Defying that very expectation is what made Farscape special. Yes, Beware of Dog isn't as earthshaking as the cliff hanger of the previous season (or even the three part episode set on "Royal World" as Crichton humorously calls it). It's meant to be Farscape's Trouble with Tribbles with a much darker, edgier tone. You'll either love or hate the tone of this fine episode as it indulges in a bit more humor than the average episode. Star Trek: TNG vet Naren Shanker's script plays with our perceptions of the characters. There's a witty line of dialog that references Aliens (having Chiana say it was an inspired touch. There's also a number of humorous visual references to E.T. and a tip of the hat to Joe Dante's Gremlins)

Won't Get Fooled Again is a marevlous episode that plays with both audience expectations, Crichton's previous experience with a simulation of a return trip home and the essence of the show's regular characters. It also reveals important information about why Scorpi keeps showing up in Crichton's wakeful "dreams". It's another way for Scorpi to be in the script, interacting with Crichton even in the setting of Moya. It's marvelously paced and Ben Browder gives a superb performance (as do all the actors playing against character "type")as a man losing his mind. Kudos to writer Richard Manning for pulling off an episode that, essentially, revisits theme from the previous season and Rowan Woods' surreal directorial touches (the red pumps on Crais is a marvelous touch).

The Locket focuses on the outcome of Crichton's infatuation with Aryn. It's a great "what if" episode that, again, defies expectations. It's a heartfelt episode that focuses on character and the various character's expectations of each other. Writer Justin Monjo's script and Ian Watson's direction are both top-notch.

The Ugly Truth could have been a routine episode. By dint of the performances, direction and writing it overcomes many of the limitations of the basic premise. The dialog by first time Farscape writers Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman, Jr. has some sparkling dialog and character moments. The opticals exceed expectations in what could have been a simple "bottle" episode.

This quartet of episodes are among the best the second season had to offer. The next boxset will focus on a strong trio of episodes that unfold what Scorpi really did to Crichton and the disasterous outcome of his shipmates attempt to save him.

The transfer is top notch with little or no analog or digital artifacts. While the entire series has looked really good, it's clear that ADV has hit their stride with the second season set. I did notice some analog artifacts on the previous set but it wasn't a huge distraction. There's no such problems that I can see here. The extras include deleted scenes, conceptual artwork, a biography of Anthony Simcoe as well as a backstory on D'Argo. There's also the first part of a text/visual driven look at the various alien species.

The sound is, for the most part, exceptional (except for some of the deleted scenes where it's clear that it came from a broadcast episode probably created for a foreign market with no stereo or 5.1 sound available).

While I did have problems with some of the science in some of the previous episodes (Crichton's escape in one episode was engineered by decompressing into space and using a gun to propel himself to another craft. While it's possible, the amount of time Crichton was in space could have killed him. He didn't look any worse for the wear. It's a nice little tribute to a similar scene in 2001 though).


FARSCAPE really is the best of television   January 21, 2003
petition_girl (Ogden, Utah United States)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

All right, WOW! I've been eagerly awaiting this release because of 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. One of the first eps I'd seen (after 'Hidden Memory') and still one of my favorites! The acting and directing on this series is simply brilliant.
'The Locket' is another I really like. A character-driven plot-line(not much action in this ep. Sorry.)that really lets you see into the characters, how they've changed and grown.

That's it! Never written a review before...


Sci fi finally had the wisdom to cancell this garbage   January 15, 2003
Chris mankey (Minneapolis)
1 out of 25 found this review helpful

How this travesty survived 4 season and gathered a fan base is well beyound me. Bad acting and poor writting mar this badly thought out attempt at serious science fiction. Just terrible


quirky   December 23, 2002
doppelganger (Chicago)
2 out of 6 found this review helpful

I've been waiting for farscape to pick up this season, and (for me alone apparently) it's only gotten worse. I'm kind of shocked that other reviewers are dishing five stars so liberally. I thought these were all pretty boring. These (4) stories have potential at times and do manage to tickle you with an oddity here and there, humor as well, but it's too slow and a little lacking in the entertainment vector (and I really hate Dargo's new 'softer side'). Shamefully, I admit the primary reason I don't like these episodes is the lack of space scenery or battles. Not many special effects and locations are a little average and low budge. As always of course, the animatronics are top notch. Reviewers really seem to be taken with these 4 episodes though, so maybe it's just me.