Don't wait for me, Chess. I want to read your reaction.

Like that will happen.



das

Yeah, but what that schedule doesn't show is that the season 3 finale aired in the UK months earlier, and so most of us who were diehard fans had already seen it a long time before the US air date, and so had to wait a looong time.

And agreed with das, there's no way in hell you're gonna watch 322 and not want to watch season 4 right away.

No way in hell.

I was so desperate for S4 after watching S3 on DVD I downloaded the next two seasons over P2P - I watched crummy low res rips from VHS tapes in basically a tiny 8" window (the rez and compression was so bad I couldn't watch it any bigger). And the episodes kept losing lip synch.

Took off a little early today and watched the last two eps of S3.

Shadow Dancing

Hey, they gutted Franklin! And it's about time! Such a whiny little prick. Unfortunately, he lives and repeatedly interrupts a terrific offensive against the Shadows. I totally knew that it was going to be Sheridan's wife, but it was a nice twist.

Also, a little sense of forebearing for the inevitable Shadow attack...now that they've been hurt. This should get interesting.

Z'ha'dum

First, terrific episode...as good as any so far. Unfortunately, the title sort of gives away the story's destination...and the fact that Sheridan is on the S4 box gives away the cliffhanger. Still, an amazing bit of television.

I like that they grayed up the Shadows a bit...and the Vorlons too. Apparently they just have a different philosophy about how to raise the kids. The Shadows are the daddy race and the Vorlons are the mommy race...or something like that. Unfortunately, the Shadows' mechanisms and agents have been so inherently evil that they were completely unconvincing. Still, it was a nice attempt at not making them "evil for the sake of being evil".

Nice cliffhanger with Sheridan too. Nuking the Shadow homeworld should really get their attention.

And....you stopped there? Such willpower!

Yeah, I'm a rock alright.

I had a few prior obligations last night. Had I been able, I'm sure I would have started S4.

Who are you?
What do you want?
Where do you come from?
What is that hump on your back?

I'm rewatching this show, and I'm on season 2. I'm listening right now for the first time to the commentary on "Geometry of Shadows", and it is friggin' hilarious!

Bingo here. Who watched the U.S. versions! U.K. rips all the way - then a long wait.

You must be between tick and tock... or something like that.

While you may not like the character, you might be saddened to know that Richard Biggs passed away a few months ago. I met him several times and he was a fantastic guy, very friendly, loved kids.

When I first watched the series, I deliberately made sure to not look at the boxes or disc art. I would advise you to do the same before spinning up Season 5. disclaimer: my advice may or may not have anything to do with spoilers. Just in case.

Actually it's been almost a year now (May 22nd) which feels even weirder since it does still feel like it just happened.

Strictly a character thing...sorry to hear about that.

Unfortunately, I bought all of the sets used and had to inspect them. My memory is such that I can recall the box art.

Watched the first disc of S4 last night, and I really like the direction they are going right now.

The Hour of the Wolf

I like Cartagia. That dude is just plain fucking nuts! If the Centauri are a spin on the Romans, he just has to be Caligula.

When I first saw this episode, I was pretty wary of how they were bringing Sheridan back, but having seen the next three, it's sort of interesting. I was convinced at the time that Lorien was Kosh...or some version of Kosh. Missed the boat on that one.

What ever happened to Garabaldi?

Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?

Looked like the Psi-corps got Garabaldi.

My favorite part of this episode was Londo's reaction to G'Kar's capture. In spite of their mutual animosity, there's a subtext of respect. I like that they don't get too heavyhanded with it either. Both characters essentially stay true to themselves.

Sidenote: the name Za ha Dum sounds so much like Kaza Dum, it's unnerving...and Sheridan's "dive" reminds me of Gandalph's in a big way...not to mention his journey and return to life.

The Summoning

The Vorlons attack!!! Ok, this is one of the cooler directions this show has taken...and they've set it up on a number of structural and philosophical levels. It seems that Kosh may have been the voice of reason for the Vorlons, which is pretty scary...and in the end, the Vorlons are not much (if at all) better than the Shadows. They just had a slightly different approach.

Does Garabaldi have a new personality?

Sheridan's return was a pretty good moment...predictable but well executed.

Falling Toward Apotheosis

First, the stuff on Centauri Prime is outstanding. Cartagia is just twisted and the interaction between Londo and G'kar continues to impress. Watching all the G'Kar torture was really getting to my girlfriend.

The romance between Sheridan and Delenn isn't really working for me, but I think I can live with the method of his return. I guess he's now the "one who's already dead" that Londo can't kill.

We finally get to see a Vorlon...I guess...two of them even. I get the impression that the Vorlons have sort of a yin-yang thing going and without Kosh, they were philosophically changed. I wonder if they'll stop now that he's back with them...or maybe he's really dead now.

General thoughts

It's getting really complex and really good. It seems like they could wrap it up this season at the rate they are going, but I'm sure there are many twists ahead.

Yeah, you are in the thick of what is best about this show. The "good guys" (Vorlons) are not portrayed as unfailingly good - there's a not-so-nice side to them, and you wonder what their real motivations are. And the Centauri storyline is superb.

All of the buildup in the prior seaons was really worth it, wasn't it?

There's just sooo many things I want to say about that last sentence.
At the rate you're going, I guess I won't have to wait long.

Indeed. I must admit that I never really expected the Vorlons to attack outright. They've obviously had a dark side all along, but they've always seemed more manipulative and subtle. I assume that the only reason the Vorlons didn't destroy Za Ha Dum earlier was the presence of Lorien (Lorien...yet another LOTR reference). Now that Lorien is on B5, you'd think they'd go wipe out the shadow homeworld first.

Well, I should say so! B5 is already probably a tie with Farscape as my favorite sci-fi series ever...and just ahead of ST:TOS and ST:TNG. Since sci-fi is my favorite genre...that's saying a lot.

I'm really trying to pace myself and let it sink in, but once I start rolling, it's hard to stop. If blockbuster hadn't sent me Elektra yesterday, I probably would have watched a few more. Elektra wasn't nearly as bad as it was made out to be by the way. Certainly worth a rental.

Well, Lorien's part of the reason that they didn't take out Z'Ha'Dum, but that's not all of it...

Yeah, usually when I think something doesn't fit into the continuity of the show, my concerns turn out to be unfounded.

I wonder if the "lurkers" questioning JMS every week helped to serve as logic/continuity police. Or maybe JMS really had a complex plan all along.

I'm guessing it was mostly the latter, with maybe a teensy bit of the former.

The Long Night

So much for Cartagia. And I liked that guy. Londo keeps his promise to G'Kar, saying all he has left is his honor. God, I love his character. Londo has pulled ahead of G'Kar lately in my book. What a great actor. It's a shame I haven't seen him in anything else...at least not that I can recall.

Damn, Sheridan sent Malcolm in the Middle's dad off to die as bait!

This whole war thing came to a head awfully quick. Hell, this episode and the next one feel like a two part season ender and I'm only on the second disc! So far, I'm very very impressed with S4.

Into the Fire

The big episode. First, AWESOME special effects for a mid-90s TV show. The battle was *epic*...more Star Wars than Star Trek if you know what I mean. And the climax with the other races taking the missiles for Sheridan and company was terrific. Sheridan had shown that he was willing to sacrifice himself on Za'Ha'Dum and to sacrifice his own in the previous episode. Now the other races were ready to step up. Good stuff.

I also like that they explained why the Vorlons and Shadows didn't attack each other directly. That was never their intent...but rather to convince the younger races that their way was the right way. I really like the way the three questions played out as well. It seems that Kosh understood it all along (understanding is a 3 edged sword) and he broke the rules of engagement when he attacked the Shadows about half a season ago.

I love that they paid off Vir's line about seeing Morden's severed head on a pike, though I could have lived without the flashback and I couldn't help but wonder how Londo knew to do it.

Anyway, this one definately felt like a season finale and seems to have wrapped up the big war about a season and a half before I thought it would...and honestly, it felt a bit rushed. Were they anticipating being cancelled at that point?

Anyway, that part is done, so now what?

Oh, it must be time for the scouring of the shire...

Epiphanies

Clarke is making a move to protect himself and is trying to weaken Sheridan's support among the other worlds. Doesn't seem likely to me given what just went down, but I guess it's a logical place for the narrative to go. It also seems that Sheridan has a pretty significant tactical advantage with the remainder of the White Star fleet.

Anyway, Bester is back, which sounds about right, and he gets a bit more 3 dimensional every time we see him. He has a plan B, which might be Garabaldi, who is a sleeper...or something.

Sheridan is getting tougher by the second...and I'm not really sure what to make of it. He's *this* close to acting like an asshole.

Honestly, I'm really worried that this brilliant epic show is going to turn into a soap opera in space over the next season or so. I'm just glad something is still going down on Centauri Prime...otherwise, I fear I'd get bored with the Earth conspiracy stuff...which never really got as integrated as I hoped it would into the Shadow/Vorlon war.

At any rate, I press on and have been MOST impressed with the latter half of S2 through the first half of S4. Amazing stuff.

Chess - you have a keen sense of timing, and you are correct: JMS was told that the show would not be renewed for the planned fifth season, so he had to hurry up the climax of the major plots a little (but not a whole lot, he says - he always planned a good portion of the 5th season to deal with the aftermath of the war). Fan complaints got the network to change its mind.

I'm rewatching the series, and I'm just about done with the second season and about to start on the third. I forget when they aired "In the Beginning": after the third or fourth season?