I watched the episode when I first got the DVD and haven't seen it all the way through since (it is by far the worst).

And I'm glad waporvare liked the finale but you can't say I didn't warn you about the crying part. When chess gets to S5 I might watch it again just to relive the memories. Who am I kidding, I might not wait that long with Babylon Squared coming up.

I went on a tear last night and finished S1.

Eyes

Pretty much a standalone episode, advancing the notion that psi-corps is a threat. Not a bad episode, but not terribly memorable either.

Legacies

Sheds a bit more light on the Minbari surrender and on Delenn. Since chrysalis is the name of the season finale, I assumed it was significant. As seems to be the usual case, one story line (the general) was working for me, but the other (psi-kid) wasn't.

A Voice in the Wilderness part 1 & 2

The trouble on Mars establishes the thought in my mind that the same sort of thing could happen on B5...especially if the earth government falls apart with the death of the prez. Also a potential new source of power/technology on the planet. Good episode. I loved Londo in this one. He has a great sense of whimsey.

In related news, it turns out the Ivanova is Russian.

Babylon Squared

I know you guys love this episode, and maybe it was just overhyped, but I wasn't as blown away as I'd hoped. I should preface that by voicing my disappointment about a "time travel" episode. Very Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, it was still a good episode, just not what I'd hoped. Every time I try to wrap my head around a time paradox, something in the structure just falls apart for me. So, he comes from the future to take B4, which he needs to help B5 in a great war, which he never would have been in a position to need in the first place if b4 hadn't disappeared (i.e. B5 wouln't have been built). I'm also very wary of sci-fi plotlines that involve "destiny" which is clearly where this is going. Whatever, I'll try to get over it. Zathras was an interesting character, and that certainly sounded like Delenn with Sinclair at the end. The grey council is fleshed out quite a bit, and Delenn clearly knows something that they don't (chrysalis). Despite my confusion and misgivings about the direction of the narrative, this was an excellent episode.

The Quality of Mercy

Clunk. Putting this between B-squared and the finale really hurt the flow for me. We'd built a lot of momentum, and then......this.

Chrysalis

More questions than answers here, but a lot of stuff came to a head (Delenn, Mars, President, Shadows). I'm pretty sure I have this light and dark thing pegged, but what I don't get yet is Sinclair and Delenn's role in the whole thing. I'm also confused why such an obviously powerful race (shadows) need to be so subversive and why another clearly powerful race (vorlons) need the humans at all. I get the significance of "gray" for the Minbari, but I'm pretty fuzzy about what it means in practical terms. It's also increasingly clear that B5 is going to be isolated from Earth in the near future. Good episode, and I'll certainly press forward, though I hope to slow down a bit.

General thoughts: Production quality has gone up again in the past 4-5 episodes, and I have high hopes for the next season. I was surprised that Sinclair didn't die or move on somehow. If it wasn't preplanned and was just a change of actors, I'm sort of dreading how that works out...especially with that whole Sinclair time travel business.

That's putting it mildly.

I thought you said you hadn't received S2 yet? Did it arrive and I missed it?

No, I was mistaken. I had season 2, but not 3. I got 3 in the mail yesterday, but it was in crappy shape for a "like new" listing (discs look like rentals!). I'm going to try to get a refund, so hopefully I can get it turned around and get another copy before I get to season 3.

The S3 discs seem playable, and I wanted to check them, but I didn't want to watch much of anything so as to not spoil S2. I chapter skipped through the two worst discs and they didn't skip at the chapter stops. I noticed a few new characters, and Delenn with hair (which I had seen anyway at some point along with the shadows), but otherwise, no major spoilers. I'm just bummed about the condition of the DVDs. I'm very careful who I buy from, and the guy had great feedback. It was also the last set of the six that I received, so he was the slowest shipper (by almost a week) to boot.

I can only speak for myself, but I think when people mention this episode it's more in the context that along with "Signs and Portents", it marks a point when the show transfers from introduction (mixed with stand alones) to rising actions and significant strides in plot. After "Signs and Portents" you have some serious clunkers, but after "Babylon Squared", about 95% of the episodes until Season 5 kick ass. Don't get me wrong, I like the episode, but it's not a Top 5 or anything IMO.

As for the rest of your comments, it's becoming increasingly difficult not to respond, especially in defense of some of your criticisms, but I'll continue being a good little monkey and close with a simple "heh, heh, heh."

das

Really? I must have missed that.

Fair enough. I really set myself up to be blown away, which I know better. However, folks really did talk up the emotional impact of the finale. I'm entirely unclear where I was supposed to cry (and I've been known to tear up like a big wuss). Nobody died, except for a president we'd never (barely?) seen and the Narn base.

As for my criticisms, I guess I need to preface my comments with the fact that I really like the show. Other than Farscape and the Whedon shows, this is (or looks like it will be) the best thing I've seen in years. And given JMS' work on Spider-man (where I was introduced to him), I'm reasonably sure that all of my misgivings will be sorted out over the course of the show.

But weren't they talking about the series finale and not the first season one? At least, that was my impression and I could be wrong (as usual).

"Wait...Wait..."

Agreed, I can't seem to word what I want to say without giving anything away. I will just say, wait and see! As for the finale of the 1st season; I don't remember anything that remotly made me want to cry, the bigenning of season 2 pissed me off. (I can't explain why-spoilers)

All of this makes me want to start watching all over again, I'm just afraid I will not be able to finish like the last time I started.

Possibly. My reading comprehension skills are suspect at best.

They were talking about the series finale.


Yep. The fact that you really seem to like seaon 1 is a good sign that you're going to absolutely LOVE seasons 2-4, and probably 5 as well.

Where are you Cusm. Did you start season 2. After reading all these posts I had to have a B5 fix, so I watched the 1st disk of season 2. All I have to say about it is;

Those who pick Purple are Purple............Those who pick Green are Green.

Simple...dumb Earthers.

watched the first two eps of S2 last night...trying to slow down a bit.

Points of Departure

OK, that was NOT a smooth way to let Sinclair go. Was this change a deliberate part of the story or did the actor leave between seasons? Let me get this straight, rather than explain what happened to Sheridan at the Line in the season finale, they explain it in an "oh by the way" fashion in this one. Minbari souls reborn as humans...OK, that makes a lot of sense...by which I mean it makes none at all. At any rate, I'm sort of on board...humans and minbari have to "join together" to fight for the forces of light, which up till now have been represented by the Vorlons.

Sheridan seems alright, and is at the very least a better actor than the guy who played Sinclair. I also like the animosity between him and the Minbari. Did I hear correctly that he and Ivanova served at Io (where the prez was just killed)? Hmmmm.

Regardless, this episode was very well put together and had a pretty tight narrative.

Revelations

Solid episode with tons of exposition....and the CGI is getting really good for early/mid 90s TV.

So, Londo is selling everybody out (for now). The Narn know who these shadows are (more or less) implying that they are (or were) more sophisticated before the Centauri invaded them. The shadows live on "the rim" and Sheridan's wife was killed exploring a civilization on "the rim", which can't be a coincidence. I wonder if they/she woke the shadows up. Finally, Delenn is now partly human (I guess) representing a joining of humans and minbari.

This is getting pretty tough to keep up with despite the "hints" in the first season, but it's also getting better...a lot better.

General thought

I've noticed that the episodes depend less and less on token plot devices and are more openly moving the arc forward. I hope that continues.

Chess - The studio insisted that the actor playing Sinclair be replaced by a "name" star. That was the initial reason Sheridan was brought in. JMS (J. Michael Strazynski), the show's creator, said that he was able to work around this without compromising on his planned story. It will all work out, trust me.

Oh, and don't believe everything every character says. Just like in real life, people lie, prevaricate and otherwise mislead.

Chess (not Cusm-stand corrected) JMS had to make several changes just to keep the show on the air and Sinclair was one of them. I would comment more but again I am afraid of giving something away.

Thanks. It's just too bad they couldn't have kept Sinclair around for an episode or two and sent him off in a less abrupt way. I'll take your word that it will work out.

Believe me, at this point, I don't trust anybody...even the B5 staff. I might trust the Minbari least of all...well, them and Ivanova.

JMS had a "trap-door" plan for each character as a back-up, just in case an actor couldn't continue with the show for whatever reason.

I've watched the entire series and enjoyed it. I've been reading Chess's exploits with interest and various other's comments with interest as well. Bandoman, if you're saying that Sinclair was basically forced out by the studios, how did that play into the storyline of Minbari and Human relationship? If Sinclair were not forced out, how would that arc have been played out? It seems that the arc wouldn't have.

If your explaination may spoil the series, put it in spoiler tags. I'm interested in anyone's explaination to this question that may have had additional information on JMS' original plans.

runner001 - even your question may contain spoilers, so you may want to tag it. Anyway, from what I recall

Interesting how this board grooms B5 experts. das passes on to Bando, Bando passes on to chess, chess passes on to.....

It's fun to watch.

heh-heh-heh

if you havn't watched the entire series do not open!!! you have been warned.