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Farscape News
updated through 25-Sept-02

Please note that no effort is made to ensure that links listed below, verified at the date of original posting, are still in working order. Obviously, some of these items are time-sensitive; expect older links to be dicey at best.

¤ 25-Sept-02
Upcoming Chat:
SaveFarscapeCentral posted that there would be a chat with David Franklin (Captain Braca) on Saturday, 28 September, at 9PM ET, 6PM PT, in the #farscape room at irc.scifi.com. Several relay rooms have been setup to handle the overflow problem that has been seen frequently before. For complete details, please see the announcement on the SaveFarscapeCentral home page.

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SaveFarscape News:
David Kemper gave a speech in the #farscape chat room (relayed to several other rooms because of crowding) on 19 September. You can read the entire transcript here at SaveFarscape.com. This chat took place shortly after SCI FI's publication of their "FAQ", and it's clear that DK was disturbed by it quite a bit. Even his normally sarcastic outlook seemed more biting than usual as he addressed some of the points that SCI FI brought up in their FAQ. Many people misinterpreted his remarks and were insulted by his "slights" at the fans, not understanding that he was, indeed, being sarcastic. The main points coming out of the chat were:

¤ the entire production crew really appreciates all our efforts

¤ SCI FI and Henson did have another round of negotiations, with no change in status (Farscape is still cancelled)

¤ We need to focus our efforts on increasing ratings for the final eleven episodes when they air in January

¤ The cast and crew are prepared to come back and make more Farscape if we can make it happen. If ratings are great (we're shooting for a 2.0) in January, there will be talks in February. If the ratings are high enough, the show can be brought back.

Following this speech, we've got new "marching orders", so to speak: hang tight as a community, but conserve funds for now for a big push right before/as/during the new episodes hit the airwaves. You'll see in the news items below how this focus is being put into action.

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On 20 September, David Kemper was interviewed on the radio program Interstellar Transmissions, where he spoke at length about fan involvement and the ongoing campaign to rescue Farscape from oblivion. Read the transcript here. The broadcast was so successful that Interstellar Transmissions has booked Kemper for an entire hour for this upcoming Friday, 27 September, according to this blurb posted on SaveFarscape.com:

Thirty minutes wasn't enough!  This week, David Kemper will take your calls for a full hour on a broadcast of "Interstellar Transmissions", this Friday night (9/27)at 7pm (US Eastern Time).  Phone number to call is 561-998-5470.  Email your questions until Thursday night at 11.59 pm (US Eastern Time) at scifiradioguy@aol.com

The archive of last week's show is on our "Past Shows" link. WWNN-AM 1470 Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach and live on the web at
www.interstellar-transmissions.com

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On 17 September, Ben Browder was interviewed on CNN Headline News. It was a bit of downer, since he essentially broke the news that negotiations with SCI FI were going nowhere. The transcript is available (as usual) at SaveFarscape. You can also see a video capture by clicking on the "Ben Browder on CNN Headline News" link in the Video Caps section at Farscape.Noidea.US. As usual, Ben looked great, and he was as gracious as ever in his appreciation of Scaperdom.

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Putting your money where your mouth is...
There are two fund-raising efforts well in hand. The first, maintained by The Farscape Consortium, is the Fund the Fifth Season of Farscape petition/drive. To date, pledges total over $155,000, with over 2,000 signatures. If you have not yet visited the petition, please consider adding your voice. You can pledge $0 if funds are tight, of course any amount is greatly appreciated. Also remember that this is a pledge, not an outright donation, and at this point it is unknown whether or not anyone will ever have a reason to collect the money. Still, it's important to be realistic in what you pledge; don't sign up for more than you'd be willing to donate.

The second fund-raiser is actually accepting donations. The Farscape:Beyond Hope fund, as of 25 September, totals $3187.43. Please see the details regarding this fund at their FAQ page on SaveFarscape. To donate, go to the SaveFarscape home page and click on the "Make a Donation" button in the upper left corner. Donations are collected via PayPal. Please note that if you are not a registered member of PayPal, you will not be able to make a donation until you sign up. There are a number of outstanding questions regarding the Beyond Hope fund, including how the money will be spent, and who will make decisions regarding where, when, and why. At this point there aren't any clear answers, and there is also no clearly defined communications mechanism for conveying suggestions or objections to the governing body (whoever that is -- they remain anonymous, which is another problem). I do not doubt the good intentions of the folks administering the Beyond Hope fund, but I do want a more definitive strategy laid out, with goals and expected costs and benefits, before I make a contribution.

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The Current Game Plan

The links below give more specifics and other links for contact information, etc. Basically, we've had great press coverage so far, and our best hope is to keep that undercurrent of interest alive until Farscape actually hits the airwaves again. Please do check out the links here for more specifics.

A Fifth of Farscape: Rallies are planned in several cities (worldwide) for 5 October, and also for 5 December. So far, twenty rallies from Hawai'i to London have been planned. Please check the link to see the list of cities and how to contact the organizers for details if you would like to participate. The SaveFarscapeCentral and SaveFarscape webmasters are also hoping to have some new electronic campaigns in place for those 'Scapers who would like to show their support but are unable to attend rallies.

The goal we're working towards at this point is a 2.0 rating for Farscape come January. To that end, the folks at SaveFarscape have a working strategy in motion.

The transcript of Barbarellas "strategy and announcements" chat from 24 September is posted SaveFarscapeCentral. Barb gives general pointers on staying involved, getting local media attention, and keeping the buzz alive and drawing in new viewers between now and January. Barb also says she's in the process of setting up a series of chats with cast and crew, so we'll have plenty to look forward to.

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Convention and Appearances news:
Reader Susan emailed the news that Claudia Black will be making her first UK appearance. According the the site InfinitelyBetter, she is expected to perform in a "one-off" show, An Evening With, later this year. I'll provide more details as they are announced.

I heard from Alan Ravitch that the United Fan Con, 8-10 November 2002 in Springfield, MA, has added Anthony Simcoe to the guest list, in addition to the previously confirmed Gigi Edgely. Alan also notes, "More Farscape guests to be announced soon!" I'll continue to post updates as I hear about them.

Creation Entertainment confirms that the previously scheduled Official Farscape conventions in November will proceed as planned.

¤ 15-Sept-02
Cancellation FAQ
¤ 1) What happened?
¤ 2) Why did SCI FI cancel Farscape?
¤ 3) Were the ratings really that bad? Is it really that expensive?
¤ 4) Could another network pickup Farscape?
¤ 5) What's the current status?
¤ 6) What can I do to help?
¤ 7) I did that already. What should I do now?
¤ 8) Should I boycott the SCI FI Channel until they renew Farscape?
¤ 9) Where can I go to get more frequent updates?
¤ 10) I'm in media and can help spread the word. Who should I contact for more information?
¤ 11) Who is this Barbarella person in the #farscape chat room?

¤ 27-Aug-02
Karlsweb has posted a lively interview with Virginia Hey, "Alien of Extraordinary Ability". She speaks at some length about life on the Con circuit, and why she is doing it; there's some good info here that I have not seen elsewhere.

Ms Hey gives absolutely delightful interviews, and I was lucky to score one about a million years ago (well, only two, actually) that I originally posted on ThemeStream (now defunct). If you missed it, you can read it here, and see that Virginia hasn't changed a bit in the intervening years.

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Convention News...
DragonCon will feature several Farscape cast members this year, including Virginia Hey, Lani Tupu, and Kent McCord, along with scores of other notables from all aspects of scifi. It's coming up fast, though: August 30 through September 2 in Atlanta, GA. If you're nearby, it certainly sounds like it would be well worth a visit. Check it out!

¤ 20-Aug-02
Various tempests-in-teapots this week, regarding Season 4, and a rumor on Ain't It Cool News. Please see the Hiatus 2002 and Season 4 "Finale" and un-Cool Rumors articles on site for details on what is, and isn't happening.

For more insight into SCI FI's programming processes, read what Tom Vitale had to say in his TV on TV column in the August issue of SCI FI Magazine, when he attempts to answer the questions, "What is science fiction? And what is the SCI FI Channel?"

If you'd like to voice an opinion regarding SCI FI's programming of Farscape, you have a few options. Scaper Nick R. brought this online petition to my attention; I'm not sure how much significance it will be granted by SCI FI, but it can't hurt. There's also the old fashioned snail mail approach, which carries the most weight with all executives. Here's a list of some people you can write to, if you are so inspired:

Bonnie Hammer, Executive Vice President and General Manager
Tom Vitale, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Scheduling, and Program Planning
Chris Regina, Director of Programming  
The SCIFI Channel 1230 Ave of the Americas, 20th floor
New York, NY  10020 -1513  

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Convention News...
In the "Conventions Past" file, Peter Fallon has posted scads of photos from the Best of Both Worlds Convention #16, held July 27 and 28 in Sydney, Australia. Guests featured Gigi Edgely, Anthony Simcoe, Wayne Pygram, Jonathan Hardy, and Ricky Manning. Very special guests were five of the puppeteers from The Creature Shop: Mario Halouvas, Fiona Gentle, Tim Mieville, Virginia Weule, and Mat McCoy; and Marco Nero from Animal Logic, Farscape's special effects house. It's great to be able to see what all these people look like, and Peter's photo "blurbs" really capture the spirit of these for-the-fans conventions.

I heard from Alan Ravitch this week that Gigi Edgely has been added to the guest list at the United Fan Con 12, "New England's Premiere (Fan Run) Media Science Fiction Convention", scheduled for November 8-10, 2002 in Springfield, MA. Warning: the link above has an audio track that starts automatically; you may want to mute your speakers if you're at work!

¤ 13-Aug-02
Simon and Schuster Interactive's Farscape: The Game goes on sale today, August 13. Stay tuned for opinions and other information. You can still download the demo at PC Gamers' Farscape:The Game page, which is awesome.

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I have no idea how long this has been here, but there's an amazing interview with Anthony Simcoe over on the BBC's Cult TV Farscape page. It's awesome, as is, of course, Anthony. They've even posted some video clips.

¤ 06-Aug-02
Dani Moure over at the smashing FarscapeWorld (one of my top favorite sites) has posted some awesome first-looks at Alderac Entertainment's new Farscape role playing game (RPG). Check it out, they look fantastic.

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Farscape has a new home in Oz! (Repeated from the last issue, for those readers who didn't get the late update) Rumors were circulating that Foxtel had replaced Nine Network as a production partner of Farscape, and that seasons 2 and 3 would soon be airing in Australia on Fox8. Fox8 would make a terrific home for Farscape, since it already showcases several popular genre shows. I was unable to find anything on the web to substantiate this rumor, so I sent an email to the PR folks at Foxtel, and Elizabeth Hunter forwarded their 25 July 02 press release announcing the new arrangements. As of the date of this posting, the press release has not been posted to Foxtel's website yet, but it should get up there eventually.

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Convention news...amazingly enough, there were no emails from Creation Entertainment last week, but I'll include the links here for reader convenience. Click here for Creation's Convention Calendar. The News & Updates page at the SCIFI Channel's Farscape page lists convention appearances by actor.

¤ 30-Jul-02
Convention news... Creation Entertainment has CANCELLED the Las Vegas convention, according to an email they sent to their subscribers. No explanation was given. Folks who had already reserved seats will be refunded their money and will receive an autographed photo of Ben Browder by way of an apology. Click here for Creation's Convention Calendar.

FYI, the News & Updates page at the SCIFI Channel's Farscape page lists convention appearances by actor, but it hasn't been updated in ages.

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Rumors are circulating that Foxtel has replaced Nine Network as a production partner of Farscape, and that seasons 2 and 3 will be soon be airing in Australia on Fox8. If that's true, it would be welcome news, as Fox8 already showcases several popular genre shows. I was unable to find anything on the web to substantiate this rumor. I'll keep looking.
Update, 01 August 02: I'm pleased to report that the rumor has been verified. I sent an email to the PR folks at Foxtel, and Elizabeth Hunter forwarded their 25 July 02 press release announcing the new arrangements. As of the date of this posting, the press release has not been posted to Foxtel's website yet, but it should get up there eventually.

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¤ 26-Jul-02
Farscape has been nominated for its first Emmy Award... for Best Costuming, for the "Into the Lion's Den, part 2" episode. Click here for a complete list of all the nominees. It's a shame they were shut out of the special effects and makeup categories. We can be philosophical, though: we know they'll get at least two more shots at them.

Richard Simms over at TV Guide's Insider column was a bit miffed about the way things worked out, though. Check out his article, Emmy snubs FARSCAPE.

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Convention news... Virginia Hey will be attending the fan-run "Scape..er, Whater" Con/Convergence, which is this upcoming weekend, July 26-28. If you're in the Cincinnati, OH, area, it's not too late!

Virginia will also be appearing at the official Creation-run con in New York City November 29 and 30, according to an email just received from Creation. Click here for Creation's Convention Calendar.

FYI, the News & Updates page at the SCIFI Channel's Farscape page lists convention appearances by actor, but it hasn't been updated in ages.

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A couple of Ben Browder interviews cropped up online this week.

First, a little backstory. A while ago, back in April when we were deep into the hiatus and feeling miserable, dedicated Charlotte, NC Scaper RygelXIV, Tim Miner, was agitated because of the lack of PR that the SCIFI Channel was generating for Farscape. MediaSavant (FarscapeWeekly's TV guru Diane Denesowicz) challenged him to do something productive instead of just whining about it, and so he did. He got in touch with a local entertainment reporter, and convinced her to do a story interviewing Ben Browder, who grew up in Charlotte.

That's when things kind of stalled, since the reporter couldn't get anything out of SCIFI's media relations people. Tim posted about his frustrations on the SCIFI bboard, and I just happened to see his post. We exchanged emails, and I was able to send along the names of my contacts at Henson Co, who arrange and approve all interviews with the cast.

So, a short couple of months later, Tim opened his Sunday paper to find a four-color spread of John Crichton accompanying the interview on the front page of the Entertainment section, with "Who's Who" and other Farscape-related articles inside as well. Here's the interview; alas, they didn't post the photos and other columns on the web. Still, this interview is indispensible for any Ben Browder fan, containing such trivia as the name of his high school football team.

Big kudos to Tim for making this happen!

The second interview is from KnoxNews; thanks to Bill Porter for posting a link over on alt.tv.farscape. In this one, Ben waxes nostalgic about Knoxville, and talks a little about what it's like for him to write an episode as well as star in it. As usual, good insights into the workings of this terrific actor's mind.

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SciFi Hobby sent out their eZine today, which featured news of their FARSCAPE Season 3 trading card sets. Originally, they weren't planning on including any costume cards, but apparently enough people complained that they've rethought that decision. Check out their website for details; the cards will be released Oct 2.

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¤ 25-Jun-02
ADV has announced a release date for a Season 1 DVD Boxset. The 11-disc set will feature all 22 episodes, plus commentaries and extras, in newly designed packaging. Suggested retail price is $149.98; hits the stores October 29, 2002.

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You can tell it's convention-scheduling season when you get eMail updates from Creation Entertainment practically daily. They've scheduled a Farscape convention in Las Vegas at the Tropicana Hotel, September 7 and 8. Appearing will be Virginia Hey, Lani Tupu, Paul Goddard, and Kent McCord. Gold weekend packages are available here, as usual, lower priced ticket information will be announced later.

FYI, the News & Updates page at the SCIFI Channel's Farscape page lists convention appearances by actor.

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David Franklin, the "consummate Peacekeeper" Captain Braca, displayed considerable wit and warmth in his online chat on June 21. Check out the transcript for first-hand evidence that, while Braca may be a perfect "Smithers", David Franklin is most assuredly not.

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Entertainment Weekly featured The Ladies of Farscape in their "It List 2002" issue. Go here to see the great photo and read the mini-interviews with great quotes. My favorite: Claudia Black's assertion "I try to eat as much chocolate as is humanly possible. It is very important in my craft."

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Update! Farscape computer game developers Red Lemon is going into voluntary liquidation because a major client has refused to pay a six-figure debt. For details, click here. Former Red Lemon employee Tony McBride posted to alt.tv.farscape that at the time of the liquidation, a complete version of the PC game was ready for production. On 27 June, I spoke with Peter Binazeski of Simon and Schuster Interactive about the status of the game and the impact of Red Lemon's situation. He confirmed that the game is "about 90% done," and that they are continuing to work on bug fixes and the like. Happily, he was able to say, "We're on target for an August ship date."

¤ 18-Jun-02
Congratulations to Farscape and Ben Browder, winners of 2002 Saturn Awards for Best Syndicated/Cable TV Series and Best Actor in a TV Series, respectively. Click here for a complete list of the nominees and winners.

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Creation Entertainment has sent a flurry of eMail notices. The dates for the Official Farscape Convention in New York City have been scheduled for Nov 29 and 30, at the "state of the art" Brooklyn Marriott Hotel. Attendees at last year's convention will be relieved to hear about the change of locale. Gold seating and hotel reservations may be made now; look for "Brooklyn, NY". Pricing and availability of other admission levels is not yet available. In a separate email, Creation happily confirms that Anthony Simcoe will be appearing at both conventions, and will be playing with his band - which includes drummer Wayne Pygram - on Friday night for Gold Weekend Package Seating attendees. In other convention-related news, Creation is sponsoring its second annual fan music video contest; for details, check here. Creation is also sponsoring a series of their "Sci Fi Super Sales" events; the event list link above shows which cities the sales will be held in.

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It seems that the Farscape DarkScape site is destined to be a regular here. The webMasters secured a charming interview with Jonathan Hardy, who speaks at length about his long career, working on Farscape, and his interactions with fans, all the while displaying his characteristic sense of humor.

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One of the oldest online fan groupgs, the Society Against Cruelty to Crichton, aka SACC, is once again this season sponsoring a SACC Charity Drive. The Season 3 drive raised over $1,000, all donated directly to charity. Here's the drill: you sign up to donate an amount for each episode in which Crichton escapes unscathed - or - for each episode in which Crichton gets whupped. SACC keeps track and makes the call after each episode; at the end of the season, you'll be notified where to send your check. Check out all the details here. SACC makes its home at The Scapers Sanctuary, "the friendliest place in the Uncharted Territories," where you'll find plenty of Farscape resources.

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Is Crais really gone for good? Well, Lani Tupu, in his interview in The Official Farscape Magazine, issue #7, had this to say: "I don't think Crais' story is finished by far," while noting that there was a certain amount of ambiguity in Crais and Talyn's exit from the Command Carrier. Dedicated Scapers aren't leaving anything to chance, though. If you'd care to join in the general outcry and add your voice to the growing chorus of pleas for Crais's return, check out these websites:
The Search for Crais Forum
Crais and Aeryn
Bring Back Crais Petition

¤ 28-May-02
Creation Entertainment, in an email sent just after the previous eZine went out (of course) announced the dates for the Official Farscape Convention in Burbank, CA. The convention will be in CA November 22-24; gold seating and hotel reservations may be made now. Pricing and availability of other admission levels is not yet available. Creation also said the con will be visiting New York City, but dates have not yet been finalized. Let's hope they choose a better venue for the NYC con this year.

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The lovely and entertaining Farscape DarkScape site has posted 10 Season Four preview pictures. The webmaster says, "new characters, new outfits, and a wee spoiler" are included. Definitely worth a look for those not ultra-sensitive to spoilers! Just follow the links on the home page to the Image Gallery.

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Gigi X 2: IGN.com's Insider has posted a fun, quick 10 Questions: Gigi Edgely. And over on SCIFI.com, you can find the transcript to Gigi's 22 May chat. In both of these pieces her bubbly personality really shines through.

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It's always nice to find another television writer out there who gets it. I Got Your Warp Drive Here, Pal is Nathan Alderman of TeeVee.Org's take on Farscape, and it's a great read. Thanks to reader Marissa for bringing this terrific article to my attention -- I've bookmarked TeeVee.org and was psyched to see another Farscape mention, this time in Lisa Schmier's article Who's Afraid of Jamie Kellner?

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Last and probably least, for those of you out there who watch HBO's incredibly addictive Six Feet Under, Aaron, the recapper on TelevisionWithoutPity gave me my laugh for the weekend in his recap of last week's SFU episode, "I'll Take You." Lisa gave birth to Nate's baby girl and named her Maya, which resulted in the following snark: "...if nothing else, Farscape fans can always take delight in calling the kid Maya the Leviathan, so really, everyone wins in the end." As Aaron would say, Heh.

¤ 14-May-02
VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN
Not one, but two opportunities for Scapers to make their voices heard this week:

First, over at The SCIFI Channel's Farscape page, vote for your favorite "sexy" episodes and help determine the lineup for the 23-hour Chain Reaction scheduled to begin at 7AM Eastern on May 31. You can select up to 10 episodes that meet your personal criteria as "sexiest", and the 23 episodes that receive the most votes will be aired in the Chain Reaction.
Vote here, as often as you like before Monday, 27 May.

Second, Creation Entertainment wants to know where you'd go to attend a Farscape convention. As of this writing, Las Vegas is in the lead with 13% of the votes, but there are 15 cities to choose from, including London, England. No one knows how much weight this will actually have in making the final determination, but it certainly can't hurt to get your preference in. Note you can only vote once, but there is a link so you can easily check the results.
Choose your preferred location here.

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Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) has officially announced that the Farscape RPG will be released in July. Stay tuned for FSWeekly's *exclusive* interview with AEG's John Zinzer and Rob Vaux on morphing Farscape into an RPG.

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Thanks go to Kieriahn of Kieriahn's Farscape Starcharts for this one: ADV Films has announced that Region 1 DVDs of Season Two will feature 4 episodes per issue, with the first scheduled for release on 25 June. ADV has also posted some lovely photographs of Claudia Black taken during her recent voiceover work on STEEL ANGEL KURUMI.

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New addition to the online 'Scaper community: ScapeRoute, "A resource site for Farscape-inspired fiction writers and artists." This well-designed site, maintained by webMasters Maria (aka ScapeArtist) and Chris (aka imloco2), includes feature areas "Writer's Block" with general and FARSCAPE-specific writing aids, and "Drawing Board", with help for artists. ScapeRoute is currently sponsoring its first annual poetry contest; entries must be submitted by 20 May. See the site's contest page for details.
CAUTION: The webMasters advise that NC17 links & content may be present on site.

¤ 30-Apr-02
Love him or hate him, you can't help but be interested in what he has to say...Science Fiction Weekly interviewed David Kemper at some length about the challenges and rewards of working on Farscape. Don't miss this one!

I'm very happy to report that former IGN.com Farscape reviewer Diana Estigarribia has been located at her new web home, the delightfully warped EntertainmentGeekly. Diana is a long-time 'Scaper and always worth the read, so be sure to check out her reviews and her new home!

¤ 15-Apr-02
Jaqueline Gannuscio is the new Farscape guide at Suite101.com. Check out the newest addition to Farscape's considerable fan presence on the web .

¤ 08-Apr-02
Farscape has been nominated for five Saturn Awards! Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe and Gigi Edgely are all up for acting awards, and the show itself is nominated as best syndicated or cable series. Check the complete listing of nominees here. Awards will be presented in June.

The brilliant, hardworking webmasters at FarscapeWorld have posted a terrific interview with Tom Vitale, programming executive at the SCIFI Channel. It covers everything you've wanted to know about the weird-o schedule that Farscape has been subjected to, and comes very highly recommend.

Jonathan Hardy, voice of Rygel the 16th, gave a charming interview for the New Zealand Herald. The write-up is a fun, fast read and a great glimpse of this multi-talented performer's true nature.

¤ 12-Mar-02
She's back! Kieriahn, webMaster of the famed, beloved Kieriahn's Farscape Starcharts, has posted a note on her site explaining her absence. She's had a bit of a rough time lately, but she's looking forward to getting back to regularly-scheduled Farscape episodes and updates. Welcome back, Kier!

¤ 19-Feb-02
If you haven't seen ads for the Queen of the Damned, you must not be watching much television... set to open 22 February, the film is getting a nice build-up. Smilin' Jack Ruby, a big Claudia Black fan, has made an outtake from QOTD available from his site, 13th Street. It's a music video clip also featuring Matt Newton (Jothee), who plays Armand in the movie.

Blockbuster Video is now featuring Farscape: The Best of Season One, a three-dvd package available for rent or purchase. The special three-disc set features commentary from Rockne O'Bannon explaining his selection of episodes, which includes "Premiere", "DNA Mad Scientist", "A Human Reaction", "Nerve", "The Hidden Memory", and "Family Ties".

¤ 05-Feb-02
The SciFi Channel is looking for feedback from 'Scapers. They want to know what you consider Farscape's most outstanding characteristics, and how you would bring new fans into the fold. Visit their Farscape page and you'll get a little pop up window with all the pertinent information.

¤ 22-Jan-02
Shopping Alert: Creation Entertainment notified their eMail list members that they are holding a special clearance sale on Saturday, February 2, from 1pm to 6pm at the Pasadena Center in Pasadena, CA. They are promising big discounts on everything, including Farscape merchandise, with freebies for everyone who shows up. There will be no admission charge.

The first Farscape comic, War Torn, is set for release on February 6. Written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by Robert Teranishi, this two-part work comes to us from WildStorm, where they are currently featuring Farscape on the Previews page. This is worth checking out, since they're showing the comic that originally appeared in the TV Guide Ultimate Cable edition, with the important addition of a "print page" function.

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Lucky Scapers in the UK will get to see the final four episodes of Season 3, beginning 21 January through 31 January. Check out the BBC's Farscape page for details; note there are spoilers on the schedule page, as it includes episode synopses.

The Farscape Fanfic Awards 2002 began accepting nominations January 1, and will continue to do so through January 31. Check out the official site for categories, rules, and guidelines for submissions. Feel free to nominate your favorite FSW review in the "Episode Review" category, if you're so incined...

¤ 15-Jan-02
Lucky Scapers in the UK will get to see the final four episodes of Season 3, beginning 21 January through 31 January. Check out the BBC's Farscape page for details; note there are spoilers on the schedule page, as it includes episode synopses.

The Farscape Fanfic Awards 2002 began accepting nominations January 1, and will continue to do so through January 31. Check out the official site for categories, rules, and guidelines for submissions. Feel free to nominate your favorite FSW review in the "Episode Review" category, if you're so incined...

¤ 08-Jan-02
The so-called Black Christmas wild fires in New South Wales, Australia, have forced the evacuation of many homes and caused significant property damage, decimating local wildlife populations. According to FarscapeAnonymous Yahoo! Group poster Deb Phali, Jonathan Hardy makes his home near the affected areas, but should be OK at the moment. Fellow FA poster Cindy supplied this link for those wishing to make donations to brush fire relief funds.

Farscape's production facilities are not threatened by the fires. Production on Season Four is already underway.

¤ 23-Dec-01
Farscape repeats apparently draw to a close this week, as the program is absent from the January schedule. According to SciFi's Farscape page, "Fractures" will be re-aired on Friday, March 29, and new episodes will resume on Friday, April 5.

Thanks to Dani Moure, webMaster of FarscapeWorld, who wrote to say that the Ask Ben feature, in which Ben Browder answers questions from fans, is now available. As usual, Ben is his charming and witty self. Don't miss it!

Claudia Black's new film Queen of the Damned is now scheduled to open on 22 February. Check out Katya's Farscape Page for more info and links to the trailer!

¤ 12-Dec-01
CONGRATULATIONS!
From SciFi.com's Farscape site: Guy Gross has won the "Best Music for Animation" Screen Music Award of the Australian Guild of Screen Composers for his work on "Revenging Angel." Guy's on a bit of a tear with the AGSC. Last year, he was nominated for providing "Best Music" for three categories: Animation, Documentary, and Advertisement, and won in the Documentary and Advertisement categories. For more about Guy, check out his website and be amazed at the depth and breadth of his experience. Now, where can we nominate him for that catchy bossa nova that permeated "Scratch 'n' Sniff"?

¤ 04-Dec-01
BUSY, BUSY...
Claudia Black hasn't had a bit of rest since filming wrapped on Season 3 in August. She's narrating a new feature for National Geographic; further details will be provided when they become available. Claudia's previous work in feature film Queen of the Damned will finally reach theatres early in 2002; check out this nifty photo of her as Pandora (there are some movie spoilers on that page, so beware!). Meanwhile, Ben Browder already has hands to keyboard, working on episode seven of Season 4.

¤ 27-Nov-01
HUZZAH!
Jonathan Hardy [voice of our own dear Dominar], was voted Best Performer in the Nokia New Zealand Film Awards for his role of Uncle Blick in the short film, "Camping with Camus". Apologies for the lateness in posting this good news! You can read the complete list of winners in this motion brought by NZ parliamentarian Belinda Vernon. There's something irresistably charming about these congratulatory motions; many government bodies do this sort of thing, but usually only the award recipients would ever know about it. Many thanks to Kiwi 'Scaper Chelyn Woon for the information and link.

¤ 12-Nov-01
Congratulations to Jonathan Hardy [voice of Rygel], a finalist for Best Performer in the New Zealand Film Awards for his role of Uncle Blick in the short film, "Camping with Camus", which is itself a finalist for Best Short Film. Judging was on 09 November, results will be posted as soon as they are available.

¤ 29-Oct-01
Condolences to the family, friends, and associates of Farscape casting agent Maura Fay, who died unexpectedly on 29 October following a massive stroke. Sympathies may be sent to The Maura Fay Group, 1-7 Bellevue St, Glebe SYDNEY NSW 2037, Australia.

¤ 08-Oct-01
Congratulations to Jonathan Hardy [voice of Rygel], a finalist for Best Performer in the New Zealand Film Awards for his role of Uncle Blick in the short film, "Camping with Camus", which is itself a finalist for Best Short Film. Judging will take place on 09 November.

¤ 12-Jun-01
Congratulations to Farscape, winner of the Saturn Award for Best Syndicated/Television Series!