The Worlds of Farscape: Essays on the Groundbreaking Television Series

by Sherry Ginn (Editor), Donald E. Palumbo (Editor), C.W. Sullivan III (Editor)

Overview

Reversing a common science fiction cliche, Farscape follows the adventures of the human astronaut John Crichton after he is shot through a wormhole into another part of the universe. Here Crichton is the only human being, going from being a member of the most intelligent species on our planet to being frequently considered mentally deficient by the beings he encounters in his new environment. John Crichton befriends a group of beings from various species attempting to escape from imprisonment aboard a living spaceship. The series, which broke many of the so-called "rules" of science fiction, follows Crichton's attempts to survive in worlds that are often hostile to him and his friends. Their adventures center on each being's attempt to find a way home. The essays in this volume explore themes running throughout the series, such as good and evil, love and sex, and what it means to be a hero, as well as the various characters populating the series, including the villains and even the ship itself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786467907
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	08/20/2013
Series:	Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy , #40
Pages:	220
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Sherry Ginn is a retired educator currently living in North Carolina. She has authored books examining female characters on science fiction television series as well as the multiple television worlds of Joss Whedon. Edited collections have examined sex in science fiction, time travel, the apocalypse, and the award-winning series Farscape, Doctor Who, and Fringe.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction: Through the Wormhole and What Crichton Found There Sherry Ginn 1

Farscape, the Impossible and the Accident J. P. Telotte 11

War and Peace by Woody Allen or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Wormhole Weapon Ensley F. Guffey 22

Into the Uncharted Territories: Exploring the Nature of Evil Robert L. Lively 40

The Emperor's New Farts: Socioeconomic Disenfranchisement and "Colonic Miasma" Michael G. Cornelius 55

'Scaping the Mythic Triad into Uncharted Territories: Hero, Antihero and Villain Billie Jo Mason 61

Friends, Enemies, Partners, Mates: Examining Relationships in the Uncharted Territories Sherry Ginn 74

Joining the Conversation: Ben Browder Writes John Crichton Jessie Carty 92

Friend … Enemy … Alien … Ally: Female Community. Aboard Moya Sherry Ginn 104

Sentient Space: Moya as Homeplace Michael G. Cornelius 123

Of Big Blue Butts and Bias: The Problem Body Elizabeth Leigh Scherman 142

The Ballad of John and Aeryn Sherry Ginn 160

"Winona has been very reliable": Female Gendering of Weapons in Fiction and Fact Ensley F. Guffey 164

A Legendary Tale: Scapers and the Myth of Fan Power Tanya R. Cochran 168

Primal Scream-With Accompaniment Jessie Carty 185

Appendix A Farscape Character List 191

Appendix B Series Episode List 195

Appendix C Farscape Bibliography and Filmography 199

About the Contributors 201

Index 203

Editorial Reviews

If you want to be reminded of just how good Farscape was and anything you missed, then you’ll find that here.”—SFCrowsnest

From the Publisher