OK, so I missed the classic "Won't Get Fooled Again" but I'm SO glad I caught this one.

The scene where Crighton gets "cleansed" was worth the price of admission alone.

I really liked the set up for when the peaceful Aeryn walks in, instead of what we are expecting.

Chiana holds her own, which is good to see. It was a bit convenient that the Nebari guy was there to help everyone out.

Loved Crighton's valley girl impersonation.

So, we learn something knew about Chiana's back story, get to have a snicker at Aeryn and are treated to silliness ala Crighton?

10 outta 10.

I am such a sucker for back story episodes! It was funny to see people apologizing. Especially in the beginning with Aeryn, it was like, "And you are????"

And Sparky being shady and double crossing as usual. I wonder if they have stuffed animals of him.

It was cool to see that Harvey (Scorpy) was good for something.

I was kind of hoping that Chiana would get a reunion with her brother, but that would have been too dangerous. I was also hoping she'd be the one to kill Varla. Or at that at least she'd get to give her a good Mike Tyson, but at least the witch is dead.

Hey, Pip
Hi, Argy

I can only agree, here.

This is one of those eps I like to call my 'painful favourites'. Not quite up there with masterpieces like 'The Way We Weren't' and 3rd season's 'The Choice' but still a testament to top notch drama outside the usual realms of SF clichés.

Besides, it's bloody perfect as a sequel to 1st season's 'Durka's Return'.
Has there ever been a more effective introduction of a new main character than Chi's?
We still don't even know if she killed Salis, the man with the creepiest voice ever.
("Remain Calm...")
Seems our much loved resident Nebari remains a riddle to be considered.


The Aeryonaut

You know one of my favourite parts of "The Way We Weren't"?

The brief yet hostile glipse we get of Zhaan.

I really like that the most peaceful character on Moya has such a dark undercurrent.

hooked
Argy

Oh, yes, Zhaan's past has quite a few dark corners. Not everyone was unjustly imprisoned by the Peacekeepers. According to what she revealed to D'Argo in the pilot, she's been 'quite an anarchist' in her youth. (she was imprisoned for murder)
Some 1st season eps go deeper into that. (That Ole Black Magic' and 'Rhapsody In Blue')
She gained her priesthood in 30 cycles of captivity on her own by something she calls 'The Delvian Seek'. At the time of the escape she was a 9th Level Pa'U. The 10th she gained through something quite different and disturbing for her, which made her shed the robe again and put the seek on perhaps permanent hold. (late S1)
You've seen S2's opener 'Mind The Baby', where she suddenly was in full Seek-Mode again at the worst possible moment. That this wasn't explained very well had to do with the fact that originally there was another ep shot as season opener - the rather slow 'Dream A Little Dream', telling what happened to Moya's crew before their return to the Asteroid field.

It's amazing how complex and downright riskey the characters had already been built up during the first eps, and they certaily weren't pulling any punches on that score.

SPOILER on S1's 'DNA MAD SCIENTIST'

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This very early ep had Zhaan, D'Argo and Rygel so hot on getting their hands on a star chart to find their way home that they were prepared to trade something quite unique to get it.
Let's just say, I never ever want to see again how Pilot get's one of his arms hacked off by his 'friends'.
It's an awesome, but highly disturbing ep.
(The icky Aeryn action figure came from there)


The Xenatizer