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Reviews of Babylon 5 |
Last September 9, 1998
The following is summary of each Babylon 5 episode from Season Two along with an evaluation of the show. Note that the word "ARC" indicates that this episode contains information that is especially important to the overall story line of Babylon 5 (in other words, the arc of the plot).
Note: JMS stands for Joe Michael Straczynski. Mr. Straczynski is: the inventor of Babylon 5; the co-executive producer of B5; and the main writer of B5 episodes. He is often on the B5 forum of CompuServe and will generally respond to questions.
Note: DeTillio stands for Larry DeTillio, second in command in the script department and a good writer. This was the last season Mr. DeTillio worked on Babylon 5.
Grades: These are the grades I assigned to the episodes up to May of 1995. Later I give them point values (for the P5 Poll).
- A = A great episode, worth repeated viewings.
- B = A worthwhile episode, enjoyable.
- C = An average effort, likely to be superior to 90% of the rest of TV fare.
- D = A weak effort with poor characters and or huge logical flaws.
Point Scale: I have given these a rating from 1 to 10 (well, nothing has a one). Obviously 10 is the best and 1 is the worst. Ratings are all entirely subjective. Feel free to harass me about them. -- Colin Glassey
Season Two : The Coming of Shadows
#1 Points of Departure (11/94)
Writer: JMS. Grade C Poll 5 Rating: 7 ARC
Summary: A new commander of B5 is suddenly appointed to B5. The Minbari do not like the new commander and a "dissident" Minbari warship comes to B5 for no good purpose.Review: The new commander (Bruce Boxleitner) seems tentative and with almost all the regular characters gone, the episode has a displeasing atmosphere. We do learn one piece of information: why the Minbari stopped the war against Earth.
#2 Revelations (11/94)
Writer: JMS Grade C Poll 5 Rating: 7 ARC
Summary:The new commander's sister arrives on station and brings up some sad memories for the commander. G'Karr has found a world where the Shadows seem to be living(?). Londo and Morden have a chat. Delenn and Girabaldi reappear.Review: The interaction between Captain Sheridan and his sister seemed flat. Girabaldi recovers via a nice trick but the way his attacker was captured lacked all interest. Lots of issues get resolved but the result is blah.
#3 Geometry of Shadows (11/94)
Writer: JMS Grade B Poll 5 Rating: 8.5
Summary: Londo is getting delusions of grandeur and thinks that if he can get the blessing of a Technomage it will advance his position in Centauri politics. Meanwhile, a civil war has broken out between two sudden factions in an alien race. Commander Ivanova gets to deal with the Drazi problem.Review: A more interesting episode as Londo deals with someone he doesn't understand. Ivanova and the Drazi was a very good story with an amusing ending.
#4 A Distant Sun (11/94)
Writer: D.C. Fontana Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 7.5
Summary: An Earth Explorer ship stops briefly at B5 before heading out to map a new area of space. As you might expect, there are problems with the explorer ship, but they occur in hyperspace.Review: A very good episode with some fascinating discoveries about the nature of hyperspace and a wonderfully odd design for the previously unseen explorer class starship. Also, the "B" plot with the doctor and his new diet for Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Ivanova is very funny.
#5 The Long Dark (11/94)
Writer: Scott Frost Grade B Poll 5 Rating: 6.5
Summary: A very old space ship from Earth is pulled aboard B5. One of the two-person crew is alive, the other has been killed by something.Review: In many ways this seems like a standard TV script, there is a begining, a middle, and an end. By the end everything is neatly wrapped up. Some special effects did not work for me (the homage to a classic scene from the Forbiden Planet at the end). JMS has said that he was disappointed with the special effects at the end, but they ran out of time.
#6 Soul Mates (12/94)
Writer: Peter David Grade B Poll 5 Rating: 8
Summary: Londo is happy. He invites all of his wives to B5 for a special occasion. Meanwhile, an unsavory person, ex-PsiCorp (!) shows up on B5 and turns out to have an interest in Talia Winters.Review: A very ammusing episode (possibly one of the last really funny episodes of B5 as we now head towards darkness). I thought there were some plot holes but, my nits are minor. Notable for the HUGE portrait of Londo at the banquet.
#7 A Spider in the Web
Writer: DeTillio Grade B Poll 5 Rating: 7 ARC
Summary: Negotiations are held on B5 between Mars and a large corperation. The idea is to get independence for Mars within 10 years without fighting. Then the corprate negotiator is killed and Talia Winters is a witness.Review: An interesting plot with no real weaknesses but no real strengths either. I remain unimpressed by the actress who plays Talia Winters. I just don't care about her.
#8 A Race Through Dark Places
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 8.5 ARC
Summary: Colonel Bester, the PsiCop from "Mind War" shows up again on B5, this time he is after an "underground railway" for telepaths that want to leave PsiCorps.Review: One of the best episodes of B5. Walter Koenig does a great job as the malicious Bester, and there are a number of real surprizes in the show.
#9 The Coming of Shadows
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 10 ARC
Summary: The Centauri emperor pays a visit to B5. G'Karr is furious as he regards the emperor as thoroughly evil. Londo becomes enmeshed in some deep schemes for power.Review: Another great episode, the best of this second season. I will say nothing more about this episode other than my strongest recomendation to see it.
Note: This episode won the 1996 Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentation. This was the first of two Hugo awards for Babylon 5 (Severed Dreams from Season Three won next year's Hugo award). While I think highly of this episode, I think The Fall of Night, and The Long, Twilight Struggle were both slightly better. Actually all three episodes were nominated but JMS withdrew their nominations in favor of Coming of Shadows.
#10 GROPOS
Writer: DeTillio Grade B Poll 5 Rating: 6.5
Summary: A very powerful Earth Alliance division is briefly stationed on B5, before they head off on a ground assault. Girabaldi and Lt. Kiefer meet several of the soldiers personally.Review: I liked this episode up until the end. DeTillio has a penchent for writting fist fights into his stories but, hey, we need a fist fight once and a while. I wish B5 had "borrowed" the powered armor idea from Heinline's Starship Troopers, but, its Joe's show.
#11 All Alone in the Night
Writer: JMS Grade A- Poll 5 Rating: 8 ARC
Summary: Captain Sheridan is captured by a hither too unknown alien. Meanwhile, Delenn is summoned to meet the Grey Council.Review: An interesting episode that just doesn't quite work, I felt it was a two hour episode that was cut ruthlessly down to a single hour. Still, the part with Delenn meeting with the Grey Council was very well done. As was the (now famous) "dream" that Sheridan has.
#12 Acts of Sacrifice
Writer: JMS Grade A- Poll 5 Rating: 8
Summary: Commander Ivanova must act as a diplomat, escorting a new alien representative around B5. Meanwhile, tensions are running high between Centauri and Narn on board the station.Review: Very impressive job by the actor playing G'Karr. The portrayal of different factions inside the Narn is yet another example of the sophistication of JMS's universe.
#13 Hunter, Prey
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 8.5 ARC
Summary: The personal doctor of the now president (formerly vice-president) of the Earth Alliance has fled to B5. Captain Sheridan actually talks to the Vorlon Ambassador.Review: A great "chase" episode. Things are becoming ever more tense and dangerous on B5 as conspiracies are revealed and our heroes must begin to work against the evil.
#14 There all honor lies
Writer: Peter David Grade B Poll 5 Rating: 6.5
Summary: A B5 "trinket" store is opened up on board B5, this is not greeted with pleasure by everyone. Sheridan kills a Minbari and the Minbari government is not happy.Review: Peter David shows a gift for funny lines and the two plots are pretty good.
#15 And Now a Word from our Sponser
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 8.5 ARC
Summary: Conflict between the Narn and Centauri breaks out in the space around B5. Earth is trying to stay out of the war, but will it?Review: I liked this episode a great deal though there is a group of people that did not like this show. This episode is shown from the perspective of a "48 Hours" news program. The result is that we get much less information than normal about the events taking place. I thought it heightened tension and it was very interesting to see things from an "outside" perspective. Sheridan has finally become convincing in his character.
#16 In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 9 ARC
Summary: Sheridan discovers that someone who was aboard his wife's destroyed spacecraft, is alive and visiting B5.Review: Don't miss this episode! A very interesting and tense episode. A lot of information is revealed in this episode as well as several new mysteries. Sheridan is very good in this episode.
#17 Knives
Writer: Larry DeTillio Grade C Poll 5 Rating: 6
Summary: Sheridan is suddenly suffering from delusions. Londo has an old friend from Centauri Prime visit, but his friend is in trouble.Review: Not a great episode from Mr. DeTillio. The two story lines had nothing to do with each other. The plot with Londo was unconvincing in its dramatic unfolding. It had some really nice special effects shots, but these do not hide the weakness in the story lines.
#18 Confessions and Lamentations Poll 5 Rating: 8.5
Writer: JMS Grade A
Summary: It is discovered that a disease is killing the members of one alien race on B5. Things then get worse.Review: This episode is not light entertainment. It is a serious drama and it does have a purpose. I have some nits about the way the disease was handled at the end but my reservations are not overly significant.
Divided Loyalties
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 9 Arc
Summary: The original station telepath, Leyta Alexander, returns to Babylon 5. She brings bad news from Mars.Review: Lyta Alexander comes back and gives a great performance. Too bad she didn't stay with B5 from the start.
The Long, Twilight Struggle
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 10 Arc
Summary: The Centauri have gathered some secret intelligence from the Narn and they want to make use of it, but they need help from Londo's "associates".Review: This is my favorite B5 episode (well one of my two or three favorites. What a battle! What intelligence! What a story!
Comes the Inquisitor
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 7.5
Summary: The Vorlons insist on testing Delenn to see if she is worthy of the responsibilities. The test is not simple.Review: I wish it hadn't been who it turned out to be. Maybe it will seem reasonable in a year or two. But still, a very powerful episode, makes you wonder about those Vorlons.
The Fall of Night
Writer: JMS Grade A Poll 5 Rating: 10 Arc
Summary: A Narn ship comes to B5 seeking aid. This does not please the Centauri, nor does Earth government like it much. Things get out of control for awhile.Review: Another one of my favorite episodes. The battle is done just right, the appology by Sheridan... magnificent, and finally the ending. I love this series (can you tell?).
Season Two Notes:
Season 2 Judgement: Overall, season 2 was better than season one. The last half of the season is generally super, with three of the best episodes ever shown in B5, namely The Coming of Shadows, The Long, Twilight Struggle, and The Fall of Night.As of the 18th episode, Bruce Boxleitner has finally managed to convince me of his essential reality. The episode "Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum" is very important in this regard. Sheridan is not perfect, he does not act like a great military leader (he acts more like a salesman) and his interest in conspiracies seems oddly dissonent with his behavior (fortunetly this was thrown away in season three). He does have charisma so I can imagine people following him. I trust JMS, but I still think Commander Sinclair was a better hero, I had real empathy for him as a human being.
Joe Straczynski did a lot more of the writting this season. I sure hope he can keep it up, because his episodes are always better than the other writers. Joe knows his universe better than anyone else and he has talent. Still, it would be nice to see more stories by David Gerrold, D.C. Fontana, or some other SF writers, like David Brin, Greg Bear, Joan Vinge, Vernor Vinge, Walter Jon Williams, or CJ Cherryth.
In terms of B5 mechanics, the special effects are improved, the new sets look nice, and the music is marginally worse than before. The opening sequence is inferior to that of Season One in terms of narration and music, although matching the names to faces is a good touch. Finally, the "all alone in the night" bit really bothers me, the image is not right for the accompanying picture, it is too pat, too simplistic. Plus B5 seems like a happening place these days, not very lonely at all, what with Drall running the planet below and all sorts of ships coming to visit.
Delenn's new look: As of "Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum, Delenn finally has a hair style that makes her seem lovely again. Untill then, the hair/bone structure that we saw from the 2nd episode on was not effective.
Re: Delenn and Sheridan: I am not going to say what I am thinking, in fact I am not even thinking what I am thinking.
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Page by Colin Glassey <cglassey@teleologic.com>
