Farscape – The Peacekeeper Wars Described:
Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 02/14/2006 Run time: 182 minutes Rating: Nr
- Amazon Sales Rank: #281 in DVD
- Brand: Lions Gate
- Released on: 2005-01-18
- Rating: NR (Not Rated)
- Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
- Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, Miniseries, NTSC
- Original language: English
- Subtitled in: English, Spanish
- Number of discs: 2
- Running time: 182 minutes
Features
- ISBN13: 0707729169406
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
What Customers are Saying:
“John Crichton is alive!”
Between 1999 and 2003, the unique sci-fi television series “Farscape” was aired on the Sci-Fi Channel in the U.S. Filmed in Australia primarily by Jim Henson Productions with assistance from several Australian production companies and some funding from the Sci-Fi Channel, the series developed a strong following and was under contract for a total of five seasons. However, various funding & political issues forced the premature cancellation of the show following the fourth season (a total of 88 episodes), much to the dismay of loyal fans who (for the most part, including myself) were greatly disappointed by the inconclusive events left in the final minutes of the final fourth-season episode.
However, under the leadership of Jim Henson’s (1936-1990) son, Brian Henson (Jim Henson Productions’ president & CEO), Jim Henson Productions was able to secure full control over “Farscape”, allowing it to produce a four-hour mini-series in 2004 to provide a better closure for the existing four seasons than the final events of the final fourth-season episode. Entitled “Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars”, the four-hour mini-series was ostensibly equivalent to what the planned fifth season would have been, albeit much shorter, but in no way less wonderful or engaging as the original 88 episodes. On the contrary, thanks to Brian Henson’s efforts (which included directing the mini-series himself), “Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars” was a fantastic, engaging and powerful conclusion for one of the best sci-fi television series that has ever been produced.
Seamlessly beginning where the final fourth-season episode ended, all of the cast members from the final fourth season returned in “Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars”. This includes the no-nonsense Earth astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder), his fiancée Peacekeeper Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black), Ka D’Argo (Anthony Simcoe), Chiana (Gigi Edgley), Rygel XVI (voice of Jonathan Hardy), ‘Pilot’ (voice of Lani John Tupu), Scorpius/Harvey (Wayne Pygram), Sikozu Shanu (Raelee Hill), Joolushko Tunai Fenta Hovalis (Tammy McIntosh), Stark (Paul Goddard), Utu-Noranti Pralatong (Melissa Jaffer), Skarin Emperor Staleek (Duncan Young), Skarin War Minister Akhna (Francesca Buller), Peacekeeper Commandant Mele-on-Grayza (Rebecca Riggs), Peacekeeper Captain Meeklo Braca (David Franklin), Ka D’Argo’s son Jothee (Nathaniel Dean) and wormhole alien dubbed ‘Einstein’ (John Bach).
With exquisite special effects, superb direction, an engaging & consistent plot and excellent acting, I rate “Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars” with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and very highly recommend it to all “Farscape” fans. Some of the many memorable scenes in “Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars” include Rygel’s efforts to help restore John & Aeryn and the subsequent consequences, the various battle scenes both in space and on the ground, John’s solution to war, and the birth. Many thanks go to Brian Henson and the many wonderful actors and film crew that brought “Farscape” back to life. On a side note, Ben Browder has received four Saturn Award nominations from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, of which he won one in 2002 for “Best Actor in a Television Series”.
“I Wore a Bomb, a Nuclear Bomb, In a Field of Flowers.”
We all know the drill. JC, astronaut, is shot through a wormhole and joins up with a crew of a ship, a living ship, as they blast through space one season at a time. Along the way they run into multiple baddies, destroy a wide array of bases, depositories, and even a few civilizations, and they also become something of a family. Sometimes that makes for humor, sometimes for seasons of sadness, and sometimes for thrilling adventure.
Such is Farscape.
For those who don’t know about the series all that well, it is one of the few I’d tout as a complete product that can’t be hyped enough. Following the exploits of John C. and the crew was a thrilling whirlwind to take part in because it evoked so many emotions and rewarded you, the viewer, for riding shotgun through the wormhole. You saw the transitions from character introduction plots and awkward travels to the becoming of crew labelled with words like “notoriety,” “infamy,” and a message filled with the hope for a better tomorrow. You even had the “little things” handed to you, from references to brushing teeth and how alien lifeforms could communicate, and you got it all with an Earth twist. Personally I’ve never pulled for “the good guy” before, not really one to touch base with the cliche characters in most shows, but the crew of Moya was different. They actually touched me with their plights and the ways they could always turn a bad situation into something worse and still come out alive, and I found myself addicted to it by the end of Season Two. That all seemed to come to an abrupt end when the plug was pulled on the series, though, and many people weren’t happy with the cliffhanger ending. So, amidst a flurry of protest and the knowledge that Farscape sells, the Peacekeeper Wars was born.
Vaguely commenting, the storyline picks right up where we left off, taking into consideration a few things I didn’t think of and setting off a war that everyone watching knew was going to come. You could smell it brewing, the Scarrans threatening too many people and Scorpius standing too close to that end, and when it falls it falls beautifully. I was actually taken by all the digital love the series was shown in this miniseries, shocked in a way by the amount of currency I saw circulating in those lovely ship battles, and I loved it. Added to this is the continuation of the tale of the main characters, with even Rygel getting a little news of home and the promise of things to come. And those these comments have to be vague, I can say with certainty that the storyline flowed and wasn’t forced. If you liked the series, you’ll love the taste of this brew as well, with all its emotional kicks in tow.
One other thing to note in all of this is that EVERYONE was back and taking part in this epic piece. I’m not talking about the crew and the main biggies, either, but I’m instead filtering through the “little guys” and happily noting their faces. Bracca, possibly one of my favorites, is joined by an array of people that take part in the series, again rewarding people that were perhaps wondering where they’d all gone. By and large, it is a complete set of faces to admire (and without that “guest spot” taste).
So, in a nutshell, buy this BUT ONLY if you’ve kept up with the series. If not, it would be akin to reading the final chapter in a book and trying to taste the textures. To those who wanted it, though, it has come and it felt good to have more. By the frelling gods, I’m still pumped up from seeing it.
Outstanding conclusion to the series leaves room for more
“Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars” ties up the loose ends from the series including the cliffhanger from season four. Crichton and Aeryn aren’t dead after all and are restored through the hard effort of D’Argo and the rest of the crew from Moya. There’s one problem; The Scarrans and the Peacekeepers are both headed to the planet where the crew have taken refuge.
Scorpious still wants his Holy Grail–wormhole technology that can be used to build a massive weapon against the Scarrans. Unfortunately, the Scarrans want the same thing. Crichton has no choice but to do something he never wanted to do in the first place–build the weapon but who will he give it to?
With top notch production values, a great script by Rockne O’Bannon and David Kemper, sharp direction by Brian Henson and great performances from the returning regulars, “The Peacekeeper Wars” manages to close “Farscape” on a grand scale never imagined before. Unfortunately, the four hour TV movie must compact a story arc that was original designed to occur over a much longer period of time. It doesn’t detract from the drama but there’s many additional dramatic options that can’t be explored because of the limited time frame.
I have to applaud the Sci-Fi Channel for airing the conclusion but still can’t believe the idiotcy of their decision to cancel one of the best most provocative series on TV. While the channel did a great job with the Dune films, they really blew it with “Farscape”. At least fans finally got their conclusion. If not for us fans, this would never have been produced (Sci-Fi Channel certainly wouldn’t have done it on their own).
Here’s hoping that the DVD boxed set will include deleted scenes, background on the production of the conclusion and also the outtakes from season four as well as from the mini-series.
Amazon.com
Created at least in part due to popular demand, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars will provide some closure to fans who were dismayed by the demise of the popular science fiction television show in 2003 and campaigned mightily to bring it back. Indeed, this miniseries (originally broadcast over two nights on the Sci-Fi Channel) will likely appeal primarily to the Farscape faithful, as the somewhat convoluted storyline may prove baffling to the uninitiated.
A brief bit of backstory explains how John Crichton, an astronaut from Earth, went through a wormhole and ended up on Moya, a living spaceship, with a motley group of aliens, including D’Argo (Anthony Simcoe), Chiana (Gigi Edgley), various puppet characters (designed by the Jim Henson Company), and Aeryn (Claudia Black), Crichton’s love interest, who’s expecting their first child. As The Peacekeeper Wars begins, our heroes find themselves in the middle of a war-to-end-all-wars between the lizard-like, implacably evil Scarrans and their rivals, the Peacekeepers. Crichton is the lynchpin in all of this, as his knowledge of “wormhole technology” is coveted by all, including his old nemesis Scorpius (Wayne Pygram), who captured and tortured Crichton back in season 1 and with whom Crichton must now form an uneasy alliance against the Scarrans.
Over the course of the three-hour miniseries, we get lots of weird- and cool-looking aliens, some nice sets and special effects, plenty of battles, and lots of portentous talk about the fate of the universe–nothing especially original, but all presented with outstanding production values. There’s drama and action, love and betrayal, tragedy and triumph, war and, ultimately, peace, with a suitably spectacular ending (and a nod to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey). With a 30-minute “making of” documentary among the DVD special features, The Peacekeeper Wars is a fitting way to end the Farscape saga. –Sam Graham
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