Babylon 5 Season One No Spoilers Allowed

[Wizz]

Slightly off topic, but the guy that played the Soul Hunter (the first one) is Morgan Shepard. Later on, in <U>River of Souls</U>, they encounter the Soul Hunters again, this time played by Martin Sheen. While Sheen is a pretty top notch actor, I think Shepard captured the Soul Hunter persona the best. 'Course, the Soul Hunter was slighty out-of-whack in the episode, so I guess there's no real telling. The second Soul Hunter gave me the impression that for the most part, they're supposed to be wimps. Funny, I can't see people that are supposed to be immortal turning out to be wimps.

[sindatur]

Born to the Purple:

So what'dja think of this one Ery? (I've only seen this one once, missed the next one, so we're both virgins to it.)

Londo as the Romantic lead. Who'da thought the bufoon had it in him? Jms even said he was thinkin' about doin' a Dilbert with him (you do remember the tie that finally laid flat when Dilbert finally got laid) and making Londo's crest go limp to show how fantastic the sex was with Adira.

Londo and Adira fell so much in love in such a short time, just look in their eyes when they connect. She feels so guilty for taking his family secrets (which just happen to be the National Enquirer of Centauri Prime) simply to gain her freedom. Then when he conquers her opressor and turns over to her the deed for her person, they get that look in their eyes. You just know how much they connected. And he hands her the pendant and asks her to wear it and to come back to him. It just melts my heart. Jurasic and Udeena did such a wonderful job igniting the screen together, the way their eyes lit up was so realistic.

So, you haven't even begun to tap the mystery yet. Whaddya think????? HMMM????

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Sindatur - The Grey owl Wizzard

[This message has been edited by sindatur (edited March 17, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by sindatur (edited March 17, 2001).]

[Erythrina]

Gee, I let a day go by without posting and ... :P

Too late to tackle tonight. I'm hooked though, I'll tell you that much!

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The Red Witch
True Names by Vernor Vinge
[email protected]

[Erythrina]

OK so it's taken a few days to write my report on "Born to the Purple," so sue me.

Just about the point when I was ready to write Londo off as a 'drunken fool' he goes and surprises us all: not by falling in love with a lovely young Centauri dancer, but by seeing through what must be centuries status-seeking among his people to the thing that brings genuine meaning to most people's lives: their relationships with others.

Certainly the concept of slavery is a surprise, particularly since most alien worlds seem to be more advanced than earth.

That was an interesting little subplot with Garibaldi and Ivanova over the Gold channel (one colourful episode, yes?) and Lt Cmdr Ivanova's father passing away. It was a touching scene,and Garibaldiis compassionate enough, even after eavesdropping on the broadcast to make no direct mention of it to Ivanova. I like the respect that the B5 staff have for each other.

Now some questions: what the heck does the B-5 station orbit? The moon? It's beginning to bother me that I can't place it somewhere in the universe!!!

Why, with her ability to read 'ambient feelings' doesn't Talia pick up on Londo's worries for Adira? She had to go out of the council chambers for a breather when G'Kar was getting cranky, but she had to ask if Adira's life was at stake before she'd agree to 'bend' the psi-corp rules.

G'Kar really walks out of the last scene with egg on his face after being used. I can't help but wonder if that'll have a chilling effect on diplomatic negotiations later!

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The Red Witch
True Names by Vernor Vinge
[email protected]

[Erythrina]

(deep breath) on to "Infection"

What a great concept! Archaeology in outer space. Combine that with the subplot of intolerance and it might take me four days to really think through all the implications of THIS show.

Usually a show with this much action is pretty straightforward, but there's so much going on beneath the surface: cracking biotechnology's big industry for the corporations, there are overtones of the old cold war arms race with hints that other alien cultures already HAVE biotechnology and earth needs to catch up.

The entire issue of the Ikarran weapons destroying their own makers because they deviated from perfection contrasting against the apparently growing intolerance of earthers for aliens and even seems to tie in with Cmdr Sinclair's constantly putting his life on the line. Does he have a death wish, or does he judge himself by the same rigid standards he confronts the sentient alien weapon with holding?

And the end... gads I just about missed it, and Sinclair's media interview was so outstanding, with his explanation of why B-5 must continue: "All of [earth's history]was for nothing, unless we go to the stars."

Wow!

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The Red Witch
True Names by Vernor Vinge
[email protected]

[Rantarn]

Ery, the planet B5 orbits is called Epsilon 3. Can't tell you much more than that without giving away anything, so I'll stay mum.

[AsIs]

I thought it was the stations rotation that kept it in orbit. I wasn't aware that it orbited Epsilon, just that it was close to it.

[sindatur]

Infection:

My first viewing of it. There are 3 episodes that are considered the bottom of the pile in B5. TKO (Fantastic Ivanova Episode and foreshadowing for Garibaldi) Grey 17 is missing (Forget at the moment it's redeeming quality, but I know it's very redeeming) and Infection. If these are the bottom 3 episodes of the series, you know every episode is great. It's not the "Big Episodes" that are coming, but nothing is so far. Just think Ery, out of 110 episodes Infection is one of the bottom 3. That means there are only 2 other episodes that are not better than this one. Pretty good odds for the future, don't ya think. 1 more of them is this season, so out of 4 more season to come, only one more episode of this caliber, and it's good.

Ery, you examined it the way I did, except I also considered things you don't know yet and I can't expand any further on your observations wihtout passing the spoiler zone, but it hit me very much the same as you and you have so little exposure to the series so far. For you to pick up on so many nuances with such little exposure is, just incredible. It's so great how much you gain such insight viewing in such rapid succesion. I am sooo jealous. It really is coming to you just like a novel that's doled out to you a chapter a day. With my ability to spend time reading I'm lucky if I can achieve a chapter a day average.

[This message has been edited by sindatur (edited March 19, 2001).]

[ProfCrash]

B5 does not orbit Epsilon 3, although that is the planet that we see.

Born to the Purple is a solid episode, mainly because it deos a nice job developing Londo as well as starting to break through Ivanova's shell. I also enjoy the continued Sinclair/ G'Kar sparing (grins) Londo's line about G'Kar saving his career and the honor of Centauri Prime was priceless.

On the issue of Talia's ability to read the emotions of others. Londo was concerned but he had been for quite some time. I don't know if he was able to cover up some of his concern by the time he sees Talia. After all, he was a mess when he originally talked with Sinclair, then he calms down a bit to met the dancers, then they are shot at, then he learns Trakis has Adira and his files, then he sees Talia. By that time, he could very well have been depressed more then concerned. When talia stepped out of the negotiations G'Kar was all bit growling and really, really annoyed. I think the intensity of the emotions were different and since Talia is trianed to block out such things, she may have been able to block out Londo's more muted feelings.

Infection is an interesting episode. JMS said that it was the first script he wrote for season 1 and that he was not thrilled with it. I am not quite sure why because I have always liked this episode. The idea of a race of beings creating a weapon that could destroy any attacker is not new. Nor is the idea that said race programmed it in a way that those same weapons would destroy their creators. It is a nice vehicle for exploring what the fear of losing yourself can do to a person and an entire race.

One problem, the Ikarians were so worried about their weapons being overriden that they program them with a definition of Ikarian that is impossible to meet. In the end, the Ikarians themselves are destroyed. There is a lesson in there somewhere right? (Grins)

On the issue of Sinclair, yeah he has a death wish. I don't know if I could have handeled being hit over the head with the sledge hammer any more. The discussion he had with Garibaldi at the end of the episode was a good one. The big question is what is he going to do about it. It is clear that the Line (anyone else notice that he refers to joining Garibaldi on the Line twice) messed him up big time.

Kimball, Grey 17 was really bad. Check Lurkers for the scoop on it (rolls her eyes).

[sindatur]

PC, yea, I know the bad part is bad, but isn't the "B" story pretty worthwhile in Grey 17...