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- ### GUIDE ### [3][Background] [4][Synopsis] [5][Credits] [6][Episode
- List] [7][Previous] [8][Next]
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- _Contents:_ [9]Overview - [10]Backplot - [11]Questions - [12]Analysis
- - [13]Notes - [14]JMS
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Overview
-
- G'Kar asks Sheridan to intervene militarily on behalf of the Narns;
- Ivanova tries to institute an ambassadorship with a visiting alien.
- [15]Paul Williams as Taq. [16]Ian Abercrombie as Correlilmerzon.
-
- Sub-genre: Drama
- [17]P5 Rating: [18]7.97
-
- Production number: 212
- Original air date: February 22, 1995
-
- Written by J. Michael Straczynski
- Directed by Jim Johnston
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Backplot
-
- * The Narn pushed the Centauri off their world through a war of
- attrition, so it was no longer worth the Centauri's effort to stay
- -- open, direct warfare is new to them.
-
- Unanswered Questions
-
- * What _was_ that gift?
- * Will the Lumati's alliance with Earth be significant?
-
- Analysis
-
- * The situation between the Narn and the Centauri on Babylon 5 seems
- destined to explode sooner or later, even if things were quelled
- the first time. If one side begins to lose badly, revenge will be
- a natural reaction. Perhaps it will be just such an incident that
- pushes Earth into taking sides, assuming that's going to happen.
- * It also seems like only a matter of time before the Minbari
- smuggling operation is discovered; eventually it's plausible that
- the Centauri will get sick of the Minbari nosing around in the
- middle of war zones, though they may decide they don't want to
- risk fighting them. How much trouble Sheridan will be in if his
- plan is discovered remains to be seen.
- * Given the Lumati's feelings about natural selection, it's unclear
- how desirable they'll be as allies. If Earth needs help, they
- might well decide that that means humans are inferior, and
- withhold their aid.
-
- Notes
-
- * In keeping with his newfound importance, Londo's outfit has
- changed slightly; it is crisper, darker, with a slightly more
- military look.
- * On a more editorial note, this episode is arguably the first to
- drive home how different the situation is now than it's been in
- the past. The dark undercurrents that have always been present in
- the series begin to surface here, in the form of G'Kar's
- desperation, Londo's casual lack of concern over the killing and
- his calm assurance that the Centauri will defeat the Narn,
- Sheridan's loss of composure with G'Kar, and the general sense of
- hostility around the station.
- * The Lumati's arrogant attitude toward other species bears some
- resemblance to Star Trek's Prime Directive.
-
- jms speaks
-
- * On an unrelated note...just finished another script tonight, "Acts
- of Sacrifice," which despite its rather ominous title is more a
- slice of life episode...and contains probably the funkiest,
- weirdest sequence that I have ever written. Full tilt whacko.
- * [Londo is] a fascinating character to explore, and the most
- careful balancing act of the bunch; part of the character's appeal
- is that on a very fundamental level, you *like* him, and you don't
- want to see him on this terrible slide downward. So every so
- often, you have to pull him back, go in a different direction,
- remind us of his basic humanity and potential for heroism. He is,
- really, any of us caught in a web of events spinning more and more
- out of control every day.
- * At the start of year one, Claudia came to me and said she'd love
- to do more funny stuff in her role; don't change anything in the
- story, just let her have some fun here and there before All Hell
- Breaks Loose in year three. I let her have that.
- * As it happens, I made it a point to be on-set the day we shot what
- we ended up calling "the Ivanova dance." Wanted to make sure it
- was done correctly. We only had to shoot it about three times,
- only in the master, no coverage. The crew was absolutely
- breathless after the first take, from keeping from laughing. It
- was very funny.
- * Actually, not to split hairs, the idea of sex sealing deals goes
- back a heck of a lot longer than Larry Niven. It's been part of
- treaty signing and stuff going back to ancient Egypt, other parts
- of the middle east, even parts of medeival europe.
- * To the question raised: yes, if Sheridan had shown the Lumati
- around, the request would have been made to him, as it was to
- Ivanova.
- * _Is Zathras (cf. [19]"Babylon Squared") a Lumati?_
- Zathras is not part of the Lumati species.
- * _What's the deal with all the fans behind Sheridan's superior?_
- I will only say that I was as surprised by those fans as anyone
- else (I was in editing all day when that was shot).
- Well, we're always saying around here, the more fans the
- better....
- * _Was G'Kar laughing or crying?_
- It's both; laughing at the absurdity, and crying...about as close
- as we've seen to a nervous breakdown.
- * I think one need look no further than the latest communiques from
- Dole and Newt to get some idea on the progenitors of the Lumati.
- * _Was Katsulas actually fighting, or was it a stuntman?_
- It was a little of both, yes.
- * Given that the Narns were agrarian prior to the arrival of the
- Centauri, and were under their heel, and got most of their tech
- FROM the Centauri leftovers, no, they're not more advanced. It's a
- lot like the Russian situation, seemingly this tremendous power,
- but once you look deep, not as well off as they'd like you to
- think.
- Claudia loved the scene when I first described it to her, prior to
- finishing the script. She was dying to do it, and kept sort of
- "doing" it around people for some time prior to filming.
- * The Narn were not out in space prior to the Centauri arriving.
- While Paul Williams was on set for this ep, I had him sign my two
- CDs of the "Phantom of the Paradise" soundtrack. Ah, power....
-
-
- [25][Next]
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- [26]Last update: May 28, 1997
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- References
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- 1. file://localhost/cgi-bin/imagemap/titlebar
- 2. LYNXIMGMAP:file://localhost/lurk/maps/maps.html#titlebar
- 3. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/background/034.shtml
- 4. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/synops/034.html
- 5. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/credits/034.html
- 6. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/episodes.php
- 7. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/033.html
- 8. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/035.html
- 9. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/034.html#OV
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- 14. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/034.html#JS
- 15. http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?Williams,+Paul+%28III%29
- 16. http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Abercrombie,+Ian
- 17. file://localhost/lurk/p5/intro.html
- 18. file://localhost/lurk/p5/034
- 19. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/020.html
- 20. file://localhost/lurk/lurker.html
- 21. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/034.html#TOP
- 22. file://localhost/cgi-bin/uncgi/lgmail
- 23. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/episodes.php
- 24. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/033.html
- 25. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/035.html
- 26. file://localhost/lurk/lastmod.html
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