A Niner Watches Babylon 5 (NO spoilers, please)

Okay, you can say the character's name, but not the play's name? I never could get that straight. I have an actor friend I love to taunt.

 

It is when it comes from another man in the middle of a boxing match being watched by millions of viewers.

I seem to have a natural instinct to provoke people into saying "You're wrong!" or "You're a complete fool for thinking that." or "Sexy though you are, you should be sterilised for the good the the gene pool." Personally, I think people are just jealous of me.

But how did we have caption competitions? Or endless photoshop threads?

That must have been a dark time in the history of online Star Trek fandom.

 

A drug that can give mundanes telepathic abilities is not, in and of itself, a bad thing. It is most defiantly a good thing. The biggest social problem in the EA is the persecution of telepaths, and while the Psi-Corps is the one doing the persecuting most of the time, they're driven mostly be the mundane population's (not quite unwarranted) fear of telepaths. The Psi-Corps was created for a dual purpose, to protect mundanes from telepaths (who can do some nasty things if they really want to) and to protect telepaths from mundanes (humans have never been particularly kind to the things that they fear). It is that dual purpose that really lead to its corruption. It created a Psi-Corps that was insular and paranoid.

If dust actually worked properly there would be no need for the Psi-Corps, as everyone would have access to telepathic abilities. Not that the leadership would use it that way, of course, but there are still some idealists in the Corps. Most members are good people just doing what they thing is right.

 

Severed Dreams (*****)

I think my feelings about this episode can be best summed up by my good friend, George Takai. Take it away George.



GEORGE TAKAI: Whoa! Oh my!

What? I can be friends with George Takai and Scott Bakula, why can't I? The three of us meet up at Scott's ranch regularly. We usually ride ponies down to the river and have a picnic. We were even in a band together: "Scott Bakula and the Shirtless Wonders". I had to quit because George kept laughing at me, but we're still good friends.

Oh yes, review!

This is the knock-out punch I've been waiting for, and it was definitely worth it. Episodes like this are the reason I love serialised story-telling, moments like the one where Sheridan declared B5 independent from Earth would have been cool in a standalone story, but when it has years of back-story building to this one moment it is much, much more.

I don't know that there's much more I can say, to be honest. I always write up these reviews before watching the next episode, and right now I'd rather watch the next episode than sit here writing this, so if you'll excuse me I think I'll take my leave now.

Scott Bakula: 44

 

After watching Severed Dreams, you realize why the Narn have been conquered by the Centauri twice. They're battle IQ must be negative... or they're all suicidal.

 

^ Sure, the Narn tend to get far too caught up in their feelings to be effective tactical fighters, but I always find that scene where they charge the human boarding parties touching. The Narn aren't alone anymore. They've taken that step towards living and fighting for the entire community, not for their own revenge. They're fighting for honour and peace, instead of bitterness and rage and hate. At first I found the whole Narns-as-security-force idea hilarious (in the good way), and it just kept getting better when we had scenes like Ta'Lon in the elevator with Lady Morella and her guard, and his cheery "Hello, I'll be your Narn this evening!" look And her reaction!. But then we actually saw those Narns fighting to the death to defend Babylon Five. And I thought- it's not funny anymore! But it was touching. And important for the ongoing Narn plotline. The spotlight may be on the humans- and what a spotlight! Great stuff on the human storyline front- but the Narns got their continued development too.

Of course, the real shining moment belongs to the Minbari!

PS: I'm glad you liked it, TGB. It's indeed one of B5's finest moments.

 

It's one of those episodes that make you feel like you're watching a great Sci-Fi epic. Great story, great dialogue and a space battle no worse than the raid on The Death Star from "SW: A New Hope".

I have a feeling that the name of your next thread will start with "A B5 fan watches ...".

 

Severed Dreams is also the source of one of my favorite bloopers:
http://b5.cs.uwyo.edu/bab5/snds/hague.wav

I've always thought the next episode was an unfortunate step down, but then, most anything would be.

 

Without trying to curb your enthusiasm, remember that Joe likes to spend some time after a "big moment" to catch a breath before moving the major plots forward, so the next few episodes may seam a little sedate by comparison...but then so would anything. Rest assured though, this season ain't done with you yet.

 

Glad to hear you loved it, GodBen! I'd have been disappointed if you gave it anything less than 5 stars, as many, myself included, consider it to be THE best episode of the entire series.

 

Exactly! By the time this ep rolled around, I was right there inside Sheridan's skin with him, feeling every bit of his sorrow and fear and disappointment and anger that had built up over the last year.

And, as I've said every time this ep is mentioned, it's the only time in TV history that actually launched me out of my chair cheering - when Hiroshi kamikazied her ship, I jumped up and yelled "Ram it down their throats, baby!" Then I sheepishly looked at my wife, who was wondering if I'd had a stroke, and sat quietly back down.

No other TV show has ever done that to me.

At least not in front of my wife.

 

JMS's capable way of storytelling is paying off in Mesaages from Earth , Point of No Return and Severed Dreams. Really everything , every piece is pushing Sheridan to the decision he reluctantly agreed. Independence from Earth Alliance. When he learned EA military was on the way to retake the station the camera makes a zooming effect on Sheridan and its feeling is perfect. It shows the enormity of the step he is taking and his isolation. He is cut off from his goverment now. Again : Nothing is same anymore. Parameters and conditions have changed.

There was even some good humour at the beginning. "I am not getting confirmation on your identity card..." LOL

Battle was kick ass of course. After the moment both sides opened fire it was fast , brutal , uncomprimising and tragic ( destruction of EAS Churchill and sacrifice of Narns ) I would like to see White Star in action also but I guess that was the limit.

Glad that you liked it TGB...It is of one the finest moments of B5.

 

Indeed. There's no way an Earthforce Captain with half a brain would consider taking on two Minbari Warcruisers, not even with a pair of the EAs biggest most powerful Destroyers. They wouldn't last a full minute.

 

I think they tend to have tactics more like army ants: sure, many may die, but if you swarm with enough numbers and tenacious ferocity, you will achieve victory. Certainly follows from G'Kar's new outlook of, "to save ourselves, we must sacrifice ourselves."

 

Not only that, but you NEED eps like the one coming. Heck, the "missing man" formation moment alone is worth it for me.

 

That actually happens with a number of shows. Heck, just look at DS9's examples:

The Die Is Cast ----> Explorers
The Way Of The Warrior ----> The Visitor
Paradise Lost ----> Crossfire
By Inferno's Flame ----> Doctor Bashir, I Presume?
Sacrifice Of Angels ----> You Are Cordially Invited

In fact, with possible exception of the last one, all of these follow-up episodes have nothing to do with the previous Major Event Episode. At least Ceremonies Of Light And Dark directly follows-up Severed Dreams.

(I'm assuming this isn't really a spoiler, since GB mentioned he was going to watch CoLaD right after his last post)

 

My Dad was a fighter pilot in WWII. I can't see a missing man formation without choking up. I wish I was wealthy just so I could have afforded to hire four AT-6s for his funeral. Of course they would have had to carry me back to the car afterward.

 

I'm an active servicemember (Army). I get misty at military funerals, even fictional ones. That will include the coming one next ep.

 

^ Indeed. Performing funeral duty has got to be one of the more challenging emotional experiences I've ever done.

Especially if you're the person who receives the flag at the grave site service and who then hands it over to the widow.

No matter how stoic you try to be... *Major Tear Gush* (bad pun intended )

Cheers,
-CM-

 

Very true. I recently did that for the first time. I wasn't the one handing off the flag, but was standing close enough to the widow and the one who did. He hands her the flag, "On behalf of a grateful nation...", and the widow, who up to this point had been sorrowful but stoic, the waterworks started. Took some extra willpower on my part at that point.

The West Wing had an excellent ep which featured a military funeral, too. In Excelsis Deo. Good episode, and again, a moving scene.