tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post8222369096833113113..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: Babylon 5 #53: Messages from EarthSiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-1331984245811238982014-09-01T21:19:07.038-03:002014-09-01T21:19:07.038-03:00I never knew the fact about the oft repeated "...I never knew the fact about the oft repeated "The Price of Freedom" line that I've just read on the Lurker's Guide. I only ever hear it said by Suspicious Types who want to infringe out freedoms by making us suspicious of everyone and spy on our neighbours. That it's a quote warning you to be wary of a government that wants to infringe your personal liberties is fascinating.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-26093935961792607012014-09-01T20:21:14.733-03:002014-09-01T20:21:14.733-03:00The little tweaks to the White Star bridge continu...The little tweaks to the White Star bridge continue to help. Obviously someone else had the same worry you did, Siskoid, about the high ceilings. The first shot of Sheridan and Delenn on the bridge show the ceiling, helping the whole place feel less like a set.<br /><br />Compared to my original viewings a decade ago, I'm really like the Seridan/Delenn relationship. It might be because I'm now married myself, but in a world where all TV romances are treated as if the participants are a pair of hormonal 20 year olds, it's nice to have this slower, sweeter approach. Sheridan has already been married, and Delenn is pretty zen, so it makes sense they'd just gradually drift towards each other like this.<br /><br />I love how this episode makes you think that they've gotten away with it. We have the conflict (the Shadow vessel), then the complication (oh no! Sheridan's old ship is here and is trying to capture/kill them), but they manage to escape. Garibaldi says "we got away with it", we then get a cutesy end scene with Marcus and Ivanova, all is good and OH NO THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT EARTH IS UNDER MARTIAL LAW OH SHIT!<br /><br />I've had to put the next episode on even though I need to go to bed. I can't stop here!LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-72845058908039916962014-08-29T12:50:58.604-03:002014-08-29T12:50:58.604-03:00"I think my favorite are the Centauri ships, ..."I think my favorite are the Centauri ships, which mirror their side-mohawks."<br /><br />I dunnno, I think that borders on being a bit too on-the-nose. (I'm also thinking of the comment in Matters of Honour where Ivanova says that the White Star looks "just different enough that it won't be recognised as Minbari". I'm pretty sure that they just took the tail fins from the Minbari flyer and stuck them on the White Star.)<br /><br />I also think it's a bit unfair to Trek. By and large, a Federation ship looks like a Federation ship, Klingon ships look like Klingon ships, and so on. Both suffer a bit from "only one capital ship" syndrome.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-37871094923118863682014-08-29T12:30:31.616-03:002014-08-29T12:30:31.616-03:00Probably worth noting (especially since it won'...Probably worth noting (especially since it won't be dealt with in the show) that Garibaldi's encounter with the Shadow vessel on Mars was featured in the DC Comics Babylon 5 series, which came out well before this episode. (The other person he was with was, in fact, Sinclair; if I remember correctly, that was when the two first met.)Green Luthorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11808312988625889127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-61689248952655068042014-08-29T12:22:58.940-03:002014-08-29T12:22:58.940-03:00As much as I love the Federation and Klingon stars...As much as I love the Federation and Klingon starships, B5 has Star Trek beat hands down when it comes to starship design. Not only are the ships visually impressive, but each of the major species has ships that match their physical and psychological characteristics. You can immediately tell which ship is Minbari, which human, which Shadow, etc.<br /><br />I think my favorite are the Centauri ships, which mirror their side-mohawks.Doug Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05651720537097952075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-89042066096386789442014-08-29T12:15:43.903-03:002014-08-29T12:15:43.903-03:00Mike Vejar's (soft "j" sound) nickna...Mike Vejar's (soft "j" sound) nickname among the crew was "Vejarder and Vejarder," for how he was always pushing for a bit more out of everyone. And it really paid off in episodes like this. Even little things he insisted on with no purpose besides "It'll look cool," like the two pods that slide closer together in the White Star's battle mode, just work somehow.<br /><br />The Ranger outfit does a good job of hiding it, but Jason Carter is actually a rail-thin guy who you'd never believe was capable of kicking any ass. And yet the opening fight scene here is all him, including running up the wall. One person who was utterly unimpressed on first meeting him was Claudia Christian, who couldn't believe it when JMS said he would be her new love interest now that Talia was gone. And that was exactly the reaction he was hoping for, as it bled into her performance and resulted in Ivanova's standoffishness towards this new guy she can't understand completely believable.<br /><br />This is one of those times where having Sheridan rather than Sinclair is a real bonus. It's hard to imagine the Mars-born Sinclair being quite this troubled over going against Earthforce, but it provides some great character stuff for Sheridan that will continue to evolve quite nicely.<br /><br />One thing I've never seen anyone else mention: Boxleitner almost blows his line "Damage to the ship?" during the battle. Were there really no better takes of it?Ryan Lohnernoreply@blogger.com