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ANALYSIS
An unarmed ship like Moya creates some interesting challenges for Farscape 's writers.
For one thing, it means that the writers can't simply power up the phasers, photon torpedoes or Wave Motion Gun every time the crew gets in trouble. Instead, they usually need to resolve episodic conflicts in smaller, less F/X-laden ways.
Fortunately, the writers also create plots that don't require a big explosion to be resolved. This brings the action back down to the character level.
The lack of weapons also reinforces the crew's dire situation.
Crichton and company are fugitives with almost no way of defending themselves. They are outmanned and outgunned at every turn, and their desperate situations become the crucible that turns them into a dysfunctional starfaring family by
.
Of course, no one really needs weapons when they have a big, angry alien on their side. Despite his reservations about deceiving a foe, D'Argo pulls off a perfect bluff.
This trick has been an SF staple since Kirk pulled it in the classic Star Trek episode "The Corbomite Maneuver." Anthony Simcoe's (D'Argo) snarling performance gives the implied -- though undeliverable -- threat an air of credible menace Kirk never achieved.
"Human. It's kind of like Sebacean but we haven't conquered other worldsyet, so we just kick the crap out of each other."
Earthling in the middle
Although viewers don't really see how well the crew gelled over the course of the season until the end, "PK Tech Girl" offers some hints about how they eventually come together so effectively.
Gilina's attraction to Crichton -- despite her initial belief that he is an enemy of her people --demonstrates the way he catalyzes his fellow prisoners.
It may be more than mere charisma. Crichton is, after all, the Hero, the latest in a long lineage of SF mainstays who demonstrate that There's Something Special About Humans.
Part of this is because Farscape is a show made by humans for humans, but it also has something to do with the fact that all the other parts were taken.
The angry, honorable warrior; the wise, contemplative priest; and the imperious, self-important sovereign. D'Argo, Zhaan and Rygel fill these character niches, even though the aliens are much more than the sum of their archetypal roles.
Because they hew so closely to these roles -- especially in the early episodes -- Crichton must demonstrate equally well-defined behavior. Since aliens are covering all the other bases, that leaves him with the role of mediator and catalyst.
It's somewhat anthropocentric to give the role of consensus builder to the token human, and it certainly points to an idealized vision of humanity. That's the function of the touchstone character, though, so it falls to Crichton whether he wants it or not.
Love, Sebacean style
Gilina's attraction to Crichton serves two purposes. It gives her a reason to put aside her Peacekeeper prejudices in order to help the crew, and it complicates the relationship between Crichton and Aeryn.
This chemistry between Aeryn and Crichton is a strong dynamic. Given the shared dangers and their obvious physical similarities, their mutual attraction is understandable and probably inevitable.
And so the appearance of Gilina neatly short-circuits this inevitability, or at least postpones it.
Gilina's nascent relationship with Crichton offers Aeryn additional reasons not to act on her own feelings. She's honorable enough that she wouldn't want to force Crichton to betray his feelings for Gilina. She can also draw on her anger that he would choose Gilina over herself.
Whatever the case, it pulls the series' primary romantic drama back from the brink of resolution in a believable and logical way.
WHAT WE LEARN
Rygel has seen Zhaan -- or at least some of her -- naked.
Sebaceans and humans have similar artistic and dramatic traditions.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
What really happened to the Zelbinion?
TUNE IN NEXT WEEK
Rerun season continues. The Sci Fi Channel follows up on "PK Tech Girl" with "Durka Returns" -- the first appearance of
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