Favourite "In the Background" Moments

[Spoo Junky]

Usually when I'm watching episodes, I'm concentrating on the main characters in the scene and don't notice what's going on in the background. I'm not talking about bloopers, just funny moments that you might otherwise miss.

When Zack gets his new uniform in "Atonement" and he's all upset about it, my favourite part in the background that I always watch for is the Minbari seamstress mimicking him and giggling with the other Minbari.

Are there any other moments like that that anyone's noticed?

[rallytbk]

Kewl thread

First season Blooper: Yeah, when Jeffery Sinclair and Michael Garabaldi go to the public bathroom (pissing) and a human female walks outà Funny.

Co-ed bathrooms in space?

I will think of more.

[Dr Maturin]

I noticed that the Minbari women are always hot. There are a few extras that made their way into a few eps who are extraordinarily beautiful.

[FuryPilot]

One of my favorites comes from the 1st season Ep "The Parliament of Dreams".

G'Kar is under a death sentence to be carried out by assassins of the Thenta Makur. During the Minbari Religious Ceremony he (along with the other major characters) is offered a small red fruit. In the background of one shot, you can see him quickly exchange his fruit with the one given to Ivanova.

FP

[Laiden]

In season 2 when Garabaldi first learns about the Rangers "The Coming of Shadows". In either the next episode "GROPOS" or in "All Alone in the Night" you see one pass by in the Zocolo. From that point they start to become more common from there.

also . . . the bathroom scene in season 1 is funny. I'll have to look for some of those other ones.

[Towelmaster]

Ivanova looking at Corwin when he is interviewed was quite a good one.

[Sherlock]

My favorite moment is having Peter Jurasik in the background (at the bar) out of costume, looking sad as Sheridan and Delenn leave the station for the last time at the end of Season 5. It's a nice reminder that the show was special for the cast, also.

[Towelmaster]

Peter J. was always good.

Saw him in Hill Street Blues as Sid the Snitch years and years ago and he was great. I didn't even recognize him as Molari until I checked IMDB. Sid's dying-scene was absolutely fantastic acting. Both by Peter Jurasic and by Bruce Weitz. Which brings me to my - slightly offtopic(only slightly? Yeees, only slightly) remark; Knowing that JMS loved the ol' Hill Street Blues I ask myself; why he didn't get Bruce Weitz as a guest-character to play againsts Londo? The magic was there years ago. He had Dwight Schulz on B5 and that worked fine I think.

Aw, and seeing the tough-as-nails Mick Belker completely lost after Sids death', well I ain't no crybaby and I saw SIL without a tear or whatever, but that scene was really 'lump-in-throat'-moving. It also showed that tv-series can also have outstandingly good actors in them.

I'd love to see a series based on Peter Jurasic, Andreas Katsulas, Bruce Weitz, Dennis Frantz, James Sikking, Jerry Doyle, to name but a few. It could be acting-dynamite.

/ot..


P.S. Best blooper ever in B5 for me, was the snippet where you hear Londo say 'I think I thaw a putthythat. I did see a putthythat'... :lol:

[ChrisM]

There's a great random moment in the customs area where a female extra slaps a male extra across the face and walks off to board a ship, followed by the male extra. Unfortunately I can't remember which episode it's in. Sorry.

[WorkerCaste]

... Knowing that JMS loved the ol' Hill Street Blues I ask myself; why he didn't get Bruce Weitz as a guest-character to play againsts Londo? The magic was there years ago. He had Dwight Schulz on B5 and that worked fine I think.

I seem to remember JMS commenting on the fact that Bill Mumy and June Lockhart didn't get a scene together when she guest starred in "Quality of Mercy." Or maybe it was Bill Mumy commenting about JMS's thoughts. Oh, well, IIRC JMS said that in the end, he didn't want the scene to be about a "Lost in Space" reunioun. He thought it would detract from the story he was telling. I think that's a risk you run whenever you bring together two people who have had great chemistry in some other series in the past.

[I love Lyta]

The last time I saw P. Jurasik in another series was in Sliders.
Even he could not save it from being an awful end for a series that started out being somewhat promising.
When I read the Legions of Fire trilogy I always had his voice in my head speaking the words I read.
OK, it was like this with all the known characters but his was the one I could recall best in my head.
Oh, and just yesterday I saw P. Woodward in an episode of Charmed.

On Topic: I also liked the Minbari seamstresses. It was such non-typical behaviour for Minbari.

[Jan]

I just saw Peter J in an episode of Night Court. He played a neglectful son.

On Topic: I'm rereading the Legions of Fire trilogy right now and was reminded that the young governess in 'In the Beginning' and that she was the daughter of Lord Refa taking care of the children of Urza Jaddo. That's one of those little things that enhances enjoyment of the show but wouldn't have detracted if you didn't know about it.

Jan

[Laiden]

I'm rereading the Legions of Fire trilogy right now and was reminded that the young governess in 'In the Beginning' and that she was the daughter of Lord Refa taking care of the children of Urza Jaddo. That's one of those little things that enhances enjoyment of the show but wouldn't have detracted if you didn't know about it.

Jan

Well that certainly answers another persons thread, and satisfied my curiosity! Thanks Jan, as always.

[ChrisM]

I half wonder whether Babylon 5 shouldn't be subtitled 'The Tragedy of Londo Mollari'. The Londo arc is as long and as detailed as any other arc in the series. The Narn-Centauri conflict is based around Londo and his choices. The rise of the Shadows is based around Londo and his choices. The fall of Centauri Prime is based around Londo and his choices. Londo's character and his development are shown in more detail than any other. He is there from the beginning of the Minbari war to his death at the hands of G'Kar, shortly before Sleeping in Light, and his decisions are shown to be the catalyst that allowed everything else to happen around him, giving the other characters purpose.

[Jan]

I half wonder whether Babylon 5 shouldn't be subtitled 'The Tragedy of Londo Mollari'.

I think it would be perfectly valid for it to be. And while JMS has often said that one of his themes is to show that the individual has power to create a good future, it should be noted that Londo, who started out as relatively powerless, helped create a negative future for his people even though he wanted only the best.

Welcome, Chris!

Jan