^In The Beginning.
Re-watching Babylon 5 (* SPOILERS *)
- Thread starter DigificWriter
- Start date
^In The Beginning.
Yeah, that's it. Thanks.
Incidentally, Peter Jurasik once commented that he didn't think he'd done Londo's speech about his shoes being too tight the justice it deserved, but I really disagree. I think he knocked it out of the park.
Incidentally, Peter Jurasik once commented that he didn't think he'd done Londo's speech about his shoes being too tight the justice it deserved, but I really disagree. I think he knocked it out of the park.
I'm not so hot on "The War Prayer" overall. I think it's one of the series' weaker episodes, despite its importance. I'm not going to pretend that it's because of anything which can be construed as remotely objective, though. I'm just not a big fan of one-off romance plots in general, and I feel like the way that concept is handled here isn't much better than the worst dregs of TNG's romance-of-the-week efforts.
^ I don't get why you'd feel that way, because TWP isn't about the romance. It's about prejudice, and is one of the few episodes of the series without a 'B' plot.
I'm glad the consensus seems to be that The Gathering isn't essential. I just ordered B5 season 1. I watched the first episode online before deciding on it, and to me it seemed like a good introduction.
"The Gathering" aired a year before the first season, so "Midnight on the Firing Line" is understandably filled with all the necessary exposition to get audiences up to speed. There are a few other important details, but the series will fill you in on them as it goes along.
The Gathering isn't essential as the start of Season 1, but should probably be watched simply for the sake of completeness.
I'm back with thoughts on episodes 9 through 12, but before I get into the meat of things, I wanted to make an observation: as I've been watching the season, I've come to the conclusion that there are only about 4 or 5 (depending on if you think TKO - despite its being widely panned - is essential or not) episodes in S1 which qualify as 'filler'. This is a much bigger list than the one I mentioned before I started talking about my own 'essentials' list, but that's how I feel.
Now, on to the episode reviews.
Deathwalker
As I mentioned above, I've come to the realization that there are way more 'essential' episodes in S1 than I had previously thought, with Deathwalker being one of those that I hadn't previously considered as being an essential part of the season's storyline.
I also mentioned this earlier, but I've always felt a bit like Talia does in this episode when it comes to understanding the 'B' plot involving her, Kosh, and Abbut. JMS has said that he ended up letting the episode's writer, Larry DeTillo, script that plot despite not liking it very much, but that he probably wouldn't have returned to it to give it some resolution even if Andrea Thompson hadn't left the series. Despite its confusing nature, though, I do think the plot would've been worth revisiting, especially after having, as I mentioned, recently read a fanfic that did a pretty good job of revisiting it.
Believers
I mentioned this earlier, but Believers really isn't my cup of tea. Don't get me wrong; I completely 'get' what the episode was trying to say, and even like many of the themes it presents. However, I have a very hard time getting past the stupidity and criminality of the actions that Shon's parents take, which, for me, really offsets what the episode was trying to communicate.
The 'B' plot involving Ivanova is really the first 'b' plot of the season to feel somewhat extraneous in comparison to the 'a' plot, but it does give us some new insight into her character and gives us a chance to see her doing something other than just pacing back and forth in C & C, and, as I noted previously, inspired me to commit to something that I'd been mulling in regards to re-assessing and reconfiguring the Babylon 5 reboot project I started a while back and Ivanova's involvment in it.
Survivors
I mentioned earlier that I couldn't quite decide if Survivors belonged on my 'essentials' list, but I've' since lost any uncertainty I had and have definititively added it to said list, primarily because of the character information it gives us about Garibaldi, but also because of how it ties into the Home Guard/anti-alien sentiment and prejudice story angle introduced in The War Prayer and followed up on in And the Sky Full of Stars.
By Any Means Necessary
This episode really reminded me very much of the nuBSG episode 'Dirty Hands' due to its similar story material, but it also reminded me of that episode because it's a much 'grittier' episode than any of those that precede it in both tone and in terms of the way it was shot.
I wasn't quite sure whether or not the episode was an essential one or not until Londo made it clear that he was deliberately screwing with G'Kar as a way of getting subtle revenge for what happened in Midnight on the Firing Line. It is that little bit of motivational candor that pushes the episode onto the 'essentials' list when it otherwise would've been 'filler'(albeit excellent 'filler').
***
There shouldn't be as big an interlude with regards to my comments on the remaining episodes, since I think I'm going to try and cram them all into a couple of 'super posts', which will probably come tommorow morning or afternoon (depending on how long it takes me to watch the eps).
I'm in the middle of a rewatch myself, though I'm way ahead of you in Season 4. I remember deciding while watching this scene that Kosh knew about the sleeper personality in Talia, or at least suspected, and was using Abbut to confirm and/or glean info.DigificWriter said:
I honestly never liked Talia much. I didn't think she was that great of an actress, and her voice got on my nerves.
It's the dialogue in the scenes with the lovers. It's very nauseating to me. Very wooden and predictable. In a series which routinely surprises me with where some of its later-season lines wind up going, the scenes with the lovers are just a big pet peeve of mine in that I probably could have won money betting on where every syllable was headed.
Regardless of the episode's plot itself, it had romance in it, and the romance was handled weakly enough that it's a dud to me. Like I said, this is very much a "me" thing, and I wouldn't expect anyone without very similar viewing interests to review the episode as I have. For most, it's OK, because that's not what it's about, anyway, and it handles the issue of prejudice well. For me, nope. Sorry, just not gonna fly. Tidy up that dialogue.
I'm back with thoughts on episodes 13 through 17. I'm not feeling well right now, though, so this post may be more scattered than the others.
Signs and Portents
I watched this episode with the accompanying available commentary from JMS, and, while he doesn't offer too many insights into the episode itself, he does mention something that I hadn't considered with regards to Morden's recurring question to each of the ambassadors; the question itself gives as much insight into each of the characters as their answers to it do, and it's fairly significant that, of each of the characters, Londo is the one who answers it satisfactorily enough to gain the favor of Morden's benefactors. Londo's actions in this episode, both in answering Morden's question as well as in what he does in terms of helping to acquire the Eye, really dovetail incredibly well with the way he's portrayed in episodes like BttP and TWP, although his actions here are driven more overtly by ambition than his actions in either of those other two episodes.
TKO
I had a hard time deciding if TKO deserved to be considered an 'essential' episode or not, but watching it did make me realize that I can't really figure out why it seems to get the flack that it does. It reminded me very much of the nuBSG episode Unfinished Business, although it's less ambitious in its conceptual intent than that episode. I did like the way it focused on Ivanova finall letting herself forgive her father and grieve for him, which felt to me very much like a reflection of Unfinished Business' subplot involving Kara and Lee.
Grail
Grail isn't an 'essential' episode for the season, but it nevertheless contributes in some fairly substantial ways to the overall story arc of the season, particularly in terms of the way that it portrays Delenn's character; the insight she offers in terms of Aldous Gajic's quest and beliefs could be equally applied to Sinclair, and fit rather well in terms of what happens in Babylon Squared as it concerns him (Sinclair). The episode's 'B' plot involving the Nakaleen Feeder is something that hadn't really made a whole lot of sense to me previously, but that became a lot clearer this time around, especially with regards to how it fed (no pun intended) into the insight we get into Kosh's character (I love the fact that he's glad the mystery surrounding him makes people nervous).
Eyes
It is fairly inevitable that, in any ongoing series, there will be at least one episode that serves as a veritable 'clip show', and Eyes more than fits the bill as being such for S1. The interesting thing about the episode, though, is that it doesn't function like a typical 'clip show' in that there aren't any actual physical 'clips' used to recap what's happened thus far; it's all done through the dialogue and the interactions between various characters, which makes it fairly unique in terms of its function as a 'clip show'. The insight it offers into the Psi Corps and Susan Ivanova's character also makes it an extremely good episode, as well as a very neat counterpart, thematically, to Legacies.
Legacies
As I've previously mentioned, I absolutely love Talia Winters' character, and, after her being absent from the show since Deathwalker, it was great to see her return, and return in a very prominent role. Her interactions with both Ivanova and Alisa are great, and there's even a point in the episode where said interactions start to hint at the eventual romantic relationship that develops between her and Ivanova. Alisa's storyline also dovetails extremely nicely with the plot involving Delenn, Neroon, and the 'honor guard' ceremony for Bramner, not only because of how the two plots eventually intertwine, but also because they both reflect a similar theme. Delenn's actions in the episode also dovetail rather neatly with what happens a few episodes down the line in Chrysalis (more on that later).
A Voice in the Wilderness, Parts 1 and 2
In the interest of saving time, I'm combining these two episodes into a single whole and will be commenting on them as such.
AVitW is, I believe, the first multi-part episode of Season 1 (if you don't count The Gathering), and, as such, it has a lot to do in terms of justifying the decision to split it in half. Thankfully, it more than adequately does so, and, in the process, manages to give us a LOT of insight into the characters of Sinclair, Delenn, and Londo. There's a lot of parallels that one can draw between what Londo says in TWP and the actions he takes here, with said actions being an example of him 'loosening his shoes and remembering how to dance'. Delenn's comments about owing Londo a favor are also enigmatic enough to be intriguing, but also hint somewhat at the actions she'll take in Chrysalis (and the actions she takes in Babylon Squared).
Babylon Squared
I have to start out these comments by admitting that the events of this episode play out completely differently than how I remembered them and how I had been planning on retelling them in my reboot fanfiction project. Having said that, the episode is extremely well-written and paced, with just enough mystery and humor scattered throughout to keep you guessing as to what's going to happen next. The reveal of an older Sinclair being 'The One' doesn't quite have as much narrative OOMPH as it might've had it not come completely out of nowhere and been foreshadowed a bit (albeit subtly), but it nonetheless works and makes for a nice counterpoint to the final scene of the younger Sinclair and Garibaldi in the shuttle heading back to B5.
***
I'll be back with reviews of/thoughts on episodes 21 and 22, but, in the meantime, I'd like to leave off by asking a question about something that I started thinking about after viewing Eyes and Legacies. In Eyes, there's a point at which Harriman Grey probes Susan's mind and makes mention of Talia Winters, but, within the context of the story of Eyes itself, said mention seems a bit out of place. However, it ceases to be out of place if you consider the possibility of swapping the 'chronological' order of Eyes and Legacies, with Legacies coming first and Eyes second. Does anyone know if these two particular episodes were meant to be swapped in terms of their chronology?
Signs and Portents
I watched this episode with the accompanying available commentary from JMS, and, while he doesn't offer too many insights into the episode itself, he does mention something that I hadn't considered with regards to Morden's recurring question to each of the ambassadors; the question itself gives as much insight into each of the characters as their answers to it do, and it's fairly significant that, of each of the characters, Londo is the one who answers it satisfactorily enough to gain the favor of Morden's benefactors. Londo's actions in this episode, both in answering Morden's question as well as in what he does in terms of helping to acquire the Eye, really dovetail incredibly well with the way he's portrayed in episodes like BttP and TWP, although his actions here are driven more overtly by ambition than his actions in either of those other two episodes.
TKO
I had a hard time deciding if TKO deserved to be considered an 'essential' episode or not, but watching it did make me realize that I can't really figure out why it seems to get the flack that it does. It reminded me very much of the nuBSG episode Unfinished Business, although it's less ambitious in its conceptual intent than that episode. I did like the way it focused on Ivanova finall letting herself forgive her father and grieve for him, which felt to me very much like a reflection of Unfinished Business' subplot involving Kara and Lee.
Grail
Grail isn't an 'essential' episode for the season, but it nevertheless contributes in some fairly substantial ways to the overall story arc of the season, particularly in terms of the way that it portrays Delenn's character; the insight she offers in terms of Aldous Gajic's quest and beliefs could be equally applied to Sinclair, and fit rather well in terms of what happens in Babylon Squared as it concerns him (Sinclair). The episode's 'B' plot involving the Nakaleen Feeder is something that hadn't really made a whole lot of sense to me previously, but that became a lot clearer this time around, especially with regards to how it fed (no pun intended) into the insight we get into Kosh's character (I love the fact that he's glad the mystery surrounding him makes people nervous).
Eyes
It is fairly inevitable that, in any ongoing series, there will be at least one episode that serves as a veritable 'clip show', and Eyes more than fits the bill as being such for S1. The interesting thing about the episode, though, is that it doesn't function like a typical 'clip show' in that there aren't any actual physical 'clips' used to recap what's happened thus far; it's all done through the dialogue and the interactions between various characters, which makes it fairly unique in terms of its function as a 'clip show'. The insight it offers into the Psi Corps and Susan Ivanova's character also makes it an extremely good episode, as well as a very neat counterpart, thematically, to Legacies.
Legacies
As I've previously mentioned, I absolutely love Talia Winters' character, and, after her being absent from the show since Deathwalker, it was great to see her return, and return in a very prominent role. Her interactions with both Ivanova and Alisa are great, and there's even a point in the episode where said interactions start to hint at the eventual romantic relationship that develops between her and Ivanova. Alisa's storyline also dovetails extremely nicely with the plot involving Delenn, Neroon, and the 'honor guard' ceremony for Bramner, not only because of how the two plots eventually intertwine, but also because they both reflect a similar theme. Delenn's actions in the episode also dovetail rather neatly with what happens a few episodes down the line in Chrysalis (more on that later).
A Voice in the Wilderness, Parts 1 and 2
In the interest of saving time, I'm combining these two episodes into a single whole and will be commenting on them as such.
AVitW is, I believe, the first multi-part episode of Season 1 (if you don't count The Gathering), and, as such, it has a lot to do in terms of justifying the decision to split it in half. Thankfully, it more than adequately does so, and, in the process, manages to give us a LOT of insight into the characters of Sinclair, Delenn, and Londo. There's a lot of parallels that one can draw between what Londo says in TWP and the actions he takes here, with said actions being an example of him 'loosening his shoes and remembering how to dance'. Delenn's comments about owing Londo a favor are also enigmatic enough to be intriguing, but also hint somewhat at the actions she'll take in Chrysalis (and the actions she takes in Babylon Squared).
Babylon Squared
I have to start out these comments by admitting that the events of this episode play out completely differently than how I remembered them and how I had been planning on retelling them in my reboot fanfiction project. Having said that, the episode is extremely well-written and paced, with just enough mystery and humor scattered throughout to keep you guessing as to what's going to happen next. The reveal of an older Sinclair being 'The One' doesn't quite have as much narrative OOMPH as it might've had it not come completely out of nowhere and been foreshadowed a bit (albeit subtly), but it nonetheless works and makes for a nice counterpoint to the final scene of the younger Sinclair and Garibaldi in the shuttle heading back to B5.
***
I'll be back with reviews of/thoughts on episodes 21 and 22, but, in the meantime, I'd like to leave off by asking a question about something that I started thinking about after viewing Eyes and Legacies. In Eyes, there's a point at which Harriman Grey probes Susan's mind and makes mention of Talia Winters, but, within the context of the story of Eyes itself, said mention seems a bit out of place. However, it ceases to be out of place if you consider the possibility of swapping the 'chronological' order of Eyes and Legacies, with Legacies coming first and Eyes second. Does anyone know if these two particular episodes were meant to be swapped in terms of their chronology?
^ Thanks for that, Jan. This post will cover my reviews of episodes 21 and 22, some overall thoughts on S1, and my reviews of episodes 1 and 2 of Season 2.
The Quality of Mercy
On the surface, this episode seems to be a bit of a standalone episode unconnected to the larger arc, but its significance only becomes clear once we get into Season 2. I also liked the episode's focus on Franklin because the last episode to focus on him was Believers, which, as I mentioned, isn't really my cup of tea, so it is neat to see a focus episode for him that holds up. The subplot of Lennier and Londo interacting is also great, because it gives Lennier something to do outside of just being Delenn's aide, and because it tells us something about the Centauri that we didn't know but probably should've guessed.
Chrysalis
The best season finales always wrap up what's happened over the course of the season, while also leaving you guessing and wondering what's going to happen next, and Chrysalis succeeds on both of these levels. We get some great stuff for every single one of the characters. The episode really doesn't have an 'a' and 'b' plot because everything that happens in it is so interconnected, but that's what you want in a season finale.
Now, my thoughts on S1 overall.
Overall thoughts on Season 1
In the commentary for Signs and Portents, JMS talks about how S1 was designed to achieve a balance between carrying out the 5-year arc and allowing viewers to come into the season and series at any given point, with episodes being split about 1/2 and 1/2 between standalone episodes and episodes that were important to the overall 5-year arc. Having viewed the season in its entirety, however, I have to say that I disagree with that assessment, and would submit that, of the season's 22 episodes, only Infection, TKO, and Believers are truly standalone. Everything else not only contributes to the larger arc of Season 1 and the series, but is also pretty 'essential' when it comes to how that larger S1 arc unfolds.
Now, my reviews of the first two episodes of Season 2.
Points of Departure
Although it's not labeled as such, Points of Departure could very easily be considered Part 2 of Chrysalis because, despite the week of in-universe time that passes, it pretty much directly continues the events of that episode while also serving as a transition into the new and larger story arc of S2. Captain Sheridan's introduction is incredibly well-handled and feels very seamless, giving us a glimpse into just how pivotal the events of the Earth-Minbari War truly were, particularly in terms of the way the war and its end are viewed by the Minbari themselves (or at least certain factions therein), which is of particular import when you take a look at that information in light of what Lennier tells Sheridan and Ivanova in this episode concerning the reason behind the Minbari's surrender at the Battle of the Line and in light of the events of S1 as a whole with regards to Sinclair and Delenn's story arc.
Revelations
Revelations is really our first opportunity to get a good glimpse into just who John Sheridan is, and it succeeds on all fronts in painting a picture of this guy and what motivates him. His interactions with his sister really help show that there's more to him than the competent commander and warrior we're told about and get to see in Points of Departure. The subplot involving G'Kar's return and the information he provides concerning the Shadows dovetails with the exploration of Sheridan's character rather nicely, and we also get to see the return of the machine from TQoM, which, as I mentioned, immediately and automatically increases the significance of that episode ten-fold.
***
I'll be back later with reviews of S2 episodes 3 through 6.
The Quality of Mercy
On the surface, this episode seems to be a bit of a standalone episode unconnected to the larger arc, but its significance only becomes clear once we get into Season 2. I also liked the episode's focus on Franklin because the last episode to focus on him was Believers, which, as I mentioned, isn't really my cup of tea, so it is neat to see a focus episode for him that holds up. The subplot of Lennier and Londo interacting is also great, because it gives Lennier something to do outside of just being Delenn's aide, and because it tells us something about the Centauri that we didn't know but probably should've guessed.
Chrysalis
The best season finales always wrap up what's happened over the course of the season, while also leaving you guessing and wondering what's going to happen next, and Chrysalis succeeds on both of these levels. We get some great stuff for every single one of the characters. The episode really doesn't have an 'a' and 'b' plot because everything that happens in it is so interconnected, but that's what you want in a season finale.
Now, my thoughts on S1 overall.
Overall thoughts on Season 1
In the commentary for Signs and Portents, JMS talks about how S1 was designed to achieve a balance between carrying out the 5-year arc and allowing viewers to come into the season and series at any given point, with episodes being split about 1/2 and 1/2 between standalone episodes and episodes that were important to the overall 5-year arc. Having viewed the season in its entirety, however, I have to say that I disagree with that assessment, and would submit that, of the season's 22 episodes, only Infection, TKO, and Believers are truly standalone. Everything else not only contributes to the larger arc of Season 1 and the series, but is also pretty 'essential' when it comes to how that larger S1 arc unfolds.
Now, my reviews of the first two episodes of Season 2.
Points of Departure
Although it's not labeled as such, Points of Departure could very easily be considered Part 2 of Chrysalis because, despite the week of in-universe time that passes, it pretty much directly continues the events of that episode while also serving as a transition into the new and larger story arc of S2. Captain Sheridan's introduction is incredibly well-handled and feels very seamless, giving us a glimpse into just how pivotal the events of the Earth-Minbari War truly were, particularly in terms of the way the war and its end are viewed by the Minbari themselves (or at least certain factions therein), which is of particular import when you take a look at that information in light of what Lennier tells Sheridan and Ivanova in this episode concerning the reason behind the Minbari's surrender at the Battle of the Line and in light of the events of S1 as a whole with regards to Sinclair and Delenn's story arc.
Revelations
Revelations is really our first opportunity to get a good glimpse into just who John Sheridan is, and it succeeds on all fronts in painting a picture of this guy and what motivates him. His interactions with his sister really help show that there's more to him than the competent commander and warrior we're told about and get to see in Points of Departure. The subplot involving G'Kar's return and the information he provides concerning the Shadows dovetails with the exploration of Sheridan's character rather nicely, and we also get to see the return of the machine from TQoM, which, as I mentioned, immediately and automatically increases the significance of that episode ten-fold.
***
I'll be back later with reviews of S2 episodes 3 through 6.
"Infection" has several direct tie-ins to "Messages from Earth"; there's what IPX is up to with trying to get their hands on this tech here and trying to track down the Shadow ship in the later episode; the concept of an organic machine with a human core in both episodes; and also the conversation between Garibaldi and the reporter about how he and Sinclair met ties right into the flashback in that later episode, although that's more clear if one reads the comic.
^ I didn't know that, so thanks. I meant to put Grail on the list of standalones (that's what happens when you pet when you're sick), but either way, you're still looking at a significantly higher number of episodes (19 out of 22) tying into the larger tapestry of things than is indicated by JMS in his commentary.
I said I was only going to review episodes 3 through 6 in this post, but decided that, in order to keep some symmetry, I'd review all 4 episodes contained on Disk 2 of the S2 DVD set instead of just two of them, which means that I'm reviewing episodes 3 through 8 rather than 3 through 6. Because I'm still feeling somewhat under the weather, the following observations and thoughts might be a bit scattered, for which I apologize.
The Geometry of Shadows
The most significant things about The Geometry of Shadows are the introduction of Lord Refa and Susan Ivanova's promotion to commander. Otherwise, the episode is fairly standalone, marking a change from the third episode of S1, Born to the Purple, which was not only essential to the overall story arc of the season, but to the series as well. The episode does introduce the techno-mages, but not enough is done with them to really make that part of the episode truly have significance.
A Distant Star
Revelations marked the first real opportunity for us to be given a glimpse inside John Sheridan's character, and A Distant Star takes what we learned about him in that episode and further expands upon it by introducing the character of Captain Maynard, an old friend of Sheridan's who is both similar to and different from him. Beyond that, though, the episode has a great deal of significance because it again shows us that the Shadows are out there again, and that they're not just lurking near their home planet but are out and about in the larger realm of space as well.
The Long Dark
The Long Dark is really only the fourth episode to build on the overall theme and arc of Season 2, but it does so at a fairly leisurly pace in comparison to the way that S1's arc was paced. That actually makes the episode work fairly well because it gives us some clues about what's coming but still allows for viewers to jump in and be intrigued enough to continue without wondering what, if anything, they've missed.
Spider in the Web
I really liked this episode because it has a lot of layers to it. On the surface, it seems fairly standalone, but takes on greater significance when you look at it in terms of what it tells us about Talia and how it advances her character, particularly in light of what ends up happening to her later on in the season. This episode is also a fairly strong one for Sheridan in that it tells us some new information about him that helps explain why he's as quick to embrace the assertion that someone had conspired to kill President Santiago in Revelations. The information we learn about him here also plays rather nicely in terms of his actions in A Race through Dark Places.
Soul Mates
Soul Mates is, to my mind, the second 'standalone' episode of S2, but although it doesn't have a whole lot of significance in terms of the overall arc of S2 and of the series as a whole, it does have a fair amount of significance in terms of Londo Mollari's character, giving us a bunch of insight into him and advancing the storyline of his ascension to power without really having a whole lot to do with said ascension. The episode is also great in terms of giving us some pivotal character moments for G'Kar, although not enough is done with regards to him and any possible involvement he may or may not have had in what happens to Londo, which is somewhat of a pity.
A Race through Dark Places
I must confess that, for some reason, I didn't see Franklin being entangled with the telepath underground railroad coming, even though, in hindsight, the signs are there if you know where to look for them. His being involved, though, is a refreshing change of pace from what you'd expect, and also provides a glimpse into his character that is fresh and interesting. His decision to bring Sheridan in on things shows that he's placed an incredible amount of trust in his new CO. The episode is also great because it furthers Talia's story arc and also marks the true start of the relationship between her and Susan.
***
Thus far, I'd say that S2's list of 'essentials' looks like this:
Points of Departure
Revelations
A Distant Star
The Long Dark
Spider in the Web
A Race through Dark Places
I'll keep updating this 'essentials' list as I go, and will be back with thoughts on episodes 9 through 12.
The Geometry of Shadows
The most significant things about The Geometry of Shadows are the introduction of Lord Refa and Susan Ivanova's promotion to commander. Otherwise, the episode is fairly standalone, marking a change from the third episode of S1, Born to the Purple, which was not only essential to the overall story arc of the season, but to the series as well. The episode does introduce the techno-mages, but not enough is done with them to really make that part of the episode truly have significance.
A Distant Star
Revelations marked the first real opportunity for us to be given a glimpse inside John Sheridan's character, and A Distant Star takes what we learned about him in that episode and further expands upon it by introducing the character of Captain Maynard, an old friend of Sheridan's who is both similar to and different from him. Beyond that, though, the episode has a great deal of significance because it again shows us that the Shadows are out there again, and that they're not just lurking near their home planet but are out and about in the larger realm of space as well.
The Long Dark
The Long Dark is really only the fourth episode to build on the overall theme and arc of Season 2, but it does so at a fairly leisurly pace in comparison to the way that S1's arc was paced. That actually makes the episode work fairly well because it gives us some clues about what's coming but still allows for viewers to jump in and be intrigued enough to continue without wondering what, if anything, they've missed.
Spider in the Web
I really liked this episode because it has a lot of layers to it. On the surface, it seems fairly standalone, but takes on greater significance when you look at it in terms of what it tells us about Talia and how it advances her character, particularly in light of what ends up happening to her later on in the season. This episode is also a fairly strong one for Sheridan in that it tells us some new information about him that helps explain why he's as quick to embrace the assertion that someone had conspired to kill President Santiago in Revelations. The information we learn about him here also plays rather nicely in terms of his actions in A Race through Dark Places.
Soul Mates
Soul Mates is, to my mind, the second 'standalone' episode of S2, but although it doesn't have a whole lot of significance in terms of the overall arc of S2 and of the series as a whole, it does have a fair amount of significance in terms of Londo Mollari's character, giving us a bunch of insight into him and advancing the storyline of his ascension to power without really having a whole lot to do with said ascension. The episode is also great in terms of giving us some pivotal character moments for G'Kar, although not enough is done with regards to him and any possible involvement he may or may not have had in what happens to Londo, which is somewhat of a pity.
A Race through Dark Places
I must confess that, for some reason, I didn't see Franklin being entangled with the telepath underground railroad coming, even though, in hindsight, the signs are there if you know where to look for them. His being involved, though, is a refreshing change of pace from what you'd expect, and also provides a glimpse into his character that is fresh and interesting. His decision to bring Sheridan in on things shows that he's placed an incredible amount of trust in his new CO. The episode is also great because it furthers Talia's story arc and also marks the true start of the relationship between her and Susan.
***
Thus far, I'd say that S2's list of 'essentials' looks like this:
Points of Departure
Revelations
A Distant Star
The Long Dark
Spider in the Web
A Race through Dark Places
I'll keep updating this 'essentials' list as I go, and will be back with thoughts on episodes 9 through 12.
I'd forgotten that TGoS does feature the prophecy about Londo that we later see in dream/vision flashes in The Coming of Shadows (more on that in a sec), but even that isn't enough to make the episode significant.
I did say I'd be back with reviews of episodes 9 through 12, so here we go.
The Coming of Shadows
I loved this episode. It does a masterful job of throwing the story arc for the season into high gear, and also gives us a full season's worth of character growth for a number of characters, particularly Londo. As I was watching the episode, I kept being reminded of these words from Albus Dumbledore - "Soon each of us will face a choice between what is right and what is easy" - which sum up Londo's actions here pretty succinctly. He makes the easy choice here rather than the right one and it's going to come back to haunt him.
GROPOS
I got a very strong sense of deja vu as I was watching GROPOS, to the point that I felt I could've been watching my all-time favorite TV series, BSG. I believe I mentioned during one of my earlier reviews that one of the episodes reminded me of the BSG episode Unfinished Business, but GROPOS didn't remind me of BSG, it felt like BSG. The relationship between Richard and Stephen Franklin felt like the relationship between Lee Adama and his father, and the GROPO private Dodger felt like the B5 version of Kara Thrace, and would've been an excellent recurring character.
All Alone in the Night
AAitN is an interesting episode because it is both easy and hard to determine the episode's significance, which hadn't been the case. On the one hand, you've got Delenn's storyline, which will take on incredible importance, but you've then got the Sheridan story that is perhaps a bit too ambiguous. The things we find out in the episode concerning the thinking behind Sheridan's assignment to the station really help inform his character and also dovetail very nicely with his actions in Spider in the Web and A Race through Dark Places, which only helps increase the significance of those two episodes.
Acts of Sacrifice
You could almost call AoS a sequel to both The Coming of Shadows and A Racd Through Dark Places, because AoS really starts to show us for the first time the tangible consequences of the events of TCoS and gives Sheridan an opportunity to rely on the resources and resourcefulness of Franklin that he becomes aware of in ARtDP. The 'b' plot involving Ivanova adds some lighthearted fun to the episode and serves as a nice counterpoint to the episode's more serious 'a' plot, and also let's Claudia Christian show off her comedic chops.
I did say I'd be back with reviews of episodes 9 through 12, so here we go.
The Coming of Shadows
I loved this episode. It does a masterful job of throwing the story arc for the season into high gear, and also gives us a full season's worth of character growth for a number of characters, particularly Londo. As I was watching the episode, I kept being reminded of these words from Albus Dumbledore - "Soon each of us will face a choice between what is right and what is easy" - which sum up Londo's actions here pretty succinctly. He makes the easy choice here rather than the right one and it's going to come back to haunt him.
GROPOS
I got a very strong sense of deja vu as I was watching GROPOS, to the point that I felt I could've been watching my all-time favorite TV series, BSG. I believe I mentioned during one of my earlier reviews that one of the episodes reminded me of the BSG episode Unfinished Business, but GROPOS didn't remind me of BSG, it felt like BSG. The relationship between Richard and Stephen Franklin felt like the relationship between Lee Adama and his father, and the GROPO private Dodger felt like the B5 version of Kara Thrace, and would've been an excellent recurring character.
All Alone in the Night
AAitN is an interesting episode because it is both easy and hard to determine the episode's significance, which hadn't been the case. On the one hand, you've got Delenn's storyline, which will take on incredible importance, but you've then got the Sheridan story that is perhaps a bit too ambiguous. The things we find out in the episode concerning the thinking behind Sheridan's assignment to the station really help inform his character and also dovetail very nicely with his actions in Spider in the Web and A Race through Dark Places, which only helps increase the significance of those two episodes.
Acts of Sacrifice
You could almost call AoS a sequel to both The Coming of Shadows and A Racd Through Dark Places, because AoS really starts to show us for the first time the tangible consequences of the events of TCoS and gives Sheridan an opportunity to rely on the resources and resourcefulness of Franklin that he becomes aware of in ARtDP. The 'b' plot involving Ivanova adds some lighthearted fun to the episode and serves as a nice counterpoint to the episode's more serious 'a' plot, and also let's Claudia Christian show off her comedic chops.
I'd forgotten that TGoS does feature the prophecy about Londo that we later see in dream/vision flashes in The Coming of Shadows (more on that in a sec), but even that isn't enough to make the episode significant.
I did say I'd be back with reviews of episodes 9 through 12, so here we go.
The Coming of Shadows
I loved this episode. It does a masterful job of throwing the story arc for the season into high gear, and also gives us a full season's worth of character growth for a number of characters, particularly Londo. As I was watching the episode, I kept being reminded of these words from Albus Dumbledore - "Soon each of us will face a choice between what is right and what is easy" - which sum up Londo's actions here pretty succinctly. He makes the easy choice here rather than the right one and it's going to come back to haunt him.
GROPOS
I got a very strong sense of deja vu as I was watching GROPOS, to the point that I felt I could've been watching my all-time favorite TV series, BSG. I believe I mentioned during one of my earlier reviews that one of the episodes reminded me of the BSG episode Unfinished Business, but GROPOS didn't remind me of BSG, it felt like BSG. The relationship between Richard and Stephen Franklin felt like the relationship between Lee Adama and his father, and the GROPO private Dodger felt like the B5 version of Kara Thrace, and would've been an excellent recurring character.
All Alone in the Night
AAitN is an interesting episode because it is both easy and hard to determine the episode's significance, which hadn't been the case. On the one hand, you've got Delenn's storyline, which will take on incredible importance, but you've then got the Sheridan story that is perhaps a bit too ambiguous. The things we find out in the episode concerning the thinking behind Sheridan's assignment to the station really help inform his character and also dovetail very nicely with his actions in Spider in the Web and A Race through Dark Places, which only helps increase the significance of those two episodes.
Acts of Sacrifice
You could almost call AoS a sequel to both The Coming of Shadows and A Racd Through Dark Places, because AoS really starts to show us for the first time the tangible consequences of the events of TCoS and gives Sheridan an opportunity to rely on the resources and resourcefulness of Franklin that he becomes aware of in ARtDP. The 'b' plot involving Ivanova adds some lighthearted fun to the episode and serves as a nice counterpoint to the episode's more serious 'a' plot, and also let's Claudia Christian show off her comedic chops.
I did say I'd be back with reviews of episodes 9 through 12, so here we go.
The Coming of Shadows
I loved this episode. It does a masterful job of throwing the story arc for the season into high gear, and also gives us a full season's worth of character growth for a number of characters, particularly Londo. As I was watching the episode, I kept being reminded of these words from Albus Dumbledore - "Soon each of us will face a choice between what is right and what is easy" - which sum up Londo's actions here pretty succinctly. He makes the easy choice here rather than the right one and it's going to come back to haunt him.
GROPOS
I got a very strong sense of deja vu as I was watching GROPOS, to the point that I felt I could've been watching my all-time favorite TV series, BSG. I believe I mentioned during one of my earlier reviews that one of the episodes reminded me of the BSG episode Unfinished Business, but GROPOS didn't remind me of BSG, it felt like BSG. The relationship between Richard and Stephen Franklin felt like the relationship between Lee Adama and his father, and the GROPO private Dodger felt like the B5 version of Kara Thrace, and would've been an excellent recurring character.
All Alone in the Night
AAitN is an interesting episode because it is both easy and hard to determine the episode's significance, which hadn't been the case. On the one hand, you've got Delenn's storyline, which will take on incredible importance, but you've then got the Sheridan story that is perhaps a bit too ambiguous. The things we find out in the episode concerning the thinking behind Sheridan's assignment to the station really help inform his character and also dovetail very nicely with his actions in Spider in the Web and A Race through Dark Places, which only helps increase the significance of those two episodes.
Acts of Sacrifice
You could almost call AoS a sequel to both The Coming of Shadows and A Racd Through Dark Places, because AoS really starts to show us for the first time the tangible consequences of the events of TCoS and gives Sheridan an opportunity to rely on the resources and resourcefulness of Franklin that he becomes aware of in ARtDP. The 'b' plot involving Ivanova adds some lighthearted fun to the episode and serves as a nice counterpoint to the episode's more serious 'a' plot, and also let's Claudia Christian show off her comedic chops.
I was hoping to wait a bit longer so as to avoid double-posting, but finished the next batch of episodes quicker than I expected. Before I jump into my reviews, though, I figured I ought to update my 'essentials' list:
Points of Departure
Revelations
A Distant Star
The Long Dark
Spider in the Web
A Race through Dark Places
The Coming of Shadows
All Alone in the Night
Acts of Sacrifice
Hunter, Prey
There All the Honor Lies
And Now for a Word
In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
Now, my reviews of the last four eps on that list.
Hunter, Prey
Of all the episodes on my above 'essentials' list, I think Hunter, Prey is the most encompassing in scope, drawing in story threads from Chrysalis, Points of Departure, Spider in the Web, A Race through Dark Places, and All Alone in the Night, while also doing a bit of subtle foreshadowing as well.
There All the Honor Lies
As I was watching this ep, I was struck by the number of similarities it has to The Gathering in terms of its structure, theme, and certain plot elements, and while I stand by my earlier statement of The Gathering being worth watching if only for the sake of completeness, I also think that TAtHL does a better job with its themes and is more pivotal and farther-reaching. If all of that weren't enough to make the episode awesome, though, there's also the fact that it heralds the birth of the 'Great Babearlon 5 Feud'.
And Now for a Word
The 'conceptual gimmick' behind this ep may have been done elsewhere, but I find myself hard-pressed to say whether or not it's ever been done better. BSG's Final Cut comes very close, but doesn't cover nearly the same amount of thematic ground as ,ANfaW, which is what pushes the latter ep over the top.
In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
This episode could very easily have lent its title to the season instead of The Coming of Shadows and it wouldn't have been out of place. The episode could also have very easily been made into a two-patter because of how much storyline ground it covers, drawing in threads from TWP, SaP, Chrysalis, Revelations, TAtHL, and ANfaW while also laying down a number of new story threads for the future. It's a major undertaking and is a huge testament to JMS' skills as a storyteller that things don't get bogged down.
Points of Departure
Revelations
A Distant Star
The Long Dark
Spider in the Web
A Race through Dark Places
The Coming of Shadows
All Alone in the Night
Acts of Sacrifice
Hunter, Prey
There All the Honor Lies
And Now for a Word
In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
Now, my reviews of the last four eps on that list.
Hunter, Prey
Of all the episodes on my above 'essentials' list, I think Hunter, Prey is the most encompassing in scope, drawing in story threads from Chrysalis, Points of Departure, Spider in the Web, A Race through Dark Places, and All Alone in the Night, while also doing a bit of subtle foreshadowing as well.
There All the Honor Lies
As I was watching this ep, I was struck by the number of similarities it has to The Gathering in terms of its structure, theme, and certain plot elements, and while I stand by my earlier statement of The Gathering being worth watching if only for the sake of completeness, I also think that TAtHL does a better job with its themes and is more pivotal and farther-reaching. If all of that weren't enough to make the episode awesome, though, there's also the fact that it heralds the birth of the 'Great Babearlon 5 Feud'.
And Now for a Word
The 'conceptual gimmick' behind this ep may have been done elsewhere, but I find myself hard-pressed to say whether or not it's ever been done better. BSG's Final Cut comes very close, but doesn't cover nearly the same amount of thematic ground as ,ANfaW, which is what pushes the latter ep over the top.
In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
This episode could very easily have lent its title to the season instead of The Coming of Shadows and it wouldn't have been out of place. The episode could also have very easily been made into a two-patter because of how much storyline ground it covers, drawing in threads from TWP, SaP, Chrysalis, Revelations, TAtHL, and ANfaW while also laying down a number of new story threads for the future. It's a major undertaking and is a huge testament to JMS' skills as a storyteller that things don't get bogged down.
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Oddly enough (given the show's general tone versus BSG and B5) I think Stargate SG-1's "Heroes" two-parter is the best of the mockumentary-in-space-opera contenders. All three of those are great, though, and this one is really close.
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