Farscapehasn’t been on TV screens since the end of 2004’sPeacekeeper Warsminiseries, but hearing what the space opera’s creator would do if given the chance to revive it makes me even more desperate for more. Although it had a devoted following at the time of broadcast, the show’s lengthy absence from the airwaves has resulted inFarscapefalling into relative obscurity. That being said, it hasn’t stopped the cast and crew from daydreaming about whatFarscape’s comeback could look like one day.
Created by Rockne S. O’Bannon and starting in 1999,Farscaperan for four seasons before being canceledin 2003. It was then awarded a two-part miniseries after an outcry from fans to wrap up the loose ends as effectively as it could. Some ofFarscape’s best characterswere designed by the Jim Henson company, offering the puppets a grittier, sci-fi look that didn’t stray all that far from the Muppets.Farscapeis one of thoseunderappreciated sci-fi shows, and I loved its weird aesthetic and trippy storylines. A comeback isn’t confirmed, butO’Bannon clearly had a solid plan in place.
Rockne S. O’Bannon Has Confirmed He Would Only Ever Continue Farscape, Not Reboot It
Farscape’s next era would be a direct continuation of the original run
Sci-fi ages about as quickly as any genre, andFarscapeisn’t immune to the ravages of time. Elements of the show are very dated from a visual perspective, and a complete aesthetic overhaul on similar projects has happened in the past. What usually follows close behind a creative decision like this is a hard reset of the franchise, essentially wiping out most of the established canon and starting again. Thankfully, O’Bannon has gone on record (viaSyfy) as saying he would only ever make moreFarscapeepisodes as a continuation of the original era, not as a standalone reboot.
Ben Browder, who played John Crichton throughoutFarscapealso weighed in on the matter. He echoed O’Bannon’s sentiments that a continuation ofFarscapewould be his first choice rather than a hard reboot. The actor dubbed his casting inFarscapeas the “opportunity of a lifetime,” and that he would like to see where the characters are today after such a lengthy period off the air.
Farscape’s Creator Is Right About The Space Opera’s 20+ Year Hiatus
O’Bannon could benefit from the unplanned break
A show being left to gather dust for over two decades means there’s a good chance a revival wouldn’t work. Then again, there can be huge advantages in a scenario like this, andRockne S. O’Bannon sounds primed to capitalize on the potential positives. He has implied that the amount of time that has passed in the real world sinceFarscape’s ending would mirror the unseen years within the world of the show. There would be a lot to catch up on if this were the case, but that only makes the thought of aFarscaperevival even more appealing.
Episode
IMDb
“Into the Lion’s Den: Part 2 - Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”
3
21
9.0/10
2
22
8.8/10
5
8.6/10
“Liars, Guns and Money: Part 3: Plan B”
15
However, even O’Bannon admits that the unplanned hiatus was never intended - nor is it “something you would ever plan to do.” If aFarscaperevival were to be given the green light by Syfy, the show’s creator would be capitalizing on a time jump that wasn’t part of the original blueprint. Although the space opera has continued in comic books and other media, the show proper concluded in 2004 withThe Peacekeeper Wars. Either way,I’m sure I’m not alone in my desire for O’Bannon to get the chance to bringFarscapeback.
Farscape needs a little updating, but shouldn’t have its legacy erased
Despite being used interchangeably in popular culture, “reboot” and “revival” mean different things. A “reboot” is a completely new version of a pre-existing show, often with no canonical connections to the original. It almost always looks very different too. A “revival” is set within the same continuity as the original show, often with returning cast members and a sizable time jump. O’Bannon doesn’t seem interested in the former, and actually seems actively opposed to it.
Farscape’s original run had a unique charm that none of its contemporaries could match, and there still hasn’t been another show that has looked or felt quite like it. One of the main focuses for aFarscaperevival should be to recapture that magic, not replace the various components with modern-day equivalents. For example, if the puppets were ever to be replaced with CGI assets, it just wouldn’t feel likeFarscapeanymore - and that’s just one of many alterations that would likely happen if the show were to be completely rebooted.
