Ratings
1.1 (US)
2.44 (UK)

Darlene Vogel..............Alexandra/Lorana
Kate Raison................Tahleen
Max Phipps.................Tuzak
Michael Beckley............Hasko
Aaron Cash.................Pa'u Bitaal
Grant Magee................Jothee
Robert Supple..............Young Crichton

Wassup?

Insanity By Osmosis

Answering what they believe to be a distress call from another pregnant Leviathan, the crew discovers instead a Delvian colony. But, Zhaan's communion with the priests results in madness -- for herself and others -- and John risks his mind in the Delvian ritual of Unity to discover why.

Backstory

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Questions (none)

Observations (none)

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Annotations

The title is taken from what is arguably George Gershwin's most famous composition.

The painting in the archway of the Delvian Temple is taken from "The Old Glen Mill", by Maxfield Parrish.

John: "That's my underwear."
Aeryn: "What does this say?"
John: "Calvin."
Aeryn: "Well, then, they're not yours."

John evidently was wearing Calvin Klein boxers when he left Earth; Aeryn is looking at the tag in the back of the waistband, which carries the brand name.

Jenn & Alex's Crichtonisms site also suggests that this may be a "fantastic, subtle reference on the part of the writers to a scene in the 1985 movie BACK TO THE FUTURE."

John: "Is that what happened to Grandpa Looney Tunes?"

"Looney Tunes" is the series of cartoons from Warner Bros., successor to "Merrie Melodies". More recently, it's become an idiomatic expression to describe someone who's crazy, and that's undoubtedly the case here, rather than a direct reference to the cartoons.

John: "So what are you supposed to do? Serve as the poster child for the revolution?"

John is referring to the practice of selecting a representative client of a charity, whose image is then used on posters promoting the charity's work.

John: "The part of Tahleen in tonight's Unity will be played by John Crichton."

The standard practice in live theater, when an actor in a major role cannot appear, is to announce the name of the actor who will be portraying the character in his or her stead.

John: "It's like...Disney on acid."

John highlights the strange, contradicting duality of Unity, by describing it as a combination of the "squeaky clean" maker of animated films & amusement parks, and the powerful hallucinogenic drug LSD.

Translator Microbe Report

Quotables

Comments from Cast & Crew

Ben Browder, May 11, 1999

• BenBrowder: Before we get to the "underwear" question I can tell you that it will be reveal in Episode 12

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

• Moderator: <agentgonzo-dw-m>: Claudia: John's boxers or briefs? <jk> "Seriously", who's a sexier scene partner: Ben or Pilot?
  

  ChickwithGun: There was a big wooo har on the bboard about the Calvins in the Delvian ep...two words you guys....commerce planet
  ChickwithGun: I personally like to wear Calvin BVD's that was the inspiration for the scene in the ep.
  ChickwithGun: Ben wanted to go Commando...wrong time slot
  

  Ploppy: I can vouch that Claudia does where Calvins
  

Ben Browder, July 29, 1999

• Divine_superfly_kitty_cat: Boxers or briefs?

  Browder: Big LOL! Personal preference. Drum roll please... Commando!

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.
  

Richard Manning & Andrew Prowse, January 6, 2000

• Moderator: <Relayer> to <Moderator>: Like Ricky, I go ga ga over Farscape! Will we ever get to see the homeworlds of any of the other crewmates aboard Moya?
  

  Ricky: We don't have any IMMEDIATE plans for that...
  Ricky: As you can imagine, going to a world full of Hynerians or Delvians or Luxans would be a production nightmare.
  Ricky: Unless we said they were all at the movies or something.
  Ricky: And I don't think you folks would let us get away with that.
  Ricky: Even the Delvian bunch we visited in "Rhapsody" took EIGHT makeup artists to create.
  Ricky: Besides, going home for any of our characters MIGHT mean that they'd leave Moya... and you wouldn't want that to happen, would you?
  

• Moderator: <SciFiScribe> to <Moderator>: Mr. Manning, We've noticed that often plot elements are introduced whose significance may only be revealed until many episodes later. How far in advance are the story lines established and who does that?
  

  Ricky: Stuff that's set up in "Nerve" pays off several eps later.
  Ricky: In our heads, we know every moment of every episode through Season Twelve.
  Ricky: No, I'm lying.
  

  Andrew: we're still not sure of the storyline in rhapsody in blue
  Andrew: the storylines are established well in advance and then changed completely before, during and after shooting
  

  Ricky: We (the writers) block out general storylines in advance, under the guidance of the Farscape Gods (Rock O'Bannon and David Kemper, two swell guys to work for -- NOW can I have my raise?)...
  

Virginia Hey, April 27, 2000

• Moderator: <DaleQuan> to <Moderator> Zhaan's bond of unity with John appears stronger...she seems to understand him better now that she has found out "what is inside that tiny little mind" of his.
  

  Virginia: Hi DaleQuan, yes believe me, I didn't find any chickens in there!!! XXX
  

Ben Browder, July 27, 2000

• Moderator: <truthseekr> to <Moderator>: Ben, we've asked Virginia what Unity is like--but from a "Guy's perspective" what can you tell us? <G>

  Ben: As a Southern Gentleman... NO.

Justin Monjo, February 08, 2001

• Moderator: <EnochF> to <Moderator>: Question concerning my favorite character, Zhaan: Are we going to see Delvia this season? Are we ever? (And what's going on there? Wasn't it conquered by the Peacekeepers or something?)

  JustinMonjo: The Peacekeepers did not take over Delvia, they were paid to take Zhaan away because she killed the high priest/lover.
  JustinMonjo: So far we don't have plans to visit Delvia, but what a great idea.