Episode Report Card Couch Baron: C+ | 1 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT Next Time, Just Count To Ten
By Couch Baron | Season 1 | Episode 14 | Aired on 07.29.1999
On Moya, Aeryn comes across Zhaan, who's chanting in her native tongue, seemingly in a trance. Aeryn tells her to wake up, and Zhaan opens her eyes and, irritatingly cheerily, says she wasn't asleep, but merely increasing her work efficiency with some sort of Delvian chant. I'd chew Zhaan out for being so Smurfy, but I suppose if anyone has a built-in excuse, it's her. I admit I'd still find it hard to suppress an eye-roll, but even though it's difficult in practice, I think we'd all agree that the best way to deal with such Smurfiness is not to acknowledge it. And that's exactly what Aeryn does, and God love her for it. Aeryn shows Zhaan a map that Pilot just produced, or a "topographic bioprint," as Zhaan calls it. Zhaan says it's a good start, but it's still too generalized, so they need to isolate the most highly developed organisms. Aeryn notes that that rules out the three they're looking for, which is brilliant, but it's Zhaan's offhand sigh of "Yes" that perfectly rounds off the snark. Hee. Aeryn advances the idea that they need to shield a power source, build it into a projectile, and send it to the planet. She charges Zhaan with finding the right spot: "You locate the target, and I'll hit it." These two work well enough together, it certainly seems to me. Of course, they'll probably work even better together once Aeryn realizes that all she needs to keep Zhaan in a good mood is to carry a powerful lamp around with her.
On the planet, Crichton is in the middle of relating what happened to him. D'Argo notes that Crichton thought he would be there the rest of his life, and Crichton says he still does. That's not putting a whole lot of faith in the remaining crew of Moya, but I suppose after Aeryn's bitchy comment, the karma needed some evening up. Crichton goes on that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be stuck on that planet, and somewhat belaboredly lists everything that's happened to him since the show started. He gets to, "I've had alien creatures in my face, up my nose, inside my brain, down my pants... " It took a while, but he's finally got my full attention. D'Argo looks turned on by the "down my pants" part, not that I blame him or am at all surprised, and Crichton says this is the first place he's found peace...
... which makes the ensuing cut to Rygel both subtle and hilarious. He's snoring away as Lisala approaches. Crichton and D'Argo pop up to greet her, and D'Argo tells her not to be afraid. Lisala is still wary, and asks why he attacked Rokon. D'Argo bites out that he was saving Crichton's life, and after Crichton gives him a "Thanks, big boy, but I'll take it from here" look, he stomps off. Lisala short-bussily asks why Rokon would want to hurt him, and upon hearing the answer, she kisses Crichton. The kiss is unreciprocated, but you have to take into account that D'Argo's still in sight. Lisala offers to take them to her father so Crichton can convince him that D'Argo isn't a threat...