tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35837156631064617422024-03-07T23:11:37.728-08:00Honeyfuggle's Babylon 5 ReviewsReviews of the show Babylon 5, and the subsequent TV movies and short lived spin-offs that followed.Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-27972180243380082192015-04-02T20:57:00.001-07:002018-02-08T18:44:45.781-08:00Voices in the DarkStory: Babylon 5: The Lost Tales <br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Movie #6<br />
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Here we are…at the end. Babylon 5’s final entry came only a few years ago, though 7 years have actually passed since it was released. This is a Direct-to-DVD anthology movie, that features two different stories. Straczysnki had wanted to do a Babylon 5 anthology series before, but nothing came of it. He finally worked it out with Warner Bros. to create a series of Direct-to-DVD movies that would feature two stories each based on the characters in the B5 world, though not necessarily anything to do with the major arcs, just lost tales of our characters in this universe.<br />
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The first story in this movie features Lochley, who recruits a priest for an exorcism of some guy. It isn’t very interesting. Lochley is a fine character, and Scoggins does her best with her, but she was always just a last minute replacement for Ivanova, and she never did that much for me. The story itself is dull and just didn’t do anything for me. <br />
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The second story is more interesting, and a lot of credit has to go to Boxleitner who really brought this initially dreary experience of watching this thing into something semi-worthwhile. He still knows how to play Sheridan, and it is still fun to watch him. So, just like he had done for the series itself when he came in at the start of Season 2, he saves this DVD from being a totally pointless experience. <br />
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Sheridan’s story is about his visit to Babylon 5 for the 10 Year Anniversary of the Interstellar Alliance. While en route he is visited by Galen, who warns him of Earth’s destruction in 30 years. The best part of the whole movie is when Sheridan just get’s pissed because why must he always be shown shitty things like this? He is told that unless he kills a Centauri Prince, he will eventually rise to power and attack Earth. Sheridan frets over killing a young man for the sins of his future, and eventually realizes there can be another way…he decides to try and take the young man under his wing a bit, to hopefully keep him from becoming a hardened prick that will destroy people for the hell of it. <br />
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The Sheridan story is pretty light in comparison to most of his arc, but thats what the idea of these Lost Tales was supposed to be. Here are some lesser adventures our character might have had in between or after the major story of Babylon 5. <br />
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In a way, it is a shame that this didn't do well and was ceased after only one release…but at the same time Babylon 5 had it’s day and succeeded in what it set out to accomplish in Sci-Fi Television. Straczynski need not beat the dead horse, because it died well originally. <br />
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There has been talk of a possible feature film or some other revisit to Babylon 5 by Straczynski, but it seems unlikely. I was unsure about the original show at first, but it won me over and I became a fan. Pretty much the Fifth Season on is rather needless (save for Sleeping in Light), but it is a series I enjoyed overall. It shouldn’t be a franchise, it shouldn’t be revived. It was sort of perfect as that 5-year story, and chances are it will be left that way for a long time, because I don’t think the numbers are really there for a revival. I could be wrong though. <br />
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THE END (Most Likely): It’s been fun!Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-69402363342413736582015-04-02T16:34:00.004-07:002018-02-08T18:44:53.883-08:00To Live and Die in StarlightStory: Legend of the Rangers<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Movie #5<br />
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In 2002 Straczynski and co. attempted a second spin-off of Babylon 5. All that was produced was a 90 minute TV movie that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel and was not picked up to series. The reason it wasn’t picked up to series is simple, this is pretty bad. I don’t even see real potential in it. The thing about Babylon 5 is that it was one major story being told over 5 years. Crusade also had a story that was meant to unfold over 5 years, though it seemed less thought out and didn’t manage to get past it’s initial 13 episode order. <br />
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This has no story, it is just a pointless revisit to the Babylon 5 universe. It has features Rangers on a mission to escort some diplomats, though they are really just tagging along with the real ship carrying diplomats, because they are in a worn out old ship that is supposedly cursed while the real ship is a big bad ass new machine. Why send the old ship at all? I guess to rescue all the diplomats when the big ship is destroyed. <br />
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Straczynski struck out here. The movie is lame with no story to justify it’s existence, and acting that is some of the worst in the history of the B5 universe…and it has had some pretty bad acting. The effects are probably the only good thing in this, because they look better than anything that has really come before in Babylon 5, but even these look cheap compared to something like Star Trek: Enterprise that was being produced at the same time. And if we are being honest, producing better looking effects than previous Babylon 5 shows is not a really hard task…they’ve always looked awful. But I’ll just say that for the first time, I didn’t wince at the look of the jump gate. <br />
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Bad, pointless, weak story, dumb characters, worse acting. Really no reason to recommend this, and Straczynski should’ve learned to leave well enough alone, and move on. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Over Here, Over ThereKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-64920299579044211062015-04-02T13:08:00.006-07:002018-02-08T18:44:59.821-08:00Crusade - Series Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Crusade was pretty much doomed from the get go. Straczynski had a good premise, but very few stories, even “A Call to Arms,” are that stellar. The fact that early on TNT realized that folks that were watching Babylon 5 were not watching any of their other programming, and the fact that folks watching their regular programming weren’t watching Babylon 5….made the studios interest in the property wain considerably. It didn’t fit their brand, and thats a legitimate concern for a channel. Babylon 5 and Crusade would’ve fit in just fine at the Sci-Fi Channel, but not at TNT. So they began to meddle, and some of what they demanded of Straczynski, which he opposed but did anyway, was to demand a clearer opening episode. This was actually a decent idea, because Straczysnki’s opener feels like you’ve jumped into the middle of something with no premise and it feels wrong. <br />
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The problem was that they did this and also demanded that they start the show off with the newer costumes that they just paid for…which made no sense continuity-wise, and it complicated things. They mixed all the episodes up, then revised it, than JMS told everybody the nonsense order he preferred, and then there is a chronological order…it is just confusing. I watched this in the chronological order, and I honestly don’t think there is a good viewing order to this series. I think the ideas were scrambled, things were missing, it feels like everybody rushed in. Straczysnki wasn’t yet ready to move on from his B5 universe, and TNT wanted to get a little more bang out of this potentially big sci-fi property…but then both parties weren’t ready. I don’t think Straczynski really planned this show out as well as he had Babylon 5, and TNT changed gears and realized that the property they thought they could get more out of wasn’t actually a good fit for them…then the meddling didn’t help either party. <br />
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Like I said, it was doomed. The characters rarely come to life, they aren’t well written. Like Babylon 5 before it, Straczysnki started with plot and the characters are all just conduits to get his plot out. The difference was the characters began to shine through at the start of Season 2, and this show is just beginning and it feels like a bunch of people I don’t know rarely getting moments to shine as they are drowning in plot. I am of the mind that the best way to do things is to start with a hint of plot or a premise (like saving the Earth from a plague), then give us several character episodes to build up who we are following…then jump in to plot craziness. I tend to be more invested in a plot heavy show if I am invested in the characters. <br />
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Straczynski is a good writer, he proved that with Babylon 5, but he decided to milk the property, and he just needed to face that the story he wanted to tell got told (hell, it got told by the end of the fourth season, the fifth season and the subsequent movies is when things began to get dragged out), and Crusade is kind of chore because of it. <br />
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NEXT TIME: The Failed PilotKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-53485129334765477602015-04-02T13:08:00.000-07:002018-02-08T18:45:45.884-08:00LorkansStory: The Rules of the Game<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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The last episode of Crusade, at least in my viewing order, is an another average episode that does nothing to advance the plot, but at least it attempts character development. Excalibur’s crew is on Babylon 5 so that Gideon can try to get permission to land on a planet. Why he wants/needs to land on the planet is never really mentioned, but I guess we can all just assume it has something vaguely to do with finding a cure. The people on that planet have no interest in letting them land on the planet, and so talks are going nowhere. The point of this is really to put Gideon and Lochley in danger, so they can escape danger, get all hot and bothered and they can have sex. That is really it. <br />
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There is also a subplot involving Max and his ex-wife, who owes money to some kind of gangster guy, and he’s cheap so he doesn’t want to pay the full amount owed, gives half…but then comes up with a clever way to stop his harassment. I kind of hate Max because his smug attitude is frustrating in every scene he is in. I know that there were moments hinting that there was more to him in earlier episodes, and this one as well…but I never warmed up to him. Just an ass. <br />
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This episode highlighted something that bugged me about Gideon this whole series, and that it that he is essentially our hero, but in his mission he will do whatever the fuck he wants to get his way, other cultures be damned. It never seems like the things he gets all pissy and self righteous about deserve to be…it’s always just “screw your personal beliefs or culture, my planet is dying!” I know it is a desperate situation, but he never seems conflicted about what an ass he is forced to be, and THAT is what bugs me about him. <br />
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So ends Crusade, a show that never got the chance to build itself up, but didn’t get off to a strong start…due to both TNT’s meddling, and (let’s be honest here) Straczynki’s rather weak scripts and characterizations. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Crusade RecapKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-75117506753215457802015-04-02T11:28:00.002-07:002018-02-08T18:45:55.189-08:00Mythical Place of PowerStory: The Well of Forever<br />
Written By: Fiona Avery<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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Galen asks for the Excalibur’s help in finding “The Well of Forever” a sort of mystical place hidden somewhere in hyperspace. He thinks he has found it with his ship, but his own ship couldn’t sustain itself in hyperspace the way Excalibur can. He claims it could provide info for the plague so they go for it. But when they get there it turns out it is actually a mausoleum for technomages and other wise beings. Galen wanted to go there to fulfill a promise, taking his dead girlfriend’s spirit or something there in a necklace. <br />
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It is a decent episode, sad that the show’s best episodes are finally starting to shine through right before it is over. Though I must admit none of these are so brilliant or exciting that I really wish the show hadn’t been cancelled. Even in creative and well made episodes, something is lacking to get me too invested. <br />
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There is also a subplot about Lt. Matheson having to deal with some telepath watcher, making sure he hasn’t been reading others minds without permission. The watcher is, as you’d expect, actually just a prick who is not following the very rules he was meant to enforce. It feels like a tired Strazcynski plot point, even if he didn’t actually write the episode. <br />
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Decent premise, the Well of Forever is a neat idea and it actually looks neat (in this shows dated CGI effects), and while I would certainly call this one of the better episodes of Crusade, it still lacks that certain something that made me a fan of Babylon 5. <br />
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NEXT TIME: The Most HolyKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-75603211885326428372015-04-02T10:13:00.004-07:002018-02-08T18:46:02.234-08:00Spreading the PlagueStory: Patterns of the Soul<br />
Written By: Fiona Avery<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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The Excalibur is sent to a colony of Earth Refugees who left the planet about the same time that the plague was sent to the planet, so they could possibly be infected and spreading the plague. The colony is made up of a small group who are very resistant to EarthForce, and since the General who is ordering Gideon to do this seems like a prick, it is pretty obvious that the General and EarthForce are up to something dubious. <br />
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While on the planet testing the colonists Dureena finds a tribe of her own people, the only other tribe of her people that she knows about. Unfortunately, not only are the humans infected, but they’ve spread the plague to them as well, and now they are dying off too. Oh and apparently the virus spreads faster in her people than in humans. So time is not on their side at this point. <br />
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It is also discovered that the colonists were free of the plague when they left Earth, but were infected by contaminated food supply that the General made sure they picked up when getting supplies. I guess he was in charge of the program they were in, where they were experimented on to become cyborgs…and when they escaped, he wanted to save face and made sure they got infected. <br />
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As it is an episode that focuses on the plague and whatnot, I found it to be entertaining, as the show is at it’s best when it just focuses on the premise of the series. Dureena gets some moments and Dr. Chambers didn’t seem nearly as flat as she often does, so I'll call it a solid episode in an average series. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Mausoleum in SpaceKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-86567109675649538902015-04-02T08:01:00.001-07:002018-02-08T18:46:17.293-08:00BackstoryStory: The Path of Sorrows<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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The crew is investigating some ancient ruins, which seems pointless in the mission of finding a cure for the plague…especially considering how they now know it is a nanotech virus..but we must again remember how the episode order is completely screwed up so maybe they don’t know yet. Fucking dumb show. <br />
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Anyhow…in these ruins they find an alien in a jar, and they decide to take him aboard the ship. Once there, a few go to him, and this alien essentially causes flashbacks of painful memories, which is convenient for finally giving us background on our characters. As hinted in some previous episodes, Gideon was left floating in space at some point, now we know that he was out checking some troubles on his ship, and they were attacked and destroyed by a Shadow ship, apparently long before the Shadow War actually began. He also won the Apocalypse Box in a poker game. It is still mysterious and I’m sure it won’t be resolved before the show was cancelled. <br />
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Matheson (the telepath second in command I’ve barely mentioned because he barely had a role in any episode up to this point) goes and we learn a bit about his background, and get a taste of what happened in the Telepath War, which was foreshadowed at the end of Babylon 5 and seems to have taken place before the start of Crusade. <br />
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The last is Galen who we learn had a love of his life who died, and it really pisses him off. I think I should feel some genuine emotion for this one, but I didn’t. Probably because it feels like a shoehorned in backstory, whereas there is a little bit more meat to the Gideon and Matheson flashbacks. Gideon’s had been set up a little bit more, and Matheson’s gave some explanation on something set up in B5. Galen has been in a couple episodes and I have little interest in his backstory, especially when it boils down to “my girlfriend died so now I don’t believe in any higher power.” <br />
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It is a decent character episode, which the series seriously needed, but with three episodes left, it is essentially too little too late. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Earth RefugeesKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-16281655306387074352015-04-01T11:01:00.001-07:002018-02-08T18:46:10.038-08:00Return of Dr. FranklinStory: Each Night I Dream of Home<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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Probably the best episode I have seen of Crusade so far. It focuses on the main storyline of trying to cure the plague, it balances it’s character and actions stories well, and features Dr. Stephen Franklin, an actually likable character who had development and feels so much more well rounded as a person on screen than anyone in Crusade’s cast, particularly Dr. Chambers, who he is paired with for much of this episode. <br />
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In this episode we discover that the plague is not a virus, but is actually nanotechnology, which explains how the virus works and why the nanotech used by chambers to create a 48-hour temp inoculation worked as a counter to the virus. <br />
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This episode is pretty good, the most entertained I had been by Crusade thus far, because it properly mixed it’s main arc with action and characterization, and advanced that arc logically. It is really the first time this has felt like a show with a purpose other than dragging out the B5 world for no reason. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Flashback AlienKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-83399744916744195542015-04-01T09:06:00.002-07:002018-02-08T18:47:06.060-08:00The Truth is Out There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Story: Visitors from Down the Street<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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Straczynski pokes fun at the X-Files in this rather pointless episode of Crusade. Not that it is a totally bad episode, but it was average, and the major gag has nothing to do with the whole premise of Crusade, which it to cure the folks on Earth. But they’ve got five years so what is the rush! <br />
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The Excalibur helps out a ship with a couple of nutty conspiracy chasing aliens, clearly modeled after Mulder & Scully. These Aliens believe humans have tampered with their planet’s development. It all leads to the Excalibur coming to find out that the government has used info they’ve gotten about Earth from probes to convince their paranoid population that they are being controlled by outsiders…because it stops them constantly starting up civil wars based on their paranoia. Gideon is a prick so he decides to shed the truth on the planet, for reasons that are only slightly in Earth’s interest…and seems like he is fucking up a planet with War for no real reason other than he can. <br />
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I think Crusade is such an average series, particularly when compared to it’s big brother Babylon 5. Straczynski had done his magnum opus and then he milked it for a spin-off that nobody seemed to want. Straczynski put in half-baked scripts and TNT wanted to kill it because it just didn’t really fit into their business model. <br />
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So, instead of watching a somewhat mildly amusing jab at the X-Files (with a annoying ending), why not just watch the X-Files…it will be loads more fun and creative, and is bound to make you think more than this episode really did. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Secret MissionKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-35009449052509809662015-03-26T19:58:00.002-07:002018-02-08T18:48:31.587-08:00Another Plagued PlanetStory: Racing the Night<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
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This is the episode Straczynski thought was the best to be the start of the show? Maybe he isn’t so wise after all. Beyond an element early on about Gideon being introduced to the Excalibur via flashback or dream, this is a bad way to start the show. TNT wanted episodes with a bit more explanation as to the plot and the characters, JMS wanted to just jump in and assume everyone would catch up. And because he didn’t want to do it TNT’s way, when he made the episodes the way they wanted, he made them sloppy because Straczynski is kind of a child. Doesn’t get his way (however wrongheaded his way actually is), he puts in lackluster work. The episodes that actually give an explanation as to what is going on, are average and lame, and the episode he actually wanted to start off with feels like you are missing major character and series plot elements. <br />
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This episode is about Excalibur discovering another planet that had been stricken by the same plague as Earth, only their way of dealing with it is to kill and experiment on anyone who comes across their planet, hoping to find a cure that way. IT is a decent idea that feels like it’s missing major elements because this show was poorly planned out and produced, because the cooperation between TNT and Straczynski was nil. <br />
<br />
It seems that was hurting this series, is that it was rushed…TNT initially wanted to make a little more money off of Babylon 5, which they had picked up for it’s final season. Maybe one year and a couple TV movies wasn’t what they were hoping for when they nabbed it. So they ordered the spin-off, and Straczynski was ready to do it and instead of taking time to develop an actual series they both rushed in, and neither was on the same page as to what they wanted from it. <br />
<br />
I don’t think Straczynski was right in that this is how the series should begin, but TNT lost faith in the show pretty quickly when they realized that the demographics for B5 and Crusade were not watching the rest of their programming, and those watching the rest of their programming weren’t watching B5…it stopped seeing the point in pumping money into something that didn’t help their overall brand, and their meddling only made Straczynski bitter. <br />
<br />
This episode is okay, but it sort of highlights many of the inherent flaws Crusade had in it’s series plan. <br />
<br />
NEXT TIME: X-Files ParodyKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-26990969002766258352015-03-26T19:55:00.001-07:002018-02-08T18:46:25.750-08:00Praxis 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Story: The Needs of Earth<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
<br />
The crew of the Excalibur head to a planet called Praxis 9, a scummy planet that sells illegal goods and slaves and stuff. They go there because a refugee from some planet may actually hold the key to the plague, willing to sell info to the highest bidder. They smuggle him off the planet and end up getting chased by the people of his own planet. <br />
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It turns out that his info doesn’t have anything to do with the plague, it is actually the entire collection of his planet’s art, which he smuggled off the planet when the government began to ban all art as subversive against the government. <br />
<br />
The episode makes a comment on art and it’s importance, and that is fine. The episode was fine, there were some actually decent character moments for once. I’m still not thrilled with the series, but this was a better episode. <br />
<br />
NEXT TIME: The Original First EpisodeKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-73041553257295075422015-03-26T11:49:00.001-07:002018-02-08T18:47:38.981-08:00Diseased WorldStory: The Memory of War<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
<br />
The Excalibur comes to a planet that’s population was wiped out by war 100 years ago. Galen warns that the planet is essentially forbidden by the Technomages and warns that they shouldn’t go down, but Gideon and co. decide to risk it for the potential of finding a cure. The get down, someone dies, and that death reveals to Galen that the virus on the planet was created using nanotechnology, and was created by a Technomage. <br />
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It is a solid episode, though if this had been the second episode (as
planned) I would’ve been frustrated. Straczynski seemed to want to jump
right in and not have to deal with any set up. That is all well and
good, but in doing so he didn’t develop any of his characters. Maybe in
his head he did, but he didn’t want to share that info with the rest of
us. Who are these people, what makes them tick? We get some of that in
episodes that rightly come before that, but I still don’t have a good
feel for anyone. Straczynski is good at building a universe and
plotting out winding storylines, but he isn’t the greatest at
characterization. It took two seasons before he finally began to get
the characters on Babylon 5 developed enough that I felt I knew who I
was watching each week…and if you look at it he dropped and changed a
bunch of characters in that time.<br />
<br />
The mystery of what the Apocalypse Box is intriguing, though it is used as if we understand what it is…I wouldn’t mind a mysterious box guiding Gideon, but it’s use just shows up at the end of the episode and it lacks total context. Is his use of this good, or bad, or is it just something I missed because this series order is completely out of whack. I’m guessing it was meant to be mysterious and foreshadowing for something to come later…it just seems like it is some plot point that lacks any context, and I don’t know what the damn thing is. <br />
<br />
An important note on this episode is that Dr. Chambers and Galen was able to use the nanotech to create a sort of breathable temporary vaccine for the plague on Earth. People breath it in, and it will protect them from the virus for 48 hours…it wont help anyone already infected, and it wont last…but it is a start to finding a legitimate cure at least. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Refugee with InfoKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-50729988515239508022015-03-25T21:16:00.002-07:002018-02-08T18:47:35.850-08:00Mind Altering Aliens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Story: Appearances and Other Deceits <br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
<br />
Decent episode premise, though this still suffers from the early growing pains. The Excalibur comes across a derelict ship and decide to investigate for possible cures. They find most of the crew dead, except for a lone survivor. They bring the survivor aboard to save him, but he is actually carrying an alien entity that transfers through bodies via touch, and overtakes the bodies as a way of conquest. Gideon and co. have to figure out a way to stop the alien beings without killing the crew they have overtaken. <br />
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Episode has a decent premise and for the most part it is executed decently. The problems come in the form of the characters, Dr. Chambers is lame and the actress playing her lacks charisma. I don’t know if the actress wasn’t comfortable in the show or if she is genuinely a bad actress, but she just never emotes or seems interesting at all. Her worst line actually comes from writer Straczynski, who has her describe Max as having a big ego, but at times seeming unsure of himself…and then pointing out that he is a contradiction. Thanks for spelling out his character traits! By the way, Max is constantly irritating. Egomaniacal smug jerks aren’t much fun when they are proven right a good chunk of the time. <br />
<br />
The episode is pretty solid, the only flaws are just flaws of the series in general. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Nanotech War Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-30172226333684217152015-03-23T06:58:00.003-07:002018-02-08T18:47:24.199-08:00Sacred Omega<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Story: Ruling from the Tomb<br />
Written By: Peter David<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
<br />
It should be noted that there are several different viewing orders to watch Crusade. I decided to go with the chronological order, as that seemed to make the most sense to me, even if it is not necessarily JMS’ preferred order. The truth is I’ve got the impression that no matter what you choose, the show was kind of a mess. When there is not a clearly defined starting point in any episode, and the order depends on how you prefer to view it, then something is probably going to be screwy with characterization and storylines. This episode made me realize how bad the characters have been so far. <br />
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I’m not sure if it is the screwy viewing order (maybe I chose the wrong path, but I’m sticking with it), or if it is a legitimate problem, but it feels like a lot of the characters feel underdeveloped. When a character in this episode says “he’s who inspired me to become a priest” I had no idea who the guy really was so it wasn’t a shocking statement, I just got confused and thought “wait he’s a priest, how did I miss that!?” Then it turns out he isn’t one, he drifted from that path yadda yadda. The point is, because I have no idea who most of the characters are, a moment like this just left me confused until the plot was expanded and I put two and two together. <br />
<br />
The characters of Lochley and Gideon seem to meet in this episode, which suggests that I’m not entirely wrong on my order, and it is clear that a relationship between the two is on the horizon. It isn’t particularly interesting. <br />
<br />
This was a character building episode, and for the first time, at least in this viewing order, I was starting to get a sense of who these characters are…and I don’t really like them. I like elements of Gideon, Lochley is still okay but not particularly thrilling to watch. Dureena is an interesting character who is wasted here. Dr. Chambers has no character so far. I doubt this show will improve, but here is hoping.<br />
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NEXT TIME: Propaganda SpecialistsKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-32180600782107467922015-03-20T20:29:00.002-07:002018-02-08T18:46:58.441-08:00Mining Problems & TechnomagesStory: The Long Road<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
<br />
Gideon and Galen go down to a planet where Earthgov forces a strip mining the planet’s resource, much to the chagrin of the Amish-like folk that live there. The people have been forced from their homes, and the mining is putting stuff in the air that will kill everybody…but why should a little thing like that get in the way of Earth’s people?<br />
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On the planet also lives an older Technomage like Galen, and he has been trying to use his tricks to get rid of the Earth minors to varying degrees of success. It is now time for more drastic measures and hard decisions.<br />
<br />
This episode felt much more like Star Trek than anything in the Babylon 5 universe that predated it. Not that certain Trek tropes hafdn’t made their wy in before, but this felt like a fairly generic Star Trek script, and the fact that instead of a space station setting and a major focus on running plotlines, this series has a setting on a spaceship full of explorers and scientists. Granted there is the pollen about trying to find a cure for the plague, but in this episode that feels more like a backdrop for the show than a driving force. This just felt like something you'd see in any old episode of TNG or Voyager. <br />
<br />
It isn’t awful…and it certainly uses the Technomages, a very Straczynski creation, in a major way, keeping it from feeling to Star Trek. But it definitely feels a lot Star Trek, and since I don’t yet know these characters and I’m not terribly invested, I’d rather just watch an actual Star Trek. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Doomsday CultKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-7421275972025123802015-03-20T18:51:00.002-07:002018-02-08T18:46:49.958-08:00ExcaliburStory: War Zone<br />
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski<br />
Season: Crusade<br />
<br />
The pilot to this Babylon 5 spin-off picks up where the TV Movie “A Call to Arms” left off. Captain Matthew Gideon is assigned to take the Excalibur and team of Doctors and Scientists in order to search for a cure to the plague the Drakh left on Earth. They have five years before the Plague will truly take full effect and kill the population of Earth, setting up a 5-year story plan that will never get fully satisfied.<br />
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So with Earth quarantined, Gideon, his former ship’s telepath first officer, a team of Doctor and scientists, and the thief Dureena from the TV movie set out on their mission. They are also joined in the end by the Technomage Galen, also introduced in the TV movie. <br />
<br />
As pilots go it does a decent enough job setting up the show, though I must admit my interest began to wane. I’m a fan of Gary Cole from his comedic roles in things like Office Space, Harvey Birdman…and his no-nonsense rebellious character is clearly defined here. Other characters are not nearly as defined. <br />
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It is unlikely this show will truly shape up for me, as it seems as though it may suffer from First season-itis, in which it struggles to truly find it’s characters and footing…and since it was supposed to be the start of a five year plan cut short halfway through its first season…I can’t see this being a truly satisfying experience, but I’m giving it a shot. <br />
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NEXT TIME: Hostage SituationKenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-37263178200783176362015-03-19T12:09:00.000-07:002018-02-08T18:46:42.769-08:00Crusade Origins<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: A Call to Arms</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: Movie #4</span></div>
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<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">It's been a while! Let's get back into Babylon 5's world shall we? </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Straczynski made this Babylon 5 TV movie, which is essentially all set up to the then upcoming spin-off called Crusade, and it uses Sheridan as it's main character to pull in Babylon 5 fans. The movie is a solid set up to a new show and it's premise, but it has pacing issues. I personally felt some of the space battle and action scenes lacked tension. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">For some things that happen here, and the set up it gives for the spin-off, it is worth seeing. It is certainly not by any means the best Babylon 5 entry, not even of the movies that came out...it is solid and has some good set up for a different kind of premise, which I look forward to delving into and seeing where Crusade leads, however briefly it lasted. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span>
<span class="s1">If you plan to watch Crusade, as I am about to do, this seems a necessary stepping stone for that series, but if you were satisfied, as I was, with the Babylon 5 finale and don't feel the need to continue on with the spin-off, then this is not worth the look. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="s1">So now onto the Babylon 5 spin-off, Crusade...a short lived entry into Straczynski's universe. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">NEXT TIME: Crusade</span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-34730441160500436002014-02-06T11:14:00.002-08:002018-02-08T18:45:06.751-08:00Babylon 5 - The Whole Series Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Babylon 5 was a series that started off shaky, but really got good. In that sense it is similar to many other sci-fi shows I dig...TNG, DS9, X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer...ahh 90s sci-fi/fantasy on television. Good times. I didn’t watch Babylon 5 at all when it was originally on. I remember at least once trying to watch it on TNT...but it was beyond me at that point. Keep in mind I was in elementary school. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">As an adult who got into sci-fi stuff pretty heavy around college, I would occasionally read stuff about B5, particularly as I got deeper into my childhood friend Star Trek, and I finally watched Deep Space 9. You can’t read about either show without some kind of reference to the other. So I was curious to see how Babylon 5 held up against a series that slowly but surely won my heart and became my favorite Star Trek series. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Hulu was initially my source for starting to watch. They had the pilot and some other episodes I think at the time. I watched “The Gathering” and I must admit it felt very dated. I attempted to watch the series then, but I kind of got sidetracked and lost interest for a few years. Part of me still wanted to try again though, an I’m glad I finally did. I restarted from the pilot and watched up through a few episodes into season two, when I got distracted again. Finally I got back in and powered through until it became such a joy to watch that I couldn’t stop. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">“The Gathering” may not hold up as well as it should, but a lot for this series post-Season One really does. Season One is shaky and is bogged down by a stiff leading man. Now I understand the actor suffered from mental illness and that probably played into the weak performance he had, but his leaving the show lead to getting a charismatic and likable lead in Bruce Boxleitner, who I really enjoyed from the get-go. Season Two they found their feet, and and by the time they reached Season Three they were full throttle. Season Four was a rampant race through tying up major storylines in a satisfactory way, before we get to the final season...which while starting off a little rocky, found it’s place and ended the series on a proper high note. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">There is still a TNT movie, a spin-off it leads into, and a couple of spin-off pilots that didn’t take off (one for the Sci-Fi Channel, the other for direct-to-DVD) to go, and I will review them. But Babylon 5 (the series proper) I have finally completed. It took me long enough to get into it, but now that I did...I think I’ll miss these characters a little. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
NEXT TIME: Drakh Attack Earth<span class="s1"></span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-61079444404943358902014-02-05T22:14:00.005-08:002018-02-08T18:46:35.574-08:00Babylon 5 - Season 5 Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Season Five wasn’t as excellent as Seasons Three and Four had been. That is not to say it was terrible, or disappointing, or any other bad pejorative that could be used...it just wasn’t as solid. It started off a little too slow and I felt disinterested for a few episodes before things got kicking again. I wasn’t terribly fond of the Byron stuff...it had interesting bits, but I found the cult of Rogue Telepaths to be slightly boring and irritating, and they looked hilarious with their 90s garage band long hairdos. Once the attacks on the Alliance and the Centauri War stuff took off it was quite good though.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">The season started off slow and a little weak, but it ended strong, and the choice to hold back “Sleeping in Light” until it could be used as the proper Series Finale was a smart one. It summed up the characters I really cared about well. I don’t really care what happened to Lochley, I wanted to see Ivanova one last time. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Season Five may of had some issues, and it may not have been as strong as the previous two seasons, but when you realize that Strazcynski wrapped up his series under threat of cancellation, and then managed to concoct a halfway decent season following on from threads he pretty properly wrapped up the year before is pretty impressive. He may have wished to have been able to stretch out some storylines over Seasons Four and Five more than he was able to, but I think he managed to finish his stories well. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">A fine final season for his five-year novel for television. Now for another movie, an unsuccessful spin-off, and a few one-off movies that didn’t really take off! There is still more from the Babylon 5 universe to explore yet! </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
NEXT TIME: <span class="s1"></span>Whole Series Recap</div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-62457141893925977392014-02-05T22:14:00.001-08:002018-02-08T21:39:10.000-08:00The Last, Best Hope...<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: Sleeping in Light</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: 5</span></div>
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<span class="s1">“Sleeping in Light” was, as stated before, originally shot as the season finale to Season Four. PTEN was pretty much going out of business and it looked unlikely that Straczynski was going to get his original five year plan completed. so Season Four wrapped up the most major storylines early to make sure the show got the closure it deserved. “Sleeping in Light” was the ultimate finale for the show, as it serves as an epilogue to all of the events that had happened thus far. When TNT picked up the show for a final fifth season and some TV movies, Straczynski held back his finale and quickly wrote and shot a new finale for Season Four, and waited to edit this story until the end of the fifth season. </span></div>
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So the story takes place years after the events of the series. While it was made before Season Five was produced, it doesn’t contradict anything that took place there. Because it was shot with Season Four, it doesn’t include any mention of Lochley, but that isn’t really a problem, she just wasn’t part of the gang that Sheridan wished to reunite, and really she wasn’t. She was the new guard that took over for him as he was heading out the door...and his ex-wife. What is lovely is that we get one last chance to see Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">The plot is essentially fulfilling the promise that Sheridan would only live about 20 more years after dying and being revived on Z’ha’dum. He can tell that he is near the end, and he invites old friends to come visit, one last time. We get Emperor Vir, Garibaldi and Franklin, and General Ivanova all coming to see former President Sheridan and Delenn again. The specifics aren’t really important to my review, but it was nice to see where all these characters ended up, and what their futures may yet entail. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Sheridan decides that he wants to wake up the next day and go for a Sunday drive just like he took when he was a kid with his dad. He takes out a White Star by himself, and visits Babylon 5, which is now redundant and getting ready for decommissioning and demolition. There he sees Zack Allen who offers lunch to Sheridan, but he doesn’t have the time...he has to go to where they won the Shadow War. He gets there and sees Lorien one more time, from beyond the rim. Sheridan sees a white light, and when his White Star is found...he is nowhere to be found. He could one day return, or maybe not. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Babylon 5 is demolished, it was the last of the Babylon stations, there would never be another. It is a fine end for the series, even if Season Five did open a few can of worms that leave things dangling I’d rather weren’t open near the end (like the keeper in the Urn left with Sheridan and Delenn, or what happens with G’Kar, Lyta, and the Telepath war)...I feel there was plenty of closure in this episode for our characters to be happily satisfied. </span></div>
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NEXT TIME: Season 5 Recap<span class="s1"></span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-50878933920990647362014-02-05T21:02:00.002-08:002018-02-08T21:41:29.568-08:00Lost Globes<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: The River of Souls</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: Movie #3</span></div>
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<span class="s1">In the third TV movie released on TNT, we see the return of the Soul Hunters from Season 1, in a story with bigger scope and some interesting ideas. It’s funny looking back on my review of the episode they originally appeared in, I clearly wasn’t too impressed. The fact that I only remembered that W. Morgan Sheppard was in it, and that I had to consult my review just to see what I originally thought about it says a lot. In short, I forgot the bulk of that episode. This is only their second appearance in the franchise, and it is vastly better. Maybe it is because the show is well into the swing of things by the time this was filmed, but I think part of it is that this film just has a stronger script. </span></div>
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The plot revolves around an archeologist in search of immortality, who digs up a Globe left by the Soul Hunters many years ago, in fact he finds a giant tomb of globes As the plot unfolds it is discovered that this archeologist is doing his research funded by the Edgars Corporation, which is now being headed by Garibaldi. Garibaldi meets the guy on Babylon 5 to find out if his work is worth funding any further, as he is trying to shutdown anything Edgars was doing that is kinda shady. Things go a little haywire and the souls try to escape the Globes...and a Soul Hunter shows up. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">The Soul Hunter, who is oddly played by Martin Sheen, wants to see the return of these globes, but it is soon discovered by Captain Lochley (when she is struck by the globes energy) that they weren’t a race dying that the Soul Hunters saved within the Globes...they were evolving beyod the point of needing their bodies. The Soul Hunters essentially imprisoned them without asking anything about them and for no real reason. It is up to this Soul Hunter to undo the damage, which may take time, but they have to try (even though the Soul Hunters have a hard time believing they’ve ever made a mistake). </span></div>
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<span class="s1">A subplot involving a holo-brothel owner, who even has a holographic image of Lochley, and his lawyer trying to get away with running this business is mildly amusing. Like much of this movie, it showcases what Tracy Scoggins can do with the character of Lochley. She was introduced this final season as a replacement character for Ivanova, and while she was fine and had a few moments, she never really got a lot of story time. I’m fine with that really, because one of the problems I had with DS9’s final season is that it spent the first half trying to give the new Dax a bunch of material which distracted from the major players in their final season. But while I’m glad Lochley didn’t get shoehorned into stories she didn’t need to be, I enjoyed seeing her as the lead in a story that takes place after all the major storylines are wrapped up and most of our lead characters have moved on. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">A solid “extra” story for Babylon 5, it feels like a story of something else that happened at the station, that doesn’t really have anything to do with the major story that the show focused on. </span></div>
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NEXT TIME: Sheridan’s Final Days<span class="s1"></span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-88804993849365428432014-02-05T14:41:00.000-08:002018-02-08T21:41:27.329-08:00Leaving for Minbar<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: Objects at Rest</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: 5</span></div>
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<span class="s1">As we come to what is essentially the finale of Season Five (with the real finale being more of an epilogue to the series as a whole), we see more change come to the Babylon Station. This episode, and the one that precedes it, have many moments in which we see a character or two heading off to a ship...ready to leave Babylon 5 for the last time. Now some may return, some may not, but major changes have to the main crew of the statin. This is no better summed up than the shot seen when Sheridan and Delenn are leaving for Mnbar, and we see the crew in the C&C, seeing off their former Captain and current President. In the shot we have the New Captain Lochley, her chief of security Zach Allen, Ambassador Vir, Amabassador Ta’lon (whom G’Kar personally chose as his replacement), Garibaldi’s replacement Tessa Holloran (number one), and Dr. Franklin’s chosen replacement Dr. Hobbs. It is a completely new group than who we started with, but the Station chugs along. </span></div>
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Now the major plot is about change and how are characters are all leaving and moving on. We see Franklin choose his successor, who was the Doctor that took his place when he stepped down due to his addiction earlier in the series. We see Garibaldi is now running a major corporation on Mars, and promoting those trouble makers that have been stuck in middle management for years. We see G’Kar choosing his replacement via a video message, and we see Sheridan and Delenn heading off the station for Minbar, with their escort Lennier in tow. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Lennier is where things get sticky. Sheridan goes for a walk on the ship, and there is a collant leak...he tries to help a Ranger and they get trapped in the section they are in. Lennier sees them...and chooses not to open the door. This is of course against his better judgement and not the Lennier we know, but his long unrequited love of Delenn has driven him to a very odd place. He decides at the last moment to save Sheridan, but Sheridan has already gotten out...and Lennier can’t take the shame of what he has done, and steals a fighter and leaves to find himself. He contacts Delenn...but he promises to not see her again until he has figured out who he is. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">On Minbar, Sheridan and Delenn are met by Londo, who claims he is there to congratulate his friends for beginning their new time as leaders on the planet, and for the upcoming child of the two. Londo gives them an Urn as a gift, which after he has left turns out to have a Keeper inside...someday, it will get out of that Urn...</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It was a decent end for this season, though it had to go an leave some stuff lingering, making you unsure how any of it will play out. I know that the finale was filmed before any of Season 5,but I hope some of it gets tied up in that story, though I doubt it. Before I watch the finale, I plan to watch one of the films, “The River of Souls”. Then I will head into the end of this Novel for Television. </span></div>
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NEXT TIME: Return of Soul Hunters<span class="s1"></span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-6373789828225318022014-02-05T14:40:00.001-08:002018-02-08T21:41:00.075-08:00Stopping an Assassin<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: Objects in Motion</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: 5</span></div>
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<span class="s1">An assassin is apparently coming to Babylon 5 to assassinate Garibaldi and Lise, this information comes way of that female leader of the Mars Resistance that Franklin banged a while back. So a big going away party for G’Kar and Garibaldi is planned, in order to give the assassin one shot to take him out and hopefully stop him before he gets a chance. They do stop him, but a follower of G’Kar attempts to shoot G’Kar at the same time, because G’Kar pretty much told him to stop being a douche and following him like he is a god. Zack saves G’Kar, but the shooter hits Lise instead. </span></div>
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Luckily Lise survives and marries Garibaldi, who then uses Lyta to get info out of his attempted assassin, and then decides to show the people who sent this killer a message. Those who sent him were, in fact, the Board of Lise’s company. Garibaldi shows he has a lot of info, and he got that from his replacement, the former Mars Resistance leader. They make sure that they won’t cause any more trouble. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">G’Kar and Lyta leave, Garibaldi and Lise leave...Franklin bangs Number One again...and Sheridan and Delenn decide to walk the full length of the station...before they finally leave for Minbar. Things are coming to an end for the B5 gang. One last episode to wrap up the storylines of Season 5, before another movie and the real finale, that was shot during season 4. Things are coming to an end, and it is kind of sad. </span></div>
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NEXT TIME: Lennier’s Mistake<span class="s1"></span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-64886874156848007842014-02-05T14:39:00.001-08:002018-02-08T21:40:57.988-08:00Lyta’s True Strength<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: The Wheel of Fire</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: 5</span></div>
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<span class="s1">When Garibaldi shows up to another meeting late and unprepared, Sheridan calls him out on being drunk. He suspends Gairbaldi until he can get his life back in order. Lochley attempts to help Garibaldi since she is the daughter of an alcoholic, and admits that she too suffers from the same problem. She talks with him, and secretly invites Lise to come back to the station in order to help Garibaldi through this difficult time. Lise convinces him that he should pretty much leave Sheridan and all the Alliance business behind and join the giant corporation she now owns on Mars.</span></div>
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Lochley and Zack deal with a call from Earth...it turns out people have been attacking Psi Corps facilities and leaving the message “Remember Byron”, and there is a money trail that leads right back to Babylon 5. They realize that the source is Lyta. Lyta refuses to be arrested, and takes mind control of everyone in the area, so no one can take her in, and makes the claim that no one can take her because she has been touched by the Vorlons. Of course she forgot that sheridan was also touched by the Vorlons and she cannot control him, so she is arrested. Garibaldi then goes to Lyta with a deal...he helps her with her legal difficulties (with his new mega resources) if she helps him remove the block Bester put in her brain. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">G’Kar is dealing withthe problem of becoming an even bigger icon for the Narn since his survival on Centauri Prime. This is not great news for him, because they seem to be missing the message while making him out to be a God. He decides to go traveling, and offers to Garibaldi and Lochley that he shall take Lyta with her to try and help her through her anger. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">It is revealed that Garibaldi has agreed to secretly hide finds for Lyta to help attack the Psi Corps in exchange for her eventual removal for the mental block. It is also revealed that Lyta was turned into a super weapon by the Vorlons. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">After the big Centauri War plot has been resolved, and the show is nearing it’s end...it is time for the show to start wrapping up character arcs, and that is really what is happening here. There is finally some closure beginning to happen for Garibaldi’s drinking problem, for Lyta’s expanding powers and anger, for G’Kar becoming an unwilling religious icon in the eyes of his people, and we learn that Delenn is now pregnant with Sheridan’s baby. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Things are nearing their end for the story, and things are clearly heading towards that light at the end of the tunnel. </span></div>
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NEXT TIME: Wrapping up the Fifth Season</div>
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Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3583715663106461742.post-81864603979959109532014-02-05T14:35:00.003-08:002018-02-08T21:40:56.814-08:00The Shadows of the Shadows<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Story: The Fall of Centauri Prime</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Written By: J. Michael Straczynski</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Season: 5</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The episode begins with Centauri Prime being blown all to hell by the Drazi/Narn forces, Sheridan can’t stop it, Londo can’t get the defense grid up (it’s too late)....and Delenn and Lennier are still adrift in hyperspace. Things are...shitty. After the attack Londo learns exactly what the meaning behind all of this was. The Regent is being controlled by a Keeper, which is a part of the Drakh, who are the allies of the Shadows left behind on Z’ha’dum. The Drakh are fulfilling a promise made by Mr. Morden when Londo blew up that island with all the Shadows on it. The Shadows have allies, and they will get their revenge on the Centauri...and they have. But they wish to remain secret, hidden from the universe. So they concocted this scheme to have the Centauri get the blame so they could be attacked, and with control of the Regent they made sure they were unable to defend themselves. The Planet is left in ruins, Sheridan demands reparations for starting this war, which decimates their economy and makes the Centauri rely on the Drakh to rebuild their world, in their way. It is a pretty brutal way to exact revenge for Londo killing those Shadows...especially since it takes out that whole world. </span></div>
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With the War over, the Centauri Forces find and take in Delenn’s ship, thus saving her and Lennier (who finally says aloud that he loves Delenn when he assumes they are about to die). Londo, now the Emperor of the the ruined Centauri Republic, gives a speech about the state their planet is now in, and then he encourages Sheridan and Co. to leave with Vir, who will now be the ambassador to the station. On the station, the group discusses the repercussions of War, and the episode ends with a shot of poor Londo sitting on his throne in his burnt kingdom. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">This was another excellent episode that fulfilled promises made years ago and setting the stage for the end of the series. I’d like to take a moment to praise the performance of Damian London as the Regent, because I don’t think I have and I loved how wonderfully odd and strange he was. The guy put all his effort into the part and it shows. I think Peter Jurasik also gives a great performance, and I loved the editing choice to include a small montage of images whe nLondo is looking back on his time leading up to this moment, and even a shot of things he knows are still to come (namely G’Kar strangling him to death). And excellent episode, and it leaves this season with just a few episodes to go until the end of the series. </span><br />
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NEXT TIME: Season Namesake<span class="s1"></span></div>
Kenny Scheckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04533110313443809517noreply@blogger.com0