ListNook

hexxeric Apr 23, 2026 +122

in my top 3 of sci-fi tv shows. with the top 1 villain in all of sci-fi tv.

122

SAAARGE Apr 23, 2026 +64

Scorpius is definitely an S tier villain, regardless of how you feel about latex gimp suits. His dynamic with John is really what sets Farscape apart from other shows.

64

hexxeric Apr 24, 2026 +5

exactly! i convinced many people of it just by showing that one episode where they meet for the first time. it is an instant hook. just do not watch it on a big screen, it kinda looks b-movie, especially during the early seasons

5

tiltrage Apr 23, 2026 +17

Peak character acting.

17

mikayd Apr 23, 2026 +16

Man I ain’t Neva seen it, is it worth watching? The Villain is great you say, I likes a good Villain

16

PloppyTheSpaceship Apr 23, 2026 +34

The main villain doesn't come in until the end of season 1, and after that is seldom seen. The writers didn't want to make it a case where he comes along every few weeks with a plan, and fails. Thus, every time he appears, you know he's gonna f*** shit up. As for the show - probably my favourite sci-fi of all time (unless you count Red Dwarf as a sci-fi). Yes, it is standard 22-episode-a-season late 90s early 00s stuff, but I like the crew dynamic - they're not do-gooder heroes out to save people every week, they actively dislike each other and will sell each other out. Also, the puppetry is fantastic - two of the main characters are actually Jim Henson creatures.

34

pleasetrimyourpubes Apr 24, 2026 +11

It also had one of the greatest finales of any sci-fi show ever and we got actual closure. No bullshit. Guy gets the girl. Bad guy loses. Also some of the best monologues ever. Just a perfect ending to an amazing show.

11

PloppyTheSpaceship Apr 24, 2026 +12

I was involved in the Save Farscape campaign and heard about PKW before it had been announced. Messaged the mods at Save Farscape and they said they'd heard about it, but I could tell people if I wanted. Decided not to, so they could make an announcement themselves when the time was right. Trying to keep quiet then was tough!

12

TheTresStateArea Apr 24, 2026 +3

I remember that whole thing happening. I was a bit young to understand the campaign to get a real finale. But I was so happy it happened when I finished it off.

3

LogicIsDead22 Apr 25, 2026 +1

Thank you for your service.

1

fatcatfan Apr 24, 2026 +3

Fear accompanies the possibility of death; calm shepherds its certainty.

3

yohoob Apr 24, 2026 +2

I always enjoy the multi part finales at the end of each season.

2

PloppyTheSpaceship Apr 24, 2026 +2

Yeah, Farscape does kick-ass cliffhangers.

2

mikayd Apr 23, 2026 +4

Bet I’m gonna give it a go starting tomorrow. I love sci fi

4

Really_McNamington Apr 23, 2026 +4

I'm on my first rewatch since it aired. Holds up pretty well. I still think Rygel looks a bit too puppety, tbh. (Works OK for the pilot)

4

Weinerbrod_nice Apr 23, 2026 +3

I think Rygel holds up pretty good.

3

Really_McNamington Apr 24, 2026 +2

He's a great character, which makes up for some of the shortcomings.

2

PloppyTheSpaceship Apr 24, 2026 +3

It's good, but you may find the early stuff rough or derivative. Season 3 is when it gets fantastic in my opinion - probably the best season of any TV show, I think.

3

planetary_invader Apr 24, 2026 +1

I would say the first few episodes can be a bit rough. But once Pip joins the crew in the middle of season 1 it really hits its stride. I did a rewatch a few years ago and I was actually surprised on how good the writing is. The stories actually are consistent and logical (well within Farscape logic of course) and there aren't any major plot holes that stick out.

1

TheElusiveFox Apr 24, 2026 +1

>Yes, it is standard 22-episode-a-season late 90s early 00s stuff, You say this like its a bad thing - honestly this was pretty peak sci-fi as far as tv goes, with very few things really even being attempted let alone coming close since then.

1

ClemWillRememberThat Apr 23, 2026 +11

Yes, and be sure to double check the episode order for season 1 when you watch it. It originally aired out of order and some places still have it screwed up because of that mistake.

11

SAAARGE Apr 23, 2026 +7

First villain, not so much. Get to Season 2, and give the gimp a chance

7

KrivUK Apr 23, 2026 +7

Farscape S1 is a bit of a chore until the Drug episode (around ep 11). It's like Babylon 5, the first few episodes you learn lore and characters. After that it's mesmerising quality episode after quality episode.

7

BrightLuchr Apr 24, 2026 +1

I'd rate Farscape as my favourite scifi show of all time. There are so many good villains. And truly scary muppets who you immediately forget aren't real aliens. It's delightfully weird and great universe building.

1

goliathfasa Apr 24, 2026 +2

Agreed. Harvey was indeed the greatest villain of all time.

2

hexxeric Apr 24, 2026 +2

[https://static0.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/scorpius-wearing-shirt-farscape.jpg?q=49&fit=contain&w=750&h=422&dpr=2](https://static0.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/scorpius-wearing-shirt-farscape.jpg?q=49&fit=contain&w=750&h=422&dpr=2)

2

Hippyedgelord Apr 24, 2026 +1

I watched Farscape last summer and am almost done with Stargate SG-1. I don’t think we’ll get anything like these shows again, especially with declining attention spans.

1

hexxeric Apr 24, 2026 +1

make sure to also watch 2004's battlestar galactica then and the x-files 😃 never liked stargate (the series) though.

1

AtomicGrendel Apr 23, 2026 +81

I got to meet Gigi Edgley at C2E2 a couple years ago. She wasn’t doing the typical photo shoot meet & greet, she was just by herself at a table in the vendor section. She noticed that I recognized her and waved me over to talk. It was the absolute sweetest encounter I’ve ever had. We talked about her portrayal of Chiana, and the freedom she was given to truly act “alien” in her mannerisms. She also talked about the practical effects and puppets, and how they became more like actual cast mates. She said she couldn’t look at Rygel when the puppeteer wasn’t working him, like, “he’s my friend, and it looks like he’s lying dead on the floor.” She was so kind to take the time to talk to me. She wasn’t even trying to sell signed merch or anything, she seemed genuinely happy to talk to her fans. And, of course, she is still adorable.

81

Mu-Relay Apr 23, 2026 +22

I saw her at a DragonCon like 17 years ago and unlike a lot of the other celebrities, she took the time to get to know every single person that walked up to her table. Hugs, took pictures, just in general chatted with and seemed genuinely interested in their response.

22

firedrakes Apr 23, 2026 +11

she such a sweet woman!

11

tecphile Apr 23, 2026 +36

The show might have had it's faults but it still blows my mind how Farscape managed to stick the landing on not just one, but two massive, long-running narrative threads—and actually make both feel earned. SPOILERS BELOW From the very beginning, the core premise was simple: “How does John Crichton get back to Earth?” But by the time he actually makes it back, Crichton has changed, his idea of “home” has changed, and the show fully leans into that. The eventual return isn’t neat—it’s messy, emotional, and takes into account all the trials and tribulations he’s been through. And how would his friends and family (not to mention the US military) react to his alien crew? Exactly the kind of uneasy, borderline hostile response you’d expect, which makes the whole thing feel grounded despite how wild the journey was. Then there’s the storyline of the wormhole tech implanted in Crichton's head by the Ancients, which could’ve easily spiraled into vague sci-fi nonsense. Instead, it becomes this central philosophical and strategic battleground— what is the cost of wielding unlimited power and knowledge? The fact that the show builds it up over multiple seasons and then pays it off in a way that’s both intellectually satisfying and dramatically explosive is kind of incredible. Neither resolution feels rushed or like an afterthought. In fact, the way they finally converge feels almost inevitable. A lot of shows struggle to resolve even *one* big premise without disappointing people. Farscape managed to pull off *two*.

36

iheartyourpsyche Apr 23, 2026 +7

The way that Farscape stuck the landing lives in my head rent free. They did such a good job with it, it' incredible how everything ties together so well! I remember having a hard time watching the first season because I wasn't feeling the melodrama and camp of it all and didn't realize what I had signed up for. But I'm so glad I stuck it out, it gets so good so fast, and the ending is perfect.

7

tecphile Apr 23, 2026 +8

Exactly! I still wouldn’t put Farscape above something like BSG or GoT. At their peaks, those shows basically transcended the genre and dragged a whole mainstream audience with them. They made “non-sci-fi” and “non-fantasy” people take them seriously in a way Farscape never really could. Farscape was always a bit too weird, a bit too .... unapologetically itself. But man… it actually knew how to end its story. Where BSG and GoT kind of… fumbled it (to put it nicely), Farscape absolutely nailed its core idea. And nothing sums that up better than Crichton’s wormhole weapon reveal in The Peacekeeper Wars. That moment is seared into my brain. It’s not just that it’s cool or shocking—it’s that sudden realization of what the show has been building toward this whole time. You think it’s all leading to Crichton finally cracking the code and using wormholes as the ultimate trump card. And then it hits you: no, the whole point is that this is something that *can’t* be used. That *shouldn’t* exist in a world where people are competing over it. The reveal isn’t triumphant at all—it’s honestly kind of terrifying. He proves he can do it, and in doing so basically shows everyone why nobody can be allowed to have it. It’s straight-up nuclear deterrence logic, but done in a way that actually feels earned because of everything he’s been through. And that’s the part that I remember to this day —that “oh shit” moment where it all clicks into place. You suddenly understand what the writers were going for, not just plot-wise but thematically. It re-frames Crichton’s entire journey. The thing that made him special, that gave him leverage the whole series, ends up being something he has to reject. I genuinely wish I could wipe my memory of that scene just to experience that realization again.

8

denoflore_ai_guy Apr 24, 2026 +2

Yes and it always surprised me how much Florida looked like Sydney Australia. 😅

2

goliathfasa Apr 24, 2026 +1

That episode where he returns to earth still ranks as one of my top tv show eps of all time. It’s just so unique with how they switch between first person views of the main characters and the meta narrative of how earth and its different people and experts view both the aliens and the returning earthling. The perspectives from religious experts and psychologists discussing the change in humanity’s psyche from the revelation and also looking into Crichton’s behaviors and mind were fascinating. They really avoided the pitfalls of a lessor show that probably would’ve focused primarily on some political intrigue with how the earth governments treated the aliens or focused too much on John’s personal story of returning to earth. Instead it portrayed the governments as trying their best to process all this new info and the earth’s populace trying to do the same, while the main focus of the story was on the more philosophical questions of humanity facing the truth about a universe it was not ready to be a part of, and Crichton’s difficult personal decisions. Fantastic episode(s?).

1

pointfourtyfour Apr 23, 2026 +60

I hadn’t really seen any of Farscape before, but I’m thinking I’d like to give it a try.

60

CrusaderLyonar Apr 23, 2026 +84

Watching farcscape was one of those moments where everything sort of clicked that this is a thing that inspired a bunch of other things I loved. Like it's one of the primary inspirations for both games like Mass Effect and also movies like Guardians of the Galaxy.

84

TravisKilgannon Apr 23, 2026 +52

Hell, Aeryn Sun's actress Claudia Black is *in* Mass Effect 2 and 3! She's a member of the Quarian Admiralty board, and that's just one of several notable voice acting roles she's done over the years.

52

CrusaderLyonar Apr 23, 2026 +24

Bioware tends to use the same voice actors and Claudia Black was already in Dragon Age.

24

TravisKilgannon Apr 23, 2026 +13

True, I was merely showing the direct link from Farscape to Mass Effect beyond inspiration. Black's voice as Morrigan in the Dragon Age games is one of my favorites.

13

D34THDE1TY Apr 23, 2026 +7

She's also a prolific voice actor in general.

7

NeuHundred Apr 24, 2026 +2

The actor playing Crichton was in GOTG2, he's one of the gold guys.

2

HalobenderFWT Apr 23, 2026 +2

Hmm. I always assumed the Guardians of the Galaxy comic book was the prime inspiration behind the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

2

CrusaderLyonar Apr 23, 2026 +11

I mean Peter Quill in the movies is way closer John Crichton than to the Peter Quill in the comics.

11

Phantommy555 Apr 23, 2026 +10

I’m guessing they’re saying the tone of the movies though was inspired by FarScape

10

Twiggyhiggle Apr 23, 2026 +3

GOG the movie was really far from the comics. Peter was a weary veteran of several galactic wars, along with having huge guilt for blowing up a mining colony in order to kill a supervillain. Drax wasn’t an alien, he was a human put into a different body by an entity. He was intelligent and had served as a mentor to Nova during the Annihilation wave.

3

007meow Apr 23, 2026 -4

How did Farscape inspire ME? Aren’t the stories totally different?

-4

CrusaderLyonar Apr 23, 2026 +15

I mean "inspired by" doesn't meant "exactly alike". It's just one of many inspirations for Mass Effect. They do have different stories but also have a lot in common. Ragtag group of alien comrades for one. Also Zhaan is basically an Asari.

15

Atharaphelun Apr 23, 2026 +4

It's unfortunate that the actress for Zhaan had to dip out because of the toxic bodypaint.

4

snoopwire Apr 23, 2026 +36

First season has that classic sci-fi issue of being hit or miss - it's always fun though. But mid season 2 it becomes absolutely amazing and never lets off the gas. Highly recommend watching it.

36

Booster_Tutor Apr 23, 2026 +6

Yup, also back when seasons were 22 episodes so more chance of hit or miss. But that season finale! Man, that show knocked it out of the park whenever it did its “big” episodes.

6

pointfourtyfour Apr 23, 2026 +3

Well I love mass effect, so I think I’m missing out! Maybe I’ll go find a dvd box set and watch it inn my CRT tv.

3

OdepiusNecks Apr 23, 2026 +6

Definitely get the box set that includes the commentary from cast and crew. Ben Browder (Crighton’s actor) especially is a HUGE nerd when it comes to filmmaking. His commentary tracks end up becoming deep dives into all the behind-the-scenes technical aspects of how they filmed the show.

6

Really_McNamington Apr 23, 2026 +1

Blu-ray, presumably? Are they subtitled? And are the extras subtitled, because I have found they c**** out on that sometimes, to my enormous rage. (My old DVDs predate my hearing loss and are not subbed at all.

1

Phantommy555 Apr 23, 2026 +2

It’s free on YouTube apparently: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcBQS2xdzwLA5tv8kP2lODaP_nfh8siNn&si=wI_-P0vz70tBrBzA

2

notover_yet Apr 23, 2026 +20

It’s delightfully weird

20

double_shadow Apr 23, 2026 +11

Oh you're in for a treat! Just be patient with the first run of episodes...the pilot is great, but then it takes a little bit to find its footing.

11

Buckets-O-Yarr Apr 23, 2026 +21

You're right, Pilot *is* great.

21

Cyrano_Knows Apr 23, 2026 +6

I see what you did there and raise you one "Mariko agrees with this sentiment".

6

Atharaphelun Apr 23, 2026 +7

It's basically a Sci-fi B*** show.

7

AncientsofMumu Apr 23, 2026 +3

So was Stargate...

3

denoflore_ai_guy Apr 24, 2026 +1

So was DS9 if you were an O’Brien fanboy

1

Haikouden Apr 23, 2026 +4

It's great, can for sure recommend.

4

shepbestshep Apr 23, 2026 +2

It's my favorite show of all time. You won't regret it.

2

sengirminion Apr 23, 2026 +1

Farscape is awesome. I dont know if it still holds up these days but I enjoyed it as a kid. The special effects are largely practical so it probably aged pretty well.

1

Most-Steak-3991 Apr 24, 2026 +1

It really holds up.

1

Whirlvvind Apr 24, 2026 +1

Only thing that doesn't is the resolution and sadly the masters were destroyed (I think it was storage costs or something) and so we're never going to get a genuine 4k version. AI upscaling remasters eventually will be the best we'll ever get.

1

Flexhead Apr 24, 2026 +1

Even film stock of some episodes were lost so true 1080p scans for some episodes will never happen.

1

Charirner Apr 23, 2026 +1

It's one of my all time favorites, used to watch every episode when it aired on the Sci-Fi channel back in the day. Picked up the entire series on Blu-ray a year or so ago and it still holds up.

1

batmancdn55 Apr 24, 2026 +1

First season has some stuff that looked bad even for the time. Show is like a boulder rolling down a hill though and keeps picking up steam. Also I think it was the Jim Henson group that did the puppets.

1

vroart Apr 23, 2026 +9

The show holds up really well

9

prestocoffee Apr 23, 2026 +5

It's an enjoyable show but wow it was a slag getting through season 1. It gets really good season 2 into 3 and really felt like it was building momentum right up to the early end

5

nicathor Apr 23, 2026 +5

Love this show SO MUCH. Still can't get over the wide scale of emotion they hit, most episodes are fairly silly and hilarious but then they throw in the periodic episode that is so beautifully, crushingly sad it's hard to believe it's the same show. Underrated doesn't come close to describing the recognition the writers, actors, and crew wholly deserve for the clear effort and love they poured into this silly little puppet space opera

5

Kalamac Apr 23, 2026 +3

Such a great show. Think it’s time for a rewatch.

3

ejk905 Apr 23, 2026 +3

He gets to repeat this moment in a sort of time loop: https://youtu.be/YnT0woIiJws?t=1055

3

Varnigma Apr 23, 2026 +8

Stargate is one of my favorite shows to binge. Even including all of the sci-fi stuff in that show, the most unbelievable thing in that show is Vala trying to hook up with Daniel and him turning her down.

8

Phantommy555 Apr 23, 2026 +8

lol I can already tell this show is aggressively horny, which isn’t saying a lot for late 90’s-early 2000’s sci-fi tv

8

poopsmog Apr 23, 2026 +20

Actually Michael's main love interest in the show is a kind of asexual alien named Scorpius who psychically tortures him.

20

Phantommy555 Apr 23, 2026 +9

That still does sound kinda k**** though

9

poopsmog Apr 23, 2026 +6

Oh don't get me wrong, the show is k**** as hell. I think there's a body swapping episode, all sorts of weird ass aliens, torture, this show got pretty out there. edit: I also think their ship gets pregnant and has a child.

6

mindhowl Apr 23, 2026 +6

Who is Michael?

6

Copy_Of_The_G Apr 23, 2026 +2

Love his Hawaiian shirts

2

Derailedone Apr 23, 2026 +4

Nobody has MARGARITAS with PIZZA!!

4

_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ Apr 23, 2026 +2

Scorpius is _not_ asexual. You weren’t paying attention.

2

Most-Steak-3991 Apr 24, 2026 +2

lol yup what about Natira??

2

Jay-Five Apr 23, 2026 +8

Try LEXX for that.

8

greenearrow Apr 23, 2026 +7

Claudia Black found a way to cause a sexual awakening in me as a grown man in SG1, but it’s not a major component of her character in Farscape. She’s a soldier through and through. There are many attractive aliens with Australian accents though.

7

Phantommy555 Apr 23, 2026 +2

I mean just from this scene she’s already on top of the guy and ready to crush him with her thighs, can it get any more sexual than that?

2

mercurius420 Apr 23, 2026 +6

Wait until you meet the Alien that can turn his sense of pain into literal ecstasy as he's being tortured by like 5 people. Also they have a gimp the main character literally can't get off his mind. Also slave collars for living spaceships.

6

Original-Sandwich-95 Apr 23, 2026 +5

Check out Lexx, for a very aggressively horny show if you haven't.

5

Phantommy555 Apr 23, 2026 +2

Oh yeah I heard about that one, from the Wikipedia page it sure sounds like a trip..

2

Charirner Apr 23, 2026 +3

Oh it is, but it never goes to far.

3

Lyceus_ Apr 23, 2026 +2

Such an incredible show.

2

bernsteinschroeder Apr 24, 2026 +2

Some of the best television you'll see even if a couple of the episodes make you want to slap the daylights out of everyone involved :D

2

joestaff Apr 24, 2026 +2

I'm only aware of this show because I binged Stargate.

2

Skytale1i Apr 24, 2026 +2

Such a great show!

2

high6ix Apr 23, 2026 +1

amazing show

1

gahlol123 Apr 24, 2026 +1

I used to stay up late just so i could watch it. Best show ever! :)

1

goliathfasa Apr 24, 2026 +1

Something something mole somewhere only he knows.

1

lesjo Apr 24, 2026 +1

You just reminded me to finally finish Farscape! One of the classic shows I'm yet to finish for animatronics alone! It reminds me of The Dark Crystal.

1

bitchin_bauhaus Apr 24, 2026 +2

With everything getting a reboot or continuation, I'm baffled that Farscape hasn't returned. The contination is there using Deke to get the old team back together.

2

‘Farscape’ - John Crichton and Aeryn Sun’s first encounter

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