What Ben Browder Would Like to Revisit About Crichton in Farscape

Debuting 25 years ago this year, Farscape (stream it here on Peacock!) still remains one of science fiction’s most beloved TV series. With amazing creature effects, an unparalleled series story-verse, and (of course) a  power space couple in the form of wormhole-stranded astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) and alien Peacekeeper Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black), it’s a place that even its stars and creators can’t rule out hopefully revisiting. 

Speaking recently with SYFY WIRE, series creator Rockne S. O’Bannon pulled no punches about how Farscape would look if it ever did come back to find a home on the small screen. Confirming that he envisions Farscape stories yet untold as a hypothetical continuation (rather than a reboot) for the series, O’Bannon said there’s “potentially a real advantage in that there is such a span of time that the characters could have grown and other things could have happened” during the quarter-century since Farscape first embarked, way back in 1999, on the Sci-Fi Channel. 

Why Ben Browder likes the idea of exploring more Farscape

Actors Claudia Black and Ben Browder perform in the television show "Farscape." (Photo Courtesy of Sci Fi Channel/Getty Images)

Browder, for his part, has always embraced the idea of reprising his original Farscape role if the series ever should make a comeback. Speaking with GateWorld back in 2011, he offered a definitive “Hell, yeah!” when asked about stepping back into character as Crichton. 

“Am I willing to come back and play John Crichton?” he continued. “Absolutely. Does that mean that it’ll happen? Who’s to say? I would love to revisit Crichton where he is several years down the road. He’s a character that’s near and dear to my heart. I kind of want to know what he’s up to.”

That last bit — the part about catching up with Crichton as an older, more seasoned crew mate — perfectly syncs with O’Bannon’s more recent remarks on how the Farscape story should continue, if it ever does. 

Browder ratified that same basic idea once again more recently, confiding to Game Rant earlier this year that it would be cool not only to check in on John and Aeryn… but even on the future Farscape generations the (apparently still happy and committed) space couple might spawn.

“I would like to see where they are today and how their universe has changed,” he explained. “Because in 25 years, our world has changed, and none of us are the same as we were then, and I think the stories could be compelling. Sure, I'd love to reprise John Crichton and I'd love to see Crichton and Aeryn's kids. Farscape was the opportunity of a lifetime for me as an actor and to be involved again would be immense.”

Stream all four seasons of Farscape on Peacock here, as well as Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars, here.