Steadily Improving, Volume 2 Of American Dad! Finally Has The Series Stepping Out On Its Own!

The Good: Funny, Has actual character development, Decent guest vocals, Serialized elements
The Bad: Still seems somewhat derivative at points of Family Guy.
The Basics: While Seth MacFarlane’s second FOX show finally steps out of the shadows of Family Guy, it does not get quite far enough to feel like it is truly standing on its own with the Volume 2 DVD set.


Not long ago, my wife and I did a huge marathon of American Dad!. We picked up the DVDs cheap and we started watching the series that we had (largely) given up on back in the day after the first few episodes. But, as Family Guy has stagnated and become repetitive, we decided to give the show another chance. After getting American Dad! Volume 1 (reviewed here!) and finding it to be better than we remembered, we decided to soldier on with American Dad! Volume 2.

Volume 2 of American Dad! finishes off the first season American Dad! and presents the first ten episodes of the second season for an eighteen episode DVD set. To enhance the value of the episodes, the DVD set includes commentary tracks on all of the episodes and in watching them, we found that the humor held up well over multiple viewings of these eighteen episodes. Though the second season episodes had marginally better animation, more consistent humor, and actual character development, American Dad! Volume 2 continues the irksome trend in Seth MacFarlane’s works of not providing a complete season of television, but rather a vague association of episodes that pick up where the last (incomplete) boxed set left off.

Opening with Stan having a meeting of the National Gun Association in the house, Hayley becomes obsessed with guns at the same time Roger and Steve get in a revenge war over Steve eating a cookie. Forced together by Francine, Hayley and Stan try to bond, while Steve searches for the biological parents Roger claims he was adopted. Steve writes an unflattering expose on Roger and Francine struggles because she can’t get her hair done. She joins up with the Ladybugs, the evil housewife snobs who all have affairs. Roger, upset over the destruction of his television and his state as a shut-in, swaps places with Stan and goes out and gets a job.

Klaus is briefly given a human body again while Francine follows her dream of opening a kiosk at the mall. Stan learns he is not married to a homecoming queen when he and Francine visit her high school reunion and he briefly leaves her for Betty Sue, the actual homecoming queen (who no longer looks like the stereotypical homecoming queen). Stan and Francine spend from her 39th to her 40th birthday in Europe trying to ruin George Clooney and Stan tries to give Steve the summer camp romance he never had in Africa. Stan develops an eating disorder after Steve begins dating a larger girl. This batch of episodes ends with a Christmas episode where Stan runs off on the Ghost of Christmas Past and rewrites history, with the intent of restoring Christmas, but ultimately leading to the United States surrendering itself to the Chinese!

The animated series that focuses on CIA Agent Stan Smith is in a state of growth with Volume 2. American Dad! actually includes more humor for the type of geeks who made Family Guy into a phenomenon. To wit, the second season premiere opens with a wonderful Terminator 2: Judgment Day gag that is delightful. The episode where Debbie is first introduced quickly becomes something more than just an assemblage of fat jokes. And even some of the off-colored humor (like Snot suggesting that now that he has a Russian mail-order bride, the gym teacher might let him shower himself off) plays better and replays better than similar jokes from the first season.

What actually impressed me most about the second volume of American Dad! was that the characters actually develop! In the second volume, the primary characters are:

Stan Smith – After he is forced to spend the day with Hayley, he actually becomes a gun industry spokesman, after he stages a prank on Hayley and she shoots him, paralyzing him! He becomes Steve’s manager in order to sell his son’s book, despite having 10,000 rejection slips for his children’s books! He adopts a dog that Francine brings home from a murder scene at the grocery store. He gets drunk and is put under house arrest when Roger crashes the car. He blows most of his bonus from the CIA on useless swag and briefly leaves Francine for her competition for homecoming queen. He and Roger have a strangely intimate experience when Roger tries to bond with him and become his best friend. After he gets Barry off his pills, Barry becomes a diabolical psychopath! He spends a year trying to help Francine ruin George Clooney for her 39th birthday and then spends summer with Steve in Africa battling it out with a neighboring rebel military camp. He becomes anorexic, despite Hayley and Francine trying to fatten him up. He loses his self confidence when a car dealer manages to break his willpower. After becoming obsessed with Abraham Lincoln, he explores the Lincoln Republicans and discovers the gay Republicans! After despising Steve’s new girlfriend, he begins to bond with her over their mutual love of guns. He finally “comes out” to Francine about his love of figure skating after years together. On a time travel adventure to save Christmas, he becomes the one who shoots President Reagan!

Francine Smith – She forces Stan and Hayley together when she tires of their bickering. She has a crisis when her hairdresser goes straight and her roots begin to show. She becomes obsessed with the snobbish, unfaithful housewives, the Ladybugs, to her detriment. She realizes her lifelong dream of opening a kiosk at the mall, in this case, a muffin stand. After Hayley makes a movie that makes her look bad and mundane, she gets a fake medical degree and becomes a doctor for the handicapped mafia. She works to ruin George Clooney and gets in a battle with Stan when Stan actually befriends him! She has an uncommon bonding experience with Roger playacting while Stan is out of the country. She and Hayley begin working as housecleaners after Stan goes rogue after losing his self confidence. She becomes tired of the rut she and Stan are in and starts fantasizing about the street racer the two see while out on a date! When Steve and Debbie break up, she becomes obsessed with having another child!

Hayley Smith – Begins to bond with Stan over the guns she abhors being in the house. Returning with Stan to Sugar Mountain, she discovers a gun-themed amusement park which horrifies her, until she stages a protest and eventually paralyzes him with a gun! She locks Steve in the closet when she catches him reading her journal. She takes in some monkeys who have been over-groomed, who then take over the basement. She falls in with an ecoterrorist who potted himself in a planter in order to protest the new mall expansion. She makes a movie that embarrasses Francine. She tries to fight the local fraternity when her Eskimo studies courses are cut from the budget to support the frat. She nearly dies of a rare disease while Stan and Francine are out ruining George Clooney. She dumps Jeff, but is surprised how much she wants him back when he starts playing an online video game with Steve!

Steve Smith – Is horrified to think he might be adopted when he cannot find any pictures of himself! He is failing English because he is unable to write creatively, so he writes all about Roger. He cultivates a bad boy image to sell his new book. He is bullied at school and meets a Jesus-like pizza delivery guy who shows him how bullies are usually bullied themselves. He is forced into trying to interact with the cool kids by his father, which has the effect of illustrating that he can’t swim or be popular. In taking Stan’s experimental steroids, he develops manboobs. He is deported to an oil rig when Barry frames him for destroying Stan’s collectible plate collection! He joins Stan in Africa and has a summer fling with one of the girls at the refugee camp. He begins dating Debbie, a larger geek.

Klaus – He is locked in a closet with Steve when Steve reads Hayley’s diary! When is obsession for Francine reaches a new high, Stan puts him into the body of a man the CIA has had on ice (who happens to be black) and he tries yet again to seduce Francine. He and Hayley bond briefly over weed. Otherwise, he pops up and delivers wisecracks.

and Roger The Alien – He begins an elaborate plan to make Steve insecure by claiming he is adopted after Steve eats his cookie. He burns all of the pictures of baby Steve and sends him to the home of a family whose kid disappeared years prior as revenge! He starts leaving the house in wigs and disguises when he drunkenly destroys his television and goes out to be Stan’s designated driver. He discovers life as a used car salesman is harder than he would have guessed. He creates a bond with Stan and is disappointed when Stan still doesn’t like him! While Francine becomes a mob doctor, he starts taking care of the housecleaning. He discovers the unlimited drinking that comes from fraternities and joins one! He uses foster children as slave labor to try to make his own wine. He and Francine pose as a couple while Stan and Steve are in Africa . . . with destructive results.

Guest vocals in the second volume are less obvious in many cases, though Patrick Steward recurs as Stan’s CIA boss. Lisa Kudrow closes the set well as the Ghost Of Christmas Past, though there are few other vocal performances of those caliber in this boxed set (whatwith George Clooney being voiced by Andre Sogliuzzo in “Tears Of A Clooney” – though Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson voiced themselves in the same episode!).

For other animated works by Seth MacFarlane, please check out my reviews of:
Family Guy Volume 1
Family Guy Volume 2
Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story
Family Guy: Live In Vegas
Family Guy Volume 3
Family Guy Volume 4
Family Guy Volume 5
Family Guy Presents Blue Harvest
Family Guy Volume 6
Family Guy Volume 7
Family Guy Presents Something, Something, Something Dark Side
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade Of Cartoon Comedy
Family Guy Volume 8
Family Guy Presents Partial Terms Of Endearment
Family Guy Presents It's A Trap!
Family Guy Volume 9
Family Guy Volume 10

7/10

For other television reviews, please check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing.

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Expanding The Universe Of Babylon 5: Babylon 5: The Movies

The Good: Generally good special effects, Interesting stories, Good acting, Decent extras
The Bad: Inconsistent character elements, Inconsistent movie quality
The Basics: While a must for fans of the Babylon 5 series, the self-referential nature of some of the movies make this a difficult sell to newbies.


When Babylon 5 moved to the TNT network, they were commissioned to make films to make an event of the move. In addition to recutting the pilot for the television show, the producers were given the chance to make four additional films. They are now collected in one boxed set which is the Babylon 5 Movie Collection.

"The Gathering" is the recut pilot episode for the Babylon 5 series and it is pretty much essential for fans or newcomers to watch before attempting to view the series. Introducing all of the major players in the universe, station commander Jeffrey Sinclair must deal with the arrival and subsequent assassination attempt on the Vorlon ambassador, Kosh. In the process, Sinclair himself becomes a target, inspiring the question that will rule the entire first season of the series.

"In The Beginning" is a prequel movie which tells the story of the Earth-Minbari war. Here we see more than what the series has told us previously, including Dr. Franklin's role, Londo Mollari's interventions and John Sheridan's victory against the Minbari as well as a secret mission to try to end the war.

"Thirdspace" - This problematic sidenote to the main Babylon 5 storyline revolves around the discovery of an immense alien artifact which seems to hold the key to a new form of travel. It telepathically affects many of the crew and threatens ruin on the station.

"The River of Souls" explores the philosophical questions initially raised in the first season episode "The Soul Hunter" by bringing Soul Hunters back to the station. This standalone film is fairly pointed and it makes its point well.

Finally, "A Call To Arms" puts the Earth under attack by the allies of the Shadows as a precursor to the series Crusade, the Babylon 5 spin-off. "A Call To Arms" feels like a Babylon 5 endeavor in terms of characterization and plot, though it works to pass the torch to a new crew.

What works with the Babylon 5 movies is that they flesh out the universe of Babylon 5 exceptionally well. These stories fill in gaps, make richer the known events, and give some opportunities to characters that we have not seen before.

The main problem with these movies - up until "A Call To Arms" is the lack of a credible threat. "The Gathering," being the pilot, is awkward in comparison to the polished look of the rest of the series and the rest of the movies. But, as it is the beginning, we know the universe will not end. Similarly, "In the Beginning" is the story of a war which has a known outcome. Fleshing it out is certainly interesting and while it is perhaps the best of the Babylon 5 films, the story falls mostly along known lines.

The real insult in this department is "Thirdspace." At the height of the action of the fourth season of Babylon 5, the station faces a deadly threat that could wipe out everything. But, of course, it doesn't. Why? Because there's the rest of season four and season five coming. "Thirdspace" is like watching a horror film when one knows there is a sequel and which stars have already been cast for it. The menace is diminished. Therefore, the threat represented by "Thirdspace" is never real. We know no one we care about will die, be altered and there are no ramifications from this on the series. This insults the larger tapestry by diminishing one of the fundamental notions of the Babylon 5 universe; all actions, all choices, here have a consequences.

"River of Souls" works mostly well as does "A Call To Arms." Where "River of Souls" fails to work is - again - in the big picture of the Babylon 5 universe. At the end of the fifth season of Babylon 5, the station is turned over to a new crew. While "River of Souls" gives Captain Lochley the chance to completely command the station, we never see her new doctor, nor any of her new staff that she likely came to depend on.

What keeps "River of Souls" in the winners circle is the acting. Martin Sheen portrays the Soul Hunter with his usual excellence and it's a shock to see such a prestigious actor in a made-for-television movie. He rules each of his scenes and it's easy to see why he was drawn to the role. The truth is, all of the movies have pretty great acting and the characters are interesting, as they always have been.

This set has remarkably few extras, basically each film has an introduction and commentary track.

Who will like Babylon 5 the movies? Fans of Babylon 5. It's a treat that illustrates that this universe J. Michael Straczynski created still has so many more stories to tell. It, as he notes in the boxed set's notes, fills in the gaps and it does it well. But more than that, the first two movies may give people not familiar with the Babylon 5 universe a chance to see if its somewhere they would like to invest their time and money (nothing is lost by watching the first two films, then going and watching the series). I suspect it's a way to get some new people interested in one of the greatest television series' of all time.

6/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing of all the films I have reviewed!

© 2012, 2006 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Garibaldi Searches For Lochley's Truths In Two Mediocre Episodes of Babylon 5.

The Good: Moments of character, Moments of performance
The Bad: Mediocre special effects, Fairly recycled plot, Some truly lame moments, Predictability
The Basics: With two mediocre episodes of Babylon 5, this video sinks, regardless of how essential the plots of the episodes are to the bigger story.


As I nab the final Babylon 5 VHS tape I had to review, it occurs to me how unfortunate it is that Babylon 5 ended on such a shaky note, that its final season was so uncertain. I wonder how much - honestly - had been intended as part of the five year planned arc by series creator, writer J. Michael Straczynski. With the fifth season episodes "Learning Curve" and "Strange Relations," with their peculiar mix of necessary plot and character moments and the recycled sense that the viewer has seen them before, it certainly is enough to make one at least question if Straczynski was desperately fleshing out the final season.

"Learning Curve" finds a new crime boss taking over Down Below on Babylon 5 and a series of murders, as messages to his competitors, confounding security. As Garibaldi continues to investigate and badger the station's new commander, Captain Lochley, a pair of Ranger teachers and their Ranger acolytes come to the station to provide Delenn with a status report. While there, one of the Rangers is beaten by the new criminal leader as a sign and left for dead. Supposedly terrorized, Delenn intervenes with station security and Lochley to help use the righting of this violence as a lesson for the Rangers.

"Strange Relations" returns the telepaths to the forefront when Bester and a Bloodhound Unit arrive on the station to hunt down the rogue telepaths given sanctuary on Babylon 5. When Garibaldi is finally told why Sheridan selected Lochley for the position of station commander, he is placated some, but forced to sit out intervening with the villainous Bester. As Sheridan and Lochley look for a way to prevent Bester from taking the rogue telepaths, Lyta becomes more involved with Byron and his movement. And Londo's planned departure for Centauri Prime is delayed by an assassination attempt, prompting him to take on a bodyguard.

Both "Learning Curve" and "Strange Relations" have some serious problems that make them difficult, if not impossible, to recommend, especially to a general audience. As a fan of Babylon 5, there is a troublingly familiar quality to "Learning Curve." In the first season of Babylon 5 (reviewed here!), there was an episode with a nervous character who was terrified of leaving the station and who slowly came into his own throughout the course of the episode. "Learning Curve" feels much like that episode and the problems of the nervous character notwithstanding, there is something unsettling about how familiar the two episodes feel to one another.

Mentoring younger characters and teaching them a lesson is not new in drama or science fiction. Indeed, Star Trek: Voyager has an episode involving teaching the next generation also entitled "Learning Curve.” The fundamental problem with the Babylon 5 episode by the same name is this: the latter half of the episode simply does not work. The Ranger who intervenes and stops an informant from getting killed is beaten to a pulp by the crime boss and his associates. As he lays near death in the medical bay, his mentors announce that he is terrified. The Minbari can't speak, can't really move and his wounds are being held together with small stitches and a lot of hope. I'm not sure he's even conscious enough to be terrified!

The point here is that writer J. Michael Straczynski asks the viewer to take on faith a condition just because two characters on screen say it is so. One says he's terrorized and therefore terrified and Straczynski expects us to all sit up and say "okay, I guess he is!" The truth is, the Ranger acolyte does not look like he is even able to hear his mentors at that point. So when the latter half of the episode degenerates into one young Minbari's quest to overcome his own feelings of terror, it's much more told than shown. And the message has to continue to be repeated to the viewer so that the actions of the Rangers rise to something above a streetfight. I'm not entirely certain it succeeds in getting there, even after multiple viewings.

And this whole plotline is so weak that by the end of the fourth act, it is over. The rest of the episode picks up the thread of Alliance Covert Security Chief Michael Garibaldi trying to figure out why Sheridan chose Lochley to succeed him as captain of Babylon 5. Delenn beats him to the truth and that leads to some tension between Delenn and Sheridan.

Garibaldi receives the truth he has sought, finally, in "Strange Relations." This second episode on the video is somewhat better than "Learning Curve" and is part of the essential Babylon 5 because of the plot elements that occur. Bester's return is of great interest to fans who were enthralled by the fourth season of Babylon 5 (reviewed here!) because he manipulated Garibaldi and almost cost Sheridan his life. So, it's natural for Garibaldi to want to settle the score and it is strangely satisfying to see him make a spectacle of himself in the attempt. No, this is not Garibaldi's best episode.

It's also not the high-water mark for Lochley or Bester. Indeed, outside the character elements of Lochley's revelations to Garibaldi about her past with Sheridan and the very minor G'Kar/Londo subplot, this episode is strangely devoid of interesting character development. One might point to Lyta, who is slowly pulled farther and farther away from the Psi Corps in this episode. This is not much of a development, as she was reluctant to work for the Psi Corps and always hated Bester anyway. Given the choice between the kindly and pacifistic Byron and the sadistic hunter Bester, the choice seems fairly easy and obvious to those who have an affinity to Lyta. Or anyone human.

The result is a Bester episode that is strangely unsatisfying. Lochley is content to work with the Psi Cop and the tension this causes between Sheridan and Lochley is surprisingly minimal. The only truly inspired element of the episode is that it is Lochley who solves the problem, thus bolstering the idea in the mind of the fans that she belongs as captain of the station. "Strange Relations" is not bad, it's just pretty blandly average.

Part of the problem - in both episodes - is the acting. Tracy Scoggins, who arrived in the season premiere "No Compromises" (reviewed here!) still seems a little uncomfortable with the role. She is unable to play passionate and angry without being loud and melodramatic. There is a soap opera quality to her scenes with Garibaldi that ring false and are even painful to watch for their somewhat hammy presentation of how a fiery woman speaks.

Similarly, in "Learning Curve," most of the Minbari are played by actors who do not seem quite at home within their characters. Ironically, when watching two of the Minbari joking with one another, Garibaldi has the epiphany that Minbari never walk away from a fight, whereas most viewers will have the epiphany that Minbari actually have a sense of humor. Actually, the banter in both episodes is decent with the rifts between the Warrior and Religious castes being healed in the Ranger movement and G'Kar and Londo coming to terms with one another even more than before. It is gratifying to watch the show attempt to portray some characters having normal balance with humor amid episodes where people are being hunted down and beaten.

And as far as the telepath plot goes, the idea is not a bad one, though the idea that Byron is something of a cult leader is troubling, even if it might be accurate. The problem there becomes that Byron does not seem to be attracting more people to his flock; the station has not become inundated with telepaths the way it becomes overrun with Narn when G'Kar reaches legendary status later in the season. The point here is that the idea of Bester arriving to hunt down the telepaths and even Lochley's willingness to let him do it, is not a bad idea, but it does ring flat and seem awkward, especially to a fan of the series.

And honestly, I'm not sure this pair of episodes is accessible to those who are not fans of the series. "Learning Curve" is just boring for those not invested in the Rangers. And "Strange Relations" hinges on extensive backstory, especially of the entire telepath subplot that began back in the first season. As a result, it's a shaky two pack.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Babylon 5 - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

“Learning Curve” – 3/10
“Strange Relations” – 5/10
VHS – 3.5/10

For other television and movie reviews please click here to visit an organized listing of all the film works I have reviewed!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Another All Right, Another Abysmal Episode Makes For Another Split Babylon 5 Tape Review

The Good: One good idea, Decent character development and plot, Good acting, Great special effects
The Bad: One truly lousy execution, Terrible characters, Insipid plot/alien race tailored specific to one episode
The Basics: Babylon 5 tries a change in narrative technique that fails and sucks another, already derivative episode down with it on this video!


There's something truly disturbing about some of the old VHS tapes with two episodes. Every now and then one comes along that has an episode that is good or excellent paired with an episode that I wouldn't even let my cats use for litter (if they were inclined to use VHS tapes in their litter boxes). One of the most poignant examples of this regrettable phenomenon was in the Babylon 5 season five episodes where "The Paragon Of Animals" was paired with "A View From The Gallery." At least the tape starts out strong; following that first episode, though, it goes bad real quick.

"The Paragon Of Animals" returns the telepaths to the forefront when Sheridan finds that getting the races of the newly formed Interstellar Alliance to adopt the Declaration of Principles is much harder than it initially seems. When his head of covert intelligence, Garibaldi, suggests using the rogue telepaths aboard the station to spy on the local alien races, Sheridan is reluctant. When a peaceful planet on the edge of Drazi space is nearly bombed out of existence by raiders and Sheridan is compelled to use the White Star fleet to save them, he begins to open up to more extreme measures to get the needs of the Alliance met. This puts Lyta on a collision course with Byron, leader of the rogues and the Drazi in a position where their culpability may become undeniable.

"A View From The Gallery" follows Mack and Bo, two maintenance workers who keep Babylon 5 up and running as their mundane tasks overlap with the prominent station personnel's jobs. With Babylon 5 under attack from an alien race that is intent to feel out weaker races that are ripe for conquest, Captain Lochley finds herself being given a trial by fire and a running commentary on how the station is run by two depressingly uninteresting characters.

I am all for trying new things and exploring the lens through which a show is seen. Star Trek: The Next Generation did an episode similar to "A View From The Gallery" called "Lower Decks" (reviewed here!). The episode was interesting and illustrated a mission the U.S.S. Enterprise was on through the eyes of junior officers who were vying for a promotion. The fundamental difference in the two episodes was that the plot was not concocted in a way that made it seemed tailored solely for the episode (i.e. the plot could well have been done from the standard perspective) and the characters were interesting.

I don't usually comment on the end of episodes, but "A View From The Gallery" is so bad that it inspires me to break from my usual tradition and style. As the denouement to the episode, Mack shouts out to Captain Lochley, "Hey! You're all right in my book!" and the thing is, we don't give a damn. This is such a terrible self-referential episode with the obvious goal being to establish Lochley as a credible character that fans feel welcomed to like - something similar was done when Bobby Simone joined NYPD Blue in the second season (reviewed here!) of that show - that writer J. Michael Straczynski oversells it. Mack is such a dull, ridiculous character that his endorsement of Lochley has the exact opposite effect; we feel more unnerved by Lochley. It's like when someone who one knows has terrible taste in food endorses a restaurant; their lack of credibility from one source taints all future evaluations.

Mack and Bo are basically stereotypes of blue-collar workers and the farce that is established to have them interact with virtually all of the main cast is just that. The circumstances that push Mack and Bo into proximity to G'Kar and Londo having a deep character-intensive discussion about their childhood is ridiculous. How the main crew, like Dr. Franklin and Ambassador Delenn interact with the workers becomes almost a parody of Babylon 5 with them lecturing these blue-collar folks like they are yokels. Now, they are, but that's a separate problem; the way Dr. Franklin talks down to Mack and lectures him like a child is very much a departure from his character in other episodes.

But the whole plot idea for "A View From The Gallery" is a ridiculous contrivance. Babylon 5 is beset by an alien force unique to this episode. They pop up to give the station a good pounding and then are never seen from again. Were the show episodic, this would not be so much of a problem, but Babylon 5 is largely serialized; things have consequences and the loyal viewer want elements of every episode to have consequences. This episode lacks them and given the nature of the presentation - through the workday of mundanes Bo and Mack - the episode ultimately has an air of being completely inconsequential. In other words, fans of the show are going to feel like they wasted their time after sitting through this one. Fortunately, it comes second on the tape so those not looking to be bored and troubled by the stupidity of what amounts to a filler episode, never have to watch it!

But "The Paragon Of Animals" is worth watching and it actually improved with the second viewing. The first time I watched "The Paragon Of Animals," I was troubled by its similarity to an episode in the fourth season (reviewed here!) where Sheridan essentially tricks the nonaligned worlds into accepting the White Star Fleet on their borders by insinuating nothing is wrong and letting the paranoia of the League members overcome them. "The Paragon Of Animals" has Sheridan facing a similar dilemma and his methods are not entirely dissimilar to the prior episode. As a result, the manipulating the nonaligned worlds to his will plot seemed a bit overdone.

With time and a little distance, though, "The Paragon Of Animals" holds up better because the episode seems to focus more on the telepaths. The rogue telepaths allowed a colony on Babylon 5 in "No Compromises" (reviewed here!) resurface, as does Lyta Alexander. Lyta is working for the Psi Corps and has been tired for some time been tired of feeling used. When she aids Dr. Franklin by scanning a Ranger before he dies - and thus managing to deliver his message about the planet under siege by Raiders - she begins to truly question her purpose and she finds herself in the presence of Byron who seems to have a legitimate interest in bettering the lives of telepaths.

Robin Atkin Downs seems much more comfortable in the role of Byron than he did in his first outing and he and Patricia Tallman play off one another quite well. It's easy to see why Downs was cast and now that he is coming into his own as the character, he and Tallman are able to start developing some on-screen chemistry and it works!

What works a little less well is the sheer amount of comic relief the episode seems to want to rely on. I like that G'Kar and Londo have taken up more of a camaraderie and their attitude toward one another is friendly, but in "The Paragon Of Animals," it is somewhat ridiculous. G'Kar makes jokes about Londo repressing someone else, which seems a bit soon as it is less than a year since his eye was plucked out by an oppressive Centauri. Similarly, G'Kar's appearance near the end with the revised Declaration of Principles and Sheridan's reaction to it, just reeks of a writer having fun at the expense of the bigger body of work.

That said, the performances in "The Paragon Of Animals" are decent. Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas seem like they are having fun as Londo and G'Kar. Mira Furlan has a great deadpanned demeanor to counter their silliness with and Jerry Doyle infuses Garibaldi with a decent sense of paranoia throughout the episode.

But it is Bruce Boxleitner who once again sells the episode. Boxleitner has a quality few would expect to be truly presidential and in this episode he seems less like a leader trying to strategize to win battles and a complicated mind attempting to work his way around the intricacies of developing peace. It's a decent performance and it keeps his character fresh and watchable.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Babylon 5 - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

“The Paragon Of Animals” – 6/10
“A View From The Gallery” – 1/10
VHS – 3/10

For other television reviews, be sure to check out my television and movie review index page by clicking here!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A New Beginning, Fraught With Consequences, Marks A Decent Babylon 5 Video!

The Good: Established cast is wonderful, Interesting plots, Great character development, Decent effects, Resolutions, Serialization
The Bad: Awkward acting with new performers, especially the telepaths, Similarly awkward writing in "No Compromises."
The Basics: When a new Captain takes over Babylon 5 and Londo lays near death, transitions and consequences conspire to make an interesting video set.


It was a rocky road that concluded the saga of Babylon 5. After two seasons that were intense, driven and heavily serialized, the network the show aired on collapsed and the fifth season was a crapshoot as to whether or not it would be made. A cast member left, the show radically altered its direction and new characters arrived that required time and attention. The plot was a bit more shaky and there was a lack of a strong sense about where the series was going. And yet, the show managed to complete its fifth year. But it started with "No Compromises" and continued with one of the best episodes of the season, "The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari."

"No Compromises" finds Captain Elizabeth Lochley, John Sheridan's hand-picked successor, arriving at Babylon 5 to take command of the station. Efficient and brusque, she isolates some of the staff almost immediately. As John Sheridan prepares to be sworn in as President of the new Interstellar Alliance, he finds himself the target of death threats. While G'Kar works to establish the inaugural oath, Garibaldi investigates who might be hunting Sheridan. Lochley, dealing with the change in command, finds herself approached by rogue telepaths request asylum; a request she does not seem inclined to grant.

"The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari" is a very simple pair of character studies that explore the serious consequences of the actions of two of the main characters. Londo's left heart gives out, threatening to kill him well before a replacement can arrive on the station. While Dr. Franklin works to save his life, Londo enters the dreamlike state near death where he is forced to admit the wrongs he has done against the Narn, specifically G'Kar. While Londo lays near death, Lennier decides it is time to move on and he leaves Delenn to join the Rangers.

These two episodes, which share the same video tape, are a great example of the strengths and weaknesses of Babylon 5. The first is that Babylon 5 tells a highly serialized story. "No Compromises" finds that story very much in transition following the climactic events of the fourth season (reviewed here!). "The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari" is almost all about consequences. As a result, viewers who do not know the history of the character will be almost entirely lost. The episode heavily references events between Londo and G'Kar, most notably the torturing of G'Kar in season four by Emperor Cartagia. Again, lacking the backstory, the episode is a bit hard to grasp for all its nuance. Sure, one is clubbed over the head with the idea that "Guy who's done bad things lays dying, feels some remorse," but that's nowhere near as sophisticated as the show actually is.

Indeed, the character moment that defines the episode, the apology the spectral forces in Mollari's mind all seem to be demanding, may be predictable, but the payoff is still amazing for fans of the series. Fans of the series will be excited to see Londo's moment of epiphany and remorse, regardless of how it might be foreseeable.

In "No Compromises," the intriguing elements are all character related. Lochley is replacing Ivanova, who was set to take over Babylon 5 when Sheridan was muscled out of EarthForce and selected as President of the new Interstellar Alliance. Sheridan's choice of her - as defined in this episode - is partly symbolic, a healing gesture, which prompts Garibaldi to hound her about which side she was on in the Civil War back home. That Lochley does not necessarily agree with Sheridan's approach to ousting President Clark, makes for a wonderful character trait that clearly establishes her as someone different in the Babylon 5 universe. She is not a mouthpiece for the viewer's expectations and that makes her interesting to watch.

Similarly, from her first episode, Lochley establishes herself as more of a by-the-book, law and order type than many of the characters who have lived on Babylon 5 for years. As such, she takes a dim view of rogue telepaths and has less ambiguity about their presence on what is now her station. It's an interesting twist and a niche - arguing that telepath ought to be part of Psi Corps or on the sleepers - that has been empty in the principle cast since the departure of Talia Winters.

Lochley, then, leaps right in as an interesting enough character. She is played by Tracy Scoggins, who is a very nice person in person. I had previously only been familiar with her work from the episode "Destiny" from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (reviewed here!) where she managed to perform fairly well around some serious prosthetics. Scoggins seems a little stiff in her first episode, like she's stepping into an all-boys club and is aware she's the only woman in the room. While her character is intended to start as direct, strong and principled, she seems a little awkward with the role initially and seems more stiff than commanding.

This acting problem is exacerbated by the appearance of Robin Atkin Downs as the telepath Byron. Downs is thrust into the role of a telepath, a fairly awkward role for one not accustomed to such things and he, too, has an initial stiffness. Unfortunately for him, unlike Scoggins who just seems to have some normal fitting in problems, Downs is given some truly terrible lines to deliver. When he introduces his little band of merry rogue telepaths to the new station commander, his names and descriptions for them are just a collection of really bad, lines, plain crummy dialogue, and his performance does nothing to improve what is on the page.

Conversely, the principle actors who have been around, do a wonderful job in the episode. Andreas Katsulas is wonderful as G'Kar and Bruce Boxleitner takes on an added inner strength that makes him seem, well, presidential.

"The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari" is a wonderful example of what happens when great actors play great characters in a series that is not afraid to deal with consequences to actions. Peter Jurasik gives a wonderful performance - often on his back - as a deeply wounded and remorseful Londo. Gone is the pride and arrogance and in its place is a character whose life hangs on his willingness to make amends. He gives an astonishingly good and nuanced performance.

Andreas Katsulas gives one of his most diverse performances in the episode as well. Stern, serious and commanding one moment, he takes on the parody role as the Emperor in a reversal of the torture done to him the prior season. And he makes it work. It's an impressive performance and he pulls it off like the pro that he is.

Supporting actors Stephen Furst and Bill Mumy give decent performances as Vir and Lennier. Vir has always represented Londo's conscience and as that external role is internalized by the Centauri Who Would Be Emperor, Furst plays it quite naturally. Mumy, who played Lennier for seasons with a sublimated love for Delenn, manages to understate the obvious torment the character feels now that the woman he loves is married to another. Mumy is excellent at creating a performance that is nuanced and conveys what does not need to be said with his body language. Despite his b-plot in this episode, he manages to steal the scenes he is in.

But for the most part, these episodes are for the fans of Babylon 5 only. The series is heavily serialized and the feeling of transition in the first and the heavy references in the second make for an oppressive or confusing tone for those attempting to leap into the series at this awkward junction. It's the beginning of the final season and while the transition might create a new series for some to get into, it's a tough sell. Strangely, the heavily referential second episode is more universal with its character struggle that can be understood by anyone who has wanted forgiveness for the wrongs they've done in this life.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Babylon 5 - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

“No Compromises” – 6.5/10
“The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari” – 9/10
VHS – 7.5/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Wheel Turns To The End With Babylon 5 The Complete Fifth Season

The Good: Good character development, Interesting plots, Special effects
The Bad: Inconsistencies with prior seasons, "Tacked on" feel.
The Basics: "The Wheel Of Fire" finishes the story of Babylon 5, often after it is already ended.


The problem with Season five of Babylon 5 is that it brings outside (off-camera) issues into the series. Apparently, when season four was winding down, the network collapsed and the producers of the show were told to wrap the stories up. J. Michael Straczynski, creator and executive producer of the show, obliged and finished his five year novel-on-television at the end of year four. The series was then picked up by TNT, a new season finale was shot for the fourth season and the fifth season tried to get the momentum back that it had been forced to compromise with the ending of several significant storylines in season four.

The President of the Interstellar Alliance, John Sheridan, is sworn in on Babylon 5 shortly after turning control of the station over to Captain Elizabeth Lochley. Lochley and Sheridan have a past history, which Garibaldi becomes keen to learn about. While Sheridan and Delenn work to get the new Alliance headed in the right direction, a colony of telepaths is established aboard the station. While conflicts between mundanes (non-telepaths) and telepaths under the influence of Byron, the colony's leader, begin to erupt on the station, out in the vastness of space, shipping lanes are being attacked by raiders. Raiders who will forever change the destiny of soon-to-be-Emperor Londo Mollari of the Centauri Republic.

The stories that deal with this main plot work fairly well. The problem is, there's not enough to stretch those plots to a full season and with the addition of the new Captain, some time is spent dealing with things that have little relevance. Take "A View From The Gallery." The season's fourth episode finds Babylon 5 inexplicably under attack by a scouting party of aliens that we've never seen before and will never see again. It's the story of two maintenance workers who weave in and out of the lives of the main crew. Reminiscent of Star Trek The Next Generation's "Lower Decks," "A View From The Gallery" fails because Mack and Bo - the workers - aren't interesting and the story that revolves around them feels very forced. Coming on the heels of big character episodes like "The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari" and "The Paragon Of Animals," that episode falls woefully short of maintaining interest, much less contributing to the overall narrative of Babylon 5. Sadly, it is not alone.

The telepath plot is an interesting one. Byron, a guest character, makes for an interesting addition and gives Lyta Alexander a purpose now that the Vorlons are gone. Byron becomes a blurred mix of leader and cult fanatic and his story is an interesting one, even if it feels a little drawn out. And, unfortunately, because of the season four finale, fans of the show know that the main purpose behind this whole arc is to lead to the Telepath War, which we do not see in the series. And amid all of the telepath stories in season five, we never learn what happens to the telepaths still in cold storage on Babylon 5.

The biggest loss in this regard is that of the character of Ivanova. When actress Claudia Christian left the show at the end of the fourth season, the well-developed character of Ivanova was lost. Her antipathy toward telepaths would have made the story so much more interesting and added some real conflict between her and Sheridan. With Lochley as captain, too much time is spent establishing the character to allow for such moments that seem to have been hinted to in the past. Again, the off-camera issues altered the story we see.

The other half of the plot, the alien force attacking the shipping lanes, sets up the final arc for Londo Mollari and that is fairly well done. The problem there is that it feels somewhat rushed. Centauri Prime has been undermined by the Shadow's allies, the Drakh, which was alluded to in season four. The rushed feeling comes in understanding the time line. The Drakh take control of elements around Centauri Prime for their own purposes, resulting in the planet getting bombed extensively. That's fine. Londo makes a supreme sacrifice to become Emperor and rebuild Centauri Prime. That's fine, too. However, in the film In The Beginning (reviewed here!), which has Mollari telling the story of the Earth-Minbari War in his last hours of life. Centauri Prime is burning in that and the question I have to ask is, who is attacking it then?! Is that the end of the Drakh War we hear alluded to at the end of Season 4? It's an annoyance only a fan of the story would actually make, but it illustrates the problems season five seems to have with making it feel like it's part of the story we've enjoyed all along.

That's not to say it is all incongruent or rushed. No, there is much here that works quite well. However, most of that is either character related or in the latter half of the season. So, it is prudent to see where our characters are in this final act:

John Sheridan - Now President of the Interstellar Alliance, Sheridan finds his duties much more broad and his ability to adapt tested by the needs of many minor alien races,

Delenn - Leading the Rangers and organizing the Interstellar Alliance leaves her often busy and political, neglecting her spiritual side,

Michael Garibaldi - Recovering from his run-in with Bester last season, Garibaldi finds his life spiraling out of control and into old, familiar patterns of addiction while trying to make it as the Alliance's new head of Covert Intelligence,

Dr. Franklin - Often neglected, the Doctor becomes the new head of xenobiological research for the Alliance and has the chance to study the various alien races,

Lennier - Feeling without purpose now that Delenn and Sheridan are married, Lennier leaves to become a Ranger,

Vir Cotto - Now representing the Centauri as Ambassador to Babylon 5, Vir finds himself having to deal with issues from a position of power now,

Zack Allan - Still Security Chief, Allan mans the fort while the telepaths cause problems around the station,

Lyta Alexander - Taken in by Byron, Lyta begins to explore her powers and identity, with consequences that threaten her life,

G'Kar - Being raised to the status of a religious icon after becoming Londo's bodyguard, G'Kar finds himself frustrated by how people treat his writings,

Londo Mollari - Now Emperor, Londo makes the choice to sacrifice everything for his people, which results in drastic and tragic consequences for him,

and Captain Elizabeth Lochley - A newcomer to the station and on the other side in Earth's recent Civil War, Lochley is tough-as-nails as the new commander of the space station.

The only character elements of note involving what we have seen in the past is that there seems to be no passion between Delenn and Sheridan this season. Yes, they're married, but all of the romance between them seems gone. C'est la vie. Everything else seems to follow fairly predictable character lines for where the characters have been and where they've been going.

The acting is all good, as usual. The entire cast works quite well, especially considering that most of the time, they are working opposite bluescreens.

All in all, though, this is a coda to a show that has pretty much already finished its story. It's not bad, but it's not for newcomers and it does not resonate with the same pop that the earlier seasons possessed. The DVDs have decent commentaries and that is a treat to the viewers. It would be impossible to recommend this to anyone who is not already a fan and, sadly, there is little essential to those who are fans. Though "Sleeping In Light" does nicely end the series, it's a very basic and straightforward end to the series.

For a (slightly) better idea of the specific episodes in this season, check out my reviews on the first six episodes (which are on the first two discs of this boxed set) at:
No Compromises / The Very Long Night Of Londo Mollari
The Paragon Of Animals / A View From The Gallery
Learning Curve / Strange Relations

6.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2007, 2006 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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We Love Babylon 5, But The Lost Tales Could Have Remained Lost!

The Good: Interesting concepts, DVD bonus features, Moments of special effects
The Bad: Lack of characters/character development, Thumbnail plots, Obvious matte shots
The Basics: Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski returns to the universe he created to flesh it out a little, but misses the spice and originality of his original venture.


The more I have experienced as I have progressed through this life, the more I have begun to believe the old adage "more is not necessarily better." It seems like, largely, whenever a series I love is added onto years after the prior installments, its return is always an inferior, limited and fundamentally different production from whatever originally brought me to the work in the first place. As one who fell in love with Babylon 5 (reviewed here!), I was the target audience for the straight-to-DVD work Babylon 5 The Lost Tales - "Voices In The Dark." Sadly, this one-disc addition to the Babylon 5 universe did not come close to satisfying even die hard fans like me.

For those looking for a bottom line right up front, it is fairly easy to provide: the "average" rating I give this disc is more the result of considering the DVD bonus features and the toss of a coin than the program alone. "Average" for the primary program would be generous. Such generosity comes not from a lowering of standards on my part, but rather the fact that "Voices In The Dark" suffers mightily from a multiple personality disorder; one story is terrible and lame, the other is better but underdeveloped and obvious.

Colonel Elizabeth Lochley, commander of Babylon 5, finds herself in the awkward position of having to requisition a priest when a man comes to the station, apparently possessed by a demon. As the priest works to confirm the nature of the demon possessing the man, Lochley wrestles with her faith and the implications of demonic possessions in spacebound humans. As the priest prepares to perform and exorcism, Lochley reasons out how and why the creature has appeared on Babylon 5 and what it would mean to let such hellspawn roam among the stars!

Meanwhile, Interstellar Alliance president John Sheridan makes a trip to Babylon 5 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the creation of the Interstellar Alliance. En route to the station, he is plagued by a reporter and after looking back on his life, he goes to sleep, where he is visited by Galen, the technomage. Galen shows Sheridan a wasteland, revealing that it is Earth's future in approximately thirty years. The cause, he notes, is a single Centauri, the man third in line to ascend to Emperor within the Centauri Republic and Galen warns Sheridan that unless the Centauri is dealt with, he will mount an attack on Earth that will destroy it in order to help the Centauri reclaim their "rightful" place in the galaxy. Upon meeting with the Centauri, Sheridan and Galen set into motion a plan to kill him and make it look like an accident in order to prevent the dark future from coming into being.

The first story, "Voices In the Dark" is a fairly lackluster tale. While viewers of Babylon 5 might enjoy seeing Lochley again (and I did!), the story is not one of the most impressive or compelling. The gimmick and reasoning behind the possession and the implications of it are terribly unsurprising (indeed, anyone who has seen the film Dogma is likely to figure it all out before Lochley and the priest do) and the idea was clearly one that was never strong enough to flesh out an entire episode. The result is a vignette that is more blase than at all incredible or interesting.

What truly makes this first "episode" suffer is the lack of characters. When Babylon 5 was at its peak, it was a complex narrative packed with characters who each had their own motivations and ideas and directions. In "Voices In The Dark," the story is just Lochley's and while Lochley is certainly an interesting and compelling character to focus on as the subject of her own film, this is not the story to attempt that with. The result is that Babylon 5 feels much like it is shown in the movie: a corridor or two and perhaps one giant bay.

There is no sense of scope or crew to this incarnation of Babylon 5. In other words, when the series departed from the space station at the climax of the fifth season, it was commanded by Lochley and she had assembled a new staff. They were given a dramatic exit shot and a theme that implied that they would be a new crew, give the place a new start until the station was decommissioned or destroyed. In The Lost Tales - "Voices In The Dark" the station is Lochley and we are not privy to her relying upon that command staff. This is disappointing even in the lack of references to known crew; the possessed man is locked up aboard the station and security chief Zack Allen is never even mentioned! There are more references to the prior (familiar) main crew in the Sheridan storyline than there are in the Lochley episode.

Ultimately, the first half feels like a weak attempt to remind viewers that they once loved Babylon 5 and milk them for a few extra bucks without recreating the depth or breadth of the universe that attracted viewers to it in the first place.

The second half - referenced on the Menu page as "Over Here" and "Over There" - is better executed, but still conceptually too weak to hold its own as a full episode within the Babylon 5 universe. While Sheridan and Lochley have an exchange, the stories do not actually come together and their dialogue is more of a chance to reference the beloved (and absent) characters fans would likely like to know about. So, this too is a fairly solitary story with Sheridan working on his own to solve a problem.

Of course, he is not entirely on his own. Sheridan is accompanied by Galen, the technomage introduced in the Babylon 5 movie A Call To Arms. In fact, viewers will have a sense of deja vu much the way Sheridan has one when Galen comes to him through his vulnerable sleeping state. Galen reveals to Sheridan a devastated Earth and pinpoints a cause and posits how to prevent it. It is a lot of exposition and it sets up a practical and compelling obstacle for Sheridan to deal with.

The real problem here is that the viewer has seen this, too. In fact, it was the subject of A Call To Arms and the whole "Earth is going to be destroyed" concept was the whole point of the spin-off Galen appeared in, Crusade. Sheridan is not even given the chance to roll his eyes, reference the Drakh plague from Crusade and mutter something like "Didn't we just go through this?!" After all, it might have been a decade since Crusade flopped, but in the Babylon 5 universe, the Drakh plague was a huge thing that was never resolved on-screen. A little note that "yeah, the series was canceled, but you (Galen) and the crew that were out trying to save Earth sure came through for us!" would have been appropriate.

No such luck, though. Again, the sweeping sense of Babylon 5 history is cut down to a thumbnail for the purpose of selling DVDs. And for those of us into the minutiae, what kind of guy is Galen who would keep imposing upon Sheridan with giant, crushing decisions that might alter the fate of the galaxy and billions of lives without ever saying, "Hey, you've done a lot for us, you ought to know that urn Londo gave you to give to your son has a Keeper in it and you might want to kill that before it takes him over." For all his cool parlor tricks, Galen is kind of a jerk for not helping Sheridan save his son before his son becomes possessed by a parasitic organism that wants to use him as a pawn.

Outside that, Sheridan's conflict is a decent and compelling one. He must weight the life of one man against that of the billions of people on Earth that will be killed when that man ascends to a position of power. The problem here is that while Londo is referenced and intuitive and perceptive viewers of the television series will put together that Cartagia's son - the Centauri in question - is playing into the overall plan of keeping the Centauri weak and dependent upon the Drakh so they might have a new homeworld and become the power in the galaxy the Shadows promised them they would be, this is never put into any form of explicit or clever fashion. Moreover, the final solution is never rephrased in a way that might allow the Centauri to actually overcome and overthrow their silent Drakh overlords.

The result is an "episode" that is short, underdeveloped and tied together poorly. The special effects range from new and improved beautiful jumpgates and ship designs (the Valen-class cruisers are very cool) to poor bluescreen shots and a terrible matte shot of Lochley where she is inserted into a digital background with such shadowing one wonders how the producers let it be included in the movie.

The acting is fine: Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins and Peter Woodward effortlessly fall back into the roles of Sheridan, Lochley and Galen in ways that are instantly recognizable and fun to watch. More than those roles, the candid conversations on the DVD bonus features are worth the viewing. On those segments, Babylon 5 series creator J. Michael Straczynski, Boxleitner, and Scoggins discuss returning to the Babylon 5 universe and the deaths of Andreas Katsulas and Richard Biggs. It is unfortunate that for those tributes only from the actors working on The Lost Tales were included.

Still, the DVD bonus features are good. But they are not enough to solve the problems in the primary programming, leaving viewers ultimately underwhelmed. Even fans of the franchise will be able to pass on this one. After years of waiting to see it, I am already clearing the space on my shelf where The Lost Tales occupied to fill with something else. As a fan, that saddens me.

4.5/10

For other television episode reviews, please check out my movie review index page for a complete list of television and film reviews I have written!

© 2012, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Staying Strong In The Rebellion Against Tyranny In Babylon 5 Season Four!

The Good: Well-written and conceived, Excellent acting, Great character development, Extraordinary plot, Themes
The Bad: A pretty-terrible season finale
The Basics: In the climax of several important plots, Captain Sheridan returns to take on the Shadows and the oppressive tyranny on Earth in the fourth season of Babylon 5.


The third season of Babylon 5, "Point Of No Return" is a tough act to follow-up on. In its third season, Babylon 5 reached perfection and held the attention of the viewers for twenty-two episodes that completely rocked and are exceptionally rewatchable. The fourth season of Babylon 5, "No Surrender, No Retreat," has big shoes to fill and it succeeds, for the most part. This season is robbed of perfection by its season finale, which is weak, directionless and fails to end the season on a note that makes us want to come back to season five with the same intensity as the prior seasons. Indeed, listening to the commentary by J. Michael Straczynski on "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" (great title, regardless), the episode was not the original season finale and was produced only after the show was picked up for a fifth season. Unfortunately, it feels like it.

If you have not seen any episodes of Babylon 5, stop reading this review now. Go back, read my reviews for seasons 1, 2, and 3, go out, buy the DVD sets, watch them, then come back and read this review to make your final decision about buying "No Surrender, No Retreat." It is, quite simply, too late in the series to start watching if you have not already been watching. While season three is accessible to those who are just getting into the show, season four is anything but. This is a season that requires commitment from viewers, including doing the homework of watching the prior three years. This is a payoff season.

As with the previous three boxed sets, the mislabled "Introduction to Season 4" is truly a "Review of Season 4," completely ruining several of the key surprises in the season if viewed by one who has not seen the episodes already.

Beginning where season three left off, "No Surrender, No Retreat," finds space station Babylon 5 isolated at the edge of known space, alone in the night. Captain John Sheridan has jumped to his death on Z'ha'dum and the war against the Shadows has paused as a result. While Ivanova and Delenn search for Sheridan and try to salvage the alliance designed to stop the Shadows from killing every living thing in the galaxy, G'Kar goes on a quest to find Garibaldi. Sheridan and Garibaldi turn up soon enough, however, both significantly altered. Sheridan has found the abilities needed to help defeat the Shadows and the strength to take on Earth, while Garibaldi has become insular, paranoid and resentful of Sheridan, prompting him to abandon his friends and leave Babylon 5. And G'Kar, who went looking for Garibaldi, finds himself at the mercy of the insane Centauri Emperor Cartagia and the linchpin in Londo's plan to save Centauri Prime and his people.

This is a very intense season where major, climactic events occur on all fronts. When it appears that one character is fading to the background, they get a great plotline that pushes them back to the forefront. This is a season of profound intrigues and revelations and it is the story of the galaxy trapped in war. At the end of the day, it is pretty awesome.

Here is how the fourth season finds and develops the principle characters of Babylon 5:

Zack Allen - takes over as the head of security in Garibaldi's absence only to wonder what happened to the chief after he returns. While he becomes more responsible and more of an integral part of the station, he develops closer ties to Lyta Alexander,

Lennier - Still silently in love with Delenn, Lennier finds himself more and more isolated as Delenn and Sheridan grow closer together. He finds purpose when civil war breaks out on Minbar and he must put his love of his caste to the test,

Vir Cotto - Recalled to Centauri to aid Londo, Vir accidentally changes the course of his planet's history by being in the right place at the right time,

Lyta Alexander - Working with the new Vorlon Ambassador leaves Lyta abused and lonely, a vulnerable person who makes her susceptible to the advances of Zack and at the mercy of Psi Cop Bester,

Marcus - As the Shadow War reaches a head, the Rangers become even more important and Marcus takes on a leadership role. As well, his love for Ivanova continues to grow until he cannot deny the true depth of his feelings for her,

Dr. Franklin - Recovered from his addition to stims, he finds himself working as an ambassador to the underground rebellion on Mars, trying to insure that Sheridan's support is known on Mars and preparing the people there for a full revolution when the time is right,

Commander Ivanova - Discovers the full potential of her leadership abilities when she must command the fleet against the Shadows and against Earth's oppressive government. As well, she becomes a voice for the resistance, offering counterintelligence to the propaganda machine that President Clark has built,

G'Kar - His attempts to find Garibaldi put the Narn Ambassador in critical danger and provide him with a unique opportunity to save his people, provided Emperor Cartagia does not kill him first,

Londo - Witnessing the full degradation of Emperor Cartagia's mental condition, Londo becomes convinced he alone may save his people from Morden, the Shadow forces, and Emperor Cartagia. In the process, Londo must confront G'Kar, his own fears, and works to get everything he has ever truly wanted,

Garibaldi - Returned from his abduction without any clue as to where he was or why he was removed from everything he knew, Garibaldi begins acting erratically. Abandoning his job and going free-lance, Garibaldi becomes convinced Sheridan is a menace and must be stopped,

Delenn - Amazed to find Sheridan alive after his death on Z'ha'dum, Delenn admits her complete love of Sheridan and almost as soon as they are engaged, she finds that events on her homeworld require her attention and she must resolve the dispute between the religious and warrior castes or everything she has ever believed in will collapse entirely,

Captain Sheridan - is miraculously resurrected by a surprising new ally, only to find himself returning to Babylon 5 where everything is on the verge of collapse. As Sheridan struggles to end the war with the Shadows, by defeating them and the suddenly aggressive Vorlons, he finds himself wondering how long he has left. And when the treacherous President Clark begins waging a propaganda war on Babylon 5 and a series of outright attacks on civilians who rebel against him, Sheridan leads a force to retake his homeland, at any cost.

This season is the climax of almost all of the major plotlines of Babylon 5. Since the first season, there have been plots involving the Shadows, the takeover of Earth by Clark and the threats posed by the telepaths through the Psi Corps. By the end of this season, only the Psi Corp plot is unresolved, and - like the other two plots in previous seasons - it is ratcheted up in the last few episodes of "No Surrender, No Retreat." The problem is that in the penultimate episode of the season, the complications that are arising are stated and the ultimate resolution to the problems is revealed, and then the season finale comes and its something so different and so incongruent with the rest of the series, that it fails to leave the viewer satisfied after so many truly great episodes.

And the truth is, outside the complete dud of the season finale, this is an amazingly tight body of work. Unlike other seasons, where there were episodes interspersed that seemed questionable (even the perfect third season had "A Late Delivery From Avalon" with the appearance of King Arthur, that raised my eyebrows), this is a remarkably tight season. There are no weird or seemingly pointless episodes, no setups for payoffs outside the season that require a lot of faith. Instead, this is a season of revolution and resolutions.

And it works because the plots are well figured out and the characters are well portrayed. This is a season where every actor in the ensemble gives an incredible effort and achieves a magnificent payoff. Unlike previous seasons where Peter Jurasik, Andreas Katsulas and Bruce Boxleitner have shined and overpowered the rest of the cast, acting-wise, this is a season where every actor is given a change to rise up and blow us out of the water and they succeed admirably. Claudia Christian gives a heartwrenching performance, for example, in the penultimate episode "Rising Star."

This is a truly great season of television and only the poor finale brings it down. It is a worthy payoff to a series that has built itself up from nothing into something that makes for a compelling view. This season will be appreciated by those who have seen the other three seasons.

How wonderful is "No Surrender, No Retreat?" I sat down with a friend and it was so gripping, we watched the entire 22-episode season over the course of a single weekend and we're already chomping for season five and to rewatch this season again.

9.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing of all the films and television shows I have reviewed!

© 2012, 2005 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Perfection In The Resistance Of Tyranny: How Babylon 5 Created A Perfect Third Season!

The Good: Excellent use of cast, Great character development, Well-conceived plots, Special effects, Themes
The Bad: Nothing serious, one or two end plot reversals, "King Arthur"
The Basics: The pressures of a totalitarian government and a universe descending into horrific war are set against the backdrop of an isolated space station over the 22 well-crafted episodes that make up Babylon 5 Season Three.


There are some television shows that slip under the radar because they are classified as "genre" or "experimental" and they do not get the audience they deserve when they are on the air. There are television shows that are created at a time when it is safe to produce their subversive messages and then become a rallying cry for those who watch them when times turn darker. Babylon 5 premiered when Star Trek: The Next Generation was at its peak and was beaten to air by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It was seen by many as a fledgling television show trying to squeeze into a market dominated by Star Trek. Many fans of Star Trek refused to watch Babylon 5 and many people who dislike science fiction never opened up to this show either.

Those people are wrong and they need to give Babylon 5 a chance.

Season 3 of Babylon 5, "Point Of No Return," is a perfect season of television and in its DVD presentation, it quickly becomes something to watch over and over again. For those unfamiliar with Babylon 5, entering here in the third season is like picking up a novel at its turning point. It can be done, but it won't be fully appreciated.

Season 3 finds space station Babylon 5 adapting to the serious changes going on in the universe around it. As the Centauri/Narn conflict settles into a difficult occupation, the mysterious Shadows begin to re-emerge from the darkness, threatening everything. While Captain Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn try to bring together the forces needed to stop the Shadows, the treachery of Earth President Clark is revealed, forcing Earth into martial law and Babylon 5 into independence.

First of all, one of the bonus features on the Babylon 5 Season 3 disc is mislabled. On the first disc, there is a featurette called "Season 3 Introduction." If you have never seen the third season of Babylon 5, don't watch this! It is not an introduction (i.e. setting up the story based on the events and highlights of the previous two seasons), it is a review of season three. Thus, most every important plot point or character point is explored in the "Introduction," ruining any and all sense of surprise for the impressive way these events unfold.

"Point Of No Return," the season title, not just the episode within the season by the same name, is a perfect season of television. The problems with it are mostly in the timing. If one has not seen the previous two seasons, it is difficult to understand the magnitude of all of the events in this season. So, for instance, the revelations in "Messages From Earth" that confirm the President Santiago assassination that has long been suspected by Babylon 5 crewmembers, carry less magnitude when one does not see how the show has been building to it.

But the real appreciation for the show might be revealed now, in these dark times where the United States Federal government has become monolithic and repressive. Watching episodes like "Point Of No Return" and "Severed Dreams" remind the viewer of the power an individual might have to change the course of tyranny and resist evil. This is a show with a powerful message about making difficult choices to try to do what is right as opposed to doing what is easy or popular. "Point of No Return" illustrates that freedom is an idea that must be fought for responsibly and that overbearing governments must be resisted if the human spirit is to endure.

Like all great serialized shows, the stories turn on incredible characters, not simply on plots that are incredibly intricate. Here is how the third season finds the principle characters:

Lyta Alexander - Now Kosh's assistant, Lyta turns up with more and more frequency, trying to help Sheridan build alliances against the Shadows,

Marcus Cole - The Rangers take on an impressive role with the witty, quirky Marcus joining the station and quickly bonding with those aboard. He is intense and powerful, but filled with a humor that is uncharacteristic of Rangers,

Kosh - Now revealed (in the second season finale), the Vorlon Ambassador does what he can to aid Sheridan in planning to do war against the Shadows. Kosh's aid comes with a huge price, which will change everything,

Lennier - His bond with Delenn grows and is strained as he watches how close his mentor and Sheridan are becoming, yet his love for her never wavers,

Zack Allen - The resident security guard and member of Nightwatch finds himself in a tug of war over where his allegiances lie when Nightwatch begins to pressure him more and more to use tactics he is uncomfortable with,

Vir Cotto - In an attempt to do some good, Vir orchestrates a plan by which he is able to save many Narn lives. When Londo wants him out of the way, Vir finds himself becoming a special emissary to the Minbari,

Garibaldi - The security chief finds himself at odds with members of his staff who have joined Nightwatch and his work to keep the station secure and running efficiently lead him to discover a great deal about himself,

G'Kar - His homeworld decimated, G'Kar learns who is responsible for his people's enslavement and while imprisoned, he reaches a stage of enlightenment that allows him to understand his place in the universe and the importance of his role in fighting the Shadows,

Dr. Franklin - The doctor finds himself using stims (stimulants) more and more as the Shadows strike more and more targets, leaving people in need of a medic. Franklin's drug addiction forces him on a path of self-discovery that leaves him very much alone,

Ivanova - Takes on more and more responsibility as she aids Captain Sheridan in assembling allies against the forces of the Shadows. She finds purpose and range in bringing together those who have been apart for their common good,

Delenn - Is challenged by the growing schism on Minbar between the Religious caste and the Warrior caste. As she and Sheridan grow closer together, she finds herself more isolated from her people and in a dangerous position as a leader against the Shadows. She becomes an enabler to Sheridan, allowing him to do his most important work,

Londo - The Centauri Ambassador decides that it is time to end his dark alliance with the Shadows and free his people. He is dismayed to discover, however, that when he severs ties with the Shadows, Lord Refa and Morden conspire to continue the work he began, placing Centauri Prime in the hands of a new Emperor and at the mercy of the Shadows,

Captain Sheridan - Following his life being saved by Kosh, Sheridan realizes that the Shadow menace is upon the universe with little time to prepare. With the aid of a new Ranger ship called the White Star, Sheridan works tirelessly to bring together the various alien races to fight against the evil Shadows. As he works against the Shadows, he finds himself in the middle of prophecy, falling in love with Delenn and at odds with the oppressive forces of the Earth Government. When the government of Earth starts bombing civilian targets, Sheridan is forced to choose between following the demands of duty and doing what is right and standing up against oppression.

This is a complex story with incredibly rich, well-defined characters. "Point Of No Return" illustrates beautifully how complex issues become when fighting against regimes that are repressive, degrading and wrong. There is much to be learned from this show about recognizing tyranny and how to fight it.

A large part of the success of this season of Babylon 5 is in the character development, but the characters would be diminished were it not for the fine actors portraying them. As in previous seasons, Claudia Christian and Mira Furlan give amazing performances as Commander Ivanova and Ambassador Delenn, respectively. As well, Peter Jurasik continues his impressive portrayals of Londo Mollari. As well, Stephen Furst is given more to do and shines as Vir, bringing new vitality and charisma to the previously laughable Vir.

But in this season of growth and change, there are three actors who stand out like beacons in the night. Richard Biggs blows away everything he has done before on the show by portraying Dr. Franklin with depth and issues that he has not been able to until now. Even more impressive, Biggs delivers the greatest performances of angst and realism while working alone or acting against himself. Very impressive.

Easily on par or exceeding Biggs is the acting of Andreas Katsulas. Katsulas works the season like a pro, portraying G'Kar as a man who has lost so much that he has nothing else to lose until he has an epiphany of his true place in the universe. Katsulas takes G'Kar from being an adversary (first season) to pitiable (second season) to being well-defined and grand in the most tragic ways in this third season. It is Katsulas that reminds us of the power of the individual through his incredible ability to emote using the full range of his facial expressions and eye motions, not an easy task considering he is in heavy prosthetic make-up and wearing contact lenses. But he succeeds and he makes the character into far more than it has been.

The show hinges - quite often - on the performances of Bruce Boxleitner as Captain Sheridan. Boxleitner is a master at presenting the complex issues and emotions of Sheridan with the emotional weight that is appropriate. Sheridan is out changing the world and Boxleitner presents his decisions with a degree of finesse and gravity that make the journey of the character seem quite real and appropriate.

Who would like Babylon 5 Season 3? Anyone who enjoys a great story of political machinations, freedom fighting and/or great science fiction. "Point Of No Return" is an opera, a middle act that is remarkably accessible, even for those who have never seen the show before, where the limits of human endurance and the drive for human freedom are pushed with wonderful consequences and results.

For other worthwhile third seasons of genre shows, be sure to check out my reviews of:
The X-Files - Season 3
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Third Season
Angel - Season Three

10/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing of all the shows I have reviewed!

© 2012, 2005 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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