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Post by Roquefort Raider on Aug 7, 2017 11:59:47 GMT -5
JMS went on record saying the Shadow ar was only truncated one episode (Into the Fire was intended to be a two-parter. The Lurker's Guidecontains notes from JMS, from on-line chats, at the time and he says as much. he also explains his storytelling motivation for the war. There is plenty of horror and destruction; but, we mostly see the characters' reactions to it. That was by design. JMS said the novel, Alas, babylon, was an influence. It features a nuclear war, off-stage, while a small community deals with things. That is what we see. Yep, you pointed me to JMS's statements on the subject before. However, building up a great war epic and concluding it with a discussion was, I think, bad storytelling. It's entirely possible to depict great horror from a distance and keeping it real; the TV show Jericho did, and the destruction of humanity in Vernor Vinge's A Fire upon the deep (which happened entirely off-stage) was a great example. But again, as I said above, if the reaction one gets from the audience is "uh, that's it?" then something went wrong. I couldn't agree more about the bolded part! The Drakh (spelling?) plot, however, was really anti-climactic. If the Shadows are gone, I don't really care about their servants, even if they're nasty. They're like this 'First Order" in Star Wars... they can blow planets and stuff, but they'll never be the empire. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 9, 2017 1:44:49 GMT -5
Episode 7: "Epiphanies" Guest stars: Walter Koenig (Columbo, Moontrap) as Bester Synopsis-Everyone is celebrating the end of the Shadow war, as people dance to swing (it was in revival, in the mid-90s), while Sheridan and Delenn look on. Franklin cuts a rug; but, our lovers just watch from the sidelines. Garibaldi is shaving with a straight-razor and makes an odd face in the steamed up mirror, suggesting something is off. he receives a transmission, which just bursts swirling lights at him. next thing you know, he is resigning as Security Chief, saying he wants to enjoy life. Everyone is shocked and puzzled by this; but, wish him well.   Zack is showing new security personnel around when Bester comes aboard. Oh, boy, does that make Zack's day. He alerts the captain and has Bester escorted to the brig. He then tells the people to be ready for anything, at the arrivals gates.  Sheridan sends Zack to collect Lyta, who is a bit peeved that no one ever asks for her help, just summons her. She asks Zack why everyone is afraid of her and he tells her like it is. he then offers to help her unpack her new stuff, later. Hmmmmmmmm, Zack on the make? At the briefing, Bester says that Black Omega Starfuries have been tasked with attacking a transport, in a plot to discredit B5 and blame the attack on them, for propaganda. Sheridan tasks Ivanova with taking their ships to put a stop to it. meanwhile, Bester asks about the telepaths they rescued from the Shadows, including his lover. They still have not been able to remove the Shadow implants and Bester wonders why they haven't gone to Z'ha'dum to take the Shadow technology to remove them and secure that technology for the future. he tries scanning and finds himself knocked back by a much more powerful Lyta. Sheridan agrees to take Bester to Z'ha'dum.  Ivanova's team takes out the Black Omega ships and informs the transport that they are from B5 and not to believe the hype. Near Z'ha'dum, Sheridan yells at Bester to get out of his chair. No command chair for Walter Koenig.  They witness ships fleeing Z'ha'dum. They are former servants of the Shadows, looting the place. Lyta sends out a signal and ignites a doomsday weapon, destroying Z'ha'dum and the Shadow technology. She feels that it is too dangerous to fall into Bester's or anyone else's hands.  Back on B5, Bester visits the cryo-chamber, where his lover is in stasis. In a monologue, he reveals that Black omega was his squadron, all pilots handpicked by him. They were sacrificed for a bigger plan. he mentions his revenge, which is still clouded in mystery and laments the loss of the Shadow technology. He shows human moments, as he remarks that he has no one to talk to, since she is gone. Great scene, from Koenig.  On Centauri Prime, Londo decides it is time to get out of town, until the heat dies down. He meets up with Mr Humphries.....   ...I mean the Minister, and tells him that the Centaurum have appointed a regent-the Minister. He is pleased, as it lets him play around with the decor and lighten up the place. We end with Zack bringing Lyta pizza.  The regent wakes from a nightmare to find that reality is even worse.    Interesting and rather paranoid episode. Then again, that is par for the course, with Bester. We get more Prisoner-style fun, as Bester tries to finagle Shadow technology and fails; but, has an ace in the hole. Garibaldi? Seems pretty obvious who is pulling string there; But, for what purpose? Walter Koenig is great, as always. Star Trek really missed the boat with him (and George Takei, as both would prove, later). Lyta is facing the fact that people are frightened of her, as she has been to Vorlon space, seen their true form, and is changed. Her power is great enough to challenge Bester and she shows she has her own agenda. She alos resents Sheridan treating her like one of the troops, when she is her own person. That will come into play more and more, especially in season 5. Zack seems to either reaching out to Lyta as a friend or a potential lover. It was an interesting idea (they had been using Jeff Conway more and more); but, nothing ever really came of it. The regent is revealed to have a keeper, mirroring the scenes of Londo with one, in Sheridan's flash forward, from "War Without End." So, the Shadow influence on Centauri Prime isn't exactly over. Obviously, this keeper has something to do with that horrible future. Since much was made of the Shadow servants, at Z'ha'dum, we can be pretty certain that the keeper is related to them. Garibaldi's program has been launched; time will tell what it is. Damien London has been great as the Minister/Regent. he does rather remind one of John Inman's Mr Humphries, from Are You Being Served? Same over-the-top camp style, same comedic timing. I guess that makes Londo Captain Peacock. So, is Vir Mr Lucas? |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 9, 2017 2:06:13 GMT -5
Episode 8: "The Illusion of Truth" Guest stars: Jeff Griggs (Days of Our Lives, Bosch)as Dan Randall, Henry Darrow (Zorro and Son, High Chaparral) as Dr Indiri, Diana Morgan (West Wing, Titanic) as Allison Higgins Synopsis-Fox News, I mean ISN slips a reporter onboard B5, with hidden cameras. Zack uncovers him and then sends him to Ivanova. Threats of spacing are made; but, he is allowed to film on the station, in the hopes of setting the record straight. At the end, we see it is all a propaganda piece, as they show the telepath cryo-chambers as prisoners held against their will, suggest Delenn is manipulating Sheridan, with academic talk about a Minbari Syndrome, akin to the Stockholm Syndrome. In other words, your typical Fox News piece. As we will soon see, this spurs on Sheridan to fight back with his version of Voice of America/Radio Free Europe, where counter-propaganda is broadcast by Ivanova, with the help of Draal. She becomes the Voice of the Resistance.      To make matters worse, Garibaldi does a hatchet job on Sheridan, in the broadcast.  Garibaldi has really gone off the deep end. There is a scene of someone naming names of traitors. The names are homages to blacklisted writers from Hollywood, including Dalton Trumbo and Paul Jarrico. Stephen Furst directed the episode. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 9, 2017 11:42:19 GMT -5
Episode 9: "Atonement" Guest stars: Brian Carpenter (Evan Almighty) as Callenn, Reiner Schone (The Eiger Sanction, The Handmaid's Tale) as Dukhat Synopsis: Zack has been promoted to security chief and is being outfitted in his new uniform. he complains endlessly to lennier, until admitting he feels like he is trespassing on Garibaldi's job.  (the Minbari fitters are played by the B5 costuming department, in an in-joke). Franklin is fitting G'Kar with a cybernetic eye (just like Cave Carson!). It's the wrong color, but he can fix it. It is removable, for recharging and can still function when removed. G'Kar is at first dismayed, then amused.  Ivanova is seen wearing her green sash, as Drazi Green Leader. She has been invited to a Drazi religious festival. Later, she emerges from a transport tube...  She shoves away an unconscious Drazi, hobbles out with a cane and tells Sheridan, "Don't ask!" Sheridan comes to Delenn's quarters and finds her in a slinky black dress (or nightgown, hard to be sure). She says it is time for night #3, of sleeping together (no, no nookie!). She seems troubled and reveals she has to go back to Minbar for some time, to deal with some clan matters. A rep from her clan has expressed misgivings about her intended marriage to an alien. On Minbar, she must drink a potion and enter the Whispering Gallery, where she will dream. The visions are revealed to those outside and will set her future. Inside, she flashes back to becoming the Minbari leader Dukhat's acolyte. Like Lennier, she cannot look at him and he forces her to look up (as she would later do with Lennier). She is inducted to the Grey Council and they debate establishing contact with humans. Delenn argues that their mystery needs solving and Dukhat latches onto it and declares they will head off to their space. They run into the EAS Prometheus. The Minari commander has gunports open, which enrages Dukhat. The Earth vessel believing a threat is posed opens fire, mortally wounding Dukhat. We see him try to say something; but, a grief stricken Delenn orders the extermination of humanity, in reprisal, setting off the war. The vision ends.    It seems the marriage will be blocked. delenn realizes that her actions the last 10 years were to atone for her command to exterminate the humans, who are revealed to have Minbari souls. She fixates on the unheard dying words of Dukhat. She decides to re-enter the Whispering Gallery (which could be fatal) and try to hear the words. She is able to cut through and hear Dulkhat say "You are a child of Valen!" After she has left the chamber, Lennier busts some heads and obtains her genealogical chart, showing she is a direct descendent of Valen. Since they know he was a human (Jeffrey Sinclair) transformed into a Minbari, it is fitting that her transformation occurred and that she be given the blessing to marry a human. She returns to B5, where Sheridan is waiting for them and they embrace.  While she was gone, Sheridan tasks Franklin and Marcus to go to Mars, to link up with the Mars Resistance. They must travel via long routes, changing ships, to avoid the blockade and identification. At the end, we see Marcus and Franklin trying to pass the time on a ship. Interesting episode. The Ivanova stuff is there for comedy, nothing more and is a call back to her past attempt to mediate the Drazi leadership battle (which included breaking her foot, hence the cane). G'Kar's scenes have a comedic ending and help set up the actor having both eyes. I would assume it was a concession to how the make-up limited the field of vision, and an eye patch probably made it worse. Also, we have seen medical technology is highly advanced, so why wouldn't G'Kar get a prosthetic? Marcus and Franklin actually make a pretty good comedic team, which we will see more of in the next episode. We get our first look at the Minbari side of the launch of the war. We finally meet the fabled Dukhat, played wonderfully by German actor Reiner Schone. We see Delenn much like Lennier, giving some context to their first meeting, in season one. Dukhat makes a great impression before being killed and we learn Delenn gave the order for reprisal, with no mercy. It is only the capture of Sinclair, at the Battle of the line, that calls a halt. The ironic thing is that we learn that Sinclair is Delenn's great-great-great-great-great..........grandfather. Kinda makes the idea of a possible romance between those two, earlier on, in a icky light. The episode was directed by Tony Dow. Yep, Wally Cleaver! |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 9, 2017 12:07:56 GMT -5
Episode 10: "Racing Mars" Guest stars: Marjorie Monaghan (Space Rangers) as Number One, Clayton Landey (Knots Landing) as Number 2, Donovan Scott (Police Academy) as Captain Jack, Mark Schneider (Days of Our Lives, Spyder Games) as Wade Synopsis-Ivanova forces Sheridan to take a day or two off. He tries to relax in his quarters, but Earth is jamming all entertainment transmissions (what no dvds?) and he is stuck with only ISN propaganda. he sees Garibaldi's interview and gets pissed. He finds him and they have a public argument. Garibaldi acts very aggressively towards Sheridan and he responds. They part, and Delenn tries to comfort Sheridan. He goes back to try to make up; but, Garibaldi is still spoiling for a fight. A Brakiri woman comes across them and asks Sheridan for his blessing. garibaldi goes mental and tries to shake her out of the delusion. Sheridan tries to stop him, as Garibaldi is hurting her and garibaldi punches Sheridan. he lets it go, but tells him next time he'll tear his head off. Earlier, we see Garibaldi meeting with a man named Wade, who also distrusts Sheridan and says he is a threat. Garibaldi blows him off; but, after that incident, Wade comes to him again and Garibaldi agrees to help deliver Sheridan into their hands so he can be "freed of alien influence."   Meanwhile, on a transport to Mars, Franklin and Marcus encounter a traveller called Captain Jack. They are wary at first, until he gives the code phrase to show he is the contact with the Mars Resistance. He takes them to see them and they are intercepted by Number 2. He wants identities checked, as they only got a partial message about someone coming from B5. He is interrupted by a woman, Number 1. Captain jack has been acting squirrelly, anxious to meet Number 1. he pulls out a PPG and Franklin knocks her out of the line of fire. A shot hits something on Jack. It is a keeper and it will eventually grow back. Jack sets off a bomb inside a transport pod (in a tube, between Mars domes), killing himself and the keeper. Franklin and Number one have some dinner and get acquainted, while Marcus is left on his own.    Garibaldi is full on paranoid, believing Sheridan is suffering from delusions of godhood. he gets extremely agitated when his name is brought up and even worse in his presence. Wade implies that Sheridan is under someone else's influence; but, obviously, it is garibaldi. Question is, who does wade represent? Clark? Psi Corps? Someone else? We see how nasty the Keepers are, as it is broken off; but, regrows itself and goes to reattach to Captain Jack, as we see just before he sets off the bomb in the transport pod (spidery legs creep over Jack's shoulder). Ick! The Marcus/Franklin comedy team gets some more fun, as Jack gives them fake identity cards, of a honeymooning couple. Marcus plays it up, to Franklin's irritation. Later, when it is obvious that Number One is warm for Franklin's form, marcus sends him off, then mutters something about custody of the children. Great stuff for Jason Carter. Marjorie Monaghan is very monotone as Number One and it never really improves. She is similar in Space Rangers, as the pilot, JoJo. She's done quite a bit of sci-fi tv, including ST Voyager, Space Rangers, and Andromeda. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 13, 2017 21:36:39 GMT -5
Episode 11: "Lines of Communication" Guest stars: Synopsis: On Mars, Franklin sends back a narrow transmission with coded updates. They are about to meet Mars resistance leaders from other cells. Number One compliments him on the cagey transmission when Marcus interrupts that there has been a bombing at the hotel where they were staying. The culprit is Phillipe, a former lover of Number One. She basically threatens to tear him a new one. At the Resistance meeting, Franklin brings greetings and support from B5, but lays into the bombing, saying it sets things back. He pleads for their cooperation to set up a concerted effort for the right time and promises that, in return, Mars will be free, once Earth is retaken. Number One knows Franklin lied about Sheridan demanding the bombing to be stopped, as she knows news of it has been suppressed. Franklin admits it and says he figured it was a way to support her and her viewpoint. She invites him to dinner, then asks Marcus to help with guard duty. Marcus happily agrees; but, later seems miserable, opening and closing his fighting pike, as we hear moans from Number One. Aparrently, the doctor knows how to operate!   On B5, Sheridan is watching ISN, getting pissed off. Ivanova chides him for watching; but, he says it helps him stay motivated and keep an eye on what they are up to, as they broadcast stories about Minbari War Syndrome, suggesting the humans are under alien control, to set up a "rescue" mission, in force. Later, Sheridan hits on an idea and wakes up Ivanova, oblivious to the fact she is in her nightgown (closest she ever gets to a dress, on this show). She goads him about it and he lets her get dressed. Later, in the war room, he unveils his idea: Ivanova will broadcast true message from B5, to counteract the propaganda. She's not keen on being the one but Sheridan says she will be great and she accepts the assignment.  On B5, Delenn meets with Forell, a Minbari who speaks of issues on Minbar, with a schism between the Warrior and Religious Castes. He says there have been attacks on the fringes of Minbari space. She speaks to Sheridan, who notes that the Pak'mara have had similar attacks. They believe it might be Shadow allies who are looking to gain in the aftermath of the war. Delenn takes a White Star squadron to investigate. On the trip, Forell, tells Delenn more of the trouble, as Religious Caste members were forced out of a city under Warrior Caste domination. It was near the polar regions and many died of exposure. Delenn sees she has neglected her home too long. They receive a signal from a Pak'Mara vessel under attack, but are too late. They encounter strange ships and attempt to communicate. The ships identify themselves as the Drakh and wish to parlay. Lennier informs her that the aliens are speaking Minbari, not interlac, so they have met Minbari before. Forell pulls out a weapon and holds it on Delenn. A Drakh emissary comes onboard. They offer protection for the Religious Caste, in exchange for border world colonies. The emissary calls delenn by name, setting off alarms inside her. After he leaves, she knows that the Drakh are Shadow allies and orders the ships to escape. However, they can't get up to speed quickly enough. They use the "skin dancing" technique, where they hug the Drakh mothership to stay out of the firing line of the smaller Drakh ships, to build up speed to jump. They suffer damage and Forell is killed, but they escape. delenn orders the ships to regroup and jump back in, with weapons firing. They decimate the Drakh fleet and Delenn orders the mothership destroyed. They return to B5 and delenn tells Sheridan what happened and that she must return to Minbar to help sort things out.   The Mars sequence shows that rallying the various resistance groups to Sheridan's cause won't be easy. It demonstrates the problem of any resistance movement, when violence against civilians is employed. It gets the attention of the oppressors; but, it turns public opinion against the resistance. There are parallels with many resistance movements, from WW2 up to the Palestinian factions. The Voice of the Resistance, as Sheridan dubs it, pays tribute to the Cold War and such propaganda methods as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcast counter-Soviet propaganda and information. These are more side elements to the episode, with the Drakh and the Minbari schism at the forefront. The conflict between the Warrior and Religious Castes echoes the then conflicts in the Balkan regions, something which Mira Furlan was all too familiar. She and her husband were forced to flee her homeland and start a new life in America. The episode speaks of great cities, where one faction drove out another, echoing the clashes between the Serbs and the Bosnians, especially Bosnian muslims. We learn that there has been violence and Mira Furlan really brings home the emotions to these segments. This storyline progresses over the next few episodes and the metaphor becomes even stronger. The Drakh represent the aftermath of the Shadow War, that there are still races out there that are dangerous to the League worlds. The emissary, however, does not have the impact that was hoped.  The costume didn't work out right and attempts were made to use FX to help cover it, with a distortion effect, that the emissary was moving at a different time rate. It doesn't really work and he ends up looking like part of the start of a Parliament Funkadelic, like George Clinton just stepped off the mothership. Even JMS admitted it didn't work and they rethought the Drakh for their next appearance, which would present a far more effective design. The comedy duo of Franklin and Marcus continue to be fun, as Franklin scores some Martian lovin', while Marcus gets guard duty. The shot at the end, of Marcus repeatedly opening and closing his fighting pike is just a little TOO metaphorical! |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 13, 2017 22:02:15 GMT -5
Episode 12: "Conflict of Interests" Guest stars: Zathras is back, sort of, and Garibaldi runs into former love Lise Hampton Edgars. Synopsis-Franklin is back from Mars and runs into Ivanova, who is hip deep in problems, trying to set up the Voice of the Resistance. they need more power to break Clark's jamming; but they don't have enough. Franklin mentions Draal and Epsilon 3 and Ivanova nearly shoots herself for not thinking of it. She goes down to confer and runs into Zathras; only, it isn't Zathras, it is Zathras. They set up the power relay and Ivanova launches Voice of the Resistance.    On B5, Garibaldi unites a client with a lost daughter and he seems to be the Michael we know. However, that changes, as he runs into Wade again. He tells him their benefactor has a package coming through the station and they want to avoid security issues. Garibaldi agrees. meanwhile, Sheridan confronts Zack and orders him to confiscate Garibaldi's link, identicard and PPG, as per regs. Zack is reluctant but obeys. He talks to garibaldi, who hands everything over but the PPG, saying he needs it. Zack reminds him it is military issue and he can get a civilian license for another. garibaldi finally hands it over and starts to walk away, when Zack asks for his back-up. Garibaldi later meets Wade and takes him around customs, using a copy he made of his identicard, afte he first arrived. He bypasses security locks and gets in through access corridors. It turns out the "package' is Lise Hampton, his former love, who is now married to William Edgars, one of the richest men in the galaxy. They are securing a piece of bio research, related to a genetic flaw in telepaths. While conducting a trade in a bar, two men come in who set off Garibaldi's alarm. he gets them out and they are pursued and fired upon. they go through air ducts toe scape, but, one of the men follows, then suddenly stops, seems to knwo something then withdraws. Garibaldi realizes they are telepaths. he is unable to get past security blocks, because Zack, upon discovering his earlier breach of seals, revoked all of his codes. Eventually, a firefight occurs and Garibaldi gets Lise out safely, and the two hitmen commit suicide before security nabs them. Sheridan tears Garibaldi a new one, but, he laughs it off. The men are further apart then ever. Later, Garibaldi gets a message from Lise; but, deletes it unheard. he then gets one from Edgars, putting him on retainer.   Sheridan has a meeting with Londo and G'Kar, though G'Kar tries to walk away. He speaks of the Drakh, a name Londo recognizes from legend. he wants the White Stars to patrol the borders; but, the League are afraid of B5 extending influence over their space. If the two former warring planets can agree to let them in their border areas, the others will agree. Londo and G'Kar first agree that they are wary of the idea; but, Londo commits, hoping to guard Centauri Prime against further Shadow legacies. G'Kar also agrees. Garibaldi is now firmly on the opposite side of Sheridan. We still don't know the purpose of the Psi Corps conditioning, other than to undermine Sheridan. bester is not involved here, but, his agenda seems to be separate from Clark's. Edgars seems to be a nexus for whatever is going on and he now has a hold on Garibaldi. His company is conducting bio research, related to telepaths. Two telepaths tried to kill his wife. She said they are trying to cure the problem. So why would telepaths be opposed to that? Edgars is voiced (he is not seen) by Efrem Zimbalist Jr, voice of Alfred on Batman, TAS, star of The FBI, and father of Remington Steele's Stephanie Zimbalist. Londo and G'Kar find themselves again brought together, reluctantly. it seems that their fates are intertwined. Zathras is always a welcome sight and his scene with Ivanova was priceless. If only he would have been a regular. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 13, 2017 22:20:37 GMT -5
Episode 13: "Rumors, Bargains and Lies" Guest stars; John Vickery as Neroon, Guy "Little Tank" Siner (Lt Gruber, on UK comedy classic "Allo "Allo) Synopsis: Sheridan is in thought, in the Mess Hall, when Marcus, Ivanova and Franklin come in. he barely acknowledges them. They compliment him on getting the Narn and Centauri to agree on White Star patrols and he still doesn't seem to hear them. They talk among themselves about the suspicious natures of the other ambassadors and Sheridan chuckles at different points. Suddenly, he jumps up and says "That's it" and something about convincing them there isn't a threat. He orders Marcus to take 3 ships to Sector 87 and await further orders. he later meets with Londo and asks him not to publicly acknowledge the agreement to patrol the Centauri border regions. Londo is confused, but agrees. Later the Drazi ambassador asks Sheridan about reports of White Stars in the Narn/Centauri border areas and in Sector 87. he denies anything is going on. Londo later denies the same. the Drazi ambassador thinks something is being hidden and rallies the others to demand White Star protection. Sheridan used their own paranoia to manipulate them into acting for their common good. We see that Sheridan has changed tactics.   Delenn and Lennier meet with members of the religious Caste, on a cruiser. They speak of fighting haven broken out in the capital. She then unveils a surprise, as she has requested a rendezvous with Neroon and the Warrior Caste. They come aboard and Neroon and delenn talk. She says she knows that he is an honorable man who always acted in the best interests of all of their people, as he saw it, even when they were at odds. he confesses he doesn't like what has happened but feels events have spiralled to far out of control. They strike a bargain to bring both sides together. the Religious Caste reps fear she is surrendering to the Warriors and seek to poison the ship, to prevent it. Lennier discovers the plot and thwarts it, almost at the cost of his own life. The Religious caste reps are further shamed when they find out Delenn had no intentions of surrendering. However, we see Neroon leaving, reporting to his superiors that he now knows of delenn's plans and that they have them where they want them.    Sheridan has moved on to dirty tactics to get his way. He has changed. How far has he changed though? Is he a threat or a savior? No one is exactly who they appear, on this show; is Sheridan tainted? The Minbari schism grows worse and delenn seeks allies. She reaches out to old adversary neroon, who respects her and she him. It seems to work, then she is betrayed. Is his loyalty to his caste greater than to that of his people? |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 13, 2017 22:48:02 GMT -5
Episode 14: "Moments of Transition" Guest stars: Bester is back, so is Neroon; Bart McCarthy (Sons of Anarchy) as Shakiri Synopsis: William Edgars wants Garibaldi to see a package through safely. garibaldi asks when they will meet but Edgars is evasive. Garibaldi is moving it through customs when Zack notices. he is interrupted by the arrival of Bester, who has Psi Corps business, not involving the command staff. Zack later has to inform Lyta that she is being asked to move to smaller quarters, since she is no longer being subsidized by the Vorlon government. Lyta is turned down for a corporate job because she is no longer with Psi Corps. She approaches Garibaldi about a job and he wants to hire her; but, a message from Edgars puts the kibosh on it. Lyta is hung out to dry. Bester's business is with her. he wants her to leave her body and genetic material to him and Psi Corps, for study, as he knows that she has been enhanced. He offers to bring her back in the Corps, to provide for her income. When all else fails, she agrees and puts the Psi Corps badge back on.    Delenn arrives at Minbar and sees the capital in flames. The city is under assault by the Warrior Caste. After consulting with the leaders of the Religious Caste, delenn sends a message of surrender to the Warriors. neroon meets with their leader, Shakiri, who speaks of the Religious deaths as a release of their obligation. Neroon suggests they meet in the Temple of Varenni, an ancient site where differences were sorted, before Valen. Shakiri readily agrees. Delenn meets with him and challenges him to step into the Starfire Wheel, the old method for determining leadership. All of Minar can see this occur. if he refuses, the Warriors look weak. delenn steps in and Shakiri chickens out. Neroon chastises him and he moves forward, reluctantly. he soon jumps out, but Delenn, proving her point, stays. The strength of the energy increases, nearly killing her. neroon asks Lennier why Delenn is not acting according to their pre-arranged plan. he replies she intends to sacrifice herself to prove her devotion to her people. Neroon rushes in and rescues her from the energy, bearing the brunt of it's nearly full intensity. it is destroying him and he yells out that he was born a Warrior, but his heart belongs to the religious. he dies and the fighting ends. Neroon's sacrifice helps bring the factions back together, showing that birth has little to do with belief. Delenn convenes a new Grey council, first summoning two member from the religious and Warrior Castes. Then, she summons 4 from the Worker Caste, noting they work in both worlds and remained outside the fighting. She hands the influence to them, as they are less tainted by ideology.    Back on B5, Ivanova storms into Sinclair's quarters and informs him that Clark's forces have fired on refugee ships, fleeing the fighting around Proxmia 3. he declares that the gloves come off and they will take the war to Clark, regardless of the consequences. She asks about firing on Earth ships and he says that those that carry out unlawful orders will be destroyed and those that wish to leeave the fight will be allowed to go. he says those that oppose Clark will join them. Ivanova goes to broadcast the news via the VOR. Mira Furlan is great in the scenes where she and Lennier observe the destruction of the capital. One gets the sense the images she was seeing were of her homeland of Yugoslavia, where places like Sarajevo were subjected to prolonged siege and shelling. Neroon was not a traitor, as he and delenn hatched a plan to bring a final peace, even if it undercut the Warrior Caste. Neroon comes to understand delenn's true strength and sacrifices himself to save the person who should elad their people. He becomes a martyr to all of Minbar, not just the Warriors. Delenn shows that neither Caste can be trusted and places power in the hands of the little seen Workers, who build the temples and the warships. They will decide the future, as they will build it. The war to take back Earth is about to begin, as Sheridan draws a line in the sand. there is no turning back now. They will start with the outer colonies and move into the solar system, to Io and mars, then Earth itself. Brother will fight brother, before it is over. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 14, 2017 23:05:29 GMT -5
Episode 15: "No Surrender, No retreat" Guest stars: Marcia Mitzman Gaven (The Simpsons, 1995 Get Smart) as Cdr Sandra Levitt, Richard Gant (Big Lebowski, NYPD Blue) as Capt. Edward McDougan, Ken Jenkins (The Abyss, Scrubs) as Capt. Trevor Hall Synopsis: The War Room is retooled for the coming fight, as the Voice of the Resistance is pre-empted. Sheridan calls a meeting of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, announcing that they are launching the assault on Proxima 3 to liberate it and will then continue on to Mars and Earth. They ask for one Destroyer-class ship from each world to patrol B5 space, as per their treaty. Marcus comes on station with intel from proxima 3. There are 6 Destroyers blockading the colony, with the Hercules and the Pollux launching the strikes on civilian targets. The other 4 have not committed atrocities and intentions are still unknown.  Vir is in his quarters plagued by nightmares of Cartagia. he is awakened by the door and it is Garibaldi, looking for Londo. He is out and Vir lets slip he has gone to see G'Kar about Sheridan's offensive. Garibaldi is pissy and buggers off. Later, Londo meets with G'Kar and thanks him for helping free Centauri Prime. They bicker and G'Kar is having to reconciliation. However, londo wants to break the cycle. He proposes that their governments issue a joint statement in support of the Earth Resistance. G'Kar rebuffs him.  Sheridan briefs his pilots... Sheridan also sends out 3 White Stars to Mars and Earth, to draw off Clark's forces, while they hit Proxima 3. We see the ships depart, with Sheridan's ship painted with the B5 logo. He wants them to know who's coming. At Proxima 3, three White Stars jump out on the far side of the planet, near the Hercules. Then, three others jump on the near side. The Hercules reacts and Capt. Hall sends the Pollux and nemesis to attack. As the ships move in, the main White Star fleet and Starfuries arrive, via the jump gate, behind the Hercules. Now it's on! The Vesta moves to intercept, captained by Edward McDougan, an old friend and mentor of Sheridan. Sheridan makes contact and pleads with "Mackie" to refuse to follow the illegal orders. The White Stars concentrate on the known hostiles, Hercules and Pollux. The other ships do not engage and the Juno withdraws. Mackie listens to Sheridan and prepares to with draw, when his First Officer pulls a gun on him. The Pollux is destroyed and the Nemesis surrenders after severe damage. Mackie regains control of the vesta and signals his withdrawl. The fight then turns on the Hercules. Hall intends to go down fighting, sacrificing his crew. His First Officer has enough and relieves him of command and signals surrender.   Sheridan meets with the 4 captains, to discuss their intentions. They question his motives and he launches into a speech about their oath and loyalties to the people and the constitution, not Clark. Levitt will take the Hercules to Beta IX for repairs, keeping Hall under arrest. They will sit out the fighting. The Furies will stay to defend Proxima 3, while the Vest and Nemesis will join Sheridan. G'Kar finds Londo in the Zocalo and takes a drink from him, saying he will agree to the joint statement, as long as they sign of separate pages. Londo readily agrees and thanks G'Kar. The episode ends with Ivanova announcing the liberation of Proxima 3 and the joint statement of the Narn and Centauri. We see Garibaldi leave B5, headed for Mars. Excellent episode, as Sheridan takes the fight to Clark. The battle is suitably epic and we see the dilemma of who to trust play out. We also see that Clark loyalists are keeping an eye on their colleagues, to keep them in line. A lot of Earthforce personnel are troubled by Clark's actions; but, haven't taken a stance. Sheridan forces them to confront the reality and do their duty, one way or another. It brings to mind the My Lai lassacre, in the Vietnam War. US Soldiers attacked civilians in the village, after a firefight and went on a rampage. WO (1) Hugh Thompson put his helicopter and his crew between the marauding soldiers and Vietnamese civilians to evacuate them and attend the wounded, giving orders to fire on any soldiers who attempted to stop him. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for acting in the best traditions of honor and duty, showing true leadership. He would later speak to military groups and officer candidates about standing in defiance of illegal and immoral orders. Londo and G'Kar seem to be on a collision course. Londo truly wants to make amends and build to a better future, to atone for his past. G'Kar is (rightfully) still angry; but, he also wants a better future for his people. they both recognize that Sheridan and the human community offer that hope of a better tomorrow. As we will see, these two will be pulled closer together. How this will affect Londo's vision of the future, with G'Kar's hands at his throat, killing him, remains to be seen. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 14, 2017 23:18:51 GMT -5
Episode 16: "The Exercise of Vital Powers" Guest stars: Lise and Wade are back; Efrem Zimbalist Jr as William Edgars Synopsis: On B5, Franklin is working on the sleeping telepaths, liberated from the Shadows. Thanks to accidental intervention by Lyta, one is awakened, though he tries to kill Franklin and himself, until Lyta stops him. The try again and Lyta is able to wake one, in a controlled manner. Sheridan surprises Franklin with his plan for the use of the telepaths, to liberate Earth. We will wait to see how.  Garibaldi arrives on Mars and meets with William Edgars and Lise. Edgars tells him that the megacorporations have a plan to remove Clark, but Sheridan is disrupting their timetable. he speaks of Clark using telepaths in positions of power to help secure his power. The megacorps oppose this and have developed something to deal with the telepaths. Lise expresses she still has feelings for Garibaldi, in private. garibaldi is pulled from his bed and subjected to interrogation, where he says he doesn't trust telepaths and is scanned by one. Edgars is satisfied and lets Garibaldi go, then has the telepath killed. Later, we see two telepaths in hospital beds, dying from the restriction of a drug, for 5 days. Edgars orders them to be put down. he asks Garibaldi to help stop Sheridan and Garibaldi agrees, saying the key is finding Sheridan's father.    Mostly focusing on telepaths here, as we see the sleepers awakened by Lyta, leading us to wonder what Sheridan has in mind. Edgars is out to kill telepaths, we see. He has lured Garibaldi into his sphere and we see Garibaldi's paranoia fully turned on betraying Sheridan. Efrem Zimbalist is excellent, really throwing himself into the villain, a man who believes he is doing something to protect mankind. The best villains are the heroes of their own story. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 14, 2017 23:50:41 GMT -5
Episode 17: "The Face of the Enemy" Guest stars: William Edgars, Number One and Bester are all here for the fun. Oh, and Harlan Ellison plays a Psi Cop. Synopsis: Franklin and Lyta arrive on Mars with a cargo: the sleeping telepaths. Number One is upset; but, Franklin assures her it is part of the plan. There is major tension between Number One and Lyta, as Psi Corps has been using telepath bloodhounds to root out the Mars resistance. lyta informs Franklin of past uses, including a hunt for a serial killer of telepaths. She tells him of a man in an insane asylum, on a colony world, plagued by visions of things only he can see, kept in a straightjacket to keep him from clawing his eyes out. This incident led her to reject her Psii Cop internship and turn to commercial work.  Meanwhile, Sheridan presses on the attack, trying to convince Earthforce ships to cease fighting, due to the severe damage. They have been filled with propaganda that Sheridan and his people don't take prisoners and such. mackie gets on the horn and convinces the Earthforce officer to stand down. Suddenly, the Agamemnon, Sheridan's old ship, arrives. They have been chasing Sheridan to join up. Sheridan has Ivanova come join them, to lead the White Stars, while he goes onboard the Agamemnon. While there, he gets a message from garibaldi that Clark has Sheridan's father. he convinces him to come to Mars to meet with Garibaldi and some contacts, who can get to his father. Ivanova objects to the obvious trap; but, Sheridan believes Garibaldi, despite differences, would never mean him harm. He takes a Thunderbolt Starfury to Mars, to meet with Garibaldi. They meet in a bar and Garibaldi hits him with a tranq patch, then Sheridan tries to fight off some goons, while under the influence, as Garibaldi sits quietly. Sheridan goes down swinging; but, he goes down. Garibaldi reports to Edgars and then demands to know the truth. Edgars tells him they have developed a virus that only affects telepaths. They have an antidote that needs to be administered every two weeks. Miss even one dose and they die. He shows the hiding place to Garibaldi and says the telepath "problem" has been solved. After everyone leaves, Garibaldi removes a false tooth and activates a transmitter. He then acts like he is in a trance. Later, we see him in a transport tube. Lise comes in to talk to him and he says nothing. She leaves. Then Bester arrives. He reveals what happened to Garibaldi, as we see him captured by the Shadows, to use against Sheridan, knowing that he and Ivanova are the likely successors to Sheridan, if they take him out. he is brought to Psi Corps allies for conditioning, which Bester uses for his own ends. He amped up garibaldi's mistrust of authority and paranoia and set him up to bugger Sheridan. the resignation was a surprise, which put him in line with Edgars. It proved a bonus as they gave him new marching orders to determine Edgars plan and locate the virus. it is now in Psi Corps hands and we see Wade and Edgars dead. Bester then sends a command which returns Garibaldi's memories to him and he smashes his head against the wall in anger and frustration (after Bester is gone, of course).  At the end, we see Ivanova issue shoot-on-sight orders for Garibaldi. ISN reports Sheridan's capture and thanks garibaldi for making it possible. garibaldi is Drakhed, with no place to run, now that his mind is back in its place. While ISN says Sheridan is receiving human treatment, we guards kicking the s#@! out of him. Great episode. The bar capture scene and the music is a truly great piece of work and played well. My only criticism is the fight choreography. Sheridan is suitably messed up and goes down swinging; but, the fights on the show are pure haymakers, with the odd spin kick. They really needed someone who had better knowledge of close quarter fighting techniques. Someone like Sheridan would have been trained to fight far dirtier than what we see (Garibaldi,too, especially in his job). The UFC was in its infancy, so most of the fight guys in Hollywood were karate and kung fu practitioners, rather than MMA and jiu jitsu types. Really, Canadian Bill Underwood's Combato, used to train Canadian commandos and police, would make a better style. Minor digression.... So, we see how Garibaldi was programmed. At first, he was to be a pawn of the Shadows; but, Bester got to him and altered things. Harlan Ellison plays one of the Psi Cops who is working on the conditioning, when Bester gives new marching orders. Walter Koenig is suitably slimy in this. Like I've said before, Trek really did not use his talents to their fullest. Earth has Sheridan, Edgars is dead, Bester has a weapon to use against rivals and has had his revenge on Sheridan and Garibaldi. Things look pretty bleak. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 8:13:51 GMT -5
Episode 16: "The Exercise of Vital Powers" ... is one of my favorite shows because of Efrem Zimbalist of which I was shocked to see him appear on Babylon 5.
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 15, 2017 10:57:48 GMT -5
Episode 18: Intersections in Real Time" Guest stars: Raye Birk (Naked Gun movies, LA Law) as William (the interrogator), Wayne Alexander (Lorien, Sebastian) as Drazi, Bruce Gray (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as interrogator Synopsis: The episode opens with Sheridan in a fetal position, on a concrete floor, remembering the events of his capture and the betrayal of Garibaldi.  Sheridan is brought into a chair that is bolted down to the floor. There is a table and chair opposite him. An average-looking middle-aged man in a suit comes in and proceeds to make small talk, opening his briefcase, pulling out a pen, notebook, files and puts on his glasses. He asks Sheridan if he has any allergies, is taking any medication, has he had any trouble with his heart? We see metal rings around his neck and wrists. They are Narn paingivers and he is given a dose. They will shock him when he doesn't give a response and will zap him out if he gets too close to the interrogator. He begins Sheridan's interrogation.   The interrogation goes on for a couple of days, or so it seems. The man returns and says good morning, though Sheridan says it is night, saying he saw daylight before and darkness now. The man demonstrates the daylight by activating lights. Soon he has Sheridan confused about what time it really is. He makes statements about the truth being fluid. He says good morning and opens his briefcase and pulls out his things. he then looks at his watch and says "Look at the time." He pulls out a sandwich and starts eating, as he reads from files and makes amused chuckles or exclamations, without directly commenting on what he is reading. Sheridan has been deprived food and eyes the sandwich. The man comments on the corned beef. He then offers Sheridan the other half saying it's lunchtime. Sheridan comments that the man said it was morning. he replies it must be lunchtime, you can't have corned beef for breakfast. Sheridan must admit it is lunchtime to have the half of the sandwich. Eventually, he says it is lunchtime "somewhere" and is given the sandwich. He starts to bite in and stops. The man points out he has eaten half and no one wants Sheridan dead. Sheridan eats hungrily. With new strength, he makes a snide comment and then finds out that the sandwich is poisoned and the man has built up a tolerance. It won't kill him, but it will induce vomiting. The man leaves again. Later, Sheridan is on the floor, in pain. The interrogator comes back and Sheridan is put in the chair. A Drazi is dragged in and a microphone put in front of him. He is forced to give a confession that says an alien conspiracy has brainwashed Sheridan. The interrogator meets with Sheridan again and places a confession before him. Sheridan must be seen to sign and give it, so that there is no question that it was fake. He is to be offered as an example that the system can't be beat. Sheridan is given a final chance to sign the confession. He is told that the decision has been made that they can fake things, that he is expendable. The document is placed before him. Sheridan spits on the confession and the interrogator expresses deep regret and summons the guards. He tells them to take Sheridan to Room 17. Sheridan is strapped to a gurney and transported down a hall. He seems resigned to his fate. He is brought into a room with a chair and a hooded man. He is placed in the chair and manacled in place. The guards bring the gurney and fold down sections and remove the cover. We see the same table the interrogator had. Another chair is brought in and a new man arrives, asking Sheridan if he has any allergies, is taking any medication, has any trouble with his heart; and, the cycle begins again. The hooded man is revealed to be the Drazi who was taken away and Sheridan sees his "victory" was false. Tremendous episode, mostly played out between Sheridan and the interrogator (William). It is structured like a play and events unfold in real time, in each act. The act breaks have real endings, as people leave the room. Only William, the Drazi and the second interrogator are seen completely. Security guards come and go, but are mostly kept in shadows and never say a line. The concept of the interrogation is based on real techniques, particularly those employed by the Soviets and in Latin America. We are used to the idea of torture to gain information, based on POW movies and spy films. There are more sophisticated techniques. Some films explored this, such as The IPCRESS File, where Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) is subjected to heat and cold, sleep deprivation, drugging, shock, loud noises, swirling light effects, and other forms of conditioning. The Prisoner made use of various techniques, via drugs, mechanics, conditioning and other forms of physical and psychological conditioning and manipulation. There is a small film called Closetland, with Alan Rickman and Madeline Stowe, where they are the only people seen. She is a writer dragged from her bed and placed in a room, where she is interrogated by Rickman, who seems to be a functionary, but gets nastier and nastier. Mind games are played. The same thing happens here. And, of course, there is Orwell's 1984. JMS says he didn't draw on specific inspiration, other than actual psychological interrogation techniques. He is part of a writer's group that monitors the treatment of writers in oppressed countries and knows much about the subject. 1984 drew much upon Stalinist USSR, with rewritings of history, interrogation, show trials, forced confessions, and the disappearance of dissidents and enemies. He presented Room 101, where victims face their greatest fear, which breaks them, forcing them to confess their love of Big Brother. They are then segregated into a small cafe, after their confessions, waiting to die. We see much the same here.
The episode is a marvelous piece of drama, just two characters speaking to one another. Despite the static set, it is kept lively and interesting. Trek did a similar episode, where Capt. Picard is held prisoner and interrogated that succeeded more due to Patrick Stewart's performance than anything else. The performances here are just as good and I would say the writing is far better.
The episode also presents the idea of the interrogator as an average person, a government functionary doing their job, detached, unemotional (though we see that change as things progress). That is the reality of such things. They tend not to be schreming villains and big goons, like in Rambo films and the like. They are more sophisticated. What many people don't realize is that such things can be traced to this country. In 1946, the US Army School of the Americas was founded to teach counter-insurgency techniques to friendly governments, to fight Communist aggression in Latin America. Among the teachings was sophisticated interrogation techniques. Some of the worst crimes against civilian populations in Latin America were committed by graduates of the school. It became more public knowledge during the Reagan years and protests began outside Fort Benning, where the school is headquartered. This is especially true of an order of nuns, whose members were tortured and killed by the El Salvador government, which was supported by the Reagan Administration. Several were repeatedly arrested for trespassing on the grounds. Eventually, in an Orwellian moment, the school was rechristened the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. The protests were still newsworthy around the time this episode aired. Of course, after 9/11, the news became littered with features of torture and interrogation of suspected terrorists. Stories of waterboarding, sleep deprivation, painful enforced body positions, and other techniques became common knowledge. There were cries of protest and justifications due to perceived threats. This episode demonstrates how such things are carried out and shows that the perpetrators consider themselves professionals doing a job, not torturers and murderers. It all depends on point of view. Of course, the use here is less ambiguous, as it is clear that Clark wants Sheridan broken and paraded, to break the spirit of the Resistance. There is no question of attacks on civilians by Sheridan or impending attacks. However, from Clark's point of view, Sheridan is a threat to Earth security. The difference is our sympathies have been built for Sheridan and his cause. We have seen Clark's atrocities, the public mostly hasn't. In their eyes, Sheridan is a terrorist, trying to seize power from the elected government.
This is an episode that makes you think, as the best drama does.
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 15, 2017 11:50:11 GMT -5
Episode 19: "Between the Darkness and the Light" Guest stars: Bruce Gray as the interrogator, Number One is here Synopsis: The episode begins with Sheridan free, in his quarters, talking to Franklin about what happened. Things seem normal...  ...until Franklin starts asking questions about the Mars Resistance. Then, we see the truth.  Sheridan is being drugged and subjected to VR scenarios to draw out information. He still fights it, though, never giving out useful information. Elsewhere on Mars, Garibaldi tries to meet up with the resistance. he is double-crossed and taken prisoner, and none too gently. They are ready to frag him, with only Stephen willing to hear what he has to say. Number One wants him dead. Garibaldi can't prove the truth of what he says, about Bester programming him. he finally pleads for Lyta to scan him. She says that bester's blocks are level 12, beyond her power and he tells her he knows she can do it. We see her eyes turn black, like at Z'ha'dum, and she draws out the info. Number One still doesn't believe her and Lyta projects the images into her head, to convince her.   Garibaldi then puts together a team to break Sheridan out of the holding area. The Resistance can only spare a guide and it is just Lyta, Franklin and Garibaldi. They waylay some security guards, but Michael is stabbed in the fight. Stephen sews him up but worries that the stitches might break. they get inside the security facility, thanks to the ISN broadcasts of Garibaldi's betrayal. They meet the cell guards, who are brainwashed Clark goons. Garibaldi makes small talk and then mentions the cell codes. Lyta goes up to one guard and says "Pain" and the man drops to the floor in convulsions. The other reacts and is knocked out by garibaldi. Lyta got the codes telepathically. They enter the room and find Sheridan out of it. They get him loose and move him out. The outside guard challenges them and sees the blood on Garibaldi's back, from his wound reopening. Garibaldi blasts him and the two other guards with a PPG. Sheridan picks up one of the guards' PPG and points it. he fires several times at the guard and it looks like garibaldi is next, when he lowers it. They leave.  On babylon 5, Lennier alerts Delenn about a council vote, without her presence. they rush off and find Londo addressing the assembly. delenn protests that no vote can be taken without a representative from Earth or Minbar. Londo says now that she is here the vote can be taken and all vote yes on the proposal. We then learn they have all voted to sup[ply ships to delenn's fleet, to aid the Resistance. They wanted it to bee seen as independent, since Delenn has a vested interest. Sheridan has united the races for the common good and it is now time to pay him back. They depart to join Ivanova and the Resistance ships. On a White Star, Ivanova and Marcus listen to a prisoner who says that Clark knows about their rendezvous and advanced new warships have been dispatched to ambush them. They decide they must act on this and takeWhite Stars to launch the attack, since they are fastest. It will take 5 hours and Marcus badgers Susan into sleeping. Later, he comes to her and looks at her, saying "You will never know," as he passes his hand over her face. She awakens and finds out she slept the whole 4 hours instead of the two each getting 2 hours. before they leave, Ivanova says that in a previously similar situation, marcus said something in Minbari. What he actually said was that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen; but, he told her it was just a greeting. Ivanova says she has since learned to speak some Minbari. She thanks him and they go off to prepare for battle. They see the Earth ships and then see that they show tendrils, like the Shadow vessels. Earth has adapted Shadow technology. The White Stars are challenged and Ivanova answers... The battle is engaged and it is bloody... Ivanova's White Star is hit by debris, after the destruction of one of the Earth ship. She is badly hurt. Sheridan is reunited with Delenn...  They go and see Ivanova, who is not in good shape. Marcus stands vigil over her.  Ivanova weakly asks Sheridan, as her friend, to tell her the truth. He confirms that she is dying. She is given only a few days, a week at most. She asks a favor of him. We next see the Agamemnon, Sheridan's old ship. he comes onboard, in his Army of Light uniform. he thanks the captain and then tells the crew that "a friend" asked him to command the final assault from the Agamemnon. Sheridan takes the command chair and they set course for Mars. Terrific episode. The beginning suggests The Prisoner, with the use of hallucinations and drugs, to manipulate Sheridan into revealing info about the Mars resistance. Garibaldi now has to face the consequences of what happens and nearly gets killed. It is only Lyta, the woman he fired, on Edgar's orders, that saves him. We see more of Lyta's increased power, as her eyes turn black and she breaks Bester's blocks. Just how powerful is Lyta? Does she even know? The Mars resistance accepts things quickly; but, the story needs that. Garibaldi gets it in the back, again. For a cop, he really doesn't watch his back. There is a nice scene where Garibaldi tells Franklin that Lyta is a better liar, which disturbs her. The advanced Earth ships look scary.  We see how far the Shadow influence has covered Earth. Are there more? What waits for Sheridan and the fleet? Are there even worse weapons? Ivanova is dying. She kicked ass and took names; but, she paid a price. At the time, it had been announced that Claudia Christian was leaving the series. Some thought her fate was inserted later, though JMS denied it and said it was as always planned. Her wish that Sheridan command the Agamemnon for the assault on Mars and Earth has a parallel to the myths of the Trojan War, as Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter for fair winds. Ivanova sacrifices herself to give Sheridan a clear path to Mars. Originally, there was a break in broadcast between "Intersections in Real Time" and "Between the Darkness and the Light." It served to create a cliffhanger and the opening, with Sheridan and Franklin almost fools you. You start to assume either you missed something or that they are going to tell the story in flashback, until you hear the interrogator and his colleague. Pretty sneaky. By this point, the audience was ready for what was about to happen, knowing it would be epic. Had a 5th season been guaranteed, "Intersections in Real Time" was to be the season finale and "Between the Darkness and the Light" the 5th season opener. The following episodes would conclude the Earth civil war, then they would move on to the 5th season arc. At this point, it looked like renewal was not going to happen. The civil war ending was brought forward and the final episode, Sleeping in the Light," was filmed. The show got a last minute reprieve, and "Sleeping" was pulled and a new season finale filmed. And now, the Battle to Liberate Earth begins. It starts on Mars, as is fitting, as the god of War. |
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