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From: Arthur Lipscomb <arthur@alum.calberkeley.org>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv
Subject: Re: What Did You Watch? 2025-02-01 (Saturday)
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2025 13:10:51 -0800
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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.