Niners Unite...around Babylon 5! - The Continuing Arc

[Lindley]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

All I've ever been able to find from JMS about Lou Welch are vague statements about the actor wanting to move on.

However, he does have a cameo in one of the novel trilogies----Legions of Fire, I think.

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Lindley said:
All I've ever been able to find from JMS about Lou Welch are vague statements about the actor wanting to move on.

However, he does have a cameo in one of the novel trilogies----Legions of Fire, I think.

Makes sense. Is his cameo anything substantive for the character, or just a little nod to keep B5 junkies like us happy?

 

[Lindley]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

I don't really recall. It's been a while.

(The trilogies are all well worth reading in any case, though.)

 

[Jan]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Hirogen Alpha said:
*Which almost makes me forget how Lou Welch was abandoned as a character. Was the actor not content to stay on B5? Were there scheduling problems? It seems as soon as Zach shows up, Lou disappears. I think his last episode was GROPOS. They've spent some time establishing Lou, and for him to just fade away, seems like a greatly missed opportunity.

All JMS ever said about it was:

From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: 8 NEW B5 EPS!
To: CIS
Date: 2/15/1996 12:58:00 PM
View Thread
(21 messages)


Rick Shelton [FL] <72560.3114@compuserve.com> asks:
> Did he take a bath?
> Also, is Lou coming back at all?

The actor playing Lou Welch wanted to do other things.

jms

I'm pretty sure that 'Lou' was gone before we ever saw Zack or there was very little overlap. We did see Lou's fate in the Centauri Prime trilogy of books, though.

Jan

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

^^
There's a little overlap in season two, but I don't think the two characters are ever in the same episode. Lou's last appearance is in GROPOS (2x10) and Zack's first appearance is in A Spider in the Web (2x06).

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
Subject: 8 NEW B5 EPS!
To: CIS
Date: 2/15/1996 12:58:00 PM
View Thread
(21 messages)


Rick Shelton [FL] <72560.3114@compuserve.com> asks:
> Did he take a bath?
> Also, is Lou coming back at all?

The actor playing Lou Welch wanted to do other things.

jms

if by "do other things" he meant playing a cop on tons of other shows

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

"Divided Loyalties"
This is a pretty good episode, and a decent exit for an actress who wanted out. Plus, there's plenty of misdirection throughout that you're not really sure who the plant is until Talia walks into that room. A shame we couldn't have gotten one more episode with her, but this is as good an exit as any. Though the uncomfortable way JMS is forced to kind of imply Talia and Ivanova's relationship is unfortunate. And what is with Sinclair's dream, anyway? Is it about Ivanova beeing a teep, something else, or something more?

Grade: A-

"The Long, Twilight Struggle"
Babylon 5 often has cringe-worthy acting. Not in this episode. The council chamber scene with Londo, G'Kar, and the others is absolutely brilliant. And so it begins... I almost wonder why THIS wasn't the end of season two. It seems an almost logical ending point. Instead we get two more bonus episodes (and both decent at least, IIRC).

Grade: A

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

"Comes the Inquisitor"
This episode drags just a little bit, but there are so many brilliant moments, I'm willing to forgive. Wayne Alexander is great as Jack, er, Sebastian. Of course, having seen the entire series, I immediately recognize him as Lorien, especially when he asks "who are you" and "why are you here" to Delen. I wonder how many times the four questions from SiL are asked on Babylon 5. I imagine there's a great fan vid to be made out of that, if someone were willing to wade through the numerous episodes and movies again. Well, at least I'd be curious.

Grade: A

"The Fall of Night"

This is probably the weakest of finales, next to "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" (and I always felt "Rising Star" was more of the finale to the season, anyways), but it's still a strong episode. The actions of nightwatch piss me off just as much now as they did on first viewing. I'm so glad they're going to get what's coming to them. And Keffer, we hardly knew you. Actually, we didn't know him at all. JMS not only killed of the network's top gun pilot, he spent the entire year without giving him one moment of meaningful character development. Reminds me of Cameron Mitchell in a lot of respects, actually. And how could I mention this episode without talking about the reveal of Kosh. I suppose every answer is going to be a little bit of a letdown, but Kosh's reveal works surprisingly well, and fits with what we've seen before perfectly.

Grade: A-

Onward to season 3, my favorite year! I wonder if it will hold up; I wonder if I'll be able to justify liking "Grey 17 Is Missing?"

 

[Lindley]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

One that B5 was great at was infusing otherwise understated moments with enormous gravity.

"Oh, hell" in Fall of Night being one of them.

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

^^
I think my favorite moment from TFON is when Sheridan is talking to the mirror near the end. I love private moments like that.

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Hirogen Alpha said:
"There All the Honor Lies"
We're slowly moving towards the reveal of Kosh here, which is cool, but the plot with Sheridan isn't as exciting as it should be.

Grade: B

at least an A- for two reasons
(a) the amazing moment of absolute beauty, and
(b) the hotness that is sheridan's lawyer

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

"Matters of Honor"

I admit, this episode doesn't really grab my attention the way a season premiere should until the final scene on Earth Dome, but that is such a brilliant moment that it more than makes up for the rest of the episode, which more subtly deals with the fallout from the previous season's finale, "The Fall of Night." Plus, there are some not so subtle moments, like the introduction of the White Star, the introduction of Marcus, and the battle with the shadows.

Grade: A

"Convictions"

A pedestrian standalone plot becomes much more in this episode, offering character moments that are rare in a series that is so busy getting caught up in a vast tapestry of plot development. The scene between Londo and a comatose Lennier is brilliant, and the following scene between Londo and G'Kar in the elevator is even better. And unlike the hostage situation in The Gathering, by this time around the acting and the directing have come together in a way that gives Sheridan's moments with the bomber the extra "umph" they need to be excellent. And Zack has his first appearance as a regular, though he's still biding his time before his character really has something to chew on.

Grade: A

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Hirogen Alpha said:
"And Now for A Word"
I hate fake documentary episodes with a passion. Access is the worst episode of the West Wing; Final Cut the worst episode of nuBSG. This isn't the worst episode of B5, because surprisingly, it has some strong character moments and some moderately important plot developments. That being said, the format doesn't work for 42 minutes--it becomes a joke, as even seasoned actors overact with it. I can't help but feel the character moments where all left over bits that JMS couldn't squeeze into anything else, so he just put them all here, and the Centauri-Narn conflict just isn't as tense as it should be with this format. There's too much cheese. The PsiCorp commercial is a bit of cheesy fun though--got to love the subliminal message.

Grade: C (Generous)

mediocre at best.
but it is a good episode to use to introduce people to B5

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Hirogen Alpha said:
"In the Shadow of Z'ha'Dum"

Now this is more like it. Mr. Morden is given a little background, the shadows and the vorlons have their natures revealed (in part) and the First Ones are first described. The Shadow War is coming. Nightwatch is forming on the station (and Zach is quickly emerging as a strong, new character*). And if Sheridan goes to Z'ha'Dum, he will die. Good stuff.

Grade: A

I had forgotten that Garibaldi resigned when Sheridan didn't charge Morden within 10 hours. You kinda wish that the real government worked that way nowadays...

nightwatch still sends chills up my spine. some things just never change.

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Hirogen Alpha said:
"Knives"

worst B-story in all of B5, with Sheridan and crazy entity in his head.
but the opening sequence with Londo and Vir singing opera is wonderful.

Hirogen Alpha said:
"In the Shadow of Z'ha'Dum"

holy fucking shit.
wow.
this is why we love B5.

Hirogen Alpha said:
"Confessions and Lamentations"

this episode marks a major moment of transition in the growing relationship between John and Delen

bingo! that's the take-away
when we meeting again...call me john.


question: was the whole boring dinner actually planned to put Sheridan to sleep so that Delenn could see his "true" face - or are Mimbari dinner parties really that dull?

 

[Jan]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Mal said:
question: was the whole boring dinner actually planned to put Sheridan to sleep so that Delenn could see his "true" face - or are Mimbari dinner parties really that dull?

Dunno about MiMbari dinners but Minbari formal dinners are probably exactly that dull. I mean, c'mon, meditating between each bite? Obviously nobody eats anything hot at those deals or else they've learned how to make dinnerware with heating elements.

Jan

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Jan said:

Mal said:
question: was the whole boring dinner actually planned to put Sheridan to sleep so that Delenn could see his "true" face - or are Mimbari dinner parties really that dull?

Dunno about MiMbari dinners but Minbari formal dinners are probably exactly that dull. I mean, c'mon, meditating between each bite? Obviously nobody eats anything hot at those deals or else they've learned how to make dinnerware with heating elements.

Jan

i wonder, if we meditated between each bite, might we be a bit thinner?

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Hirogen Alpha said:
"Divided Loyalties"
...And what is with Sinclair's dream, anyway? ...

you mean Sheridan?




oh, and you forgot: motor-butt!!!

 

[Harvey]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

^^
Oops, my bad. Sheridan. Sinclair. J.S. J.S. Commander Cardboard. Captain Sunshine. I shouldn't get them confused.

 

[Mal]

Re: First time impressions from the Babylon 5 virgin

Mal said:

Hirogen Alpha said:
work to be done.

i agree.



In the Beginning

Wednesday April 25, 9 pm eastern, 6 pacific


I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind...

well, we missed this day

does anyone want to do this on some other day. In the Beginning still seems like a great choice!