How To Seduce Someone Into Farscape In 48 Hours

[selenak]

That was a question, by the way. Okay, here is what material I have to work with:

1) Box Set DVDs of season 1
2) Season 3 individual DVDs from "Incubator" onwards till "Dog with two Bones"

Mind you, I also have the other episodes, but they're on CD Rom (and were my own introduction to the show, courtesy of the estimable hmpf). Hence not available for TV consumption.

I also have a friend who is going to visit me over the weekend and whom I will be trying to convert. So I ask you, oh fellow fans, which episodes shall I pick? The premiere of course, but then? Shall I go for a Scorpius arc and start with "Nerve/The Hidden Memory"? But isn't "A Human Reaction" also crucial to the show? Do the final TalynJohn episodes stand enough on their own that I should include them during the marathon I'm planning? Please, advise.



In other news, I've given in a while ago and aquired the season 6 BTVS DVDs despite owning the videos already. I mean, how can one resist the Once more, with feeling karaoke? All those episodes in pristine DVD quality? (As you know, big later seasons of BTVS fan here.) Audio commentaries? I just heard Joss on OMWF, and will listen to Drew Greenberg on Smashed next. The Jossian ramblings are entertaining and enlightening as always. Something which I find particularly endearing is the affectionate and proud way he talks not just of his actors but his production crew (from the choreographer to the three guys who play everyone from the vampires in Buffy's graveyard scene to the window cleaners to Sweet's minions) and fellow writers, in this case, for obvious reasons, David Fury and Marti Noxon, "my partner in crime", as he calls her. (And he did write that Parking Ticket lady bit to showcase her voice.) There were earlier shows where I paid attention to the writer/producers (i.e. DS9 - loved Ira Behr for his Ferengi episodes, and Ron Moore for his dark, arc-oriented eps, plus Peter Fields for several of the Cardassian-centric shows), but none where I fangirled the lot of them the way I do for BTVS and AtS. Which presumably is why the casting changes over the years, including the newest ones, aren't that big a deal to me. It's really the writing I am in love with.

Comments

Hooked on Farscape

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

It would depend on your friend's tastes, as well as per acceptance and knowledge of genre.

I suppose you could always show per the premiere, "I, E.T.", and "Exodus from Genesis", which were the first three eps to be produced, after all, and then whet per's appetite for more by showing per something wacky, like "Scratch 'n Sniff"?

[asta77.livejournal.com]

I agree with all of your Season 1 choices. May I also suggest DNA Mad Scientist? That was the episode that got me completely hooked on the show. You got to see under the tough exterior how emotionally fragile and scared Aeryn could be. Her talking about being "left behind" breaks my heart everytime. You also get to see the relationship between J/A (though expected) really begin to bloom in the way he races to save her while the others are consumed by their desires to get home. And what about the others decision to take Pilot's arm against his will? Wow. That shocked me at the time, but that was the point - to see how less then heroic are heros could be. Not a lot of shows would take a risk like that.

As for TalynJohn episodes, can't recall the name just now, but the one where he and Aeryn can't keep their hands off each other? Sexy and cracks me up everytime, especially Crais reactions to it all.

[c-elisa.livejournal.com]

I think "A Human Reaction" is an excellent single-episode commercial for Farscape. For me, the way it takes a hoary cliche ("aliens are messing with my head") and gives it a whole new emotional weight really encapsulates the things that Farscape is good at.

"DNA Mad Scientist" is definitely a thought, too, although my instinct is that there should be something between the premiere and it to establish the characters enough that what D'Argo, Rygel, and Zhaan do to Pilot will have the proper impact.

Hard to go wrong with Nerve/Hidden Memory. But I think the final TalynJohn episodes probably do need more context to really work.

Speaking from experience ...

[andraste]

I've actually shown some friends the first part of a condensed version of Season One, in an attempt to get them hooked. These are the first season eps I'd suggest. Not all of them are those that are the most important for the storyline, but I think they demonstrate the show at it's best. You would need to leave space to explain a few things in between episodes - like how Moya got pregnant and who the new girl is - but when pushed for time I'd always pick entertainment over continuity.

1) The Premiere

Well, obviously *g*.

2) Throne For A Loss

It's funny, the plot is interesting and fast-paced, and all the everyone has good material. This went down very well with the test audience, and it gives you a good feel for the characters.

3) PK Tech Girl

I actually think this is skippable, although it's handy if you want to avoid explaining Gilena later on. But if you have the time, it's worth watching.

4) DNA Mad Scientist

I list this because it was the episode that really hooked me, even though the test audience fell asleep during the screening. It's a great one for the character dynamics, but you need a couple of episodes between the Premiere and this for it to have an impact. And it's kind of heavy on the talk, so don't show it late at night when your subject hasn't had much sleep. Also: check if your friend has a problem with eye injections first. One of mine kind of freaked out *g*.

5) Till the Blood Runs Clear

This is one of my favourites from Season One, and I think it's a good episode for new viewers. Once again, there's lots of humour, stronge characerisation, and everyone has interesting material. Particularly nice is the way it underlines John's desparation to get home, and Aeryn's clever plan. Not essential, but it will save you having to explain Furlow at a later date.

6) A Human Reaction

If you're pushed for time, skip straight from the Premiere to this, but don't skip this. I think it's too important to miss in a number of ways. But I have an essay about why here.

7) A Bug's Life

Better for introducing Chiana than Durka Returns, IMHO, and it's a good episode all around. Also a big turning point for John. Not necessary, but if you have time, it's a sensible choice.

8/9) Nerve/The Hidden Memory

A pair of episodes I don't need to explain the importance of. I think you could just show Premiere/Human Reaction and jump straight to this ... but then, it probably does have more impact if you know John.

10) Family Ties

It's kind of mean to show this if you can't follow up with Mind the Baby, but if you're going to show anything from Season Three you need to explain what's going on with Crais. It's probably faster to watch this and then explain Season Two than it is to describe the events, and it shows the impact the Aurora Chair had on John.

Of course, you probably don't have time for all of that, especially if you want to fit bits of Season Three in as well, but it's something to think about at least.

You do me proud!

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

Hehe. Good luck! Gotta spread the infection. ;-)

I'm sorry, I was away from my computer for most of the week; only returned yesterday afternoon, and didn't check my friends page until now. But I see you got good advice already.

That friend someone I might know? Just curious.