Group Watch: The Coming Of Shadows

[SmileOfTheShadow]

This episode's a big one because it's the start of the Narn/Centauri war. Londo really falls down the dark path, which is noted in the fact that they changed his wardrobe to be a darker color and more militaristic in appearance.

The tragedy of the Centauri and Londo is really laid out here as the dying emperor's about to declare peace and thus would have avoided the entire next couple of years of Bab 5 problems. G'Kar's about to kill him in this one before it happens, and doesn't he feel guilty after what he found out. Interesting to see the differences in the guilt/lack of guilt between G'Kar and Londo when presented with almost the same situation. G'Kar thought things through and didn't go through with an evil act, in which he felt profoundly guilty, thus changing his ways. Londo on the other hand acts rashly, and shows no guilt afterward. It's really sad.

We also see our first ranger with Sinclair's message to Garabaldi. "Hello old friend..." which we found out was also transmitted to Delenn. To Dream In The City Of Sorrows offers a nice backplot for this one, and I'm glad I read that before watching this on this go around.

As important as this episode is..it's a little slow and wasn't as interesting as a lot of the others. I know this episode really pushed the events of the show off the edge of the cliff, but still. It was just a little slow, I don't know why i didn't like it that much. Didn't this one win a Hugo Award though? lol...so much for my taste.

[Babylon5fan07]

Here you and I have to disagree. I absolutely love this episode. I of course own the episodic soundtrack and the music absolutely fits the episode to a T.

I love the actor that portrays the emperor and of course in repeat of everything you said is just awesome. Of Season 2 this is in a way a continuation of Revelations...not too slow for me..just grips me and keeps me tuned the whole episode.

Alex

[Hal_10000]

Thoughts

This was one of the best episodes of the series because it has a running theme of choice and lost opportunities. The events of this episode are chosen by the participants. Londo makes the decisions in this episode that eventually doom both himself and his planet. I love the conversation between Londo and Vir, which essentially encapsulates the message of the series. We also see some dark foreshadowing in Londo's dream.

I also like it because it, as usual, shows hope in the gloom. Sheridan's maneuvering around Londo; the appearance of the Rangers.

And one it has one the great B5 quotes: "The past tempts us, the present confuses us, and the future frightens us ...and our lives slip away, moment by moment, lost in that vast, terrible in-between."

The older I get, the more true that is.

[Morden]

I agree with you, Hal_10000, for me too this is one of the best episodes of the show, full of character development, strong and intense moments, foreshadowing, memorable lines and a perfect soundtrack. It's also perfectly directed. And certainly it doesn't feel slow for me (except during the heart-attack-scene of the Emperor, which is in slow-motion ).

[SmileOfTheShadow]

I figured I'd get a lot of disagreement in this not being one of my favorites, because it really does progress the story IS a very in depth episode. I really can't explain my attitude toward it.

[RMcD]

Yes, that is a controversial opinion..

This episode blew me away the first time I saw it, because of that shivers-down-the-spine G'kar speech at the end which fundamentally altered the premise of the whole seies. Up to that point, although I'd been enjoying B5, I frankly thought it was hobbled by being a show about promoting peace (seems crazy now). In the era of franchised episodic television the idea that a major war could break out midway through a series' run just didn't compute at all.

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Yes, that is a controversial opinion..

This episode blew me away the first time I saw it, because of that shivers-down-the-spine G'kar speech at the end which fundamentally altered the premise of the whole seies. Up to that point, although I'd been enjoying B5, I frankly thought it was hobbled by being a show about promoting peace (seems crazy now). In the era of franchised episodic television the idea that a major war could break out midway through a series' run just didn't compute at all.

Yeah, G'Kar's emotion throughout the entire episode..the ups and downs..the hope then loss of hope and finally disappointment are definitely the high points of the ep. Andreas is amazing.