Babylon 5, "Between the Darkness and the Light", S04E19, OAD 10/6/97 *spoilers*

[gchance]

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/085.html

NO, I wasn't trying to simulate the hiatus between the last one and this one. One of the things I've tried all along with these threads is to actually watch the episodes before posting.

Well, work got hectic, life got hectic, and not only did I not have the time to watch episodes, but I'm in a position now where posting about the episodes is much, much more difficult.

That said, here we go. Three threads in one day, and I still haven't watched. Not only that, but we're at the end of S4! "The climactic chapter in the Star Wars saga." Anyway...

"Garibaldi! I was gonna kick your butt for...something...I don't remember...."

This episode also has one of my favorite Lyta quotes:

"PAIN!!!"

The execution of that little snippet is PERFECT. So, here's the thread guys.

Greg

[aintnosin]

I think this is one episode that might have been a little rushed by the changes made to wrap up major storylines, but I still love it.

"God sent me."

[Hunter Green]

When we had the "big revelation" that some of the defectors were really still loyal, I wanted Our Heroes to say "well, duh!" I mean, how obvious a ploy was that? They didn't exactly look shocked, but they also didn't smirk, they were kind of flat. So I guess I can chalk that up to "playing it cool". Maybe that's one of the things that might have been more if we hadn't had this rushed.

The opening scene was cute. I'm glad JMS didn't try to play out the idea that this was an in media res telling of a real rescue very long, though; it wasn't in the least convincing. Though I could imagine that being the storytelling technique on some other show, you know by now JMS isn't going to go that way.

One of these days, Garibaldi, you're going to learn to watch your back.

Ivanova's "God sent me" speech is much-loved, but frankly I'm not that impressed. When it comes to scenery-chewing declarations, Delenn already did that better with the one about "He is behind me, you are in front of me". I don't know if it's the writing or Claudia's delivery, but it leaves me flat, it feels like it's trying way too hard. But most people love it so maybe it's just me.

[BitbyBlit]

I started watching this happy that they would finally reveal what happened to Mr. Garibaldi, but then they started out with the Sheridan interrogation again. I thought to myself, "No, not another interrogation episode!" But of course that only took up the first part, and they did move on.

[BitbyBlit]

Ivanova's "God sent me" speech is much-loved, but frankly I'm not that impressed. When it comes to scenery-chewing declarations, Delenn already did that better with the one about "He is behind me, you are in front of me". I don't know if it's the writing or Claudia's delivery, but it leaves me flat, it feels like it's trying way too hard. But most people love it so maybe it's just me.

I agree. Delenn's words felt much more natural, while Ivanova's seemed to come from nowhere, and in an awkward manner. Putting myself in the universe of Bablyon 5, I could imagine Delenn saying her words in that situation. But in the case of Ivanova, if I had been one of the commanders of the Shadow fleet, I would have thought she was speaking from some kind of prepared speech she had written beforehand as opposed to her words coming out naturally from within the conversation.

[JYoung]

I agree that Ivanova's speech came out over the top and I don't love it either.

The words themselves are fine, what screws it up is the way Claudia Christian delivered them.
She should have dialed it down a few notches or director David Eagle should have reined her in.

Still, I liked the Advanced destroyers. You take the standard Omega Class destroyer, which is familiar, and put the Shadow skin on it.
Creepy.

Waaayyy back in Infection, we heard about how Earthgov weapons division was all crazy about organic technology. Here's the payoff.

And seriously Number One, are you going to argue with Lyta after she's gone all black eyed?

Garabaldi is stabbed in the back again!

And I liked Sheriden taking command of the Agamemnon again.
Ivanova was right. Symbolically, it's better for him to be on an Earth ship.