 The season rating average was 1.8.A review in "TV Guide Special #67" considered Mitchell's introduction in "Avalon" still too reminiscent of the production team's own efforts to turn around the Season Eight finale.Although the review embraced Black's "sparky, sarky characterization of Vala" during Amanda Tapping's absence, the renewed encounter between former "Farscape" cast members Ben Browder and Claudia Black was "oddly ... underplayed".