Unpopular/overlooked things that you like?

[Looney]

Maybe this isn't something that is overlooked, but I feel it could use a mention - the effects shots of the interior gardens area. While watching PARLIAMENT OF DREAMS, 1.5, recently I noticed something great. I turned the contrast and brightness all the way up on the Blu-Ray player I was watching the DVD on. Just as Sinclair and Catherine Sakai are supposed to be walking into Fresh Air there is a shot of the restaurant entrance. With the brightness and contrast all of the way up I could REALLY see the night interior/exterior shot of "The Gardens" area in the background. I just love those shots of "The Gardens" when you see the gardens, lakes, buildings, and superstructure all around the cylinder. This shot also points to the fact that Fresh Air was remodeled during the series. The effects shot of the restaurant was re-done and it looks different in subsequent episodes, but that can fit in the logic of the story because restaurants get remodeled.

During MIND WAR, 1.6, Jason Ironheart is told it is five hundred credits a week for the standard guest quarters on Babylon 5. I wonder how much extra it would be if you had quarters that had a window to the gardens?

[Melanie]

I rewatched Grail yesterday and it was a lot better than I remembered. I liked seeing how the characters interacted with Thomas and Aldous. I remembered that there was a scene where Vir was being efficient in getting the data on something that Londo wanted money for, but I didn't realize it was this episode. The most recent episode I watched before it was Sleeping in Light, so it was quite odd to see the future emperor as comic relief again.

Seeing the real Kosh just tilt his "head" when the humans he had agreed to see ran off was funny. There was also some nice foreshadowing in his conversation with Sinclair where Sinclair basically said that people are nervous around him and Kosh replied with "Good". Yeah, don't trust the Vorlons.

[Ubik]

I'm quite sure that the complaints would've either been explained or made as many appearances as Delenn's gravity rings.

This still cracks me up every time I see it.

[Melanie]

Bit of a tangent here, but you made me kinda curious to re-watch LOTR. So I just did, and you know what, it's not quite as god awful as I remember it being.

I won't go over old ground with this one, because the flaws have been well documented. Those oft mentioned things aside, it's a fairly solid pilot and leaves a fair bit of scope for an interesting show. I do like the supernatural element of the ship being haunted.

I'm sure the quirks would have been ironed out as it went. It's a shame it didn't go to series because I have a feeling it might have been better than Crusade in the long run!

I think LOTR probably qualifies as 'unpopular' with B5 fandom... still unsure if I 'like' it though. I definitely didn't 'hate' it this time around, which is an improvement on last time I watched it!

Glad I could inspire a rewatch and less hate for it.

The original version of The Gathering ended up ironed out too. I'm quite sure that the complaints would've either been explained or made as many appearances as Delenn's gravity rings.

I've always liked Rangers.

My 'overlooked' episode is 'Grail'. Sure, it's silly in parts and the fact that the director didn't direct (Compton had been fired and this was his final episode) sure didn't help but it's a quiet, gentle episode that I like. And the speech where Aldous talks about his grief is so touching. I think if it had had a competent director it might have been great.

I easily recall two things from Grail. One is the scene with Aldous that you mention. The other is the courtroom scene in the beginning with the human suing the Vree because "his great-grandfather kidnapped my great-grandfather". I think I need a rewatch tonight.

[Jan]

DEFINITELY AGREE. I think GRAIL is a solidly written episode, but the performances from certain people are off key.

The actor who played Jinxo was on his first pro gig, iirc. I didn't care for the character of Deuce at all but he obviously played as intended since he came back later on.

[Looney]

I've always liked Rangers.

My 'overlooked' episode is 'Grail'. Sure, it's silly in parts and the fact that the director didn't direct (Compton had been fired and this was his final episode) sure didn't help but it's a quiet, gentle episode that I like. And the speech where Aldous talks about his grief is so touching. I think if it had had a competent director it might have been great.

DEFINITELY AGREE. I think GRAIL is a solidly written episode, but the performances from certain people are off key.

[Jan]

I've always liked Rangers.

My 'overlooked' episode is 'Grail'. Sure, it's silly in parts and the fact that the director didn't direct (Compton had been fired and this was his final episode) sure didn't help but it's a quiet, gentle episode that I like. And the speech where Aldous talks about his grief is so touching. I think if it had had a competent director it might have been great.

[Ubik]

I love that scene with Tirk and the other Drazi when they discuss his name and then can't stop patting each other on the shoulder/hitting each other.

Bit of a tangent here, but you made me kinda curious to re-watch LOTR. So I just did, and you know what, it's not quite as god awful as I remember it being.

I won't go over old ground with this one, because the flaws have been well documented. Those oft mentioned things aside, it's a fairly solid pilot and leaves a fair bit of scope for an interesting show. I do like the supernatural element of the ship being haunted.

I'm sure the quirks would have been ironed out as it went. It's a shame it didn't go to series because I have a feeling it might have been better than Crusade in the long run!

I think LOTR probably qualifies as 'unpopular' with B5 fandom... still unsure if I 'like' it though. I definitely didn't 'hate' it this time around, which is an improvement on last time I watched it!

[Melanie]

With your avatar, I imagined as much. The true Lyndisty was quite the reveal. She starts out as she says, "a most pleasant fact" and then quickly goes from cute and bubbly to creepy as hell.

The first time I watched it I was in disbelief for most of the episode. It was the morning after I had watched Severed Dreams and I was still thinking of Delenn's last second rescue. I remember thinking things like "Vir's getting married? This seems too good to be true." "No, there's no way he killed them. ... Wait. Did he... He actually did save them. And what going on with that Narn following Lyndisty if they're not dead?" "She's crazy." "Why must the craziest person on the station have a conversation with Vir after he was found out?" "Ivanova, you'd better tell Vir that you're taking over as Lincolni. You must've heard that he wanted to stay on Minbar."

Hi Melanie
Speaking of LotR:
the most overlooked and underrated character seems to me Tirk.
And what a heavy potential!

B5-Stefan


One of my favorite SIGs:
--
Tirk: "Tirk. Drazi. I carry very large things. I... I... Tirk. Drazi."
[LotR]

I love that scene with Tirk and the other Drazi when they discuss his name and then can't stop patting each other on the shoulder/hitting each other.

[B5-Stefan]

The second is Legend of the Rangers.

Hi Melanie
Speaking of LotR:
the most overlooked and underrated character seems to me Tirk.
And what a heavy potential!

B5-Stefan


One of my favorite SIGs:
--
Tirk: "Tirk. Drazi. I carry very large things. I... I... Tirk. Drazi."
[LotR]

[alpha128]

What I remember from A Day in the Strife is Vir being sent to Minbar despite his protests and the scene where the other Narns are stopping G'Kar from leaving. It also has the scene with Na'Far reporting to Londo and Londo asking him about the Centauri occupation while Vir was watching the whole thing.

I had forgotten that "A Day in the Strife" is the episode where Vir leaves for Minbar. The part I mentioned with Ta'Lon's "samurai code" is at the end of the scene where the other Narns are stopping G'Kar from leaving. And obviously Na'Far's report to Londo had a big impact on what Vir decides to do later.

Sic Transit Vir is #91. That's my favorite episode of anything. With Vir's underground railroad, his attempts at hiding what he's really doing, Ivanova's and Sheridan's subtle reactions when finding out, Londo being anything but subtle when reminding me of why I hate him mid-season 3 and summing everything up by calling Lyndisty a true Centauri it's the perfect combination of things I like.

With your avatar, I imagined as much. The true Lyndisty was quite the reveal. She starts out as she says, "a most pleasant fact" and then quickly goes from cute and bubbly to creepy as hell.

[Melanie]

For example, "A Day in the Strife" has a pretty low Poll 5 rating, #94 out of 114, but I think it has many memorable moments. I like that G'Kar has to deal with Centauri collaborators, "Vichy Narns" as it were. Stephen Macht was excellent as Na'Far, and I loved the bit near the end where Ta'Lon's "samurai code" required him to use his blade on himself once unsheathed. The parts with Sheridan at the Transport Association meeting were also great.

Interesting list. What I remember from A Day in the Strife is Vir being sent to Minbar despite his protests and the scene where the other Narns are stopping G'Kar from leaving. It also has the scene with Na'Far reporting to Londo and Londo asking him about the Centauri occupation while Vir was watching the whole thing.

I started at the bottom of the list and found Born to the Purple as #110. That one has some funny scenes I remember. Londo was hungover after a night with Adira and sent Vir the moon-faced assassin of joy to negotiate with G'Kar and not give away the homeworld. G'Kar gave Ko'Dath the exact same instructions. I like that foreshadowing of how the enemies are both trying to look out for what's best for their people. It's also the episode where Valen takes a gameboy from the future Emperor Cotto.

Sic Transit Vir is #91. That's my favorite episode of anything. With Vir's underground railroad, his attempts at hiding what he's really doing, Ivanova's and Sheridan's subtle reactions when finding out, Londo being anything but subtle when reminding me of why I hate him mid-season 3 and summing everything up by calling Lyndisty a true Centauri it's the perfect combination of things I like. Vir is my favorite character and this is the episode where we find out that he had gone from words to actions. He was protesting against the second Narn-Centauri war before it started, and now he's smuggled 2000 Narns to safety.

[alpha128]

Alpha128, Agreed, I love "A Day in the Strife" and Ta'Lon as a character.

It does help, however, that Marshall Teague who played Ta'Lon gave me a convention experience of a life time at Space City Con in January 2014.

I have described it on my blog here .

babylonlurker, I visited your blog and read your wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.

P.S. I'm glad you didn't have to cut anyone before resheathing the sword

[Jonas]

I think The Lost Tales is shockingly underrated, particularly the Lochley bit. What JMS does there, the way he reimagines religious/mythological concepts to tell a humanist story, is breathtaking. It's some of his finest writing and it bugs the hell out of me that it didn't receive more recognition.

[babylonlurker]

Alpha128, Agreed, I love "A Day in the Strife" and Ta'Lon as a character.

It does help, however, that Marshall Teague who played Ta'Lon gave me a convention experience of a life time at Space City Con in January 2014.

I have described it on my blog here .