Farscape Rewatch: Revenging Angel (3.16)
Apr. 4th, 2021 06:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakWiki summary: When D'Argo's new ship malfunctions, D'Argo blames Crichton and in a fit of hyper-rage knocks him into a coma. While the others attempt to deactivate the mysterious ship's self-destruct before it destroys Moya, Crichton finds himself in a literally animated world.
Farscape at its zaniest, which is much appreciated given the tragic goings on before and after this episode. I'm not even a fan of Warner cartoons, but this episode reliably cracks me up, and as far as "episodes taking place in the mind of the lead" entries are concerned, while this not the mad-to-painful type of crazy Won't get fooled again was (i.e. hilarious right up to the point when John's mother shows up), it's not all silliness and hilarity, either. The subplot underlines how lonely and isolated Jool still feels, and it also reminds me what a big difference the writing makes - there is a scene in which Jool does her trademark scream, but because the episode treats her like a real person throughout, not as a gag and a stereotype, it doesn't feel annoying the way it did early in the season, but as yet one more part of every day Moya life. Otoh, the subplot isn't free of gags, either, and the way the Jool finding the Qualta Blade among the sewers is filmed to evoke Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake with Chiana and D'Argo then being filmed in an equally spoof way bringing it to the Luxan ship still makes me giggle.
As for the main plot: John taking refuge in a cartoon world is so very him that the premise providing the excuse for the show going (yet more) experimental on us just works. And for all that the and Cartoon!D'Argo to a Tom and Jerry act, it's also telling that the episode lets him point out to Harvey that he knows the difference between fiction, cartoon violence and the genuine article, which is why he wouldn't "take revenge" on D'Argo in rl - "I'd have to live with it". Even Aeryn's cartoon appearance isn't just gratitious. Througout the main plot, Harvey and John keep arguing over love vs revenge as the ultimate self motivation tool, and there are a couple of reminders that John may love Aeryn, but she's not there, and for all he knows, she's blissfully happy with his other self. But love isn't a supply and demand system; John doesn't have to be with Aeryn or to "have" her to love her. I'm sure I'll rant about the show making Aeryn John's only motivation in s4, but for now, the reminder that love is its own point works. As does Cartoon!Aeryn insisting on redrawing herself. (John may fantasize about her, but he hasn't forgotten she has her own idea who she is and wants to be.)
In the end, though, my watching mind isn't actually thinking analytical thoughts when giggling about "Astronut", the multiple wormholes, or D'Argo's tentacles breaking off. I'm just enjoying the show.
(And continue to be way more into the John & D'Argo relationship than I used to be in previous watchings. The final scene with them having their reconciling conversation while John is out there in a space suit manages to be both tender and funny (when we're back in John's pov).
The other episodes
Farscape at its zaniest, which is much appreciated given the tragic goings on before and after this episode. I'm not even a fan of Warner cartoons, but this episode reliably cracks me up, and as far as "episodes taking place in the mind of the lead" entries are concerned, while this not the mad-to-painful type of crazy Won't get fooled again was (i.e. hilarious right up to the point when John's mother shows up), it's not all silliness and hilarity, either. The subplot underlines how lonely and isolated Jool still feels, and it also reminds me what a big difference the writing makes - there is a scene in which Jool does her trademark scream, but because the episode treats her like a real person throughout, not as a gag and a stereotype, it doesn't feel annoying the way it did early in the season, but as yet one more part of every day Moya life. Otoh, the subplot isn't free of gags, either, and the way the Jool finding the Qualta Blade among the sewers is filmed to evoke Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake with Chiana and D'Argo then being filmed in an equally spoof way bringing it to the Luxan ship still makes me giggle.
As for the main plot: John taking refuge in a cartoon world is so very him that the premise providing the excuse for the show going (yet more) experimental on us just works. And for all that the and Cartoon!D'Argo to a Tom and Jerry act, it's also telling that the episode lets him point out to Harvey that he knows the difference between fiction, cartoon violence and the genuine article, which is why he wouldn't "take revenge" on D'Argo in rl - "I'd have to live with it". Even Aeryn's cartoon appearance isn't just gratitious. Througout the main plot, Harvey and John keep arguing over love vs revenge as the ultimate self motivation tool, and there are a couple of reminders that John may love Aeryn, but she's not there, and for all he knows, she's blissfully happy with his other self. But love isn't a supply and demand system; John doesn't have to be with Aeryn or to "have" her to love her. I'm sure I'll rant about the show making Aeryn John's only motivation in s4, but for now, the reminder that love is its own point works. As does Cartoon!Aeryn insisting on redrawing herself. (John may fantasize about her, but he hasn't forgotten she has her own idea who she is and wants to be.)
In the end, though, my watching mind isn't actually thinking analytical thoughts when giggling about "Astronut", the multiple wormholes, or D'Argo's tentacles breaking off. I'm just enjoying the show.
(And continue to be way more into the John & D'Argo relationship than I used to be in previous watchings. The final scene with them having their reconciling conversation while John is out there in a space suit manages to be both tender and funny (when we're back in John's pov).
The other episodes
