A Niner Watches Babylon 5 (NO spoilers, please)

[TheGodBen]

Marcus probably worked on his hair for a good hour every morning, but he styled it in such a way that it wasn't noticeable that he spent so long on it. Byron probably only spends 20-30 minutes on it, but he styles it in such a way as to say "look at my hair, your hair will never flow as fabulously as mine". That's why Marcus was invited to all the cool parties while Byron was never invited, but he pretended that he was and refused to go. I can tell a lot from looking at someone's hair.


The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari (****)

For an episode that's supposed to be about Londo it sure does focus a lot on Lennier and his pet gok. The gok, named Iwannastrokedelenn'Shair escapes into the hydroponic gardens where it befriends a larval pak'ma'ra and they plot to assassinate the newly inaugurated President Sheridan. Lennier hires Garibaldi to look into the matter and he manages to prevent the plot from going ahead, while learning what really happened while he was kidnapped by the Psi Corps. The flashbacks were a bit disturbing, and I still can't figure out what was the cause of that strange waxy build-up on his...

Start again!

The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari (****)

Londo has a heart attack that puts him into a coma and sends him on a vision quest that teaches him an important life lesson. Has there even been a single TV show that didn't use this plot at some point? What the episode lacks in originality it more than makes up for with its characters, this episode focuses mainly on the two most interesting characters on the show, Londo and G'Kar. In the end Londo learns his lesson, apologises to G'Kar for destroying his planet, and this makes G'Kar happy. The end.

Meanwhile, Lennier has come to terms with the fact that Delenn loves someone else and he runs away to join the Rangers. This story reminds me a lot of an experience I had in my own life. Except Lennier walked away willingly with his dignity intact, while I had to be dragged away by the police and deported. Lennier left to join an organisation based on peace and justice, while I joined a Star Trek message board to bitch and moan about minor continuity errors on Voyager. The similarities are haunting.

An enjoyable episode for all the characters involved, and I got to learn more about Captain Lochley. Oh wait, she didn't appear in this episode. Who is she anyway?

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

An enjoyable episode for all the characters involved, and I got to learn more about Captain Lochley. Oh wait, she didn't appear in this episode. Who is she anyway?

The thing is, Captain Lochly is a secondary character and is treated as such. She only appears in half of the Season 5 episodes or so.

While Seasons 1-4 of Babylon 5 had focused on the station's command staff, Season 5 is mostly dealing with the Interstellar Alliance. Ivanova has left the station, Sheridan & Garibaldi aren't members of Earthforce anymore and belong to the alliance's leadership now. Their former positions are now filled with secondary characters like Lochley or Zack.

 

[Jan]

An enjoyable episode for all the characters involved, and I got to learn more about Captain Lochley. Oh wait, she didn't appear in this episode. Who is she anyway?

You'll learn quite a bit about her, be patient. JMS deliberately left her out of several episodes at the beginning of the season as a safeguard while looking for the right replacement for Claudia.

Jan

 

[Can]

Marcus probably worked on his hair for a good hour every morning, but he styled it in such a way that it wasn't noticeable that he spent so long on it. Byron probably only spends 20-30 minutes on it, but he styles it in such a way as to say "look at my hair, your hair will never flow as fabulously as mine". That's why Marcus was invited to all the cool parties while Byron was never invited, but he pretended that he was and refused to go. I can tell a lot from looking at someone's hair.


The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari (****)

For an episode that's supposed to be about Londo it sure does focus a lot on Lennier and his pet gok. The gok, named Iwannastrokedelenn'Shair escapes into the hydroponic gardens where it befriends a larval pak'ma'ra and they plot to assassinate the newly inaugurated President Sheridan. Lennier hires Garibaldi to look into the matter and he manages to prevent the plot from going ahead, while learning what really happened while he was kidnapped by the Psi Corps. The flashbacks were a bit disturbing, and I still can't figure out what was the cause of that strange waxy build-up on his...

Start again!

The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari (****)

Londo has a heart attack that puts him into a coma and sends him on a vision quest that teaches him an important life lesson. Has there even been a single TV show that didn't use this plot at some point? What the episode lacks in originality it more than makes up for with its characters, this episode focuses mainly on the two most interesting characters on the show, Londo and G'Kar. In the end Londo learns his lesson, apologises to G'Kar for destroying his planet, and this makes G'Kar happy. The end.

Meanwhile, Lennier has come to terms with the fact that Delenn loves someone else and he runs away to join the Rangers. This story reminds me a lot of an experience I had in my own life. Except Lennier walked away willingly with his dignity intact, while I had to be dragged away by the police and deported. Lennier left to join an organisation based on peace and justice, while I joined a Star Trek message board to bitch and moan about minor continuity errors on Voyager. The similarities are haunting.

An enjoyable episode for all the characters involved, and I got to learn more about Captain Lochley. Oh wait, she didn't appear in this episode. Who is she anyway?

That is one of my favorites in Season 5. Londo's struggle with himself with his guilt and his confrontatin with various aspects of his mind ( remember "Distant Voices" episode of Star Trek DS9 , this is done right ) added extra drama sauce to most conflicted character of B5

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Meanwhile, Lennier has come to terms with the fact that Delenn loves someone else and he runs away to join the Rangers. This story reminds me a lot of an experience I had in my own life. Except Lennier walked away willingly with his dignity intact, while I had to be dragged away by the police and deported. Lennier left to join an organisation based on peace and justice, while I joined a Star Trek message board to bitch and moan about minor continuity errors on Voyager. The similarities are haunting.

.

 

[hyzmarca]

Lennia needs to get away from him Delen so he goes off and joins the Rangers. So ow instead of pining for Delen all the time and doing whatever she tells him to do he'll live for the One and die for the One, to follow the One into fire and darkness and anywhere else, and generally do whatever the One tells him to do. That's a brilliant plan.

Who is the One again?

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Lennier needs to get away from Delenn so he goes off and joins the Rangers. So now instead of pining for Delenn all the time and doing whatever she tells him to do he'll live for the One and die for the One, to follow the One into fire and darkness and anywhere else, and generally do whatever the One tells him to do. That's a brilliant plan.

Who is the One again?

Good point!

Well, she's a third of the one. Maybe Lennier is trying to be more Was and Will Be, and less Is?

 

[Forbin]

Lennier needs to get away from Delenn so he goes off and joins the Rangers. So now instead of pining for Delenn all the time and doing whatever she tells him to do he'll live for the One and die for the One, to follow the One into fire and darkness and anywhere else, and generally do whatever the One tells him to do. That's a brilliant plan.

Who is the One again?

Good point!

Well, she's a third of the one. Maybe Lennier is trying to be more Was and Will Be, and less Is?

Well, we was Will once!

 

[hyzmarca]

I think its simpler than that. John Sheridan has twenty years to live. Delen knows that and so does Lennier. Minbari can live for well over a century and a half. Delen will outlive her husband by quite a large margin. Lenier is trying to make himself into a badass warrior like Sheridan and impress Delen so that he can be the one to comfort her in twenty years time then Sheridan's life runs out and maybe become the second Mr. Delen.

Of course, Lennier won't admit that to himself, just like he won't admit that he'd really love to have sex with her.

Joining the Rangers most certainly isn't moving on. It's going the extra mile in an attempt to live up to her standards.

 

[TheGodBen]

The Paragon of Animals (***)

Sheridan tries to get all the alien races to sign some liberal hippy document about peace and love and being at one with the universe, and all the aliens races refuse to sign it because they hate socialism. Or something. Basically, it's another plot where all the aliens act as one and refuse to accept Sheridan's superior position because they prefer to squabble like children, but then he finds a way to outsmart them all and all the aliens agree to his demands. It's like Rumours, Bargains and Lies, but with an Interstellar Alliance logo behind the desk. It's not a bad episode, and it's good that the show is focusing on Sheridan building the Alliance, but I don't like the way that the League worlds are characterised.

Speaking of things being poorly characterised, Byron was in this episode. I'm beginning to understand why people don't like him. There was a point where he was saying to Lyta that telepaths are better than your bog-standard human being, and he reminded me of Khan Noonien Singh. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, Khan is great fun to watch, but Khan is fun to watch because Ricardo Mantalbán was such a charismatic guy. Byron is not so charismatic, so he comes across as cold and a bit annoying. He certainly wouldn't be able to sell me on the benefits of soft Corinthian leather. (Although I do want to know what conditioner he uses.)

But the best thing about this episode was the development given to Captain Lochley, I'm finally getting a handle on her character. Oh wait, she wasn't in this episode either. Who is she anyway?

 

[Reverend]

I know what you mean about how the former league worlds are characterised, but there's an element of credibility to it. The Alliance is still young and most of the alien governments are still somewhat stuck in the old mindset of enlightened self interest balanced with a vague distrust of the major powers.

In addition a lot of the smaller powers like the Hurr, Grome, Hyach and others seem to be in the habit of deferring to the likes of the Drazi and Brakiri who are the big economic powers in that little pond. Hence their voices often being the loudest.

According to the background material thw Abbai were traditionally the mediators and often the voice of reason but hey got hit rather hard by the Shadows and have somewhat retreated from interstellar affairs to focus on rebuilding, so the balance of power and influence has shifted a little.

At this stage I think most are just in it for what they can get out of it - mostly aid in rebuilding from the war and as much Minbari tech as they can get their hands on. It'll take a while from them to come around the the concept that the ISA has fundamentally changed things and for that matter for the Alliance itself to find it's feet. Tuzanor wasn't built in a cycle after all.

 

[Jan]

Speaking of things being poorly characterised, Byron was in this episode. I'm beginning to understand why people don't like him. There was a point where he was saying to Lyta that telepaths are better than your bog-standard human being, and he reminded me of Khan Noonien Singh.

Keep that in mind.

Jan

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I know what you mean about how the former league worlds are characterised, but there's an element of credibility to it. The Alliance is still young and most of the alien governments are still somewhat stuck in the old mindset of enlightened self interest balanced with a vague distrust of the major powers.

In addition a lot of the smaller powers like the Hurr, Grome, Hyach and others seem to be in the habit of deferring to the likes of the Drazi and Brakiri who are the big economic powers in that little pond. Hence their voices often being the loudest.

According to the background material the Abbai were traditionally the mediators and often the voice of reason but hey got hit rather hard by the Shadows and have somewhat retreated from interstellar affairs to focus on rebuilding, so the balance of power and influence has shifted a little.

That's one of the things I liked about the show's arc- we really did get a sense of power shift in the League. These background details work out quite well, and make the universe seem more "real", at least in my eyes. I always noted that in season one the Abbai, the Yolu, the Markab and races like that seem to be unofficial leaders of the minor cultures- the more reserved and "quieter" races. Those who are a bit more focused on spirituality or discipline or genuine bridge-building, rather than a quick credit and economic supremacy. Then the Abbai and Yolu seem to disappear from public eye (the Markabs of course do disappear), and the louder, less sedate, more up-and-at-em races like Drazi, Brakiri and Gaim take the lead. Then the Abbai and Yolu come back in season Five (I notice them both at Alliance Council meetings this season, where in Season Four it was only Hyach, Drazi, Brakiri, Gaim, Llort and pak'ma'ra for the league), but they still seem to have been reduced in influence. That said, seeing as Yolu and Abbai both joined the anla'shok (according to minor lines), maybe they are still doing more than they seem to be on the surface?

One thing I liked about the relations between the former League members is how it seemed to mirror the situation with the major races. You have the older, stately cultures somewhat in decline (Centauri and Minbari) vs the younger, fast-paced, rapidly climbing go-getters (Narn and Humans). And the League mirrors that (Abbai, Yolu, Hyach, etc, being the older, more sedate, possibly declining cultures; Drazi, Brakiri, Gaim and Llort, the younger fast-paced ones).

 

[JoeD80]

It's like Rumours, Bargains and Lies, but with an Interstellar Alliance logo behind the desk. It's not a bad episode, and it's good that the show is focusing on Sheridan building the Alliance, but I don't like the way that the League worlds are characterised.

It may just seem like a one-off here, but the Drazi have another motivation for acting the way that they do, which actually ties into one small detail in that other episode you mentioned.

But the best thing about this episode was the development given to Captain Lochley, I'm finally getting a handle on her character. Oh wait, she wasn't in this episode either. Who is she anyway?

She's in about 10 episodes.

 

[David cgc]

I never noticed how little Lochley there was until this thread.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Lochley will be in the next episode TGB watches.

But there's a phase in the second half of the season where Lochley doesn't appear for five episodes in a row.

 

[Reverend]

Then the Abbai and Yolu come back in season Five (I notice them both at Alliance Council meetings this season, where in Season Four it was only Hyach, Drazi, Brakiri, Gaim, Llort and pak'ma'ra for the league), but they still seem to have been reduced in influence. That said, seeing as Yolu and Abbai both joined the anla'shok (according to minor lines), maybe they are still doing more than they seem to be on the surface?

I think there was actually a surprising amount of thought going into some of these kinds of background details. In the case of the Abbai, there's a mention of them being willing to join the IA in 'The Paragon of Animals' then (I don't think these count as spoilers) there's the passing meniton of three Abbai signing on to the Anla'Shok training in 'Learning Curve' and in 'In the Kingdom of the Blind' they have a representative back in the council chambers again, sat next to a Hurr and a Yolu no less.

 

[Forbin]

IIRC, Lochley was only in 8 episodes.

Scoggins is a gorgeous woman, but I don't think her acting has ever risen above your standard soap opera bit player.

 

[Reverend]

^I'd have to disagree with that. I thought she did very well and made a memorable impression even with only a handful of appearances.

Plus she actually appeared in 11 B5 episodes. I'd list them but that might count as spoilers.

 

[TheGodBen]

A View from the Gallery (*½)

When the episode began with Lochley talking about some random alien threat I prepared myself for an alien-of-the-week episode, so once the episode revealed that it was going to go in a random direction instead I was actually relieved. I decided to give this episode a chance and hope that it could pull off something like TNG's Lower Decks. Sadly, it didn't work for me because I just didn't like the characters of Bo and Mack, and if you don't like those characters then you're going to have a hard time accepting this episode.

The structure of this episode also hampers things, essentially it is a string of events leading Bo and Mack from one main character to the next... and Byron for some reason. It starts out with Bo meeting Franklin and Franklin giving one of his trademarked emotional speeches. If you dropped a hat in front of Franklin he'd speak passionately in hushed tones about the importance of hats and the tragedy of them getting dusty from the ground. Then they meet Lochley and Garibaldi fighting in an elevator. I think they like each other. Then Zach shouts at them. Then Byron irritates them for a bit. Then they eavesdrop on Londo and G'Kar when they really should be minding their own business. Then Sheridan tells them to lead Delenn to a life-pod even though they're maintenance guys and Delenn has had more combat experience than them. Seriously, if they had run into any of Emperor Palpatine's personal guard I imagine that Delenn would be the one saving their asses, not the other way round. Then the battle is won and Mack tells Lochley that she's okay in his book, even though he has barely seen her in action and her whole battle strategy as far as I can tell was to wait for the White Stars to show up.

But at least I finally got to learn more about Captain Lochley. For example, I learned that she looks better without the ponytail. I also learned... nothing really. Who is she anyway?