Watching B5 with C&T - Season 2

[Looney]

"And Now For a Word"

I introduced this one by saying that it turned the typical B5 episode format on its head.

Not a lot of commentary from C & T. When we got to the Psi Corps commercial, T remarked, "It even has commercials." After the subliminal message was displayed, I asked, "Did you catch it?" T said he saw a flash but that he couldn't make out what it said. After the episode was over, I went back and paused the episode at the crucial moment so they could read the Psi Corps message.

At the end, T said that he wished they had made that episode earlier in the series, because it did a good job of filling in the backstory.

I think this episode is absolutely brilliant and I think they should have done more than two episodes with this format. I agree that an episode like this would have been helpful earlier in the series, but I don't know if there would have been enough going on, i.e. it would have had to be a random Raider attack or something. An earlier episode definitely would have been helpful for backstory exposition.

"Knives"

I reversed the order of the next two episodes in accordance with JMS' initial plan:

At the beginning C was bemoaning the lack of Keffer. When Sheridan found the dead Markab with his head bashed in, C said, "They'll show that, but not the only good looking male character on the show." C jumped when the dead Markab reached out and grabbed Sheridan.

After a while both C and T figured out that Sheridan's encounter with the dead Markab was somehow causing him to hallucinate.

When Urza Jaddo came to Londo's quarters and Londo was serving Brivari C asked, "He keeps his drinks in a safe?" "Maybe it's really old?" I replied.

After Londo accepted Urza's duel to the death, C said that if Londo died it would be no big loss because he wasn't that appealing of a character. (Don't shoot the messenger!)

All I will add is that I can see why people might not think much of Londo at this stage because that is where he is. He started as someone who was dealing with a being a non-factor and now he is becoming a major factor through underhanded means that are getting people killed. There can't be much appeal for someone who is turning from non-factor into villain.

[Jan]

As with Jan's sister, C's reaction to Londo seems based more on the character's appearance than his actions. During her Keffer rant she said something like, "This show has one good looking guy and a bunch of alien freaks." I hope she takes a liking to Marcus next season!

We may have real examples here of why the studios always want young beautiful people in their shows.

[alpha128]

I kinda like hearing this kind of comment, because Londo does start out fairly detestable and becomes a tragic hero that redeems himself. Will be interesting to see if that assessment changes by then end of the series.

Oh, I know that feeling! My sister watched the show and said she really liked it BUT she could never get into G'Kar because he looked like a lizard. Seriously???? Sigh...

Yes, I'll be interested to see if C changes their mind eventually.

As with Jan's sister, C's reaction to Londo seems based more on the character's appearance than his actions. During her Keffer rant she said something like, "This show has one good looking guy and a bunch of alien freaks." I hope she takes a liking to Marcus next season!

[Jan]

After Londo accepted Urza's duel to the death, C said that if Londo died it would be no big loss because he wasn't that appealing of a character. (Don't shoot the messenger!)

Oh, I know that feeling! My sister watched the show and said she really liked it BUT she could never get into G'Kar because he looked like a lizard. Seriously???? Sigh...

Yes, I'll be interested to see if C changes their mind eventually.

[Ubik]

"And Now For a Word"

After Londo accepted Urza's duel to the death, C said that if Londo died it would be no big loss because he wasn't that appealing of a character. (Don't shoot the messenger!)

I kinda like hearing this kind of comment, because Londo does start out fairly detestable and becomes a tragic hero that redeems himself. Will be interesting to see if that assessment changes by then end of the series.

[alpha128]

"And Now For a Word"

I introduced this one by saying that it turned the typical B5 episode format on its head.

Not a lot of commentary from C & T. When we got to the Psi Corps commercial, T remarked, "It even has commercials." After the subliminal message was displayed, I asked, "Did you catch it?" T said he saw a flash but that he couldn't make out what it said. After the episode was over, I went back and paused the episode at the crucial moment so they could read the Psi Corps message.

At the end, T said that he wished they had made that episode earlier in the series, because it did a good job of filling in the backstory.


"Knives"

I reversed the order of the next two episodes in accordance with JMS' initial plan:

Actually, the chronological order was *supposed* to be "Knives," THEN "Z'ha'dum." In "Knives" you get the reminder about Anna, then in "Z'ha'dum" you get the payoff. That was originally how they were intended to be aired, but there was *so much* CGI work and rotoscope work and creature animation involved in "Knives" that it got flopped to second in that order. So while it works *best* the way it was intended, it still works okay in this order. - JMS

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/039.html#JS

At the beginning C was bemoaning the lack of Keffer. When Sheridan found the dead Markab with his head bashed in, C said, "They'll show that, but not the only good looking male character on the show." C jumped when the dead Markab reached out and grabbed Sheridan.

After a while both C and T figured out that Sheridan's encounter with the dead Markab was somehow causing him to hallucinate.

When Urza Jaddo came to Londo's quarters and Londo was serving Brivari C asked, "He keeps his drinks in a safe?" "Maybe it's really old?" I replied.

After Londo accepted Urza's duel to the death, C said that if Londo died it would be no big loss because he wasn't that appealing of a character. (Don't shoot the messenger!)

[alpha128]

Doesn't that also give you all the spam posts? Sometimes that's a couple of hundred before I get around to whacking them.

Yes, it does show all the spam posts - unfortunately.

[alpha128]

I have to instruct my brain to come to the main forum page and ignore that thread exists and click on the Babylon 5 forum every time.

Yes you do! Or bookmark the Babylon 5 forum link and go there first.

BTW, my initials are also J.S.

Three J.S.'s at one site?!? "Interesting. Do you know that the odds of this particular combination are 5000 to 1 against?"

[alpha128]

Cool to see them steadily engaging more with the show. I wonder if, by the end they'll be mega fans? By the time you hit the end of S3, I think you should have a good feel for if they love it or not.

If my own experience is any guide, I agree that S3 will be a turning point. I started watching B5 circa September 1994, not long before the S2 premiere. Fortunately the S1 episodes I saw included repeats of "Signs and Portents", "A Voice in the Wilderness part 1", "A Voice in the Wilderness part 2", and then "Chrysalis".

I watched all of S2 and thought it was good. But when I got to "Severed Dreams" in S3, I remember thinking, "Whoa, this show just got really good!"

I can tell that T is currently more into the show than C is. So I wouldn't be surprised if T reaches mega fandom.

[Jan]

Or you could just clock the "new posts" link at the top of the forum, which gives you all the posts you haven't read since you were last here.....
I shall admit i missed it for years as i wasn't really looking for it.

Doesn't that also give you all the spam posts? Sometimes that's a couple of hundred before I get around to whacking them.

[Looney]

The only issue with clicking on New Posts, or if you are not signed in Today's Posts, is having to scroll down through the spammers in the Introductions Forum if they attack in force while Jan is having lunch or something. It isn't really that big a deal other than I have missed stuff and I was wondering if others have had the same issue. I actually wonder if any Users have gotten to the point where they get bored and stop checking in because they don't think anyone is posting about B5 other than those posting in the "Silly B5 Conversation" thread. I know that is a stretch because there isn't really much B5 conversation going on anywhere, but I was thinking about what might have happened over time.

[phazedout]

Or you could just clock the "new posts" link at the top of the forum, which gives you all the posts you haven't read since you were last here.....
I shall admit i missed it for years as i wasn't really looking for it.

[Looney]

Be sure to click on the Babylon 5 forum link for all your C & T updates!

Yeah that is why I said I was lazy. I come to the forums and see which forums have new posts. The problem is that so many people frequently post in that thread that it can appear for days that nothing is new, i.e. Melanie is the most recent post and maybe the last time I checked it was Melanie, but in fact someone else posted then Melanie again. So it tricks my brain into thinking nothing is new because over time it appears Melanie's one post is the only thing new. (Melanie is just a name I chose as an example because of the last post in that thread at the time of writing this.) Basically the point is that I have to instruct my brain to come to the main forum page and ignore that thread exists and click on the Babylon 5 forum every time. Or have that thread moved out of the Babylon 5 Forum to a place where it can no longer make me have to remember to ignore it and click the Babylon 5 Forum.

In all seriousness I do wonder how many Users fall into this same trap. You come to the main page. You see the most recent post in the Babylon 5 Forum was in the "Silly Conversation" thread. You see the ID is the same as the last time you checked the main page so you ignore clicking on the Babylon 5 Forum because it appears nothing is new when in reality there could be more. You saw a name as the most recent Babylon 5 Forum post.
Then other posts in the Babylon 5 Forum happened. Then that same person came back and posted in the "Silly Conversation" thread again making it appear nothing had changed because they became the most recent post on the main page. Anyone else think this or have heard other people make this same comment?

BTW, my initials are also J.S.

As far as seeing the show for the first time today I think the only reason I would stick with it through the first part of Season One is the visuals. Of course eventually the story would hook me.

[Jan]

Cool to see them steadily engaging more with the show. I wonder if, by the end they'll be mega fans? By the time you hit the end of S3, I think you should have a good feel for if they love it or not. I always wonder what I'd make of the show if I came to it as an adult and not in my teens. My nostalgia colours my viewing quite heavily. I can overlook a lot of the little flaws because of that, in fact I kinda love the flaws.

I do wonder if I'd be so forgiving if I came to it fresh now. I wonder if I'd even make it through S1!? I probably would.

I was 39-ish when I encountered the show but I'm a fairly uncritical viewer. Do I like the characters? Am I interested in the story being told? That's good enough for me.

[Ubik]

Cool to see them steadily engaging more with the show. I wonder if, by the end they'll be mega fans? By the time you hit the end of S3, I think you should have a good feel for if they love it or not. I always wonder what I’d make of the show if I came to it as an adult and not in my teens. My nostalgia colours my viewing quite heavily. I can overlook a lot of the little flaws because of that, in fact I kinda love the flaws.

I do wonder if I'd be so forgiving if I came to it fresh now. I wonder if I'd even make it through S1!? I probably would.