Why do people say that Season 4 sucked???!

[odedh]

I've been hearing people say that season 4 sucked, I don't really get it, if I have to rank the season it will be like so

1. Season 2
2. Season 4
3. Season 1/3

so can anyone say why he didn't like season 4, or reasons he heared why people didn't like it.

I'm asking because i talked to a friend of mine today who said that he really liked the first 3 seasons, but when he saw season 4 he could see the cacellation miles away

so I wanna hear some insights

ohh one more thing, the only thing I didn't like in season 4 were the episodes 1-4, they were simply episodes trynig to familiar the characters to new people, but for me who knew them the episodes felt weak

[cyberman]

Personally, I would rank the seasons...

3, 2, 4, 1. But I don't think any of them "sucked". My impression of the reasons why some actually disliked season 4 are wide and varied. Some have said that it appeared to meander with no sense of direction. Some have said that the begining wasted time with not bringing John and Aeryn together sooner. Some have said that the Moya crew (outside J&A) took too much of a "back seat" to the love story, when in the past it was more of an ensemble series.

One common complaint is that season 4 took too much time unfolding the major story arcs. This and many of the above complaints can be explained by the fact that the creative team believed they had two more seasons "in the bank". They slowed things down and ran the story "down a few rabbit trails" because they believed they had 44 episodes locked in. Turns out it was only 22.

[bugmenot]

Yeah I would have ranked them 3,2,4,1 as well. I was on a high after the momentum of Season 3 and Crichton Kicks seemed to continue that in some form. But after that it just started meandering.

[Firecracker]

Actually I think Season 4 is the best season.

It is, I grant you, a lot deeper and darker than previous seasons and they really ask the audience to pay attention and think.

Which is probably why I like it so much.

I like the way the writers dealt with the two rapes (John and Chiana's), I like the way the dealt with the TalynJohn/MoyaJohn situation and I really like the way they dealt with the significance of the Lakka. (Ummmm. Let me clarify - I totally did not like that John was taking the drug... but I did like the direction the writers were going with the kind of significance the lakka had...) Plus I like Noranti - and I really wanted to know more about her.

I thought Season Four was the most satisfying, thought-provoking, totally engaging season.

[SCORPIUS]

season 2 was my fave, all that scorpy action and crazy stuff that happened was just great - then season 4, mainly because of the amount of scorpy again but also as it had more depth and was a lot more thrilling, plus it was the proper start of all the scarran stuff - then season 3, just becuase its better than season 1... i still think season 1s last episode was one of the best eps of all seasons though

[scapecadet]

I think that the progression of the seasons was quite natural and in fact I like them in that order (I don't mean I like S1 more then the others, but that I view all the seasons as one long story that developed as it went along). You could not shuffle them without losing the momentum (not taking the story logic, but the feel of the whole). S4 was awesome, but also very demanding. The first time I watched it, I remember feeling utterly drained - it was so dark and at times without hope.. Perhaps that is what some people find difficult to like? I feel that the seasons went in a seemless crescendo right up to the finale (only we did not get quite the planned finale). Of course, within the whole, there are better and not so good eps, but I look at the overall effect, rather than season by season.
Just my little opinion

[Urpling]

I think that the progression of the seasons was quite natural and in fact I like them in that order (I don't mean I like S1 more then the others, but that I view all the seasons as one long story that developed as it went along). You could not shuffle them without losing the momentum (not taking the story logic, but the feel of the whole). S4 was awesome, but also very demanding. The first time I watched it, I remember feeling utterly drained - it was so dark and at times without hope.. Perhaps that is what some people find difficult to like? I feel that the seasons went in a seemless crescendo right up to the finale (only we did not get quite the planned finale). Of course, within the whole, there are better and not so good eps, but I look at the overall effect, rather than season by season.
Just my little opinion

Well...I guess it's exactly this 'dark' dren that I think we human's are sooooooo good at. But, dahhhling, is it art? (said with a frightfully snooty Brit accent)

John's love for Aeryn is transformational...I adore that! There are other transformational themes too in FS.

And I chose to watch transformational stuff. I simply don't bother with any other kind of dramatic guano...we've all been there, done the 'dark' and got the 'T' in real life...

I don't need to have 'dark' pouring into my sanctuary...m' wee huus. So I don't invest in, nor support 'dark'. I am a candle girl. (...as in light them...erm...as opposed to playing with them! )

I stuck with the FS 'dark' coz I could see 'light' in the production work and standard overall. Amazing stuff.

But 'dark' we do all too easily. You would think that it's the human default setting...but in point of fact I just think that 'light' is what gets overlooked in the clamour, speed, tension and credibility 'static' that we live/invest in.

'Light' is a subtle but titanium whisper...maybe it takes a certain kinda stillness to smell its sound...I dunno...

[Firecracker]

But in the dark the candle shines much brighter.

I found Season Four did that for me. It just required that I look harder. Demanding is a good word for that season.

I like the bar being set so high that I had to stretch at bit ... Someone said that Farscape made her brain cells stand up on their tiptoes and streeettttcccchhhh.

That is exactly how season four made me feel. I loved it. I loved the feeling of reaching beyond the easy safe parameters of regular entertainment. I loved the idea Farscape was playing with notions of reality and pushing the bounds of truth - and at the same time laying in the direction of all those cool subplots - and then not spoonfeeding the audience the resolution.

And that was just the 'A' storyline. The 'B' storyline was even cooler. I don't think there is anything on TV now (in any genre) that even comes close to the sophistication and complexity of Season Four Farscape.

It is like the difference between fried fast food and a seriously satisfying meal with all the trimmings. One makes you bloated and nauseous - and the other keeps you going and going and going....

[Urpling]

I loved the feeling of reaching beyond the easy safe parameters of regular entertainment. I loved the idea Farscape was playing with notions of reality and pushing the bounds of truth - and at the same time laying in the direction of all those cool subplots - and then not spoonfeeding the audience the resolution.

And that was just the 'A' storyline. The 'B' storyline was even cooler. I don't think there is anything on TV now (in any genre) that even comes close to the sophistication and complexity of Season Four Farscape.

Lovely post, Firecracker...I feel so there...sharing your space...

I've just said this in another forum...was probably typing at the same time as you were typing yours...serendipity or what?

"....But SG-1 is hardly the six-course meal of meaning, intensity, double-entendre and characterisation that Farscape was.
I hate saying 'was'. I wannit to be 'is'. Sniff.
But I guess that there are people who prefer something a little less demanding and challenging to relax with.
Me? I wanna feel like I've just sat down on a rocket-launcher...a prototype an' all. No comfort zones for me, dudes..."

[Cattivo]

Like I said in a previous thread a month ago or so, the flaws in S4 were much more numerous and apparent than previous seasons. Beforehand a bad episode was at least still rewatchable because little aspects would redeem it, but the truly bad episodes of S4 like WWL, APM, CBC, and MAA are a struggle to watch again. There were still great episodes though (e.g., see my avatar and sig pics).

There's a lot more detail-oriented reasons, but I think I posted a manifesto against S4 here a year ago, so that would just be repetitive.

[cyberman]

Certainly in "western" culture there is a natural instict to compare the greatness of two or more aspects.

Jerry Sienfeld was interviewed on an HBO show hosted by Bob Costas and said that he didn't understand American's penchant to pit excellence against exellence. The context in this case was American Idol. Sienfeld's comment was essentially thus...

"He's a great singer. She's a great singer. Let's race 'em!"

Like scapecadet, I am fond of Farscape in all its glory because of how it builds on itself. Like I said before, I think all seasons are great. Season 4 included. However, it is great because of the story it was built upon, making any stand-alone comparison to previous seasons a "losing battle" for season 4. Still, I must admit that many of my favorite episodes are from Season 4. My favorite Three parter is from Season 4. My favorite cliff-hanger is from Season 4. How can it not be my favorite Season?

Does it really matter that it isn't my favorite season? Ultimately, no. In the case of Farscape and like Doctor Who, I fundamentally dislike the tendancy to devalue something by "racing them".

But I do it anyway...

[john_aeryn_fanatic]

i definetly would say that season four 'sucked' at all, i havent really heard anyone say it sucked. I couldnt really rank the seasons, they all had fantastic and not so fantastic moments. As far as season four goes, by the fourth year, farscape had grown considerably, the crew had realised what worked and what didnt, i personally think that season four was a great season, the intracit story line really pulld me in.. once i started watching i couldnt stop ehehe

j_a_f

[lovingfarscape]

no way season 4 didnt suck it was the best for me.

[scapecadet]

I totally get you Urpling - I also cannot handle certain kind of 'dark', but I also and perhaps more agree with firecraker: we need dark and light in order not to lose the ability to distinguish between the two. If we just had uplifting light stuff, it would get too much (and don't get me wrong, there are certainly times when I absolutely need it and nothing else will do). But what makes me strong and helps me get through the tough times is the demanding and dark books/poems/films/plays that show me what humans are made of and that we can cope with so much. Even through the darkness and desperation of S4, I could always see that no-one lost hope and if one did or try to give up, the others were there for them to hold them up and keep going - that is what was so great about it; that is what restores my faith in humanity (yes, they were aliens in this case, but lets not split hairs, you know what I mean, I'm sure).
I can handle dark in search of light, I cannot handle dark for its own indulgent sake.
Yes, there were some bad eps in S4 as in the other seasons, but the overall arc was so strong that I cannot even name these stinkers.

[Firecracker]

I can handle dark in search of light, I cannot handle dark for its own indulgent sake.

Thank you. That is exactly what I was trying to articulate. You rock.