Babylon 5: Season 2

[Brian G Turner]

Watching Season 2 now - seen a number of episodes on video a few years back, but good to see the series more complete.

The first episode starts off very strong - Sheridan is immediately introduced as inuitive and strategic, and potentially more confrontational when required than Sinclair.

So it was pretty appalling to see the third in the series - Geometry of Shadows - which so far as I've seen, is the most appalling Babylong 5 episode ever made - Sheridan becomes a bumbling and naive officer, Ivanova stops being assertive, and the Drasi civil strife lacks any kind of meaning. Oh, and the technomages - just seemed like a wasted, pointless, concept.

Good to see things back to normal after with the Explorer vessel trapped in Hyperspace...

 

[Paradox 99]

I rather liked that episode (didn't it win an award?). I hadn't actually considered Sheridan's change in character though, I must admit.

I liked the foreboding atmosphere in this episode - the technomages with their air of mystery and power fleeing from the coming storm added something powerful to the threat of the shadows, I thought.
Plus the CGI dragon was cool.

However, the highlight of this season had to be Severed Dreams or the 2 parter War without end.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Those are brilliant, too, but I think you just jumped a season.

I agree with your comments on the other thread - Season 3 was brilliant, and the height of SF on TV, in my opinion. I was so disappointed with Season 5, though.

 

[Omega]

Didn't Babylon 5 win quite a few awards for the special effects, as they were cutting edge at the time?

 

[Paradox 99]

Those are brilliant, too, but I think you just jumped a season.

Oops, yes! So I did!

Regarding season 5 - I think that was a problem for MJS. He originally had a 5 year story arc planned, but the show was going to be axed after season 4. He had no choice at the time to squash 2 years in to season 4. But then Sci-fi channel (I think) came to the rescue to fund a 5th season and JMS was left with a problem of finding a new story arc for the final year.
He didn't do a bad job under the circumstances (though it was considerably weaker than the other seasons), and it paved the way for Crusade - I really wished that show continued. I always wanted to know what was in Gideon's mysterious box!

 

[Cyril]

Regarding season 5 - I think that was a problem for MJS. He originally had a 5 year story arc planned, but the show was going to be axed after season 4. He had no choice at the time to squash 2 years in to season 4. But then Sci-fi channel (I think) came to the rescue to fund a 5th season and JMS was left with a problem of finding a new story arc for the final year.

It's why I guess the end of the main plot in season 4 seems to come so abruptly. And after that, season 5 was for the fans and I when I watch the final episode in the fifth season I felt it as a thanking to the fans who supported the show five years long.

Despite I'm fan of B5, I didn't like Crusade because it didn't follow main B5 patterns of political, religious and mystic plots. It was only adventure with nothing more.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Wow. Just watched episode 9 in Season 2: The Coming of the Shadows. Probably the best so far.

We got to see a number of key major story arcs in play:



****SPOILERS!****

- introduction of the Rangers
- Centauri-Narn war begins



Some great acting, too, from G'Kar and Londo - Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurassik - excellent work.

 

[zorcarepublic]

You're going to love episode 20, then...

 

[Rodders]

Just watched the second series again. Incredible. This season is mainly focused on the coming Shadow War, but you can see some plot threads being sown for the Shridens fight against Earthforce/president Clark and the Telepath War. G'Kar's transition from a percieved bad guy to a man of wisdom has started. Londo, as ever, is superb as a man torn between his love for his homeworld and his conscience.

On to my favourite season now. Series three.

 

[Dave]

I just watched Season 2 for the first time. Great TV. Also a fantastic set up for Season 3 (which probably would never be done now on US TV where you are never sure whether a TV show will get another Season.) In the whole of Seasons 1 & 2 I just have one nit to pick -> We have never seen Sheridan (or anyone else for that matter) ride on a monorail train inside B5 before. He is going to a place where everyone else is waiting, so clearly they all took the train too, and must do so very regularly. If not, then why hold the "apology-giving" meeting somewhere so difficult to get to that it requires a train? So, the first time we see Sheridan ride on this train there is a bomb and an attempted assassination. Just a little contrived, you don't think? Then Deus Ex Machina, Kosh turns into an angel and rescues him from falling! Well, at least that reveal was a long time in coming.

One other thing: If you order someone not to look for something without telling them why, you must know that they are going to do the exact opposite when you aren't watching them. However, if the Shadows have been trying to hide, they were doing a particularly bad job at it in any case.

 

[Brian G Turner]

In the whole of Seasons 1 & 2 I just have one nit to pick -> We have never seen Sheridan (or anyone else for that matter) ride on a monorail train inside B5 before.

I don't think we ever do again.

at least that reveal was a long time in coming.

Thought it was great that each race saw Kosh looking like them. Even more revealing that Londo saw nothing.

 

[Droflet]

Yeah, that was an end of season nail biter to bite them all.

 

[Dave]

Re: The B5 Express Train

I don't think we ever do again.

Episode 4.01: The Hour of the Wolf. Close to the beginning it passes by in the background. (But that's a whole Season it was missing!)

 

[Brian G Turner]

Re: The B5 Express Train

Actually, just noticed it's a setting at the last episode of Season 1.


Back to re-watching Season 2 - it's really striking how strong it starts - Sheridan as the Starkiller! The pace is superb - but I suspect that if we'd have kept with Sinclair then Lenier may not have revealed the reason for Delenn's change for a few more episodes, and that the pace would have been slower - or, at least, ramped up more slowly, and rather less suddenly.

Episode 2 - again, a lot happening: Shadows, Narns, Delenn's change, political conspiracy.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Geometry of Shadows

Not sure why I hated this so much - wasn't too bad the second time around.

However, Coming of the Shadows - just, wow. So much packed into one episode, and a big forward in gear after an already strong start to Season 2:

- G'Kar planning to murder the Centauri Emperor at his reception on B5
- The Emperor revealing he was going to atone for the past and make peace with the Narns
- Londo getting deeper in Reefer's plot and calling in his favour properly with Morden, thus damnng himself
- Londo's visions!
- Rangers! Plus both Sinclair and Delenn's involvement with them revealed!
- Narn decalre war on the Centauri!