Babylon 5

[Alex W.]

I like the one where…

 

Spoiler

DS9 thinks it’s being taken over by the Bajorans, and he swaggers in to deactivate the system as its registered boss, only for the computer to play a video of his boss saying he knew Dukat couldn’t be trusted and he was now target number one 

 

[Pob]

Heh, that is the Civil Defence episode Wiper is talking about isn’t it? Love that one. 

[Eighthours]

15 hours ago, Pob said:

Heh, that is the Civil Defence episode Wiper is talking about isn’t it? Love that one. 

 

Yeah, the various rug pulls in that one are brilliant. A great ep!

[Sprite Machine]

S02E21 - 'Comes The Inquisitor'

Kosh tests Delenn's motives by bringing aboard an 'inquisitor' to essentially torture her and test her strength of character, while G'Kar arranges for weapons to be sent to Narn.

The surprise twist that the inquisitor was

Spoiler

Jack the Ripper - pulled from Earth and kept alive for centuries to repent for his crimes - is, perhaps, a little bit crass.

Still, I'm intrigued by what it means that

Spoiler

the Vorlons were on Earth in the 19th century. Have they been seen on Earth throughout history?

Is that why Kosh thinks he'd be recognised?

 

While a significant portion of this episode merely consists of two people in a room, an incredible performance from the inquisitor character, as well as some excellent cinematography, made this quite compelling for the most part. A wonderfully weird diversion before we settle into the season finalé...

[Spacehost]

11 minutes ago, Sprite Machine said:

 

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Jack the Ripper - pulled from Earth and kept alive for centuries to repent for his crimes - is, perhaps, a little bit crass.

 

I think that's possibly because in the 90s some coked up exec would get super into whatever thing he'd read about in Newsweek or National Geographic or in a paperback while waiting for a flight and ask for it to be shoehorned into whatever episode of whatever show they were giving notes on.

[monkeydog]

6 hours ago, Spacehost said:

I think that's possibly because in the 90s some coked up exec would get super into whatever thing he'd read about in Newsweek or National Geographic or in a paperback while waiting for a flight and ask for it to be shoehorned into whatever episode of whatever show they were giving notes on.

 

In B5 at least, as showrunner,  it's entirely down to what JMS had been reading. He's researched enough to have his own, undisclosed, theory on who they were.   I liked the twist at the time, but the original script had mistake JMS didn't catch and is probably over dubbed in the version Sprite Machine watched.

 

Spoiler

West end!

 

 

On Crusade, it was 80% JMS trying to fit the whims of producers who had clearly been at the coke for a good decade.

[Sprite Machine]

S02E22 - 'The Fall of Night'

Well, that escalated quickly. 

 

While the Centauri expand their war to other races, the Earth government attempts appeasement with a non-aggression treaty. A rogue Narn cruiser requests sanctuary, leading to an all-out battle when the Centauri attack it.

 

13-year old me would probably have loved the cutting edge space battle scenes, seeing bits of the station breaking off, fighter ships buzzing around, gun turrets swivelling and blasting energy through space. Pew-pew-pew! Ok, I still liked that. This was good but the tech is obviously dated now. Adult Me also enjoyed the human drama, Sheridan's internal struggle, the fascism parallels with the Nightwatch, and the religious symbolism.

Spoiler

Angels?

Do we finally know what Kosh looks like? Or do we only know how some others see him? A really interesting idea, anyway.

 

Spoiler

Poor Keffer - got a prominent placement in the title sequence of every single episode, actually turned up about four times and then died. Still, the Shadows have been revealed. The forces of light and dark must come out of hiding, and season 3 stands to be very exciting indeed.

 

How have I gone so long knowing absolutely nothing about this show?! 

[Wiper]

Yeah, I seem to recall that Keffer

 

Spoiler

is a verified example of studio meddling; not in terms of his death, but his very presence. The execs insisted the series needed an 'ace pilot' character — hence his prominence in the opening credits — but JMS wasn't interested in an that sort of character, so planned on offing him as soon as he could.

 

[Sprite Machine]

S03E01 - 'Matters of Honor'

It's season three, boyeeee!!!

 

There's no 'previously on' type recap but the opening scene reminds us of what happened as the station gets repaired and Sheridan speaks with Kosh about his recent appearance.

Spoiler

Although many people saw him (as an angelic or legendary creature flying through the sky) no-one else knows that who they were seeing was Ambassador Kosh.

 

There's a brand new opening and the narration is now by Ivanova. I don't like the new title music, it's a bit durgey, reflecting the more threatening nature of the premise, but maybe it will grow on me. Several new characters are in the titles, including the new Ranger dude, Marcus something. I'll have to learn more names this season.

 

This episode serves as a good 're-introduction' to the show. Anything you need to know from before is covered by exposition, while it sets up some new things too.

Spoiler

A new Minbari/Vorlon vessel to take on the Shadows. New intrigue with Earth government working with the Shadows and further evidence of PsiCorps' involvement. Londo trying to distance himself from Mr. Morden's further assistance, while the Centauri continue their expansion on their own.

 

It's still really vague what exactly the Rangers are doing or how they're going to help in the coming war. What does this training involve? How many of them are there? Do they have any more advanced ships than the one we've seen? Marcus has a cool extendable fighting stick but that's not going to be much good against a race of ancient shadowy space creatures, is it?!

 

Still, looking forward to seeing more.

[Eighthours]

I remember loving the background CG shot in the intro for season 3. It goes all around the station! Watch it closely!

 

However, here's something I noticed early on and can now NEVER UNSEE. Finally I get to say this and ruin your season 3 opening credits experience too:

Spoiler

There was clearly a direction for each actor to turn their head from the side towards the camera and then look into it during their credit. However, only some of them are actually seen doing this. Others are just there looking into the camera without moving. My only explanation is that their head turns must have looked shit, so JMS/the editor extended the end bits instead.

 

People who do the head turn properly:

Claudia Christian

Jerry Doyle

Stephen Furst (GREAT look!)

Jeff Conaway

Andreas Katsulas (who does the slowest, best one)

 

People who really don't:

Bruce Boxleitner

Mira Furlan

Richard Biggs (he fucking nods!)

Bill Mumy

Jason Carter

Peter Jurasik

 

 

[Sprite Machine]

5 hours ago, Eighthours said:

However, here's something I noticed early on and can now NEVER UNSEE. Finally I get to say this and ruin your season 3 opening credits experience too:

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There was clearly a direction for each actor to turn their head from the side towards the camera and then look into it during their credit. However, only some of them are actually seen doing this. Others are just there looking into the camera without moving. My only explanation is that their head turns must have looked shit, so JMS/the editor extended the end bits instead.

 

People who do the head turn properly:

Claudia Christian

Jerry Doyle

Stephen Furst (GREAT look!)

Jeff Conaway

Andreas Katsulas (who does the slowest, best one)

 

People who really don't:

Bruce Boxleitner

Mira Furlan

Richard Biggs (he fucking nods!)

Bill Mumy

Jason Carter

Peter Jurasik

 

I did immediately notice the inconsistent head turns.

 

Side note: the S3 title sequence is the only part of Babylon 5 I had previously watched, as several years ago it served as inspiration for my own sci-fi show title sequence (my friend and co-creator is a big fan). The cheesier the better, frankly!

 

 

[Sprite Machine]

S03E02 - 'Convictions'

After a series of bombings on B5, some travelling religious people lend a helping hand in finding the perpetrator. Lennier gets injured and Londo gets stuck in a lift with G'Kar.

I could have watched a whole episode of Londo and G'Kar infuriating each other, rather than just the last 15 minutes.

The bomber was a very intense character, and although I knew full well the station wasn't going to blow up, the confrontation was still an engaging scene.

[Benny]

I love that episode. I think it was one of the ones that I remembered best from when it was originally broadcast as well for some reason.

[Mogster]

The lift! Everything between Londo and G'Kar in that lift was absolute gold. Funny and sad in equal measures.

[monkeydog]

The lift was one of the first things that sprang to mind when reading Sprite Machine's earlier 'interested in where this relationship goes' comment.  And later stuff of course.

[davidcotton]

8 hours ago, Mogster said:

The lift! Everything between Londo and G'Kar in that lift was absolute gold. Funny and sad in equal measures.

“We’re in here!”

[Mogster]

14 hours ago, davidcotton said:

“We’re in here!”

I hear you!

[Benny]

One of the reasons it's so funny is because it's so dark:

 

Spoiler

That G'Kar hates Molari so utterly because of what he did to his people, and that he is getting such genuine absolutely overjoyed amusement that they might both run out of air or whatever and die, even going so far as not bothering to look for a way out. You know he absolutely means it, and It's tragic, comic, existential and brilliant.

 

[Sprite Machine]

S03E03 - 'A Day in the Strife'

A 'day in the life' type episode, dealing with different minor plot threads all happening on the same day. Londo sends Vir away, G'Kar is almost recalled to Narn, Franklin get addicted to stims, and an alien probe threatens to blow up the station if it doesn't get answers to 600 difficult technical questions in 24 hours.

There's enough good character work here to make for an enjoyable episode on the whole, but nothing particularly memorable, and I'm left wondering if that probe will ever come up again or if it was a one-off mcguffin.

[Benny]

I actually really enjoy it when shows do little episodes like that. It feels like you're getting just a little check up on everyone and like you're pottering about a bit with friends before major events happen.

[metallicfrodo]

On 07/02/2023 at 13:55, Sprite Machine said:

S02E19 - 'Divided Loyalties'.

Oh shit, I didn't see that coming! 

A damned good hour of TV, that. Really gripped me. All the build-up, the tension, the paranoia and red herrings, then to wind up revealing that

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Talia has been an unwitting sleeper agent working for Psi-Corps

all this time! Nice!

I believe that only happens because the actor playing that character didn’t want to come back for more seasons, and then needed a way to write them out. Additionally I believe they were only cast in that role as the person who was supposed to take their role and is in the pilot playing a telepath declined taking it up. 

[davidcotton]

3 hours ago, Sprite Machine said:

S03E03 - 'A Day in the Strife'

A 'day in the life' type episode, dealing with different minor plot threads all happening on the same day. Londo sends Vir away, G'Kar is almost recalled to Narn, Franklin get addicted to stims, and an alien probe threatens to blow up the station if it doesn't get answers to 600 difficult technical questions in 24 hours.

There's enough good character work here to make for an enjoyable episode on the whole, but nothing particularly memorable, and I'm left wondering if that probe will ever come up again or if it was a one-off mcguffin.

Sheridan being almost disappointed they survived so that he’d have to go back to the dispute negotiations was a highlight.  

[Sprite Machine]

S03E04 - 'Passing Through Gethsemane'

Lyta Alexander, the original B5 telepath, is back from the Vorlon's home world, now working for Kosh. Meanwhile, a monk from the recently arrived brotherhood discovers a disturbing secret from his own past.

 

This was... interesting. The method of punishment for serious crimes, the so called 'mind wipe', raises a lot of questions about what it means to be a person, is there more to someone than their memory and personality, and where is the line between justice and revenge? These questions are all explored here in an entertaining way. The guy playing the monk also played a similar character in an episode of ST Voyager; he has a certain look about him, a pained expression betraying a murderous past, an alter ego just beneath the surface. Good casting!

 

As for Kosh and Lyta...

Spoiler

he's given her gills now, or something?

[Darwock]

Wasn’t it Brad Dourif/Wormtongue?

[Alex W.]

Also Chucky, and the lead mad scientist in Alien Resurrection.

[monkeydog]

Also Piter De Vries.

[Eighthours]

Also Luther Lee Boggs.

[Sprite Machine]

Not at all typecast, then! 

 

----

 

S03E05 - 'Voices of Authority'

Earth government goes full turbo-fascist and sends a 'political advisor' to Babylon 5, proving that evil will often wear a pretty face. Fortunately, the truth about the former president's death finally comes out, hopefully landing a blow to the whole crooked regime.

 

Earthgov and Nighwatch's rhetoric - its Orwellian doublespeak, the 'greater good' justifications, the erasure of meaning from language - is disturbingly recognisable and incredibly relevant today. These are nuanced villains in a world where morality comes in various shades of grey and it makes for pretty gripping drama.

 

The more spectacular aspect of this episode is that B5's secret war council finally makes contact with another of the First Ones, the ancient races who fought the Shadows, with some help from Draal of Epsilon III and his mind-projecting machine. Despite the CGI aliens being beyond our human comprehension, Susan still manages to antagonise them and goad them into helping with the war effort, which is pretty funny.

 

There's a sprinkling of humour throughout this episode, even when the subject matter is serious, frightening or epic, and I'm here for it. Great episode! 

[Sprite Machine]

S03E06 - 'Dust to Dust'

Chekhov's back!

 

Psi-Cop Bester returns to stop yet another threat on the station, as dangerous psychic drug 'Dust' is being smuggled through.

I liked how the stakes are so high now that the senior officers took precautions to stop their minds being read. I actually started to quite like Bester, although he's still a creepy guy. But then we learn that

Spoiler

Psi-Corps developed Dust in the first place to create more telepaths,

so fuck him! 

 

There're some really nice scenes and moments for many characters in this. Susan almost destroying Bester's shuttle, G'Kar attacking Londo and peering into his mind. I did wonder what would happen when he finally learned what Londo had done, but with Kosh's help, he seems to have mellowed and accepted his part to play - whatever that might be. Or was Kosh just trying to prevent G'Kar from learning about the Shadows too soon?

 

Interesting stuff to come, I think.

 

They've updated the end credits music to match the dreary opening credits music - boo!! 😛

[metallicfrodo]

It’s so cool reading you thoughts on each episode @Sprite Machine. Takes me back to the first time watching it. A lot of it was during uni, and a group of us would watch it together and then be straight on lurkers guide to read all the thoughts/theories etc. My now wife of 20 years, was one of that group from season 2 and she was in tears through most of the final episode of the show. We’ve watched it through subsequently on VHS and DVD, and my best man mentioned the show in his speech as one of the things that brought us together. It was a joy to watch it through again with our son. To this day I still think it’s the best TV show I have ever watched. It was a magnificent achievement for the time for the kind of long form story that a TV show could actually tell, and I think pretty much all the great TV shows that we have had since that tell a tale over multiple seasons owe it a massive debt of gratitude.