The X-Files: I Want To Believe Poster

Don't we all want to believe? Okay, yes, we want to believe in many things that fail us of course, but what we want to believe here, in particular, are UFOs.

This is the official image of the poster that adorned Special Agent Fox Mulder's office in The X-Files first episode, Pilot. Fox is a believer. Having that kind of faith is indeed a powerful thing.

With regard to the UFOs, I've had a couple of people in my family who swear they have had the definitive first kind of encounter - a mere sighting, odd lights, an object inexplicable to known human technology.

My brother, who was very young, was travelling from the north along some rural country roads with my father, who never scared easily mind you. The two saw a giant, bright object. But they were not alone. Cars were pulled off on the side of the road as passers by pointed to the sky in amazement. My brother explained to me he was probably nine years old. He said he was so utterly shaken by it he hid behind the back seat and told my father they should stop somewhere and get some "American chop suey." It unnerved them both enough they actually decided to stop off at a country diner just to get off the road. My brother swears it was a UFO to this day. He said my father sat with him at dinner just stunned a bit by the whole thing. That story always intrigued me. It's something right out of the movies. Sadly, of course, I actually missed that trip, just one of the many trips north we took when were young, and thus did not experience the sighting. So details are sketchy for me. It's all second hand and my father has since passed away.

My grandmother, now 94, assures me she and my sister-in-law both spotted something they had never seen before regarding a red, totem-like light formation. Those lights hung above the tree line near our home back in the mid-1990s. Once again, I was not there, but their description as they peered through the windows was indeed vivid and certainly strange. I wanted to believe them.

Those lights literally disappeared from view. It was as if a switch had been turned off. My gram was certain she saw something unidentifiable and was puzzled by their instant blip from view. A voracious reader and an intelligent lady she didn't miss much. How could her story be wrong? A short time later that evening, on the nightly news, captured video footage of those lights was discussed by the news anchor. My gram listened intently to discover the story they were reporting was from the Midwest, only the lights she described were exactly the same ones she spotted with her own eyes beyond her windows here in the Northeast. The events that happened simultaneously on that same evening were many states apart. How could this be fiction? How could it be explained? Obviously, strange stuff, but I wanted to believe their stories. My Gram never let me down or got it wrong as far as I could ever remember.

Myself, I've never had any kind of UFO-related experience. I've not seen anything remotely supernatural that I can recall. Yep, my life is pretty ordinary. It's all very mundane here. Listen, I'm open to the possibilities. I keep my eyes peeled. In the meantime, I have my science fiction to fire the imagination. I have The X-Files. I read the stories of others who live their extraordinary lives of contact and then record them to tell us about their probing experiences. Yes, we have all of that. Me, I have the street lights and the occasional visit to the dentist chair. That's pretty scary. Trust me though, I want to believe. I do. A first encounter would be nice.

The X-Files Taglines

The X-Files conundrum. How do you find the truth when you can't trust anyone?

Thunderbirds Blu-Ray

To be or not to be, that is the question. It seems appropriate to quote William Shakespeare's Hamlet for the UK release of Thunderbirds on Blu-Ray.

5-4-3-2-1! It's FAB FRIDAY pilgrims! Welcome to all tidbits fantastic from the world of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson.

The Blu-Ray release of the full Thunderbirds series arrived in September 2008. Sadly, it did not arrive to much applause, promotion or fanfare. It kind of just went about its business, sort of like International Rescue. Of course, what do you expect from a series from 1965? Though, the technical specs applied to the UK-only collection made for a fairly controversial arrival among fans who cared. The series was cropped and sized for 16:9 losing visual information at the top and bottom from the original 4:3. As a result of the underwhelming response to it in the UK, the collection has been a complete crash and burn regarding a possible release in the US. The Eagle was launched on Blu-Ray stateside for Space:1999, but Thunderbirds were definitely NOT go!

Despite it's crisp new box art as shiny and bright as some of those cropped images I've seen, it wasn't enough to see fans coalesce around the release with unified support. It's a bit funny pondering the technical merit of a Blu-Ray release, but the fact of the matter is these technical issues arrive from time to time and fans of film and television absolutely lose it when the DVD producers and studios take little care in getting it right. That, and it's FAB FRIDAY. The Killer starring Chow Yun-Fat has been forever in debate with each and every release. How about Farscape's recent arrival on Blu-Ray? There have been more than a few complaints on a whole host of productions. Try getting a decent American release on a kaiju eiga picture from Japan. Getting it right for the fans is of little consequence to the studios and that's unfortunate since many of these products are going to be marketed to them.

Anyway, it's all rather trivial I suppose, but when companies have one shot to get a series right like Thunderbirds why not seize the moment. Obviously, getting it wrong leads to double, triple or even quadruple dipping. Could that be by design?

The general consensus runs the gamut from fans. "Beautiful... but butchered." "As bad as pan-n-scan." "Cmon this is a classic art ... not the Teletubbies." "The quality is FAB." "Another wasted opportunity." "A complete mystery." "Approximately one-third of the original image is missing." "If it's 16:9, they can shove it!"

Fanderson's FAB magazine, FAB #61, puts things in perspective with a fair review. Writer Nick Williams notes the Blu-Ray treatment wasn't handled with as much care as the Space:1999 Blu-Ray treatment of Year One.

Williams notes it looks "amazing" with sharp details on those aspects of the original image that do actually make it within the frame. It's a bit like looking at a sculpt by Robert Harrop. Strings and other details are more pronounced than ever a la the Star Trek: The Original Series HD clarity. Still, other details are noticeably absent and out of frame. Williams discusses the "haphazard" cropping as the approach was essentially "set and forget."

The soundtrack too has major question marks unfortunately. The writer notes the always reliable mono track is completely omitted in favor of uneven 5.1 and over saturated stereo tracks.

There are also very few extras. There's one big new one, but many of the highlights from the DVD collection are not available here.

He even notes the cover art, sporting the Kyrano character in the background even seems an odd, ill-informed and novice choice by the designers.

It has been suggested this collection is possibly Region-Free in the magazine, but I have not seen evidence of any kind to confirm this. If any of the readers out there know please inform us here at FAB FRIDAY.

Well, dear readers, you have the information needed to make an informed decision.

I'm not sure where I would stand on this. Ultimately, despite cropping, I would seize the collection at the right price because the new images do look vibrant according to FAB magazine. But why oh why, in all seriousness, is it year after year we continue to have these technical problems with our favorites films or TV series? Is there a greater conspiracy at work? I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist but you do have to wonder. Nevertheless, purchase or not, my original DVD collection would stay put right here on my own imaginary Tracy Island. It's not leaving that island. If I was sent to a desert island, the Thunderbirds series on DVD would have to be there. It is essential. Mind you, I'm not really on Tracy Island. Still, it is warm, it is FAB FRIDAY, and with a cocktail in hand, a man can dream by that pool.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

"Are You Living In The Real World?"

When I consider the technical achievement of Blu-Ray and its crisp, vibrant image I only wish it was there in my childhood to replace baskets of VHS tapes. Those tapes were filled to the rim with movies recorded on six hour extended play. Watching films through a persistent snow was rough. Seeing what the media has to offer fans today is truly a revelation. I wouldn't trade those wonderful memories, but I could have done without seeing John Carpenter's The Fog [1980] through snow. It was hard enough. The long promised look at Cowboy Bebop: The Movie [2001], also known as Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, is a colorfully splendid example of the wonders of Blu-Ray.

Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic finally catches up to the world of lanky, cigarette-dangling Spike Spiegel, former ISSP muscle man Jet Black, the sexy, voluptuosity [I know- it's not a word, but it should be] of Faye Valentine, female hacker Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tirvrusky IV and tag along Welsh Corgi Ein the data-dog, as well as that most glorious of space vessels, the BeBop. That BeBop is the lived-in residence of both homeless drifters and bounty hunters alike.

I've really stepped away from the series for a long time. On the one hand my memory has faded on the details surrounding the stories and this colorful cast of guns for hire. On the other hand, I never fell completely in love with this series, although it was solid in its own right, so seeing the concept again with fresh eyes intrigues me.

The R rated film, given a brief theatrical release, is a visual stunner as animation goes - a delicious mix of hand drawn cel and digital. You'll be hard-pressed to find better Japanese animation. It clearly ranks up there with the best of the series [1998-2000], the productions of Studio Gainax and anything by Hayao Miyazaki. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is a moving visual experience.

Through the work of Studio Sunrise, Bones and Bandai Visual, the film saw the return of ingenious director Shinichiro Watanabe [Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo] and the rousing scoring team of Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts. Most importantly, and my breakdown is based on the English translation, the film finds the return of the original English voice cast as a most welcomed variable in the film.

It's funny to watch the spontaneous-like sci-fi stylings of the characters in Cowboy Bebop unravel. I simply adored Joss Whedon's Firefly series, which Cowboy BeBop clearly pre-dates and most closely resembles in live action style, character, set-up and spirit. Strangely, it's a wonder I never fell head over heels for this series too. It's hard to see the difference between those Browncoats and these bounty hunters or [space] cowboys, yet Cowboy Bebop should adapt well to live action. Both enjoyed drawing from that Western motif and successfully fused those ideas within science fiction.

The year is 2071. The film centers on an act of bio-terrorism and urban residents in the vicinity of the toxic event are dying. What the deadly agent is remains unknown. What is known is that the terror suspect walked away from the scene following the explosion unharmed and seemingly impervious to the effects of the nano-virus, thanks to a counter-nano in his bloodstream. Hey, it's science fiction.

Later, he viciously kills an associate in the same room who, in a nice touch, remains in the foreground dead throughout much of a scene featuring a captive Faye.

One of the most interesting moments is Ein, not always useless, who manages to pick out the terrorist from a video line-up, Vincent Volaju, an allegedly deceased ex-military man. He's not called a data dog for nothing.

Faye is exposed to the nano-substance and nearly dies, but is saved. A thrilling subway sequence results in the near death of Spike who manages to miraculously escape, but he's Spike. One new character, Electra Ovilo is a true assassin, mysterious but underdeveloped. And the government, of course, is the real enemy prepared to eradicate all traces of the nano-weapon including the termination of an immuned Spike and Electra, both exposed to Vincent's blood. Yes, Vincent is the villain, but merely the spawn of the government's evils.

Generally though the film serves up a good dose of Cowboy Bebop of the big screen scale and variety. There isn't anything here you can't experience in the series, but it's essential to those who love that series. It's also not necessary to know the series to enjoy this animated yarn.

Terrorists, bounty hunters, undercover agents of the Martian government all make for an intriguing and reasonably well-paced fiction complete with cat and mouse chases [including a thrilling ride with the Swordfish], mystery, gun battles [with Spike as a surprisingly bad shot in one scene] and hand-to-hand combat [note the physically brutal, climactic ass-kicking battle between Spike and Vincent].

So how does a film like Cowboy Bebop: The Movie get received in a world dominated by Walt Disney, Pixar and even Hayao Miyazaki? On the up side, Casey Broadwater paints a positive, broad brush on the series at Blu-Ray.com [a site that is consistently fair and strong in its writing and assessments] submitting Cowboy Bebop "translates well for western audiences-and it's straight up cool." Mike Toole of Anime Jump called the film so "engaging and fun... you'll forget about your surroundings." The film, like the series, intelligently manages to create another universe. There's a tremendous amount of scale to it. It's really one of the mythic best in anime. It's incredibly detailed and highly imaginative in that way lending great strength to its visual allure. Variety's Robert Koehler noted the canvas to be more "expansive" than the series. Jamie Russell of the BBC called it as "brilliant... as Akira, Ghost In The Shell, and Spirited Away." So that's high praise. Again, visually and technically, like Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, it's right there, but the scripting comes up a little short in much the same way the series did for me. Jeffrey Bruner of the Des Moines Register said it had the "paranoia of The X-Files." Lisa Schwarzbaum enjoyed the "outlaw boppiness" even where some found the plot meandering.

On the inaccurate side, critics referred to the film as "Blade Runner-esque." Sure the series has always had one foot in the future, but never once did the series really feel all that much like Blade Runner. Peter Howell of the Toronto Star called it "too episodic to be coherent... too silly and too long." Some of that is arguably true, but his final remark is way off base when he notes the film as "the rare example of Japanese anime that seems singularly lacking in inspiration." That's simply not true and all of the evidence to the contrary is on that screen. Even if you're not a fan of the substance behind the series, it is indeed visually inspired.

They're not real, but they're spectacular. On the down side, Jeff Vice felt the same way for Desert News revealing "fans of the series may be disappointed." I shouldn't think so, but the film doesn't offer a great deal of new information. About.com's Jurgen Fauth noted the film was "planet-bound James Bond... only slower." Robert Roten said it featured "many of the strengths and weaknesses of the genre." Actually, the remark a little too generalizing. I understand the point. I would go so far as to say the film is a larger canvas and palette for the strengths and weaknesses of the series and they are in bold, epic display here on film too. Peter Bradshaw of the UK Guardian nails it pointing out "the plot failed to grab the attention the way the visuals did." Both he, and Tom Meek of the Boston Phoenix, felt it could have been shorter and tighter. Film Threat's Eric Campos may have an argument with his remark that the film lacks "the addictive charm of the series." I think its more in line with the series than he gives it credit, but I could see the point. Of course, the series has all of the time in the world to give us those charming moments and this film, though it had the time, really doesn't deliver on the charm or "melodrama" as one writer put it. Jan Stuart of Newsday called it "endless and endlessly pretentious."

On the whole, critics praised the atmosphere, color and visuals as arresting or spellbinding, but were definitely less than impressed with characterization and story and the critiques were generally not unfair. Yet, despite its problems it still earned a 65% tomato over at Rotten Tomatoes.

Somewhat surprisingly, to me, Cowboy Bebop placed number two, behind Neon Genesis Evangelion, in the Top 25 Anime Titles Of All Time in a poll in Newtype Magazine in 2004. It ranked number one in Anime Insider's Top 50 Anime in 2007. Mike Crandol notes the series "transcends" the genre with a "universal appeal." It's safe to say Cowboy Bebop's legacy is more than secure based on the series and the film. It certainly rises above the fray within the world of anime. I cannot deny the series deserves its proponents or that their arguments are not sound. I can only speak to how the viewing experience resonated with me and Cowboy Bebop is no doubt good, but despite the beautiful visuals I'm rarely compelled beyond that. The fairly uncomplicated substance of the adventure doesn't quite thrill the mind in the way Firefly and Joss Whedon's rip-roaring dialogue grabbed me. Yet, the series does have its moments.

This is indeed a terrific looking, lush, visually thrilling sci-fi film adventure replete with a kind of shoot-from-the-hip style. It's populated by a myriad of wildly eccentric characters too much like the world of Firefly.

According to the fan site, The Jazz Messengers, the story timeline falls somewhere between the events of Cowboy Funk [Ep22]and Brain Scratch [Ep23] from the series. So fans of the series should embrace this outstanding chapter within the Cowboy Bebop legacy. Additionally, it stands nicely on its own with no requirement to see the series. However, the series does offer a stronger depiction of the central characters and the dynamic of their relationships, which are not fleshed out well here in the film. They have been established in the series and simply exist on their own here without any comprehension as to their internal politics. The series would remedy this.

The film's focuses on an act of urban terrorism amidst high rises on Mars, but clearly reminiscent of New York, launches the film. With unsettling precision and timing, there's a certain unnerving tone about the film – a film that arrived on September 1, 2001, ten days before the world changed forever on 9/11. The film's explosive act in the city and on a subway involving chemical poisons or biological agents was no doubt inspired by the terrorist acts of Aum Shinrikyo's sarin gas subway attacks in Japan in March 1995 and the Matsumoto incident of June 1994.

Most prophetically and accurately, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is indeed a reflection of its times. Strangely fortuitous in its foresight, that fact gives a certain resonance to the spiral of violence in the film. Though having stepped away from the series for a time my essential takeaway hasn't changed. It's a great concept with solid moments, but it always feels a little disjointed and I'm never in love with the characters [other than Faye Valentine]. Overall, the visuals actually overcompensate for an average story. This is indeed a visual triumph. The detail and beauty of the animation is let down by its weak plot. Still, if you love vivid animation with colorful character then this one's for you. That and shots of Faye in stockings with her breasts half exposed is never a bad thing. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie: B. Writer: Keiko Nobumoto. Director: Shinichiro Watanabe.

The Blu-Ray comes recommended, but it lacks the six featurettes and extras found exclusively on the Special Edition DVD.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie Promo

See ya ... soon, Space Cowboy.

FAB FRIDAY Photo 6: Thunderbirds By Scale

Quiet week, but it's all better now because it's FAB FRIDAY! It's time for the spicy world of all things Gerry and Sylvia Anderson wonderful.

We all know and love our Thunderbirds and we have a pretty good handle on their size. Still, this scale chart was particularly cool as credited to Nigel Sadler.

Reminiscing about Thunderbird 2. That bird was always practical and beautiful to me as a kid, but there were moments when I wished and hoped for a greater offensive capability, perhaps a few missiles. Still, that was the naive wish of a child with an overactive imagination. In actuality, these craft were perfectly designed. There is a timeless quality about them that explains why affection continues. The fact that the film Thunderbirds [2004] tinkered with the original designs in an effort to give them some kind of contemporary or new edge that never took hold speaks to the longevity, durability and lasting appeal built into the originals. Does anyone even remember what those ships looked like in the aforementioned film? You'd have to think about it.

T2 and the other machines clearly worked within the scope of a reactive organization appropriately dubbed International Rescue. The framework of the private, covert, family-sized outfit was operating on a mission statement essentially intended to serve by protecting and saving lives. going out on offense would have changed the fabric of that series markedly. This essentially noble mission statement may explain to a good degree why the series has endured in the same fashion Star Trek: The Original Series would endure.

FAB FRIDAY Photo 5: Thunderbirds' Pilots Promo

Virgil, Alan and Gordon blast us us into FAB FRIDAY with those glorious Thunderbirds' International Rescue uniforms as they soar off to their latest mission inside Thunderbird 2. Yes, they make their way toward the weekend, but they do so in eye-popping Gerry and Sylvia Anderson style.

The gorgeous blue uniforms complete with polo neck were complemented by trousers and boots. These classy uniforms were further accented with that classic International Rescue insignia set upon a striking sash uniquely colored to the given Tracy topped off with a beautiful glengarry-styled cap as proper organizational headwear. This was completed with two pouches and a side arm.

The Tracy boys were dressed as sharp as their respective International Rescue craft. These guys could handle a mission. James who?

Farscape S1 Ep11: Till The Blood Runs Clear

Farscape always has its sense of adventure and excitement with one foot seemingly planted in its unabashed sense of arousal. Whether it's sexual, sensual or just plain species or inter-species curious, Farscape is unafraid to travel down those intimate roads.
Season One, Episode 5, Back And Back And Back To The Future is just one fearless example of the series desire to explore beings as sensual, sexual or out and out there kinky.

With the arrival of Farscape, Season One, Episode 11, Till The Blood Runs Clear, we are exposed to a side of Zhaan that was merely hinted to in episodes prior. The opening minutes witness Zhaan entranced in a state of arousal as her body is awash in the bright radiation of a star's solar flares. In essence, Zhaan clearly experiences a kind of photosynthesized orgasm thanks to the cosmic rays that wash over her. There was always something unique about Zhaan, but with the latest entry viewers find out it was much more than they knew.

As John Crichton and Aeryn Sun pilot the his IASA vessel to the planet below, strap in for the latest in outlander escapism via the always adventurous Farscape.

Taking Farscape 1, Crichton, with Sun, makes an effort to recreate the events that landed him in this strange Farscape universe. A wormhole opens to his amazement utilizing the slingshot effect coupled with the solar flare. Those same variables that landed him aboard Moya and away from Earth seem to have worked once again. With Sun reporting the wormhole unstable, the twosome abandon the effort in an effects-heavy opening that never fails to deliver the visual Farscape excitement. The effects were entirely new and built upon those created for the Premiere.

Ka D'Argo, forgetting any connection he made with Sun in the previous They've Got A Secret, is prepared to abandon Sun and Crichton at their present coordinates and move on. Fortunately the solar flare has Zhaan in a near erotic state and feeling quite amorous for D'Argo amidst her present sensations.

And if you thought The Sci-Fi Fanatic was being purposefully, overtly sexual in his opening remarks think again. Zhaan is right there to inform her crew that her reaction is that of a Delvian Sikh's gifts, a photogasm [photosynthesis meets orgasm].

Pilot notifies Crichton and Sun that the IASA module is leaking plasma and it cannot board with Moya's young child suceptible to chemical harms. What's a mother to do? Moya, through Pilot, has informed Sun they will need to eject. Crichton refuses and opts to visit the nearby planet. D'Argo is displeased and Crichton calls him "a real pain in the ass." Rygel takes pleasure in translation naming a number of other synonyms aimed at his warrior shipmate including: simpleton, moron, idiot and a dolt.

Sun wonders what the hell Crichton was thinking without checking with her first. This is a classic scene and speaks to the complexities of the relationships on Farscape. The Moya crew is always quick to move from fleeting joys and ocassional fun to misunderstandings and unwelcomed tensions and then back again. This is fast becoming a snapshot of life in a family. All of this leads to stronger bonds and begrudging acceptance as well as compromise and better understandings. Best of all, right and wrong is rarely black and white, but often gray depending on a character's point of view. Some things in life are indeed relative.



Landing on a sandy dustbowl that looks like an homage to Star Wars' Mos Eisley Spaceport on Tatooine, Farscape never ceases to amaze on its television-sized budget. The creators willingly takes us to new places and new locations and make every effort to really transport the viewer. Thank God they weren't filming in Vancouver. No, this was the Stockton Sands of Newcastle north of Sydney, Australia. Utilizing the Aussie locale really brings the alien landscape to life for Farscape in the way Star Wars brought to life to its worlds by filming in England and elsewhere without a stitch of that George Lucas CGI he had at his disposal for the three prequel films. The farscapes are industrious, simple and brilliantly mindblowing. It's one of the highlights of the installment. Farscape's answer to Mos Eisley is a place called Dam-Ba-Da depot.

Sun and Crichton meet with the planet mechanic, Furlow. She's none too complimentary of Crichton's vessel wondering if it's even "space-worthy" or doomed for the "collection" heap. Crichton is hoping to get back up to the skies as the flares are expected to die out before day's end and won't return for another four to five years.

Equipped with solar flare goggles, Sun and Crichton must play the waiting game. As luck would have it, the planet isn't far off from the cantina-like vibe of scum and villainy found in Star Wars. A holographic beacon projects an image of Bialar Crais who offers a great "deal" for the fleeing fugitives. The projection offers an award for the capture of D'Argo, Zhaan and Rygel. Crichton reckons there's no mention of himself because Crais wants to kill him personally and will no doubt find Crichton should he find the others. And Sun?

Sun and Crichton run into male and female Vorcarian Blood Trackers. They ask if Sun is Crichton's female. "I am no one's female," replies Sun in disgust and it is hilariously well-timed. Held by the Vorcarians Crichton plays the game to free his comrade. "You tell your bitch to let my female go." With Sun set free, Crichton tells Sun "You keep your damn mouth shut unless I tell you to speak!" It is brilliantly executed Farscape humor as Sun plays along. Crichton informs the blood trackers of their names, Butch and Sundance. Here is a portion of that brilliant sequence including the introduction of Rorf, the blood tracker, whom Crichton mistakes as Worf paying tribute to Star Trek: The Next Generation. It's classic Farscape.



With Zhaan in the throes of solar ecstasy, D'Argo submits he will go down to the planet and find Crichton and Sun himself.

"We like spilled blood," proclaims one of the blood trackers. With beacons on a variety of planets, Crichton cuts a deal with the two rogue trackers. Seventy/ thirty. Not being the world's brightest bounty hunter, Rorf demands 70/40. Crichton counters with 80/40. It is downright amusing stuff.



Classic. The beautiful Sun, and Claudia Black is a beautiful woman, wonders how long Crichton's ruse will work? He's hoping long enough to get his module back.

Sun unlocks a coded message sent from Crais directly to her. Should she hand over the fugitive crew of Moya, he promises to retire her honorably. Crichton and Sun don't believe a word of it. The message does give Sun pause. Crichton wonders if she believes Crais, but Sun is clearly sobered by his message. "I always take him seriously." She understands what Crais is capable of. The situation presents Sun with a dilemma. Once again, she is caught between two worlds since the events of Episode 1, Premiere and she must ask where her loyalties belong. One could argue Sun understands the offer/trap of Crais to be nothing more than subterfuge that would inevitably lead to her death. It is possible Sun is undergoing a personal transformation as her loyalties are clearly shifting. This is by no means Stockholm syndrome but Sun is clearly identifying with her fellow travellers and this band of alien misfits, not mention a certain affinity for John Crichton. It could indeed be both.

D'Argo has arrived on the planet. The local bounty hunters stir over his arrival. The blood trackers pick up the Luxan's scent. Marching across the desert planet, D'Argo is captured by the Vorcarians.

It's worth noting that a tremendously raunchy rock score accompanies this particular episode and it feels entirely appropriate to the gritty, bounty-styled atmosphere.

Furlow offers, again, to purchase Crichton's module for scrap. Crichton wonders why the interest. She has picked up traces of space particles indicative of a "proto-wormhole." Furlow has never seen one, but is indeed interested. Furlow offers Crichton a second hand Prowler as payment. Rushing outside Crichton finds D'Argo captured.

D'Argo is too stupid and hot headed to determine Crichton is working on a plan to save him by pretending to work with the blood trackers. "I will kill you Crichton!," hollers D'Argo. "Crichton? Your name's Crichton?," asks Rorf. "Yeah, Butch Crichton," attempts Crichton.

D'Argo is captured and tortured. His blood runs thick and dark. Crichton understands what is at stake and under the guise of keeping the prisoner alive for Crais, he explains Luxans will die of blood shock if the blood is not stimulated until the blood runs clear. You'll recall a similar event in Farscape, Season One, Episode 4, Throne For A Loss.

Rorf wonders why Crichton is protecting him. "Who's calling the shots here Pluto?," Crichton barks at the Vorcarians with their dog-like resemblance. Rorf demands Crichton torture their prisoner. Crichton takes the opportunity to try and save D'Argo by squeezing his facial appendages. While it appears like physical torture, Crichton is in fact attempting to stimulate his blood flow and save his life. Punching D'Argo repeatedly the Luxan goes unconscious and a wipe of Crichton's hand on a towel reveals he has been successful in saving D'Argo for now.

Inside the hangar, Sun spots a mechanic attempting to access the flight recorder inside Crichton's module. Sun winds up in a hand-to-hand combat situation with a number of cloaked agents of Scorvian origin. They don't specifically mention it, but those bright, yellow eyes quickly give them away. You'll remember the last deadly Scorvian ordeal in Farscape, Season One, Episode 5, Back And Back And Back To The Future. Sun is clearly a tough, ass-kicking Peacekeeper-trained soldier as she unabashedly opens up a can of Sebacean whoop ass embodied in pure perfection within the amazing Claudia Black. Disoriented and now blinded by a passing solar flare, Sun is saved in a nick of time by Furlow. The cigar-smoking Furlow is given a nice turn by guest Magda Szubanski [who also appeared in the wonderful 1995 film Babe].

Zhaan, now renewed by her solar vacation, is ready to get involved. This is a comical exchange between Rygel and Zhaan illustrating the small connections that are being made between one another. It can often feel like one step up and two steps back, but it's progress for this rag tag group.



Zhaan arrives on the planet. The costume designers and production work is so sharp the characters in the entry could easily have appeared in Star Wars IV: A New Hope. The quality of work that went into the product is that exceptional.

Zhaan struts her way across the barren desert, but is, once again, drawn and lured into the promise of ecstasy that is the nourishment of the solar rays that stimulate her to the core.

Crichton and Sun argue and Crichton tells Sun to "stop acting like a bad ass Peacekeeper." Sun retorts, "Ex-Peacekeeper" revealing in a small, suggestive way her move away from her past.

In a nice bit of science fiction, the blood trackers are approaching Zhaan, but she uses her Delvian powers and covers her body so her scent is no longer available. Of course, this is followed by some opportune photosynthesis. At this point, Zhaan's classification is becoming fairly self-evident.

D'Argo is free and when Crichton enters the room where he is held he proceeds to beat Crichton. I always felt D'Argo was a bit too angry in this entry. He appeared to lose all common sense or at least all sense of reason. It seems slightly out of character. Crichton yells at him, "I saved your ass today!" D'Argo responds, "You tortured me." Crichton nails it for this viewer when he yells back, "You know what, I have no idea what goes on in that tiny little brain of yours D'Argo." Here's one of those one step forwards, two steps back moments. But note the sense of compromise and again acceptance.



There are moments in Farscape where understanding is the logical outcome, but from that what next? This is the beauty of Farscape and how it progresses forward as far as the inter-relationships of this fascinating group.

The final moments see D'Argo and Crichton in a skurfuffle with the Vorcarians. "Crichton you are my ally, I will not abandon you." D'Argo responds to the respect of the warrior. In a clever twist, Sun arrives with a manipulated beacon indicating the escaped prisoners are no longer wanted. The blood trackers back off and relent, because it's all about the space Benjamins for this sort. "They're all yours Butch."

Zhaan arrives giving Crichton the bad news. The flares are over and so is Crichton's chance at discovering that wormhole.

Sun reveals she was moved by Crais' early offer to rejoin the Peacekeepers. The Living Death mgiht have been exacted upon her for her perceived traitorous behavior. You'll recall Sun's near fatal experience with the Living Death in Farscape, Season One, Episode 3, From Exodus To Genesis. Crichton pays off Furlow with the data from his flight recorder. Furlow isn't the only one fascinated by the potential for wormhole technology. Another will show an equivalent interest later in Season One and he's far less kind as strangers go.

Popular and frequent Farscape director Tony Tilse [I, E.T., PK Tech Girl] returns to the series with his action sensibilities injecting his enthusiasm and taste for adventure. Till The Blood Runs Clear is yet another fun Farscape romp. It's really hard not to love Farscape for a whole host of reasons that always end up on that screen.

Till The Blood Runs Clear: B. Writer: Douglas Heyes Jr.. Director: Tony Tilse.

Pop Culture Reference: Walt Disney's Pluto & Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid.