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Re-Watching DS9

"Emissary" (Continued)


You know, I just had a thought. The Prophets are originally very hostile towards Sisko. They say he must be destroyed. Then Sisko reasons with them, and gets them to understand time. Since the Prophets exist in a Non-Linear fashion, maybe it was "after" this that they decided to incorporate Sarah Sisko so that she'd meet Joe Sisko. If that's the case, then Sisko exists because of a Predestination Paradox.
AKA an oxymoron.
 
Fortunately, the B5 DVDs I bought play fine. So, I shouldn't have anything to worry about on my end for the purposes of this thread. If I do run into problems, I already have a contingency plan in place. One way or another, I'm seeing this through to The End.

Funny thing: the last time I watched B5, there was a Blizzard. The next time I'll watch B5 (this week), it'll be following another Blizzard. It takes picking up where I left off to a new level. ;)
Hopefully you don't lose your electricity supply so you CAN actually continue watching.
 
Hopefully you don't lose your electricity supply so you CAN actually continue watching.
The snow is pretty ridiculous. There's only one window I can see out of, and just barely. Nowhere's even been plowed yet. One of my friends' parents told me it's going to be Blizzard of '78 levels! Cue everyone old enough to remember their Bilizzard of '78 stories. It was a year-and-a-half before I was born, but it was my father's first winter in America. It was so bad he told me that he almost went back. Luckily for my existence, he didn't!
 
Still snowing. Streets still not plowed. The snow is just over half as tall as my car. And I've heard of power outages around my area. But I'm still going. So, kicking off...

"Apocalypse Rising"

The fifth season wastes no time getting off the ground. Sisko and Dax went to Starfleet Command for a briefing in a Runabout. Everyone on the station is worried they'll get shot down by the Klingons. And the current chain of command is made crystal clear in a scene with some tension where Worf says that Kira may command the station, but he commands the Defiant. Kira makes it clear they still have to follow Sisko's orders regardless, to not take the Defiant away from the station, then the situation is rendered moot when Sisko returns and tells them about their mission.

I love what the mission is. It reminds me of something you'd see in Mission: Impossible: Sisko, Odo, Worf, and O'Brien going to a heavily fortified Klingon Headquarters to use special devices that have to be set up in a formation and activated to expose Gowron as a Changeling.

One of my favorite scenes in the episode is when Sisko is revealed in his Klingon get-up for the first time and says, "What's wrong, Dukat? Haven't you ever seen a Klingon before?" That was priceless. In fact, it even gave me an idea. I was a Klingon that Halloween. And the next one. I would've gone trick-or-treating, but I was 17. Instead, I just handed out candy to kids as a Klingon.

I got a kick out of Dukat's reaction when he found out that Kira's pregnant with O'Brien's child! That must've been a mindfuck for him. On that subject, very nudge-nudge wink-wink was the scene between Kira and Bashir where Kira jokingly tells Bashir she blames him for the pregnancy. This works both between the characters and between the actors.

Another favorite scene of mine is on Dukat's Bird-of-Prey when Worf is trying to teach Sisko, Odo, and O'Brien how to act like Klingons. "It is not enough to look like a Klingon; one must act like one!" Worf has a point. Sisko can make for a convincing Klingon. But Odo and O'Brien? They make terrible Klingons! When Sisko is giving a heart-to-heart to Odo, who's still down about being a solid, it looks so weird seeing people who look like Klingons talk or act like that. Up to this point, the TOS Movies, TNG, and DS9 have all given me an idea of how a Klingon "should" be (if that makes sense), and seeing the contrast with Odo, O'Brien, and sometimes Sisko shows just how much the Klingons had truly been developed over the years.

When Dukat tells Sisko he won't be returning after he drops them off, it really ups the stakes. There's no room for failure. Either Sisko and the others survive or they die.

Once deep inside the Klingon Headquarters, the Klingons have to drink, eat, act wild, and still be awake to receive a medal from Gowron in the morning. Drink, eat, and do crazy stupid stuff? Sounds like any overnight party I went to in my 20s and 30s. I'm too old for that now, and I was too old for it towards the end... but the point is: the way the Klingons were celebrating, that was Pretty Fucking Tame! Come on! I've seen worse IRL. I expect something wilder and heartier from the Klingons! They really should've just gone all out! But, whatever, I won't hold it against the episode.

Still some great moments in there. Like Odo telling O'Brien that Klingon Blood Wine isn't that bad, except for the taste! That's how I feel whenever someone gives me a beer. Can't stand the taste of it at all. I won't say "no" if someone offers, but not my thing. Wine, vodka, rum? Now we're talking. But I've never met a wine I didn't like the taste of. Dry Wine's better than Sweet Wine, and I imagine blood is somewhere in-between, but... back to the episode!

Odo's been off his game all episode long. First at Quark's when he talks about how much he's grown to like eating and drinking. Then on the Bird-of-Prey when he wasn't putting his heart into throwing himself into the role of a Klingon. And now, at the Klingon Headquarters, of course he's the one who can't put plant his device in the right spot, and Worf has to bail him out. For a split second, it made me think they wouldn't be able to pull it off.

Another spot where I didn't think they'd be able to pull it off is when "Martok" tells O'Brien there's something very familiar about his face. I wouldn't expect any Klingon to remember O'Brien after one random appearance in a hypothetical battle. But a Changeling? Completely different story. That was the first clue to me that Martok was really the Changeling. Not on first viewing in 1996, but now on the re-watch where I was actively looking for early signs.

Speaking of the risk of being recognized: how the Hell could no one recognize Worf before Gowron showed up?! Seriously. What the fuck is that?!! Come on! That's one of two weak spots in the episode. All through the previous season, it was painted as if Worf was this pariah who was now infamous as a "traitor". I'd be surprised if his face wasn't blasted all over Klingon news media to be shunned. But here he is at this Ceremony and no one recognizes him. Yeah, right!

But then Gowron showed up and I tensed up, just like the first time I watched, hoping they wouldn't get caught... even though I already knew how it goes! That's how you know something holds up to repeat viewing. Then Sisko and the others are caught.

I like the misdirection where you're led to believe that "Martok" might be an ally against Gowron. Then it's revealed that it's Martok who's been replaced by a Changeling. That leads to the second weak point of the episode. This entire time, for over a year, "Martok" has covered his tracks so no one would suspect him, then -- right in front of everyone! -- he does a Changeling move as he tries to grab Odo. Way to foolishly blow your cover! Then everyone blasts at him. This reeks of, "Have to end this episode somehow!"

The fight between Worf and Gowron right before that was fun to watch. An episode like this basically demands for an all-out fight between two Klingons, and you can't do better than Worf and Gowron, because of all their history. As it turns out, that's just a warm-up act for much later, but that's getting ahead of myself.

It makes sense that Gowron wouldn't be able to easy end the war even after the truth is revealed, but least he's willing to try to push through a ceasefire. At least now they're all aware that they're being played by the Dominion.

Overall, I enjoyed this episode, despite some flaws, but it's not the best season opener. The not being able to recognize Worf pushes suspension of disbelief. But still a lot of fun. I liked what we got, even though I think it could've been even wilder. I give it an 8.

Had they gone totally nuts with it and also tried a little bit harder to disguise Worf, I would've gone higher. "Talk all you want, but don't get between ME and the Blood Wine!!!"

I'll pick up where I left off with Babylon 5 sometime tonight. Unlike last time we had a Blizzard, I'm not doing four reviews in one day. That's just too much! :p
 
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"Walkabout" (B5 S3E18)

In the teaser, Londo's his usual asshole self, making demands about the Narn. He insists that they had an agreement with the Earth Alliance and Garibaldi reminds him that Babylon 5 is no longer with the Earth Alliance. You'd think Londo would've tried to pull this shit sooner, but I think he was trying to see what he could get away with.

Lyta wants to know what happened after Kosh died, but no one can talk about it. Then a Vorlon replacement arrives, who insists on being called Kosh. I'd call him New Kosh, but he insists that all Vorlon are Kosh, so I'll stick with Kosh.

Kosh is dead, long live Kosh!

With those out of those out of the way, onto the two main plots of this episode.

The A-Plot: Starting off with Franklin, since he's the one doing the Walkabout. He's been trying to find himself since taking time off. He has no idea who he is outside of being a doctor. I don't know if he finds the answer to that in this episode, but it would be silly if that was solved in one episode anyway. So, I appreciate Babylon 5 taking a realistic approach towards Franklin's recovery, mentally.

In Downbelow, he finds a woman who's a singer, Cailyn, who he's interested in. Cailyn's interested in him as well. At first, it seems like a relationship might grow between Dr. Franklin and Cailyn, but after sleeping together, Franklin finds out that she needs medication while she lives out the remaining months of her life since she has a terminal illness. Nice deep cut by establishing that Cailyn had seen Dr. Kyle, which is why Dr. Franklin didn't know about her before.

Interesting choice that Cailyn sings music that sounds like it's from the late-20th Century, but it's better than making up what 23rd Century music might sound like, and it doesn't feel out of place, so it's fine. Suspension of disbelief. Or maybe not. Popular music today has a longer shelf life. You can play '70s music in a public place Today and no one would think it's weird. But if you played '20s music in the '70s, I'm sure they would've thought it was weird. So, Babylon 5 takes the opposite approach to music that Star Trek at the time did: unlike in '90s Trek, contemporary styles of music will endure in the B5 Universe.

Back to Cailyn. At the end of the episode, Franklin tells Medlab to give her whatever she needs. Though Franklin still isn't back as Doctor. It seems like something is probably going to have to happen that'll push him back into that. Right now, he just wants to find himself since he and himself split ways. A weird sentence to type, but the way he explained it makes sense.

The B-Plot: The War Council elects to put to the test if the Shadow ships, which are part organic, are vulnerable to telepaths. Sheridan wants to take the White Star with a skeleton crew to see if they can take on a Shadow ship head on if they have telepaths. He doesn't want backup, but the rest of the Council does. Interesting to see Sheridan overruled on how to proceed, but the decision is made: the White Star will have backup. It feels like a true ruling council, rather than Sheridan having the final and only word. This puts Sheridan in stark contrast with Clark, who's a dictator.

G'Kar tries to see if he can get Narn reinforcements, he gives up at the first resistance, agrees that Narn ships should he reserved for fighting the Centauri, then G'Kar tells off G'Kar in private. Good motivation to get G'Kar to try harder.

With Lyta's help, several Minbari telepaths, and (just in the nick of time) Narn reinforcements, the White Star is able to outright defeat a Shadow ship, proving the weakness that Sheridan was looking for.

Up until this point, it looked to me like the war between the Shadows and Babylon 5 would be extremely lopsided if Sheridan didn't figure something out. Now it looks like Babylon 5 actually really can fight the Shadows. As Kosh says, "It has begun."

Lyta and Kosh: Lyta felt a lot of loyalty to the previous Kosh. It's her finding out how he died that finally enabled her to channel enough psychic power to fight help the White Star fight the Shadow vessel. But it looks to me like the new Kosh treats Lyta like shit. I'm not okay with that. And it looks like Sheridan isn't okay with that either. It'll be interesting to see how this develops.

Overall: I like this episode more, the more I think about it. I give it an 8. Changing it to a 7.5.

I'm also changing my rating for "Ship of Tears" to an 8.

The upside of watching Babylon 5 on DVD is being able to watch it in Widescreen. From what I understand, the Blu-Rays aren't. Why they didn't make the Blu-Rays 16:9 is beyond me.

The downside is that before, when B5 was on Tubi, I could always spot check something I wasn't sure about in an episode by watching it again without having to leave my computer. Now, I have to turn on my Blu-Ray Player, go through the menus, do the scene selection, and then fast-forward and rewind to get to what I want to check. So, not as easy as it was before.
 
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I'm a little surprised you rated Walkabout so high as it's generally considered to be a bit rubbish, or at least one of the weaker episodes of the season. I suppose it helps if you don't mind the music.

Also there are pros and cons to the two aspect ratios.

Babylon_5_1x01_09.jpg
16:9 has the advantage of looking more modern and filling up more of the TV. 4:3 has the advantage of being what the series was framed for, so you don't get this mysteriously empty space either side of the actors.

But the main advantage of 4:3 is that it's what the visual effects were rendered in. All the space scenes on the 16:9 DVDs have been cropped, so there's missing picture information and a fuzzier image. Even worse, all the live action scenes with compositing have been cropped as well, so the picture quality drops whenever a PPG is fired.

So sticking to 4:3 meant that the blu-rays were able to use the highest resolution footage available for every shot.
 
I'm a little surprised you rated Walkabout so high as it's generally considered to be a bit rubbish
What do people not like about it?

16:9 has the advantage of looking more modern and filling up more of the TV. 4:3 has the advantage of being what the series was framed for, so you don't get this mysteriously empty space either side of the actors.

But the main advantage of 4:3 is that it's what the visual effects were rendered in. All the space scenes on the 16:9 DVDs have been cropped, so there's missing picture information and a fuzzier image. Even worse, all the live action scenes with compositing have been cropped as well, so the picture quality drops whenever a PPG is fired.

So sticking to 4:3 meant that the blu-rays were able to use the highest resolution footage available for every shot.
I always assumed Babylon 5 was like The X-Files in that it was shot at 16:9 for future-proofing and cropped to 4:3 for TV. All the way through. Though the DVDs being in 16:9 are what led me to make that assumption.

So, if I understand this correctly: live-action shots with no green screen or special effects (lasers, beams, etc.) are cropped, but live-action shots that don't have special effects weren't? Nothing stood out to me as "that's obviously cropped!", so I'm hoping they at least did a tilt-and-scan in those cases. But now that I know about the cropping, I'll be looking out for it.
 
What do people not like about it?
The Franklin plot. I'd have to do research to give you more detail, rewatch some reaction videos. But it's not much fun to sit through if you don't like the music and it feels a bit superfluous.

I always assumed Babylon 5 was like The X-Files in that it was shot at 16:9 for future-proofing and cropped to 4:3 for TV. All the way through. Though the DVDs being in 16:9 are what led me to make that assumption.
Yeah it was shot in 16:9 for future-proofing like you thought.

Babylon_5_1x04_16d.jpg

It's something like this. The original footage is wider than what people saw on 4:3 screens, but the shots were composed for CRT TVs so the extra picture you see on the sides in 16:9 is just filling up some of the black on your futuristic HD screen. All the action happens inside the green box.

Babylon_5_1x13_24c.jpg

This is an image of a composited shot overlaid over another shot from the same scene. There's a PPG blast here and when it happens the footage switches to the original cropped 4:3 and is then cropped again to get back to 16:9. The blu-ray just uses the original composited 4:3 shot.

There's actually a continuity error here on the widescreen version if I recall, as the dude on the right shouldn't be there any more. Mistakes like that don't happen often though.
 
The Franklin plot. I'd have to do research to give you more detail, rewatch some reaction videos. But it's not much fun to sit through if you don't like the music and it feels a bit superfluous.
No, it's okay. It makes sense, then, why they wouldn't like it as much as I did.

I love that in the Franklin plot; he wants to find himself and then doesn't. It's more realistic. If this were Star Trek, he'd have some epiphany at the end of the episode and feel like he has a whole new purpose. So, this makes it a lot different. I also went through a period in my 20s where I thought I had to find myself. That took about three years. So, I can completely relate to it. Franklin's not in his 20s but it's the same idea.

Plus, I like the music. It helps that it sounds '80s since, musically, I like almost all things '80s. And I thought she had a nice singing voice.

So, if neither of those things did it for them, it would kill that side of the episode dead.
 
I like everything about "Walkabout" except the Franklin-Cailyn plot, where neither the music nor the rest of it do much of anything for me. I'm pretty sure there've been times where I rewatched the episode and skipped past those scenes. Surprisingly it is briefly mentioned later, but otherwise, to me, it's a pretty tepid "Romance of the Week" plot.
 
I like everything about "Walkabout" except the Franklin-Cailyn plot, where neither the music nor the rest of it do much of anything for me. I'm pretty sure there've been times where I rewatched the episode and skipped past those scenes. Surprisingly it is briefly mentioned later, but otherwise, to me, it's a pretty tepid "Romance of the Week" plot.
I have to agree. The Franklin story in "WALKABOUT" was pretty weak for me. The rest of the episode was great and helps it overall.
 
The snow is pretty ridiculous. There's only one window I can see out of, and just barely. Nowhere's even been plowed yet. One of my friends' parents told me it's going to be Blizzard of '78 levels! Cue everyone old enough to remember their Bilizzard of '78 stories. It was a year-and-a-half before I was born, but it was my father's first winter in America. It was so bad he told me that he almost went back. Luckily for my existence, he didn't!

That is what triggered the fears of another Ice Age coming... ironically, it wasnt the last 'Henny penny' scenario, which fell to the current Climate Change scare, conveniently as the Cold War subsided.
 
Good luck with the Snowpocalypse, Lord Garth!
I'm old enough to remember '78, but was not in the right place for the blizzard :)
 
Good luck with the Snowpocalypse, Lord Garth!
I'm old enough to remember '78, but was not in the right place for the blizzard :)
Two days later, and I finally got my car free. That snow was HEAVY. I feel like I just lifted weights.
 
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Following my review of "Flashback" in the VOY Forum, I've posted my review of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as an added bonus. So feel free to check it out over there. Reviewing a movie is quite a bit different from reviewing an episode, and this was a good test-run for when I get to First Contact.

I'll probably be posting my take on "The Ship" tomorrow. Can't believe I've already reached the 100th episode of DS9. Time flies!
 
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