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Babylon 5 through 2x14
I'm starting to see why I remember season one so much better than season two, because it's not that there isn't a lot happening in season two, but it's mostly not that memorable - it's long-arc stuff, or slowly unfolding plot stuff. Aside from some of the early-in-season changeover events (Sheridan's introduction, Delenn's transformation) the only episode where I got glimmerings of familiarity was the "Enemy Mine" style one where Sheridan and the injured Narn are trapped together on the alien spaceship and forced to fight.
But I'm really enjoying it! We only stopped last night because technical issues forced us to quit for a while.
- Sheridan's a spy! I absolutely did NOT see that coming; it works so well in contrast to his wholesome persona. I don't know how cynical to be about the faction within the government that he's working for. A decade or two later, they would definitely be Up To No Good as well, but I'm not sure if that level of grimdark had hit yet in the 90s. But I do not get a super trustworthy feeling off the lady who is his contact. Looking forward to seeing how this develops!
- The episode where G'Kar is trying and failing to muster support for his side in the Narn-Centauri war among the other factions is really nicely done. When you've spent the last couple of years telling everyone that you'd wipe out the Centauri if you had a chance, and now you are actually at war with them and you're losing but no one believes that you wouldn't just commit genocide if you had the upper hand, because THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN GOING AROUND TELLING PEOPLE (and they're probably right). But the other political factions are also fairly constrained because their governments don't want to be drawn into an ongoing conflict either. I like that Sheridan and Delenn are willing to help endangered Narn civilians in an off-the-record kind of way, and G'Kar's mixed reaction to that - it was in no way the military support he was hoping for, but it's not nothing.
- For a complete change of tone, THE BABYLON 5 GIFT SHOP. And Londo reacting to his doll! Especially the main issue being that it has no "attributes."
Ivanova: So you feel like you're being symbolically cast---- [brief hesitation] in a bad light.
- I have really enjoyed the Londo subplots in the past few episodes! Particularly seeking out Garibaldi for companionship (because he wants a person to hang out with who doesn't want anything from him; I love that entire "I got everything I wanted and realized it wasn't what I wanted after all" trope) and his loyalty to Vir. ♥ I also like that Vir himself isn't quite sure what he wants; would he rather stay with Londo, given how that's been going lately, or go home in disgrace? Even he isn't sure! So it's not an unqualified victory, but at least he appreciated the gesture of Londo's faith in him, however Londo-ishly it was expressed. I also think it's interesting (and the contrast to the doll made this really apparent) that Londo's sartorial style is more toned down and serious now, as his part in the plot has become more serious.
- ETA: Oh, and I also really enjoyed the plot point/callback to Lennier lying for Londo back in season one! That was very nicely timed, and I had completely forgotten about it during the entire "Minbari can't lie" part of the episode.
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I hope it continues to hold up, because I remember really liking how the Narn–Centauri conflict did not map one-for-one onto a single Earth-history analogue and felt about as sincerely, politically and interpersonally fucked up as it needed to.
- For a complete change of tone, THE BABYLON 5 GIFT SHOP. And Londo reacting to his doll! Especially the main issue being that it has no "attributes."
Another line that has seen random and inappropriate airplay in our household for the last thirty years!
If you have watched up through 2.14, then you have seen "The Long Dark" (2.5), half of whose plot instantaneously burned itself into my id despite the climactic special effects in no way living up to their Lovecraftian build-up. I am under the impression that Dwight Schultz fell off some kind of right-wing cliff and also that he looks like Lieutenant Reginald Barclay to almost everyone else who watched sci-fi on TV in the '90's, but there is a corner of my hindbrain that will always belong to the haunted lurker Amis and the appallingly 6000-plus filed-off words I committed in high school. I had never seen the actor as anyone else before. I am not indifferent to the other half of the plot with the sleeper ship, especially the one-way quality of the technology of the time, but Amis plugged right into some of the same live wires I can see now that I watch film noir for. I like so many things about how he's handled and he had a good face for all of them.
(Speaking of, seeing Turhan Bey first as the Emperor Turhan in "The Coming of Shadows" (2.9) has made it honestly weird to keep catching him in random B-movies of the '40's and occasionally an out-and-out noir, although I am always very happy to see him.)
I also think it's interesting (and the contrast to the doll made this really apparent) that Londo's sartorial style is more toned down and serious now, as his part in the plot has become more serious.
Yes! Also even at the time, I wanted most of the Centauri waistcoats.
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Yes! I really like that it doesn't feel like a stand-in for any specific conflict so far (obviously you can see some of its antecedents, but not in an allegorical way), but it also feels believably constructed for the kind of thing that it is.
I have indeed seen "The Long Dark", and enjoyed it!
Also even at the time, I wanted most of the Centauri waistcoats.
They have the best waistcoats! I'm really enjoying the costuming on the show, and the distinctiveness of each alien's wardrobe and ships (which are also distinct from the human wardrobes and ships).
The giant portrait of Londo on the wall of his quarters this season has not stopped amusing me, also.
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Also, Ivanova is god.
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I love everything about that subplot :D