Certainsci-fitropes can sometimes make the coming events of space operas easy to predict, but one of thebest shows within the genre from the 1990sfound a way to always keep its audience guessing.Overused sci-fi tropesaren’t necessarily a bad thing to include in the formula of a TV show, as they can make the overall project feel more familiar and therefore easier to watch. However, it’s always a refreshing change when a show manages to subvert expectations.
Beginning in 1999,Farscaperan for four seasons before ending in 2003. Although it was canceled, theFarscapecastreunited one last time to makeFarscape: The PeacekeeperWarsin 2004, so the saga could reach a more satisfying conclusion. The Syfy show pushed the boundaries of what was possible for a space opera and left a lasting legacy for all space operas that followed. In fact, there is one sci-fi trope thatFarscapereimagined better than any of its contemporaries or successors.
Moya’s Starburst Being Random Meant Farscape’s “Planet Of The Week” Trope Was Unpredictable
Farscape made it impossible to know where the next episode would be set (even for the characters)
Before streaming, it wasn’t unusual for TV shows - especially high-concept ones - to write their episodes as standalone installments. While there was a sense of linearity, most stories needed to be understood in isolation to account for the possibility that the viewer hadn’t managed to watch the previous episode. Part of the fallout of this limitation, at least in sci-fi, was the introduction of the “Planet of the Week” trope.Farscapemade use of this trend, and the basic formula was simple:
What separatedFarscapefrom its contemporaries likeStar Trek: VoyagerandFireflyis that the crew ofFarscapehad no reliable way of getting where they needed (or wanted) to go.Space travel wasn’t easy inFarscape, and the crew’s living ship, Moya, could only travel long distances by using an ability known as Starburst. Although similar to Warp Speed and other forms of faster-than-light travel in sci-fi shows,Starburst couldn’t take Moya’s crew to a specific destination. Instead, there was no way of knowing where they’d end up.
Some shows, likeStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, still use the Planet of the Week formula, but not as prominently as it perhaps would have done if made a few decades earlier.
Unfortunately, John Crichton and the others needed to keep moving to make sure they weren’t caught, so this interstellar shuffle became a necessary evil. That being said,what was inconvenient for Moya’s crew was brilliant for the viewers. While other space operas allow their characters to chart their upcoming destinations,Farscapewithheld that luxury. Instead, it was impossible to predict to which planet Moya’s Starburst would lead. Sometimes, there would be no planets in sight, leading to an entirely spacefaring episode.
Moya’s Starburst Being Imperfect Made It Even Better
Moya’s crew couldn’t always make an escape when they wanted
Starbust was one of Moya’s few offensive or defensive capabilities. As an organic vessel, she was born rather than made and therefore lacked the armaments of many of the enemy ships that she and her crew encountered. So, while Starburst may seem a little convenient when it comes to escaping hostile forces, the skill’s imperfections dragged it back into the world of great writing.
Episode
IMDb
“Into the Lion’s Den: Part 2 - Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”
3
21
9/10
2
22
8.8/10
5
8.6/10
“Liars, Guns and Money: Part 3: Plan B”
15
Moya’s Starbust didn’t always work. If she was stressed, damaged, or tired, the ability was unavailable. Similarly, Starburst wasn’t inexhaustible. While it could be used to retreat to what would hopefully be safety,Moya would need time to rest/recover/recharge before she could Starburst again. If their new, randomized location turned out to be just as dangerous as the one they’d left behind, Moya and her crew had to come up with some pretty creative tactics to keep themselves alive.
Moya’s Organic Nature Avoided Other Starship Tropes
Farscape’s main ship broke the mold of sci-fi convention
As a Leviathan, Moya couldn’t engage in combat in ways that had become expected in other space operas likeStar TrekorStar Wars. Although she eventually gained a harvested defense screen inFarscapeseason 1, the ability to defend herself relied on the piece of salvaged equipment. However, returning enemy fire wasn’t a possibility, as she was born without weapons as well. Without Starburst,Moya would have been an incredibly easy target.
Lani Tupu’s Second Farscape Casting Is A Smarter Move Than People Realise
Lani Tupu didn’t just have one character to play in Farscape, he had two roles. However, there’s a clever connection between them both.
The fact that Moya was a living being introduced a fascinating element to her lore. After becoming pregnant early into the show’s run, Moya gave birth to one of themost powerful ships in sci-fi. Talin, unlike his mother, was half Peacekeeper. As a result, he came preinstalled with almost everything that his mother lacked. While he lacked a Pilot,Talin had a formidable array of weapons as well as shielding. A ship giving birth to another ship remains one of the most compelling facets of the underratedsci-fishow.
Farscape
Cast
Farscape is a sci-fi television series that initially premiered in 2004 and was created by Rockne S. O’Bannon. Astronaut John Crichton is sucked into a wormhole across the universe after an experimental flight goes haywire, setting him onboard a ship with a crew of several different alien races. Stuck in space and on the run from a nefarious organization known as the Peacekeepers, John and company work together to make it day-by-day while trying to maintain peace throughout the universe - as much as possible
