Babylon 5

[Sprite Machine]

S03E07 - 'Exogenesis'

This is the most Startrekky episode I've yet seen, as a species of alien parasites infests several people from Downbelow and it seems like they might be trying to take over the station, but

Spoiler

actually they're peaceful and their hosts were willing volunteers.

A nice, friendly upbeat ending for a change! A mixture of puppets and impressive visual effects create the symbiotic creatures, the Vindrizi.

 

While alien-of-the-week stories can be disappointing diversions in serialised shows, the B5 cast have grown so comfortable in their roles that they're a pleasure to watch. This episode focuses on the ranger, Marcus, and we learn a little more about what he does. He's an interesting character, somewhat eccentric, often speaks in riddles, but I like him. The other focus of the episode is the new Lieutenant and Ivanova's attempt to bring him into the inner circle, which gets misconstrued as a date, which leads to a further misunderstanding about some flowers. It's actually quite funny.

 

A pretty solid episode, but nothing remarkable.

 

EDIT: The Lurker's Guide suggests there are some strong 'arc' episodes to come next. *Rubs hands together in anticipation*

Edited March 1 by Sprite Machine

[Eighthours]

Strap in, @Sprite Machine!

[Sprite Machine]

S03E08 - 'Messages from Earth'

Oh yeah, things are happening now!

Spoiler

Ancient buried Shadow vessels on Mars and Ganymede reveal Earthgov's involvement with the Shadows, sending Sheridan and Delenn aboard the mighty White Star to destroy an awakening Shadow vessel.

The president declares martial law, and continues to deny any wrongdoing. In times of panic, hunker down and point the finger at someone else - it's the oldest trick in the book and still happens today. Accusations of sedition and disloyalty, 'traitors' in their midst. I just wonder at what point characters like Zack are going to realise it's all nonsense and turn against Earthgov.

 

Sheridan is starting to learn how far he will go to do what's right. So far, he is drawing short of firing upon his own people, but for how long? We learn some new things about Shadow ships and how they work (a biological core must 'join' with them), we get to see what the White Star is capable of, and there's some nifty space battlin' with some good (for 1996 TV) visual effects holding it all together. The CGI scales up reasonably well, if anything lets the production down it's the shonky looking White Star bridge set. Star Trek quality, this ain't!

 

Special mention to the ridiculous ninja moves on display in the opening teaser fight scene.

[Pob]

You've reached peak Babylon 5 from what I remember. Not watched it since the 90s, but I did have these mid-season 3 episodes on VHS and watched them several times.

[Sprite Machine]

S03E09 - 'Point of No Return'

(Also the name of the season.)

 

Before I started watching B5, I imagined all of the big revelations and pivotal moments of the show would revolve around interspecies war and space battles (it's just the general vibe I'd come to associate with the show, by cultural osmosis or something). But it seems the real nitty-gritty stuff comes from this slowly growing civil war on Earth, depicting the very believable danger of rising fascism and testing our human characters' loyalties. Point of No Return is a fantastically tense drama, with no clear solutions for our heroes to pursue. Thus, by the end of it, Sheridan's plan essentially delays the trouble for another day. But what a day!

 

Even the sub-plot is revelatory, as a Centauri fortune teller (played by Majel Barrett Roddenberry) foresees a troubling future for both Londo and Vir. And G'Kar seems to have finally found a purpose that can help with the current trouble and in the wider struggle to come. A very satisfying episode all round, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

[Sprite Machine]

On 03/03/2023 at 14:47, Sprite Machine said:

I imagined all of the big revelations and pivotal moments of the show would revolve around interspecies war and space battles

Oh, there it is! 

S03E10 - 'Severed Dreams'

 

This three-part story arc comes to a dramatic conclusion as Babylon 5 finally nails its flag to the mast of independence and defends itself from the rogue earthgov forces. Meanwhile, the Shadows coerce other species into war with each other (off-screen) and Delenn pressures some of the Minbari Council into getting involved. It's the kind of big story I'd expect at the end of a season, full of suspense and characters finding their resolve in difficult circumstances - and of course some extensive visual effects doing the kind of thing that computers could do better than miniatures (tracking dozens of simultaneous ships flying around with moving cameras, mainly). A good few 'punch the air' moments, and really nice work overall. I'm just surprised they put this in the middle of the season instead! From here on, a lot is going to have to change.

[davidcotton]

Welcome to peak Babylon 5.  

[Vespa Alex]

1 hour ago, davidcotton said:

Welcome to peak Babylon 5.  

Yep, this. B5 didn’t stick rigidly to the big season finale format and often had the most significant events mid way though. 

[Sprite Machine]

S03E11 - 'Ceremonies of Light and Dark'

It's the 'aftermath' episode, the cooling down and reflecting on what happened. The remnants of the Nightwatch who kidnap Delenn are more stereotypically evil in demeanor, which is a little disappointing. There's a brilliant scene with Londo and Refa, involving a poisoned drink, which is just wonderfully written and performed. Some new but unsurprising personal information about certain characters' relationships. And there's some comic relief with a talking computer AI following a system reboot. Oh, and I really like the new uniforms the command staff wear at the end - I wonder if everyone else will get them too.

 

Just a nice little episode, basically. Also this is officially the half-way point of the whole series! Thanks for reading my ramblings so far; I'm hoping to watch the rest at a brisker pace from here on, so I may share fewer words.

[Sprite Machine]

S03E12 - 'Sic Transit Vir'

Vir returns to the station and his secret plan to smuggle Narns to safety is found out. Meanwhile, he finds himself betrothed to a racist wife. I'm concerned by the lack of nuance displayed by certain characters these last couple of episodes. Where are the shades of grey I've come to enjoy? In their place villainous characters showing their ugly side with no redeeming qualities. Londo's words about dead Narns is just straight up ugly. I suppose it says something about the nature of true beauty that Vir's wife, resplendent in playful beauty and charm, turns out to have ugly bigoted views of aliens.

Vir's conversation with Susan was #awkward ("six"... really? Are they all as 'articulate' as the one Londo used to cheat at cards? ). Meanwhile, Sheridan and Delenn's relationship takes another slow step forward, and I find them both very sweet. I hope it works out for them.

 

S03E13 - 'A Late Delivery From Avalon'

There hasn't been an episode in this season so far that I consider to be a duffer, but this one comes close. A PTSD sufferer thinks he's King Arthur, and comes to B5 with a sword and armour, looking to solve injustice and form a new round table. I suppose it was worth it to see "Sir" G'Kar leaping triumphantly into a brawl and then get drunk and fall over. And the scenes with Garibaldi and the post office worker were kinda funny. After everything that's happened, though, these quieter/comedic episodes take some getting used to. The calm between storms, I assume.

[davidcotton]

1 hour ago, Sprite Machine said:

S03E12 - 'Sic Transit Vir'

Vir returns to the station and his secret plan to smuggle Narns to safety is found out. Meanwhile, he finds himself betrothed to a racist wife. I'm concerned by the lack of nuance displayed by certain characters these last couple of episodes. Where are the shades of grey I've come to enjoy? In their place villainous characters showing their ugly side with no redeeming qualities. Londo's words about dead Narns is just straight up ugly. I suppose it says something about the nature of true beauty that Vir's wife, resplendent in playful beauty and charm, turns out to have ugly bigoted views of aliens.

Vir's conversation with Susan was #awkward ("six"... really? Are they all as 'articulate' as the one Londo used to cheat at cards? ). Meanwhile, Sheridan and Delenn's relationship takes another slow step forward, and I find them both very sweet. I hope it works out for them.

 

S03E13 - 'A Late Delivery From Avalon'

There hasn't been an episode in this season so far that I consider to be a duffer, but this one comes close. A PTSD sufferer thinks he's King Arthur, and comes to B5 with a sword and armour, looking to solve injustice and form a new round table. I suppose it was worth it to see "Sir" G'Kar leaping triumphantly into a brawl and then get drunk and fall over. And the scenes with Garibaldi and the post office worker were kinda funny. After everything that's happened, though, these quieter/comedic episodes take some getting used to. The calm between storms, I assume.

Don’t forget it was still a 22 episode season that needed filling up.  

[Sprite Machine]

S03E14 - 'Ship of Tears'

Bester's return brings the conspiracy of light a potential new weapon against the Shadows - telepaths! And G'Kar is finally let into the secret club too. Quite a lot of lore and revelations in this one, about how the Shadow ships might function, their reasons for using PsiCorps, and why Narn telepaths no longer exist. And Bester is always good to watch.

[Don Wiskerando]

I'm watching along an episode ahead of where you're at, but last night I watched all the way to the end of series 3.

 

I love this show. 

[davidcotton]

12 minutes ago, Don Wiskerando said:

I'm watching along an episode ahead of where you're at, but last night I watched all the way to the end of series 3.

 

I love this show. 

First time or rewatch for you?

[Don Wiskerando]

8 minutes ago, davidcotton said:

First time or rewatch for you?

Rewatch of a rewatch*.   I watched it all when it first aired and then did a rewatch two years ago when the remasters came out.

 

*I have never watched all of season 5 but I have seen the finale.

[Sprite Machine]

S03E15 - 'Interludes and Examinations'

The title makes this one sound like the most boring thing ever, but this is a good episode. The Shadow war takes a step forward with

Spoiler

the Vorlons being forced to strike, Kosh is killed (!!!), Londo goes to a very dark place and asks for Morden's help, and Franklin confronts his addiction and resigns his position.

Sheridan's final scene with Kosh is very good.

This whole show reminds me so much of Mass Effect at times.

[Benny]

Mass Effect was so obviously made by Babylon 5 fans. It's practically plagiarism.

[Sprite Machine]

S03E16&17 -'War Without End' (parts 1 & 2)

Wow, that was fucking cool! 

 

Not just a follow-up to the 'Babylon Squared' storyline, but essentially forms the second half of it. Like it was written two years prior and only now finished. A production challenge, to be sure! It's not 100% seamless but it's pretty damned close and a testament to the talent and patience of JMS as a storyteller.

Spoiler

I'm so glad that Sinclair got a better ending than 'he had to go away for a while'. I was worried that whole story and the flashforwards would be ignored or sidelined, but nope. Everything foreshadowed is resolving really well, and the future scenes have enough wiggle room to be loosely interpreted without spoiling the rest of the show.

 

When Delenn showed the historical video of the B4 station appearing a thousand years in the past, I knew I was in for a wild ride. I love the concept of myths and legends having sci-fi origins, and I love clever time travel stories, so this pretty much ticked all the boxes.

 

Just excellent all round. Probably my favourite episodes yet.

[Eighthours]

You're in peak B5 now, Sprite, it's great that you're loving it!

[LaveDisco]

What a great show. Just a scale of ambition that's still unmatched in TV.

[Eighthours]

@Zathrasliking my last post is *chef's kiss*.

[Zathras]

😀 loving this thread, think a rewatch is in order.

[Vespa Alex]

2 hours ago, Zathras said:

😀 loving this thread, think a rewatch is in order.

It’s been by far the longest gap since I’ve rewatched it, and it’s been superb. Normally I’d skipped much of S1 but I did every episode this time, and now I’m up to S05E02. 

[Sprite Machine]

S03E18 - 'Walkabout'

A replacement for Ambassador Kosh arrives on the station to fulfill the same role, like a pallette-swapped Mass Effect 3 dead crewmate variant. Telepath Lyta helps test a theory in a battle against the Shadows. Meanwhile, Dr. Franklin goes on a journey to find himself and meets a singer in the Downbelow.

I didn't really care for the Franklin subplot while the far more interesting Army of Light was launching a telepathic assault on a Shadow ship. It was very satisfying to see them succeed, and have G'Kar turn up with the cavalry, but clearly there's a lot of work to do to make this new strategy viable in an all-out war. Still, I liked it.

'NuKosh' has a bit more of an edge, but just as much wishy-washy energy.

[monkeydog]

3 hours ago, Sprite Machine said:

A replacement for Ambassador Kosh arrives on the station to fulfill the same role, like a pallette-swapped Mass Effect 3 dead crewmate variant.

 

I'm now imagining the amazing range of paid DLC Kosh curtains a modern B5 game would have.

[jonamok]

“Kosh curtains” lol.

[Benny]

Filth.

[Sprite Machine]

S03E19 - 'Grey 17 Is Missing'

This was the first episode in a while to sell the idea of how massive the Babylon 5 station is. There's a whole floor that disappeared during construction, but it's actually hidden between levels and a weird death cult has been living in there, hunted by an alien monster that Garibaldi kills with a MacGyver-esque contraption that fires steam-powered bullets. I was a bit tired when I watched this one so I can't be sure I didn't actually dream some of it.

The rest of the story is setting stuff up for future: Some telepaths get interviewed to become fighters in the war, Delenn becomes the new leader of the Rangers, and there's tension between the Minbari castes, causing Marcus to get the shit kicked out of him.

Probably one of the season's weaker episodes, but it should ramp up for the last handful.

[Eighthours]

7 hours ago, Sprite Machine said:

S03E19 - 'Grey 17 Is Missing'

This was the first episode in a while to sell the idea of how massive the Babylon 5 station is. There's a whole floor that disappeared during construction, but it's actually hidden between levels and a weird death cult has been living in there, hunted by an alien monster that Garibaldi kills with a MacGyver-esque contraption that fires steam-powered bullets. I was a bit tired when I watched this one so I can't be sure I didn't actually dream some of it.

The rest of the story is setting stuff up for future: Some telepaths get interviewed to become fighters in the war, Delenn becomes the new leader of the Rangers, and there's tension between the Minbari castes, causing Marcus to get the shit kicked out of him.

Probably one of the season's weaker episodes, but it should ramp up for the last handful.

I think JMS hates this one.

[monkeydog]

13 hours ago, Eighthours said:

I think JMS hates this one.

 

It's his least favourite of season 3, in terms of how the finished show played out.  From Lurker's guide:

 

Quote

I think it's about 3/4ths of a good episode. Where it falls down, for me, is the Zarg...I just have this constant desire to go to everyone's house and personally apologize....