Babylon 5

[Kraig]

This might be construed as a spoiler...

Spoiler

Most of the White Star's Minbari crew are Worker caste, aren't they?

To answer you:

Spoiler

The ships were built by Worker Caste under the supervision of the Vorlons. They were initially crewed by Religious Caste, then later between the Minbari Civil (mid 2260) war and the Second Shadow War (2261) the Religious Caste crew were replaced with the Rangers.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I was thinking that next week Trump gets his own show on Fox, but he doesn't have enough content, so they buddy him up with Hannity, until Hannity quits.

Anyway...

Spoiler

Do you think any of the season 4 ISN talking heads still have a job in season 5?

 

[tomswift2002]

I was thinking that next week Trump gets his own show on Fox, but he doesn't have enough content, so they buddy him up with Hannity, until Hannity quits.

Anyway...

Spoiler

Do you think any of the season 4 ISN talking heads still have a job in season 5?

The ISN season 4 news people remind me of the majority of news people at CBS, ABC & NBC in the US right now. Puppets for the far left.

 

[JD]

Are any of the B5 novels worth reading?

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Are any of the B5 novels worth reading?

The novels usually recommended are:

The Shadow Within by Jeanne Cavelos

To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Kathryn M. Drennan

The Psi Corps Trilogy by J. Gregory Keyes:

• Dark Genesis - The Birth of the Psi Corps
• Deadly Relations - Bester Ascendant
• Final Reckoning - The Fate of Bester

The Legions of Fire Trilogy by Peter David:

• The Long Night of Centauri Prime
• Armies of Light and Dark
• Out of the Darkness

The Passing of the Techno-Mages Trilogy by Jeanne Cavelos:

• Casting Shadows
• Summoning Light
• Invoking Darkness

I suspect many of these are now out of print and difficult to obtain. I have them all and they vary from good to excellent. They are much better than tie-in novels usually are. That's just my opinion, of course, but they do fill in a lot of details about the B5 universe.

https://babylon5.fandom.com/wiki/Novel_list#Stand-alone_Novels

 

[JD]

OK, those are the ones I was interested in, but I wasn't sure if they're worth reading. I occasionally check Amazon to see if the prices have gone up or down. Most of the ones in decent condition tend to be more than I want to spend on a paperback. I did see a couple more reasonably priced ones when I check this morning, so I'm tempted to get them if those copies if they're still available when I'm in a better position to buy them.

 

[Reverend]

OK, those are the ones I was interested in, but I wasn't sure if they're worth reading. I occasionally check Amazon to see if the prices have gone up or down. Most of the ones in decent condition tend to be more than I want to spend on a paperback. I did see a couple more reasonably priced ones when I check this morning, so I'm tempted to get them if those copies if they're still available when I'm in a better position to buy them.

If you're not sure or feel like the trilogies are a bit much to commit to, then see if you can just get your hands on 'City of Sorrows'. Arguably one of the best of the lot and it's the most closely tied to the events of the show.

 

[diankra]

OK, those are the ones I was interested in, but I wasn't sure if they're worth reading. I occasionally check Amazon to see if the prices have gone up or down. Most of the ones in decent condition tend to be more than I want to spend on a paperback. I did see a couple more reasonably priced ones when I check this morning, so I'm tempted to get them if those copies if they're still available when I'm in a better position to buy them.

Clark's Law is a good read, but not canon in the way the afore-mentioned ones are. The others are basically time-filling in the B5 universe, no contribution to the big stories.

 

[JD]

If you're not sure or feel like the trilogies are a bit much to commit to, then see if you can just get your hands on 'City of Sorrows'. Arguably one of the best of the lot and it's the most closely tied to the events of the show.

That and the Centuri trilogy are the ones I'm most interested it.

 

[Booji]

Are any of the B5 novels worth reading?

The PsiCorps trilogy is excellent. The Technomage and Centauri books are pretty decent. City of Sorrows is alright. Shadow Within stinks.

 

[David cgc]

This might be construed as a spoiler...

Spoiler

Most of the White Star's Minbari crew are Worker caste, aren't they?

You can usually tell which caste background Minbari are in from the clothes. The Religious Caste tends to wear off-white robes (like the Minbari you're asking about). Warrior Caste Minbari wear black suits, sometimes with a silver-studded armor plate over the chest. Worker Caste wear dark orange suits with a sort of short smock over the shoulders with a medallion or badge in front. You usually only see them milling around in the background of the station's public areas, I can only thing of one or two times a Worker in traditional garb had a speaking role. Even the show ignores them!

 

[BlueStuff]

"A Voice in the Wilderness: Part One"

This was more of a table-setting episode (which isn't surprising, it's the first of a two-parter after all) that was bolstered by some terrific character moments and a suspenseful (if manipulative) ending.

The whole premise was appealing to me in that it took what had essentially been part of the background (the planet below B5) and brought it to the fore. I had forgotten there even was a planet there, that's how inconspicuous it had been until now.

The first of the two plots (investigate the planet/trouble on Mars) was a lot more enticing for me personally but both featured some excellent scenes with Ivanova and Londo at the centre. Ivanova's "mantra of B5" speech and Londo cheering up Garibaldi were two delightful and memorable moments. No action, just two characters expressing their unique personalities.

As a matter of fact, Londo had a lot to do in this one. I also enjoyed his commentary on the Narn's wrathful fury against the Centauri and I have no doubt that we'll eventually be seeing the extent of their rage as the show goes on. As for the Hokey Pokey scene... if nothing else, I certainly wasn't expecting it.

It's hard to care too much about Garibaldi's ex on Mars but I'm sure we'll hear from her sometime soon.

Things got really interesting as soon as Sinclair and Ivanova ventured down to the planet to explore, finding a gigantic cosmic laboratory and the alien from their visions plugged into machinery. Very intrigued to see where this goes. Now the wormhole (I can't remember if that's how they refer to it but I'm a DS9 fan, so...) has opened and a ship has emerged. However, right before we see who or what it is, the episode ends! What rotten luck! Until next time, I guess.

Overall, a very solid and gripping first part that scores extra points for the above-mentioned Ivanova/Londo scenes.

Rating: ****

-Delenn's buddy, an old done man who wants to retire to some unknown place. A nearby previously-thought vacant planet that has just become important. It's not too difficult for me to guess where this is going.
-On the other hand, I've no clue just who or what the planet's gigantic machinery portends, nor what significance its guardian will turn out to have. According to him, however, EVERYTHING is at stake. So, I'm suitably intrigued.
-What are Kosh and G'Kar up to, I wonder?
-Whatever it is... it can't be that bad!

 

[DigificWriter]

As I continue to move through my rewatch of Season 1, I'm starting to question whether or not it's worth it to force myself to sit through the episode Believers because of how heavy-handed and poorly handled I find the subject matter, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do.

Anybody willing to make an argument as to why I shouldn't skip the episode?

 

[DonIago]

Because it's fun to watch the parents get turned down by all the ambassadors?

 

[Farscape One]

I always found "BELIEVERS" to be a good episode.

 

[JD]

"A Voice in the Wilderness: Part One"

This was more of a table-setting episode (which isn't surprising, it's the first of a two-parter after all) that was bolstered by some terrific character moments and a suspenseful (if manipulative) ending.

The whole premise was appealing to me in that it took what had essentially been part of the background (the planet below B5) and brought it to the fore. I had forgotten there even was a planet there, that's how inconspicuous it had been until now.

The first of the two plots (investigate the planet/trouble on Mars) was a lot more enticing for me personally but both featured some excellent scenes with Ivanova and Londo at the centre. Ivanova's "mantra of B5" speech and Londo cheering up Garibaldi were two delightful and memorable moments. No action, just two characters expressing their unique personalities.

As a matter of fact, Londo had a lot to do in this one. I also enjoyed his commentary on the Narn's wrathful fury against the Centauri and I have no doubt that we'll eventually be seeing the extent of their rage as the show goes on. As for the Hokey Pokey scene... if nothing else, I certainly wasn't expecting it.

It's hard to care too much about Garibaldi's ex on Mars but I'm sure we'll hear from her sometime soon.

Things got really interesting as soon as Sinclair and Ivanova ventured down to the planet to explore, finding a gigantic cosmic laboratory and the alien from their visions plugged into machinery. Very intrigued to see where this goes. Now the wormhole (I can't remember if that's how they refer to it but I'm a DS9 fan, so...) has opened and a ship has emerged. However, right before we see who or what it is, the episode ends! What rotten luck! Until next time, I guess.

Overall, a very solid and gripping first part that scores extra points for the above-mentioned Ivanova/Londo scenes.

Rating: ****

-Delenn's buddy, an old done man who wants to retire to some unknown place. A nearby previously-thought vacant planet that has just become important. It's not too difficult for me to guess where this is going.
-On the other hand, I've no clue just who or what the planet's gigantic machinery portends, nor what significance its guardian will turn out to have. According to him, however, EVERYTHING is at stake. So, I'm suitably intrigued.
-What are Kosh and G'Kar up to, I wonder?
-Whatever it is... it can't be that bad!

I think you're reaching the point where the overall arc starts to pick up.

 

[Kraig]

"A Voice in the Wilderness: Part One"

This was more of a table-setting episode (which isn't surprising, it's the first of a two-parter after all) that was bolstered by some terrific character moments and a suspenseful (if manipulative) ending.

The whole premise was appealing to me in that it took what had essentially been part of the background (the planet below B5) and brought it to the fore. I had forgotten there even was a planet there, that's how inconspicuous it had been until now.

The first of the two plots (investigate the planet/trouble on Mars) was a lot more enticing for me personally but both featured some excellent scenes with Ivanova and Londo at the centre. Ivanova's "mantra of B5" speech and Londo cheering up Garibaldi were two delightful and memorable moments. No action, just two characters expressing their unique personalities.

As a matter of fact, Londo had a lot to do in this one. I also enjoyed his commentary on the Narn's wrathful fury against the Centauri and I have no doubt that we'll eventually be seeing the extent of their rage as the show goes on. As for the Hokey Pokey scene... if nothing else, I certainly wasn't expecting it.

It's hard to care too much about Garibaldi's ex on Mars but I'm sure we'll hear from her sometime soon.

Things got really interesting as soon as Sinclair and Ivanova ventured down to the planet to explore, finding a gigantic cosmic laboratory and the alien from their visions plugged into machinery. Very intrigued to see where this goes. Now the wormhole (I can't remember if that's how they refer to it but I'm a DS9 fan, so...) has opened and a ship has emerged. However, right before we see who or what it is, the episode ends! What rotten luck! Until next time, I guess.

Overall, a very solid and gripping first part that scores extra points for the above-mentioned Ivanova/Londo scenes.

Rating: ****

-Delenn's buddy, an old done man who wants to retire to some unknown place. A nearby previously-thought vacant planet that has just become important. It's not too difficult for me to guess where this is going.
-On the other hand, I've no clue just who or what the planet's gigantic machinery portends, nor what significance its guardian will turn out to have. According to him, however, EVERYTHING is at stake. So, I'm suitably intrigued.
-What are Kosh and G'Kar up to, I wonder?
-Whatever it is... it can't be that bad!

The series isn't going to be done with Mars for quite some time. Don't want to say much more about this episode until you watch part 2.

As I continue to move through my rewatch of Season 1, I'm starting to question whether or not it's worth it to force myself to sit through the episode Believers because of how heavy-handed and poorly handled I find the subject matter, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do.

Anybody willing to make an argument as to why I shouldn't skip the episode?

David Gerrold didn't want to write the script for a Christian Scientist/Jehovah's Witness story. when he was asked by Harlan Ellison and JMS to do so. Then at three am while taking a break from writing a scene, he went to check to see if his sleeping son was alright. He realized his son was the same age as Shon in the script. He went back to his computer, picked up his phone and called Joe Straczynski and woke him up. "You son of a bitch, now I know why you wanted me to write this script." Hung up and finished the scene, and later the script.

The good for me: The family has to go around and beg the other ambassador's for help since they have no representative from their own world aboard. You get to see each ambassador's style in refusing their request.

I personally like the Kosh scene and quote. "The avalanche has already started, it is too late for the pebbles to vote." In The Gathering, Kosh was saved from an assassin when Dr. Kyle was given permission by Sinclair to open his encounter suit to treat him, against the wishes of the Vorlon government. He is still alive thanks to Sinclair not following the Vorlon Government's wishes.

 

[Gov Kodos]

The series isn't going to be done with Mars for quite some time. Don't want to say much more about this episode until you watch part 2.



David Gerrold didn't want to write the script for a Christian Scientist/Jehovah's Witness story. when he was asked by Harlan Ellison and JMS to do so. Then at three am while taking a break from writing a scene, he went to check to see if his sleeping son was alright. He realized his son was the same age as Shon in the script. He went back to his computer, picked up his phone and called Joe Straczynski and woke him up. "You son of a bitch, now I know why you wanted me to write this script." Hung up and finished the scene, and later the script.

The good for me: The family has to go around and beg the other ambassador's for help since they have no representative from their own world aboard. You get to see each ambassador's style in refusing their request.

I personally like the Kosh scene and quote. "The avalanche has already started, it is too late for the pebbles to vote." In The Gathering, Kosh was saved from an assassin when Dr. Kyle was given permission by Sinclair to open his encounter suit to treat him, against the wishes of the Vorlon government. He is still alive thanks to Sinclair not following the Vorlon Government's wishes.

I think that was just the Doc and the 2nd in command so Sinclair's hands would be clean of the diplomatic mess. At least, that's how I remember it.

 

[Kraig]

I think that was just the Doc and the 2nd in command so Sinclair's hands would be clean of the diplomatic mess. At least, that's how I remember it.

And everyone directly involved (Dr. Kyle, Takashima and Lyta) was reassigned.

 

[DigificWriter]

Because Believers makes me genuinely uncomfortable and I can't find enough 'good stuff' in it to compensate, I've decided that I'm going to skip rewatching it and just let the 3 B5 podcasts I'm following recap and dissect it for me.