Your opinion of the non-JMS-written Babylon 5 episodes

[Jan]

Have you read the series "Midnight Nation"? The one-shot comic "Dream Police"? The novel Tribulations? IMO, all good work done after B5.

And the second season of Jeremiah was just stunning, imo.

Jan

 

[Christopher]

Have you actually seen/heard him in person? He doesn't sound like any of his characters. B5 had a certain style of dialogue from the beginning. Jeremiah had a completely different style. Changeling yet another, though there was one obvious nod to those who'd followed his previous work ("Never start a fight...").

Beside the point. It's unrealistic to have every character in a work of fiction talk in exactly the same way. There should be some variety, some individuality. Otherwise the characters just come off as mouthpieces for the author rather than real people in their own right.

An example that comes to mind is Stargate SG-1. You could read a dialogue scene between the four leads without any descriptions of who's speaking, but instantly be able to tell the difference between Jack, Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c just from their respective ways of speaking and addressing one another. They all have clear, distinctive voices as characters.

Now, the B5 characters did have distinctive voices early on, but by the fourth and fifth seasons, their dialogue styles just kind of blurred together. I felt that JMS was working himself too hard and was just getting into a certain pattern where the words came out of him in a certain way, and he wasn't taking the time to differentiate the characters as well.


To JoeD80: On reflection, I realize you have a point. I haven't read those comics, but I read JMS's Spider-Man run, and I thought it was excellent up until the final year or so. I forgot about that. I guess I just meant that I don't think he's done anything particularly worthwhile in the B5 universe since the original series.

 

[Jan]

Now, the B5 characters did have distinctive voices early on, but by the fourth and fifth seasons, their dialogue styles just kind of blurred together. I felt that JMS was working himself too hard and was just getting into a certain pattern where the words came out of him in a certain way, and he wasn't taking the time to differentiate the characters as well.

Can't say I agree.

Then you better decide which you prefer: do you want a quick death, or do you want to go through the

rest of your life eating your meals through a straw?​

I will not sleep, drink or eat. The words and I will be locked in mortal combat until one of us surrenders. Now go...go on, I must give myself over to my muse.

We gave you a promise. And we are bound by that promise. And damn you for asking for it, and damn me
for agreeing to it, and damn all of us to hell because that is exactly where we are going!

They like you, you know. That's why they saved you. They say you're just like them. They say...they say you have much in common.

I can 'hear' every single one and they don't sound at all alike to me.

Jan​

 

[Christopher]

Well, then I'm happy for you that you were able to enjoy it. I'm not so fortunate.

 

[Jan]

I could have wished that Delenn stayed a little more alien as was indicated in the 'original' outline in Vol. 15 of the script books. I don't think she sounded like any other character, though.

Jan

 

[Christopher]

^All right. I get it. You think they don't sound alike, I think they do. Opinions differ. There's no point in repeating it further.

 

[Jan]

^ My apologies. Guess I was hoping for examples of what you meant.

Jan

 

[childofdarkness]

I enjoyed Day of the Dead; it is actually one of the episodes I remember best. GROPOS was one of my favorites. And I loved the concept behind Grail and what it tells us about the babylon project.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Now, the B5 characters did have distinctive voices early on, but by the fourth and fifth seasons, their dialogue styles just kind of blurred together. I felt that JMS was working himself too hard and was just getting into a certain pattern where the words came out of him in a certain way, and he wasn't taking the time to differentiate the characters as well.

Can't say I agree.

My take on it is that the human characters sound way too similar at times, while the aliens, particularly Londo and G'kar, had distinctive speech patterns.

Then there's that thing with all Minbari talking like Sinclair, even Delenn. Gosh, you'd think he was their savior or something.
​