Ratings
1.2 (US)
2.60 (UK)

Alison Fox.................Lo'Laan
Grant Magee................Jothee

Wassup?

Honey, the rabbit died.

When the crew does a sweep of Moya's systems to remove any remaining PK devices, D'Argo hits paydirt. But, when he smashes the device, he's accidently spaced in the resulting explosion, and even though Aeryn picks him up in her Prowler, his mind still seems a bit spaceburned. Meanwhile, Moya's systems are malfunctioning left and right, and the DRDs are running amok. The crew struggles to diagnose their Leviathan...and figure out why D'Argo thinks John is a murderer.

Backstory

While she had been outfitted with a control collar, Moya was apparently called into service before the Peacekeepers had completely modified her with their standard equipment. Aeryn and John locate at least one instance of a Peacekeeper device that was not completely installed.

Pilot has regenerated his missing arm.

Pilot and Moya do not know how many Peacekeeper devices have been installed, or where they might be located.

According to D'Argo, Moya has "hundreds" of DRDs.

The crew is searching for Peacekeeper devices out of fear that such equipment might be remotely activated if Crais and his forces come into Moya's proximity.

Whether or not translator microbes enable the reading of written text, D'Argo nonetheless is able to recognize Peacekeeper markings when he sees them.

Pilot is apparently able to discern a device's purpose and function once he knows where it is, even if he wasn't previously aware of its existence.

Personal comms are not sufficient for Pilot to locate a crew member, if they are not within close range of a sensor or DRD.

The first Peacekeeper panel D'Argo found (and pulled the wire out of) was located on Tier 21, aft section.

Luxans can only last approximately a quarter of an arn in vacuum without a space suit, unless they are revived very soon after.

Aeryn sees human use of horses as a form of slavery.

The DRDs can seal openings in Moya's structure in moments.

DRDs can dispense an extremely strong adhesive; it's applied as a magenta liquid, but hardens almost instantly.

Specific systems disabled by Moya included ship stabilization, atmosphere generators, thermal control, and food refrigeration.

Pilot has a symbiotic relationship with Moya; his tendrils run throughout the ship, like a second nervous system. Despite this symbiosis, Moya can cut Pilot out of the loop with regard to DRD control, systems shutoff, and nutrient flow, although doing so impairs her own motor control. Per Zhaan, Moya is an independent living being, and can function without a Pilot; it is only her crew which needs the functions Pilot controls (environmentals, lights, air, etc.).

Even though Moya is overriding his functions, Pilot can sense that the system failures are her doing, with deliberate intent.

Aeryn intuitively knows how to operate the ballast and illumination controls on Pilot's console.

John theorizes that Pilot's DNA left permanent changes in Aeryn (see "DNA Mad Scientist"), enabling her to adjust more easily to Pilot's control panels.

D'Argo was married to a Sebacean woman named Lo'Lann, and they had a son, Jothee. Because D'Argo's in-laws despised him, he took his family and relocated to a place where he hoped they would be more accepted. Upon reaching this location (apparently mountainous and at a high altitude), he destroyed their ship to prevent their being traced.

Pilot was rendered unconscious because his automatic nutrient flow was restricted. Aeryn is able to give him nutrients by injection in one of his tendrils.

D'Argo's wife was murdered by her brother, Macton Tal, who then framed D'Argo for the crime; Macton still had his sister's dried blood on his hands when he came to make the arrest. While D'Argo was able to smuggle Jothee off-planet before being arrested, he doesn't know what became of his son after that.

According to Zhaan, her body carries no bacteria.

John believes that shutting down Moya's higher functions is the only way to stop what he perceives to be her murderous intent towards the crew -- sort of a Leviathan lobotomy.

Shutting down Moya's "higher functions" (her intellect) is apparently similar to installing a control collar, per Aeryn's comment to John.

The most direct access to Moya's higher functions is located in Pilot's Den.

D'Argo still has a three-dimensional image of his wife and son, which he keeps hidden in some sort of slit or pouch in his flesh.

Moya's higher functions can be severed, but not temporarily shut down. Aeryn must penetrate a protective casing in order to make the final cut.

The DRDs sealed over the shaft where D'Argo shattered the Peacekeeper shield device. The shaft leads to Moya's equivalent of a uterus; by shattering the shield, D'Argo released bio-mechanoid particles which acted as a catalyst for pregnancy.

Once pregnant, Moya needs the DRDs to help sustain the fetus.

John can communicate to Moya by speaking to a DRD.

Pilot is not privy to any particular information concerning Leviathan gestation.

According to Aeryn, it's ingrained in Peacekeepers from birth that they must keep the bloodlines pure, and that cross-species unions (and presumably any resulting hybrid children) are "evil". Despite this upbringing, she seems to accept Jothee's existence, and pledges to keep it a secret on D'Argo's behalf.

Reactions

Questions

1. How many "blind spots" are there on Moya, where Pilot can't sense or see things (for example, locating a crewmate via their comms signal)?
2. How did the DRDs manage to seal over the shaft opening, and so quickly? Do they stimulate high-speed regrowth on Moya's part, or are they spraying on a patch of the same material?
3. To where did D'Argo relocate his family? How did Macton track them down?
4. How do Leviathans reproduce? Moya is referred to as a "she"; are Leviathans actually sexual, or asexual?
5. Why did the Peacekeepers install the shield? Why would they want to prevent a pregnancy?
6. What prompts Aeryn to reject Peacekeeper propaganda about interspecies breeding?

Observations

1. The consensus to sever Moya's higher functions is an interesting contrast to the crew's actions in the previous episode, DNA Mad Scientist, where three of them amputated one of Pilot's arms.
2. Pilot is very accepting of Moya's actions, stating merely that Moya had to "re-route a few resources" in order to nourish the fetus through a tricky period of the pregnancy.

Bloopers (none)

Annotations

The title is a play on another American TV game show, I'VE GOT A SECRET, hosted by Garry Moore, which ran from 1952 to 1967. Two later 1970s incarnations were hosted by Steve Allen.

John: "Look, Moya's a living being, right? And there are viruses galore out here in the galaxy. I mean, hell, what are our chances that we're gonna catch the Corrubian Plague or something?"

It feels as though "Corrubian Plague" could be another Trek reference, but so far the search for a source (under a variety of spellings) has not been successful.

John: "Uh oh. Eyes."
Aeryn: "Eyes?"
John: "Yeah, like a cave scene in a Yosemite Sam cartoon."

Another character from Warner Bros's Looney Tunes.

John: "You missed that Hitchcock picture playing back there a little while ago, but a flock of these little guys just tried to kill me."

A reference to the famous Alfred Hitchcock thriller THE BIRDS (see also http://www.filmsite.org/bird.html).

John: "Yeah, is there some kind of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting a Baby Leviathan' book? Dr. Spock...Mr. Spock..."

A play on the name similarity between the notable "baby doctor" (Benjamin Spock) and the Star Trek character.

"What to Expect When You're Expecting" is the title of a very popular book for pregnant women that covers each stage of pregnancy in a very reader friendly format, and describes all of the various changes that are occurring to the fetus and the mother's body.

Translator Microbe Report

Quotables

"What's the matter with you? I'm the one who just got shocked."
"Yeah, well, you notice we're in contact down here. Man, I got that one through my ears..."
- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

"Come on, big guy, come on. Give me one of those nasty smelly breaths."
- John Crichton

"Man, I am never going to get used to walking around inside a living ship."
"You have nothing similar in your culture?"
"Well, Jonah and the Whale, but no, no contemporary parallels. Except maybe the horse and rider."
"Rider? Horse is a beast of burden?"
"Yeah, not as large or as sophisticated as Moya here, but kinda similar, loyal and intelligent."
"That you capture and make work for you."
"Yeah, but we love them, too."
"You love what you enslave?"
"We don't enslave them, all right? We ride them. ...Fine, we enslave them."
- John Crichton, Aeryn Sun

"You know, I'm going to track down this cute droid and rip off both his antennae."
"Happy place, Aeryn. Goooooo to your happy place."
- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

"Okay, Sebaceans, for example. Do you have innoculations? I mean, how do you guys deal with all the stuff floating around out here?"
"Well, we're born and bred on ships. We're in a totally controlled environment until we're sent off on our first Peacekeeper assignment."
"Wait a minute. So, you guys just zip around the galaxy, hoping you don't pick up some STD? Space Transmitted Disease?"
"No, we're issued a standard number of innoculations, as you call them, against all known destructive bacterial and viral matter."
"Do we have any of that onboard?"
"And, if some new, malicious organism is discovered, our scientists engineer an anti-substrate, a growth blocker, to stop it from affecting our systems."
"So, basically, you...you have no disease."
"Basically, yes."
...
"Aeryn, you were born to this. I mean, this science, you've had it your whole life. You have no idea how advanced it all is to me."
"I think I do."
"No. I don't think so. Disease and death are rampant on my world. Bacteria and viruses destroy crops, animals, people, at...at incalculable rates."
"Well, each ecosystem has its own logic, so maybe yours is a simpler way of keeping populations under control."
"No. No no no, this is a better way. The suffering that you've managed to avoid with your science is immeasurable."
"Creatures still die out here. And we find new ways to suffer. And to make others suffer."
"Well, I never said Earth had a monopoly on that."
"But you say that you want to go back to this place, Earth, a place that you tell me has so much disease and suffering?"
"Well, you guys don't have chocolate."
- John Crichton, Aeryn Sun

"Ugh, that's spoiled. The refrigeration unit must not be working."
"Whoa! That definitely ain't working."
- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

"Aeryn, thanks, you've done it."
"I don't know how."
"When Aeryn was injected with Pilot's DNA, it must have made some kind of permanent change."
"But that was all flushed out of her."
"Was it?"
- John Crichton, Aeryn Sun, Zhaan

"How dare you handle me this way?!"
"Jothee, you are so big!"
"Oh! My size is never a matter for discussion!"
"I, uh, I think I know why you're upset. You are old enough now to realize that, uh, well, we're outsiders here. And, you look different to the others, and they're treating you like a stranger."
"Strange is right."
"Well, I know exactly how you feel. You know when your mother's family first saw me..."
"What about my mother?"
"...they despised me. So, that's why we had to get away."
"Not far enough."
"Well, we came to a place where no one could tell us what we thought and felt was wrong."
"Well, I'm telling you! You're wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong--"
- Rygel, D'Argo

"I feel...unsteady."
"Yeah. Look, I know a little while ago you were floating in deep space in your street clothes. And I know you're going through some stuff because of it. But we're in deep guano here, bro. We need your help."
- D'Argo, John Crichton

"Uh, oh. Eyes."
"Eyes?"
"Yeah, like a cave scene in a Yosemite Sam cartoon. DRDs, they're blocking the passageway. I've got to find another route."
"There should be parallel passageways that vector off on that tier. I think."
"You think?"
"Look, do you want to come up here and try and handle all of these thousands of controls?"
"No, no, no, I'm vectoring, I'm vectoring."
- John Crichton, Aeryn Sun

"What are we going to do about these? They're vital to services, we need them operational."
"Well, they are not exactly operational as it is, Aeryn. You missed that Hitchcock picture playing back there a little while ago, but a flock of these little guys just tried to kill me. They are not shooting glue anymore."
- Aeryn Sun, John Crichton

"Moya has an independent intellect, right? Well, maybe the explosion that D'Argo was involved in short-circuited that. Or, maybe she consciously cut off Pilot's resources in order to prevent him from keeping us alive. Our beloved ship may be trying to kill us."
- John Crichton

"We can't access Moya's intellect without letting her know what we're doing."
"I can't believe Moya doesn't know."
"Well, do you know what a few bacteria are doing inside of you? No, you don't know unless you get a symptom."
"My body carries no bacteria."
- John Crichton, Zhaan

"Rygel, where are you?"
"Getting a piggy-back ride."
"Well, see if you can get a ride back up to Command."
- John Crichton, Rygel

"You must hold still. We're up in the mountains and the air is very thin."
"So, it's mountains, now. Do you know I sincerely believe you require physical restraints?"
"Well, you're going to make things very difficult for your old man if you--"
- D'Argo, Rygel

"Macton arrested me. He still had her dried blood on his hands."
- D'Argo

"All right, D'Argo, I'm in. Where's the Peacekeeper panel?"
"What do you see?"
"Infinity."
"Then you're close, either way."
"Thanks a lot."
- John Crichton, D'Argo

"Zhaan, how much do you know about Leviathan physiology?"
"Not a great deal, why?"
"Do you know how they reproduce?"
"Reproduce?"
"Yeah. I think...I think Moya's pregnant."
- John Crichton, Zhaan, D'Argo

"Moya, I don't know if you can hear me through this DRD. Hell, I don't even know if you can understand me without Pilot translating. But we would never hurt you or your baby. We're happy that you're having a child -- but do we have to die so that your baby can live?"
- John Crichton

"Pilot, there must be other changes to come, as the fetus develops. What can we be expecting?"
"Yeah, is there some kind of "What to Expect When You're Expecting a Baby Leviathan" book? Dr. Spock...Mr. Spock..."
- Zhaan, John Crichton

"Does it surprise you that such a Sebacean woman would love me?"
"D'Argo, it's ingrained in Peacekeepers from birth that we must keep the bloodlines pure. That such unions are evil."
"Do you therefore think that my son is evil?"
"No. Because in his eyes, I see you. D'Argo, no matter what happens to us, I will never tell anyone about your son."
- D'Argo, Aeryn Sun

Comments from Cast & Crew

Claudia Black ("ChickwithGun") & Anthony Simcoe ("Ploppy"), July 28, 1999

• Moderator: I'll repeat that last question: <Sparrowhwk>: which episode did both of you enjoy making or was just your personal favorite?
  

  Ploppy: My favourite episodes are 5, 9, 16 and 21. I had the most time in ten because D'Argo went through and incredible journey
  Ploppy: Most "fun" time in 10 that should have been

Virginia Hey, August 19, 1999

• Moderator: <Ricks8> to <Moderator>: What are your favorite episodes?
  

  VirginiaHey: That Old Black Magic, DNA Mad Scientist, Rhapsody In Blue...
  VirginiaHey: Back and Back and Back to the Future.
  VirginiaHey: They've Got A Secret.
  VirginiaHey: ...it's so hard to chose because I'm in love with every single episode.
  VirginiaHey: Through the Looking Glass is brilliant, watch out for that one coming up.
  

Rockne S. O'Bannon, January 13, 2000

• Moderator: <Cush> to <Moderator>: Mr. O'Bannan, were the characters background stories changed? For example: On D'Argo's RittenHouse Preview card, it says that he was arrested by a General named D'Raam, who was jealous of D'Argos tactics and his mate. Was this story dropped, or will it play out somehow?
  

  Rockne: It was a background "cover story" that we devised, so it's true, but, alas, we had to drop it from "They've Got a Secret" because of time restrains...