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'Bama's Observations for Green Eyed Monster'
Winner of the Best Episode Review category in the 2002 Farscape Fanfiction Awards.
By: BamaGirl
First of all, thank you to each person who replied to the Observations for TfS with your kind, encouraging words. Your support helps me more than I could ever say.
Second, AcidPornoChick, if you're reading, I'm sorry to say that I didn't write any Observations for Eat Me. It was an okay ep, but I'm not a fan of the horror genre of film and TV. And after it aired, that's when I began struggling with the desire to write. So as a result, there are no Observations for EM. I appreciate your asking, though.
Now, where do I begin with my praise of Green Eyed Monster? Y'all would've gotten such a kick out of watching me as I watched the first airing on Friday night. I had successfully avoided spoilers beforehand, so I was both excited and nervous as the show unfolded. And no kidding, after John (Black) [hereafter known as just John, since he's the only one in this ep] saw the vidchip and I saw the dejected way he walked through the hallway, I was already in tears. I was reminding myself during the commercial break, "It's only a TV show" and "Wait for the wheel" and other assorted phrases to calm my sad little 'Shipper heart. I sat riveted to the edge of my seat as the action unfolded, wondering what would happen next. And as the story closed, my 'Shippy little heart finally relaxed and I teared up all over again. Thank goodness they show it twice in one night! I could watch the second airing with much more objectivity and less anxiety.
Okay, okay...
1. Talyn's DRDs are totally cool looking! They seem like "sleek sports cars" in their style compared to his mother's type of DRDs (which I *still* love, by the way
2. So, when John reached for Wynonna at that point, did he intend to shoot the DRD or merely threaten Crais through it? Hmm...
3. Did anyone else think the hooks on the wall where John had his holster hanging looked a little too "Earth-like"? I know that's a nit-pick, but they just stood out to me in the midst of all the fabulous "other worldly" set that is Talyn.
4. First clue in this ep that Crais has some sort of personal feelings for Aeryn was when she described why she had taken propulsion off-line and he complimented her choice to do so with, "Very elegant." That, to me, was not a "normal" response. In addition, he continues to invade her personal space, when talking, more and more.
5. I loved watching Aeryn as she listened to John's tirade to Crais about the DRDs and the locked doors and the cold showers. She had a look like she had no idea that he had been going through all the inconveniences. And perhaps she didn't. I mean, Crais and Talyn aren't gonna "own up" to it; and John isn't gonna whine about it and be perceived as a wimp. But when his gun goes missing, look out! Call it part of his survival mentality or just consider it part of his respect for others "property principle" John is PO'd. Didn't you love it when Aeryn explained "Wy - non - na" to Crais? Another priceless moment was when Crais attempted to calmly interrupt by calling Crichton "John" and John went ballistic. He doesn't want the man he distrusts getting too "familiar" or personal.
6. I'm sure there are some who think Aeryn's statement, "Talyn, you've seen them both naked. Perhaps you can tell us who's bigger." is out of character for her. But I think it is a perfect capsulation for what she knows she's witnessing. It's a good ol' male-oriented "pissing contest". And with her remarks she puts them both in their place.
7. Okay, I thought the CGI of the planet and its ring plane was wonderful, as usual. But can someone explain how Crais perceived that non-moving "lump" as changing course and speed and how John identified it as a budong? There was nothing "budong-like" about it! I know, it's another nit-pick. But when the budong *did* finally appear, I thought the CGI of it was great. [Was that "lump" sort of like the now infamous picture of the "hump" of the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland? ;-)]
8. I noticed a striking similarity between the way Aeryn instructed Talyn to regain his focus and the way Pilot (in Chiana's body) helped D'Argo (in Pilot's body) to concentrate after the body swap in OotM.
9. I loved the Jonah reference, although I halfway expected it, based on a quote from Ben in an interview that someone posted last week. He didn't give away anything major but just mentioned that it was a new twist in regard to the biblical account of Jonah and the whale.
Which reminds me of a semi-rant I've wanted to get off my chest. A number of individuals have complained about the similarities between certain aspects of Farscape's story lines and those of other movies or shows. The most recent implied comparison has been the Aeryn/Xhalax Sun to Luke Skywalker/Darth Vader thing. Well, I say "So what?!" In the article, Ben himself says something to the effect that there's nothing new out there; it's just reworking the classic stories and bringing new life to them. And, IMHO, nobody does that better than our marvelous cast and crew of Farscape. And you know what else? If they happen to get compared to a top-notch classic like Star Wars, what a huge compliment. The Star Wars people found themselves compared to someone before them. And those people were compared to... well, you get my drift. I'll get off my soapbox with this remark - if you can come up with a completely 100% original story that's never been told in any shape, form, or fashion, then hop on a plane to Sidney, sell your idea to TPTB, and we'll all be real proud of ya! Otherwise, while I respect your right to express your opinion, I don't plan to pay any attention to it.
10. I wanted to cheer when Aeryn sided with John and said he was right in regard to the fact that they were going "down" or being swallowed by the budong! And I loved the little snurl John did with his nose as he and Crais stared each other down just before John told Aeryn to "drop anchor". That little snurl was a silent "I told you so".
11. Here's the line of Aeryn's that made me uneasy. When Crais instructed her on what to use to anchor Talyn, she answered "Yes, sir", like the soldier she was born to be. Even though Aeryn has become "more" in her time away from the regimented PK lifestyle, it is comfortable, even easy for her to revert to it in time of crisis. I understand it, but it concerns me for what she may face in the future. Hmm...
12. I loved how John brought in the fact that anchoring was *his* idea in the midst of Aeryn's description of the Tack Five (sp?) torpedoes. But she still gets in her "stupid human" dig, "Good. I must be smarter than I look." "That would be easy." She also stung him with, "Your twin got the brains?" while he was outside the ship and almost got caught by the mooring claw.
13. I *love* the new spacesuits and helmets!! You don't notice it at first, but the white striping has that neat glowing effect in certain lighting. I thought the lights inside the helmet at eye level were smart and reminded me of the oculars they used to wear when flying the Prowler.
14. Best "inside" reference, overall, spoken by Claudia Black, "Still nothing... pitch black." So smooth, Ben... ;-)
15. Best Farscape "inside" reference, spoken by Ben himself, "Could'a, would'a, should'a brought a flashlight." LOL!!
16. Didn't you just enjoy watching "Butch and Sundance" working together to get Talyn anchored? After the first shot missed, did you see John come over to help steady the firing mechanism to insure Aeryn had the best chance to hit bone? I loved how they both anxiously watched to see if her shot hit the mark as Aeryn whispered, "Go, go, go, go" under her breath. And whether it was because of his ego about *his* idea or if it was to make absolutely certain that they were securely held, I loved how John took the final shot on his own.
Quick question, what did John say to Crais before that remark? The CC says, "Crais, start to back away." But it doesn't exactly sound like that to me. Anyone have better ears than I on that?
17. I thought the interaction between Stark and Rygel was superbly written and acted. The dominar and the slave are "forced" to share quarters on Talyn, to do a recon mission together, and to co-exist without killing each other. It's a classic conflict and it was portrayed beautifully.
18. Now Stark recognizes the budong from that "lump"... again, I just don't see it.
19. My favorite slang name for an idiot that hasn't been used since Season 1, welnitz! (Furlow used it in TtBRC, talking to one of her workers.) "Stop being a welnitz!", Rygel to Stark.
20. Best ?play on words?, spoken by Rygel, "I'm the eater, not the eatee!" Eatee = E.T. Get it? ;-)
21. I thought it was a little strange that it was warm in Talyn's command when Aeryn returned there. I wasn't sure what the cause of that was. Any ideas? I guess the most logical explanation was that they were inside a living creature's digestive tract. After all, Stark later explained that the intense heat was the reason they couldn't just ride through the budong's insides. I guess I was thrown by the somewhat suggestive look on Crais' face and I thought it would be odd for him to have elevated the temperature since Sebaceans have the problem with heat delirium. [Perhaps the success of a good mystery is measured by how many false clues distract the viewer. Well, this one sidelined me a bit.]
22. Oh, momma! I have to take a purely female moment here to say that John/Ben looks mighty fine in the new spacesuit.
23. Oh, Ben. LOL! You wrote some of the juiciest "inside" references for this moment in Crais' quarters. The "pumps in the closet" from WGFA; an "inflatable Scorvian", have you been lurking at the Shameless Hussy virtual parties? ;-)
24. Curious question, the quite striking furniture such as the bed and the desk and chairs in the background... are we to presume that these "appear" as Talyn grows? Or has Crais been shopping at the PK Wal-Mart or Target of the Uncharted Territories? Hmm...
25. Did you notice the little devilish grin on John's face after he activated the vidchip? I'll bet he thought he would find out some ?dirt? on Crais. Boy, did that ever backfire! The empty, hollow, "I've been kicked in the gut" look in his eyes says it all. [Meanwhile, I'm still being "reeled in" by the interaction between Aeryn and Crais in Command that was designed to mislead the willing viewer.
26. Okay, I wasn?t going to comment on this, but then I thought "why not?" Have you noticed that all the action we've observed of Aeryn in a sexual situation involves her being on top? Hmm... At the end of The Flax; with Velorek in TWWW; and now here on the vidchip. I don't think we know enough about PKs to generalize or speculate reliably. But it makes me wonder if it's cultural or a personal preference.
27. Note to John: I know the images on the vidchip seem real. I fell for it, too. But if what was shown at the end really happened, would Aeryn have turned to face the camera so precisely?
28. I thought the tension in Command after John viewed the vidchip and Aeryn saw what Crais? link to Talyn was doing to him physically (as we later realize) was excellently portrayed. John?s feeling like the rejected odd man out. Aeryn's stunned by what she's seen, thereby acting suspiciously, as is Crais. And it all feeds into John's betrayed emotions. As Crais explains what Talyn has scanned of the budong, and that Aeryn is going to connect to Talyn (thereby connecting to Crais in the process), and that there's nothing John can do at the moment to help, John closes off emotionally and stalks out.
29. When Aeryn first came after John down the hallway, I felt it was pretty significant that she told him she wanted him there when she took the neural transponder to link to Talyn. I don't recall her expressing that to him before at any time.
30. You know, it *was* hurtful and selfish for John to say most of what he said in that hallway confrontation, but I have to say that I was glad he finally got those pent-up feelings out into the open. His remark about her doing what she wanted to, when she wanted to, with whom she wanted was spiteful, but also true. He has been profusely patient with her, letting her dictate the pace of their relationship. (I am *not* saying that that's a bad thing, btw.) Maybe he's finally fed up with that snail's pace. Of course, in his state of mind, he's probably figuring there is no more pace right about now. When he spouts off about her and Crais being able to rejoin the PK family and that it was what she wanted from the day they first met, I think that John reveals his fear of abandonment by Aeryn. We've focused so much on *her* fear that John will leave her for Earth, that we've forgotten that *he* has a fear, too. [How appropriate that the man who portrays him write the scene that reveals that fear. Excellent stuff, Ben.
31. This week's entry in the Season 3 Theater of the Gross, Rygel vomits on Stark. Eeewww...
32. Why did I get the impression that Crais looked like an expectant bridegroom when Aeryn entered Command to take the neural transponder?
Part2
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