Won't Get Fooled Again

Ratings
1.7 (US)
2.35 (UK)

Kent McCord................Jack Crichton
Wayne Pygram...............Scorpius
Lani Tupu..................Capt. Bialar Crais
Carmen Duncan..............Leslie Crichton
Murray Bartlett............DK
Thomas Holesgrove..........Grath

Wassup?

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Backstory

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Annotations

Australia is commonly referred to by its nickname, "Oz" -- which lends additional humorous significance to the Oz references throughout this episode.

Jack: Hey, how you feelin'?
John: Hot...dizzy...kinda feel like I've been hit by a house.

The first of six references in this episode to the 1939 film THE WIZARD OF OZ, in which Dorothy Gale's arrival in Oz is marked by her house falling on the Wicked Witch.

John [whistles, then says]: "Won't get fooled again."

This is from the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" (lyrics, mp3 clip) by The Who, from their album WHO'S NEXT:

"I'll tip my hat to the new constitution,
Take a bow for the new revolution.
Smile and grin at the change all around.
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday.
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again."

John: "The Ancients? Nah, they picked my brain already. Maldis? Uh uh. Not his style. Not Gothic enough. Delvians. Mmm...yeah, Occam's Razor. Tahleen and her wacky bunch. Come out, come out, wherever you are, and see the young man who fell from the star."

The last sentence above is the second of the Oz references in this episode. It's the beginning of a song by Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, to introduce the Munchkins to Dorothy:

Come out, come out, wherever you are
And meet the young lady who fell from a star.
She fell from the sky, she fell very far,
And Kansas, she says, is the name of the star.

Occam's Razor is a principle of logic by which the most likely answer is the one with the fewest assumptions.

John: "Dig your style, Ringo."
Scorpy-chip: "John, we haven't got much time."

John is confusing the Scorpy-chip with the faux Scorpius character in the virtual scenario. Since the latter plays a drummer in the lounge band, John is referring to him by the name of the drummer in The Beatles, Ringo Starr.

John: "Scorpy. You don't fit the pattern. You got no Halloween costume, got no assumed name, you're not playing a role. That suggests something to me...suggests that you are the man behind the curtain!"

Oz reference #3 herein. When Dorothy and her companions spot the real Wizard controlling the phony "Great and Powerful Oz" from a curtained booth, the phony Oz thunders: "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

John: "Look, somebody is gaslighting me."

A reference George Cukor's 1944 film GASLIGHT -- itself a remake of a 1940 British film, both based upon ANGEL STREET, a play by Patrick Hamilton. The 1944 version, starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman, is the best known. In it, Boyer plots to drive his wife Bergman insane.

The above-linked web site says: "Its title is derived from two items: the frequent dimming and flickering of the gaslights, and the phrase 'to gaslight' someone." The first is true, but the second is not. The term "to gaslight" comes from the film (or play), not the other way around.

John: "Ho, hey, fellas. Meet the new boss. Not the same as the old boss."

A slight twist on the last line of the Who song "Won't Get Fooled Again", which goes: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

John: "So that's the play? The play. The play, the play is the thing."

From Shakespeare's HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK, Act II, Scene 2:

"[...] I'll have these players
Play something like the murder of my father
Before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks;
I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench,
I know my course. The spirit that I have seen
May be the devil: and the devil hath power
To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps
Out of my weakness and my melancholy,
As he is very potent with such spirits,
Abuses me to damn me: I'll have grounds
More relative than this: the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

John: "I reenact my initial mission. I show you how I create the giant blue twister that sucks me down to Oz."

John's description of the wormhole is Oz reference #4, this time to the fact that Dorothy was brought from Kansas to Oz via tornado.

When John enters D. Logan's office for the second time, one of the pictures he looks at depicts Gary Ragle riding astride the space shuttle. This is possibly a nod to the 1964 film DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB, in which a character rides a missile to its destination.

Officer Crais [holding a dog]: "I like your style hombre, but this is no laughing matter. Assault on a police officer. Theft of police property. Illegal possession of a firearm. Five counts of attempted murder. That comes to...$29.40. Cash, check, or credit card?" [hands John a citation, then speaks to dog] "Toto."

Oz reference #5. Toto, of course, being Dorothy's dog.

John: "You're Harvey. Or is it Clarence? Guardian Angel? Invisible rabbit? Harvey? Harvey. Does the Scarran know you're here?"

"Harvey" is the six-foot invisible rabbit companion of Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) in the 1950 film HARVEY. "Clarence" is Clarence Oddbody (Henry Travers), guardian angel to George Bailey (Stewart, again) in Frank Capra's 1946 film IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

Officer Crais: "Freeze! You're under arrest. You have the right to the remains of a silent attorney. If you cannot afford one...tough noogies. You can make one phone call. I recommend Trixie: 976-Triple 5-LOVE. Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you? Well, do you, punk?!"

Crais initially gives Crichton a rather twisted version of the Miranda Rights; the actual rights, which must be read to any individual being placed under arrest in the United States, are:

1. You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand?
2. Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand?
3. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. Do you understand?
4. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. Do you understand?
5. If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Do you understand?
6. Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present?

Next is a pair of telephone references. The "976" area code is used in the United States by various companies offering phone sex, 'psychic' readings, or other services for which callers pay by the minute. And, television and film productions in the U.S. typically use the "555" exchange in order to avoid sparking a flurry of calls to unsuspecting individuals who happen to have the same number as that mentioned in a teleplay; that exchange is not used for subscribing customers, but rather for phone companies' internal communications.

The last sentence in the above quote is from a speech in the 1971 film DIRTY HARRY. Detective Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) holds a felon at gunpoint and says:

"I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"

Finally, during this sequence, "Officer Crais" is wearing red pumps, as Oz reference #6 ("ruby slippers").

Leslie Crichton [dressed in negligee and acting seductive]: "Such a fascinating library you have. Such wonderful, informative books. THE OEDIPUS COMPLEX? I'm not sure...I...grasp that concept. Could you, ah...explain it to me, Johnny?"

Sigmund Freud devised the concept of the Oedipus Complex to explain how certain neuroses were the result of unresolved sexual feelings of a child toward the parent of the opposite sex.

It's named after the title character in the play OEDIPUS REX (synopsis, entire play) who, unknowingly, marries his mother Jocasta after killing his father.

Translator Microbe Report

Quotables

Comments from Cast & Crew

Justin Monjo & Rowan Woods, May 11, 2000

• Moderator: <Olympiafishhead> to <Moderator>: First off, you both Rock! ..and you must know that there is alot of females out here in fan land that would just love to see Aeryn and Chiana get together..any chance?
  Moderator: (possibly some males, too)
  

  JustinMonjo: There is one of the craziest eps you are ever likely to see coming up. Just about anything you can imagine and maybe more.
  JustinMonjo: Ep 14 written by Ricky Manning.
  

  Moderator: Crazier than Scorpy in a [spoiler]?
  Moderator: (that was for the UK fans still up at 2:30am!)
  

  JustinMonjo: You haven't seen crazy until you
  JustinMonjo: you've seen ep 14
  JustinMonjo: or may 15, not sure of the order yet
  

• Moderator: <MarylandJKoba> to <Moderator>: Justin, we all enjoyed "Crackers Don't Matter". How much of that was your brilliant writing, and how much was the actors ad-libbing?
  Moderator: <LittleLeviathan> to <Moderator>: Not to be too effusive, but I LOVED CRACKERS DON'T MATTER. Just a question though...was it as fun to make as it was to watch?
  

  JustinMonjo: It was fun, great to be able to just go crazy....if you liked that one we go that way again in episode 9 this year then ep 14 or 15 tops the lot... you'll love it!!!
  

• Moderator: <Leonard> to <Moderator>: In the vein of the question about directing -- what are some of the biggest "chances" you have taken in directing farscape?
  

  RowanWoods: The thing that's cool about the show is the fact that Kemper, Rockne, Ricky and the line producers actually bank on you taking risks.
  RowanWoods: Every show is sort of like a feature film -- there's no clearly identifiable house style, as yet.
  RowanWoods: So you get on the floor and go for it.
  RowanWoods: That whole concept of where we were with Farscape hit me on ep 16 last year.
  RowanWoods: when we had to shift our emphasis from sunny Australia to dark Australia.
  RowanWoods: and then it was a pleasure going into ep 19, Nerve,
  RowanWoods: with that sort of risk-taking ethos, with all of those around you taking the same risks.
  RowanWoods: Nerve was such a cool ep for me.
  RowanWoods: And the Ricky Manning ep that I'm doing now in season 2
  RowanWoods: which will air as 14 or 15, I'm not sure,
  RowanWoods: is probably the most insane risk taking by a writer that I've ever, ever had the pleasure to direct.
  RowanWoods: you'll have to see it to believe it.
  

Richard Manning, June 1, 2000

• Moderator: <ceallaig>: good evening Mr. Manning. I've asked this at several chats and have yet to get a straight answer -- will we EVER find out about John's mother, like is she still alive? If so, it's gonna frell a whole lotta fanfic .....

  FrooniumRicky: Good evening, all, and good evening ceallaig! (hope I pronounced that right)
  FrooniumRicky: Yes, you WILL find out about Crichton's mother...
  FrooniumRicky: In a manner of speaking.

• Moderator: <Dabee>: Hi, Richard! Thanks for being with us! Loved Nerve! And Mind the Baby....have you written any of the other eps coming up this season?

  FrooniumRicky: Hi, Dabee!
  FrooniumRicky: Yup, I've got one more in the pipeline...
  FrooniumRicky: It's called "Won't Get Fooled Again" and it's kind of on the slightly bizarre side.
  FrooniumRicky: Directed by the phenomenal Rowan Woods.

• Moderator: <B-S-O-D>: good evening, I just wanted to ask, if things are going to continually getting darker, over the last season, the mood has been getting heavier and heavier, and the plot lines darker. Is this just the tip of the iceberg or are things going to lighten up again soon

  FrooniumRicky: We have been getting darker, 'tis true...
  FrooniumRicky: But there are some lighter shows coming up in the mix as well.
  FrooniumRicky: We like 'em both.
  FrooniumRicky: Still, Crichton's going through a LOT of stuff this season...
  FrooniumRicky: Has to get worse before it gets better.
  FrooniumRicky: Ditto the Crichton/Aeryn relationship...
  FrooniumRicky: We hope we don't get TOO existential on you, though.

• Bouncer: *stargatetravler1* We heard from Justin that you wrote a very wild (crazy) ep. (either 14 or 15 depending on air date). Just how wild is it, and how much fun was it to do?

  FrooniumRicky: That would be "Won't Get Fooled Again" and it is extreeeeeemely wild. I had a blast, Rowan Woods had a blast, the cast had a blast and a half. How Wild Is It, you ask?
  FrooniumRicky: (trying to find a good non-spoiler tease...)
  FrooniumRicky: (nope, I don't have one.)
  FrooniumRicky: Let's just say... it's very wild.
  FrooniumRicky: (Oh. Rygel smokes a cigar. That's how wild.)

• 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).
  FrooniumRicky: "Nerve" is actually the title of Dick Francis's first novel (my wife's a Dick Francis fan), but it seemed appropriate, so I grabbed it.

Farscape Season Two Wrap, June 15, 2000

• Moderator: <Enigmatic-Scully> to <Moderator>: Hey David! Now that season 2 is over, what would you say was your favorite moment of the season?

  Kemper: Tricky, tricky, you are. Several per episode. But I will reveal nothing to spoil.
  Kemper: Something in Ep. 10. One big one in 11. End of 11. All of 14. All of 9. 12. Tension in 13. All the sex in... wait I'm not gonna tell you THAT. You have to WATCH.

• Moderator: <RygelThe16th> to <Moderator>: Rygel's been the "Dr. Smith" character in the past few episodes, always snerching things and getting everyone into trouble. Will he have any chance to act like the regal Dominar he is?

  Kemper: Check out the Look at the Princess trilogy, and beyond. Especially look for him in Ep. 14 -- "Won't Get Frelled -- I mean -- Fooled" again.

• Moderator: <QARC> to <Moderator>: John's MOM! We all want to meet her. FLASHBACK, is she a babe? There gals are dying to know. In the stars next season?

  DavidKemper: Ricky M has taken care of us meeting JC's mom in the future.

  FrooniumRicky: And, yes, she's a babe.

• RowanWoods: I'm a big soppy sentimental fool. That's was I love a Ricky Manning script.

Gigi Edgley, June 29, 2000

• Moderator: <D-Eclipse> to <Moderator>: What's your favorite ep of this season? You needn't spoil a thing, except well... the number of the episode of course:) <g>

  fweakn-Gi: 14 is one of my favs... 17 should be a goodie and the cliff hanger is one to watch out for!!!!!
  fweakn-Gi: duh!!!! he he hee

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

• Moderator: <Byrn> to <Moderator>: Sean - what would YOU like to see Pilot do?

  SeanMasterson: Play the bongos in a smokey bar

• Pilot: Lani, what is a birthday suit?
  Pilot: Special apparel for the anniversary of one's birth?

  LaniTupu: more lack of apparel for ones actual birth!
  LaniTupu: a birthday suit must include red heels ... LOL

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

• Moderator: <stargatetravler> to <Moderator>: Now that filming for season 2 is completed which ep would you say was your favorite and which was the most difficult to film? BTW great con in Burbank, you guys ROCKED! Thanks!

  Kemper: Thanks for the Burbank words.
  Kemper: Favorite ep?
  Kemper: There are 6 coming up between now and the end of the year.
  Kemper: Starting tomorrow night.
  Kemper: Tomorrow is "Won't Get Fooled Again,"
  Kemper: Written by Manning
  Kemper: Directed by Woods
  Kemper: Emmy acted by our cast.
  Kemper: It is a simple story of a man and his brush with..
  Kemper: Wait -- I said no spoilers.

• Moderator: <Kifaru> to <Moderator>: Froon, are we going to be dragging you in for professional help after the ep tomorrow night????

  FrooniumRicky: I think it's too late for that, Kifaru.
  FrooniumRicky: Besides, Kemper Made Me Do It.

• Moderator: <DaniRoyer> to <Moderator>: This is for Ricky from my mom (another one). She wants to know if she should have her pitch fork ready to hunt you down on Saturday morning. Should she?

  FrooniumRicky: oooo, a pitchfork?
  FrooniumRicky: I'll look forward to that
  FrooniumRicky: I don't know why everyone's so exercised about tomorrow night's episode
  FrooniumRicky: It's just a quiet little story in which nothing much happens.

• Moderator: <Thinkum> to <Moderator>: Just how badly does John want to go home? Would he REALLY risk Aeryn's safety and freedom to take her back to Earth (and would she go with him), after the disasterous experience of AHR?

  Kemper: Ooh. RM?

  FrooniumRicky: "disasterous"? tsk
  FrooniumRicky: Excellent question
  FrooniumRicky: You might also inquire just what concept "home" HAS for John these days
  FrooniumRicky: And where he would FEEL more "at home"
  FrooniumRicky: Hm, and I wonder what would happen if he had a chance to go home but COULDN'T take anyone with him
  FrooniumRicky: and could never get BACK.
  FrooniumRicky: What do You think he'd choose?

  Moderator: <Thinkum> to <Moderator>: okay, so what does "home" mean to John, these days?

  Kemper: Home is Moya
  Kemper: Home is earth?
  Kemper: Home is anywhere your friends are.

  FrooniumRicky: Home is on the remains
  * FrooniumRicky begins to sing "Down on the Budong" *

  Kemper: That's how Ricky and Ben and I manage to live most of the year in
  Kemper: another country.

• Moderator: <CrystalMoon> to <Moderator>: How long has Crichton's emotion/mental deterioration been planned? Is it all attributable to Scorpius or is some because of post traumatic stress disorder from his time in the Aurora Chair?

  Kemper: Spoilers.
  Kemper: Watch TV.

  FrooniumRicky: Since before you were born, CrystalMoon

  Kemper: Watch Sci-Fi.
  Kemper: Really cool things are going to happen soon.
  Kemper: TOMORROW NIGHT!
  Kemper: Stop asking about the future.

  FrooniumRicky: Well, okay, maybe not tomorrow night, but Soon.

  Kemper: Watch the future unfold with fresh eyes.
  Kemper: Be surprised.
  Kemper: Enjoy.

Wayne Pygram, September 21, 2000

• Moderator: <Elflore> to <Moderator>: Hey Wayne! I've heard that, like the ersatz Scorpy in "Won't Get Fooled Again", you're a drummer...is this true? And will we be seeing an album from your band anytime soon?

  WaynePygram: Yes, I'm a drummer and I've played professionally for twenty years. I have two projects going at the moment one is a Techno show called Kix, who work mainly with clients eg Heiniken Beer throughout the night clubs of asia and I also have a rock band in Sydney called Hawce.
  WaynePygram: Hopefully we will be recording before Christmas and I'm responsible for writing four of the songs

• Moderator2: <Rehanna> to <Moderator2>: Hey Wayne! Thanks for talkin to us. I was just wondering what's been your favorite episode(s) so far?

  WaynePygram: The most potent time for my development was the initial four episodes I did probably episode 19. Every day in the intial stages was very challenging and exciting and Ben and our director Rowan Woods handed over the playpen and allowed me to have fun and do my thing.
  WaynePygram: It was obvious we were all enjoying Scorpius' presence but I think our most interesting and challenging episode to date was Won't Get Fooled Again which is set back on earth and I'm hoping that this might become a signature story line for Farscape.

Guy Gross, May 15, 2001

• Moderator: <RydraWong> to <Moderator>: What's been the hardest scene to score?
  Moderator: <QBall> to <Moderator>: What was the most difficult / challenging ep you've done, and why?
  Moderator: <stargatetravler> to <Moderator>: Hi Guy! Which one of the eps have been the easiest to score for, which the hardest and which one your favorite?
  Moderator: (three similar questions, all in one shot)

  Guy: The work I'm most proud of is on Die Me Dichotomy, particularly the dog fight and Aeryns death scene and of coarse her funeral
  Guy: the hardest was that ep that took place on earth
  Guy: forgot the name
  Guy: mad??
  Guy: mod?

  Moderator: Not Human Reaction...Won't Get Fool Again, that's the one.

  Guy: yah, that's it.
  Guy: there was styles that were really out of my confort zone

• Moderator: We've heard Ben Browder sing a few times already, and I think one or two of the other cast members have suggested they can carry a tune...
  Moderator: do you think we might ever see a real musical number in a Farscape episode?

  Guy: Well, did you know that Wanye actually played the drums in Won't Get Fooled Again
  Guy: but no other plans for a big musical number that I can tell you about