The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
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<!-- TITLE And Now For a Word -->
<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>
<blockquote><cite>
Babylon 5 is embroiled in a deadly conflict between the Narn and Centauri;
an ISN reporter covers the story and tours the station.
</cite>
<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Zimmer,+Kim">Kim Zimmer</a> as Cynthia Torqueman.
<a href="http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Curry,+Christopher">Christopher Curry</a> as Senator Quantrell.
</blockquote>
<pre>
Sub-genre: Introduction/Intrigue
<a href="/lurk/p5/intro.html">P5 Rating</a>: <a href="/lurk/p5/037">8.43</a>
Production number: 214
Original air date: May 3, 1995
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000087EYB/thelurkersguidet">DVD release date</a>: April 29, 2003
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Mario DiLeo
</pre>
<h3>Watch For</h3>
<ul>
<li> <a href="#NO:pine">A spring-fresh fragrance.</a>
</ul>
<p>
<hr size=3>
<h2><a name="BP">Backplot</a></h2>
<ul>
<li> The Narn homeworld was invaded by the Centauri around 2110. The
occupation lasted for approximately 100 years.
<li> G'Kar joined the resistance after his father was executed by the
Centauri.
<li> 41% of Earth Alliance citizens feel that Babylon 5 isn't worth the
time and expense.
<li> The Centauri have been using the space around the station as a
transfer point for weapons for the war effort.
<li> Over 250,000 humans died during the Earth-Minbari War.
<li> Back on Earth, the Clark government has formed the Office of Public
Information and the Ministry for Public Morale -- both very Orwellian
names. (see
<a href="#JS:gov">jms speaks</a>)
<li> Senator Hidoshi, Sinclair's main Senate contact in season one, is no
longer in office.
<li> Sheridan received the EarthForce Silver Star for valor
during the Earth-Minbari war.
</ul>
<h2><a name="UQ">Unanswered Questions</a></h2>
<ul>
<li> How long have the Centauri been using Babylon 5's space to move
weapons?
<li> Will the news report affect the public's perception of Babylon 5,
and if so, will the station become more popular or less?
</ul>
<h2><a name="AN">Analysis</a></h2>
<ul>
<li> Delenn's emotions seem to come to the surface much more readily now
than they did before her change. (see
<a href="#JS:delenn">jms speaks</a>)
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> 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.
<a href="018.html">"A Voice in the Wilderness."</a>)
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.
<p>
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.
</ul>
<h2><a name="NO">Notes</a></h2>
<ul>
<li> <a name="NO:sub">"Subliminal"</a> text during the Psi Corps ad: "The
Psi Corps is your friend. Trust the Corps."
<p>
<li>@@@841689985 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.
<p>
<li>@@@833749598 The Minbari have three languages: Lenn-ah, Fik, and
Adrenato.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
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!)
<p>
<li> 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
<a href="004.html">"Infection"</a>
-- in which it was discovered to be a front for a bio-weapons supplier.
<p>
<li> <a name="NO:pine">Note the pine-tree air freshener</a> on the bridge
of the Heyerdahl during the teaser.
<p>
<li> 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.
</ul>
<h2><a name="JS">jms speaks</a></h2>
<ul>
<li> <a name="JS:about">"And Now for a Word,"</a> will, I
think, be very popular, and to my knowledge does something that has
never been done in SF television before.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> 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
<a href="#NO:sub">Notes</a>)
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li>@@@846703929 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.
<p>
<li> <a name="JS:gov">The device of using a reporter's appearance</a>
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.
<p>
<li> <em>The battle shouldn't have been audible in the station, right?</em>
<br>
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.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> <em>Why did the battleships keep missing each other?</em>
<br>
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).
<p>
<li> New Vegas is on Mars.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> 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.
<p>
<li> 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.)
<p>
<li> "Whoever thought up the idea of *security cams* for FX shots...."
<br>
That's how it was scripted.
<p>
<li> G'Khamazad.
<p>
And G'Quon's primary follower/co-prophet was G'Lan.
<p>
Remember that name.
<p>
<li> 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.)
<p>
<li> 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)...?
<p>
<li> <em>Interplanetary Expeditions was the bogus company from
"Infection." Is it more than just a throwaway here?</em><br>
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.
<p>
<li> 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?
<p>
<li> "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.
</ul>