Ratings
1.6 (US)
2.10 (UK)

Lani John Tupu.............Captain Bialar Crais
Wayne Pygram...............Scorpius
David Franklin.............Braca
Jennifer Fischer...........PK Nurse

Note: Episode 201 was originally produced as the season premiere. For a variety of reasons, the production team then decided to jump straight to episode 202 as the premiere, and episode 201 was reworked to fit into the episode lineup (as a flashback) later in the season.

Wassup?

Plotline whiplash!

Aeryn forges a temporary truce with Crais in order to save John and D'Argo -- who are somewhat less than appreciative -- and hopefully Talyn as well. With Moya's return, the crew seems to be back where they started, hiding in the asteroids with a PK task force on their tail. But Talyn has other ideas, which don't include patiently waiting...

Backstory

Reactions

Questions (none)

Observations (none)

Bloopers

1. Around the 38-minute mark, as Crais is implanted with the neural transponder, we briefly see the hand holding the implantation prop at the bottom of the screen.

Annotations

John: "D'Argo, shake it off. Come on, Rock, get off the canvas! You can do it. Rise and shine, up and at 'em. Break through. Man, this is getting old..."

There are split opinions on this one. A number of viewers took it as a reference to the professional wrestler known as The Rock. Others felt it was more likely a reference to the film series that began in 1976 with ROCKY, in which Sylvester Stallone plays Rocky Balboa, a no-name boxer with a shot at the title.

The argument between John and D'Argo during their rock-paper-scissors match, about whether or not paper beats rock, echoes a scene in TREMORS 2: AFTERSHOCKS, where the lead character asserts that rocks breaks through paper.

John: "You got a frog in your throat? You need a Hynerian Heimlich?"

Reference to the technique of clearing an airway obstruction, as introduced in 1974 by Dr. Henry J. Heimlich.

John: "Well, let's get that boy some guidance before he turns into a full-blown Menendez Brother."

After Talyn takes a shot at Moya in an effort to have Crais returned to him, John likens him to one of the Menendez Brothers, Lyle and Erik, who in 1996 were tried, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1989 murder of their parents.

Translator Microbe Report

Quotables

Comments from Cast & Crew

David Kemper (& Ben Browder), September 23, 1999

• Moderator: <Gmmas> to <Moderator> David: will Moyas baby need its own pilot?
  

  DavidKemper: You are so cool, dude. Again, not to be cryptic, but we aim to surprise, and will definitely cover that subject very soon. Good thinking.
  

• BlackTee: Hey David... is it true John does not appear in the opener for season one?
  BlackTee: And should I be lookin for a new job?
  

  DavidKemper: Those characters who survive the cliffhanger appear in the first episode.
  

Lani Tupu, November 8, 1999

• Moderator: <Ricks8> to <Moderator> Lani, which is you favorite episode?
  

  LaniTupu: Apart from That Old Black Magic, the last four episodes as a bunch are probably my favorite to date.
  LaniTupu: And, also, going into the 2nd series, there are some wonderful stories I'm working on now.
  LaniTupu: All I can say is that: hang on to your seats, the wait will DEFINITELY be worth it.
  

• Moderator: <Cheetah> to <Moderator> Q For Tupu: Do you and Ben Browder ever talk smack about your characters' on-stage battles?
  

  LaniTupu: The answer to that question is no....Ben and I arrive on set, literally, and square each-other off on set. So we never get together to talk about who's got the upper hand at that time. Unless it's in the context of the story.
  LaniTupu: The great thing about our characters is that there is a constant battle of wills, and that keeps it alive for us as actors.
  LaniTupu: And, in another context, I think Crais would welcome having someone like John Crichton around -- to bounce off each other, to be friends.
  

Gigi Edgley (Interview Published December 10, 1999)

• "It's interesting, because, just as you think you've sussed out the character, (the writers) introduce this whole other aspect, where you go, 'Oh, OK, so she can do this as well!'" says Edgley. "Like the other day, we did this beautiful scene, and there's sort of a supernatural characteristic that come out of her, which is fantastic, because since I've been on set, everyone's been saying, 'So, what alien things can she do?' And I said...'Well, she can sort of smell pheromones, and she can release it like nothing else.' And they're going, 'Yeah, but what other, like, spooky stuff?' And the other day she came up with a new little characteristic which was really nice. So, I hope they bring it up more. It's beautiful. It's very sort of physical stuff and...it's really fun stuff to play with. So, she's got some little surprises coming up which is great."

Richard Manning & Andrew Prowse, January 6, 2000

• Moderator: <PhantomComputer> to <Moderator>: But won't Moya's baby need a pilot???
  

  Andrew: i thought we'd skated over that one ..
  

  Ricky: An excellent question. I'm thrilled to be asked such a percepting and penetrating question. It shows a keen mind.
  Ricky: Next question.
  Ricky: Oh, all right. Ponder this, though: who "designed" Moya's baby?
  

• Moderator: <iseolt> to <Moderator>: Mr. Prowse - Welcome - and since the two of you seem to be enjoying yourselves and bantering back and forth - have you had trouble directing anything Mr. Manning has written??? :-)
  

  Ricky: Everything.
  

  Andrew: that was my line!!!
  Andrew: i've just directed my first episode written by mr manning and i'd have to say that h's the most brilliant writer in the room
  

  Ricky: He does have to say that.
  

  Andrew: we had a great time doing that ep.
  

  Ricky: Andrew and I never worked "directly" together in season 1;
  Ricky: Not by design, just luck of the draw.
  

  Andrew: .. however we frequently met and trashed everybody else's work
  Andrew: :-)
  

  Ricky: It was great to trash each other's work directly in season 2.
  

• Moderator: <PhantomComputer> to <Moderator>: To both of our guests...Were any of your favorite scenes in Farscape cut from the final version?
  

  Ricky: All of them.
  Ricky: Well, there's usually a couple things in each ep that unfortunately hit the cutting room floor because of time...
  Ricky: Andrew and I had a lovely D'Argo/Chiana moment in season 2 ep 2...poof.
  

Rockne S. O'Bannon, January 13, 2000

• Moderator: <slidecat> to <Moderator>: Now i heard that this 4 parter is somehow going to be concluded to the next season, thus making it like a six parter...is that true or just a vicious rumor to scare us half to death?
  

  Rockne: Torture is our business. Yes, there's a two-hour conclusion coming next March 17.
  

Gigi Edgley, January 20, 2000

• Moderator: <ev-n-ken> to <Moderator> welcome GIGI WE are so excited that they kept Chiana on as part of the crew. What future developments can we expect for her??
  

  GigiEdgley: I'm so excited that you're so excited.
  GigiEdgley: Chiana grins wickedly.
  * GigiEdgley giggles. *
  GigiEdgley: To answer the second part -- you'll have to wait and see.
  GigiEdgley: But there are a few more supernatural traits coming up in the next eps.
  

Gigi Edgley, January 24, 2000

• Question: What can we expect for Chiana in the second season?
  

  Gigi Edgley: You'll see her mature a lot for the most oddest reasons and you'll get a bit more of her back story. She'll soon be surprising you with a few alien feats that the writers have scripted in. And in general fighting for the crew as opposed to herself.
  

• Gigi Edgley: I love doing suspension acts. Hanging off ropes. Lots of movements. It was a means of support of me through University.
  

Claudia Black, January 26, 2000

• Question: Please, please, can you give us some info on Friday's finale?
  

  Claudia Black: Ha-ha! Patience, my friend. Patience. :) Some things from the final episode will not be resolved until the end of Episode 2, Season 2. So keep watching... :)
  

David Kemper, January 27, 2000

• Moderator2: <LadyJade> to <Moderator2>: Will there be an episode, on Aeryn Sun. I mean to give us information of her life before she came aboard Moya?
  

  DK: Ep. 2 next year. And 7. And 10. And 11.... You get the idea.
  

Ben Browder (Interview Published April 20, 2000)

• As the stranded-among-aliens Crichton, Ben plays a different kind of hero -- a regular guy who suddenly finds himself living in, for lack of a better reference point, a really twisted version of Star Trek. Crichton's come a long way since those shaky first few episodes, though. "Crichton's now a little insane, isn't he?" Ben laughs. "Crichton has gone native, you know? He's adapting to his environment, but he's not adapting entirely successfully. He has a little bit of stress in his life! It's interesting cause [in] season one, he starts out and he's completely incompetent.

  "And then he sort of reached a middle phase in the season, where his ideas aren't working so well, but he's becoming more competent and comfortable with the world, and actually becoming more stoic. So he gets competent, and then, at his most competent, he waltzes into the base, and Scorpius throws him in the chair. So basically, he gets his entire existence run before him, he gets tortured, Crais is smacking him around in the chair, and he's been mind-raped. And his reaction to that is kind of interesting, because, on the one hand, he's actually more emotional. He's freer with his emotions. He laughs more, and he yells more. But it's kind of off. He's overreacting to certain things, and not reacting to things that he should react to, which is a really interesting place to be. So, yeah, Crichton's a little nuts."

Virginia Hey, April 27, 2000

• Moderator: <truthseekr> to <Moderator> Whats the Delvian Ear Kiss feel like and how can I get me some of that?
  

  Virginia: It feels like an electric shock, just look at John's face to see the experience, thanks truthseekr :)
  

• Moderator: <DaleQuan> to <Moderator> Hi, I've noticed that your character has developed almost maternal feelings for her shipmates and cares deeply for them and seeks to escape reality through the seek how do you feel about Zhaan's apparent inability to deal with her
  Moderator: own fears by hiding behind the seek.
  

  Virginia: Hello DaleQuan, what an excellent question but pursuing the seek is not used as an excuse for avoidance. Don't forget Zhaan is a priest of the tenth level, she has devoted her life to spiritual enlightenment. Part of her quest involves day to day relationship investments, she by no means avoids this but it may seem the case whilst she is in a meditative state. XXX
  

Ben Browder (Interview Published May 2000)

• ...early in the second season, Crichton and company are together again and back on the run. [...]

  "A lot of season two for Crichton has been his dealing with the problems of going native," he adds. "It's not an easy journey for him, and I don't think it should be. He still has a lot of difficulties. Despite the fact that he's more comfortable in his surroundings and with the people on Moya, it's still a very dangerous and turbulent universe for him."

Richard Manning, June 1, 2000

• Moderator: <Thinkum>: Toward the end of "Mind the Baby", Crais told Scorpius that he'd killed Crichton -- was this evidence of Crais actually starting to spare some thought for others' well being? Or were you just yanking our chain during your January chat, when you said "...Crais is a sweetie at heart. If he could just get over the dead brother thing, he just might turn out to be a decent bloke. Albeit a decent Peacekeeper bloke."? ;-)

  FrooniumRicky: Would I yank your chain?
  FrooniumRicky: You could interpret Crais's action a couple of ways, certainly...
  FrooniumRicky: MIGHT have been just a shot at Scorpius, hoping to throw Scorpy off track...
  FrooniumRicky: Might also have been SOME small attempt to "atone" for his pursuit of Crichton...
  FrooniumRicky: Guess we'll just have to see where Crais goes in the remaining episodes...

• Moderator: <PhantomComputer>: Mr. Manning, what is your favorite scene from Farscape.. that ended up on the cutting room floor?

  FrooniumRicky: Very good question.
  FrooniumRicky: (which means "I gotta THINK about that one... lemme stall for a second and collect my thoughts...")
  FrooniumRicky: There was a nice little D'Argo/Chiana scene in "Mind the Baby" that we had to lose simply for lack of time...
  FrooniumRicky: One of their early flirts.
  FrooniumRicky: And my mind has gone completely blank, so I'll stop there.

• Moderator: This question is popular!
  Moderator: <Ooshati> to <Moderator>: Good Evening. When will Crais (and hopefully Talyn) come back?
  Moderator: <passionsfool>: Sorry if this has been asked... Any plans for Crais and Talyn?

  FrooniumRicky: Soooooooon.
  FrooniumRicky: Loads of plans.
  FrooniumRicky: We didn't build that lovely Talyn Bridge set for nothin'...
  FrooniumRicky: And you don't think we'd let a terrific actor like Lani Tupu out of our clutches for TOO long, do you?

• Bouncer: *Gmmas* Why did Talyn choose Crais? And who is really in charge?

  FrooniumRicky: Two Good Questions. My view: Talyn's a Peacekeeper-bred gunship.
  FrooniumRicky: He'd naturally choose a PK Captain, a strong father figure.
  FrooniumRicky: With the neural interface, Crais is "in control" of Talyn...
  FrooniumRicky: But let's not forget Aeryn's words: "You cannot command a Leviathan, you can only persuade."
  FrooniumRicky: We have yet to see whether Crais will be able to command Talyn for very long...

• FrooniumRicky: As you may've noticed from the titles of other eps, we're certainly not above "borrowing" a title here and there...
  FrooniumRicky: or, worse yet, punning on a title.
  FrooniumRicky: (Applause to the first person who can tell me whence I nicked the title "Won't Get Fooled Again"...)
  

  Bouncer: first one in was: *PyeCat* the Who

  FrooniumRicky: PyeCat wins!
  FrooniumRicky: "Mind the Baby", however, was (as far as I know) original (okay, semi-original... if I stole it, I didn't do so Consciously).

Farscape Season Two Wrap, June 15, 2000

• Moderator: <ZenBridge> to <Moderator>: Ben delivers his lines so flawlessly sometimes. I've got to know WHO came up with the ".... But you don't get to keep the Porche!" as well as a few other choice/memorable lines.

  FrooniumRicky: what a great line
  FrooniumRicky: Give the writer of that line a raise, I say

  Kemper: That line came from Ricky's twisted mind... however HE read it off a milk carton.

• Moderator2: <Amra> to <Moderator2>: Ben. Is it true that you really do resort to the rocks scissors paper game when you have to settle disputes on set?

  Ben: Depends... arm wrestling... fist fights... Parlimentary Debates... and coin tosses have all been used to decide major things like... should John and Areyn kiss.
  Ben: I lost... Claudia is a lot stronger than she looks.

Pilot, with Sean Masterson (Puppeteer) & Lani Tupu (Voice of Pilot), July 13, 2000

• Moderator: <Trinity26> to <Moderator>: Hello Lani! After seeing 'Mind The Baby' it seems Crais would one day like a home and family, do you believe this was the reason for the "mid-life crisis"?

  LaniTupu: Hi Trinity26, yes absolutely! Unlike Aeryn he had a family, he knew his parents and his brother.

David Kemper, with Richard Manning & Ben Browder ("Bruno"), August 17, 2000

• Moderator: <Spyral> to <Moderator>: Hi David, I a chat after last season, Gigi made a comment about Chiana developing some sort of extrasensory powers of some sort over the course of this season, but other than the "Tinkerbell" leap in the season opener, we haven't seem anything like this. Can you comment on that?

  Kemper: Chiana's extrasensory powers -- such as they are -- are still percolating
  Kemper: beneath that gorgeous, thick skin.