A Niner Watches Babylon 5 (NO spoilers, please)

Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5

Most of the towns I've lived in, I woudn't. I'm ashamed to admit that, but it's true.

 

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Sadly, yes, he's something of an embarrassment. A national embarrassment.

I'd probably recognise Ban Ki-moon too, although I'd admit that most probably wouldn't.

 

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Hell, I worked at a grocery store for several months before I ever met the general manager. I don't even know who my mayor is, let alone what he looks like.

 

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Plus of course such people are somewhat harder to recognise without the uniform. If General Sir Michael Jackson or Norman Schwarzkopf happened to walk into my place of business wearing jeans, t-shirt and a funny little hooded cloak, I'm not confident I'd twig as to their identity either...mostly I'd be focused on the funny little hooded cloak

 

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I *do* so love comments like this from the new viewers!

Jan

 

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This does get trotted about regularly when people are slogging through early season 1, but it is undeniable that it's important to get to know the characters now. Because later events have that much more of an impact...

 

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I think you'll find that Londo and G'Kar have some of the most exciting arcs of any characters you've ever seen.

 

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Exactly. This stuff is one of the sheer delights of this show.

 

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Quit hinting at Londo and G'kar's forbidden hanky panky Guys! BE COOL!

This thread makes me want to watch B5 all over again, but sadly I have no way to get the DVD's, and t'aint on TV here.

 

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Come on! Their big, gay, alien romance is one of the best relationships ever!

 

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I dunno. The introduction of ka'rag, the pak'ma'ra spy, was an unnecessary attempt to create conflict in that bromance. Totally ruined it for me.

I do agree with Jan, however.

 

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What was, though? It's miraculous a darker (in respect to what was on at the time), heavily serialized sci-fi series like Babylon 5 made it into 90s syndication in the first place. It really paved the way for shows like Battlestar Galactica to go to the hilt with it a decade late.

 

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RDM's BSG. I named it and everything.

But you're right, Babylon 5 did come first and is a product of its time and so forth... but that it's comparatively tame was my point. Whether Battlestar Galactica was influenced by it at all is another question; that show owes an obvious debt to Deep Space Nine so I guess that'd be a thorny issue anyway.

 

Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5

The 'real' pilot, for me. It's fascinating to look back on too! I agree that the plot with the raiders seemed tacked on, and doesn't help the episode's pace.

Londo and G'Kar are brilliant to watch, but my one of my other favourites, Ivanova, gets off to a rough start. I enjoyed the bit at the end where she confides to Talia about her mother's problems with being a telepath and how she can't stand psi-corps. Aside from that, though, she comes off as very stiff.

The part where Londo has his gun and is off to kill G'Kar is very enjoyable for me though. Garabaldi doesn't want to kill him since they're friends, but he will do if he doesn't stand down. It seems like a shoddy attempt to diffuse the situation, but I liked at this early stage how different the temperaments of the main cast were compared to TNG, for example.

Yeah, very odd scene.

I understand where you're coming from. I enjoyed the episode more, perhaps somewhere in the 2/2.5 star range, but I think that the story is lost in the middle of the show somewhere. I think the episode has a fantastic start and end, the slog inbetween is a bit of a slog.

Hee! But it's frickin' W. Morgan Sheppard! That's worth the admission alone! Well, sort of... I do love the guy though, and he helps to pick up the episode somewhat.

As for souls, I'm firmly in the Dr. Franklin camp - I don't believe in them. Well, in real life, anyway. I've sat through enough episode of Buffy and Angel exploring the rigours of vampires with souls, so I can believe in them here. The scene at the end where Delenn is freeing the trapped souls particularly resonates for me, especially on rewatch.

Well I'm glad that never happened!

Yeah, that's a problem from time to time. We're being hit with the exposition stick in a not-so-subtle way, and it could have been done better, perhaps by furthering the mystery on Sinclair's part a bit. It's something that gets better with time, but the dialogue can be a bit funky.

Argh, Soul Hunters! That would be the third TNT telemovie from a lot further down the line. Now that is a story I didn't like, even with Martin Sheen!

Again, I liked this one! Another average one, perhaps, but better than some other episodes that pop up.

The story is definately the average part here, whereas the character stuff is getting the better stuff. Londo is being taken for a fool, yes, but seeing him head over heels is heartwarming and funny. Adira is also struggling to betray this man that she's managed to fall for herself, so a nice, cozy, happy ending is a good thing.

One of my favourite bits of the episode was Londo taking the piss with the negotiations with the Narn. He is too busy trying to help Adira, and puts Vir in charge. G'Kar is outraged, so himself leaves Na'Toth in charge on his behalf!

No, it's the first time it's mentioned. They are laying it on a bit thick with her character at the moment, but I thought it was a poignant end to her part of the episode. I liked Garabaldi trying to track down the Gold Channel thief, finally finding it to be Ivanova and then deciding to let the matter lie.

 

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"Born to the Purple" has a special place in B5 history for me, if only for "What do you want, you moon-faced assassin of joy?!"

 

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I laughed a lung up the first time I heard that.

 

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Ko'Dath, at that point.

 

Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5

Absolutely Right(TM).

It goes without saying that the same is true for DS9's "darker, grittier" Trek.

 

Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5

^

I thought you were leaving the thread never to return?

 

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But the context of the times has to be taken into consideration. B5 was an is dark, gritty and daring. IMO, it doesn't lose that.

Sure, BSG is darkER, grittiER, but that doesn't take anything away from B5.

Or Trek and what it does well.