Watching B5 with C&T - Season 2

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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]

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]

"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!)

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[alpha128]

In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum

I introduced this one by saying that it was very important and they should pay close attention.

T made a lot of short comments, e.g., "Well", and laughed when Talia struck Captain Sheridan. Otherwise, not a lot of commentary from C and T.

C noticed Zack Allan for the first time (not surprising since this is his first big part), and asked me who that was. I said that was Jeff Conaway formerly of "Taxi".

At the end T said it was "an interesting episode".


Confessions and Lamentations

While we were waiting for C to join us, I reminded T about Dr. Franklin's mention of a good Markab doctor during "Knives", and said we would meet him in this episode. When C sat down I told her that there were a lot of aliens in this episode, even more than usual, but that "her buddy" (Keffer) was in it. Sure enough, C approved of Keffer's scenes and said they should use his character more.

During the early scene with Doctors Lazarenn and Franklin, T said that the situation looked suspicious. And upon learning the disease was 100% contagious and 100% terminal, T said, "It doesn't look good".

When Markab "yellow blood cells" were mentioned, T said, "I've never heard of those before, must be alien".

T laughed when the Markab girl said her mother's name was "Mama", but quickly said "Uh oh" when she became dizzy.

Near the end C asked, "They're all dead?" I replied in the affirmative. In the final scene C echoed Dr. Franklin's line that "nothing changes", and then T said something like, "It's pretty depressing that things are as screwed up in 200 years as they are now."

[Ubik]

Do you get the sense they are enjoying it? It's one thing I don't get from the rundowns. Is it animating them at all? How do they see it in the context of modern TV?

[alpha128]

Do you get the sense they are enjoying it? It's one thing I don't get from the rundowns. Is it animating them at all?

As I've mentioned before, I can tell that T is more into the show than C is. He's more engaged by the story, and the humor in the series is right up his alley.

On the other hand, there seems to be a direct correlation between how many male cast members C finds attractive, and how much she enjoys a series. She only thinks Keffer is good-looking. Given Keffer's impending demise, I sure hope C takes a liking to Marcus. Otherwise it's going to be a long rest of the series.

[Ubik]

As I've mentioned before, I can tell that T is more into the show than C is. He's more engaged by the story, and the humor in the series is right up his alley.

On the other hand, there seems to be a direct correlation between how many male cast members C finds attractive, and how much she enjoys a series. She only thinks Keffer is good-looking. Given Keffer's impending demise, I sure hope C takes a liking to Marcus. Otherwise it's going to be a long rest of the series.

Hahaha. Yes. I guess B5 didn't rely too heavily on the young, attractive cast members gimmick. Even though Claudia was very attractive, I never felt they really utilised it in an obvious way. Apart from the occasional saucy promo shot... It remains refreshing.