Re: What Did You Watch? 2025-02-01 (Saturday)

On 2/2/2025 11:18 AM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:

Arthur Lipscomb <arthur@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:
 

On Lennier's birthday I watched:

 Is it? Wow. Will Robinson just turned 71. Is the environmental control
robot still around?
 

Babylon 5 (blu-ray) "Matters of Honor"  Season 3, episode 1. Season 3
picks up with Earth sending someone to investigate the Shadow ship, or
at least that's the cover story.  Meanwhile, Sheridan gets a shiny new
White Star.
Season  3 has the best opening credits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9EbGd1AlMg

 

"A Day in the Strife" - A representative from the new occupation
government on Narn goes to B5 to convince G'Kar to return home.  And
with him is the Narn Sheraden met last season.  There's also a
developing subplot where the doctor is addicted to stims.  I almost
skipped this one because the episode recap said it was about an alien
probe.  And technically, I guess that probably is the A-plot, which I
would have happily skipped, but all the G'Kar scenes were excellent and
worth watching. "You are needed here."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WROHQ2TuVPM

 

"Passing Through Gethsemane" - This one I was going to skip, but as a
compromise to myself I watched the Lyta scenes and fast forwarded the
main plot where Brad Dourif reprises his role as a mindwiped priest.

 Lennier gives a major clue in Valen's backstory; this is important.
 

I must have missed that scene.  Although I *do* have a pretty good idea about Valen's backstory... ;-)

Did you check the credits? Spock Junior directed!
 

Yes, I did notice Adam Nimoy's name in the credits.  I forgot he's a director.

"Voices of Authority" Season 3, episode 5.  Team B5 goes searching for
the First Ones.  I must have missed why Drall needed Ivana to hook
herself up into the great machine.

 He needed to dust himself off.
 Quite frankly I found much of this was dropped plot point, possibly
because we lost fourth season episodes with other First Ones as the show
had been cancelled due to the demise of PTEN.
 

I'm curious about the 5th season.  I know it's not as bad as I remember, but I also remember at the time thinking it was a huge step down due to the rushed season 4 compressing what should have been season 5's storylines.

Other than it did allow for Ivana to
conveniently learn the truth about President Clark and make a recording.
  Sheridan gets a new political officer which gives him the opportunity
to go where everyone has gone before.  If you know, you know.  ;-)

 Snarf
 

"Dust to Dust Season" 3, episode 6. G'Kar gains telepathic abilities and
learns the truth about Londo.  And the truth (more or less, OK mostly
less) about Kosh.

 I always disliked this episode and the fifth season "The Very Long Night
of Londo Mollari"; both are similar.
 I've always interpretted it that Kosh flat-out brainwashed G'Kar.
 G'Kar got retconned!
 

I don't know.  Once you get pass the pilot and first episode G'Kar really isn't a mustache twirling villain.  Yes, that is how he was in the pilot, but afterwards he was toned way down.
As to your other questions, I don't think G'Kar is ever going to find out the truth.  At least off the top of my head I don't remember him ever finding out the truth about Kosh and his revelation.

"Exogenesis" - Season 3, episode 7.  Alien parasites in the plot
description tricked me into watching this skippable episode.

 I don't like this one either.
 

"Messages from Earth" - Season 3, episode 8.  Team B5 learn the Shadows
are already on Earth.

 

"Point of No Return" - Season 3, episode 9.  Martial Law is declared on
Earth causing a shooting war at home and people are forced to pick sides
on B5.

 Here's where it gets really really good.
 

"Severed Dreams" - Season 3, episode 10. After President Clark starts
dropping bombs on Mars Babylon 5 and a number of colonies declare their
independence prompting a fire fight between B5 and Clark's forces.  "If
you value your lives, be somewhere else!"

 Highlight of the entire series.

That and G'Kar's speech.