[B5JMS] For those in LA --
b5jms at mail.fsl.cs.sunysb.edu
b5jms at mail.fsl.cs.sunysb.edu
Thu Jul 28 04:26:12 EDT 2005
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From: Bob A <boba at eastlink.ca>
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 04:32:23 +0000 (UTC)
Lines: 572
Best B5 Episodes (IMHO)
I know, I know -- this has been done before ... but ... :-)
Here is my studied-but-unofficial list of best 34 episodes (out of 110,
not counting the TV movies) from the five years of Babylon 5. I've ben a
writer for about fifteen years, and worked in television a bit, so I
know a little about the special type of Hell that goes into a TV script
and production. Note that some of the key overall plot / story-arc
points happened in less-than-stellar episodes, but this is just a list
of my favorite episodes, regardless of how much they advanced the
overall story.
The best B5 episodes are easily among the best SF ever on television,
and a few of them are high drama by most anyone's standards.
Then again, they sometimes flopped big-time, probably because of budget
or time issues -- but that's a separate list....
All of you other B5 fans out there -- any comments or alternative
suggestions for this list (and the upcoming worst-episode list)?
- Bob Atkinson
Halifax, NS Canada
boba at eastlink.ca
CAUTION TO NEWBIES --- SPOILERS FOLLOW ....
Season 1 - The Setup
----------------------------------
#1 Midnight on the Firing Line
Great setup for the series without a lot obvious backfill, even if some
of the characters (and their accents) were still a bit rough (loved the
punk haircuts on the Centauri and Michael Garibaldi). For the first few
episodes it was hard for any of the characters to develop in the huge
shadow of steely-jawed Jeffrey Sinclair. Good cool beginning of the
Susan/Talia relationship (was this the first lesbian relationship on
prime-time TV?). And we find out what Garibaldi's second-favorite thing
in the universe is (#7 on my own list). Nice symmetry with this series
opening (and much later, its closing) with Mollari and G'Kar with their
hands on each other's throats ...it's a damned brave thing to start a
five-year story arc on TV...
# 13 Signs and Portents
Again, nice symmetry -- memories of Jeffrey Sinclair's missing hours at
the Battle of the Line and the first appearance of Mr. Morden ('What do
you want?') and a prophesy of Shadows and the end of Babylon 5 ....
#20 Babylon Squared
Babylon 4 and 5 together ... a real mind-boggler (with interesting
references to Kubrik's 2001) --- it's rare to see real interactive
parallel timelines separated by years in a TV show... it's too
complicated a concept for the masses... a brave move by JMS and a great
setup for future episodes ...a good first real view of the Mimbari Gray
Council... and all hail Zathrus!! ('Not the One !!!")
#22 Chrysalis
A great cliff-hanger for the end of season one ... New Year's Eve and
Mollari dueling with Mr. Morden and being "nibbled to death by cats",
Delenn in a cocoon, Narn Outpost 37 wiped out, Garibaldi shot and
President Santiago assassinated... yikes!!!
Season 2 - Things Start to Get REALLY Complicated
---------------------------------
#1 Points of Departure
New Commander John 'Starkiller' Sheridan walks in on a station with a
LOT of stuff happening ...no big plot advances (except for the reason
for the Mimbari surrendered at the Battle of the Line), but a good
changing of the guard at the top ...Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) is so
much more human a leader than Sinclair ...
# 2 Revelations
Our first view of the Shadows in Sector 37, the alien healing machine
and two friends save Mr. Garibaldi, Mollari on the fast track for
advancement and Mr. Morden's real pitch ...
#9 The Coming of Shadows
Great episode. Turhan Bey in the short but tasty role of the noble
Centauri Emperor Terhan, our first glimpse of the Rangers and the start
of the slow decline of Mollari ...
#16 In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
The dark background of Mr. Morden on the Icarus, Sheridan comes unglued,
the Ministry of Peace (thank you, George Orwell) and the Night Watch.
#18 Confessions and Lamentations
The Drafa plague kills an entire species a dark episode outside the
main series plot arc, but a powerful story revealing detail on the noble
characteristics of Dr. Franklin, Delenn and Lennier ('Faith manages
...'), with a hard-hitting ending ... Can you imagine a Star Trek
episode ending this way?? Well, only one -- Harlan Ellison's brilliant
'City on the Edge of Forever' from the original ST series. Sometimes bad
things happen to good people, and no-one -- not even the heros -- can
change that. This is an obvious truth you very rarely see in TV or film,
especially within SF.
Season 3 (Geez... and I Thought the LAST Season Was Complicated...)
-------------------------
#1 Matters of Honor
We see Marcus (with Mollari, one of the two tragic heroes in the series)
for the first time, while Mollari tries to cut the ties with Mr Morden
(hmmm.... what was his first name, I wonder? -- my money is on either
Sheckie or Dweezil). And we learn just how high Shadow influence goes
back on Earth. A solid episode that manages to move several sub-plots
forward at once.
#8 Messages From Earth
Dr. Mary Kirkish reveals just how close the Shadows and their technology
have come to Earth (well, Mars and Ganymede, anyway ...), and we see
G'Kar, in jail, as a changed person -- a religious legend in the
making, writing his book. I really don't know how Andreas Katsulas
regards this role he played for five years I've seen him in many
others, perhaps most prominently as a bad buy in the Harrison Ford film
version of The Fugitive. But G'Kar is the role he was BORN to play. In
this episode we learn of the creepy alliance of Psi Corps and the
Shadows and get more detail on the Night Watch agenda. And, for the
first time, Sheridan decides to move directly against their collective
plans. kicking some scaly Shadow butt on Ganymede. A solid episode with
few weak spots. (And who knew that the White Star ship could pipe in
rain sound effects?)
Favorite line, as they're desperately trying to escape from Jupiter's
gravitational field before they're crushed, pedal to the metal ...
Sheridan: " Full power ! Give me everything you've got ! "
Lennier: " If I were holding anything back I would tell you ... "
#9 Point of No Return
Martial law is declared on Earth (and B5). Mollari gets a prescient
visitor from Centauri Prime (Majel Barrett, in the second Star-Trek --
B5 crossover, after Walter Koenig) with a very disturbing message for
him (and for Vir). Meanwhile, the Night Watch start flexing their
muscles on B5 and G'Kar gets out of jail before his singing can hurt
anyone.
#10 Severed Dreams
Mmmmmm.... good episode ... the Alexander, on the run from Earth
Force, arrives at B5 (Bruce McGill, who was accidentally cast (mistaken
for his brother Everitt from Twin Peaks fame) in the part of Major Ryan
does a creditable job in the role (not as wonderful a job as he did in
an exceptional guest appearance as God the bartender in the last episode
of Quantum Leap or in a strange fallen-cop character in a Miami Vice
episode). ISN (cheesy graphics and all) is taken over by the Feds,
Sheridan and the command team make the final decision to rebel against
EarthGov. Delenn gets tough with the Grey Council (you'd think these
people could afford some chairs ...). Turns out that Sheridan has the
same father as Ron Howard. Way-cool space battle sequence (amazing that
all the B5 GG were done on mid-90's desktop PCs), culminated by a great
capper with Delenn arriving with the Mimbari Cavalry in the nick of
time. ("If you value your lives, be somewhere else!")
#15 Interludes and Examinations
Bad title, but pretty good episode. Mr. Morden does a little dealing,
Dr. Franklin (the late and lamented Richard Biggs) gets into further
trouble with stims and melts down big-time on the job, and Londo's
long-lost girlfriend Adira returns (well, sort of ... and what is it
with Centauri and bald chicks?). Sheridan finally goes toe-to-toe with
Kosh (actually, I'm not sure if they have toes as such ...Bruce
Boxleitner called him 'The Wurlitzer'). The Vorlons finally kick Shadow
butt, after 1,000 years. Kosh gets deep-fried by Mr. Morden's Shadow
hit squad. And Londo does a deal with the devil ... again...
#16 & 17 War Without End, Part One and Two
Wow ... Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare)) makes a surprise
re-appearance in a wonderful Babylon Squared (Season One) tie-in episode
pair, again with Kubrik references and bravely-running complex
(four-track) parallel time lines (past/present/future) rarely seen in
popular media SF. Our trio of heroes (Sinclair. Sheridan and Delenn --
all 'The One') save B4 and B5 (kind of...) and we get some fun scenes
with Zathrus (the late and lamented Tim Choate). And we see the end of
G'Kar and Mollari and Vir's rise to Mollari Emperor, as promised. Great
surprise ending, almost 1,000 years in the past. Honorable mention to
this two-episode segment in the Best-Episodes-Ever category, even if 90%
of the American audience could not understand all of it.
#21 Shadow Dancing
Two parallel plots -- one good (the League meets the Shadows in a huge
confrontation - the first epic-scale battle of the series) and one
mostly filler (Franklin meets himself after being stabbed on his
walkabout -- we've seen this device on a lot of TV shows before; some
people will go to any lengths to save on guest star costs). The
Alliance wins the space battle, but at a high cost; and the Shadows send
out their secret weapon ...
#22 Z' Ha' Dum
A huge plot turning-point in the whole series, with Sheridan going right
into the belly of the Beast at key Shadow base Z'Ha' Dum and taking them
out, big time, with a one-gigaton can of whoop-ass (you'd think they'd
have missiles or lasers to take out a ship dive-bombing their capital
city ...), but dropping into the abyss (in every way) in the process,
just as Shadow ships surround B5. Along the way, Mollari gets a
promotion (sort of ...) to Centauri Prime. Excellent back-fill info on
the Vorlons and the Shadows, Garibaldi disappears just as the Shadow
ships leave B5, and a monster cliff-hanger for the season finale with a
wonderful G'Kar soliloquy to end off. And it's directed by Mr. Spock's
son, no less ...
Season 4 (Where the proverbial shit hits the fan ...)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#1 The Hour of the Wolf
This season opens with everything in the dumper -- Sheridan missing on
Z'Ha' Dum, Delenn starving herself to death, Garibaldi missing, Mollari
back on Centauri Prime with the nutbar young Emperor Cartagia, Ivanova
blaming herself for everything while sucking up the vodka, and there's
discord in the League Council. And those are the GOOD bits !! Then
things get worse -- Mollari gets a visit from a scary old friend with a
really bad sunburn. We learn that Sheridan is presumed dead at the
bottom of a really, really deep hole on Z'Ha' Dum after setting off a
monster explosion there, Kosh2 (the one with the red pilot light) is
strangely silent (even for a Vorlon), the Shadows grab some nice island
real estate on Centauri Prime, G'Kar fins out about the Egyptian God of
Frustration and decides to head out to find Mr Garibaldi. Lita and
Ivanova take a quick trip to Z'Ha' Dum to telepathically dig for
Sheridan. (The setup for a busy & climactic season, all in 44 minutes
...)
#2 Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?
Sheridan learns a bit more about the really, really, REALLY old Lorien
(Wayne Alexander again). G'Kar and Marcus as a team looking for Mr.
Garibaldi; Delenn still on her crash diet. The collapse of the League
and the Rangers plan to attack Z'Ha' Dum. Best throw-away bit in a scene
-- G'Kar having to swallow after brushing his teeth (with his fingers)
because he has nowhere to spit in their hideout -- great shudder
...second best throw-away bit in a scene -- G'Kar examines Marcus'
fighting pike (check for the sound of crashing glass AND a scared cat in
the sound effects when it opens suddenly ...). Next, Garibaldi paces a
big round cell, G'Kar is delivered up as a little gift on Centari Prime
and further mind-games between Sheridan and Lorien.
#4 Falling Toward Apotheosis
[ Apotheosis means 'elevation to divine status', in case you were
wondering]. The Vorlon fleet is on the move, taking out any planet
touched by the Shadows, Sheridan and Garibadi (both recently returned
from the missing) are pursuing very different agendas. Meanwhile,
Cartagia plans the suicide of Centauri Prime and we meet his rather
desiccated "Shadow Cabinet'. Garibaldi gets a clean bill of health while
Sheridan gets some bad news on his long-term prognosis. Sheridan decides
it's now necessary to take out Kosh2, using his secret weapon... (the
climactic scene here is one of B5's homages (i.e.: steals) from the
classic SF film 'Forbidden Planet' (another one is the look of the Great
Machine)). Mollari schemes to get G'Kar's execution moved to Narn with a
hidden motive, and G'Kar gets some rather nasty eye surgery.
#6 Into the Fire
Ivanova and Lorien scare up another of the Old Ones to help out in the
coming battle with the Vorlons and Shadows while Sheridan and Delenn
take the fleet to Corrianis Six. Meanwhile the Vorlons approach Centauri
Prime, warming up their big death ray. Mollari finds of the truth about
who ordered the killing of Adira, and Mr. Morden pays the price. But not
before Mollari drastically reduces the resale value of Salini (just west
of the island of Salami, I assume), the island the Shadows currently
occupy on Centauri Prime. And finally, we get a front-row seat at the
space battle to end all space battles -- the Vorlons vs the Shadows, 15
rounds with no holds barred. And Sheridan's fleet is right in the middle
of it all. Back on Centauri Prime, Vir gets to finally wave goodbye to
Mr. Morden. After a huge battle, Sheridan and Delenn have a strange
metaphysical peace conference with the Shadows and Vorlons (good light
eyes / dark eyes on Lita), saving Corrianis Six, Centauri Prime (for the
moment, anyway), and, for that matter, the rest of the galaxy (and I bet
they didn't even get a pay bonus for this!). Lorien makes his big exit,
taking the Shadows, Vorlons and a few other assorted Old Ones with him.
# 12 Conflicts of Interest
Garibaldi as a PI, being recruited by the Mars biz bigwig William
Edgars. The Voice of The Resistance debuts, with a little help from
Zathrus (well; one of the ten, all with identical-sounding names -- this
guy was a treasure) and the Great Machine on Epsilon Three. This episode
is a great vehicle for Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), who has to bodyguard his
ex-fianc (now married to Mr. Edgars -- Efrem Zimbalist Jr. -- still
acting well after almost forty years since his last starring role) while
getting around a telepath hit squad AND Zack and his own security team.
As a result, his relationship with Sheridan hits an all-time low. We see
the first hints of the Telepath Plague in waiting (part of the Telepath
War in MJS's overall story arc, I'll wager). Sheridan gets G'Kar and
Mollari to grudgingly agree to a little subterfuge to get the Rangers a
new gig. Ivanova (Claudia Christian) has a great speech in her first VOR
broadcast at the end of the episode.
#15 No Surrender, No Retreat
Sheridan decides it's war with President Clark, and recruits some
support from the League worlds. And, for the first time, decides to go
after Proxima, Mars and, finally, Earth. And Sheridan has dark plans for
the telepaths put in suspended animation by the Shadows before they
left. Garibaldi hears about Sheridan's plan for Earth and goes
ballistic. Molari has a proposal for G'Kar, which he grudgingly accepts.
We have two tough, smart, excellent scenes with them in this episode.
Sheridan meets the Earth fleet at Proxima with some interesting
strategy. Captain Edward 'Maccey' MacDougan (veteran character actor
Richard Gant) of the Vesta starts an all- -too-brief turn, and a couple
of EarthForce ships join the Good Guys. And Garibaldi leaves B5 for Mars
and his new job.
#17 The Face of the Enemy
Sheridan and the White Star fleet push closer to Earth and meet up with
his old ship, the Agamemnon. Meanwhile, back on Mars, Garibaldi gets
ready to trap Sheridan for Mr Big (William Edgars) and Lita and Franklin
show the Mars resistance their telepath secret weapons ... Garibaldi
learns the real scope of William Edgars' plan, which triggers the final
stage of his hidden programming and he gets a visit from an old friend.
(In the flashback sequence, check out the one-line cameo appearance by
big-time SF writer/B5 creative consultant Harlan Ellison as a Psi Corp
brainwashing technician.) In Sheridan's absence, Ivanova continues the
march toward Earth.
#19 Between the Darkness and the Light
Sheridan's drugged-out interrogation continues on Mars, Meanwhile,
Garibaldi contacts the Mars resistance, but they're ticked off about the
little betray-Sheridan thing, so he has Lita do some psychic deep
probing to prove his innocence. (Great line about needing more fibre in
his diet ...) Vindicated (well, sort of ...), Garibaldi, Franklin, Lita
and the Resistance plan to spring Sheridan. MEANWHILE, the League votes
to support Sheridan's campaign on Earth. MEANWHILE, Ivanova and Marcus
decide to use the White Star fleet to take on a large,
Shadow-technology-enhanced EarthForce fleet heading their way, which
turns out to be a REALLY bad idea (and another great space battle scene)
... Garibaldi Lita and Franklin spring Sheridan from jail. (And what
did that guard to to Sheridan to deserve ***9*** PPG shots??) Ivanova's
fleet destroys the EarthForce fleet, but she is gravely injured. (A
great, hard-to-watch scene with her, Sheridan, Delenn and Marcus here...)
#20 Endgame
Hmmmm... ok... (wait for it ...) maybe the BEST EPISODE EVER ...
Ivanova is sent back to B5 to die, Marcus is a man destroyed by her
impending death. Meanwhile, on Mars, the final push to take back Earth
begins with some telepaths smuggled onto EarthFoce ships. The
EarthForce fleet is led by a master strategist who trained Sheridan. On
the way into the battle Marcus does a little research on extreme
techniques for recovering from near-fatal conditions. Back on Mars, we
have the lowest-altitude re-entry ever from hyperspace to take out some
ground bases, followed by a BIG telepathic ace up the sleeve for the
good guys. They disable the ships around Mars, then jump to Earth for
the final battle. Marcus finds a last-chance method to save Ivanova, but
at a great price. He leaves the fleet for B5. Sheridan's fleet arrives
at Earth with a stirring ultimatum for President Clark, who is already
way off the deep end. Clark sends everything but the kitchen sink at
Sheridan's force, then aims his last weapons at Earth itself (in a nice
homage to the opening scenes of Kubrik's Dr. Strangelove). In the
all-time best B5 battle-scene, the fleet takes on all of the EarthForce
ships and the planetary defence grid in a hopeless battle, to be saved
by a last-second intervention from his old mentor. ISN comes back on
the air for real, and Franklin chases Marcus back to B5, with a terrible
premonition of what is to come. The ending scene of this episode is
devastating -- Marcus makes the ultimate sacrifice for the woman he
loves. In all, this (along with a few original Twilight Zone series
episodes) ranks as perhaps one of the best SF television episode ever
made.
Season Five (and the tying up of a STACK of loose ends)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
#8 Day of the Dead
A strange premise and a strange episode, with the Braciri (sic?) Day of
the Dead celebration on B5 (where ghosts from our lives come back to see
us) and a visit by weird galactic comic duo Rebo & Zooty (Penn &
Teller). We wind up with a square mile of the station removed the
Braciri home world, 200 million light-years from the rest of the station
(sort of ... it's complicated) - very inconvenient ... More importantly,
a bunch of ghosts of people important in the past lives of our key
characters (Adira for Londo, Zoey for Lochley, Dodger for Garibaldi,
and, strangely, Mr. Morden for Lennier with some terrible truths, not to
mention Kosh for Sheridan) return to comfort them in rather different
ways. In this way we learn a lot of things about our key characters and
fill in a few holes in their past lives. A script device to tie up
loose ends without a huge SFX budget which nonetheless produced a
thoughtful and sort of creepy episode.
Most importantly, we learn that any Emily Dickinson poem can be sung to
the tune from 'The Yellow Rose of Texas'. (Mmmmmm.... very important...)
#15 Darkness Ascending
This one starts out with a creepy alcohol-induced (or maybe
Lita-induced) nightmare Garabaldi has about destroying the station.
Meanwhile Lennier is on Delenn's undercover mission on a White Star ship
to find out who is behind recent attacks on ships. And Lita is looking
for work for Byron's rogue telepaths, without much luck. Mollari is
feeling somehow out of the loop on B5. As Lise begins to dry Garibaldi
out, Lennier's fighter goes missing in hyperspace looking for a hidden
Centauri base. Lita picks up on an old offer from G'Kar to sell them
some of her telepath genetic material (and makes us ALL wonder as to
just HOW high her pleasure threshold is ...yikes....) Garibaldi and Lise
have the snarkiest waiter of all time at the Fresh Aire restaurant.
Lennier get the goods on the Centauri for the attacks, barely making it
back alive.
#16 And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
A great episode, advancing the overall plot line on a few fronts. The
League finds the Centauri guilty in a great cross-cut sequence between
the League meeting and Mollari's suite. Mollari, truly in the dark about
all this, tells the League to collectively take a hike. Stonewalled by
his own people back on Centauri Prime, he decides to head home to find
out what's going on, after he pulls their membership from the League and
they quarantine the planet.. War looms between the Centauri and the
League. G'Kar decides to follow Mollari as his bodyguard again and
leaves with him. Garibaldi is seriously back on the sauce again,
screwing things up all over. Ironically, Sheridan put him in charge of a
REALLY important communications function monitoring the progress of
ships on Centauri Prime (which could have been handled by the simplest
computer...and which he screws up). Back on Centauri Prime, the Regent
is mysteriously unavailable to Mollari, and Mollari is mysteriously
unavailable to Vir back on B5. Frankline hustles Vir out of his quarters
before things get too ugly. Back on Centauri Prime, the war is declared
and Mollari and G'Kar get thrown in the slammer. All in all, things look
pretty bad for Centauri Prime ...
#19 The Wheel of Fire
G'Kar arrives back on B5 to discover he is on the way to becoming a
deity; Garibaldi screws up one more time and winds up suspended because
of his fondness for the sauce; the legacy of Byron comes back to haunt
B5 and Lita, we learn that Lochley has something in common with
Garibaldi, the B5 brass discover that taking Lita into custody for
terrorist crimes back at home is harder than it might seem, Lise comes
back one more time to help dry Garibaldi out, we learn that Delenn is
PREGNANT (hmmmmm.....), Garibaldi and Lita exchange proposals on how
they could work together, and he learns a little more about the extent
of her psi powers. G'Kar comes up with his own solution for his and
Lita's problems. (opening the potential for an incredible new story
arc... maybe we could even learn just what Lita's pleasure threshold is
...mmmmmmmmmmm....). And we end with a sad image of Mollari, Emperor of
Centauri Prime, but under new management.
# 20 Objects in Motion
A touching episode of farewells. Garibaldi goes through the deep end of
detox, only to find out that a hitman is after him and Lise. Zack takes
over as head of Security even as the hitman arrives on B5. G'Kar feels
the weight of being a God to his people and plans for a quick getaway
with Lita, since they're now both fugitives from their own people. (But
not before he gets to meet the guy who makes the G'Kar dolls, who takes
his impending departure REALLY badly ... he accidentally shoots Lise at
their collective going-away party.) Garibaldi and Lita form an effective
interrogation team to get info from his would-be assassin. G'Kar, easily
the most thoughtful and even poetic character in the series, has a
touching farewell scene with Sinclair and leaves another touching
message for his appointed successor. Garibaldi accelerates his and
Lise's wedding plans and plots his revenge on the Edgars Industries
Board for that little assassination thing. G'Kar and Lita leave for
their new adventure (at least two years, according to Lita) -- now THERE
is a series I'd love to see !!!) Zack, in love with Lita for a long
time, is a silent witness to their departure. Garibaldi fires the Board
but keeps the good cigars, and appoints his replacement of head of
Intelligence of the Interstellar Alliance. Garibaldi has a wonderful
farewell scene with Sheridan and Delenn as he leaves, And Sheridan and
Delenn have one long last walk through the station.
#21 Objects at Rest
The changing of the guard at Babylon 5. Sheridan and Delenn get ready to
leave for the last time, to the new Alliance headquarters on Mimbar.
Talon, G'Kar's chosen replacement as Ambassador on B5 gets G'Kar's last
inspirational message. (I think, if I were Andreas Katsulas, I would
send JMS a note every day for the rest of my life thanking him for the
wonderful G'Kar scenes and dialogue he wrote ...) Meanwhile, Franklin
appoints HIS successor in MedLab, and get ready to head off to Earth for
his new gig. Lennier arrives to escort Sheridan and Delenn back to
Mimbar, with a totally unexpected result. Back on Mars, Garibaldi greets
an interesting new Board at Edgars Industries. Sheridan and Dellenn take
their final leave fro Babylon 5, ending in an emotional scene with a
salute from the new command to the old one. (If you have watched the
whole series and can watch this scene with dry eyes you have no soul !
It KILLS me every time.) On the trip back to Mimbar, a little accident
happens and Lennier decides that things might be better for his chances
with Delenn is Sheridan doesn't make it. Sheridan survives, and Lennier
heads out for parts unknown. Sheridan and Delenn arrive on Mimbar to be
greeted by Londo with a spooky gift for their child. Lennier offers his
going-away message to Delenn (and THERE is another good series
setup...). Molari offers his second-last goodbye message to Sheridan and
Delenn. Sheridan leaves a message for David, his unborn son, touching on
the fate of all of his friends from Babylon 5.
#22 Sleeping In Light
OK.... also a candidate for BEST EPISODE EVER !!!!
It is twenty years later -- 2281. Sheridan's time is at an end. He
invites all his remaining friends from B5 to one final gathering on
Mimbar. He has acquired a taste for the sunrise there. His friends
arrive -- Ivanova, Garibaldi, Franklin and the new Centauri Emperor Vir,
This episode is Bruce Boxleitner's finest moment in the series -- a
wonderful, truly stirring performance. The toasts at dinner are to
friends lost -- Molari, Lennier, G'Kar and Marcus. Ivanova gets an offer
to take over the Rangers. At dawn, Sheridan decides to take a last
Sunday drive. His last farewell scene with Delenn is truly
heart-breaking -- it would seem that JMS has learned a lot about life
along the way here -- an enviable position. Sheridan pays a final visit
to B5 (as it is finally decommissioned) on the way to an inevitable
reunion with Lorien, on the path to Corianus Six and a greater destiny
beyond the Rim. And that last sunrise is the greatest of all. Vir,
Zack, Ivanova, Delenn, Franklin and Garibaldi visit the station one last
time, just before it is destroyed forever, ending with a touching
Ivanova (Claudia Christian) epitaph for the series.
After five wonderful years, I was skeptical as to just how the Hell JMS
could top himself for the final episode and tie up some plot lines.
And damned if he didn't do it after all.
And, as Zack (and JMS) said ...
" We did everything we said we were going to do -- and NOBODY can take
that away from us -- or this place. "
Despite ALL the bumps and the pain you felt along the way ... well
done. Well done.
-------------------------------------------
The best B5 plot lines we never got to follow ...
> The Adventures of G'Kar and Lita in Space
> The Telepath War
> The Last Days of Lennier
> The rest of the Crusade Series (it was JUST getting interesting !!)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: jmsatb5 at aol.com
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:13:20 +0000 (UTC)
Lines: 11
-- who are fans of Fiona Avery's work on B5, Cruasde, comics and
elsewhere, she asked that I post the following link to a big signing
for her first novel on Wednesday July 27th at Golden Apple LA.
http://www.goldenapplecomics.com/crownrose.html
jms
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