichton's mind.

Episode 315: Infinite Possibilities Part 2: Icarus Abides
After disposing of the Scorpius Clone, the Ancient 'Jack' unlocks the secrets to wormhole technology in Crichton's mind-allowing them to build the 'ultimate weapon' to destroy the Scarran Dreadnought before it escapes with Furlow's data. Seeing the value of the weapon, Furlow kills Jack and takes off with it. In the ensuing chase, Crichton is fatally exposed to the highly reactive Partanium that fuels the engine. With nothing left to lose, Crichton volunteers to launch the weapon at the Dreadnought, experiencing first hand the terrifying power of wormhole technology.

Episode 316: Revenging Angel
A fight between D'Argo and Crichton over the malfunction of D'Argo's mysterious new ship ends with Crichton knocked unconscious. The Scorpius Clone in Crichton's mind tries to convince him that revenge against D'Argo is the only way to settle the conflict, but John prefers to resolve it in his own head, acting out a Crichton vs. D'Argo cartoon battle set in Road-Runner land. Meanwhile, the ship malfunction leads to the activation of a self-destruct sequence that threatens to blow Moya to pieces.

Episode 317: The Choice
Grieving for Crichton, Aeryn travels to a planet of mystics and frauds and makes contact with a man who claims to be Talyn Lyzcak, her father. Talyn puts her in touch with Seer Cresus, a creature who is able to 'channel' the dead Crichton. Meanwhile, Stark and Rygel search for Aeryn, but first come across an old enemy. Lurking on the planet with malign, warped designs of her own is Aeryn's mother, Xhalax Sun.

Episode 318: Fractures
Not far from Moya and Talyn's expected rendezvous point, Moya picks up a badly damaged Leviathan Transport Pod carrying a Scarran, a Hynerian and a Nebari - all escaped prisoners - and their Peacekeeper hostage, complicating the long awaited reunion between Moya and Talyn's crew. When the Scarran is shot, it's clear that someone on board is a traitor.DVD Features: a printed insert with official episode synopses; a behind-the-scenes interview with Anthony Simcoe ("D'Argo"); commentary for "The Choice" with Claudia Black ("Aeryn Sun"); updated character histories-Lieutenant Braca, Rygel XVI; cool Farscape Facts; Aliens Encountered; Sets, Props, & Costumes Gallery; deleted scenes; Farscape trailers; and Previews.Spoken Languages: English. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great Show, rotten DVD Mastering
I love Farscape. It had to be one of the best shows on TV until the SciFi channel went soft and stopped playing anything even remotely interesting.

Anyway my grip is not the show. I don't like the mastering. Depending on your DVD player you may be forced to watch the comercial previews. I find this unexceptable since I'm paying for the stuff and don't want to be force fed comercials.

Farscape Rocks
Why is it on a very rare occasion we are able to catch a series that doesn't completely suck, and just when you get used to television that isn't mind-numbingly dumb they take it away from you? Ahh, another disappointment. Farscape Rocks and this DVD rocks along with all their other DVD's. It's a shame the SciFi channel has sold out and replaced Farscape with crap like Scare Tactics. It's tragic. I love Farscape!

Separate Ships Make Separate Ships: Tales of Two Crichtons
Up until now, many things have happened to the beloved astronaut, John Crichton. He's voyaged through that infamous wormhole and into a strange portion of the universe, has been fated to be shuffled into a ship full of escaped prisoners as they try to flee the mighty Peacekeepers, and he's made droves of enemies. While he's been doing all those things, he's managed to acquire droves of enemies and a few friends, information about said "wormholes" - possibly a revolution in travel and weaponry all rolled into one, and a reputation for coming out both alive and kicking. He's blown up a Peacekeeper installation, a Shadow Depository, messed up a few entire planets, and has even had a few things come out well for him. Place into that the fact that he's now been "twined" (yes, there's two Chritons now), that one of the Crichtons is kicking it on board Moya with his obsession for wormholes and the other on board Talon with Aeryn, and you're ready for the episodes contained on 3.4.

The two episodes on Disc 1 are two parts of the "Infinite Possibilities" whole. Together they weave a tragic tale, with one of the Ancients coming to Crichton again wearing the image of his father, Jack. This time, however, he tells Crichton that wormhole technology is being abused and sold to the highest bidder, introducing him again to the long-lost character/mechanic Dam-Ba-Da.

I personally like Part 1: Daedalus Demands and Part 2: Icarus Abides in many respects because they focus on several pieces of the Crichton puzzle without losing the other main characters in the process. With the introduction of the Charrids, for instance, we find Rygel and some of the depravity he is willing to dish out because of past barbarism. We also find Stark being a as mad as Stark often is, Talon working his way into the plot, and we delve into Aeryn and how she feels about a certain human. This has always been the strongest portion of the Farscape saga, truth be told, with the characters and their relationships working just as well as the exquisite artistry in costuming and storylines. That means that you can laugh with the characters when they succeed, but you can also hurt for them as well. You also get a bit of Harvey in the fold, and Harvey spells fun.

Disc 2 adds three episodes that bounce back and forth on their focal point, with an episode on Moya's crew, one on the grief left behind when Disc 1 ends, and one merging the two as the crews meet up once more.

In "The Choice," our main focus is Aeryn she goes to a planet in search of a mystic that can commune with the past. While there, she encounters a mysterious being claiming to be her father and more trouble than the rest of the crew wants to have branded on their heads. While I can't say too much about this without giving away Disc 1, I will say its a good piece and really seems to belong on the timeline right behind Disc 1. It brings closure to some things that have been going on while letting Talon's crew continue on their way to trying to once again contact Moya.

In "Revenging Angel," D'Argo finds himself confronting the inner demon, rage, as it leaves Crichton clinging for life in a "loony Toons" setting. While many of my friends don't seem to like this episode, I thought it was well done because it found Crichton dealing with Harvey (the Scorpius in his head) and finding some mutual footing. It also holds a little piece of the puzzle in it when it comes to replacing lost ships and finding something the crew needs desperately - firepower - as they seem to tick off the universe. Granted, it is somewhat silly but that has its place amongst the crew, too.

Finally, in "Fractures," Moya and Talyn meet up once more and the events that have transpired up until now bring with them a weight for both crews. While that is transpiring, Moya also finds herself adding to the trouble as she picks up a transport pod of escaped prisoners that carries a Hynerian, a Nebari, a Scarran, and a Peacekeeper. Some of the events happening herein have ripples that course through the remaining episodes in the series, with the "human" drama becoming all-the-more painful and the scars showing. Added to that is the continued manifestation of Chiana's strange "ability" - that started when she was "hosting" a rider in a previous episode - and that plays a role in future episodes.

If you want to know more about Farscape, don't start here watching here! This is a series that links together and flows, not allowing you to miss an episode without losing something. Sometimes that may be as small as a joke, but other times that can be something as large as the whole motivation behind the characters. I'm not much of a television addict, but I highly recommend Farscape as a complete picture - with only one warning. It is highly addictive.

Two Crichtons proves to be one Crichton too many
The major themes of Season 3 of "Farscape" were that of separation and death, which is amply proven by the episodes on this pair of DVDs that provide a resolution to the two Crichton story arc and finally brings Moya and Talyn back together:

Episode 14, "Infinite Possibilities Part 1: Daedalus Demands" (Written by Carleton Eastlake, Aired July 27, 2001) has the Ancient who shows up as Crichton's father Jack showing up on Talyn to accuse John of giving his wormhole information to the Charrids, who are allied with the Scarrans (i.e., as bad, but not quite as powerful). Crichton connects the dots and knows that it has to be Furlow, the mechanic we met earlier, who studied his module and must have pieces together enough to duplicate the technology. As Crichton tires to access the infromation in his brain by getting past "Harvey," the remnant of Scorpius, things get progressively worse in this episode, which is why it is "to be continued." (4 Wormholes)

Episode 15, "Infinite Possibilities Part 2: Icarus Abides" (Written by Carleton Eastlake, Aired August 3, 2001) does offer some good news as Crichton is finally free of the Scorpius clone and unlock the wormhole technology in his mind. Unfortunately that Scarran dreadnought is still on its way and Crichton has to work with the Ancient, who looks like his father Jack, work on a weapon that can defend them. Unfortunately Furlow is still trying to take every side involved for everything she can and the price of survival this time around is as high as it has ever been. (5 Wormholes)

Episode 16, "Revenging Angel" (Written by David Kemper, Aired August 10, 2001) is in the running for the funniest "Farscape" episode ever. Crichton and D'Argo have another one of their stupid fights, but this time John ends up in a coma. Meanwhile, just to make things fun, a strange ship is bent on destroying Moya. However, this is nothing compared to what is happened in Crichton's mind, where the Scorpius clone is trying to convince him to take revenge against D'Argo. That does not sound like much, but I should mention that these flights of fancy are animated in the grand style of Chuck Jones cartoons; i.e., think Coyote and Roadrunner lost in space. After the end of the previous episode, this is a welcome bit of comic relief before we continue the downward spiral. (5 Wormholes)

Episode 17, "The Choice" (Written by Justin Monjo, Aired August 17, 2001) has the grieving Aeryn traveling to a planet of mystics, seers, and frauds to try and contact Crichton. However, once there she learns she can make contact with someone who could be her father. There is some question as to whether or not this is really Talyn Lyczac, but there is no doubt that lurking in the shadows is Xhalax Sun, Aeryn's mother (who we though Crais had killed earlier in the season). So much for the idea that your parents can provide conflict when the man you love dies. (4 Wormholes)

Episode 18, "Fractures" (Rockne S. O'Bannon, Aired August 24, 2001) shows that the long awaited reunion between the divided crews on Moya and Tayln is not going to be any bed of roses. But first Moya's crew encounters a trio of escapees from Peacekeeper prisons: a Nebari, a Scarran and a female. This proves to be another one of Season 3's "road not taken" episodes since we see parts of the "Farscape" crew refracted in these visitors. However, all that really matters is that Aeryn and the other Crichton get to see each other again. (5 Wormholes)

You have to be impressed with any television series that manages to kill off half of the original characters halfway through a season, especially when most of those characters actually stay head. Especially when each of those deat