brennen
/
lurkers-guide



								                            [1][ISMAP]-[2][Home]


								    ### GUIDE ### [3][Background] [4][Synopsis] [5][Credits] [6][Episode

								                       List] [7][Previous] [8][Next]


								   _Contents:_ [9]Overview - [10]Backplot - [11]Questions - [12]Analysis

								   - [13]Notes - [14]JMS


								     _________________________________________________________________


								Overview


								     An internal affairs investigation of Sinclair forces him to answer

								     for his recent command decisions. Ivanova confronts a member of

								     Psi-Corps, as well as her own fears, when she is told to submit to

								     a scan. [15]Gregory Martin as Col. Ari Ben Zayn. [16]Jeffrey Combs

								     as Harriman Gray.


								Sub-genre: Intrigue

								[17]P5 Rating: [18]8.16


								Production number:  122

								Original air date:  July 13, 1994


								Written by Larry DiTillio

								Directed by Jim Johnston


								  Watch For:


								     * Some alarming developments on the Mars colony.

								     * A possible change in Ivanova's attitude toward Talia Winters.


								     _________________________________________________________________


								Backplot


								     * The unrest on Mars is continuing to escalate; now the separatists

								       have started carrying out terrorist attacks and are arming

								       themselves. (cf. [19]"A Voice in the Wilderness")


								Unanswered Questions


								     * How will the powerful backers of the investigation react to Ben

								       Zayn's failure?


								Analysis


								     * Several interesting hints about Ivanova and Talia Winters are

								       dropped, most notably the fact that Ivanova was thinking of

								       Winters when she and Gray were talking in the lounge. Ivanova's

								       insistence that no one must ever intrude upon the memory of her

								       mother's telepathic contact may foreshadow a less adversarial

								       relationship between the two of them in the future. (cf. [20]"Mind

								       War")

								     * The fact that Bester was able to intervene in the investigation at

								       all suggests that he, and possibly Psi Cops in general, wield a

								       lot of power in the Psi Corps. It is also conceivable that Bester

								       and at least some of the factions in the Senate who backed the

								       investigation are related.

								     * Is Ivanova's reluctance to be scanned simply what she says it is

								       -- a result of her contact with her mother and her general hatred

								       of Psi Corps -- or does she more immediate reasons, perhaps

								       something to hide?


								Notes


								     * Lennier's chant, "Za ba ga bee," is the title of an album by

								       Barnes and Barnes, of which Bill Mumy is a member. (See [21]jms

								       speaks)

								     * One of the masked men in Ivanova's dream is played by Macauley

								       Bruton, who also plays Garibaldi's aide in [22]"Mind War,"

								       [23]"And the Sky Full of Stars," and [24]"Chrysalis." See [25]jms

								       speaks.


								jms speaks


								     * The last episode [of Season 1] to be shot will be Larry DiTillio's

								       "Eyes," which is sort of a nice wrap-up to the season, almost an

								       overview. Once again, nothing that happens this season is simply

								       forgotten...and a *lot* of it comes due in this episode. It

								       actually manages to incorporate references to about 6 prior

								       episodes without being obscure about it.

								     * BTW...about the time we were delivering "Eyes," somebody on one of

								       the nets was going on and on about how "B5 continuity

								       *stinks*...I'll bet we NEVER hear about Deathwalker again, or the

								       strike, or the Vorlons killing Deathwalker, or Raghesh 3...."

								       And seeing what was at that moment on my TV, I wanted to reach

								       through the computer monitor, roll up my forefinger, and *plink*

								       that person right upside the nose.

								       Unfortunately, I have not yet found a modem program that supports

								       this feature.

								       But Ron is promising me something by the Fall....

								     * The other thing about "Eyes," btw, is that it's not something

								       dumped in outta nowhere to make a conflict; it's the direct payoff

								       of events that take place throughout the season where Sinclair

								       breaks or bends the rules. Lots of people on the various nets

								       said, "Yeah, there he goes, breaking the rules in the strike, but

								       is this every gonna pay off? No, probably not." If we're

								       consistent with reality, and with our story, and Sinclair's broken

								       some rules, and pissed off some people back home, then it is

								       *inevitable* that this will eventually come home to roost in the

								       form of an investigation.

								     * BTW, for those who saw the promo for "Eyes" at the end of "Grail,"

								       I have *no* idea what it has to do with the episode. Sometimes

								       they "enhance" the story to make it promote-able...but I think

								       this time they "enhanced" it right into a parallel dimension....

								     * _Was Lennier's chant scripted?_

								       When it came time for that chant, nothing had been scripted; it

								       was supposed to be a soft, under one's breath kind of chant. Bill

								       came and asked me and Larry if we had anything in mind. We said

								       no, whatever you decide is fine...and he ended up chanting his

								       album cover.

								       Later...*much*...later...when I discovered this, we discussed it

								       at some length.

								     * There's another reason why Macauley was used as Tragedy in a dream

								       mainly centered around Psi Corps; it's not really something

								       anybody needs to see or catch. After "Revelations," it'll be

								       clearer.

								     * Actually, ben-Zayn is an Middle Eastern/Arabic name.

								     * I believe the bike in question was a Ninja. And Jerry Doyle is

								       something of an enthusiast, which is part of what led us to that.

								     * Correct; Kawasaki did not pay us a dime to use the bike in the

								       show. We called around, to see who would loan us a bike, with the

								       understanding that we'd be tearing it apart. Because Kawasaki does

								       advertise with some of the PTEN shows, someone there had a

								       relationship with the company, and gave us a name. After we tried

								       a couple of other companies, we tried Kawasaki, and they

								       agreed...not a donated bike, just a loaner. And that's what we

								       used.

								     * The masks were the basic (though somewhat modified) tragedy and

								       comedy masks, associated with theater. And a couple of times,

								       Ivanova's mother does use the Russian nickname for her as well as

								       the English version. Susan was taught and raised to a large extent

								       overseas, and they always tried to keep her in both worlds.

								     * Yes, Psi Corps members must wear the Psi symbol at all times when

								       in public. (Though since Grey was there undercover, that briefly

								       went by the boards.)

								     * New Jerusalem is a planet; there's a side-story about it that I'm

								       contemplating getting into, so don't want to blow it here.

								     * . . . Let me only emphasize some stuff here. As stated, Larry

								       never SAW the Drumhead. We generally make it a point NOT to watch

								       what's done on ST to avoid being influenced. Second, the basic

								       ending which you feel is strictly ST's can be seen in the Caine

								       Mutiny, A Few Good Men and others. "Eyes" was a direct consequence

								       of all that preceded it in our first season. It came about because

								       Larry suggested that with all that Sinclair has done, sooner or

								       later somebody's going to take notice back on Earth. There would

								       have to be some kind of investigation. Because we are doing some

								       very specific things with the Psi Corps this year and next, which

								       I wanted to foreshadow, a PC telepath was inserted into the story,

								       to show that they are starting to get a foothold into the

								       military, with new laws concerning scans.

								       We knocked the story back and forth for some time, and it went

								       through many different permutations. We also figured that the

								       episode should be kind of a Cliff's Notes guide to season one,

								       hitting the high points for those who joined the series later than

								       those who were here at the beginning. The ending also went through

								       various changes, but what made the most logical sense was to get

								       the Colonel to admit bias in some fashion or another...and the

								       only way to do this really was to get him so angry, so furious,

								       that he'd incriminate himself enough, or open the door enough for

								       Mr. Grey to verify the bias.

								       That was how the structure was arrived at. I was there. It had

								       nothing -- *nothing* -- whatsoever to do with the Drumhead, which

								       I have a vague memory was written by Jeri Taylor, who is a friend

								       of mine, and further invalidates the very idea.

								     * Mr. Grey would've been a P10. PsiCops are P12s.

								       PsiCorps administrators at the upper reaches are P11 or better.

								     * Grey reached into Ben Zayn's head and, for lack of a better term,

								       pushed his "pain button," the same way you can stimulate someone's

								       memory or physical sensations with an electrode or chemicals. It

								       was only a second, and he would've shrugged it off quickly, had

								       Sinclair not been there to follow up.


								   [31][Next]


								      [32]Last update: January 27, 1998


								References


								   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/016.shtml

								   4. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/synops/016.html

								   5. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/credits/016.html

								   6. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/episodes.php

								   7. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/015.html

								   8. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/017.html

								   9. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#OV

								  10. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#BP

								  11. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#UQ

								  12. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#AN

								  13. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#NO

								  14. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#JS

								  15. http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Martin,+Gregory+Paul

								  16. http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Combs,+Jeffrey

								  17. file://localhost/lurk/p5/intro.html

								  18. file://localhost/lurk/p5/016

								  19. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/018.html

								  20. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/006.html#AN.4

								  21. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#JS:zaba

								  22. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/006.html

								  23. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/008.html

								  24. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/022.html

								  25. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#JS.mac

								  26. file://localhost/lurk/lurker.html

								  27. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/016.html#TOP

								  28. file://localhost/cgi-bin/uncgi/lgmail

								  29. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/episodes.php

								  30. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/015.html

								  31. file://localhost/home/woodstock/hyperion/docs/lurk/guide/017.html

								  32. file://localhost/lurk/lastmod.html