I was really looking forward to Crusade but I'm kinda disappointed. Does it get back on track in later episodes?
At Last--BABYLON FIVE!
- Thread starter Copperfox
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Copperfox
Well-known member
"Babylon Five" is magnificent...but ONLY if you're prepared to stick with it and follow the whole story arc. J. Michael Straczinsky, creator of the series, envisioned it as a NOVEL, not random stories that happened to have the same leading characters. If you just casually glance at one episode, it's like pulling one page out of a thousand-page novel.
Fortunately, you've got me--the master of synopsis writers. If you read everything I've written on this thread, you will have at least a chance of understanding what's going on in any given episode. And I expect eventually to write some more guidance.
Fortunately, you've got me--the master of synopsis writers. If you read everything I've written on this thread, you will have at least a chance of understanding what's going on in any given episode. And I expect eventually to write some more guidance.
The Crusade episode Patterns of the Soul had a little bit more about finding the cure. That was a good episode
Copperfox
Well-known member
Time for another character bio. This one is my very own CELEBRITY CRUSH!!
I have mentioned that telepathy plays a role in "Babylon Five." Earth's government, more or less similarly to what other intelligent races have done, has formed an agency to regulate members of their own species who have telepathic powers. This agency, the PsiCorps, oversees both paramilitary and civilian uses of telepathy. Civilian telepaths are seen performing such functions as becoming mediators in business deals, using their powers to let each party know that the other party really does intend to live up to the contract.
At the time of the pilot movie, the Babylon station has one such "commercial telepath" assigned: Lyta Alexander, played by the radiantly gorgeous Patricia Tallman. In that pilot story, she is involved in that mystery concerning the attempt to murder Vorlon Ambassador Kosh, and is recalled to Earth as a consequence. For about the first season and a half, Lyta is replaced by another female commercial telepath named Talia. I can't remember the last name of this character, nor remember the actress' name at all, because she doesn't even equal a clipping off one of Patricia Tallman's fingernails--neither in visual beauty, nor in appeal as a character. Lyta gets her chance to return to the series later on, because she has acquired information about the sinister plans of the evil Shadows.
Thanks to having mind-melded with Kosh back in the pilot movie, Lyta becomes exceptionally good at working with Kosh and being a go-between for him with Captain Sheridan. This in turn makes her an important figure in the war against the Shadows; she and other telepaths prove to have an ability to interfere with the Shadows' powers.
A character whom I like very much, though I have not biographed him, falls in love with Lyta. He is Zack Allen, who works his way up the ranks in station security to become Chief Garibaldi's second in command. As a non-telepath, he never really has a chance to win her heart--though he DESERVES to win it. Boy, can I identify with him, from various letdowns in the unattached periods of my own life.
Lyta, sad to say, takes a turn for the worse as her psychic powers increase. In the fifth season--which Andrew Adamson must have directed under an assumed name, in order to try to ruin the series--she loses her lovable personality traits, because she falls into the trap of group-victimhood obsession. Just as, in our time, various groups insist that NO ONE but their own group deserves ANY sympathy, Lyta is led into imagining that she is the ONLY member of the Babylon Five personnel who has been singled out for trouble and suffering. Many others have also suffered terribly, but Lyta begins caring only for what she and other telepaths go through. (It's a bit like the endless theme of the X-Men movies: "Oh, us poor persecuted mutants, everyone's picking on us for being different!") Her self-pity alienates her from the rest of the crew, and leaves a bad taste in my mouth where her storyline is concerned.
I have mentioned that telepathy plays a role in "Babylon Five." Earth's government, more or less similarly to what other intelligent races have done, has formed an agency to regulate members of their own species who have telepathic powers. This agency, the PsiCorps, oversees both paramilitary and civilian uses of telepathy. Civilian telepaths are seen performing such functions as becoming mediators in business deals, using their powers to let each party know that the other party really does intend to live up to the contract.
At the time of the pilot movie, the Babylon station has one such "commercial telepath" assigned: Lyta Alexander, played by the radiantly gorgeous Patricia Tallman. In that pilot story, she is involved in that mystery concerning the attempt to murder Vorlon Ambassador Kosh, and is recalled to Earth as a consequence. For about the first season and a half, Lyta is replaced by another female commercial telepath named Talia. I can't remember the last name of this character, nor remember the actress' name at all, because she doesn't even equal a clipping off one of Patricia Tallman's fingernails--neither in visual beauty, nor in appeal as a character. Lyta gets her chance to return to the series later on, because she has acquired information about the sinister plans of the evil Shadows.
Thanks to having mind-melded with Kosh back in the pilot movie, Lyta becomes exceptionally good at working with Kosh and being a go-between for him with Captain Sheridan. This in turn makes her an important figure in the war against the Shadows; she and other telepaths prove to have an ability to interfere with the Shadows' powers.
A character whom I like very much, though I have not biographed him, falls in love with Lyta. He is Zack Allen, who works his way up the ranks in station security to become Chief Garibaldi's second in command. As a non-telepath, he never really has a chance to win her heart--though he DESERVES to win it. Boy, can I identify with him, from various letdowns in the unattached periods of my own life.
Lyta, sad to say, takes a turn for the worse as her psychic powers increase. In the fifth season--which Andrew Adamson must have directed under an assumed name, in order to try to ruin the series--she loses her lovable personality traits, because she falls into the trap of group-victimhood obsession. Just as, in our time, various groups insist that NO ONE but their own group deserves ANY sympathy, Lyta is led into imagining that she is the ONLY member of the Babylon Five personnel who has been singled out for trouble and suffering. Many others have also suffered terribly, but Lyta begins caring only for what she and other telepaths go through. (It's a bit like the endless theme of the X-Men movies: "Oh, us poor persecuted mutants, everyone's picking on us for being different!") Her self-pity alienates her from the rest of the crew, and leaves a bad taste in my mouth where her storyline is concerned.
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That Andrew Adamson thing was funny but true. Well, I hope to catch your crush again later on
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Copperfox
Well-known member
Allow me to describe a couple of bad guys who are seen recurringly through much of the series. These two men are never both on camera at the same time, but they both serve the same cause of evil and ickiness.
Morden is a sort of 23rd-century Grima Wormtongue, a sly deceiver. He was once a scientist, part of an interstellar expedition to study a remote planet. Unfortunately, the planet his ship visited was none other than Z'Hadum, the native world of the monstrous Shadows. These fiends had been hibernating since their last defeat (in which the Minbari savior-figure Valen had played an important role); but the landing of the exploration ship woke them up. All the humans were killed or enslaved, and Morden was the most willing sellout in the latter category. During the series, Morden is seen working to "recruit" people to serve the purposes of the Shadows.
Bester is a PsiCop in the PsiCorps. Played by no less than Walter Koenig of Star Trek fame, Bester is refreshingly different from the attitude of the mutants in X-Men movies: instead of whining about how "persecuted" he is, he _does_ the persecuting himself!
As a specialized law-enforcement officer, he is _supposed_ to be enforcing the ethics of extrasensory activity, thus _protecting_ normal humans from being telepathically spied on without valid cause. But power does corrupt, and Bester _likes_ having an undeserved advantage over "inferior" normal people. He is part of the movement for tyranny on Earth which is part of the story arc; and his very existence forces the good guys to come up with ways to prevent him from suspecting what they're up to, so he won't _know_ that he should be reading their minds.
Morden is a sort of 23rd-century Grima Wormtongue, a sly deceiver. He was once a scientist, part of an interstellar expedition to study a remote planet. Unfortunately, the planet his ship visited was none other than Z'Hadum, the native world of the monstrous Shadows. These fiends had been hibernating since their last defeat (in which the Minbari savior-figure Valen had played an important role); but the landing of the exploration ship woke them up. All the humans were killed or enslaved, and Morden was the most willing sellout in the latter category. During the series, Morden is seen working to "recruit" people to serve the purposes of the Shadows.
Bester is a PsiCop in the PsiCorps. Played by no less than Walter Koenig of Star Trek fame, Bester is refreshingly different from the attitude of the mutants in X-Men movies: instead of whining about how "persecuted" he is, he _does_ the persecuting himself!
As a specialized law-enforcement officer, he is _supposed_ to be enforcing the ethics of extrasensory activity, thus _protecting_ normal humans from being telepathically spied on without valid cause. But power does corrupt, and Bester _likes_ having an undeserved advantage over "inferior" normal people. He is part of the movement for tyranny on Earth which is part of the story arc; and his very existence forces the good guys to come up with ways to prevent him from suspecting what they're up to, so he won't _know_ that he should be reading their minds.
Hey! I remember Bester! I didn't catch his name when I saw the episode though. All I remember is that it was the guy from Star Trek. I though the end of that episode (where that other telepath becomes a big ghost-like thing floating in space) was a little over the top at the end!
I don't think I'd like to evolve into a big glowing ghost floating aimlessly in space!! LOL!!!
Ok. On another note. I don't much like the actor that plays Sinclair. For some reason I don't think he delivers his lines well. I guess it's because I always associated Bruce Boxleitner with B5. He was a much better actor than that other Sinclair dude (can't even remember his real name). Anyway. I am not sure why they picked him. Was he the nephew of some of the producers or something?
Copperfox
Well-known member
The actor who played Jeff Sinclair, alias the demigod Valen, is named Michael O'Hare, if I remember correctly. I don't know anything unusual about his casting. Maybe Mr. Straczsinsky just wanted a leading man who WASN'T baby-faced in appearance. But yes, Bruce Boxtleitner is more expressive. And he's an AUTHOR besides! I can't recall its title, but I once read a sci-fi novel Mr. Boxtleitner wrote (not B5-related), in which space aliens came to Earth, specifically to the American West, in the days of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
I found out that the he wrote two of those books. The titles are Frontier Earth and The Searcher.
Copperfox
Well-known member
"Babylon Five" cast members don't seem to have gotten as many follow-on acting breaks as they deserved to get. I didn't see much of any of them after the series ended. Claudia Christian, who played Commander Susan Ivanova despite having no trace of a Russian accent, did at least get a voice-acting role in the Disney animated film "Search For Atlantis."
I've seen that other pretty girl who played Doctor Chambers, what was her name? Marjeen Holden I think. She has been in other series, but none have been as popular because... I don't even remember what series, lol. I just know I've seen her around.
And I did watch all 13 episodes of Crusade. They were ok, but they kinda stopped in the middle. I wish someone else had picked up the series and continued the story arc.
And I did watch all 13 episodes of Crusade. They were ok, but they kinda stopped in the middle. I wish someone else had picked up the series and continued the story arc.
Copperfox
Well-known member
Mister Straczinsky still is living-- and is REVIVING Babylon Five in the best way that still is possible, with ANIMATION.
The new production's title, if I recall correctly, is "Babylon Five: The Road Home." A time-travel plotline enables characters who died in the series to be in the action. About half of the original cast members are still living, and age doesn't prevent them from VOICING their characters.
The new production's title, if I recall correctly, is "Babylon Five: The Road Home." A time-travel plotline enables characters who died in the series to be in the action. About half of the original cast members are still living, and age doesn't prevent them from VOICING their characters.