‘Farscape’ TV series highlighted the magic of space exploration

Grant Nelson, Staff Writer

A TV show worth watching is the cult classic, “Farscape.” Originally airing on SciFi, this is a science fiction drama following a group of space fugitives fleeing two evil galactic empires in the midst of an arms race for cosmic super weapons.  

The show’s main character is an American astronaut named John Crichton who gets sucked through a wormhole into the other side of the universe filled with alien civilizations, ancient cosmic powers and action.  

The show is similar to “Star Wars,” with its creatures and cartoonish artistic style filled with space whimsy such as puppets and magic. 

The other characters are a mixed bag of space pirates: from bounty hunters to an exiled frog-like king to a priestess and a former soldier, who come to see each other as family and form their own faction in the war.  

The show is filled with fan service and nerd banter. It really delivers with story lines that make viewers think about modern issues like nuclear weapons in the form of wormhole weapons that could destroy the entire universe as two rival space powers vie for them.  

Vast and magical in its scope, the show takes us back to the space age of the ‘90s and the hope we had every time we thought about space travel. In the midst of today’s nihilism, I say watch this show and maybe learn to dream about space again.