tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post5680377711247197891..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: Babylon 5 #80: Rumors, Bargains and LiesSiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-52081458889652449302014-09-29T08:49:00.517-03:002014-09-29T08:49:00.517-03:00I quite like the idea as presented here behind Reb...I quite like the idea as presented here behind Rebo and Zooty, as a pop cluture point where we are missing all the references. It's the same as if someone came from another planet to the US, offered to build a nuclear power plant and got confused as to why everyone started laughing everytime he pursed his fingers and described things as "excellent".<br /><br />Pity about where it ends up, but there you go. At the moment, it's a perfectly cromulent idea.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-61540670353755751272014-09-25T20:14:04.572-03:002014-09-25T20:14:04.572-03:00You're mixing up your Drazi, there. Alexander ...You're mixing up your Drazi, there. Alexander doesn't play one until later in the season, but he's an important one. This Drazi is played by Ron Campbell, and has been around since the start of the season instead of the usual one played by Kim Strauss. I'd guess that Strauss was mostly unavailable during season 4, although he does show up as a Narn in an episode where Campbell is the Drazi Ambassador, but not the first episode Campbell is in, so... I got nothing.Cradoknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-3632625074591457592014-09-25T10:16:28.606-03:002014-09-25T10:16:28.606-03:00In the introduction to this episode, JMS notes tha...In the introduction to this episode, JMS notes that this second half of season 4 is often cited by fans as the show's best period, which he attributes to having passed the point of any hope, and instead deciding that if he was going to fail to get his five seasons, then he was going to go down with the biggest bang possible. And so he was now spending far more time isolated in his office (not the same one that was burning his brain out), which he notes is why there are far less personal stories about the cast and crew from him during this period.<br /><br />Though Sheridan's behavior in this episode was a very personal touch. After three and a half years of running the show and writing what would usually be considered a quite unreasonable amount of the episodes himself, he was really starting to go loopy. The opening scene is directly based on the crew's reactions to his own random bursts of giggling as he worked through tricky story points, and that isolated setup is also reflected in Sheridan refusing to let anyone in on what he's doing.<br /><br />The Drazi representative is played by Wayne Alexander, rather a step down from roles like Sebastian and Lorien, but it's nice that they still kept him around in whatever way they could.Ryan Lohnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-65949510953316685802014-09-25T09:16:19.119-03:002014-09-25T09:16:19.119-03:00He's a stalker alright. Also, the character wh...He's a stalker alright. Also, the character who is most a ninja space elf despite JMS' dislike for the trope.<br /><br />As for Sheridan's agency, it makes sense for him not to share his plan with too many people, lets the secret got out. Looks like Franklin knows what he's doing, but you'd keep motormouth Marcus out of the loop, and "everything shows up on her face" Ivanova as well.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-80335784894463635242014-09-25T09:00:17.577-03:002014-09-25T09:00:17.577-03:00Back when Sheridan and Ivanova made their planto t...Back when Sheridan and Ivanova made their planto the League regarding protecting B5 after it broke away, I was remembering this episode to come. In that one (A Late Delivery from Avalon, I believe) they basically put togethera briefing as to how it would benefit everyone. I thought that was much more grown up that what was presented here. Now that I actually get to the episode, I do admin that it's fun. And Franklin is slightly poking the fourth-wall with his "It seems every 4 months we've got to start over" comment. My only real issue is that there's no reason for Sheridan not to tell Marcus and Ivanova what he's doing. Even that though, I think ties into Sheridan's increased agency (and it also means that Garibaldi isn't completely incorrect in his accusations).<br /><br />The Minbari civil war seems to be one of the arcs most hit by the need to potentially end at season four. But we'll get more into that tomorrow.<br /><br />Lennier has a habit of being in the right place at the right time. He finds out about the Religious Caste's treachery by being nearby, and then later he catches Neroon sneaking out. Either that, or he's deliberately following people.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.com