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Greetings Scapers!

Ever aware of our insatiable need for all things Farscape, Sci Fi Channel re-ran some classic episodes last week to hold us over until the new ones start up again. "Look at the Princess" was Farscape's ambitious three-part story arc that first aired last summer. This was the first such trilogy that Farscape ever had, and it definitely raised the bar for all episodes to come. These three episodes are without a doubt, Farscape's greatest hour(s). Without further ado, part one of "Look at the Princess."

A Kiss is But a Kiss - Season II - Original Air Date - 07.21.00

The episode starts off with Aeryn showing Crichton some combat maneuvers in Farscape One. John can't resist smelling her hair, and soon they are kissing. Aeryn gets up and stomps away. "I will not be a slave to your hormones!" John is clearly frustrated with Aeryn's persistent emotional restraint. Moments later, however, Moya is hailed by a Counselor Tyno, who insists on knowing their reason for being so close to the royal planet. Apparently, a coronation of sorts is imminent, and security is extremely tight. After convincing Tyno that they are harmless, the crew is granted permission to come down to the planet and attend.

Of course, it's all fun and games at first. We see the crew hanging out at a bar where beautiful women keep accosting Crichton with some type of nectar that let's the participants know if they are genetically compatible to mate after exchanging a kiss. Crichton notes that he could get used to this place. Indeed, he may.

A beautiful woman named Katralla approaches him asking for a kiss. He dutifully obliges, but doesn't realize what he just got himself into. As luck would have it, he just kissed the Princess, who has just days to find a compatible mate, and John is it. He is immediately "arrested" and told by Tyno that he must accept this great honor to become Regent of this planet. John respectively declines on several grounds, not the least of which is he doesn't love Katralla, but it's not that simple. If Katralla does not become Empress, the throne will become Clavor's, her younger brother and next in line. Clavor is in league with the Scarrans, however, and this would no doubt thrust the planet into a conflagration between the PeaceKeepers and Scarrans. Fully aware of this, the Empress has taken steps to ensure John's cooperation. "There's nothing you can say that will make me marry your daughter," he says. Empress Novia smiles, and invites Scorpius into the room. "My daughter, or that abomination," she says. "Choose."

This is the basic setup that will drive the trilogy. John must figure out a way to escape the planet without being handed over to Scorpius. Things are severely complicated, however, by the fact Moya has left orbit. Ostensibly, she fled to lead away Scorpius, but did not return even when the ruse had obviously failed. Zhaan is unable to convince Moya to return because she is being drawn to a mysteriously familiar signal, from which she cannot resist. The signal is from The Builders, the noncorporeal beings that constructed the Leviathans. Their intention is to "decommission" Moya, as she has given birth to a gunship, an unnatural event which cannot be tolerated.

All this, and much more takes place in part one. These episodes are also set apart by their fantastic special effects. It is obvious that more money was spent on these three than the others so far. By the end of part one, John is resigned to marry the Princess, as it appears escape is hopeless. And the honeymoon is a real bitch -- John and Katralla will undergo a process which turns them into statues for 80 cycles, so they can preside over the governing counsel and become wise. But he is also convinced by the others that it is the right thing to do, as it will save millions of lives by preventing Clavor's ascension. Farscape has gone to great lengths here to come up with a complex storyline that at its heart is utterly simple -- the increasingly complicated relationship between Aeryn and John. Several times, Aeryn is close to telling John how she really feels, but always comes up short. The episode finally ends with Clavor's thugs attacking John in his room, intent on making sure he is not around to be coronated.

On to part II....

Episode Rating: 10 out of 10

Highlights:

Scorpius!
Cargn, the Scarran, is pretty bad-ass.
Great F/X.
Random chicks wanting to make out with you to find out if you're compatible.

Quotes:

Crichton bursts into Chiana's room needed to talk. He interrupts Chiana and D'argo in flagrante delicto. Moments later, D'argo says: "My life has been one crushing disappointment after the next, but with this girl I have found moments of pleasure. Don't blow it for me."

Crichton: "Aeryn, I want to talk."
Aeryn: "I want to talk less!"
Crichton: "We tried that. It leads to kissing."

Crichton: "Are you saying I should get married?"
Rygel: "I would."
Crichton: "You're polygamous."

Cargn: (the Scarran Ambassador) "I don't believe I've had the pleasure..."
Aeryn: "Yes, I've heard that about Scarrans."

- your resident Farscape guru, Ultra Magnus

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