Scattered thoughts...
Jun. 6th, 2003 02:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenak...because I'm visiting my parents, which makes for limited computer access:
a) On rewatching Farscape, season 1:
It's decidedly odd, seeing John Crichton dressed in white (and the occasional orange) again; fits with the SW-approved colour scheme, of course "PK Tech Girl", now this one I had seen originally. Poor Gilina. I wonder whether 'shippers automatically hated her?
"Wild Black Magic" (this one was new to me), or, every SF show has to do their arena episode; apart from that, it's interesting to compare this with "Incubator" two seasons later, because both tell the audience something about our hero's present nemesis and his emotional background. And there is much scenery chewing going on. "Magic" has its highlights - the whole "protect your brother" thing works for me, and incidentally, isn't it interesting that Crais and Aeryn both have crucial memories of a parent telling them something? - and the fact Crais was originally drafted as a kid explains to me wy he's so scornful Scorpius volunteered during his death speech later; also, Crais' cold killing of his Trusted Lieutenant after the loyalty she has shown underscores what a ruthless bastard he can be. But all in all, the episode does make things easy on the audience and doesn't provoke the way "Incubator" is able to. No matter how understandable his sibling survivor guilt, Crais' hatred of Crichton is presented as completely irrational. On the other hand, when Scorpius tells his inner John Crichton, about the Scarrans, "I don't want power, I want revenge" in "Incubator", and proceeds to make the case for wormholes as weapons to ensure PK survival, things are not nearly as simple for the audience anymore. Because you've been lured to appreciate his pov? Acting choices (i.e. Scorpius is usually presented with a calm, measured voice as opposed to early Crais raving in the traditional manner)?
Another thought: the first season really puts much emphasis on John's empathy with people - Aeryn, Gilina, Zhaan, and yes, Crais, too. It occurs to me that to emphatize, one does need a basic trust not just in the universe but one's own sanity. So what was the turning point? The torture? The chip?
b) Book fanon and canon
Which mostly means Harry Potter, I suppose. I can't really explain why fanon Draco, coming across as the illegitimate love child of Lex Luthor and Spike, irritates me beyond measure. It's not that I regard canon Draco as that interesting. And if Rowlings would show him as something different than a petty bully, it would be fine by me. So why is it that fanon Draco sets my teeth on edge?
On the other hand, I've got no problem at all with LOTR fanfic characterisation which obviously draws its inspiration from the movies, and is based on some Jacksonian cinematic changes. Hm. When in doubt, blame the internet.
c) Beware pals of your father who are around 58, 59 and believe they have to impress you by cracking jokes. The boredom is mind-staggering.
d) On the other hand, the news that my London trip (between June 18th and June 25th) might include seeing Patrick Stewart and Ralph Fiennes on stage is tremendously uplifting.
a) On rewatching Farscape, season 1:
It's decidedly odd, seeing John Crichton dressed in white (and the occasional orange) again; fits with the SW-approved colour scheme, of course
"Wild Black Magic" (this one was new to me), or, every SF show has to do their arena episode; apart from that, it's interesting to compare this with "Incubator" two seasons later, because both tell the audience something about our hero's present nemesis and his emotional background. And there is much scenery chewing going on. "Magic" has its highlights - the whole "protect your brother" thing works for me, and incidentally, isn't it interesting that Crais and Aeryn both have crucial memories of a parent telling them something? - and the fact Crais was originally drafted as a kid explains to me wy he's so scornful Scorpius volunteered during his death speech later; also, Crais' cold killing of his Trusted Lieutenant after the loyalty she has shown underscores what a ruthless bastard he can be. But all in all, the episode does make things easy on the audience and doesn't provoke the way "Incubator" is able to. No matter how understandable his sibling survivor guilt, Crais' hatred of Crichton is presented as completely irrational. On the other hand, when Scorpius tells his inner John Crichton, about the Scarrans, "I don't want power, I want revenge" in "Incubator", and proceeds to make the case for wormholes as weapons to ensure PK survival, things are not nearly as simple for the audience anymore. Because you've been lured to appreciate his pov? Acting choices (i.e. Scorpius is usually presented with a calm, measured voice as opposed to early Crais raving in the traditional manner)?
Another thought: the first season really puts much emphasis on John's empathy with people - Aeryn, Gilina, Zhaan, and yes, Crais, too. It occurs to me that to emphatize, one does need a basic trust not just in the universe but one's own sanity. So what was the turning point? The torture? The chip?
b) Book fanon and canon
Which mostly means Harry Potter, I suppose. I can't really explain why fanon Draco, coming across as the illegitimate love child of Lex Luthor and Spike, irritates me beyond measure. It's not that I regard canon Draco as that interesting. And if Rowlings would show him as something different than a petty bully, it would be fine by me. So why is it that fanon Draco sets my teeth on edge?
On the other hand, I've got no problem at all with LOTR fanfic characterisation which obviously draws its inspiration from the movies, and is based on some Jacksonian cinematic changes. Hm. When in doubt, blame the internet.
c) Beware pals of your father who are around 58, 59 and believe they have to impress you by cracking jokes. The boredom is mind-staggering.
d) On the other hand, the news that my London trip (between June 18th and June 25th) might include seeing Patrick Stewart and Ralph Fiennes on stage is tremendously uplifting.
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no subject
Date: 2003-06-06 03:49 pm (UTC)The last time Sci-Fi was rerunning S1 in the US, I got fb on my Aeryn story from someone who said it was the first time they'd liked Aeryn, previously they'd hoped John would get together with Gilina.
It wasn't a shipper story, but it was kind of interesting to see someone coming in with a completely different set of preconceptions than mine.
Different Perspectives
Date: 2003-06-06 11:59 pm (UTC)Speaking of fanfiction: rewatching "PK Tech Girl" made me wonder whether the idea of Peacekeepers "recreating" in an impersonal manner is fanon or canon, since Gilina seemed to respond in a personal manner to John from the start. And did anyone ever write about Aeryn's not-John-related thoughts about Gilina? Because Gilina's acceptance at the end seemed to mean quite a lot to her. (After all, this WAS the first contact Aeryn had with another PK since the pilot, right?)
Re: Different Perspectives
Date: 2003-06-21 11:44 pm (UTC)Well, the impersonality could just be Aeryn, who has a family history to work against -- but then again, her parents *were* punished severely. Yet again, that was for reproducing against regulations; it's not clear whether or not simply forming a strong pair bond was itself problematic.
For what it's worth, I tend to interpret the PK warrior class as being raised to form their deepest emotional ties among their squadrons, rather than their sexual partners (a lot of this comes from the S3 finale), but the influx of recruits from other cultures such as Crais probably results in a more complex set of sexual mores than the PKs might consider ideal. I'm also not sure that warriors and techs share the same sociopsychological views of sex and intimacy.
I think they do run into Crais again before "PK Tech Girl," but Gilinia is the first Sebacean Aeryn sees since the pilot who isn't actively hostile. And Aeryn will continue to be tempted by chances to go home--witness "A Bug's Life."