The Man in Between

[bakana]

Both Sheridan and Sinclair had significant others working for IPX.

Not quite. Sinclair's significant other was a Freelancer. She owned her own ship and sold the results of her work to the highest Bidder.

Or to the company that offered her the Exploration Contract in the case of Sigma 957...

We've shot our first scenes between Sinclair and his new love interest. Catherine Sakai (as played by Julia Nickson).
This is a very, very strong character, and she brings a wonderful vibrancy to Sakai. They have a unique relationship that looks and sounds like a real relationship, with all its ups and downs and dumb moments.

One way that I've reinforced this is that...well. in the first episode in which they meet again (they were involved before). just about every scene between them is lifted almost directly from personal experience.

And given some of the awkward, even painful conversations that take place, it was very, *very* hard to watch this being rehearsed. (Michael and Julia worked over a weekend with the director to get the nuances just right.)
When it came time to shoot the scenes, much as I wanted to be on-set, I just couldn't do it. My heart just kept falling right down to my shoes.
I can't wait for the first person to say "I don't buy this as a real relationship" just so's I can whap him upside the head. But I have a hunch that won't happen. It comes across as very real, and as a very vulnerable moment for both characters.

"Write what you know," they said. Right. How about I just take a power drill and stick it in my ear...it'd be faster, less painful, and after a while I might even come to like it....

Catherine Sakai is a surveyer. She has her own business. She has her own ship. In some episode, she has nothing whatsoever to do with the commander, she's off doing her own business.
In "Mind War," as one example. we see her for 30 seconds with the commander in the morning, with both going off to their respective jobs, and that's it...the rest of the story she's in is exclusively hers, concerning something she runs into while on a survey run.

Regarding Catherine Sakai...believe me, this ain't a consort kind of relationship.
It will be monogamous, but difficult in many ways.
This has been an on-again/off-again relationship between them for years, made up of three parts passion and two parts teeth.

It will be a very fiery relationship.

And this is a woman with her own business, her own ship, who comes and goes as she wishes.
You have to understand that I love writing strong female characters, and Catherine will be probably one of the strongest.

jms

[Capt.Montoya]

ignore

Originally posted by Jan
I've discovered that it's easy to ignore posters who you decide are a waste of bandwidth. Click on the 'Members' button at the top of your screen, then find and click on the offending person's name. After their information, on the bottom right there's a link to click to add them to your ignore list.

You can also just click on the "profile" button at the bottom of the offending person's post. In the profile you'll see a link to add them to the "ignore" list.
That's also a quick way to add persons to your buddy list.

Since most of those obnoxious people are simply ignorant (both in manners and knowledge, the less they know the more they imagine they're right) I think there's some irony in ignoring them. Or maybe it's just poetic justice...

Now if the system could remember who to ignore when one forgets to sign in it would be peachy...

[Capt.Montoya]

Originally posted by grumbler
This is a fictional show which features oodles of conspiracies. You don't have to accept real-life conspiracies to enjoy conspiracy-laden shows like B5 or The X Files.

I agree with that but when people see a conspiracy behind any small unexplained detail in the series I think it's as illogical as "real life" conspiracy theories...
And would you believe that I found X-files so skewed towards conspiracies that I never got into it?

I think IPX would be similar to major USA aerospace companies like Lockheed Martin, heavily involved in government projects including secret defense projects. I don't think such companies are just front companies. But I may be wrong... maybe that's what they want me to think, and they are in control...

[Jan]

Originally posted by Ben-Thayer Dunnthaedt
I heartily salute WC for the repeated attempt at civility, way to go. I must endeavor to do likewise.

I've discovered that it's easy to ignore posters who you decide are a waste of bandwidth. Click on the 'Members' button at the top of your screen, then find and click on the offending person's name. After their information, on the bottom right there's a link to click to add them to your ignore list.

It's usually such a nice quiet forum...

Jan

[Ben-Thayer Dunnthaedt]

originally posted by nanorc
&%#$%^&^%$%^&@#*$%^

Oooohhhh..........I'm so hurt by such an intelligent, original exchange....................and straight out of Ain't it Cool News at that!

Guess I better move on before I lower myself any further towards your level, and pal - that's a loooong......waaaaaay......doooooown.

I heartily salute WC for the repeated attempt at civility, way to go. I must endeavor to do likewise.

[WorkerCaste]

Originally posted by nanorc
He was a horrible actor, completely the wrong choice for the role.

Since I am involved in this exchange, I feel the need to comment one more time. Nanorc, your second comments (quoted above) were actually better than your first. In the first you called Jeff Corey ugly and a redneck. That seems just mean spirited since it would not necessarily have relevance to how he did his job, even if the comments were accurate. In your second post, your comments bear more on the performance. "Horrible actor" and "completely wrong choice." You are certainly entitled to your opinions, and you're entitled to express them, although courtesy usually calls for people to add an IMO disclaimer rather than state the opinion as simple fact. I happen to disagree with both. Given Mr. Corey's body of work, it would seem that I'm not alone in my opinion of the first part, too. Mean spirited comments about actors, public figures, etc. almost always draw fire from people who are offended on behalf of the person who is the target.

[nanorc]

Originally posted by Ben-Thayer Dunnthaedt
WorkerCaste - Excellent post. And....The man was from Brooklyn, NY. Before you rip someone at least take a moment to get your demographics straight.

I can help you with the big words if you need it.

I was gonna use that one in the quote thread but it's a helluva lot more appropriate here. Do we have a smiley that flips off someone?

I really couldn't care less where the actor was from. He was a horrible actor, completely the wrong choice for the role. So f*** off, smartass.

[grumbler]

Originally posted by Capt.Montoya
Both Sheridan and Sinclair had significant others working for IPX. Both were interested in finding out about conspiracies but had no qualms about their loved ones working for IPX and never asked them to look into shady stuff at IPX.

... that we saw.

Sheridan seemed plenty leery of IPX in Thirdspace. In fact, the appearance of IPX at B5 while under quarantine in thirdspace shows us that they have at least high "unofficial" pull at Earthgov.

Then there is the personal factor too: I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories (I find them lacking in logic and intellectually dishonest).

This is a fictional show which features oodles of conspiracies. You don't have to accept real-life conspiracies to enjoy conspiracy-laden shows like B5 or The X Files.

[Capt.Montoya]

Both Sheridan and Sinclair had significant others working for IPX. Both were interested in finding out about conspiracies but had no qualms about their loved ones working for IPX and never asked them to look into shady stuff at IPX.
That's completely circumstancial but it makes me think that IPX wasn't intended to be just a front company to search weapons for Earthforce.

Then there is the personal factor too: I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories (I find them lacking in logic and intellectually dishonest).

I suspect we would have learned more about IPX in Crusade... another reason to deplore what happened with that show.
I guess that IPX relationship with Earthforce would have come up when the Excalibur went rogue and Max Eilerson would have had to choose whom to serve and whom to trust, and the crew to decide if they could trust him at all..

[bakana]

but not so much as to be just a "front company" in my opinion.

I'm quite certain the peoiple who run "Front" companies are quite happy when they make a profit outside the real purpose of the company.

A) They can spend that profit. Slush Funds can be very helpful.

B) It makes their cover look better.

C) I'm sure that Earthforce doesn't limit their desire for Alien Tech to just Weapons. Or things that can be turned into weapons.

[Capt.Montoya]

I think the comment of "the ones that decide the working day, hemlines, etc." from Justin was just a fancy way of saying that a few people take decisions that affect everyone and the general public follows them unquestioning.
Here's a comment from JMS about those words, from the Lurker's Guide:

Was Justin's description of who he was and who he worked for a reference to anything?
No, it's not from anything I'm aware of, though it's a concept that seems very natural.

I can't remember if Justin was in the Icarus... I suspect that the novel "The Shadow Within" would mention him if that was the case.
He may have been assigned by Clark's government...

I think the actor that portrayed him did a good job... maybe he didn't act the way some imagined he should, but that's a viewer interpretation problem in my opinion.
I agree that the mistery about Justin adds to his appeal.

Here are some quotes that relate to some speculations above:

> What, if anything, happened to the ship that originally
> discovered the ruins of Z'ha'dum?

As will be explained later this season, the ruins at Z'ha'dum
were detected by a long-range probe; same as the kind of probe IPX used
to find the other planet in "Mind War."

http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-4499
This "long range probe" may have been the beacon mentioned in Z'ha'dum.

Two different things...the allies of the shadows can know about
us, can have used influence to start infiltrating the Psi Corps, long
before we found out about them. And bear in mind that Earth is not
monolithic; the FBI may not know what the CIA is doing. That some in
the Psi Corps may have had something going on there doesn't mean anyone
from IPX knew about it.

http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-6224

IPX did seem to be heavily involved with Earthforce, but not so much as to be just a "front company" in my opinion. They also made lots of archaeological expeditions to profit from selling the artifacts, even if those weren't weapons. It certainly was secretive and involved in some shady dealings...

Note: for additional smilies (including flippant ones) you can check here BTD:

http://www.clicksmilies.com/

(just post them as an image)

[Ben-Thayer Dunnthaedt]

WorkerCaste - Excellent post. And....

Originally posted by nanorc
What a redneck.

The man was from Brooklyn, NY. Before you rip someone at least take a moment to get your demographics straight.

I can help you with the big words if you need it.

I was gonna use that one in the quote thread but it's a helluva lot more appropriate here. Do we have a smiley that flips off someone?

[WorkerCaste]

Originally posted by nanorc
Too bad jms couldn't have picked a different actor to play the part.

Actually, I would imagine that JMS was quite pleased to have Jeff Corey on the show. The actor was black listed during the hearings on Un-American Activity for refusing to name names. Afterward he became a teacher since he couldn't work. His students inluded some notables. Check him out on IMDB.

JMS was asked about having him in Zahadum and responded:

http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-454&query=corey

That, plus his other body of work, which is substantial. He's also served as an acting coach for many people I know. I have a great deal of respect for him, especially given how unfairly he was blown out of work in the days of the blacklist.

[nanorc]

Yes, Justin is the man in the middle, but the middle of what? Someones digestive track?

Boy, did that guy hit every single leaf and branch on his way down from the ugly tree. What a redneck.

Too bad jms couldn't have picked a different actor to play the part.

[cruiser]

Ummm, if IPX placed a homing device on the Shadow vessel that was rescued from Mars. Perhaps the Icarus was sent to the location of the homing beacon. Justin could have been assigned to the crew just as Anna had. Except he could have been briefed on the true reason of the trip, therebye enabling his position with the Shadows. It then follows that IPX could have been given enough knowledge to safely study the physical structure of a shadow vessel, but not the knowledge of how to safely merge with one and control it's awesome power.