FARSCAPE - SEASON 1, COLLECTION 1 (STARBURST EDITION)

Farscape - Season 1, Collection 1 (Starburst Edition)

DVD Features:

Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
2-Disc Set - Keep Case
Dual Side
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
---Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
---Dolby Digital 2.0 - English
Disc 1 - Side A: Volume 1 - "Premiere", "I, E.T."
Additional Release Material:
---Audio Commentary - 1. Rockne S. O'Bannon - Creator, Brian Henson - Executive Producer, Ben Browder - Star ("Premiere")
--- 2. Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe - Stars ("I, E.T.")
Text/Photo Galleries:
---FARSCAPE Facts by Paul Simpson - Author
---The Farscape Chronicles: "Premiere", "I, E.T."
---Alien Encounters
Disc 1 - Side B: Volume 1 - "Exodus from Genesis", "Throne for a Loss"
Additional Release Material:
---Audio Commentary - 1. Brian Henson - Executive Producer, Virginia Hey - Star ("Exodus from Genesis")
--- 2. Ben Browder, Claudia Black - Stars ("Throne for a Loss")
Text/Photo Galleries:
---FARSCAPE Facts by Paul Simpson - Author
---The Farscape Chronicles: "Exodus from Genesis", "Throne for a Loss"
---Alien Encounters
Disc 2 - Side A: Volume 1 - "Back and Back and Back to the Future", "Thank God It's Friday...Again", "PK Tech Girl"
Additional Release Material:
---Audio Commentary - 1. Ben Browder - Star, Rowan Woods - Director ("Back and Back and Back to the Future")
--- 2. Anthony Simcoe - Star, Rockne S. O'Bannon - Creator ("Thank God It's Friday...Again")
--- 3. Ben Browder, Claudia Black - Stars ("PK Tech Girl")
Text/Photo Galleries:
---FARSCAPE Facts by Paul Simpson - Author
---The Farscape Chronicles: "Back and Back and Back to the Future", "Thank God It's Friday...Again", "PK Tech Girl"
---Alien Encounters
Disc 2 - Side B: Volume 1 - Extras
Additional Release Material:
---Documentary - 1. "Making of a Space Opera"
--- 2. "In the Beginning: A Look Back with Brian Henson"
--- 3. "From the Archives: Early Makeup Tests"
---Additional Footage - 1. Video Profile: John Crichton
--- 2. Video Profile: Aeryn Sun
---Trailers - 1. FARSCAPE trailers
--- 2. ADV Previews
Text/Photo Galleries:
---Production Design Gallery
---Character Art Gallery
---Conceptual Art Gallery: Crichton, Aeryn

Release Info:
--2-Disc Set Starburst Edition
--Color Film
--Year Released: 1999
--RunTime: 350 Min.
--Release Language: English
--Original Language: English

Movie: * * *
Disc:    * * * ½

It’s Buck Rogers meets the Muppets. In space.

But now I’m being nasty because there’s more to Farscape than aliens with very distinct Aussie accents. Boasting some unexpected humour and fun pop cultural references along with ambitious alien designs (courtesy of Jim Henson studio), unexpectedly good CGI effects and clever production designs, it is easy to see why this show is so popular with the sci-fi community.

Astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) is flung to a distant galaxy via a wormhole during an experimental flight in a spaceship that suspiciously resembles Steve Austin’s doomed vehicle (what were they thinking?). He teams up with a group of diverse intergalactic fugitives fleeing the so-called “peacekeepers”, a fascistic race resembling humans who is hired by other races to maintain law and order in the galaxy.

So far, so . . . Firefly. Or Blake’s 7, if you’re older. In fairness, Farscape actually predates Firefly, and while it isn’t exactly as good as Firefly, it’s all very watchable stuff, but no major shakes.

THE DISCS: I know, I know: it’s unfair of me to judge any TV show based on only the first seven episodes. After all, shows such as Babylon 5 and The Simpsons didn’t achieve their true greatness until later seasons. Still, I’m intrigued enough after watching these seven episodes to want to check out further episodes on disc to see how it all plays out.

In this sense, these so-called “Starburst” DVD editions are perfect for newbies wanting to check out the series. As far as I can tell, this is the third time that this series has made its way to disc, and this latest incarnation seems to be the best with improved video transfers and new extras.

The biggest bonus is however that it is the cheapest to date: with Season 1, Collection 1 you get seven episodes on two double-sided discs for a mere US$22 or so. If you were to buy the entire Season 1 this way it’d work you out $62.45, almost half the price of the complete Season One box set, which retails at $US119! (All prices quoted are those of Amazon.com’s.)

WORTH IT? Do the maths.

RECOMMENDATION: If you’re a newbie, then this is the most economical way to see what the fuss is about regarding this show and the recent Farscape – Peacekeeper Wars mini-series (what if you don’t like it?).

If you’re a fan and you don’t already own Season One, then ignore the complete box set and go for the three cheaper and better “Starburst” DVD editions instead. If you already own Season One on older DVD incarnations, then I’d be mightily irked because this is much, much cheaper . . .