Farscape Stuff 05

Reviews & Overviews by Rod Cameron

Farscape Season 4 : Episode 4 : Lava's a many splendoured thing

Life in Lo'la is becoming unbearable, particularly with Noranti's (the three
eyed old lady) latest attempts at cooking. The crew feel obliged to stop for
a vomit break on a volcanic planet. Everyone rushes off to be sick, and
Rygel cruises on his chair into a cave, followed by Noranti. In the cave, he
finds valuables in boxes, and Noranti finds boxes of medicines. Crichton &
D'Argo go looking for Rygel, and are just in time to be caught in a trap as
Rygel attempts to pick up one of the gaudier trinkets. The front of the cave
seals with a glass door, and Rygel becomes partially encased in what looks
like lava (amber?). It turns out that the valuables belong to Tarken freedom
fighters. The rest hide in the shadows as an alien Traken collects Rygel and
puts him on a lift to the caves below.
Sikozu & Chiana aware of the fact that the others are trapped, decide to
blow up the entrance using Lo'la's cannons. However they have no success
until Chiana remembers that the ship is keyed to Luxan DNA and smears
handfuls of D'Argo's vomit on the controls.
In a shoot out with the Tarkans it becomes apparent that they have a body
shield that is effective against their guns. Noranti does a belly dance and
hypnotises the aliens into thinking that she is young and nubile. D'Argo and
Crichton ambush the aliens while they are distracted and take their shields.
Sikozu and Chian shoot into the cavern. And Chiana comes looking for them.
In a conversation with Noranti it becomes apparent that the aliens are bad
Tarkans, and she asks Chiana to radio the Freedom fighters to tell them that
they are being robbed. Meanwhile down below, Rygel is being tortured by the
boss alien to find out where the other are. Crichton tries to rescue Rygel,
but he accidently gets dropped into a pool of lava during the fight.
Eventually Crichton manages to kill the alien and rescue Rygel using the new
shielding.
The real Tarkan freedom fighters arrive and free everyone. The crew plus the
liberated body shields leave the planet to hear a message form Pilot and
Moya giving them a vector to meet them.
So, a bit of a filler this week. The plot didn't develop the main story line
to any great extent, apart from giving them some fancy shielding. Dubious
plot points / gaps : not sure if any DNA would be extractable from a
pool/pile of vomit. Perhaps it would be if it were Luxan vomit?
Until next week,
Rod

Format: Shown on BBC TV
Date shown: 21st October 2002
Reviewed by: Rod Cameron
Review Date: October 2002