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

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

								   - [13]Notes - [14]JMS


								     _________________________________________________________________


								Overview


								     Babylon 5 is embroiled in a deadly conflict between the Narn and

								     Centauri; an ISN reporter covers the story and tours the station.

								     [15]Kim Zimmer as Cynthia Torqueman. [16]Christopher Curry as

								     Senator Quantrell.


								Sub-genre: Introduction/Intrigue

								[17]P5 Rating: [18]8.43


								Production number: 214

								Original air date: May 3, 1995


								Written by J. Michael Straczynski

								Directed by Mario DiLeo


								  Watch For


								     * [19]A spring-fresh fragrance.


								     _________________________________________________________________


								Backplot


								     * The Narn homeworld was invaded by the Centauri around 2110. The

								       occupation lasted for approximately 100 years.

								     * G'Kar joined the resistance after his father was executed by the

								       Centauri.

								     * 41% of Earth Alliance citizens feel that Babylon 5 isn't worth the

								       time and expense.

								     * The Centauri have been using the space around the station as a

								       transfer point for weapons for the war effort.

								     * Over 250,000 humans died during the Earth-Minbari War.

								     * Back on Earth, the Clark government has formed the Office of

								       Public Information and the Ministry for Public Morale -- both very

								       Orwellian names. (see [20]jms speaks)

								     * Senator Hidoshi, Sinclair's main Senate contact in season one, is

								       no longer in office.

								     * Sheridan received the EarthForce Silver Star for valor during the

								       Earth-Minbari war.


								Unanswered Questions


								     * How long have the Centauri been using Babylon 5's space to move

								       weapons?

								     * Will the news report affect the public's perception of Babylon 5,

								       and if so, will the station become more popular or less?


								Analysis


								     * Delenn's emotions seem to come to the surface much more readily

								       now than they did before her change. (see [21]jms speaks)

								     * The Earth-Minbari War wasn't very devestating at all in terms of

								       loss of life. 250,000 dead is tiny compared to, for example, the

								       tens of millions killed in World War II. Since most of the war was

								       probably fought in space, in ships with relatively small crews,

								       that's understandable -- in fact, that many dead probably means

								       that Earth's combat fleets were nearly eliminated in their

								       entirety -- but the war seems to have had an impact on Earth far

								       greater than warranted by human losses. Human pride may ultimately

								       have been the bigger casualty.

								     * The fact that the Narn cruiser destroyed a similarly-sized

								       Centauri ship in a one-on-one battle suggests that the two are

								       fairly evenly matched technologically. If the Centauri are indeed

								       crushing the Narn military, as denied by G'Kar, they must have far

								       superior numbers, or frequent help from the Shadows.

								     * One reason for keeping Babylon 5 around was conspicuously absent

								       from Senator Quantrell's list: the planet below the station is one

								       of the most strategically valuable places in the known galaxy,

								       considering what lies beneath its surface (cf. [22]"A Voice in the

								       Wilderness.") Given that the planet's contents were entrusted to

								       the Babylon 5 Advisory Council, it's in everyone's best interest

								       to keep the station up and running.

								       Earth would probably prefer to keep the planet a secret to keep

								       people from trying to take it (and Babylon 5), so it makes some

								       sense that Quantrell didn't mention it; but given the battle that

								       took place over control of the planet, it must be a poorly-kept

								       secret at best.


								Notes


								     * "Subliminal" text during the Psi Corps ad: "The Psi Corps is your

								       friend. Trust the Corps."

								     * Though the subliminal message was onscreen long enough to satisfy

								       American television regulations, in France, the message was

								       clipped out altogether due to tougher French rules.

								     * The Minbari have three languages: Lenn-ah, Fik, and Adrenato.

								     * When present-day fighter pilots fire weapons, they say "Fox one"

								       over their tactical radio frequency when they use radar-guided

								       missiles, "Fox two" when they use heat-seeking missiles, "Fox

								       three" for smart missiles, and "Fox four" (or "Guns, guns, guns")

								       for guns.

								       Someone during the battle said "Fox five," suggesting some other

								       sort of weapon. ("Fox five" is also used for lighthearted remarks

								       about midair collisions during dogfights!)

								     * Interplanetary Expeditions, which has a brief ad at the beginning

								       of the episode, is the same firm that financed Dr. Hendricks' dig

								       on Ikara 7 in [23]"Infection" -- in which it was discovered to be

								       a front for a bio-weapons supplier.

								     * Note the pine-tree air freshener on the bridge of the Heyerdahl

								       during the teaser.

								     * The Heyerdahl is probably named for Thor Heyerdahl, whose Kon-Tiki

								       expedition attempted to prove that South American natives could

								       have populated some South Pacific islands.


								jms speaks


								     * "And Now for a Word," will, I think, be very popular, and to my

								       knowledge does something that has never been done in SF television

								       before.

								     * Speaking of which...on Monday I turned in a script called "And Now

								       For a Word." It's probably the most unusual episode to date...so

								       much so that I was very concerned about Warners approving it, and

								       indicated in my letter (which explained why it was done, and why

								       it should be produced) that I wouldn't be putting in for a script

								       payment until I knew they would accept it and let us make it.

								       Finally heard back today that they've approved it. This will be

								       shot as episode 214, and what you've just read is ALL I intend to

								       say about this script between now and shortly before it airs in

								       May. (Though when we cast the guest star, which we're in the

								       process of selecting now, that I'll be able to announce.) It's not

								       controversial per se, but does take our entire show and put it on

								       its head for the entire hour. (I also had to make sure we *could*

								       physically produce the darned thing prior to turning in the

								       script.) No speculation, please; just let it be what it is, and

								       see it cold.

								     * For those who've been nudging other folks to try out B5, you may

								       want to tell them that this coming batch of eps is probably the

								       best time to dive in. In particular, our second new show (airing

								       the first week of May) is designed in part to help new viewers

								       coming to the show to catch up on background. (No, not a clip

								       show, or anything like that...I think you'll like it.) I also

								       *strongly* recommend that you videotape this episode, entitled

								       "And Now For a Word." There's something in there just (or

								       primarily) for the videotapers. Consider this a heads-up from the

								       inside. You'll know what it is when you sorta see it. (See

								       [24]Notes)

								     * There's a thing you do in theater training where you're told to

								       talk about a subject, never use the word "I" ...but in the end

								       wind up telling us more about *you* than the subject you're

								       speaking about. So I began to wonder if I could apply this

								       exercise, in a limited way, to an episode of the show. I can't say

								       more than that without spoiling things, but suffice to say you

								       learn a lot about all kinds of people, and the way you learn it

								       says a lot about those involved. It's a *very* subversive and

								       tricky episode, and I *very* much suggest taping it, so you can go

								       back and check something out later. You'll know what. If you

								       don't, you'll kick yourself later.

								     * RE: the FCC...what we did in the commercial was totally legit. We

								       researched and found that the FCC considers a subliminal to be 2

								       frames per second (out of the standard 24). So we made the blip 4

								       frames total.

								     * We've done a couple of steady-cam/CGI composite shots, but not

								       that much; in "And Now For a Word," you'll sometimes see a

								       floating recorder in C&C moving around...that was a steady-cam in

								       use, and we composited in the CGI. It is, however, time-consuming,

								       so we only do that sort of thing as required.

								     * The device of using a reporter's appearance to go to another POV

								       is not new to either B5 or MASH (though B5 is first to use it in

								       SF). Where I would draw the distinction is in the sense that

								       "Word" is actually very subtly subervsive. It's ostensibly about

								       B5 (the broadcast itself) but you learn a LOT about Earth in the

								       process...how the government wants the Mars situation interpreted

								       ("an Earth-loyal population held hostage by a violent minority"),

								       the government changing back home (suddenly we have an Office of

								       Public Information and a Ministry for Public Morale), how they see

								       the end of the Minbari war, and so on. It's designed to show more

								       than just who's being interviewed; you reflect home as well.

								     * _The battle shouldn't have been audible in the station, right?_

								       Except, of course, that you have a space batttle going on right

								       outside B5, and explosions barely feet from the hull, plus debris

								       hitting the shell of the station and making it ring, so you're

								       going to hear stuff. When the oxygen tank outside the main living

								       area in Apollo 13 blew, it sounded like a bomb going off. It

								       happens.

								     * Jeffrey Smith: your analysis of Delenn is dead-on...I don't quite

								       think she really understood what was required of her, and what

								       would happen; I think she believed it would go somewhat other than

								       it has, which has given her pause, she's rattled, alone and

								       realizing the magnitude of what is before her, and her choice to

								       undergo the chrysalis. And that is EXACTLY the core of a huge

								       Delenn episode in the last part of this season.

								     * _Why did the battleships keep missing each other?_

								       Actually, all sides in battle use ECM (Electronic Counter

								       Measures) to throw off the targeting systems on the "enemy"

								       vessels. But usually it only takes a couple of quick firings to

								       compensate (which is what we've done).

								     * New Vegas is on Mars.

								     * The reporter didn't talk to Talia because the story wasn't about

								       what it's like to be a telepath. That's a different story. This

								       was about B5 and those who run it. Talia doesn't directly work for

								       B5, she's employed by the Psi Corps.

								     * The Torque- part of her name came from Torquemada, that's correct.

								       Just seemed appropriate since we were shortly doing an episode

								       with an inquisitor.

								     * After we made initial contact with aliens, first being the

								       Centauri, there were a lot of disruptions to the social and

								       religious and political paradigms, many of which are whole stories

								       unto themselves. There was also a lot of paranoia running around.

								       Earthdome was constructed in Geneva to be more or less impervious

								       to an initial assault from other races, should any come. (It was

								       really something of a fiction, the way the star wars defense

								       program might not have been really effective, but the theory was

								       to protect the seat of Earth government.) So it dates back about a

								       hundred years. (And it's NOT in the middle of a blasted heath;

								       that was done in the comic by the inker, who should've colored it

								       a nice green.)

								     * "Whoever thought up the idea of *security cams* for FX shots...."

								       That's how it was scripted.

								     * G'Khamazad.

								       And G'Quon's primary follower/co-prophet was G'Lan.

								       Remember that name.

								     * It's also worth noting that this was likely Delenn's first real

								       encounter with Earth media/reporters on this level. She's never

								       been put into such a situation before, being challenged on-screen,

								       which would be the height of disrespect back home. (We refer to

								       her desire, after this, to learn more about the press in a later

								       episode this season.)

								     * Very few have noted the play on the title. The usual complete

								       phrase is, "And now for a word from our sponsor." So what was the

								       only sponsored commercial shown (in the 2259 version)...?

								     * _Interplanetary Expeditions was the bogus company from

								       "Infection." Is it more than just a throwaway here?_

								       Yeah, I'd say it's fair to say that you haven't heard the last of

								       Interplanetary Expeditions. Remember the rule: before you use the

								       gun, you show it on the mantle. You play fair. And create the

								       context in which the payoff later works.

								     * How can "Word" be a commentary on current allegations of bias

								       (which I think are out of all proportion) since the media is now

								       supposedly anti-government (nonsense), and the newscast in "Word"

								       was more than just a bit spoon-fed government propaganda?

								     * "Z'ha'dum" has only been seen by a few people at this early stage,

								       but folks like it. The big one, though, is really "And Now for a

								       Word," which has gotten more responses from crew, cast and others

								       than any other script to date. From top to bottom, everyone is

								       absolutely excited about it. It's going to be a very challenging

								       shoot, but the result, I think,will be worth it.


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								      [31]Last update: January 3, 1997


								References


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