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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 15, 2017 23:04:11 GMT -5
Episode 7: "Soul Mates" Guest stars: Jane Carr (Dear John) as Timov (read it backwards), Lois Nettleton (no relation) (Centennial, In the Heat of the Night, Butterfly) as Daggair (self explanatory), Blair Valk (Executive Decision) as Mariel and Keith "Mickey Kostmayer" Szarabajka (The Equalizer) as Matt Stoner. Synopsis-Garibaldi runs into Vir in the transit area, waiting for the arrival of Londo's 3 wives. the first to arrive is Timov, who immediately starts ordering Vir about and demands to go to Londo's quarters, despite Londo's instructions to wait for the other two. Vir trails off after the fiery Timov and Garibaldi chuckles, then spots a passenger yell at a man for following him too closely and then suddenly change his tune. Garibaldi is suspicious and does some checking. he goes and informs Sheridan, who is conversing with Talia, who compliments him on how he is settling in. He identifies the odd man as Matthew Stoner and Talia reveals that he is her ex-husband. She later confides to Sheridan that Stoner was matched with her by Psi Corps but the marriage didn't work and they split. Stoner then left the Corps, which surprised Sheridan, as he thought the Corps was a lifetime association. Somehow, Stoner was let out, which makes him unique. Timov is chewing through Vir's hide when Daggair, Londo's second wife turns up and the fangs are bared between the two women. Londo tunrs up and Daggair makes nice, while Timov turns her venom on her husband. Timov refuses to wait for Mariel, the third wife, before hearing why she was dragged across the galaxy. She remarks that their marriage's success was due to their lack of communication, which he is jeopardizing. Londo reminds them it is the 30th anniversary of his Day of Ascension (assumed to be like a Bar Mitzvah, or something) and the Emperor, in light of his increasing profile, has granted him a wish. He asked for a divorce from his gold-digging, back-stabbing wives; or as he calls them, Pestilence Famine and Death. However, the Emperor requires he keep one of them for official state functions. Now, Londo gets to decide which one, which explains why Daggair, who broke a vase over his head, is suddenly all lovey-dovey. Mariel finally arrives and is also all coy and nice.  Meanwhile, Stoner is selling relics to a dealer, including a Centauri statue. garibaldi comes up and starts leaning on him and drags him to the security station. Stoner pushes all of Garibaldi's buttons until he is ready to throw down, until Stoner waltzes out, after cooler heads prevail. he later runs into Talia and tries to reconcile. He assures her he left the Corps because he lost his powers and can help her do so, too. Talia later apologizes to garibaldi for jumping on his case and says she is leaving with Stoner. garibaldi smells a rat. At Londo's party,(where everyone is supposed to be barefoot, but, G'Kar delights in wearing boots, as an insult) Londo is presented with the same Centauri statue, by Mariel, who purchased it from the vendor who bought it from Stoner. Two needles shoot out and impale Londo's forehead, poisoning him. His condition is grave and Franklin can't do much, without a blood transfusion. Daggair remarks to the others that if he dies, their futures are assured. Garibaldi arrests Stoner and grills him; but, can't prove he knew about the boobytrap. Later, Lou Welch remarks about the prisoner getting his dinner early and Garibaldi questions why and Welch says there is something about Stoner that makes you want to like him. Timov secretly approaches Dr Franklin and tells him she has the same blood type as Londo and can save him, but has been deciding what t do. She says he must never know she saved him, to avoid awkward moments later. he agrees and Londo comes out of it. He spars with Timov and she leaves, saying she is fatigued. he continues to bad mouth her to Franklin who tells him to stick it. Stoner is leaving with Talia when Garibaldi decks him. he figured out that Stoner is an empath and had been manipulating Talia (and other's) emotions. Sheridan theorizes that the experiments created an empath and the Corps secretly kept him on the books and wanted to breed him with Talia. he is sent on his way, without Talia. Mariel later meets with G'Kar, who has deduced that she was the one who planted the boobytrapped statue, to fall in Londo's hands. She says to prove it. Londo sees off his wives and reveals that Daggair and Mariel are out, with a stipend, and Timov is his pick. When the others are gone, she asks why, as she has made no secret of her hatred for him. He remarks that with her, he will always know where he stands. While all this goes on, Ivanova is summoned to delenn's quarters, where she finds that Delenn is having a bad hair day of epic proportions. She imposes on Ivanova to teach her how to care for it, resulting in a scene of her in curlers, when Lenier arrives to deliver the invitation to Londo's celebration. At the end, she thanks Susan for her help, then asks her about odd cramps she has been having. Terrific episode; one of my favorites. the script is by peter David, who deftly mixes the comedy and drama. he really has a handle on Londo's voice and the banter with Timov is priceless. She gets some of the best lines. Daggair remarks to her that "Breeding will tell." and she responds with "A bitch like you would know about breeding!"  Jane Carr is awesome and she uses her deft comedic timing well, as Timov. She spars with everyone and is a force of nature. Anyone with an iota of knowledge of basic storytelling can see she will be the one chosen by Londo, from a mile away. The others kiss up to Londo, but she remains contemptuous, even slapping him. Later, when she gives her blood, you can tell there was once a spark, but Londo has changed far too much, seeking the glory of the past and securing advancement for his future. She wants none of that.  Lois Nettleton gets some great lines, too and is a great partner for Jane Carr, when they meet up, feeding her straight lines for zingers. Blair Valk is mostly pretty and conniving and it is implied that she and G'kar slept together. The Matt Stoner part really only serves to further the subplot of the Psi Corps wanting to manipulate eugenics to bred more powerful telepaths, with Talia a target. Keith Szarabajka is delightfully slimy as Stoner and really gets under Garibaldi's skin. Peter David would return to pen the episode, "There All Honor Lies," which features running gags about a gift shop, selling B5 merchandise. He would then pen the Centauri Trilogy, which will detailed Londo's future, as well as Vir and the Drakh. I highly recommend the books: The Long Night of Centauri Prime, Armies of Light and Dark, and Out of Darknesss. David really gets Londo and Vir, as well as the Centauri. The Delenn stuff is cheap laughs, but, Claudia Christian is priceless in these scenes. I love her eye bulge at 0:56! Notice that you don't see delenn's cranial bone ridge. You can see the points of where it meets her fac, but not the ridge. Later, the hair is underneath the bone ridge. So the question remains how she gets her hair under. It's never explained and would gnaw at me when I rewatched the show. The line about cramps, at the end, was an obvious joke, as you knew it was coming after a while. Again, Claudia's reaction sells a pretty lame joke. However, it does hint at the possibility that Delenn could breed with a human. As we will see next episdoe, she and Sheridan seem to be drawn to one another, whenever they meet up. In their first encounter, she left him speechless, with her appearance. In the next, she will ask Sheridan out on a date! |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 16, 2017 15:17:44 GMT -5
Episode 8: Race Through Dark Places" Guest stars: Walter "Keptain" Koenig (Combat) as Bester and Gianin Loffler (Stargate) as Lurker, Synopsis-BESTER IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is kicking ask and taking thoughts from a rogue telepath, trying to track down an "Underground Railroad" for rogue telepaths. The subject of the interrogation fights, with a nursery rhyme mantra; but, Bester rips a final thought out of his head, as he dies; Babylon 5.  Meanwhile, Ivanova tells Sheridan that due to increased earth military traffic, they have had to divert commercial transports, with a resultant drop in revenue. Earth is penny-pinching and wants the command staff to either start paying rent on their quarters or move into smaller ones, so that the larger quarters can be let out for commercial visitors. In the fine B5 tradition, Sheridan says they can "Go to Hell!" There's a lot of "Go to Hell," "Send them to Hell!," "See you in Hell!" "Get the Hell outta..." in B5, to the point that the British fans and publications poked a lot of fun at it, as did the online community of the period. Bester arrives at the station and briefs the staff. No one wants to help; but, Garibaldi points out that the telepaths are violating the law and they are sworn to uphold it. Sheridan reluctantly agrees, but tells Garibaldi to watch bester and give him minimal cooperation. Ivanova suggests Sheridan study the tapes of the Jason Ironheart incident. Bester pulls Talia aside to acquire her assistance and as they walk through the Zocalo, Bester hears thoughts of "murderer." he knows he is on the right track. A group of Lurkers meet up in Downbelow and alert their leaders that Bester is there. They decide that they must kill bester to stop him. Delenn approaches Sheridan about getting together to sit and talk, in an effort for Delenn to learn more about humans and help her in her role as a bridge between the two species. Sheridan enthusiastically agrees and they make a date for dinner. Later, Delenn arrives at Fresh Air, wearing a striking black dress and everyone stops in their tracks and watches her. Sheridan is delighted and compliments her. She says the woman who sold her the dress said it would "turn heads" and Sheridan says if it di it anymore, people would sue for whiplash. When he seats her, he asks a gawker if there is something he can do for them and they turn away. he and Delenn then look at the menu. Later, they are still in the restaurant, with no other diners, while the staff yawn and look at their watches. The pair are engrossed in conversation, as Sheridan tells a story of a friend's cat.  Sheridan and Delenn sitting in a tree, KAY-EYE-ESS-ESS-EYE-ENN-GEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheridan returns to find his quarters locked out and Ivanova arrives and informs him that Earth locked their quarters until they pay rent or move. Sheridan refuses to bow to pressure and the pair spend the night in his office, Ivanova on the couch and Sheridan in his desk chair. he is still bubbly from his date (Whhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and proceeds to tell terrible jokes to Ivanova, who asks if he was like this when he was married. he responds, "Yeah!" Ivanova retorts, "Woman was a saint!" Sheridan shrugs and goes to sleep, with a smile on his face. Bester contacts Talia (who was going to bed) and invites her to breakfast to talk about the case and smooth over past clashes. (Whhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!) Talia gress, reluctantly. When they meet up, he senses the Lurkers about to attack and returns fire. Talia flees and is grabbed by one of the Lurkers. Bester relays events to the staff and downplays Talia's abduction, ticking off Garibaldi. The Lurker's explain to Talia their histories with the Corps and try to persuade her to join their side. The Lurker we have seen before, when Pres. Santiago was assassinated, reveals he was a friend of Ironhearts and was also subjected to experiments that boosted him to a P13. Talia is distressed by the stories, involving forced impregnation, murder, and experiments; but, the Corps is al she has known. The chief Lurker tells her that she is special and we previously saw that her telekinetic abilities have grown and she has been able to shield her thoughts from Bester.  Bester meets with Garibaldi, who has some info for him. Bester tells of his family on Mars, to show he is as human as Garibaldi. Michael isn't buying it. They prepare to head for Downbelow to find Talia. Meanwhile, Dr Franklin meets with Sheridan to pass on a message from the leader of the Underground Railroad, that he ants to meet with Sheridan and that they have no intention of harming Talia. Sheridan agrees and goes to the meeting. Out of the shadows steps Franklin. Sheridan is confused, as the meeting was to be alone and Franklin reveals he is the leader. He and other doctors have been secretly moving telepaths around and doctoring medical records to hde them. Sheridan is torn between siding with Franklin and the law he swore an oath to uphold. He will not sanction an attack on Bester, but doesn't want to turn over the rogues. Talia offers a solution. When Bester arrives, he is confronted by the rogues, who all join hands and unite their abilities to fight Bester.  However, the chief Lurker realizes someone is fighting them and identifies Talia. She shouts "The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father!" and attacks with a PPG. The telepaths are wiped out. Satisfied, Bester calmly leaves. Sheridan turns and faces the assembled telepaths and asked what just happened, as all he saw was Bester stand there, smile, then leave. Talia explains they projected an illusion into his brain and now he is satisfied that the Railroad has been broken and they are all dead (and that Talia aided him and would leave via a different route). Franklin says they are closing up shop there, as it is too hot; but, the work will go on elsewhere. Later, Talia sees bester off. he stops for a moment and appears to scan her and is puzzled. talia raises an eyebrow and smiles. he moves on and she relaxes. Sheridan tells Ivanova that they can go back to their quarters, as he has set aside part of the readiness budget to pay the rent, paying Earth with its own money, which pleases Ivanova. Later, in her quarters, Ivanova is interrupted by a chime at her door. It is talia, who needs someone to talk to and has brought wine. Susan agrees, provided she leave the Psi Corps emblem (a badge with the Greek letter Psi) behind. She removes it and the two women sit down and talk, as the episode fades out. Any time Bester appears in an episode you know it will be great. Accompanying Walter Koenig in his opening scene is Judy Levitt, as a Psi Cop. Judy Levitt is Mrs. Koenig, Walter's wife. This was the only time they appeared together in the series. Sadly, he never got to appear with his son Andrew, who did do an episode of DS9, in this era. Andrew later disappeared in 2010, prompting a high profile search in vancouver and was found dead by a group of friends and family, in a park, of an apparent suicide. Harlan Ellison based the character of Jeffrey, in his short story, "Jeffrey is Five" (1977) on young Josh (Joshua Andrew) Koenig, as he was charmed by the young man. Andrew Koenig was best know as playing "Boner," on Growing Pains. It was a sad epithet in the wire services when his death listed him as 'Boner" and that he had hung himself. He had done several other independent projects of deeper work; but, he was "Boner." Sad. This is a great episode and furthers the subplot of the Psi Corp's machinations, as well as Talia's growing abilities. It appears that she will be a powerful ally in fighting Bester and the Psi Corps.  Gianin Loffler is striking as The Lurker. He isn't blessed with movie star looks and his roles have largely been determined by his appearance, though he is an excellent and highly trained actor. Unfortunately, we do not see him again in the series. The Sheridan and Delenn scenes are delightful, as we see their romance blossom. Sheridan is quite taken with her and he is forever smiling in her presence. The scene where Delenn walks into the restaurant is great, as we have not seen delen as a figure of beauty before. Heads turn as they see her. There is still the curiosity of her transformation; but, this is the first time we have seen her outside her ambassadorial role, on Babylon 5. This is a private moment, played out in public.One of the joys of the Delenn transformation is that it allowed Mira Furlan to be freed up some from her alien make-up and allow more of her natural beauty to shie. he face always had that, even when encumbered by the make-up appliances; however, now we see more of her face and her lovely, dark hair. Talia gets more development and we see the previous moments of her and Ivanova build into something more. I hadn't realized it before until I saw some isolated clips on Youtube; but, in early episodes, Talia gives Ivanova certain looks. They aren't big and many are open to interpretation. However, you do see her watching Ivanova, like in The War Prayer, when she is meeting with her ex-boyfriend. She seems to desperately want to be friends with Ivanova, despite opposing ideas of the Psi Corps. The moments can be defined as a friendship building, between two women, dedicated to their career, with past relationship issues. They have much in common. However, on another level, it was a romance blossoming, which was intentional. JMS has remarked that he wanted to show that humans had grown beyond reacting to things like homosexuality, as well as religious differences. At the same time, he wanted to show that man carried his positive traits as well as his negative traits into space. We may have grown to celebrate our diversity as a race; but, we still feared the unknown when telepaths appeared, as well as alien races. We accepted interracial relationships and same-sex ones; but, we are taken aback by an inter-species relationship, when Sheridan and Delenn's romance fully blooms. This is one of the defining elements of the series, that moved it beyond the previous formats of tv sci-fi, including the Trek model. Trek presented a more idealized world, to the point that Harlan Ellison's "City on the Edge of Forever" was altered to remove a drug dealer, who sets off the plot. B5 shows that new drugs exist and crime continues. Fear and Ignorance are powerful forces in the human psyche, which leads to many tragedies, even in the future. However, Love and Compassion prove to be tremendous strengths.   Many gay and lesbian fans were delighted by these characters, as they saw themselves represented in these two characters, in a time when most depictions of gay characters leaned towards the camp stereotype. Many fans cheered on the relationship of Ivanova and Talia, which was unfortunately derailed by Andrea Thompson's leaving the series. There was some consumation of things, though it is a bit ambiguous, which, to me, felt like a cop-out. Still, it was more than most. Here's a nice encapsulation of things, from Youtube... Lastly, the humor is on display here, mostly in Sheridan and Ivanova's fight against Earth's penny-pinching. The office scene, when the bed down is a great piece of character comedy. Later, Ivanova tells Sheridan that he snres. He denies it and she retorts that "Either you snore or we had one hell of a hull breach last night!" Claudia Christina often got some of the best lines in the series. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 16, 2017 17:31:24 GMT -5
Episode 9:  Guest stars: Turhan Bey (Dragon Seed, Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves) as the Centauri Emperor, Malachi Throne (Star Trek TOS, Mission Impossible) as the Centauri Prime Minister, Frederic Lehne (Dallas, Lost, American Horror Story) as the Ranger. Synopsis-The Emperor of the centauri Republic discusses his upcoming trip to Babylon 5 with his Prime Minister. The PM doesn't want him to go, in case of a crisis and due to his fragile health. The Emperor thanks him for his concern and says that it is something he must do. he pauses and takes a moment to thank his friend for his loyalty and the work he has done.   G'Kar lodges a protest with Sheridan, over old grievances with the centauri and the Emperor's family, including that tha the Emperor's father ordered the death of 100, 000 Narns. Sheridan points out that the Emperor did not do this and has made great attempts at reconciliation and ceded territory back to the Narn. G'Kar won't listen and Sheridan tells him the visit will stand and he can either try to be mature and try to open a dialogue with the Centauri or stay in his quarters, stick his fingers in his ears and hum really loud! A strange man arrives on the station and takes an interest in Garibaldi. Londo and Lord refa discuss the impending Imperial visit in Londo's quarters. refa says the Emperor is old and weak and with the death of his son, succession is muddled. he and his allies see an opportunity to position themselves to take control of the Republic. He has prepared a speech for Londo that looks to the past and is critical of the present. It also contains predictions of crises, which have been pre-arranged. Vir is visibly uncomfortable with the discussion and, after Refa leaves, Londo admits that he, too, is uncomfortable with things. The Emperor's flagship arrives at B5 and he and his entourage are met by an honor guard and the command staff. Sheridan welcomes him to the station and the Emperor speaks of their great work, bringing peace to the galaxy.  As they begin a tour, he asks Dr Franklin about Kosh, if anyone has ever seen him. Franklin has said only in his encounter suit. The Emperor expresses a long desire to see a Vorlon, in or out of its shell. he remarks that they have sent many expeditions to Vorlon space; none have returned. Later, he asks Sheridan if he was drafted or joined the military and Sheridan remarks he signed up before the war, that he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself. He notes that the Emperor seems interested in why people do the things they do and he replies that it has occurred to him that he has never had a choice about his role in life.  G'Kar speaks with a representative of the Kha'Ri, the ruling body of Narn, and they have approved his plan to assassinate the Centauri Emperor. He will sacrifice himself to strike a blow for revenge. He is ready for his martydom. Later, the guests are assembled for the reception and speech from the Emperor. G'Kar shows up and Sheridan is happy he is there. He says he will listen to what the Emperor has to say. While this goes on, Garibaldi ambushes the strange human, who says he has a message, but must speak in private. garibaldi has him hauled away to a cell. The Emperor is walking to the reception, when he suddenly clutches at his heart and collapses.  He is rushed to medlab and Franklin tries to stabilize him. He has told the Centauri that he is too fragile to move. The Emperor asks Franklin to carry a message and whispers it to him. Londo and Refa discuss events and realize that they need to make a dramatic step to position themselves to gain control back home. Londo utters Morden's words, about picking a target. He suggests an attack on a Narn outpost in Quadrant 14. Refa says they can manage only a few ships; but, Londo assures him it will be enough. After Refa leaves, Vir launches a verbal assault on Londo not to proceed. Londo orders Vir to contact Morden and Vir concedes, but says they will speak of it again. Londo realizes he has set war with Narn in motion.   G'Kar rages over his missed opportunity, in a communication home, when he is interrupted by Franklin. Franklin conveys the Emperor's message, that he came their to meet face to face with the Narn and offer an apology for the years of conquest and slavery, to attempt to begin to atone for the atrocities committed, regardless of his fragile health. he knew that peace could only come by one side finally saying, "I'm Sorry." G'Kar is stunned and breaks down. Meanwhile, Londo has a dream, with visions of Shadow vessels in the sky over Centauri Prime and his own crowning as emperor. He hears Elric's words as he sees a hand reaching out of a fiery orb, grasping at the stars. he sees himself as old and decaying, on the Imperial throne, then sees a one-eyed G'Kar, who throttles him and he awakes startled. he looks at his watch and sees that the attack has commenced.  The Shadows launch their attack on Quadrant 14, destroying everything. Londo finds Refa and tells him the attack is underway and Refa says he has sent the ships to the area. he then says he must take care of one other thing. The Centauri ships arrive in the area to find everything destroyed. G'Kar encounters Londo and is jubilant, offering to buy Londo a drink. he says a new page has turned in their relations and he has hope for the future. Londo is terrified, as he knows what is occurring. G'Kar toasts the Emperor. A squadron of Narn ships arrive in Quadrant 14 and find the devastation and are immediately engaged by the Centauri, who destroy them. At the same instant, the Prime Minister is stabbed in the throne room.  Garibaldi is in his office and Zack informs him that the prisoner is asking for him and he has him brought in. The man gives Garibaldi a data crystal and he plays the message and is greeted by Jeffrey Sinclair. The message tells him the man is a Ranger, one of several humans and Minbari working together, scouting remote space sectors, gathering information. He asks Garibaldi to give them every courtesy and to help them. he says there is a "great darkness coming" and that the Minbari have been preparing for it for a long time. Sinclair says he has been working with the Rangers, on Minbar. Ivanova tells Sheridan about preliminary reports of the attack on Quadrant 14. G'Kar receives a report about the attack and is enraged. he heads for Londo's quarters and barges through security. He is stopped by Sheridan and five armed guards. He sends G'Kar away, who returns to his quarters and weeps. The Emperor's health is worsening and he confesses to Franklin that he would have liked to have seen a Vorlon and Kosh appears. Garibaldi fills in Sheridan and Ivanova about the Ranger's information. It confirms suspicion's they have about the attack on Quadrant 14. Sheridan realizes the Centauri will want to keep this info quiet. Londo and Refa stand before the Emperor and inform him of the attack on Quadrant 14. They ask for his blessing. he motions to Londo, who leans in and the Emperor whispers to him and then dies. Refa asks what he said and he replies, "Continue, take my people back to the stars." When they are alone, Refa asked what he really said and Londo shakily sees he told him that they were both damned. refa laughs it off as a small price to pay for immortality. Londo appears to think otherwise. Sheridan visits G'Kar and tells him he is calling a council meeting and asks him to attend. G'Kar quietly agrees. At the meeting, Sheridan confronts Londo about the civilian population and Londo says they will remain. Sheridan presses and says he has been authorized by Earth to send observers to ensure the people are treated well and to look at how they were conquered so easily. Londo replies that the civilians will be allowed to leave and suggests that would resolve the need for observers. Sheridan's hunch paid off. Delenn asks G'Kar to speak. Refa meets with Londo and tells him that the death of the Prime Minister and other events have allowed their faction to move ahead (neutralizing several competing factions) and position themselves to put the Emperor's nephew on the throne. he will be greatly sympathetic to their faction. After Refa leaves, Vir expresses surprise that Londo didn't ask for the position himself and Londo replies, seeing his vision again, that he doesn't want the throne. Garibaldi thanks the Ranger and sees him off and asks if anyone else on the station knows about things. he says there is one other and we see Delenn in her quarters, receiving a message from Sinclair.  This is, without a doubt, one of the best episodes of the series, if not THE best. It won the 1996 Hugo Award for "Best Dramatic Presentation." JMS surpasses his previous marks as a writer, filling the script with great scenes, lines and characters. The Centauri Emperor is a noble and tragic figure. Londo's scheming has pulled him into darkness and there seems no way out. His intentions were to restore the glory of his people and gain some reward for himself and status. As they say, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." Londo, as the Emperor says, is damned. Gone is the sympathetic, if slightly sad, jovial figure from the pilot and first season. He has now set in motion events which have pulled the Centauri into the machinations of the Shadows, set his world back at war with the Narn, and cast them out from alliances with other League worlds. His vision of his future is frightening.  Turhan Bey is mesmerizing as the Centauri Emperor. bey's career began in the 40s, in Hollywood, as an exotic, romantic lead, especially in films set in exotic locales. His star faded by the end of the war, as old idols returned from military service. His father was a Turkish military attache, in the Turkish embassy in Vienna, Austria. His mother was a Czechoslovakian Jew. His father had lost an arm in WW1. His parents divorced and when the Anschluss came (the German annexation of Austria), they fled to the United States. Bey enrolled in a drama school to help his English and found his calling and was discovered while performing in a play by his teacher. he was likened to Rudolph Valentino, in his heyday. After the war and after things died down in Hollywood (and some scandal), he returned to Austria, where he took up his passion for photography as a profession. he started out taking photos for girlie magazines but became a noted fashion photographer. He also continued to act on the stage. At this time, he returned to the US to accept an award and took several roles on television, including this. he would appear again in a 5th Season episode, as a Minbari Ranger instructor. He plays the Emperor as one who knows his time is at an end, with a lifetime of regrets, who is determined to make a deliberate act to bring a better future. He is Shakesperean in power and dignity. It is a joy to watch him. Mira Furlan, at the time, spoke of the great joy in working with him, both to watch his talent and for his charm; but also because it gave her a chance to converse with him in High German, one of the languages of her native Yugoslavia. She greatly respected his theater work and spoke of him reverently. Fans loved the Emperor and wished he could have appeared more; but, the role was perfect and it stands out for its brief time. Malachi Throne has brief scenes, but is also mesmerizing. he displays an honorable and loyal man, who served his Emperor and people well, and is betrayed by petty power seekers. In later episodes, as a tribute to Throne and Turhan Bey, their characters are named for them: Emperor Turhan and Prime Minister Malachi. Vir rises in stature here, as the voice of Londo's conscience. This is not the meek, bumbling Vir we saw in the first season. He has grown in his role and dares to rail against Londo. he is angry, yet he carries out Londo's wishes. As time passes, we will see that Vir hopes he can pull Londo back from the abyss and rectify things for the future. We will see more moments like this from Vir. Lastly, we see the return of Jeffrey Sinclair, via the data crystal message. In actuality, the scene was shot earlier, at the end of the first season, to act as a placeholder for the character, until Michael O'Hare was better and could wrap up his storyline. O"hare departed the show to receive treatment for his mental illness, aided by the producers of the show and JMS. It was kept a secret until his passing, when JMS revealed it at the 20th Anniversary celebration, at the 2013 Phoenix Comicon. JMs speaks eloquently here, also discussing his last meeting with Andreas Katsulas and of Richard Biggs and his love of the B5 fans. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jul 17, 2017 8:54:02 GMT -5
Excellent review as usual, codystarbuck. It highlights how well-written the series was, how its multi-layered characters could play archetypal roles without being simple cardboard cutouts.
Londo is generally speaking a sympathetic man, although a bit pompous; but his patriotism, coupled with a desire to make something of himself in the eyes of those who have mocked him in the past, push him to make choices with far-ranging consequences over which he has little control. He could have been written as a simple fool who was tricked by the Shadows and their seductive offers, but no; Londo is more than that. He is a man who has to make the choice of damning himself to do what he thinks is best for his people, even if in his heart of hearts he knows it is wrong. His arrogance trumps his decency, and for that reason the poor fellow can be truly said to have become a monster; a travesty of who he is. That is not a term to be used lightly, and an uncomfortable one for a bloke who proved genial on more than one occasion, but I am sure Londo himself would agree; his turning back on his conscience for political reasons, his rationalization of what is a hideous act, is a truly evil thing.
Let's compare that to the "Oh, time for Anakin Skywalker to turn evil, now, there's only thirty minutes left in the movie" approach of "Revenge of the Sith". Or better yet, let's not. There's no comparison.
G"Kar's despair is truly poignant. Right after making the difficult choice of giving up on his hatred of the Centauri, right after agreeing, probably against his own natural tendency, to dare hope for peace and reconciliation, he finds himself stabbed in the back... and by someone he was willing to accept as a friend. It is the cruelest cut imaginable.
The Shadows and Vorlons were at their best in those early days of the war... mysterious and awe-inspiring.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 17, 2017 22:47:20 GMT -5
The Shadow ships were truly scary and the Vorlon one reminded me of the solar sailer of Tron (which is fitting, given the Tron connections to B5). One of the things I really enjoyed, especially compared to Star Trek, was how each race had a mostly unique design aesthetic. Trek had a tendency to use the same kind of lines and construction of space ships. Even though the Klingon battle cruisers looked different from the Enterprise, it still looked like the same engineering and construction; like they were turned out in the same shipyard. The B5 races had unique ships, even if they operated on the same principles. Some were more advanced than others. The Minbari ships looked like seashells, and matched the aesthetic of their bone ridges. The Centauri have those crescent wings, matching the hair crests. The Narn have very harsh, aggressive lines. They are all business. The Vorlon and Shadow vessels look like living beings. The Earth ships look more functional, less artistic. They haven't progressed enough to where their ships can be elegant.
The costuming was also great, as they had classic styles, but with modern and futuristic twists. I saw a clip of Jason Carter talking about being cast in the series and fearing that he would look terrible in spandex. Then, he was fitted in his costume and said he was dressed like Hamlet, something he could understand. It seemed true for most of the characters, as the costumes were a very nice mix of theatrical and tv/movie. Costume designer Ann Bruice Aling had a background in theater and it showed. She was recommended by John Iacovelli, the Production Designer, who gave us those great sets and props. That is an area where many sci-fi series fell short. They also did it on a budget that would have killed the Star Trek production people.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 18, 2017 0:21:06 GMT -5
Episode 10:  Guest stars: Paul Winfield (ST2, Terminator, Sounder) as Gen. Richard Franklin, Ryan Cutrona (24, Mad Men) as Sgt Maj. Plug, Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead, Kenan and Kel) as PFC Large, Morgan Hunter (Arkosh Kovash in the Usual Suspects) as Pvt. Kleist, and Marie Marshall (Silk Stalkings,Billy)as PFC E. Derman aka Dodger. Synopsis-Ivanova's easy watch is interrupted by the sudden arrival of the EAS Schwartzkopf and Gen. Richard Franklin, who is leading a task force of Marines.  Sheridan greets the general and is told that he and his staff will be briefed and that he needs billets for his 25, 000 troops! Get out the roll-away beds, cause the jarheads have arrived! Garibaldi and Ivanova are up to their necks trying to keep things orderly and troops are being billeted all over the place. The general delivers their briefing, saying they are on a secret mission to Akdor, to aid the Sh'lassen Triumvirate suppress a rebellion, by capturing the rebel stronghold at Matok. Sheridan has been in that system and the general taps him to aid in their planning. B5 is the closest earth outpost and is being used as a staging area. The general has also brought weapons upgrades for the station, to increase its firepower, with the Narn/Centauri war heating up and in case they have to fall back to the station, as a rally point. The Akdor mission is to gain a permanent base from which to potentially react to the Narn/Centauri War, if they have to chose sides. Lt Keffer finds his quarters are now being shared with two Marines, including old bulldog PFC Large (must have been busted a few times, given his stated experience). They almost come to blows, but, Large likes Keffler's wisecrack comeback to his challenge and his spunk. Gen Franklin visits his son, Dr Stephen Franklin. pleasantries soon give way to old arguments and harsh words, including Stephen implying his father is a murderer. His father storms out, angry.  Later, Ivanova brings some Marines to be billeted in Medlab and Stephen goes off. ivanova calms him down and finds out what has really gone on. She tells Franklin to talk to his father, relating her own past with her father and hinting at the danger of the mission, without revealing the specifics (the casualties are expected to be high, to take the fortress of Matok). Delenn speaks to garibaldi on the Zocalo, about the troubling presence of the Marines and he assures her it is temporary. After they part, she is accosted by drunken Marines, including Pvt Kleist who threatens her.  PFC Derman (Dodger) comes to her defense and ends up getting into a brawl with Kleist, which is broken up by Garibaldi and the Sgt Major. Dodger and Kleist keep mum about who started things and Garibaldi requests that charges be dropped, so long as things are kept under control. As he leaves, Dodger thanks him and finds herself attracted to him, even commenting on the state of his posterior. That's a Marine for you; always objectifying the opposite sex! Sheridan and Gen Franklin continue strategy sessions and are interrupted by Stephen, who tries to make-up with his father, only to be rebuffed. Sheridan speaks to the general about his respect for his son and his own occasionally troubled relationship with his father. he says they soon learned to accept each other for who they are and never forget they loved each other. Dodger finds Garibaldi and they hook up for dinner and some fun. in Garibaldi's quarters, they start getting steamy, when he puts on the brakes. he talks about his past and a possible relationship with Talia (implied, though not named) and Dodger gets POd. She says her job doesn't give her the luxury of long-term relationships and she has to live for the moment. She storms off. Ivanova goes over the upgrades with Sheridan, admitting that it significantly increases their firepower. Gen Franklin goes to see Stephen and they talk things out, with Stephen bringing up the agony of waiting to see if he would come home from a war zone. Gen. Franklin realizes how hard life has been for his loved ones, while he was away. The two men embrace, burying the anger.  Garibaldi catches up with Dodger in the Zocalo and apologizes. Keffer and Large (and his buddy) are drinking and the young Marine expresses his anxiety. Keffer tells him that fear is a constant, but it helps keep you alive, which the returning Large overhears and adds his agreement. Keffer accidentally bumps into Kleist, who won't take an apology and starts a fight. All hell breaks loose, with Garibaldi and Dodger caught in the middle. Garibaldi gets Dodger out of the way and Gen Franklin and Sheridan come in and break things up. The Sgt Major tells them to collect their gear, as they are preparing to depart. Sheridan refuses the general's offer to press charges but accepts the offer of reparations for the damage. The troops go off to grab their gear and board their transports. Garibaldi later catches up with Dodger and says goodbye, and to keep her head down. She gives him a taste of what he passed off, which gets a smile from the Sgt Maj, to garibaldi (after he yells at Dodger to get moving). Later, a crowd in the Zocalo (including Franklin, Garibaldi and Ivanova) watch an ISN report from Akdor. gen Franklin announces the success of the operation, but states it came at a high cost. he is called away by the visibly wounded Sgt. Maj. Stephen is relieved to see his father alive. Lou Welch finds Garibaldi and shows him the casualty reports. he stares for a moment and walks away. Keffer looks at it and then stares off into space. The camera pans over the casualties lying on a deck, presumably at Matok.  Large, his buddy, Kleist and Dodger are all dead. Excellent episode, which provides some character moments for Franklin and Garibaldi, as well as Keffer. despite a cast credit in the titles, Robert Russler has a small presence in the series. This was one of his more significant episodes, as he bonds with the Marines and we see how servicemembers make friends and have to say goodbye to them, sometimes forever. death is part of the job and it isn't easy. In war, soldiers may talk of duty and country; but, they fight for their buddies. They give their lives for them, bury them, mourn them and salute them. they carry the memories with them for the rest of their lives, especially when they part like this. The episode captures that well. Paul Winfield is his usual excellent self, commanding the screen in his scenes, but working well with Richard biggs in their scenes. They seem like a real military father and son. Stephen's drive to save life is as much a product of his father's profession as any interest he ever had in medicine. he spent his youth watching his father go off to fight and kill. He reacted by going off to heal He is a man of great convictions; but, so is his father. He believes a soldier's role is to protect his community and his loved ones, often in the worst of circumstances. He takes no pleasure in war, but does his best to end it quickly and decisively. He also has some great scenes with Sheridan, who understands both men and helps bring them together. Dodger makes a great impact on Garibaldi and we will see her again, after a fashion. If I have one criticism (other than the Marines being dressed in jumpsuits, for fatigues, which are too restrictive for ground combat) of the episode, it is the over-the-top nature of some of the military aspects (especially the Sgt. Major) The Sgt. Major is constantly barking at his troops. It isn't like that in combat units. That is boot camp, where drill instructors are getting the recruits' attention and jarring them out of their past civilian mindset and teaching them to think and act as a unit. Once a recruit graduates from boot camp, things tend to slacken off (apart from certain specialized training, like Special Forces/SEALs). Marines tend to be a bit more hard-ass about discipline; but, they also have a sense of humor and don't treat all situations so formally, unless the situation calls for it. Still, TV; whatta ya gonna do? The Narn/Centauri War is taking center stage in the season arc, affecting everything. This will continue, and will be the center of the season finale. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 19, 2017 0:06:40 GMT -5
Episode 11: "All Alone in the Night" Guest stars: Marshall Teague (Road House), as "Narn," later to be named Talon. Synopsis-Delen has been called before the Grey Council, to discuss her role as ambassador and position on the council. Lenier insists on accompanying her, as she goes to meet an uncertain and troubling fate. Sheridan and Ivanova discuss attacks on shipping and disappearances, which do not seem to be the act of raiders. Sheridan is feeling cabin fever and takes out the recon team to check the sector of space where the attacks have come. A Narn fighter is attacked by a strange ship and heavily damaged, forcing the pilot to eject. Ivanova finds out Gen Hague is coming and can't believe Sheridan didn't tell her. He informs her that it is an informal visit and he will be back before the general's ship arrives. Zeta Wing arrives on site and is attacked by a strange ship, destroying several ships, damaging Sheridan's and Lt. Ramirez. Sheridan is forced to eject and Ramirez's ship returns to B5 on autopilot. Sheridan is picked up by the same ship that attacked him and the previous Narn ship, and wakes up on a table, held down by what looks like a cross between Glad Wrap and seaweed. Sheridan is tortured and probed. Gen hague arrives and is puzzled by Sheridan's absence. Ramirez's ship arrives, with a large radiation leak. He is rushed to Medlab, where he is in critical condition. Delenn comes into the Cpuncil chamber, on the Minbari cruiser and finds it empty, except for Hedron, who tells her the Council will not meet her and she is no longer a member. She asks about her ambassadorship and is told it is being decided. She asks to speak to the Council. later they come in and she lays down her case. She meets her replacement, Neroon. She is angered, as the tradition since Valen is that there are 3 representatives from each of the 3 castes: Religious, Warrior, Worker. Nerron's appointment means that the Warrior Caste has 4 members and unchecked power. He retorts that it's as it should be, as the Warriors fought the Earth-Minbari War, then were told to surrender without the truth. It is decided that Delenn will stay on B5, but, the Council seems dismissive of the Shadow threat. Delenn informs Lenier and they leave.  Sheridan is released fro the table and a weapon drops nearby. he is attacked by a Drazi, with some kind of implant attached to his head. Sheridan urges him to fight the control and he is then killed by the Narn, with a sword. he attacks Sheridan, but begs for Sheridan to kill him. Sheridan is able to knock him out and remove the controlling implant. The EAS Agamemnon arrives at B5, at Gen. Hague's request. They head out to search for Sheridan. While she is returning, Delenn receives a communique about Sheridan's disappearance. She is able to identify the ship as one of the Streib, a race of aliens who attacked the Minbari and lived to regret it. She provides coordinates and data, which leads the Earthforce ships to the proper sector. They attack the Streib ship. Sheridan and the Narn work together and escape from the room where they are being held. Sheridan helps the wounded Narn to an escape pod and ejects into space. he sends out an SOS and Ivanova picks it up and they haul in the pod, bringing Sheridan and the Narn back safely. While still on the ship, Sheridan falls asleep and receives a vision of Garibaldi and Ivanova and, eventually, Kosh.   Later, Sheridan speaks with Gen Hage, after he activates a jamming device. Sheridan expresses frustration about being their 6 months without being debriefed, saying all the staff are loyal. Hague commends him for the job and says it was necessary, with the rumors of Pres. Santiago's death being an assassination. Both agree that Psi Corps is probably involved. hague says Sheridan is free from scrutiny, as Clark believes him to be his man, whihc frees him up to help in many ways. Hague vows to uncover the truth, but they must act carefully. Later, Sheridan calls the staff together and tells them of his dream and about the beliefe of a conspiracy, involving Psi Corps, to kill Santiago and to further manipulate policy. They vow to help, wherever the path leads.  Slightly uneven episode, with some really good moments. The stuff with the Streib is a bit weak, as it is standard Star Trek stuff, with aliens forcing other species to fight. The abduction angle is built around the UFO conspiracy theories and a glimpse at one alien reveals the standard bug-eyed creatures of paranoid delusions. The name, Streib, comes from Whitley Streiber, who claims to have been abducted by aliens, writing the book Communion, about it. Nothing major really comes of them, in the series. The Narn will return as Talon, and will be integral to G'Kar's story. He will be a sort of Narn samurai, a backstory created by Bruce Boxleitner and Marshall Teague. Teague previously appeared in the 1st season episode, "Infection," as Drake. Teague would make great use of his military, law enforcement, and martial arts background for his character, who soon became a fan favorite. Lucky for him, Patrick Swayze was too busy to do an episode.  Delenn's clash with hedron continues and we see further rifts in Minbari society, as the Warrior Caste has taken even more power, despite the tradition of a 3-way split, so no one caste could dominate society. Neroon's presence makes it even more startling, as he and Delenn parted under bad circumstances, when she ordered Neroon to toe the party line about Bremner and apologize to Sinclair. The two will be at odds, though Neroon's return will hold some surprises, down the line, in Season 5. John Vickery is great and he will return this season as a human character. Gen. Hague is there to debrief Sheridan, who was sent to B5 to check out the staff, given the events of the season 1 finale. We learn that there are people in Earthforce and EarthGov who do not believe Santiago's death was an accident and believe Clark was involved, as was Psi Corps (who backed him in the previous election, despite their charter forbidding such things). Kosh makes telepathic contact with Sheridan, sending the dream to him. We will soon see that Kosh takes a great interest in Sheridan. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jul 19, 2017 13:31:20 GMT -5
I was a bit disappointed by the conventional way Minbari society was described. Up to that point they had come across as a spiritual, intellectual, dynamic and mature people. The revelation that they are ruled by a silly rigid system of caste and are only one loud argument away from being at each other's throat was, I thought, pretty reductive as well as being standard stuff when it comes to alien species on TV. Babylon 5 was usually very multi-layered, but here we went into the ordinary pattern of "this is species XYZ, they are like this; this is species ABC, they are like that".
Reading your reviews brings back a lot of good memories, however. I loved that show.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 19, 2017 23:08:33 GMT -5
I was a bit disappointed by the conventional way Minbari society was described. Up to that point they had come across as a spiritual, intellectual, dynamic and mature people. The revelation that they are ruled by a silly rigid system of caste and are only one loud argument away from being at each other's throat was, I thought, pretty reductive as well as being standard stuff when it comes to alien species on TV. Babylon 5 was usually very multi-layered, but here we went into the ordinary pattern of "this is species XYZ, they are like this; this is species ABC, they are like that". Reading your reviews brings back a lot of good memories, however. I loved that show. Well, a lot of it was to show Delenn isolated from her people, making her more of an outcast from her people and not quite a member of the human community. I do think this is contrasted well, though, by the Rangers we will see down the road, as human and Minbari are working together against the Shadows. We will also see Delenn confront the Grey Council about their reticence, in a big way. Of course, that has repercussions. The society isn't necessarily that rigid, as the dead military leader Bramer was born in the Religious Caste and then later became part of the Star Riders clan of the Warrior Caste. What we don't see, really is the Worker Caste, though they will factor into Season 5. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 20, 2017 23:57:40 GMT -5
Episode 12: "Acts of Sacrifice" Guest stars: Paul "I wrote the Love Boat Theme" Williams (Batman TAS, Battle for the POTA) as Taq, Ian Abercrombie (Birds of Prey, Army of Darkness) as Correlilmurzon. Synopsis: Ivanova is tasked with dealing with an emissary from the Lumati, an advanced race who flies around in an artificial Christmas tree.  The emissary, Correlilmurzon speaks through an interpreter, Taq, who share a social symbiotic relationship. The boos speaks telepathically to the mouthpiece, who then address the "lower species." Ivanova takes them on a tour of the station, while they continuously insult "inferior species," especially in Medlab (riling Franklin. After a while, they decide Ivanova is only showing them what she wants them to see and challenge to see other areas. She tells them to pick any place and they choose Downbelow. There, they see the poor and destitute and are extremely excited. They feel that the Earth has segregated their lower orders to not affect the rest of the populace and to limit their contamination and feels that humans are a higher order. Correlilmurzon then starts speaking directly to Ivanova, since he feels they are on a closer plane. he says they will strike a deal. When it comes time to negotiate, Ivanova finds out the deal is to be consummated with sex. Franklin tells her to put a bag on the guy's head and do it for B5, then jokes they wouldn't know anyway. She says that's it. later, she cons the rep with "Earth sex," which involves her jumping around (fully clothed, alas), spouting nonsense (mostly in-jokes about not calling and other dating jokes) and a lot of shouting, then it's over. The rep asks what's next and she replies that he either rolls over and goes to sleep or leaves and never calls her the next day. he leaves and Taq smiles, and gently takes Ivanova's hand and kisses it and walks away, chuckling. Later, she receives a gift from the emissary, with some kind of pasty or something, with baubles and a not that says, "Next time, my way!"   While Ivanova is faking out aliens, the Centauri attack a Narn colony. The Narn's put a cruiser in the path to protect civilians fleeing the war zone. it is destroyed by the Centauri. G'Kar shows this to Sheridan, in an appeal to Earth for aid. He says the Centauri are targeting civilians. ivanova says Londo has stated the Narn ships had weapons and the Narns used the civilians as shields. He also appeals to Delenn, who says the Narn call for the destruction of the Centauri makes him hard to trust and her people are tired of war. Meanwhile, some unruly Centauri PO some Narns and trouble starts, which is broken up by security. Later, the Centauri find one of the Narn alone and beat him up, before security comes along. Londo is visited by a Centauri merchant, in a scene reminiscent of the Godfather, before the wedding (asking favors). G'Kar and Sheridan argue over the fight, which ended with Zack shooting a Narn who wouldn't drop his weapon. Sheridan tells G'Kar that if he can't rein in his people, it won't help his case with the Council. G'Kar appeals to the Narns and threatens them, before leaving. They haul out the rowdy Centaury and shiv him (with a katar). Londo meets Garibaldi and gives him money to repay him for past loans at the casino. garibaldi is standoffish, saying he doesn't know Londo anymore. Londo appeals for his friendship and invites him to meet him for a drink. Garibaldi says maybe later. The Centauri is found dead and autopsied, though nothing directly points to the Narn. Na"Toth observes the rebels buying poisoned Drazi blades and warns G'Kar. he confronts them and gets into a fight with the leader (involving cat-like clawing of the air, kicks and punches). G'Kar gets stuck by a blade, but, wins the fight. he hides hi injury. Later, he meets with Sheridan who says that Earth will stay neutral. However, he offers food and medical aid and transport for refugees, built around Franklin's former telepath Underground Railroad. G'Kar is disappointed, but accepts. later, when alone, he breaks down and weeps. He tears up his own quarters and resigns himself to facing their enemy alone. Londo waits for Garibaldi who doesn't make it the first time; but does eventually, after Londo agrees to drop the case against the Narn, in exchange for bringing peace to the station. Londo agreed that the man was a troublemaker and lets it lie.   Somewhat uneven episode. The Lumati stuff is played much for comedy, allowing Claudia Christian to show her comedic chops. Otherwise, it serves no future purpose. The Narn struggle is the center, as the war is going badly and tensions are spilling over to the station. G'Kar tries to rein in the angry Narns to gain aid from other races, recognizing they are losing on their own. G'Kar will face several struggles with the narns, especially after he has a revelation about the future (with the aid of the drug Dust and Kosh). G'Kar will make multiple sacrifices along the way, hence the episode title. The Centauri punk who gets knifed really irks you and you pretty much cheer when he gets stuck. I was ready to knife him, after a line of dialogue! |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jul 21, 2017 22:46:37 GMT -5
Great review for 'The Coming of Shadows'... I agree that's it one of the best of the series, and arguably the most important.. all that comes before is really prologue.
Incidently, Peter David's novels do a great job of fleshing out the time period around that vision of Londos.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 21, 2017 23:22:21 GMT -5
Great review for 'The Coming of Shadows'... I agree that's it one of the best of the series, and arguably the most important.. all that comes before is really prologue. Incidently, Peter David's novels do a great job of fleshing out the time period around that vision of Londos. Peter David really "got" the Centauri and I am planning on covering his Centauri trilogy later, when it fits into the show timeline. I plan to look at the earlier novels and the comic series, after wrapping up the season 2 reviews, as most of the early ones fall into this season's timelines, as do the comics. David's second episode, "There All Honor Lies," doesn't work quite as well; but, then again, he didn't have Timov to write for. The Centauri Trilogy lets him spread his wings a bit, as he gets to play with the characters, away from the main storyline, taking them from point A to point Z. He also did the novelizations of "In the Beginning" and "Thirdspace," which were pretty good, expanding on the material, a bit. I never cared for Thirdspace, though the novelization helped with some of the more confusing stuff. Of the movies, I like In The Beginning," (even though it creates a couple of contradictions) and A Call to Arms. Thirdspace was just kind of bland; not scary enough for horror (it was trying to do some Lovecraft) and not wondrous enough for sci-fi. A River of Souls was just underwhelming and Martin Sheen looked ridiculous as a Soul Hunter. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jul 21, 2017 23:47:35 GMT -5
I agree with you on the movies..Call to Arms was good.. IN the Beginning was fine for what it was, the others felt like fill ins.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 22, 2017 0:11:31 GMT -5
Episode 13: "Hunter, Prey." Guest stars: Bernie "UN Jefferson" Casey (Cleopatra Jones, Revenge of the Nerds, I'm Gonna Get You Sucka!) as Cranston, Tony "So-crates" Steedman (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) as Dr Jacobs, Wanda De Jesus (Robocop 2, CSI: Miami) as Sarah, Richard "Bull" Moll (Night Court, Batman TAS) as Max. Synopsis: Sheridan and Ivanova are in Bay 13, where Kosh's ship is docked. They marvel at the sight of it and Ivanova explains the bay is cordoned off, after maintenance people spoke of the ship talking to them in their sleep.  Sheridan gets too close and the ship warns him off.  Sheridan vows to learn more about the Vorlon. Garibaldi catches up to them to alert them to an Earthforce APB on the Presidential Physician, Dr Everitt Jacobs, with a shoot to kill order. Earthforce Special Intelligence officer Derek Cranston arrives, with a detachment and briefs the command staff. he says that Jacobs used his position to steal vital secrets and plans to sell them to an alien power.  The staff cooperate officially, though work behind the scenes to find Jacobs, smelling a rat. Franklin doesn't buy it for a second. Jacobs tries to buy an identicard in Downbelow, but is rebuffed because he wants it too badly, signaling that he is on the run from some serious heat. He is using "stims" (medical stimulants) to stay alert and keeps a voice recorded journal. He is noticed by a man nearby, Max, a criminal with designs for bigger things. He smells money. Sheridan runs into Kosh and talks to him about his dream and about building bridges. Kosh says he entered Sheridan's dream to "understand him." Cranston has station security using hand scanners to look for a low-level radiation signature emitted by Jacobs, via a tracking device implanted in Earthdome (government) personnel. While Sheridan & Garibaldi walk, he spots a ribbon and excuses himself. He meets up with a woman, Sarah, an envoy from Gen. Hague.  She passes on that Jacobs has info that connects Clark to the assassination of Pres. Santiago, based on his medical records. Clark left the tour, complaining of an illness and Jacobs' testimony could undermine that alibi. She tells Sheridan that he needs to find Jacobs or else he is a dead man. Sheriden alerts Garibaldi, who grabs Franklin and the pair change into civies (Garibaldi in his gumshoe outfit) to search Downbelow for Jacobs.  Max has nabbed Jacobs and is holding him in some kind of chamber, while he searches his clothes. he finds a hidden data crystal, which has Clark's medical files on it. Sheridan and Ivanova get an update from Cranston, who wants to search Downbelow. Sheridan suggests the "downtown," a section between Blue and Green sectors. Ivanova asks about this, as it is a sealed area, which will require burning through 27 pressure doors, as well as put them into waste recyc. Sheridan is buying time. Corwin (aka Tech 2) alerts them that Kosh has requested their presence in his quarters. He has never done this; so, Sheridan goes. Sheridan visits Kosh and says everyone would like to see what lies inside the encounter suit. kosh says they are not ready. Sheridan asks if he is ready and Kosh says no. Sheridan asks "What do you want?" Kosh eventually agrees to help Sheridan prepare to "fight legends." Max contacts Cranston, offering Jacobs for money. garibaldi gets there first and gets knifed, though they rescue Jacobs. He takes down Max, after. Jacobs is spirited away and hidden, when Cranston angrily confronts Ivanova for not telling him that the station's scanning system could be turned inwards to locate Jacobs. She replied, "One, you never asked." and "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." They scan and do not find Jacobs and Sheridan loses his cool and dresses down Cranston for wasting his and his personnel's time with a wild goose chase. Cranston leaves with tail tucked between his legs and Sheridan heads for Bay 13, where Jacobs is returned by Kosh's ship, which shielded Jacobs. Sheridan turns over the evidence to Sarah. It won't change things immediately; but, it is a start. Nice episode, with some hints about Kosh and the Vorlon, especially that their ships are organic. The Jacobs plot puts the spotlight squarely on Clark as part of the conspiracy, not just the receiver of the benefit. We learn that Hague and others are working to gather evidence to challenge Clark directly, though it is a dangerous game. We also learn that Clark is turning things nastier and nastier, as now we have a "gestapo" agent hunting for Clark's enemies. The fascist overtones will grow in the next series of episodes. Richard Moll is a bit wasted as a petty criminal though Bernie Casey is well used. Meanwhile, Garibaldi's PI look is just plain silly. He tools up with about 3 PPGs, which they never have stated how much firepower you get out of one of those. They have an energy cap in the rear of the "receiver," which provides the burst energy; so, he doesn't really need extra PPGs, just extra caps. I guess these are backups, in case he loses his main. It reminds me of Isaac Hayes, in I'm Gonna Get You Sucka (with bernie Casey), when he is stuffing one pistol after another into his coat, belt, ankle holsters, etc...; then, trips and falls, setting off every gun! |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 22, 2017 0:59:22 GMT -5
Episode 14: "There All Honor Lies." Guest stars: Julie Caitlin Brown (original Na'Toth) as Guenevere Corey, Sean Gregory Sullivan (Phil in Wayne's World) as Ashan (gesundheit!). Synopsis: Sheridan briefs Ivanova about a new B5 giftshop, to raise money to support the station (EarthGov idea). Ivanova isn't happy. (Sheridan is not ingesting helium; the video has been altered to get around Youtube rules) Sheridan goes off for another lesson with the Vorlon, when he bumps into someone. he finds his link gone and gives chase. he runs into a Minbari who attacks him. he finds a PPG nearby and defends himself, killing the Minbari. Another Minbari witnesses the struggle and claims Sheridan fired without provocation. delenn has been tasked to investigate independently, by her government. teh witness, Ashan (gesundheit!) is of the same clan as Lenier. He refers to Delenn as a freak and Lenier is about ready to go upside his head. He sticks to his story, when Lenier questions him. Delenn doesn't buy it, saying she has studied Sheriden (especially his tush) and it isn't in his character.  Sheridan meets with Delenn and questions Ashan, and calls him a liar. he says Minbari do not lie and delenn says this is true and that such accusations could lead to violence. The interrogation is broken up by Guenevere Corey, who has been sent to defend Sheridan. She is blunt and tactless and it riles Sheridan; but, she says that he is likely to lose his command, regardless of the outcome. Sheridan discusses the gun with Ivanova, who says she doesn't buy it, as she knows him. then Kosh shows up and says he is late for their lesson. He takes Sheridan to Downbelow, to a door and tells him to go in. Sheridan asks what he will find and Kosh replies "One moment of perfect beauty." While this has been going on, Vir receives a message for Londo, telling him that his new aide is on his way, to replace Vir. Vir goes out and gets completely Drakhed on two drinks. He tells Londo that he has never fit in at home and was sent there because the post was a joke. Londo says that is changing and Vir tells him of the new aide and that he has to go pack. He literally runs into Talia and apologizes, saying he can't stay and laughs at the irony. Londo is about to follow when he spots a group of Centauri laughing at a doll of Londo. He later confronts Sheridan and Ivanova about it. He remarks about the lack of "attributes" and they finally twig to what he is saying and Ivanova says, "So you are afraid you are being symbolically cast......in a bad light." Sheridan says, "Well put." They agree to remove the dolls. Sheridan has been buoyed up by the lesson from Kosh and is in better spirits. Londo reacts to his statement about Minbari never lying and informs him that Minbari consider it an honor to help another save face, reflecting back to how Lenier helped him out, previously. Sheridan does some digging. Delenn and Lenier have received instructions about the dead Minbari's remains and realize the truth. Lenier is pissed and heads off to find Ashan. Garibaldi tasks Zack to tail him, though he gets waylaid by Lenier. lenier confronts Ashan, about the clan and his lies. he brings him before Delenn and tries to force a confession, though he sticks to the story. Lenier says he will take the blame and Ashan says it will dishonor the clan. Lenier replies that Ashan has already done that. Ashan admits what he did and Sheridan walks in with garibaldi and a recording device, capturing the moment.  Sheridan cuts a deal, out of respect for Lenier. Ashan will make a public statement of what he actually witnessed and the motive of the attack will remain a secret, so no dishonor is brought on the clan. Londo catches up with Vir and tells him to start packing his own quarters. Vir is confused and Londo tells him he threatened to resign if Vir was removed, so he is staying. Vir is touched and Londo shows he hasn't fully lost his compassion. Ivanova bumps into Sheridan, later, carrying a teddy bear (Ba-Bear-Lon 5), with a J and an S on it's uniform. He thinks its cute until Ivanova tells him the JS is for John Sheridan. he takes it from her and tells her to shut down the gift shop. He says he will take care of the bear. later, Lt. Keffer is flying his Starfury, investigating an odd blip and runs smack into the bear, which floats off into space. Not the greatest murder mystery in the world. It's mostly a character episode, giving Lenier and Vir some moments to shine, while attempting comedy with the shop (including a scene where a human is trying on an alien mask and a Drazi is trying on an a human mask). Londo and Vir have some great moments, proving Peter David has a really good handle on their relationship (later expanded in the Centauri Trilogy). The comedy part doesn't work very well and is only mildly amusing. lenier gets some nice moments, including a face off with Ashan, where he gets to do his martial arts stance (but no butt-kicking, this time). The bear requires some explanation. Peter David's then-wife got it from a custom teddy bear company, as a gift for JMS, for David's work on "Soul Mates." JMS responded by saying he didn't do "cute," and promised to pay back peter David for it. The ejecting of the bear into space was that revenge. Later, Peter David and Bill Mumy created Space Cases, for Nickelodeon. They did an episode where the crew (a group of kids) comes across a teddy bear floating in space. It is the JS bear and one asks who would eject a poor teddy bear into space. They are told it is an evil race, the Strac (as in Straczynski) who did it. Yep, both shows wasted story time on an inside joke, which was only revealed in Peter David's "But I Digress..." column, in the Comic Buyer's Guide, and at convention appearances. From this point on, apart from "Knives," written by Larry DiTillo, every script will be from JMS, apart from 5th season episode, "Day of the Dead," from Neil Gaiman. JMS wrote all but 7 episodes of this season and 12 of 22 of season 1. He will write all of season 3 and 4 and 21 episodes of season 5. JMS wrote 92 of 110 episodes!!!!!!! He also wrote the pilot and the 5 movies and 10 of 13 broadcast episodes on Crusade. |
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