TV Guide: An Opinion Roll to Recently Watched Episodes

Submitted by diaskeaus on Fri, 03/23/2007 - 08:51
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  1. [3.24.07] BSG 3:13 - Taking a Break from All Your Worries - I hate marital distrust battles. If Apollo does get back with Starbuck, what kind of life would they actually lead? Talk about mistrust...
  2. [3.25.07] B5 2:1 - Point of Departure - It's fun to be back in the B5 circuit. As geeky as this show is, it's nice that it takes itself seriously and the actors are focused and care about their roles. It still cracks me up that Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi) is a prime time radio talk show host now.
  3. [3.25.07] B5 2:2 - Revelations - A little melodramatic. Feels like the new captain still needs to get used to his new acting job and find his character. Hopefully he "mellows" out a bit and stops trying to pump in extra energy not needed to his character.
  4. [3.25.07] B5 2:3 - The Geometry of Shadows - The technomages were a really cool idea, but I couldn't help but feel the monster they conjured for Virr was all too similar, or even an enhanced replica of the "ogre" from the Dead Ale Wives D&D spoof. I wonder.
  5. [3.25.07] BSG 3:14 - The Woman King - What's the deal with the title anyways? Weird... I was particularly riveted by this episode and the amount of attention placed on Helo, on little inconsequential details like a sideglance or a certain physical interchange or change in scene that really told more than any amount of special effects or long monologues could have.
  6. [3.26.07] BSG 3:15 - A Day in the Life - I enjoy how I can watch this show and feel like I'm not actually watching a sci-fi show, but at the same time know that intrinsically they are on a battleship in deep space, coping with all of these things. It's a nice feeling.
  7. [3.26.07] B5 2:4 - A Distant Star - Feed in the melodrama! Jeez. Every word out of the captain's mouth sounds like he should be wielding a saber in one of Hollywood's old sword and cloak blackies. With five seasons, it has to pan out soon.
  8. [3.26.07] B5 2:5 - The Long Dark - I think BSG is what's causing this weird reaction to B5. BSG actually succeeds with what B5 tries to do, in that really creating good character stories rather than epic romantic tales. As for this episode, one-day romances *suck*. Such stunts are only weak ploys for character development, which of course never work properly and only in reality, speak about the raging insecurity and headstrong foolishness of that particular personality (Dr. Franklin, who hardly seems capable of making such rancid judgments).
  9. [3.26.07] BSG 3:16 - Dirty Hands - Yep, a winner. The play at a mock-up Communist Manifesto was a bit cheap, but at least it had a good follow-through. BSG has this quality where although the episodes do focus on individual character development, the choice of angle and shots are usually off-character, framed so that the affect of action is what the viewer is concerned about, not the character themselves, which combined with good taste to their art, allows them to focus on being part of the overall story rather than the central point of attention.
  10. [3.26.07] BSG 3:17 - Maelstrom - My first, immediate thought is that she is not dead but rather one of the final five. Or something even weirder. I think zooming in to character's faces, to show the little expressions like the changing of the mouth and the way the eye moves really helps in bringing out the story. I know I've stressed a lot about these little details that BSG does so well, but I'm beginning to notice it more and more now since I've realized. It helps a lot, and I would assume helps encourage the actors to loosen up, so that they don't feel like they need to be at the center of every scene, controlling their whole body. Instead, they can focus on just one part.
  11. [3.26.07] B5 2:6 - Spider In the Web - Some of the characters are being more or less defined - Sheridan is a conspiracy theorist, while Garibaldi and Ivanova seem to be lost trying to figure out where they stand with Sheridan. The new captain seems to have shaken up the whole crew and their respective acting abilities, all save the two weird alien ambassadors (who are both highly accomplished actors in their own right).
  12. [3.27.07] BSG 3:18 - The Son Also Rises - Ugh! What's with these horrid episode titles? Please stop butchering Hemingway, eh? On another point, this villain is worth studying as an archetype. Almost makes one wonder if he's even human (which I'm sure is the writers' intent). If Bono studied law, instead of music...
  13. [3.28.07] B5 2:7 - Soul Mates - This episode felt better. I suppose that's because the actors were better, and there weren't so many Flash Gordan, rah rah dialogues. You have an episode that focuses on the two most accomplished actors of the whole bunch, and it's a much better journey.
  14. [3.28.07] B5 2:8 - A Race Through Dark Places - I think I'm getting a better idea of Sheridan - the geekiness probably comes from the series' author, I would imagine. He's got this intricacies that seem fairly personal, almost out of character, so much that a battle-hardened soldier out at the edge of space could never have, not with the kinds of things seen. It's interesting to see an author's personality shine so freely through another person.
  15. [3.28.07] B5 2:12 - Acts of Sacrifice - That's the last time I want to see Claudia Christian even try to portray sex, even if she is trying to be weird. I was so embarrassed I had to look away from the screen, and I was sitting alone in my room, behind a closed door listening at low volume wrapped in blankets. And apparently Darwin was popular in the outer rim as well, and his Natural Survival theory gone through hyperspace - or perhaps Darwin himself, was an alien...
  16. [3.28.07] B5 2:13 - Hunter Prey - Clever, clever. They are finally starting to understand bringing in characters we don't know and situations we weren't privy to and still aren't outside of that specific in-episode event, to interact with main characters, to create suspense. What I like about B5 is their refusal to bow to traditional animal-like alien forms, but rather go with something non-traditional, but still there is an element of similarity in it. Always can improve.
  17. [3.28.07] B5 2:09 - The Coming of Shadows - The introduction of the rangers - sweetness. B5's biggest mistake was taking Michael O'Hare off the main cast, but keeping him on as probably the coolest character of the series now was definitely a bright idea. What's better than a super-spy ambassadorial mystic powerhouse of a fighter pilot? That and when he talks he doesn't sound like a dull 50's comic book. Albeit he's not Oscar material, but for a television actor, he's got spirit.
  18. [3.28.07] B5 2:10 - GROPOS - Just realized I skipped over some episodes today, and watched them out of order. Nuts. Things do make more sense though, like why Londo said he was in higher fame with the ruling class, and the development of Franklin's character (which was never -really- emphasized before the arrival of his father). Still have one episode to go to fill the gap though. I feel dumb for watching them out of order though.
  19. [3.28.07] B5 2:11 - All Alone in the Night - Babylon 5: Staging ground for coup d'etats. Or something like that. Four melodramatic warriors facing off against a formidable empire, it's almost good hash for a sci-fi roleplaying game. I wonder why it's never been done? Still, after this episode, the whole red ribbon thing makes a lot more sense, as does the allusions to "alien kidnapping" and the captain's increasing elusiveness to any form of official military authority outside of his little rebel squad. "The Hand," indeed.
  20. [3.28.07] B5 2:14 - There All The Honor Lies - Cute play on words. The teddy bear at the end was stupid, but endearing if the tale weren't about first degree manslaughter. These episodes try to cram so much into one viewing, and although the intent is admirable, it doesn't always work, especially with the flat camera angles and optimistic acting (when the story is actually dark and dour). Nevertheless, it's fun, which in television, is what counts.
  21. [3.28.07] B5 2:15 - And Now For a Word - Brilliant. Now it would suck bad if they did a lot of episodes like this, but sticking this little creative endeavor to explain the horrific nature of war was a good tactical move. That was how Farscape (IMHO) fell, because they started to become -too- creative and distanced themselves from their audience in favor of art that eventually became too convoluted and strange and lost that touch of magic that the galaxy inherently has within it.
  22. [3.28.07] B5 2:16 - In the Shadow of Zhadum - Racking up the episodes! Number ten and counting.... yes, that's sad, but today was pretty boring. I hate unplanned vacations. Either you have to spend money or have lazy friends, and I'm not privy to entertaining myself at a whim or intruding on busy lives, so days like today happen, just so. Sheridan is turning out pretty cool, and less Flash Gordan, more Herbertish, like a prophet fighter, sort of like Sinclair but happier, less angry, and more passionate.
  23. [3.29.07] B5 2:17 - Knives - It's funny how, even though the series was written in entirety from the beginning, they still have episodes like this where little side-stories take up entire shows, and they never touch on the main storyline during the course of the episode. I'm not sure exactly why, but perhaps it's because they think television is a medium that has certain rules, and they are trying to respect those rules.
  24. [3.29.07] B5 2:18 - Confessions and Lamentations - Waaa. Serious subject matter here. Interesting how B5 is able to express such difficult and troubling ideas and still remain entertainment rather than art or propaganda. And more and more, I'm discovering the series only focusing on the central four characters: the captain, the commander, the chief, and the doctor, along with side-stories from the ambassadors.
  25. [3.29.07] B5 2:19 - Divided Loyalties - Yes, and no. I'm "divided" on how I feel, because Talia Winters, with Ironheart's power, was a cool "good guy," but now that she's evil that's a bit frightening. But now that Babylon 5 has no resident telepath, who's next? Is this the beginning of the split? Ivanova? Good episodes make for good questions, as long as they are answered eventually.
  26. [3.29.07] B5 2:20 - The Long Twilight Struggle - So they basically took the pieces of a chessboard and chucked them onto a board in one fell throw, and now we have the next sixty or so episodes until the end of the television series, plus a movie, to fix the mess they made. It's almost epic. But at least the characters are more defined now, and Sheridan is more at ease with himself.
  27. [3.29.07] B5 2:21 - Comes the Inquisitor - "Remembered only as Jack," as it ends. Still, he rocked as an actor, and you could tell from the episode everyone drew from his energy. I liked him better when he was just "Sebastian" though, and don't like that last line. It's not important to the story, and that's not the point, even though his last monologue was great. It would have been better if his identity was implied, or less stressed.
  28. [3.29.07] B5 2:22 - The Fall of Night - If B5 were anime, the whole series would have ended here, and everything would have been at peace when the light fell. Lucky for us it isn't... on a similar note, a splendid episode. I hope they can keep up the energy throughout the next season, and have less diversions, or at least, less campy diversions. It seems like they were experimenting with many different cinematographic styles. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the crew on B5 eventually moved to BSG with what they learned.
  29. [3.29.07] B5 3:1 - Matters of Honor - Look! It's Aragorn in space! And... he's a Ranger? No WAY!! Wait a second..... Are they trying to say something? The shadows' base is in Zhadum (pronounced Zha-ha-doom), the good guys are empowered by the technology (swords!! ..or guns, rather) of the angelic and immortal Vorlon (can you say... Gandalf?) and the elvish ("ahem") Minbari (a little Quenya, anyone?), fighting against the demonic and chaotic Shadows who exist beyond the known borders of the world, and attack from within using a revived corpse to give aid and information to any who ask, only for a price... Yeah. Can you repeat after me? Tolkien In Space. Not to mention their freaking battleship is called The White Star, which is a direct reference from Sam Gamgee, as an epiphany that the Shadow is but a small, passing thing.
  30. [3.30.07] B5 3:2 - Convictions - Ted Kaczynski... well I guess there's no problem mimicking the Unibomber, when they've already done Jack the Ripper. Who's next? Zodiac? The Columbine boys? Or maybe even Charles Manson? The Nightwatch is already scary enough.
  31. [3.30.07] B5 3:3 - A Day in the Strife - So what, now Virr is going to come back to B5 someday as a revolutionary, empowered by the Minbar? Probably. He's a cool enough character, that he and Londo facing up someday will probably become a reality, when he won't be able to be ignored anymore. But now G'kar has a new, cool bodyguard - how can you beat a super-warrior who survived alien experiments and a war, who carries around a samurai sword protecting heads of state?
  32. [3.30.07] B5 3:4 - Passing Through Gethsemane - And Charles Manson it is! Except Charles Manson is a monk, who's real name is Charles Dexter, and has been mind-wiped and then killed in revenge by a guy who looks just like Charles Manson, who then is mind-wiped and joins the monastery. Cycles and cycles. What you can do with sci-fi (or fantasy) is really cool.
  33. [3.30.07] B5 3:5 - Voices of Authority - I can feel the Fourth Reich approaching, and along with the ideological crusade, shapely blond political officers, assassination plots, secret coup d'etat meetings, and a blurring of loyalties for armband-wearing mercenaries to rebel slaves, the climax is slowly and steadily building.
  34. [3.30.07] B5 3:6 - And Gibreel came upon Mohamed, in the cave... or rather, upon G'kar, while he was high, and now has the presence of the angel upon him in his imprisonment. B5 is pulling allusions from every source it seems, as it pulls itself farther along.
  35. [3.30.07] B5 3:7 - Exogenesis - Shakespearian parasites never sung so well. Of course the very notion is just silly, and it's probably been because I've watched so many episodes in a row that the idea sounds cool. I'd probably think it was one of the weirdest ideas and possibly ridiculous if I had not spent the last ten hours watching Marcus "Aragorn" Cole and his Monkey King magic stick taking part in Max Payne-ish hold-ups.
  36. [3.30.07] B5 3:8 - Messages From Earth - And now things begin to heat up, and the station makes the inevitable move I read about so long ago about splitting into its own power. Or so I've heard. I'm not about to spoil it for myself though, even though I've already spoiled enough through past exploits. The captain's new garb is hecker neat.
  37. [3.30.07] B5 3:9 - Point of No Return - I'm really ancy and I'm going to cheat on something I know I shouldn't.... ----- and I cheated. Yup. I'm happy now. Thank God for character biographies on the web. It's like I thought. Good old Mollari.
  38. [3.30.07] B5 3:10 - Severed Dreams - I love being right.
  39. [3.31.07] B5 3:11 - Ceremonies of Light and Dark - I'm not sure why they had to pull in "Dry Bones." I actually liked that song when I was a kid! Now I'm going to have nightmares of some guy tearing the limbs off a POW in a spaceship, while singing that song to a praise guitar...
  40. [3.31.07] B5 3:12 - Sic Transit Vir - Vir is one of the most interesting characters on B5, and because of who he should be, that makes him even cooler. I think archetypally, B5 has some of the best characters ever. Acting aside, the story is fantastic.
  41. [3.31.07] B5 3:13 - A Late Delivery From Avalon - Very intriguing theory, that Merlin could prophesy the future because he aged backward, thus he was able to remember his past as the future. I like it, I like it...
  42. [4.01.07] B5 3:14 - Ship of Tears - The PsyCorps remind me of the Brown Shirts, or "Stormtroopers," the discontinued elite force of troops in Germany before the SS. It'll be interesting how B5 eventually makes peace with PsyCorps in order to defeat the Shadows, which probably has to happen eventually.
  43. [4.01.07] B5 3:15 - Interludes and Examinations - This was the episode right before the big two-part episode, which hasn't happened since the first season. Things built up, people killed, people resigned, all mid-season, which is why this show is so brilliant, that they -can- change these things and it's ok. I wish more shows could do that.
  44. [4.01.07] B5 3:16 - War Without End (1) - It's weird watching a story unfold when you already know the ending. It's sort of like filling in a blank picture with color. It's not terrible, as I'm learning. It's actually sort of neat.
  45. [4.01.07] B5 3:17 - War Without End (2) - Yes! But... where did the angels come from? Vorlons, perhaps, but was there time? Meh. Although I knew it from the beginning of the episode, it's still nice to see it actually happen. I like that I can watch the show, know what will happen, and when it does happen, not be disappointed in myself, but rather happy because it's a darn good ending.
  46. [4.01.07] B5 3:18 - Walkabout - B5 tries to make what you would normally consider the bad guys to be the good guys, and visa versa. Narns: leather-skinned, red-eyed violent warrior caste who anger easily... Vorlons: Giant robotic automotons (not really, but in their suits they look it) with a singular cyclopic eye and a grating, mechanical voice and terrifying kinetic and psychic powers, with morphing, organic ships that can swallow things whole, while the Centauri, are the good natured, bacchalic Romans, dancing, boozing, and throwing parties. I suppose the only exception to the rule is the Shadows, who are vile, clicking insectoids. I think though, that was a rather low-blow, for all of the aspirations B5 has to defying genre, they went totally Heinlein with that one.
  47. [4.01.07] B5 3:19 - Grey 17 Is Missing - Should have been Marcus. Should have been Marcus. Maybe someday it will, but then the prophesy would never make sense about the "middle." Must mean that the three revolve around the Rangers, and Delenn is the middle one, and eventually, Sheridan will become Ranger 1. I think.
  48. [4.01.07] B5 3:20 - And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place - Got to be one of the stupidest moments in B5 - kissing on a starship deck with a hundred battleships streaming by. Really. Not. Romantic. (Ra, Ra! Big Man get sloppy tongue!) Really, the romance could have been done a lot better. In fact, any way other than that way would have been better. In a better light, the gospel service was quite fun, and the twist with Lord Reefer was a surprise, and I haven't been surprised for awhile with the show.
  49. [4.01.07] B5 3:21 - Shadow Dancing - I can honestly say that B5 has transformed itself from a quirky, epic sci-fi space opera, to a well-tuned and poetic character drama. Yes, the frills are still a bit ragged, and the polish isn't quite clear of dirt and smudges, but it comes off as a nicely drawn-up composition of heroic exposition and lessons of authority, while maintaining a healthy humor and visage of mock geekiness.
  50. [4.02.07] B5 3:22 - Z'ha'dum - Uh, what? Yeah, talk about surprise endings. Jeez. Obviously, Mr. Writer has a good idea of what's to come, and now I'm really curious. It seems like the 4th season might be the darkest yet.
  51. [4.02.07] B5 4:1 - The Hour of the Wolf - Hey look, it's Emperor Palpatine. I wonder if that's what they had in mind, or if it was a sudden, spur of the moment thing? The alien at the end looks really cool. I like his headdress.
  52. [4.03.07] B5 4:2 - Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi - In which we don't actually find out, but we do have a really cool scene with a theoretical first being. Not God, as he did say he could not create life, but most definitely the closest thing so far. He kind of reminds me of the angel from Diablo II.
  53. [4.03.07] B5 4:3 - The Summoning - Why is it every "good" story is eventually reduced to the most simplistic of variables? B5: Long ago, the advanced races left the known galaxy for another kind of existence, but two remained to act as big brothers to everyone else, but over time they came to hate each other, and so now they vie to kill each other and anyone touched by the other. And of course in the middle is the Jesus figure (Lorien) who will eventually be sacrificed by those he tries to save. Or so I predict. Mr. Garibaldi, perhaps, to do the killing blow?
  54. [4.03.07] B5 4:4 - Falling Toward Apotheosis - Delenn is such a bonehead. She's always got the most sappy look on her face when she looks with love on Sheridan, as if she wouldn't mind anything more than leaping into his arm like a happy puppy. She was a much better actress when portraying the steely-eyed, non-emotional figure of the elusive Minbari "elven" queen. Even the bone "crown" on her head looks emotionally pushed.
  55. [4.03.07] B5 4:5 - The Long Night - As the epic titles continue to grow even more epic, the show transforms yet continues on the low-brow slapstick sci-fi plane. Through the nerdy plush starship chairs and the neon-hued bars of pink, fizzy light, and the groping, rock-voiced aliens and emotional, romantic beautiful alien princesses, there exists a space in which the character can quote Tennyson and be believable, where the fight against tyranny becomes a philosophical struggle of violence versus reconstruction, and a veritable struggle between the ethics of murder and deception. It's neat to watch.
  56. [4.04.07] B5 4:6 - Into the Fire - And so Babylon 5 is finished, the series ended as the war of shadows disappears into the rim of space and all is good. All is good? With another season and 3/4 to go, and a movie? Hah! I wonder what they'll come up with?
  57. [4.04.07] B5 4:7 - Epiphanies - Amazing how they were able to launch into conflict so easily after winning the war. Just goes to prove that war itself, although inevitable, is never truly over when it's over, and the path for humanity to peace is never truly completed, but rather it is through war (as the shadows say) that life is increased. So they were right, and anti-heroes they remain.
  58. [4.04.07] B5 4:8 - The Illusion of Truth - I was actually laughing by the end, at the brilliance and uselessness of the report. The producers of this show took a huge risk - that of using some characters more than others, and at other times, relegating the main actors to nothing for some shows, and highlighting minor actors as the major ones. I've never seen this before. It makes me wonder what the contracts were like for being hired on the show, and what the pay structure was like, if they had a salary for a season, or if they were paid by the line or paid by the show. I'm assuming they must have been salaried.
  59. [4.04.07] B5 4:9 - Atonement - They are taking even more risks. In the beginning, they began simply, with using a formula of two story arcs taking place in any given episode. Now, it's chaotic, and they are fighting their episodes on a battle with multiple, even infinite fronts, and it has become less of a television and more of a history. They take risks in only allowing a main character five lines in an episode, and another one hundred lines, and as the season continues, it becomes less focused on a central point, and more an exploration of how war affects us and how we grow because of it. The story arc has blurred, and there are no main characters who are good or evil anymore; there are foolish characters, but foolish ideas are often clever ones, in a different perspective.
  60. [4.04.07] B5 4:10 - Racing Mars - I almost forgot to make mention of the "Dan Rather"/Randall of the last episode. I do so enjoy the intelligent little allusions the show plays at other events and people. The writers could have tried to make their world self-sustaining and fall prey to the bait of self-praise, but they chose to keep a part of the real world aligned pretty strongly with the world they created, all while emphasizing the importance of the story over the created material: this is perhaps the most important lesson here.
  61. [4.04.07] B5 4:11 - Lines of Communication - Woo hoo... we sure had our hands full on this one! ... Yes, well. In all seriousness, this taking the main characters and putting them in totally different areas in the universe has proved one thing - they can still maintain their own character without the interaction they normally have with each other, and perhaps, it is strengthening their abilities as actors to be in situations away from each other, but rather working with other, different actors on a daily basis.
  62. [4.04.07] B5 4:12 - Conflicts of Interest - So the question of the hour is, is Michael Garibaldi an bad guy, an anti-hero, a mind-controlled grunt, or a severely and emotionally distraught torture victim? Maybe all four, maybe none. Nevertheless, I've a creeping suspicion that if he takes the job on Mars, he'll eventually be involved in the resistance, which will probably give him something to have in common with Sheridan, and they will become friends... or here's hoping.
  63. [4.04.07] B5 4:13 - Rumors, Bargains and Lies - I wish I could consistently come up with titles for stories as cool as Straczynski does. And every episode he directs or writes is cooler than the last. I know titles don't mean much in the scope of a show, but they do act as a sort of garnish or frosting, just to show off the brightly sharpened edge a bit more. Poetic names are always nice.
  64. [4.04.07] B5 4:14 - Moments of Transition - One war ends, another war begins. These guys should have written for the Gundam series, honestly. There's enough philosophical and ethical monologues in this show to choke a a politician or a general. It seems from one episode to the next, it's a constant heroic struggle to save one planet after the next. Somebody usually dies, as sacrifice and the price to peace seem to be very strong themes of the show.
  65. [4.05.07] B5 4:15 - No Surrender, No Retreat - Basically, a good old battle scene. There wasn't too much character development outside of G'kar's "forgiveness" of Londo, in the form of having a drink with him and agreeing to sign his name on the form, but even that little bit in the episode was a nice touch, helping to stave off some of the CGI battle explosions from the mind.
  66. [4.05.07] B5 4:16 - The Exercise of Vital Powers - Garibaldi confuses me, but I suppose that's the point. As his personal saga deepens and we are drawn further and further into his breakdown, the end becomes even less clear. Before when the conflict was between good and evil, and then between chaos and order, and then between life and destruction, the answers were easy - it was always good, order, and life. But now things aren't so black and white - perhaps a little chaos, tempered by evil, with death to good intentions and bad conclusions, is the way life's path must be drawn. Or at least, that's what the show is trying to prove.
  67. [4.06.07] B5 4:17 - The Face of the Enemy - That last newscast was a bit contrived, but on the overall, very interesting. The enemy within, eh? The seasons are very interesting, in that they are so different. First season focused on the introduction and destiny of Sinclair and the threat of war, second season introduced the shadows, third season was the war with the shadows, and fourth season is the war with earth and the war within. All polar-different themes, but they do work cohesively.
  68. [4.07.07] B5 4:18 - Intersections in Real Time - Wow, just wow. That was bloody amazing. They didn't pull one cliche punch, everything was original and unexpected. They really did a great job. Sheridan, though he acted the same throughout the episode, worked it well, and the interrogator did an excellent job as an ordinary guy just accustomed to his job. Can't wait to see the outcome.
  69. [4.07.07] B5 4:19 - Between the Darkness and the Light - There's not much more they can do to the main characters of this series. They've tortured them, mentally invaded them, killed them, brought them back to life, kept them on the brink of death, imprisoned them, beat them, and still the characters come back. So it's interesting that in this change of pace, they decide to actually kill one, quite a main character who has finally started to come out on her own. I don't like it that these characters almost get to happiness and then they die, and I hope they don't do it anymore.
  70. [4.07.07] B5 - Endgame - Jeez! Kill another character, why don't you? I do believe the only main character not to suffer near death was... wait... this is it. They all have! Holy resurrection, Batman! It's crazy.
  71. [4.07.07] B5 4:21 - Rising Star - Hmm... oh, yes, the founding of the U.N.! And a Peacekeeping force. Very original, Straz-man. Again, the Minbari ambassador is great in everything except her gooshy love scenes, but Garibaldi's edge he gained during the fourth season seems to have bristled his acting ability, and he seems to have maintained some of his edginess which was not there before. One wonders if the next episode will take place some years from this episode. Could be.
  72. [4.07.07] B5 4:22 - The Deconstruction of Falling Stars - Very creative camp. The problem with episodes like this is their contrivance, how they take characters and use them as foils to explain things that normally, they would not explain. People do not usually recount histories in their daily conversations, which makes events that took place in this particular show very unlikely, which then manages to scar the believability of it. But then, it is hard to actually creatively come up with a way of explaining one thousand years of history. I did really enjoy the last scene though, with the environment suit.
  73. [4.07.07] B5 5:1 - No Compromises - A new captain, characters redefined, threats thinned into small squabbles, but the beginning of an alliance that according to the previous episode, will last a thousand or more years. Who, really knows. I've watched too many episodes today, so I'm going to stop. I'm glad I'm in the last stretch though.
  74. [4.08.07] B5 5:2 - The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari - I don't have much to say right now. I'm thinking a lot about what I still have to do today, and I'm glad I got through this episode. I have finally have the Crusade episodes, which means my B5 library is now full. Outside of the novels, I'll be an expert soon enough. Of course, what use is that? (Laugh.)
  75. [4.08.07] B5 5:3 - The Paragon of Animals - They must have pulled out a parade of Shakespearian actors for some of these parts. Byron (his name quite fitting) is eloquent, so easily imagined on stage. It's wonderful that some TV can actually 1) find these guys and 2) convince them to star on a show and then 3) actually use them well.
  76. [4.08.07] B5 5:4 - A View From the Gallery - Very creative, but again, contrivance. Logically, something that isn't possible (even in an extra-possible universe like Babylon 5) tends to eliminate any source of validity it has, which means any kind of emotion or connection the viewer has with the object tends to be nullified. We only retain those things which we think are cute, rather than accepting the idea as a qualitative whole. It's rather sad.
  77. [4.08.07] B5 5:5 - Learning Curve - What the heck?! Is she his daughter or something? That would be interesting...
  78. [4.09.07] B5 5:6 - Strange Relations - Kumbaya, baby. Weird Lean On Me cults with ancient Hebraic menorah candles, long-haired anime-styled British-accented psychics, and ultra-powerful alien-enhanced deserter-soldiers. Who puts their ex-wife in a position of authority besides them, anyways? Suicide. Here's hoping they made a clean break. Anyways, class tomorrow. I need to make sure I can wake up in 6 hours for a new day. Marathon is over!
  79. [4.09.07] B5 5:7 - Secrets of the Soul - Why do all prophets eventually become violent? It seems to be a natural course for this kind of character, real or not. It's rather sad.
  80. [4.09.07] B 5:8 - Day of the Dead - The branching storylines here were: Sheridan and Kosh, the two comedians thinking about politics, G'kar's uneasy feeling around the day of the dead, Londo's relationship with Adeera, Lockley's past life, Garibaldi's lover, Londo's insecure feelings about being emperor, the humor of other races, and the disappearance of part of the station. All in one episode! The writers sure have gained some talent since the beginning.
  81. [4.09.07] Jeremiah 1:1-2 - The Long Road - And that's not a Bible verse heading either. Another Straczynski show, but a lot poorer quality than B5. Characters are under-developed, the show is episodic, things that happen are cliché. Fallout series, typical to post-apocalyptic. Hopefully the characters will be expanded soon, because right now they sort of seem to be just gruff nice guys. It's weird seeing Theo from the Cosby show wearing silver knuckled gloves and a long, braided rogue knot of dreads. So far, the idea of Thunder Mountain seems to be very Babylon 5-ish.
  82. [4.09.07] B5 5:9 - In the Kingdom of the Blind - I'm not sure why the title, though, unless it's a Biblical reference and Byron is supposed to be Jesus. He's not a very good Jesus though. It's weird watching this after Jeremiah, because it's so much a better show, but Jeremiah is much newer.
  83. [4.11.07] B5 5:10 - A Tragedy of Telepaths - Yuck. I'm not against the female form by any means (I'm no stoic or monk, believe me) but Lockley's underwear-ed form was completely gratuitous. I find that sick. It added nothing to the story, nothing to her character, and the only use to my knowledge was that it showed her tightly sport-bra'd body climbing into bed, for no obvious purpose besides that of scintillation, which had no point in the tone of this episode. I guess the same would go for Lyta's disrobing in the previous episode. I'm not a real big fan now, even though the form of telling the episode through Lockley's journal was a nice touch.
  84. [4.11.07] B5 5:11 - Phoenix Rising - Many of Byron's followers had names like Peter, Thomas, etc... names of the followers of Jesus, except these guys were doing more than just the proverbial cutting off of body parts in the garden, but were actually murdering innocents like soldiers in a war. I can't help but feel some connection. Byron's suicide though, was more like Jonestown than the crucifixion.
  85. [4.12.07] B5 5:12 - The Ragged Edge - One could say that mistrust was a huge part of this episode, one person mistrusting another person and thus having enormous consequences, from Garibaldi's overuse of booze to Steven's eventual resignation... things came to a point in this one, definitely moving towards an undefinite goal.
  86. [4.13.07] B5 5:13 - The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father - I was looking forward to a good showdown between Lyta and the Core, but instead I get a deconstructionist episode showing the "other side" of the Core. Bester is truly a very good anti-hero. Very good actor too, though I'm saying that just based off my surface reactions.
  87. [4.14.07] B5 5:14 - Meditations on the Abyss - This episode was comforting. Not much happened, but nothing terrible either. It was fun watching Vir mad, and interesting to see Garibaldi drink, probably indicating a future episode where he has to deal with his problem again. This seems sort of an interlude episode, a soft episode in-between the self-suicide of Byron and something really cataclysmic like Londo's eventual possession by the Drak, or so we were led to believe from previous seasons.
  88. [4.14.07] B5 5:15 - Darkness Ascending - Doh. Double Doh. Another war, and Garibaldi's still drinking. Even when he's on top of the world, and just because he can't get over killing some guy who caused him to hurt a lot of people who have since forgiven him. He's a dumb head. There is a part of me that watches this show and hopes it will just come to an end - it's a fine show, but I'm beginning to see the threads self-repeating, not really leading only in circles, when I'd rather see either the circles expanding wider, or new circles explored.
  89. [4.14.07] B5 5:16 - And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder - How stupid do you have to be, as a planet in a sci-fi space opera, to declare war on the entire universe? Stupid enough to be defeated in two episodes, I guess.
  90. [4.14.07] B5 5:17 - Movement of Fire and Shadow - One could almost make an allusion to the fall of Rome, interestingly enough. It would make good sense, with the Centauri already like mad Romans, leaving their city open to attack, being raided by those who they took advantage of, but whose main citizenry were never aware or even were sanctioning of their actions.
  91. [4.14.07] B5 5:18 - The Fall of Centauri Prime - The series once again, kills a main character, just as he finds his peace. Argh.
  92. [4.14.07] B5 5:19 - Wheel of Fire - Wow, but Lyta is eeevil. She's Byron's total opposite. Fascinating character, but she doesn't make much sense. It's like she stands for everything Byron despised when he lived, and yet somehow, he fulfilled her.
  93. [4.15.07] B5 5:19 - Objects in Motion - Almost there! To the end of the season! Jia you! Jia you! (Chinese cheer, for "add oil...") Anyways, good episode. Feels like a Shakespearian comedy, how everyone is getting paired up and finding balance in their lives. It's kind of nice that way.
  94. [4.15.07] B5 5:20 - Objects at Rest - Tying up loose ends... it's so nice to see a storyteller actually do that. It leaves me wondering what could possibly be in the last episode...
  95. [4.15.07] B5 5:21 - Sleeping in Light - One of the best episodes in television I've yet seen. I liked that in the credits, we still never actually figure out who the director, writer, and producer is... J. Michael sort of slips past, even with the finale of his epic. Really nice endings, you can't really beat disappearing into the arms of an angel on the outskirts of known space (very Enochian), while everyone doesn't in fact walk into the sunset, but rather just goes back to their ordinary lives, thoroughly changed by the experience. That's the ticket.
  96. [4.15.07] BSG 3:19 - Crossroads, Pt. 1 - Aside from having read forward into what probably happens at the end of these two final episodes, I was still quite surprised. It's very possible to say that BSG is quality "literature," as in, it doesn't behave by the norms of television shows that are dependent upon resolutions and character profiles, but instead builds itself through a series of seemingly random events that change characters to people we really don't like at all, but succeeds by that very same machine.
  97. [4.15.07] BSG 3:20 - Crossroads, Pt. 2 - Grrr... where's the frackin' next episode?! The series writers still can't name their episodes worth a penny, but the material inside is lush. Always the unexpected. Who's the last one though? The final Final Five? That is yet to be seen... I'm expecting it to be unexpected! Maybe then it'll be expected...
  98. [4.16.07] Crusade 1:1 - War Zone - Take half a dose of a science-fiction modern pulp novel, and combine with half a dose of Dungeons and Dragons, and poof! Crusade! Adventuring crew, complete with top-of-the-line doctors from every known part of science, a wizard, a corset-busting rogue, a hot shot hacking pilot, a psionicist (telepath), and jaw-busting warrior (the captain) with episodic quests and a season-long search for a mystical potion that will save the world, all while fighting against the dragonscaled and red-slit eyed Drak (huh), with their He-Man skull-masks, hideous lizard-tongues starships, and hissing language. Yeh. Or something.
  99. [4.16.07] Jeremiah 1:3 - Man of Iron, Woman Under Glass - When I saw the preview to this episode, I thought it was ridiculous. After finishing it, I can honestly say - awesome! Good resolution, good heroic stuff, wasn't contrived at all like the previous episode. A lot real stuff happening in real-time. Quality watching.
  100. [4.17.07] Crusade 1:2 - The Long Road - Which doesn't make sense with the actual episode, but is an interesting and poetic title. More dragons and magic missile spinning wizards, and a quest completed to the satisfaction of everyone on the show. If only life were episodic, and we could solve our problems within the span of forty-five minutes.
  101. [4.17.07] Dresden 1:8 - Storm Front - There is a small, storyline being played at in all of the episodes, but then as a detective show, it works. Because it's just a job. The Dresden Files isn't a serial, but it doesn't have to be, which means it can take a breather from a lot of the criticisms of rules that I've depended on before to judge a show's quality.
  102. [4.17.07] Crusade 1:3 - The Well of Forever - The intro sucks. But the characters rock. It's especially cool seeing Daniel Dae Kim (from Lost) starring on the show, actually speaking perfect English. That guy is talented, though he does tend to have a pretty dry presence.
  103. [4.17.07] Jeremiah 1:4 - And the Ground, Sown with Salt - Purty intense episode. I don't honestly know how to rate a series like this, because it seems so out there - it's adult, science-fiction, has bad language, but deals with serious topics with compassion. It's not really all that entertaining, but I suppose it's not supposed to be. It vibes a different nerve when watching it. It's not as bloodsome as Deadwood though, and still retains an aura of character that goes beyond just the gore and darkness.
  104. [4.17.07] Crusade 1:4 - The Path of Sorrows - A lot of focus on the technomage. Interesting how this series is delving more into the fantastic than the other shows or movies. I can understand why it was not continued on the air, but still... it's fun. It probably was considered too genre... either that or a bunch of snooty baseball-hat wearing bozos in dark suits decided that the Wednesday night football game was more interesting than a genre science fantasy story. TV is always about the small bucket.
  105. [4.17.07] Dresden 1:9 - The Other Dick - Harry is showing off his powers to more people as the series progresses. Eventually, every important character is going to know he can shoot lasers from a hockey stick, and he'll go under government inspection as a nuclear threat. Who knows...
  106. [4.17.07] Dresden 1:10 - What About Bob? - Isn't that the name of a movie with Bill Murray?... anyways, it just clicked today, that Harry is Harry... Potter. Well, not really, but it's the American version of a grown-up, sexed-up, Harry Potter, complete with Quiddi-... er, hockey stick, murdered parents, and dark undead evil mage who used to be of high prominence in the magic world, while Harry Pott-..., Dresden, I mean, who solves crimes like Sherlock Holmes, and constantly has woman problems, who had a once evil sorcerer as a dark magic teacher, and who channels magic through a wooden wand/drumstick, and who is constantly in trouble with both the Mugg-..., er, city authorities, and the magic authorities... yeah... the similarities... are creepy. Go figure.
  107. [4.17.07] Dresden 1:11 - Things That Go Bump - I can guess they can only advance the plot so fast... on reflection, it was best to keep her in the dark. On the other hand, today seems to have been a day of dragons. CG dragons, though, just don't cut it. They look plastic.
  108. [4.17.07] Dresden 1:12 - Second Life - Aww... shucks. Ain't that a nice ending. I think I'm done today though. A lot of Chinese study, and a lot of screen-time, makes Ben realize he needs to get to sleep. Nevertheless, I think I made some serious headway today. Good stuff.
  109. [4.19.07] Jeremiah 1:5 - To Sail Beyond the Stars - These episodes get better and better, with less camp each time. I don't know, knowing what I know about Straczynski shows, if he can keep it up. Nevertheless, some good cinematography in this particular episode, with a cool character that could be recurring.
  110. [4.20.07] Jeremiah 1:6 - The Bag - Really hard-hitting, again. They bring in these colorful characters and then kill them, while setting up story that will continue after the episode ends, and foreshadows episodes in the future, while remaining purely in their own world at the moment. It was cool seeing Malcom Jamal-Warner pull out some fighting techniques, which though not entirely consistent with his character, we are learning to see that his character is more than meets the eye.
  111. [4.22.07] Crusade 1:5->1:8 - Patterns of the Soul, Ruling From the Tomb, The Rules of the Game, Appearances and Other Deceits - Yeah, so I got lazy and didn't write anything up, but that's alright because I'm back... it's been interesting to see how they finally decided to give Lockley up to somebody. They played off her sexuality so much in the series, I was beginning to wonder if she would end up being an immortal sex toy for the fans. I'm glad they decided that would have been an imbecilic and juvenile tactic. Still, I wish they wouldn't foist so much empty preaching about the producers' right to proclaim their right to explain their philosophy of sex on the screen. Albeit, it's not as bad as other shows (which I don't watch), but it is a series I enjoy and pains me to see it happen.
  112. [5.3.07] 24 6:1-12 - To be honest, I didn't like they would go by so quick. The DVD I was using (I'm in China, that's how we watch shows like this) was set up for one to follow the next, no credits or anything, so it felt more like watching a continuous movie. Fun, but a terrible, terrible timesucker. Anyways, this particular season felt less contrived than previous ones, though I still have a hard time believing whip-beaten Jack Bauer can get off his feet after two years of being brutally tortured by the Chinese, and suddenly rocket back into his own self. If it were me, I'd still be having trouble shaping basic words two months after I'd have been back, even with chicken soup everyday and a nice bed. BTW: the Bauer family is SCREWED UP. Who'd have known Mr. GI-Joe, American Hero would come from a family of super villains, evil and self-righteous enough to put Mr. Evil or Emperor Palpatine to shame? I'm hoping to watch the rest, eventually... and actually give each episode their proper due, which they all have.
  113. [5.5.07] Lost 3:7 - Not in Portland - Back in the Lost circuit, at least for a little bit. Initially I thought it wasn't going to be too much fun, based on TV.com's spoiler free episode synopsis', but after watching remembered how fantastically in-depth it goes into characters. Reminds me a bit of R.A. Salvatore and how he delves so deeply into these characters who ordinary would appear boring and not interesting. Though the sci-fi-ish background story is intriguing, the staple to the show is how deep they go through the various flashbacks into the mystery of these characters.
  114. [5.5.07] Lost 3:8 - Flashes Before Your Eyes - Ha! I love this kind of resolution for a story. It makes everything sweeter. Desmond is probably one of the coolest characters in the series, and definitely adds an aura of surrealism to it.
  115. [5.5.07] Lost 3:9 - Stranger in a Strange Land - Aside from ripping off a Heinlein title, decent episode, albeit some misnomers for Asian culture. I can't say I'm too impressed with the lady in Jack's life - it all seems too melodramatic, too cookie cut for that Asian stereotype of mysticism, and beach-warming, weirdly cultic ideals, and free sex, though the series is doing a good job of freaking out reality. One wonders when these actors will wake up from some virtual reality and realize they are in a Vanilla Sky-24th century gameroom.
  116. [5.5.07] Lost 3:10 - Tricia Tanaka Is Dead - Ah! Delenn is on Lost! That's crazy... At least she's back to her steely, scary, distant self. Hopefully this new revelation won't bring back her melodramatic tears of passion, though. That does make two Babylon 5 actors to star in the show though. And Hugo is probably one of the most heroic characters I've yet seen on TV. He's awesome.
  117. [5.6.07] Lost 3:11 - Enter 77 - You would think Locke would learn eventually to curb his gaming tendencies. But nooo.... what's this, the second or third station he's blown up because of his ludological philosophy? I just realized Lost is kind of like sticking a bunch of really well-trained individuals in an extremely complicated rat maze, and seeing how they do. The motif works well.
  118. [5.6.07] Lost 3:12 - Par Avion - The gulls at the end were a bit contrived, and Jack's reappearance was also a laugh, but outside of those two little things, the rest was splendid. Sometimes I feel stupid for writing these little blurbs, as if anyone reads them, appreciates them, or if that is even the point. Two ways to go about this: 1, I don't write them at all, and end up just wasting precious time by watching TV episodes, or 2, I mark what I've seen for later recollection or meditation. The distant 3rd, is of course, that these actually are worthy testaments, which they're not, but it's always nice to believe it as rationale. Still, it's better than nothing.
  119. [5.6.07] Lost 3:13 - The Man From Tallahassee - Okay, weird. One wonders if suddenly everyone is just going to wake up and realize it was all a dream, or if it really is magical. Or more likely, the producers will never actually finish the series, and the question will always linger, which would suck, but I can see it happen. If they do manage to finish the series, it will be one masterpiece, alright. The narrative technique of the show is threefold: 1, a particular, almost impossible storyline that is solved through amazing circumstances, 2, the backstories of the characters being revealed slowly through one flashback after the next, never too much, never enough to grasp anything particular except a particular character aspect, and 3, the relatedness of all the characters already being known, and being hinted at throughout the series. That combined with a healthy dosage of philosophical claptrap, a dosage of fantasy and mysticism, and the eventual harmony of all the characters, make it a tantalizing watch. Good techniques to go by.
  120. [5.6.07] Lost 3:14 - Exposé - It wasn't really fair, because I accidentally spied the dumb summary when I was checking for the title of the episode. Nevertheless, interesting that the writers would go into one of these side-stories. I wonder if they plan to do more of these little stories as filler, or if more will come out of these dark events... being buried alive kind of sucks, after all. It almost feels too campy, too ridiculous, even for the subject material.
  121. [5.6.07] Lost 3:15 - Left Behind - Jeez, but this series of full of villains. Kate, Sawyer, Jin, and the Others are some of the honorable mentions, but it seems everyone on the show has done something horrible, even Hurley who seems to be the golden boy, who although he tries to do good, incinerated most of the people who cared for him just by bad luck. Nobody is good on the show, but everyone tries to be good. Sucks to be them.
  122. [5.7.07] Lost 3:16 - One of Us - Ugh. That leaves a foul taste in one's brain. They've got you going the whole episode, making you think this is just some research plan got awry, and then in the end, they screw with you, blowing your perceptions to smithereens. Not. Nice.
  123. [5.8.07] Lost 3:17-19 - Catch-22, D.O.C., The Brig - Only a few more until the end of this particular episode. Obviously the connections are coming in, and more information is insinuating that the island may be some sort of after death scenario, although that would be a much too easy answer for this show. Unless the corporate head honchos killed themselves to come to the island, which would be quite silly. The season has focused more on the Others, and started to stress the connections between characters. It probably only grows from here on out, with the advent of the files.
  124. [5.11.07] Lost 3:20 - The Man Behind the Curtain - Egads, yar... they do love killing off characters, don't they? Here's hoping though, they decide NOT to, because it's one cool character. Meanwhile, the picture seems to be becoming much clearer now and more direct, and less mystery involved. And yet, it seems the original colonists never really understood what was going on.
  125. [5.12.07] Heroes 1:19 - .07% - They seem to be indicating, through the timeline, a sort of parallel universe thing, a quantum reality, where by changing an event, Hiro could have the ability to shift the course of events. It's an interesting premise, and should be a good foundation for the rest of the series, which up to this point, seemed fairly stuck on preventing the bomb. But if there were more possibilities, the series could go anywhere. That could be a problem (like with Sliders or Stargate), as TOO many ideas not being limited ends in mismanagement, so hopefully they learn to keep a tight reign on the direction.
  126. [5.11.07] Heroes 1:20 - String Theory - Way cool episode. For awhile, it looks like nothing is different, and everything happened and people just became evil, but then a glimmer of hope happens. I still don't get what's going on, which is saying something for a television show. They've got me confused. Some of the lines sounded a bit contrived, which seems not right with the show, but most television shows I've seen about the future of a cast tend to be contrived. It's hard to avoid that, I guess.
  127. [5.11.07] Heroes 1:21 - The Hard Part - Again, the intro just stinks. I swear it is a different writer from the actual show. Maybe a marketer. Either way, this episode wasn't that exciting, and although I was a bit tired and didn't get all of the sleep I wanted to last night, if I fall asleep during an episode there is a good reason (outside of me being tired) and it wasn't that much of a clincher. More like setting up pieces, very slowly, for a final confrontation. Which is ok, I guess. A few lacklusters here and there, as long as they make amends. I have faith the series will continue to be cool.
Author Comments: 

BSG - Battlestar Galactica
B5 - Babylon 5
Jeremiah
Crusade
Dresden - The Dresden Files
24
Lost
Heroes

Tired of watching so many episodes, but not believing TV is actually well-designed enough to give a full review, these are just random opinions shot out after watching a show, just because.

Stratman04/23/2007

You don't think television is well-designed? That's blasphemy!;)

diaskeaus04/25/2007

Hahaha.

A quarter's worth a nickel, if you keep too many pennies on you...

RosieCotton04/25/2007

I love B5!

diaskeaus04/25/2007

My favorite, I think was the third season. What was yours?

RosieCotton04/26/2007

Yes, definitely the third. I got hooked about halfway through season one when it was syndicated. I even went to a B5 convention in California.

diaskeaus04/26/2007

Ha! Did you get dressed up?...

RosieCotton04/30/2007

Not for that one, but I used to wear a Starfleet uniform to Star Trek conventions. :)

diaskeaus05/01/2007

That's fantastic... once a trekkie, always in your heart.