Claudia once said she hoped they'd make her failure of a love life a running joke. She was hoping they'd hook her up with a bizarre alien or two.
Babylon 5 - I'm finally going to do it
- Thread starter tomalak301
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Claudia once said she hoped they'd make her failure of a love life a running joke. She was hoping they'd hook her up with a bizarre alien or two.
I don't hate him either. It's just become a knee-jerk reaction to declare hatred for Byron. As for the telepaths, think back to the stories that Talia was told by the Underground Railroad teeps back in the second season. And Ivanova's story about her mother. The law was that it was the Corps or the drugs or prison (where they probably gave you the drugs anyway). Forced marriages. Join or be hunted. We were told all that but perhaps it would have been better to be reminded when Byron's people arrived.
Elderly Londo called it a Keeper in Sheridan's flashback in War Without End.
Jan
The Centauri half of "Kingdom of the Blind" was definitely very good. I really loved the performance of the Regent in Season Five. Byron is horrible not only for the character, for the look, the dialogue, the voice, but also because this is what we're getting instead of the good ole days of B5. Instead of a galaxy spanning epic confrontation between vast ancient god-like powers we're dealing with a long haired hippie in Downbelow.
So it's more of a fact that Season 5 feels too simplified than the other years? I think I made a mention in a previous review (Learning Curve) where I was starting to long for the days of Season 2-4 B5 just because it felt bigger and a lot more interesting and fun. I don't place blame squarly on Byron though, and he hasn't really done anything for me to despise him more than, say, Deanna Troi, who I really didn't like until she got the uniform, went through the movies and guest starred on Voyager.
you will hate him more once you're done with the season - done with the series. you will hate him less for what he is, than for what he was not. you will hate him for a whole half-season wasted. you will hate him for taking up valuable time from a rapidly dwindling supply of babylon hours. and yes: you will hate him for the hair.
Just saw the scene in question where we are introduced to the Keepers in WWOE II. I see why now it's good to go back and rewatch the series when you're done to pick up on different stuff. Probably won't do it immediately afterwords (Hell, I might buy this series) but good to know they were mentioned.
A Tragedy Of Telepaths
Na'Toth is still alive? That's freaking awesome.
All this time I never brought it up but I was wondering where she was. Yeah "And a Rock Cried Out" kinda brought it up, but it was a trick to get Refa in place. Delenn still had Lennier, Mollari still had Vir, but what about Na'Toth. That side of the story was great. Loved the scene with Mollari being all drunk and getting noticed trying to release her. Also, G'Kar has been awesome this season. More proof of that with this episode.
Also kind of like the story with Sheridan trying to hold the alliance together and who is attacking whose ships. Not really a big storyline but it does show what pressure it's putting on him.
Telepath storyline, eh, take it or leave it. I kind of feel with this one they are wasting time because this whole storyline is something I really don't have much care in. Hell, I'm not sure if Bester showing up helped but then it probably set up for the next episode.
Na'Toth is still alive? That's freaking awesome.
All this time I never brought it up but I was wondering where she was. Yeah "And a Rock Cried Out" kinda brought it up, but it was a trick to get Refa in place. Delenn still had Lennier, Mollari still had Vir, but what about Na'Toth. That side of the story was great. Loved the scene with Mollari being all drunk and getting noticed trying to release her. Also, G'Kar has been awesome this season. More proof of that with this episode. Also kind of like the story with Sheridan trying to hold the alliance together and who is attacking whose ships. Not really a big storyline but it does show what pressure it's putting on him.
Telepath storyline, eh, take it or leave it. I kind of feel with this one they are wasting time because this whole storyline is something I really don't have much care in. Hell, I'm not sure if Bester showing up helped but then it probably set up for the next episode.
You're almost past the worst of it. Hang in there. And that thing that you say isn't big, might just be a whole lot bigger than you think.
Good thing about storylines in B5, they have a tendency to grow. This one seems to be in it's infancy.
Phoenix Rising
You know, I kept wondering if this was one of B5's big episodes of the season. It brought a conclusion to this storyline, kinda, and it launched the telepath war, or at least it looked like it. However, I've not been very keen on this whole storyline at all (See reviews from the past three episodes or so) so when this is the one that's featured, I can't say I really enjoyed it. The whole thing was pretty much a cult anyway, and like I said, more of an annoyance then anything else. The Telepaths really were unsympathetic, and through all that they got nothing. Is that a way to fight a cause? This storyline could have been written so much better I think, and maybe they could have gotten another actor to play Byron. I know we never heard of him at the time, but what about James Callis, the guy who played Guius Balter. Perhaps hindsight is 20/20, but watching this telepath story made Baltar's story in Season 4 of BSG somewhat tolorable. That, and Callis is a great actor. I've already said I don't hate Byron as much as the fanbase seems to, but I do wonder what it would have been like with a better actor for the role, and maybe less of a hippie attitude.
I guess I should mention Garibaldi. He's been the best thing in regards to this storyline the last few episodes. He seems to be the voice of reason this season. Last episode it was people like excitment which is why there are wars. Here he made too much sense regarding the unsympathy the telepaths who did fight were getting. Loved the scene with him and Bester finally, and it does kinda suck he's gone back to the bottle. Seemed like he was getting his life back together in a way since the programming.
I'm not excusing his actions, but I can understand why Garibaldi went back to the bottle. Bester almost ruined his life, and now he finds out that he is unable to take vengeance against him. That's enough to break a man.
Yeah it is. If there is a tragic character in this series, it's probably the one who was fun to be around. Really sucks what happened to him.
The Ragged Edge
Maybe things might just get better in the second half. It's sure shaping up that way with the revelation that the Centauri (And yes I know they were behind the attacks, but when it's confirmed to everyone else for the first time, it's almost like still a revelation) were behind the attacks. I'm actually glad this story and the one about the problems within the royal palace will kind of go together. Puts some direction into the remainder of the season.
This episode significantly improved when Garibaldi got back. From the centauri revelation, to Franklin accepting the promotion it seemed actually like watching an older B5 episode. I think I could live without having G'Kar being worshipped as a prophet though.
Maybe things might just get better in the second half. It's sure shaping up that way with the revelation that the Centauri (And yes I know they were behind the attacks, but when it's confirmed to everyone else for the first time, it's almost like still a revelation) were behind the attacks. I'm actually glad this story and the one about the problems within the royal palace will kind of go together. Puts some direction into the remainder of the season.
This episode significantly improved when Garibaldi got back. From the centauri revelation, to Franklin accepting the promotion it seemed actually like watching an older B5 episode. I think I could live without having G'Kar being worshipped as a prophet though.
In a series populated with wonderful, genuine, credible, three-dimensional characters who grow and change in believable ways and whose motives more often than not make complete sense, Byron is the absolute antithesis of all those qualities. He's just a prat who wants to blame anyone for a situation the Vorlons put "his" people in. He has all the charisma of a fence post and yet Lyta - Lyta, of all people - willingly becomes his doormat. Throw in his unfortunate resemblance to Fabio and...yeah.
To each their own, of course. IMO, compared to almost all the characters in B5 he just doesn't cut it. At all.
The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father
Wow, they made a Bester episode dull. Who would have thunk it. Perhaps an episode like this would have been suited better in Season 2, as a good intro into the Psi-corps, but here I just couldn't get myself to wild up for this one. Bester is a lot better when he's dealing with "mundanes" like Garibaldi and Sheridan. Just the fact that everyone in the main cast wasn't even in this one except for Zack and Franklin makes it quite dull. I was actually falling asleep a bit, even though it is late. Lauren looked kind of attractive though.
Wow, they made a Bester episode dull. Who would have thunk it. Perhaps an episode like this would have been suited better in Season 2, as a good intro into the Psi-corps, but here I just couldn't get myself to wild up for this one. Bester is a lot better when he's dealing with "mundanes" like Garibaldi and Sheridan. Just the fact that everyone in the main cast wasn't even in this one except for Zack and Franklin makes it quite dull. I was actually falling asleep a bit, even though it is late. Lauren looked kind of attractive though.
Yes, that episode is rather dull, which is crazy since Bester is the favorite recurring character of most of the fanbase. Thankfully, that's the last of the lower quality stuff. The rest of season is great from there on out.
Also, I'll try to keep this spoiler free, but I wouldn't necessarily call Garibaldi the tragic character of the show. I can think of two far better candidates, but I won't say who as it would spoil you.
Also, I'll try to keep this spoiler free, but I wouldn't necessarily call Garibaldi the tragic character of the show. I can think of two far better candidates, but I won't say who as it would spoil you.
It's funny, the first time I watched the ending of "Phoenix" I completely misinterpreted the scene. I had forgotten Garibaldi was an alcoholic for a second so I thought his taking a drink to the news of the bombing was showing that HE was behind the bombing and he was starting his own private war against Bester for what he did. Duh 
I hated "Corps Is Mother", I just found it completely uninteresting. The only bit worth it was their secret fleet of hyperspace ships. "Ragged Edge" was a breath of fresh air to this season, though. They went to an alien planet! There was action! Wow! The purpose of that episode to test-run new CGI techniques to realize the alien planets for the Crusade spin-off, incidentally. But yes now you're past the telepath horror, the rest of the season is MUCH better.
Garibaldi's drinking: I was under the impression when he started, that he thought alchohol was a way to dull Bester's "Asomiv" block. So that if he confronted Bester while drunk, he'd be able to kill the bastard. I don't recall if some bit of dialog cued me to the idea or what, but that's why I thought Michael started drinking. I was very disappointed that nothing came of that.
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