Farscape s01e01: Premiere

Episode

Season 1, episode 1 of Farscape^[2]

First aired

19 March 1999 on the Sci-Fi Channel^[2][3]

Network

Sci-Fi Channel (SciFi Friday)^[3]

Production

The Jim Henson Company with Hallmark Entertainment and the Nine Network^[3]

Protagonist

John Crichton, played by Ben Browder^[3]

Running time

48 minutes 16 seconds^[1]

Available on

The rights holder's own YouTube channel^[1]

What happens in "Premiere"?

The episode opens with Commander John Crichton preparing for a slingshot experiment while his father watches the launch from the ground.^[4] Soon after Crichton launches the Farscape 1 module, an electromagnetic wave strikes during the slingshot and pulls him off course.^[4] When he briefly reestablishes contact, he reports that he has been hit and that his engine will not respond to his commands.^[4]

Crichton's module is drawn aboard a large ship, where an alien named Ka D'Argo greets him and demands to know the nature of his technology.^[4] Rygel XVI explains that the crew stripped Crichton to inject him with translator microbes, the only way they can speak with him.^[4] Crichton introduces himself to Aeryn Sun as a scientist from Earth.^[4]

Meanwhile, Zhaan uses her priestess abilities to rip the control collar from Moya, freeing the living ship to perform a starburst escape.^[4] Captain Crais, in pursuit of Moya, learns that one of the chasing vessels was his brother's Prowler.^[4]

Aeryn Sun, a Peacekeeper officer played by Claudia Black, is a second new character who joins the crew on the same day as Crichton.^[3] Earlier in the flight, Crichton's capsule collided with a Peacekeeper fighter and killed its pilot, which is what draws Crais's pursuit.^[3]

0:00 Premiere The episode as published by the rights holder, from the start.

Memorable quotes

“I am not a peacekeeper”24:25

“X9 dive straight into the atmosphere 28 to 38° you got it do it if you got to do it more speed more speed to slingshot us out”41:12

“Dad it worked DK is in my theory it actually worked”45:20

In the episode

0:30 Pre-launch interview with John At the press event, John explains his gravity-assist experiment to reporters while his father watches nearby.

3:37 Launch broadcast begins Mission control announces the start of the slingshot experiment and gives John clearance to begin acceleration.

4:33 Mysterious wave detected Mission control reports an electromagnetic wave and orders John to abort the flight.

6:08 John re-establishes contact John calls in after the wave passes and reports he is still alive but cannot locate his team.

7:49 John is pulled off course John announces over the radio that his engines are unresponsive and he is being dragged away.

11:32 Aboard the alien prison ship John wakes up inside a holding cell on a Leviathan transport and is interrogated by alien guards.

13:34 Prisoners are freed A Luxan warrior rips out the nerve cluster holding the ship's control collar, allowing Moya to perform a starburst escape.

15:08 Captain Crais receives news Crais learns the Leviathan escaped and that his brother's Prowler was absorbed during the starburst.

21:03 Dominar Rigel explains himself A Sebacean royal wakes up without his clothes and explains to John that translator microbes were injected into him.

26:00 Landing on a commerce planet The newly freed crew approaches a Commerce Planet to resupply Moya and discuss their next move.

32:30 Peacekeeper pursuit announced A local contact warns John and Aeryn that a full Peacekeeper command carrier is incoming to recapture them.

36:34 John holds Aeryn at bay John uses a confiscated Peacekeeper weapon to keep Aeryn from escaping while he forces her to unlock his restraints.

40:00 High-speed atmospheric dive John manually pilots Moya toward the planet to slingshot around it and escape the pursuing carrier.

45:09 John records a message home With the carrier finally lost, John films a personal log for his family back on Earth.

Air date, credits and where to watch

Premiere first aired in the United States on 19 March 1999 on the Sci-Fi Channel, as part of its SciFi Friday lineup.^[2][3]

The episode can be watched here because the rights holder published it on its own YouTube channel on 19 July 2024; the upload runs about 48 minutes and 16 seconds.^[1] Its chapter markers run from "The experimental launch" at the start to "Lost in uncharted space" near the end.^[1]