LAST
UPDATED: 12
November 2000
In Review
Farscape: The Illustrated Companion
by Paul Simpson and David Hughes
160 pp, Titan Books, £9.99. Published 23 August, 2000
Reviewed by K. Stoddard Hayes
The authorized guide to the series featuring cast and crew
interviews, photos, design art and a chapter on the special effects
provided by the Jim Henson Creature Shop. There is also a
comprehensive episode guide to the entire first
season.
This
first book tie-in to the SF series is an in-depth look at its
creation and the first season. The authors seem to have talked with
virtually every important person connected with Farscape,
starting with Brian Henson, Rockne S. O'Bannon and David Kemper,
Farscape's creators and producers. The entire cast and several
important guest players were also interviewed, as well as many
people involved in producing the special effects, animatronic
puppets, and makeup effects.
Contents include a foreword by O'Bannon, and chapters on the
series creation, the creation of alien characters and make-ups, and
the special effects. Each first season episode and each major
character (including Gigi Edgely's Chiana, though she doesn't
appear on the cover) has a short chapter with a brief description
of the character or episode, then interview comments from actors
and production crew.
The book is well written and nicely produced, with at least one
illustration on each two-page spread, and a great variety of images
including production stills, design drawings, and behind-the-scenes
photos. It's too bad that the tight schedules of tie-in publishing
limited its scope to the first season of Farscape. However,
the book is a treasure trove for anyone who wants the inside scoop
on how the look, the characters and the story of Farscape
evolved. This Farscape fan enjoyed it.
Order the book from Amazon.co.uk: Go |
VZSciFi: Farscape Datafile
Most Recent News -- Farscape Production
Information --- Broadcast Information -- Cast Updates -- Crew Updates -- Merchandise Updates
Series premise: Farscape
the biggest rating SF show on the US SciáFi Channel - ever
- follows astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder), who has been
catapulted across a thousand galaxies into an alien battlefield.
His companions include estranged military Peacekeeper Aeryn
Sun (Claudia Black), brutish alien warrior D'Argo (Anthony
Simcoe), mystical high priestess Zhaan (Virginia Hey), and
the royal Rygel, XVI (John Eccleston). Unwillingly thrown
together, this motley band of escaped renegades are traversing
the universe in Moya, a living ship -- on an epic odyssey
more spectacular than anything they could have imagined.
In the second season, Moya's crew finds itself with a new
ally on-board - an impetuous young thief with a talent for
trouble. Together they must all confront a venomous
new alien enemy who is stalking them through the reaches of
space. The crew is forced to travel deeper into the dreaded
Uncharted Territories - and even further from the possibility
of ever heading home.
This is a great show and I thoroughly recommend it!
Farscape:
Recent News
SciFi UK begins UK screenings: SciáFi (UK) will be
the first channel to show Farscape seasons one and
two back-to-back, in the correct order and in its unedited
glory. The run began on Sunday 12th November at 8pm.
See Ear: The Zocalo Today reports that Claudia Black,
Aeryn Sun on Farscape, told fans on SciFi.Com that
she will play vampire Pandora in the upcoming Queen of
the Damned movie. The film is based Anne Rice's novel
of the same name, as well as on The Vampire Lestat,
another one of her Vampire Chronicles books.
Claudia Black and Anthony Simcoe recently also lent their
talents to a different SF story for SciFi.Com's Seeing
Ear Theater. The two voice characters in the original
audio drama Black Canoes, premiered 1 September. Simcoe plays
Edward and Black plays Carol in the story of two people who
venture into the countryside and end up in a series of bizarre
adventures involving a primitive village and things that are
not what they seem. Hugo-nominated writer Tony Daniel wrote
the script for Black Canoes.
Farscape: The Illustrated Companion by Paul Simpson and
David Hughes is being published by Titan on 22 September,
price £9.99, and will be available by mail order and
via specialist stores in the US.
The Farscape Fan Club from Creation will be different
from any other fan club run by the company - all the material
is being prepared by ex-DreamWatch editor Paul Simpson
and Ruth Thomas in the UK from interviews carried out at the
Burbank convention and later on from the set itself. Further
details on the Creation Entertainment home page.
Series Update: In the US, Farscape's first season
drew to a close in February 2000 on SciFi Channel (USA). The
season concludes with a four part arc. Season Two began airing
on 17 March.
The second season features new aliens, new villains, and another
Luxan. "It pushes us farther into the uncharted territories into,
essentially, a darker region," Farscape Executive
Producer/Creator Rockne S. O'Bannon told a packed San Diego
ComicCon panel last year, adding that the main players will
meet "new, really very twisted characters." We've seen Moya give
birth in season two and learnt Pilot's true name.
Farscape executive producer David Kemper, talking before
the second season began to air said: "A fan knows we're in the
uncharted territories. We will continue to stay out there and I'd
just say that there's weirdness and unpredictability in the
uncharted territories and you'll see a lot more of that."
When asked whether he was working out Farscape's future
from a grand long term plan, Rockne explained that, "We'll gather
among ourselves in terms of what happens down the road. When I
developed the series I had in mind the end of John Crichton's life,
but it's really a projection to push the series along. In terms of
a five year Babylon 5-type arc, no. We like to stay fluid,
we want to be able to roll with it."
Strong commitment to Farscape from SciFi: Following the
renewal of Farscape for a second season Stephen Chao,
President of Programming & Marketing, USA Networks, Inc.,
commented: "We are proud to renew our commitment to
Farscape, the most ambitious original series on basic cable,
and the top-rated series on SCI FI," said Chao. "SCI FI continues
to attract new audiences with popular new originals and an
innovative new on-air look. We're hitting our stride, and
Farscape is an important part of that forward
momentum."
"All of us at The Jim Henson Company are extremely proud, and
wildly in love with this project," said Rod Perth, President of Jim
Henson Television Group Worldwide responding to the renewal.
"Our partnership with Hallmark and Nine Network in Australia has
given us access to a talented cast and wonderful production talent
which allows us to produce this break-out show. We are confident
that SCI FI's new success will create a buzz about this show that
will allow it to grow even further in the next season."
Commenting on the show's success on alt.tv. farscape., Rockne S.
O'Bannon commented: "... I can confidently say I'm very proud of
the response to Farscape since its premiere. Among them is
being named Best Sci-Fi Series by TV Guide in our very first
year. More importantly, fan reaction has been extremely
exciting and gratifying (Scapers rule!)... I think you'll
agree we've truly hit our stride and are producing some of the
finest science fiction on television today."
Vote for Farscape: In December 1999 the US TV Guide picked
Farscape as the best science fiction show of the year,
calling the series "a winning, unpretentious flight of fancy." I
suppose this implies that shows like Star Trek: Voyager ARE
pretentious? Fox screened the second annual TV GUIDE AWARDS, on
Sunday 5 March, 2000 at 8.00pm. Farscape" was up for two different
awards ó "Best Sci-Fi Series of 1999" & "Best New
Series".
Ballots appeared in every TV Guide issue dated 8 and 15
January. I've got to find the results!
UK Screenings important to Farscape success: The BBC
began screening Farscape on BBC2 in November 1999, ahead of
any cable or satellite channel. This is big news for the show,
since the potential audience in the UK on BBC2 is greater than that
for its US screenings on the SciFi Channel. Season Two is showing
as of August 2000. The SciFi Channel UK will screen the show
later.
Will there ever be a movie? Rockne O'Bannon was asked
whether he would consider bringing the show's distinctive
characters and world to the silver screen at the 199 San Diego
ComicCon. "I would love it," he said. "Obviously the series has to
show it's longevity and all of that, but I think obviously that the
trappings of the series, just the look of the show, etc., would
certainly lend itself to that in a real big way."
Farscape Production Information
Main Cast: Ben Browder (Crichton), Claudia Black (Aeryn),
Virginia Hey (Zhaan). Puppeteers of Pilot & Rygel: Sean
Masterson and Tim Mieville.
Produced by: Jim Henson Television Group. ExPrd: Brian
Henson, Rockne S. O'Bannon; CoExPrd: David Kemper; Prd: Matt
Carroll, Pete Coogan, Sue Milliken. Farscape is produced in
Sydney, Australia with the award-winning creative team from The Jim
Henson Company, in association with Hallmark Entertainment.
Farscape showcases feature-film quality special effects as well as
innovative animatronic creatures from the Academy Award-winning Jim
Henson's Creature Shop.
Copyright Holder: Henson/Hallmark/SciFi. The Jim Henson
Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more
than 40 years, is an independent multimedia production company. It
is one of the top licensors in the industry, a leading publisher of
children's books, and home to Jim Henson Television, Jim Henson
Pictures, Jim Henson Interactive and Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices
and production facilities in New York and London.
Farscape Broadcast Information
UK as of 08/00: BBC2, 6.45pm, Monday. SciFi
UK: SciáFi (UK) is the first channel to show Farscape
seasons one and two back-to-back, in the correct order and
in its unedited glory. The run began on Sunday 12th November
at 8pm.
US as of 08/00: SciFi Channel (USA). Farscape has the
largest audience of any series on the network, delivering
576,000 homes on average, and the greatest delivery of Adults
18-49 (580,000).
Canada as of 01/00: YTV (Canada), 8.00pm ET,
Wednesday
New Zealand as of 01/00: TV3, 7.30pm, Friday
Sweden as of 01/00: CANAL+ 4.35pm, Friday
Australia Channel 9 will resume screening Farscape
starting from the 15 September at 8.30pm Fridays.
The Nine Network Australia screened the first season, on TV3 on
Saturdays at 8.30pm. However, only seven or eight episodes were
shown (and they were shown out of order at that). Channel 9's
treatment of Farscape is odd, since they actually own a
stake in the show!There had been some concern that poor ratings for the first few episodes
might see the its releagtion to a late night slot, as happened to
Roswell. Phew!
Farscape Personnel Updates
Cast
Ben Browder (Crichton)
Recommended websites: Information Welcome!
Claudia Black (Aeryn)
Recommended websites: Information Welcome!
Black in Black: Claudia stars in the film Pitch Black which
opened in the US on 11 February and the UK in July. "The job came
up and I thought that it was exciting because it was a big budget
by Australian standards," Black revealed in an interview for the
SciFi Channel's web site. "It was a groovy story. I thought it was
quite interesting and it had a few original concepts in it that I
liked. And it was a nice way to get into feature films without
having the burden of a lead role for my first feature."
There was one problem along the way. Black's casting for her role
as Aeryn in Farscape conflicted with her Pitch Black
schedule. Black explains, "[The Pitch Black producers] had
enormous troubles making me available, and they had to delay the
shoot of the principal photography on Farscape until I was
ready to come."
Virginia Hey (Zhaan)
Virginia Hey's Official Website: http://www.virginia-hey.com/
Gigi Edgley (Chiana)
Chiana's Page - The Official Gigi Edgley Home Page: http://www.angelfire.com/ms/farscapechiana/
Anthony Simcoe
The Official Anthony Simcoe Homepage: http://www.netmdc.com/~huaimao/asimcoe/
Farscape
Crew Updates
Sue Milliken (Producer) "is one of the best and most
experienced producers in Australia," said Rod Perth,
President, Jim Henson Television Group Worldwide. "We are fortunate
to have her working on Farscape as we enter our second
season of production." Ms. Milliken began her career as a producer
at the end of the 1970ís with Tom Jeffrey. Together
they produced Weekend of the Shadows, The Odd Angry
Shot and Fighting Back. Highlights of her 20- year
career include, The Fringe Dwellers, Australia's official
entry into the 1986 Cannes Film Festival and nominee for best
picture in the 1986 AFI Awards; Black Robe, nominated for
ten AFI Awards and winner of Best Film and Best Director at
the 1992 Canadian Genies; 1994's Sirens with Elle
Macpherson and Hugh Grant; and Paradise Road starring Glenn
Close, for which Ms. Milliken won the Christopher
Award.
In addition to producing, in 1980, Ms. Milliken set up the
Australian operation of the completion guarantor, Film Finances,
and served as its representative for five years, building it into
one of the most successful completion guarantors in Australia. Ms.
Milliken is a past President and Vice President of the Screen
Producers' Association of Australia and was made a lifetime member
in 1991. She also served for five years as a member of the Federal
Government's appeals board of censorship in Australia, the Film and
Literature Board of Review.
In 1993, she was awarded the Australian Film Institute's Raymond
Longford Award for her contribution to the Australian film
industry. She served for five years on the Australian Film
Commission, including three and a half years as Chair of the
Commission.
Farscape Merchandise Information
ADV Films
Anime distributor ADV Films announced September 2000 has
acquired the rights to release Farscape on DVD in the US. Details
about extra features, cost, etc. are still being worked out, but
some news is excepted shortly.
Boxtree: Novels
•UK: Farscape 1: Ship of Ghosts
by David Bischoff. Publisher: Boxtree. Published 10 November,
2000
John Crichton would have answered the
distress call Moya received for altruistic reasons alone. However
his desperate alien shipmate fugitives had other plans. Survival!
Then Rygel recognized the ships markings. This race knew the
starways like the back of its ventral tentacle! However, inside the
alien ship the crew found instead a mystery wrapped up in an enigma
and shunted into a ghost-universe. Would Crichton, the wandering
Earthman, Rygel XVI the power mad schemer, Ka D'Argo the haunted
warrior, Pa'u Zotoh the exotic blue priestess and Aeryn Sun the
Peacemaker at war with herself, find the key that would take them
home? Or would the Ship of Dreams and ghosts add their troubled
souls to its grisly collection in a galaxy beyond Death itself?
•UK: Farscape 2: Dark Side of the Sun
by Jim Mortimore. Boxtree. Published 10 November
Following a disastrous trade agreement, Moya is forced to hide
inside a hollow world orbiting within a collapsing supergiant star.
Inside the planet a society of ocean-dwellers is threatened with
extinction. Clan war begins for possession of the only means of
escape. Millions of lives are at stake. But Moya is dying and a
cure can only be found at the heart of the sun. With their only
means of escape blocked by lethal traders, Moya and the crew must
race the death of a star to save the life of a world. The journey
will take Crichton to the depths of his soul, Rygel to the heights
of ecstasy and Moya to the dark side of the sun.
Contender Video
In the UK, Farscape is being released
on Contender Video. The releases are both video and DVD.
The first of the five DVD volumes went on sale from 28 February
2000 with four episodes per disc and subsequent volumes
appearing at seven-week intervals - 17 April, 5 June, 24
July and 11 September.
Disc one contains the series Premier, Throne For A Loss,
Back And Back And Back To The Future and I, ET. Each disc
will also feature specially created behind-the-scenes material.
Links to Amazon.co.uk
DVD
Farscape 5: Go
Creation: The Fan Club
The Farscape Fan Club from Creation will be
different from any other fan club run by the company - all the
material is being prepared by ex-DreamWatch editor Paul
Simpson and Ruth Thomas in the UK from interviews carried out at
the Burbank convention and later on from the set itself. Further
details on the Creation Entertainment home page.
Rittenhouse Archives
Announced in October 1999, Rittenhouse Archives has
released a six-card Preview set from Farscape, featuring Crichton,
Aeryn, Zhaan, D'Argo, Rygel and Pilot on their very first trading
cards. Only 1,999 sets, and each card in each set has been hand
numbered sequentially from 1-1,999.
Each set comes complete with matching numbered cards. Available
now for purchase from www.scifihobby.com Supplies
limited!
Rittenhouse Archives will produce several series of trading
cards and each series will be a limited and numbered edition to
enhance its collectibility and value. The cards will feature
photography and computer graphics from the TV series and
autographed cards signed by the actors themselves will be
distributed throughout the various series.
"I am extremely pleased that Rittenhouse Archives will be
producing the very first Farscape trading cards," said Steven M.
Charendoff, President of Rittenhouse Archives. "In its short time
on the air, Farscape has very quickly established itself as
one of the elite sci-fi programs on TV. More importantly, it has
all the qualities necessary for a successful line of trading cards
and other merchandise - it has great scripts, fabulous and
colourful characters and cutting-edge special effects."
Based in Elkins Park, PA, Rittenhouse Archives, Ltd. is a leading
manufacturer and marketer of science fiction trading cards and
related hobby collectibles. In addition to Farscape, Rittenhouse
currently holds licences for Star Trek and the classic Twilight
Zone television show.
Fans and collectors may visit Rittenhouse Archives on the Internet
at www.scifihobby.com, where they can register to receive
a free Farscape promotional card.
Slowdazzle Worldwide
Farscape Official 2001 Calendar
Available from Amazon.co.uk, click the above link.All Slow Dazzle calendars are also now available at CalendarMart.
Toy Vault
Will produce articulated and non-articulated
plastic figures and figural key chains for both speciality and
mass-market channels. This deal was also announced in October 1999.
The figures will have the likenesses of the hit show's characters
such as Commander John Crichton, Officer Aeryn Sun and General Ka
D'Argo
"Like every other red-blooded American, I grew up with the Jim
Henson characters," said Jon Huston, Creative Director of Toy
Vault. "And I'm a big science fiction fan, as well, so being
awarded the honour of producing figures from Farscape is a
dream come true, blending two of my great passions into one
project."
Founded in 1997, Toy Vault is a manufacturer of high-quality
action figures and other licensed toys. Toy Vault is best known for
its Middle-Earth toys line, based on JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the
Rings; they also hold licenses to such classic literary properties
as HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu and Michael Moorcock's Elric. Toy Vault
has offices in California and Kentucky.
"We are delighted to be partnering with Rittenhouse Archives and
Toy Vault on Farscape," said Richard Oren, Product Manager of Toys
and Collectibles in the Licensing division of The Jim Henson
Company. "Both licensees are leading manufacturers in their
respective categories and we feel they will bring fun, quality
products to the marketplace."
Titan Books
Farscape: the Illustrated Companion
by David Hughes, Paul Simpson. Paperback. Published 23 August,
2000
An authorized guide to the series featuring cast and crew
interviews, photos, design art and a chapter on the special effects
and a comprehensive season one episode guide.
Official websites:
The Official Farscape Site -- The Jim Henson Company
Also: Cliffie's GigaPoll - "The JIM HENSON COMPANY
"Farscape" Fansite " Survey
Recommended Fan Websites:
The John and Aeryn Site: Go
The Farscape Zone: Go
Farscape Bulletin Board:
The Unlimited Farscape BBoard @ www.ezboard.com
Sources include:
Broadcast, James Margititch, The Jim Henson Company Farscape
Fansite, Titan Books, TV Guide, TV Zone, Variety.
Back to the
Home Page
If you have
any further information on Farscape and its team, please
e-mail me at jfreeman@avaterra.com. Thanks!
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