Classics: Farscape 4:2/4:3 - What Was Lost

Overall: 5.0

There's a huge "What the hell, writers?" moment in the second half -- but other than that, we're still in set-up mode.

Plot Synopsis:

Part I: Sacrifice is summarized here.

Part II: Resurrection is summarized here.

The Skinny:

These episodes cover an enormous amount of material, and truthfully, not all of it is bad:

• It's difficult for me to accept that, during the hiatus, D'Argo and Jool became an item, but they do manage to pull a few nice scenes out of that particular premise. I especially like Jool's being forced to admit that - like the other Interions - she's a racist. That's a nice moment of growth there; it's just too bad it happened on the eve of her departure.
• I'm not even going to try to defend the loopy-doopy science behind the Darnaz Triangle -- or the Eidelons' magical time warp. And actually, when we get to the miniseries, you'll discover that I'm a skeptic when it comes to the Eidelons' peacemaking powers. I will say this, though: the connection they start to draw here between the Peacekeepers and Earth is actually quite brilliant. At the very least, it explains why the Sebaceans look so human.
• I also like what the writers do with Braca. When I reviewed Into the Lion's Den a few weeks ago, I was strongly tempted to share my belief that Braca was Scorpius' "butt-monkey" in the very literal sense. Well, in these episodes, my suspicions seem to be confirmed. I mean, really -- when Braca fights with Scorpius to insert that dope-him-up cooling rod and says, "This is for all the times I had to say 'yes,'" don't you get the feeling that Braca slept with Scorpius to get ahead?

But now to the thing that really, really bugs me about What Was Lost. Now to the thing that drags down its overall score: John and Grayza. What Grayza does to John is tantamount to a man slipping roofies into a girl's drink and then having his way with her. It's rape, pure and simple. And yet D'Argo tells John he needs to "go for the triple"? Again: What the hell, writers? Can you imagine if the genders were reversed here? Can you imagine the public outcry that would result if a woman were told to go back to her rapist for another round because the others had a secret plan to escape and needed said rapist to be distracted? People: The fact that John's a guy doesn't make it any less wrong to sexually exploit him. And also? EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW.

Writing: 5.0

Up until D'Argo's moment of jackassery, these were average scripts.

Acting: 7.0

The performances were also pretty average.

Message: 3.0

On behalf of all the men in my life, I'm slamming these episodes pretty hard for the double standard mentioned above.