Farscape
"Die, me Dichotomy"

Airdate: December 19, 2000

Crais and Tal'yn have located a doctor who may be able to help Moya heal. Everyone has pledged whatever is necessary of their new found wealth in order to accomplish this. Except perhaps John, who is rapidly deteriorating. The chip in his head is taking over, and Crichton is finding it harder and harder to fight.

Is this the end for Aeryn and John? Tune in to the next exciting installment to find out!

When the physician says he can help Moya -- for the right price -- things seem to be looking a little better. However, Scorpius' chip now has John doing things not in the best interest of himself or his friends -- several of whom he injures while trying to contact Scorpius for collection. (And there was me thinking that that mean Son of a Scarran had bought the farm last episode!)

It is determined that the doctor could remove the neural implant, but that the procedure might well kill Crichton after all. However, there does not seem to be much choice. Crichton gets the others to restrain him while the team finish their work with Moya -- he will then submit to the procedure.

Scorpius has other ideas though. The chip takes control of John and breaks free, once again transmitting the location of the Leviathan and her crew to the real Scorpius. Aeryn goes after John/Scorpius to either bring him back or kill him. Instead it is her prowler that crashes.

This accident is the catalyst that brings John back to himself and gets him to the operating table. Things go well and the doctor seems to be doing an excellent job... then the real Scorpius shows up and crashes the gig.

What can I say? This is one of those rip-your-guts-out episodes where you sit there afterwards in a state of shock for several minutes, if not longer. It seems that Aeryn is out of the game, poor John is left not only bereft of her, but making even less sense than usual and the rest of crew are considering what to do with their lives now.

Part of me really wants to say that I hated this episode, simply because of what happened -- but I can't. It was filled with the excellence we've come to expect from Farscape -- the story-line was gripping (in a mind numbing sort of way), the effects were excellent and the acting was superb. It's just that the way things were left leaves me a little shell-shocked and needing to know if things are really how they seem. (Part of me keeps saying "These guys like to frell with your mind -- everything will be all right". But part of me has doubts). All of which makes me desperate for the Season Three opener.

Which is of course, exactly the effect I imagine the writers were hoping for.

-- Muriel 'Mogs' Moore

Farscape airs at 8pm GMT Sundays on Sci Fi in the UK and Fridays at 9pm EST on the Sci Fi Channel in the US.

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