Why Farscape is Awesome

Farscape is an amazing show. That's beyond question. I feel I should detail a few reasons that distinguish this show from anything else.

First, the swear words. Frell, hezmanna, mivonks, they're amazing. After watching the show a bit, you don't even notice them, and they might even slip into your vocabulary.

Second, they add and drop characters like it's going out of style. Sometimes, characters leave for half a season before coming back. When main characters die, they stay dead. This is in contrast to, say, any StarGate franchise where writers have never met a character they don't love to bring back from the dead.

Third, the puppets! The Jim Henson Company, well known for the muppets, do many of the aliens. The characters are so real that you honestly, very quickly forget that they aren't real. Even the aliens played by people are very realistic. Zhaan, Chiana, and D'Argo are all consistent, and all very realistic.

Fourth, Moya is a living ship. It offers a lot of interesting storylines that would not otherwise be possible on a conventional ship. She and pilot have a complex relationship, and the show integrates that plot mechanism very well throughout every story.

Finally, the bad guys are amazing. Scorpius is the most amazing villain. Ever. Better than Darth Vader. Better than the Borg queen. Better than the Cylons. He is charismatic, vicious, witty, and he has a complex and dark history. When he succeeds, you feel his joy. When he fails, you pity his misfortune. Even though he is the bad guy, you can't help but love him.

There are other reasons, but these are the big ones. Season 1 is OK. Season 2 is amazing. And it just keeps getting better.