Babylon 5, "Soul Mates", S02E07, OAD 12/14/94 *spoilers*

[gchance]

Guide page: http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/029.html

Famine, pestulence, and death... oh, my! We finally get to meet Londo's three wives. Along the way, we also get to meet Talia's ex-husband.

* FINALLY, what I've been waiting for, and newbies have wondered about (and even asked about)... who does Delenn's hair? Yes. :p While Minbari sleep they excrete a fluid? Good thing Ivanova stopped her.

* Londo's happiness is annoying G'Kar. :p

* Is it me, or is Vir's hair a tad higher these days?

* Hey! It's that tall guy from TNG! I had to look this one up, Mr. Homn, Lwxana Troi's lackey. Watch the background of the bazaar in this scene, the aliens are going nuts about... tupperware. :)

* It makes me wonder, whatever became of the giant painted portrait of Londo?

* Speaking of G'Kar robe scenes... hehe. Still more impressive than Khan!

* Oh no, Delenn's getting cramps!

Alright that's it. Have fun guys. :)

Greg

[Craigbob]

* It makes me wonder, whatever became of the giant painted portrait of Londo?

* Speaking of G'Kar robe scenes... hehe. Still more impressive than Khan!

* Oh no, Delenn's getting cramps!


We will see the painting again in Londo's quarters. But I seem to recall reading in the script books that Peter Jurasik took it home and hung it up there. His wife was not amused.

The real reason that G'Kar wore boots to the party, is that Peter David (the writer) did not want to put the makeup dept. in the position to have to create Narn feet.

Mia Furlan hated the line about cramps.

Overall I liked the episode and it gave Londo a light moment before things ramp up and get very dark.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Mia Furlan hated the line about cramps.
And yet it's important in that it shows her reproductive system has human characteristics, thus setting up the future scenes that we get a couple of times.

[gchance]

We will see the painting again in Londo's quarters. But I seem to recall reading in the script books that Peter Jurasik took it home and hung it up there. His wife was not amused.

Real-world is what I was getting at. That's pretty funny, since that banner's so HUGE. I can't imagine any wife being happy with it hanging in their house, hehe.

Mia Furlan hated the line about cramps.

I was looking for a screengrab from I'm Gonna Git You Sucka with cramps, but nobody had it online. I was too lazy to make my own. :)

Greg

[JYoung]

I enjoyed the story of Londo and his three wives. You could tell that Peter Jurasik was having a lot of fun with this one.

Talia and Stoner, not so much (and I like Keith Szarabajka). It is interesting to note Talia's growing unease with Psi Corps.

I guess getting Claudia Christian out of the bun really paid off for Delenn.

[Craigbob]

And yet it's important in that it shows her reproductive system has human characteristics, thus setting up the future scenes that we get a couple of times.



Yep. I just read Peter David's notes on his script this past weekend and he mentions that is why he put in the line (even though at the time it was just BS to get Mira to accept the line). Of course Joe used it.

This one almost did not get made since Peter had a hard time initially coming up with a script outline that JMS would accept. He wrote the script after he had been told the episode was killed. Joe accepted it and gave him another script (There All the Honor Lies) which has a very funny story associated with it only half of which is in the Lurker's guide.

[Mars Rocket]

* Oh no, Delenn's getting cramps!


I'm glad to hear there were objections to the line, even if it was necessary for foreshadowing purposes. I can understand not knowing how to deal with long hair, but the idea that a Minbari would go through a metamorphic change into a Human-Minbari hybrid without a very thorough understanding of Human physiology is just plain stupid, and the line made me groan.

Other than that the ep was OK. The Londo wives plot line was predictable, but I liked how it played out anyway.

[busyba]

I'm glad to hear there were objections to the line, even if it was necessary for foreshadowing purposes. I can understand not knowing how to deal with long hair, but the idea that a Minbari would go through a metamorphic change into a Human-Minbari hybrid without a very thorough understanding of Human physiology is just plain stupid, and the line made me groan.

Keep in mind that she is not a scientist; she's a member of the Religious Caste determined to fulfill Prophecy, so you can't really reasonably demand a tremendous amount of critical foresight from her. :)

[Craigbob]

I'm glad to hear there were objections to the line, even if it was necessary for foreshadowing purposes. I can understand not knowing how to deal with long hair, but the idea that a Minbari would go through a metamorphic change into a Human-Minbari hybrid without a very thorough understanding of Human physiology is just plain stupid, and the line made me groan.

One thing to keep in mind is that she did not know exactly what was going to happen to her. just that there would be a transformation.

[doom1701]

I had a little insomnia last night, so I watched a couple of eps, including this one. I've always enjoyed this one, as I enjoy most Londo or G'Kar heavy episodes. And it being a Peter David script doesn't hurt at all.

I suppose I should spoilerize this, even though it's not really an arc related question:

Do we even hear about Timov any other time in the series?

[Craigbob]

I had a little insomnia last night, so I watched a couple of eps, including this one. I've always enjoyed this one, as I enjoy most Londo or G'Kar heavy episodes. And it being a Peter David script doesn't hurt at all.

I suppose I should spoilerize this, even though it's not really an arc related question:

Do we even hear about Timov any other time in the series?


Not in the series, but in the Centauri Prime Book Trilogy (also written by P.D.) she is in there.

[Mars Rocket]

One thing to keep in mind is that she did not know exactly what was going to happen to her. just that there would be a transformation.

OK, I'll buy that, and that she's not a scientist type, but still - you'd think she'd be hitting the books pretty hard as soon as strange symptoms began.

[busyba]

OK, I'll buy that, and that she's not a scientist type, but still - you'd think she'd be hitting the books pretty hard as soon as strange symptoms began.

She would have, but SHE NEVER LEARNED TO READ!!!!!

:)

[DLiquid]

I liked Peter David's Star Trek: TNG book Imzadi. This episode? It was okay.

As soon as they said Londo was going to pick one wife to stay with, I knew it was going to be the bitchy one. It doesn't get much more predictable than that. The humor kept it amusing.

The Talia story was pretty dull. I found watching her odd lip movements more interesting than the story. One thing I did get from it is that she does not like being in Psi Corps. Since Psi Corps seems to be a growing evil force, that could be important in the future.

[Craigbob]

OK, I'll buy that, and that she's not a scientist type, but still - you'd think she'd be hitting the books pretty hard as soon as strange symptoms began.

Why hit the books when you can simply ask a knowledgeable friend? hell when I have a strange pain, I ask my wife the ER nurse rather than research it myself. Besides there can be many many reasons for cramps.

[busyba]

Why hit the books when you can simply ask a knowledgeable friend? hell when I have a strange pain, I ask my wife the ER nurse rather than research it myself. Besides there can be many many reasons for cramps.


Also, there probably wasn't a particularly extensive amount of literature available on Minbari/Human-hybrid physiology. :p

[Hunter Green]

A few things about this episode:

The actor who played the artifact dealer, it must have been a relief for him to be cast in some role other than the menacing, creepy monster. Good on him.

I still don't get the connection (if any) between Stoner bringing in the artifact, and Mirielle buying it. G'Kar seems satisfied but I'm not, and reading the Lurker's Guide (and reading all the many discussions that happened after first airing, and since) have never left me satisfied. Easy to conclude Mirielle knew what she was buying, but why was something like that available just when it was needed?

Stoner's portrayal was just amazing to me. His voice, his cocksure swagger, his absolutely bald-faced bastardry at Garibaldi, just knocked me for a loop. Watching it now, I found myself thinking of Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in Dark Knight, some similarities in the unhinged charisma and brazenly aggressive confidence. Which is doubly funny, given that the actor was in Dark Knight too, even in an important scene with the Joker. Anyway, I really loved the performance, and I love his voice.

Who said that Lou Welch was gone? Not quite yet! Yay Lou, even if you were only here to be the patsy.

The Londo storyline was predictable, sure, but one thing you have to admit is that Peter David has a better knack for comic writing than JMS does. Even when he's working in such a field of cliché, he can pull off more natural laughs. Some of Timov's exchanges with Daggair were delightful. G'Kar felt a little underutilized though.

[dylking]

Stoner's portrayal was just amazing to me. His voice, his cocksure swagger, his absolutely bald-faced bastardry at Garibaldi, just knocked me for a loop. Watching it now, I found myself thinking of Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in Dark Knight, some similarities in the unhinged charisma and brazenly aggressive confidence. Which is doubly funny, given that the actor was in Dark Knight too, even in an important scene with the Joker. Anyway, I really loved the performance, and I love his voice.

Actually, I felt the same way. The guy who played Stoner just nailed it for me.

Overall I liked the episode. It might have been a cliched ending with the three wives, but it was still satisfying to me :)