10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About Farscape
Grab some fellip nectar and prepare to Starburst.
It's been over 20 cycles (years) since Farscape premiered to the world, introducing fans across the globe to IASA astronaut John Crichton, former Peacekeeper soldier Aeryn Sun, Luxan warrior Ka D'argo, and the rest of the living ship Moya's (quite literally) colorful crew.
The creation of Rockne S. O'Bannon and Brian Henson (yes, THAT Henson) Farscape was an ambitious venture with large set pieces and featuring animatronic puppets by The Jim Henson Company. But the show wasn't dependent on visuals to carry the weight. Its finest work was with its characters and storytelling, breathing new life into the familiar lost in space tropes.
Unafraid to show all sides of humanity, even in non-human lifeforms, Farscape puts its characters and its audience through the wringer. Emotions ranged from laughing out loud to intense anger to heartbreaking grief, but fans wouldn't have it any other way.
During its four season run, the show won numerous awards including three Saturn Awards for Best Syndicated/Cable TV Series, but seemed to fade from SciFi Television history as its contemporaries (Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Galactica) went on to surpass it.
But Farscape's fanbase, lovingly known as Spacers, will be the first to sing the show's praises, welcoming new fans young and old. The show may not be a household name, but its influences can still be found if one knows where to look.
Prepare for spoilers.
10. Zhaan...the Man?
Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan is the blue, Delvian priestess who tried her best to keep the peace aboard Moya while hiding her own dark past. She fulfilled not only the calming role amongst the group, but also a motherly figure, who wasn't afraid to bare all. She was a fan favorite who left the show during the third season, breaking the hearts of thousands of Scapers.
Actress Virginia Hey revealed in interviews she left due to health problems caused by the extensive makeup, including facial paralysis on the left-hand side of her face by the end of the first season and kidney damage. She's even stated in interviews that her intention was never a permanent exit, but lesser involvement. When it was announced that Farscape was cancelled, she was a major voice of encouragement to the fanbase, urging them to continue their crusade to save the show.
It's hard to imagine Zhaan any other way. Which made quite the impact on fans when the episode "John Quixote" aired. The episode featured Zhaan looking quite different. Instead of the lithe, soft-spoken Delvian fans knew and loved, Zhaan was presented as a tall, Buddha-like man.
A brief glimpse of what could have been. Early concept of the beloved Ninth-level Pa'u originally envisioned the priestess as a priest. Even after the change to female, Zhaan was almost known as Zenn with skin that changed color depending on her emotions, instead of the instantly recognizable blue.