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738 lines
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738 lines
31 KiB
<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>
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<blockquote><cite>
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When the Narn attack a Centauri colony, Londo and G'Kar nearly come to
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blows. Meanwhile, raiders are attacking transport ships near the station.
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</cite>
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Hampton,+paul">Paul Hampton</a> as The Senator.
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<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Trencher,+Peter">Peter Trencher</a> as Carn Mollari.
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</blockquote>
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<pre>
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Sub-genre: Action/intrigue
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<a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/001">6.99</a>
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Production number: 103
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Original air date: January 26, 1994
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006HAZ4/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: November 5, 2002
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Written by J. Michael Straczynski
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Directed by Richard Compton
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</pre>
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<h3><a name="WF">Watch For</a></h3>
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<ul>
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<li> <a name="WF:1">The campaign issues</a> in the presidential election,
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especially the pledges of the winner of the election.
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</ul>
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<p>
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<hr size=3>
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<p>
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<H2><A NAME="BP">Backplot</A></H2>
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<ul>
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<li> <A NAME="BP:1">Earth's first contact with an alien race was with</A>
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the Centauri. At the time, the Centauri claimed to be the dominant
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species in the galaxy, a "huge empire" - but (according to
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Garibaldi) this hasn't been true for almost a <EM>hundred</EM> years.
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Furthermore, they tried to convince the Terrans that they were
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actually a Centauri lost colony, which genetic analysis proved also
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false.
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<li> <A NAME="BP:7">All Centauri foresee the circumstances of their</A>
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deaths in a dream. In Londo's dream, it is 20 years in the future
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and he and a Narn have one another by the throat. When Londo
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first saw G'Kar, he recognized him as the one from his dream.
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<li> <A NAME="BP:2">According to G'Kar, the Centauri occupation of his</A>
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homeworld was a "<EM>hundred</EM> year reign of terror."
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<li> <A NAME="BP:3">The Sinclairs have been fighter pilots since the</A>
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Battle of Britain. Jeffrey Sinclair's father taught him
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everything he knows about flying and combat.
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<li> <A NAME="BP:4">The Narn sold weapons to Earth during the</A>
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Earth/Minbari war.
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<li> <A NAME="BP:5">The first Mars colony was destroyed by an enemy </A>
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sneak attack.
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<li> <A NAME="BP:6">Ivanova's mother was a long-undiscovered telepath,</A>
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never able to use her powers very well. When the Psi Corps finally
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caught up to her, they put her on very potent psi-retardant drugs.
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"Every day we just watched her drift further and further away from
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us. The light in her eyes went out bit by bit. And when we
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thought she could go no further, she took her own life." (cf.
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<a href="016.html">"Eyes"</a>
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and
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<a href="017.html">"Legacies"</a>.)
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<li> Londo has enough clout to get a member of his family assigned to an
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agricultural colony rather than admitted to the military.
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</ul>
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<H2><A NAME="UQ">Unanswered Questions</A></H2>
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<ul>
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:0">There are</A> <A HREF="#BP">two references</A> in
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this episode to a major event in the Centauri empire about a
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hundred years ago. What happened back then?
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(cf: <A HREF="013.html">"Signs and Portents"</A>, perhaps)
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:1">How did Kosh get into his encounter suit so quickly?</A>
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When Sinclair visits to ask about his position on the Ragesh 3
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situation, Kosh's suit is in plain view but un-animated, the
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"shoulders" at rest about two feet below the "head" (which they
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normally encircle). Sinclair can see a large light moving
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behind a translucent screen; Kosh's voice also appears to come
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from behind the screen. When Sinclair turns his back to go, the
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light flashes across him for a moment, and when he spins around
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the encounter suit is just reaching its full height, with Kosh
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as in it as he ever is.
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:2">When Londo tells Garibaldi he couldn't possibly</A>
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understand his situation, Garibaldi replies, "I understand
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better than you'll ever know. I know it burns, I know the
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things it makes you want to do." What was he referring to?
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(cf: <A HREF="011.html">"Survivors"</A>, perhaps)
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:3">How did G'Kar know about the Centauri decision to</A>
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make no response to the Ragesh 3 attack?
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:4">Why did Kosh attend the council session?</A>
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:5">Is it part of a larger Narn plan to supply the</A>
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raiders with weapons?
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<li> <A NAME="UQ:6">What <EM>is</EM> Garibaldi's most favorite thing</A>
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in the universe?
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</ul>
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<H2><A NAME="AN">Analysis</A></H2>
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<ul>
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<li> <A NAME="AN:1">From the things they say about each others'</A>
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races at various times during this episode, neither Londo nor G'Kar
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seem likely to strive for lasting peace:
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<dl>
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<dt> <B>Londo:</B>
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<dd> "We should have wiped out your kind when we had the chance!"<br>
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"On the issue of galactic peace I am long past innocence
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and fast approaching apathy. It's all a game, a paper
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fantasy of names and borders. Only one thing matters:
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blood calls out for blood."
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<dt> <B>G'Kar:</B>
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<dd> "Your time has come and gone! It's our turn now. One night
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you'll wake up and find our teeth at your throat."<br>
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"I will confess that I look forward to the day when we have
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cleansed the universe of the Centauri and carved their bones
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into flutes for Narn children. 'Tis a dream I have."
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</dl>
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<li> <A NAME="AN:7">Londo was absolutely consumed by anger and hatred.</A>
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He would have sacrificed peace and justice for personal vengeance.
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(cf: <A HREF="012.html">"By Any Means Necessary"</A>)
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<li> <A NAME="AN:2">The Narn attack a distant easy target with</A>
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little military value. This must have been to test the Centauri
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reaction - see how many ships they send in response, how hard
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they're willing to fight to defend any part of their territory.
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The Narn are forced to withdraw for non-military reasons, but they
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learn a great deal about their enemies with that move.
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<li> <A NAME="AN:3">Ivanova is surprised to hear Sinclair defend</A>
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the honor of the Minbari.
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(cf: <A HREF="000.html#AN:5">"The Gathering"</A>)
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<li> <A NAME="AN:4">The EA is not in a strong enough position at home</A>
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to take an ethical stance toward its neighbors. "The Earth
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Alliance can't go around being the galaxy's policemen," says the
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senator, "They want to fight it out, let'em. Just keep us out
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of it - at least until after the election."
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<li> <A NAME="AN:5">One of the most alien moments was watching Delenn</A>
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try to understand Garibaldi's cartoons and popcorn. She is at
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times a sage, and sometimes an innocent.
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<li> <A NAME="AN:6">Sinclair claims he confiscated data crystals</A>
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detailing Narn communications that confirm Londo's claims about the
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situation at Ragesh 3. However, Sinclair has bluffed before (cf:
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<A HREF="../synops/000.html#nanobluff">"The Gathering"</A>).
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There is no proof that the crystals actually contained data.
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</ul>
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<H2><A NAME="NO">Notes</A></H2>
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<ul>
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<li> <A NAME="NO:1">Centauri have no major arteries in their wrists.</A>
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<li> <A NAME="NO:2">Garibaldi knows about the habitual movements</A>
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of the senior staff (Sinclair turning off his link during down
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time at C&C, Ivanova going to the bar after work).
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<li> <A NAME="NO:3">Garibaldi has had prior experience with the</A>
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raiders. ("I knew they'd be back sooner or later.")
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<li> <A NAME="NO:4">Ships move to and from the "secondary jump point"</A>
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through hyperspace via the primary.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:15">Starfuries can take multiple hits from Narn heavy</A>
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weapons without losing function.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:5">Earth is ruled by a Senate and a popularly elected</A>
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President, though it remains to be seen how much these positions
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resemble those of today's USA. America, Russia, and China are
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among the "states" in this democracy.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:6">A Senate subcommittee can dictate Sinclair's vote</A>
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on the council.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:7">G'Kar's</a> <a href="#JS:spoo">spoo</a> was quite fresh
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that week.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:8">Sinclair attributes two aphorisms to his father:</A><br>
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"The best way to understand someone is to fight him, make him
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angry. That's when you see the real person."<br>
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"Ignore the propaganda. Focus on what you see."
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<li> <A NAME="NO.KS"><B>Kosh speaks:</B></A><br>
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K: They are alone. They are a dying people.
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We should let them pass.<br>
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S: Who, the Narn or the Centauri?<br>
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K: Yes.<br>
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<li> <A NAME="NO:10">Shipping companies buy access to the jumpgates</A>
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in bulk, then sell it on the open market. However, the
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schedules are kept secret to protect against piracy.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:11">All incoming ships log their routes through</A>
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Ivanova's console.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:12">A Narn weapons deal always includes an advisor</A>
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who instructs the buyer in the weapons' use and insures they aren't
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sold to a third party.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:13">All Earth Telepaths are given three options:</A>
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join the Psi Corps, go to jail, or <A HREF="#BP:6">take drugs</A>.
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Unlicensed telepaths are heavily controlled in the name of
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protecting public privacy.
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<li> <A NAME="NO:14">Luis Santiago wins the presidential election</A>
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over challenger Marie Crane. His platform included promises to cut
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the budget and keep Earth out of war. His agenda for his coming
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term includes cultivating a closer relationship with the Mars
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colony and "preserving Earth cultures in the face of growing
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non-Terran influences" (cf: <A HREF="007.html">"The War
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Prayer"</A>, <A HREF="011.html">"Survivors"</A>)
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</ul>
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<H2><A NAME="JS">jms speaks</A></H2>
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<ul>
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<li> The first one-hour episode of the series, "Midnight on the Firing
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Line," does a fair amount of re-introduction, for those who've seen
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the pilot and need to be up to speed, and some introducing for those
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who haven't. It is, however, largely an action-oriented story, into
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which we weave the characterization. It manages to convey some of
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the same info as the pilot, but in a *much* more dramatic fashion.
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<p>
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<li> No, the show isn't a year and a half late. As it is, it's less than
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one year since the pilot aired. It was our initial hope, and my
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initial belief, that we'd go straight into the series as soon as we
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finished the pilot. But the studio, in its infinite wisdom, decided
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that since they HAD a pilot, it kinda behooved them to air it and get
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the ratings before committing to a series. So we then waited until
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February for the airing, got the go-ahead to production around
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April/May, began shooting in July, got a whole bunch of episodes in
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the can, and now we're hitting the air. That is the sum and substance
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of it.
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<p>
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<li> We'd always figured on going right to series, but once we had done
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the pilot, the studio said, in essence, "Well, we've got a pilot,
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we don't know if the market will sustain more than one space SF
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series, no other SF series has done well lately...maybe we ought
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to air the pilot first, and get the ratings, before committing to
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a series." And that's what happened...much to our consternation at
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first, but in the long run it was a blessing in disguise, because
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that interim period allowed us to really do a lot to make the show
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better.
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<p>
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<li> Approximately nine months have passed since the time of the pilot and
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the birth of the series.
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<p>
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<li> I *love*
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<a href="245.html">"Duck Dodgers."</a>
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I have virtually all of the WB cartoons on
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tape or disk, and from where I sit, that's wonderful stuff that'll
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be around for a long, long time. No omens, just something I
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thought would be fun. (Again, connecting past/present/future, sort
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of our B5 theme.)
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<p>
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<li> "Midnight on the Firing Line" as a title was more my feelings about
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the episode and the series. I knew we'd come under considerable
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fire, figured it was cool.
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<p>
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<li> <EM>"...and if our future lies on the firing line, are we brave enough
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to see the signals and the signs...."</EM> <br>
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-- Harry Chapin<br>
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Just a thought.
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<p>
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<li> Ah, but you're assuming that the Londo-strangling-scene is as it
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seems to be; maybe it is, but maybe it isn't. You don't know the
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context yet.
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<p>
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<li> Down the road, we will be seeing more of Londo, and his people, and realize
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that they aren't as human looking as they first appear.
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<p>
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<li> The Raghesh 3 claim is only about 20 years old; the Centauri came to
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Narn over a hundred years ago.
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<p>
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<li> You're correct in your appraisal of the "coincidences" in the first
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episode. Upon finding that Londo's nephew was there, they would of
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course trot him out to try and undermine Londo's credibiltiy (you'll
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note that G'Kar made special mention of this, as if to say, "Is the
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Centauri ambassador calling his own nephew a liar?"). It'd be the same
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thing if the son of an American ambassador was on-hand when hostages
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were taken. As for the choice of the attack's location...Londo wanted
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his nephew "far away from all this." Someplace safe. A fairly safe,
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mundane place is not going to have a major military presence...and
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hence is a perfect target for attack.
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<p>
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<li> RE: the spotlights, we'd figured that since the transport had been freshly
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attacked, there'd be debris all over the place, and lots of particulate
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matter which would show up in the light.
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<p>
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<li> Quick replies to your questions: Spoo is. What else can one say
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about spoo?
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<p>
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The Centauri station actually was rotating, as I recall, it's the
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camera angle that I believe doesn't showcase it as well as it might.
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<p>
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The scanners on the Starfuries detected no movement, no atmosphere,
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no signals, no warmth of bodies.
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<p>
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The lights on the fighters during the examination of the rubble were
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visible due to particulate matter spewed out during and after the
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attack.
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<p>
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<li> What is spoo? Spoo....is.
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<p>
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(Spoo is also Oops spelled backward.)
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<p>
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<li> <a name="JS:spoo">Spoo</a>
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is/are (the plural of spoo is spoo) small, white, pasty,
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mealy critters, rather worm-like, and generally regarded as the
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ugliest animals in the known galaxy by just about every sentient
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species capable of starflight, with the possible exception of the
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pak'ma'ra, who would simply recommend a more rigorous program of
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exercise. They are also generally considered the most delicious food
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in all of known space, regardless of the individual's biology, almost
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regardless of species, except for the pak'ma'ra, who like the flavor
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but generally won't say so simply to be contrary.
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<p>
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Spoo are raised on ranches on worlds with a damp, moist, somewhat
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chilly climate so that their skin can acquire just the right shade of
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paleness. Spoo travel in herds, if moving a total of six inches in
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any given direction in the course of a given year can actually be
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considered moving. They stay in herds ostensibly for mutual
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protection, but the reality is that if they weren't propped up against
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one another, most of them would simply fall down. They do not howl,
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bark, moo, purr, yap, squeak or speak. Mainly, they sigh. Herds of
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sighing spoo can reportedly induce unparalleled bouts of depression,
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which is why most spoo ranchers wear earmuffs even when it's only
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mildly cold, damp, wet and dreary outside. If there is any
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life-or-death struggle for dominance within the spoo herd, it has not
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yet been detected by modern science.
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<p>
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Spoo ranching is one of the least regarded professions known.
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Little or no skill is required, once you've got a planet with the
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right climate. You bring in two hundred spoo, plop them down in the
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middle of your ranch, and go back to the nearby house. Soon you've
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got more. When it comes time to cull out the ones ready for market
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(the softest, mealiest, palest, most forlorn-looking spoo of the
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pack), little physical effort is required since they're incapable of
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rapid movement without falling over (see above). They do not resist,
|
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fight, or whine; they only sigh more loudly. When spoo harvest time
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comes, the air is full of the sound of whacking and sighing, whacking
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and sighing. Even an experienced spoo rancher can only harvest for
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brief periods of a time, due to the increased volume of sighing, which
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even the sound of whacking cannot altogether erase. (also see above)
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Some have simply gone mad.
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<p>
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Spoo are the only creatures of which the Interstellar Animal
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Rights Protection League says, simply, "Kill 'em."
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<p>
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Fresh spoo (served at an optimum temperature of 62-degrees) is
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served in cubed sections, so that they bear as little resemblence as
|
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possible to the animal from which they have just been sliced. Spoo is
|
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usually served alongside a chablis, or a white zinfandel.
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<p>
|
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Further information on the care, feeding, eating and whacking of
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spoo can be found in the second edition of the Interstellar Guide to
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Fine Dining.
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<p>
|
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<li> Re: your desire to make and eat spoo at home...depends on whether or
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not you ever want to have children later....
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<p>
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<li>@@@851198016 <em>What does spoo taste like?</em><br>
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Meat Jello.
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<p>
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Served chilled.
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<p>
|
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<li> At the point in which we join the tale of the last of the Babylon
|
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stations, *everything* is in a state of flux...one government is on
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the rise, another is declining, Earth is taking some new and disturbing
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directions...so yes, they all feel there is a change coming. It's a
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little thing, but we keep it alive to keep a sense of something moving
|
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on a web, and each movement makes the whole thing shake just a little.
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|
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<p>
|
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<li> Re: the "last" of the Babylon Stations...y'all might want to bear
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in mind the syntax of the narration. It speaks of B5 in the *past
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tense*. "Bablyon 5 WAS the last of the Babylon stations...it WAS
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the dawn of the third age of mankind." The narration is the voice
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of future history, the storyteller, long after the fact, spinning
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for us the tale of the last of the Babylon stations.
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|
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<p>
|
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<li> I never said it was an isolationist president. The reporter doing
|
|
the commentary at the election talked about preserving earth culture
|
|
in the face of growing alien influences, which isn't quite the same
|
|
thing as cutting off trade agreements.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> You'll get a pretty good glimpse into why Sinclair jumps into a
|
|
fighter any chance he can get in "Infection." Part of it is to
|
|
escape from stuff...the other goes much deeper, and much darker....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Here's what I find curious (not necessarily in direct response to
|
|
anything you said, but in general on this topic)...is that when
|
|
Ivanova makes her remark to Garibaldi about snapping his hands off at
|
|
the wrists, many people have assumed that she was insulting him,
|
|
berating him, being bitchy, truly disliking and threatening him.
|
|
<p>
|
|
But the same words, put in the mouth of another male, wouldn't have
|
|
drawn that reaction, and would've been classified under, "kidding
|
|
around" or affable sarcasm.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Which is exactly what it is in this case. In this place and this
|
|
time, they're comfortable enough to mess with each other without it
|
|
being taken seriously (among these characters, that is). There are
|
|
times they kinda like to phuque with each other a bit, justfor the
|
|
hell of it, as comrades will sometimes do. ("Babylon Squared" has a
|
|
great example of Sinclair and Garibaldi messing with Ivanova.)
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Sinclair's line, "Cut acceleration," was in regards to forward
|
|
momentum, so he could more easily spin the fighter around.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> RE: the Raider ships...they turned by a less effective system of
|
|
thrusters put in here and there, not nearly as powerful as the
|
|
systems used by the Starfuries. The reason -- verifiable by the
|
|
shape of the Raider ships -- is that Raider ships are handicapped by
|
|
the fact that they're made to function both in space *and* within an
|
|
atmosphere (hence the aerodynamic wing shapes), which gives it
|
|
something of a problem when dealing with the Starfuries, which are
|
|
made ONLY for fighting in space, and are most ideally suited to it.
|
|
The Raider ships make compromises for greater utility, which is
|
|
generally okay unless they run into superior forces of ships designed
|
|
for spaceborne combat.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> The symbol Talia wears isn't a Link or any other kind of
|
|
communications system; it is *strictly* a form of identification,
|
|
tagging her as a telepath and a member of the Psi Corps. It serves
|
|
no other function.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Correct, Christopher Franke designed Kosh's voice.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> That the Centauri *claimed* that we were a lost colony is not the
|
|
same as indicating that we *believed* them.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> I like it when people lie in television, and we find out about it
|
|
over time. The "lost colony" routine was one such. At one point,
|
|
Garibaldi confronts Londo with this as reason for why he doesn't
|
|
trust the Centauri. Londo shrugs it off as a "clerical error."
|
|
There will be a few points in the series when we'll get information,
|
|
and we'll buy into it...and discover after a while that that
|
|
character bald-facedly lied to the other character (and, by proxy,
|
|
to us). And naturally there will be consequences to this....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> In "Midnight," Sinclair is really not given a chance to show his
|
|
character, since it's basically a reintroduction to the series, and
|
|
there is a lot to cover. He functions throughout the episode only in
|
|
his official capacity. In other episodes, you'll get to see some very
|
|
different sides to his character, particular in "Parliament of
|
|
Dreams."
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Re: Sinclair getting into a fighter...there were a number of reasons
|
|
for this, one of which being he wanted a good reason to avoid being in
|
|
on the counsel vote, given his marching orders. But more than that
|
|
...I would point out that this isn't Star Trek, and Sinclair isn't
|
|
Picard; he is first and foremost a pilot. He loves to get into a
|
|
fighter and take it out He's a fighter. That's when he is most at
|
|
ease. That's what his character *is*.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
At the same time, however, there are consequences for that kind of
|
|
behavior, as you point out. And there are deeper reasons for what he
|
|
is doing than even he want to admit. Tell you what...table that
|
|
aspect until after you've seen the last part of "Infection," which
|
|
deals *with this exact issue*.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> My thought, at the time, was that if we play the reality of this for
|
|
a moment, probably *all* of the ambassadors have some kind of weapon,
|
|
smuggled in via diplomatic pouches. Garibaldi and Sinclair know
|
|
they're there...question is, is it worth starting a diplomatic incident
|
|
over, as long as they're not being used? Garibaldi is saying, in
|
|
essence, "Okay, you know it's there, and I know it's there, but now
|
|
you've made a point about it. Lose it or hide it, or I'm going to
|
|
have to charge you, and we're BOTH going to be up to our ears in it."
|
|
If Garibaldi confiscated it, there'd be a whole diplomatic hassle...
|
|
and Londo would just have another one sent to him via diplomatic
|
|
pouch.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> It's interesting what we can read into faces...in Delenn's reaction,
|
|
I saw concern, angst, but not that she believed the story. That
|
|
certainly wasn't the intent of the scene, or the script...faces are
|
|
interesting things. As for the rest, you're right; not everyone wants
|
|
to do the Right Thing For The Right Reasons. Some would prefer not to
|
|
get involved. So some might want deniability, want a reason not to go
|
|
up against the Narns, or have sold out their votes. A human looking
|
|
at that screen could tell that the person was being coerced...but what
|
|
about the other alien races, to whom a downcast face could be a sign
|
|
of joy? In any event, suspicion is one thing, but *proof* is another,
|
|
and the legal system works on *proof*. Nothing could be done until
|
|
they had the proof that Sinclair got at the end, and chose to use
|
|
behind closed doors to the same effect.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> You may think it was obvious that the nephew was reading at gunpoint,
|
|
and in fact, he was...but thinking something or suspecting something
|
|
isn't the same as proving it. Londo could say, "He was reading at
|
|
gunpoint!" And G'Kar could say, "No, he wasn't." Where do you go
|
|
from there? (And, in fact, that's *exactly* what Londo said...only
|
|
to have G'Kar deflect it.)
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Re: why Londo didn't show the clips...at this point, there's not any
|
|
quesion in anyone's mind about the attack taking place. The Narns
|
|
say they were invited in to help quell internal strife. That the
|
|
events took place isn't at issue; it's *why* and whether or not they
|
|
were invited in. (As with Germany in WWII indicating that some
|
|
places "invited" them in.)
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Had Sinclair shown the evidence, it probably would've just hardened
|
|
G'Kar. Also, most politics is back-room dealing. You do this in
|
|
public, and you make a terrible enemy who'll strike back as soon as he
|
|
has a chance. Let him have his dignity, save face, BUT get what you
|
|
want, and there's room to maneuver in future. It's the difference
|
|
between being a punch'em-out hero, and someone who has to be
|
|
diplomatic, within limits.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Sinclair did not -- repeat, did NOT -- "tell Ivanova to defy Earth's
|
|
orders and deceive the council." He set up a situation in which he
|
|
would say that he was unable to catch up with her and pass along the
|
|
Senator's instructions before he had to leave. Her line would be
|
|
that "The Commander never told me," and he would back this up. (And
|
|
that he would hedge the truth this way is hardly "perfect.")
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Defying the Senator's orders would be telling them that the vote will
|
|
NOT be made as ordered. That never happened.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> In "Midnight," Sinclair had to be pretty much in command mode all
|
|
during the episode as a character, so that influences the result. But
|
|
in later episodes, we get him out of those situations, out of uniform,
|
|
and into other settings where he can be more relaxed. So that's
|
|
coming, and you'll see it *very* early on in the first season.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Yeah, the Sea Witch is the one that rotates and fires at one of the
|
|
Raiders. It's a woman's face in a green and blue background.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> As a matter of fact, in a couple of episodes you'll see a photo of
|
|
the Earth Alliance president. The photo itself is of Doug Netter, my
|
|
associate on the show and fellow executive producer. (The woman
|
|
running against the incumbent president in the election featured on
|
|
"Midnight" is played, in photo, by our wardrobe designer, Ann Bruice.)
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Yes, Vir is very obsequious in "Midnight." That's done in order to
|
|
give his character somewhere to go, as gradually he begins to stand
|
|
up to Londo and talk back.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Re: Vir...that was the first episode filmed with his character, and
|
|
he wasn't directed as well as he might have been. We pulled him back
|
|
a lot in later episodes.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Vir calms down. Trust me.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
He even manages to nail Londo from time to time...as he does when
|
|
Londo suffers a rather nasty hangover in "Born to the Purple."
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> If there's anything about "Midnight" that I would change...ehh...
|
|
that's a tough question to ask any producer or writer. I can't think
|
|
of anything I've done that I wouldn't want to go back and tweak. The
|
|
only real drawback we had was that we were still building sets as we
|
|
filmed our first few episodes, so we didn't have access to all of the
|
|
full range of sets. Not that we really needed them, the story works
|
|
fine in the sets we had, but we could've moved one or two shots around
|
|
into different sets just for variety.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
But aside from general tweaking, I don't think there's really
|
|
anything I'd change in it. My problem is that I'm too close to it,
|
|
and there are a number of episodes we shot afterward that blow it
|
|
right out of the water in terms of quality, production values and the
|
|
rest; I'd have to say that my favorite shows to date, in order, would
|
|
be The Parliament of Dreams, Mind War, And the Sky Full of Stars, Soul
|
|
Hunter, Born to the Purple, Midnight, Believers, Infection, The War
|
|
Prayer, Survivors and Grail. Chrysalis, which we're shooting now, will
|
|
probably take over the Favorite #2 spot from Mind War. We're fighting
|
|
to make every episode better than the one before it.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
We're going to have a brass plaque put up here in the offices one of
|
|
these days, before we finish, saying, "If you're not here to kick ass,
|
|
get out."
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> What you and the others seem to be pointing out is what I've been
|
|
trying -- imperfectly, as best I can -- to communicate for some time.
|
|
In the case of "Midnight," can you follow that show and enjoy it
|
|
absolutely on its own terms? I believe that is the case. There's
|
|
another level there, the "little clues and hints" you mention, which
|
|
will just skate past most casual viewers and not in any way interfere
|
|
with their viewing of the episode...but if you're paying attention,
|
|
and you catch them, it adds a new level. The more you see, the more
|
|
you begin to perceive that second level. It's a cumulative effect
|
|
that doesn't diminish the single episodes as stand-alones.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> (Lost the last paragraph of my message.) In any event, what I'm
|
|
striving for is the idea that you can watch the episodes for the
|
|
character stories, OR the story arc, OR the individual stories, OR
|
|
all three at the same time, all in the same exact episodes. You can
|
|
get out as much as you're willing to find.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
It's a very weird kind of writing...but at least on this end, it's
|
|
kinda fun, actually.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> I agree, most of the plot lines are tied up pretty well (except for
|
|
the telepath issue introduced at the end, which comes back at us
|
|
again...as does, incidentally, the Raghesh 3 incident and other
|
|
stuff). In responding to some of the criticism of the pilot, I tried
|
|
to make this one far more self-contained. Which is why I much prefer
|
|
"Parliament," "Mind War" and "Soul Hunter" over "Midnight."
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Did we save anything for the rest of the season? Lemme put it to you
|
|
this way...you ain't seen *nothin* yet. "Midnight" makes just about
|
|
everything done before for TV look lame...but there's stuff coming
|
|
down the pike that'll make "Midnight" look pale by comparison. With
|
|
each show we get better, we learn more, and we can *do* more.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> In the teaser scene you refer to in "Midnight," you've got a couple
|
|
dozen fighters coming in alongside about 3-4 motherships (or capital
|
|
ships, either term will suffice). We've always said that big ships
|
|
can punch through and form their own jump points. That's how the
|
|
jump gates get there in the first place: a big ship comes through, on
|
|
its own, and leaves behind a jump gate. There's no contradiction.
|
|
One (or more) of the big ships was creating the point of entry as it
|
|
went.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> During the con appearance, Jerry told a story that *I* hadn't heard
|
|
before. There's a scene in the script "Midnight on the Firing Line"
|
|
in which Talia (Andrea) goes into a transport tube, finds Garibaldi,
|
|
and asks some questions about Ivanova. They rehearsed it several
|
|
times, this being Andrea's first time on the set, and filmed one
|
|
take. She comes down the hall, comes to the pen...and Garibaldi's
|
|
pants are down around his ankles. Needless to say, that shot did
|
|
NOT end up in dailies....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
There are days I think -- between Jerry, Harlan, me and some others
|
|
involved on the show -- we ought to name this Loose Cannon
|
|
Productions....
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<li> Behind-the-scenes humor: because it had been so long since the pilot,
|
|
it took a few of our actors a bit of time to get back into their
|
|
characters, to find the characters' "fingerprints" for lack of a
|
|
better term. This is quite understandable given the long waiting
|
|
period. When he needed to find his character for a scene, Peter
|
|
Jurasik mentioned that he would just stand up straight and yell,
|
|
"MISter GariBALdi!" and he'd be right back in character. Sort of
|
|
the B5 version of "Shazam!"
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Minus the lightning bolt, of course.
|
|
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<HR>
|
|
Originally compiled by Matthew Ryan <i>mattryan@pobox.com</i>
|