Farscape (TV Series) Bad Timing (2003) User Reviews

Great series-ender accomplished under duress

[mstomaso · 8/10 · 16 June 2007]

Contrary to popular opinion, the end of the series did not arrive unexpectedly. The first episode of the fifth season was the last episode of the season, and was plotted to provide an opportunity to develop either a Farscape movie, a return of the series, or - as it turned out - a scifi mini-series.

The end of the fourth season left Moya's crew in a convoluted cliff-hanger and about 1/2 way through what was probably intended to be a lengthy, complex story arc. The show had gotten back onto its feet after a weak fourth-season beginning. Some of the characters which had been dispensed with by Scifi's chronic mismanagement of their creative teams (note also what they did to MST3k and Sliders, and what they will probably do to Battlestar Galactica as it winds down) had been brought back in. From the perspective of quality entertainment, everything was looking good for season 5.

Then Scifi withdrew its funding. Popular outcry about the cancellation was pretty immediate. No spoiler here, but I need to give some indication of where the episode leaves you to continue this train of thought. I don't recommend reading the following unless you have already seen at least some of the rest of the series.

The episode features John and Aeryn working and loving together like they never have before - on a mad scramble to reach earth before the Scarrans. Can they trust Scorpius, Sikozu and Bracca's offer to help? Will they be able to go it alone? Will the effort kill them? Will earth survive a possible Scarran invasion? Crichton, who has just killed thousands of people with a nuclear blast at Scarran military headquarters (in a previous episode), is darker, stronger, and more serious than perhaps we have ever seen him. And Aeryn has changed dramatically as she falls even more deeply in love with him.

Wisely... the last episode leaves the door open for either an end or a continuation - but also holds out the promise of continuation very powerfully. It appears to me that the cancellation of the show's fifth season required the creative team for the show to accelerate the story arc they were working on and to resolve much while leaving their options wide open. As always, Farscape did what it intended with class.

To get this wild, light-speed, episode, you don't just need to know the series and its characters, you need to be wide awake.

Get the DVD box-sets and dive in. You've got a lot of work to do and the journey is well worth the effort!

Last Episode?!?

[j-r-slane · 10/10 · 5 July 2006]

This is a very VERY aptly named episode. Anyone who has watched it to the end will agree with me. After the filming of this episode and as they were getting ready to film the fifth season they canceled the show.... SPOILERS FOLLOW....

OK, so at the end John and Aeryn are reduced to billions of pieces almost immediately after John proposes to Aeryn...... to be continued.................... by the Peace Keeper Wars a year or two later..... watched this when it aired and was so mad it was beyond belief. Still a fantastic episode despite the fact that no follow up was originally going to come after.

'... and finally on Farscape'

[Tweekums · 1 October 2012]

At the end of the previous episode it looked as though the Scarrens would no longer be a threat as their Crystherium flowers have been destroyed; there is just one problem... before John learnt their significance he told them that they grew on Earth! Scorpius proposes an alliance but John is adamant that he can fix the problem himself... although he isn't sure how. Having left Scorpius and Sikozu with the Peacekeeper fleet the others rush to the worm hole in a desperate attempt to get there ahead of the Scarrens. John and Pilot come up with a plan but it will require precision timing if they are to succeed; and if they do John will never be able to return to Earth again.

I know this wasn't intended as a series finale but it was a great ending; it may not have the dramatic action of the previous few episodes but it had real emotional impact... even more so when I first watched it and had no idea that there would be a 'Peacekeeper Wars' mini-series to follow. Their mission may be successful but that means John must say good by to Earth; luckily there was time for a quick farewell call to his father. This was a particularly touching scene as his father tries to get him to see him and John has to explain that there just isn't time. The most memorable moments of the episode occur in what viewers will expect to be the happy epilogue as John and Aeryn sit in a boat and he slips a ring onto her finger... the happy moment can't last though as something happens which will leave fans emotionally shattered.