Farscape Season 1, Vol. 9 - Through the Looking Glass / A Bug's Life

Director: Tony Tilse, Geoff Bennett (II), Ian Watson (II)
Studio: Adv Films
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Farscape is genre television at its most ambitious, inspired both by the cult appeal of Babylon 5 and the continuing success of the Star Trek franchise, but taking a visual and conceptual leap beyond those shows. Making extensive use of CGI, prosthetics, and state-of-the-art puppetry, courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the Farscape concept has a freshness that makes it look and feel completely original. In "Through the Looking Glass," the crew and Moya are thrown into a dimensional schism inhabited by a strange creature; and, in "A Bug's Life," an intelligent virus is released on the ship after an encounter with Peacekeepers. --Mark Walker
Description
"Through the Looking Glass": The pregnant Moya attempts StarBurst prematurely in an attempt to prove her worth but abruptly comes to a halt sending the crew flying. In the aftermath, they discover Rygel has disappeared. Setting off to look for him, Aeryn and D'Argo also disappear in a flash of light before the other's very eyes. Crichton discovers inter-dimensional doors leading to four different Moyas. Crichton learns that Moya is stuck in the wall of StarBurst. He must get all four Moya to push forward at the same time if they ever want to reunite and not be destroyed. Crichton must race against the clock if he is to save them all.

Amazon.com

Farscape is genre television at its most ambitious, inspired both by the cult appeal of Babylon 5 and the continuing success of the Star Trek franchise, but taking a visual and conceptual leap beyond those shows. Making extensive use of CGI, prosthetics, and state-of-the-art puppetry, courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the Farscape concept has a freshness that makes it look and feel completely original. In "Through the Looking Glass," the crew and Moya are thrown into a dimensional schism inhabited by a strange creature; and, in "A Bug's Life," an intelligent virus is released on the ship after an encounter with Peacekeepers. --Mark Walker

Description

"Through the Looking Glass": The pregnant Moya attempts StarBurst prematurely in an attempt to prove her worth but abruptly comes to a halt sending the crew flying. In the aftermath, they discover Rygel has disappeared. Setting off to look for him, Aeryn and D'Argo also disappear in a flash of light before the other's very eyes. Crichton discovers inter-dimensional doors leading to four different Moyas. Crichton learns that Moya is stuck in the wall of StarBurst. He must get all four Moya to push forward at the same time if they ever want to reunite and not be destroyed. Crichton must race against the clock if he is to save them all.

Customer Reviews:

Pass this version up. .......2006-05-26

In all that is good in the world please do not opt for this DVD collection. While Farscape is an excellent sci-fi series this DVD set is nothing compared to the current Starburst Edition, Season One Volume Three. Instead of getting a measly two episodes you get seven remastered episodes with commentaries and extra features AND at a price comparable to the retail price offered for this collection.

Granted you can probably find this DVD pretty cheap now, but you would be doing yourself a disservice. Seriously. If you want to start collecting Farscape forego the original DVD collection and check out the Starburst Edition.

Looking Glass--3 stars; Bug's Life--5 stars.......2005-10-02

In "Through the Looking Glass," the pregnant Moya attempts to starburst prematurely, thereby lodging herself in the interdimensional space that is crossed instantaneously during a normal passage. Crichton (Ben Browder) must coordinate efforts in four distinctive and coexisting environments in order to save the day. A substandard episode.

"A Bug's Life" has a cliche premise (who is harboring the body-snatching alien invader?), but redeems itself with exceptional plotting and direction. This episode generates more tension than one would expect from series television.

A good place to start your Farscape adventure.......2004-06-17

Both episodes are superior pieces of work from the first season of Farscape.

"Through the Looking Glass" is a supurb stand-alone episode that is, IMHO, the best introduction to those new to the Farscape universe. All of Moya's crew gets to shine is this interesting set-piece when Moya gets stuck in starburst and is split into four separate environments representing normal, light, sound, & giddyness (I guess). Note how the show begins and ends with the crew eating together and just how different the mood is between both scenes. Also note Chiana's rather cat-like growl at John in the "happy" section.

"A Bug's Life" in notable for being the first in the five-episode run that ended the first season. It's best viewed with the rest of the episodes so you can fully enjoy the storyline.

A hearty recommendation and bon appetite!

One of the better season 1 dvd's.......2002-08-28

Maybe it's just my poor timing, but I find these episodes to be ones that haven't often turned up on Scifi. They're both excellent. Without spoilers, the first one begins with the crew hilariously munching out and trashing each other while occasionally throwing food, interrupted by Moya splitting into dimensions. The dimensional shifts are handled differently than usual, which is quite interesting. In A Bug's Life, Crichton masquerades as a Peacekeeper captain in order to deal with a peacekeeper crew landing on Moya, but much else goes on, with Erin particularly good in this episode believably attracted to someone other than John. The "extra" focuses on Lani Tupu. It is terrible, like all the extras on the Farscape dvd's, but is redeemed by his talking of how he voices Pilot!

Two Favorites in one DVD.......2002-07-24

Add this volume to the "Best Of" compilation and you will have nearly everything you need of season 1 ("They've Got a Secret" is also important). TTLG is one of my favorites, allowing the cast to have some fun and a mini-mystery. Bug's Life is pivotal to the storyline in the finale arc (Farscape delivers some of the most amazing finales in tv, definite movie calibre!).

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