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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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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Rising Action In A Darkening Galaxy Envelops Babylon 5 Season Two!

The Good: Excellent story, Intriguing character development, Decent acting
The Bad: Addition of Keffer, No "dish" in the extras!
The Basics: As Babylon 5 tries to remain a neutral port of call, major powers in the galaxy take up arms against one another.


I never expected to enjoy Babylon 5 as much as I have. Honestly. My favorite television show of all time is Star Trek: Deep Space Nine which I loved for its deep characters, serialized story and great acting. Babylon 5 is a completely different puppy from "Deep Space Nine" and in the "credit where credit is due" department, the advantage Babylon 5 has in its story is that the series creator, J. Michael Straczinski, knew the entire five year story from day one and had what he calls "trapdoors" for each character, so if an actor/actress wanted to leave, he always had a plan of where to go with the story. Thus, Babylon 5 has an overall more consistent portrayal of the characters and universe it has created (unlike the Bashir Revelation in season 5 or the Sisko lineage discovery at the outset of season 7 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine).

But these are two different puppies and there is little point in further comparison; they are both impressive. In the second season of Babylon 5, entitled "The Coming of the Shadows," the series continues its build-up in tension toward what appears to be an inevitable war. Opening with the usage of one of the character trapdoors (Commander Sinclaire is gone), Captain John Sheridan arrives to take control of Babylon 5.

"The Coming of the Shadows," the second season of Babylon 5 and not the episode within the season by the same name, explores the regrettable position Babylon 5 is put in as events begin to slide out of control. Following the assassination of the President of Earth, Captain Sheridan arrives to find the station in chaos. Ivanova, who worked with him previously, tries to help him get accustomed to life on the station while Garibaldi remains near-death in the MedLab and Minbari Ambassador Delenn remains in a cocoon in her quarters. G'Kar returns to the station soon thereafter with the firm knowledge that something evil has awakened on the rim of the galaxy that threatens everyone.

As Delenn adjusts to her knew physiology after coming out of her chrysalis, G'Kar does everything possible to raise the alarm about the creatures lurking in the darkness. G'Kar's attempts to garner support for his cause are complicated - despite one of the members of the crew seeing the ship of the enemy - when Londo's dark deal with Morden leads to an all-out war between the Centauri and the Narn. As Sheridan struggles to keep Babylon 5 neutral in the war between the Narn and Centauri, the greater threat gains ground and soon Sheridan finds himself learning the truths that could spell disaster for everyone.

The beautiful thing about Babylon 5 is how cohesive the show is. More and more in "The Coming of Shadows," the episodes gel together into a single story. There are a few "bottle" episodes, but even they have a thread that connects them to the main plots. As a result, the DVD boxed set is a great investment as when you sit down to watch episodes, their serialized nature makes it easy to sit and watch them one after another and become more and more engrossed in the rising threat posed to the heroes and villains in this universe.

Like all great serialized shows, the real focus is on the characters. Babylon 5 is no exception and here is how the second season finds the primary characters:

Captain John Sheridan - a former starship captain, Sheridan is the only human hero of the Earth/Minbari was as he led the only successful attack on a Minbari ship. Sheridan quickly adapts to life on the station, but finds himself drawn into a series of conflicts that put him at odds with the Earth Government and open him up to the probabilities of a galaxy erupting into the most horrific war ever known. He searches for his dead wife and discovers a growing relationship with Delenn,

Londo - The Centauri Ambassador finds that his allying with the mysterious forces marshaled by Morden may have come with a price he cannot pay. As the Narn reel from the destruction of their outposts, Londo finds himself gaining in prominence and becoming the backing to a political coup on his homeworld,

Ivanova - As first officer, she works to integrate Sheridan with the station and discovers herself building a friendship with the most unlikely person; Talia Winters. As tensions grow, Ivanova finds herself taking on more of the day to day responsibilities of Babylon 5,

Delenn - The Minbari Ambassador emerges from her cocoon with a startling revelation; she is no longer simply a Minbari, but a hybrid created as a symbol for the upcoming alliance between her people and the humans. She finds herself as an outcast and gaining strength from Sheridan,

G'Kar - The Narn Ambassador returns to Babylon 5 with the knowledge that the most ancient known evil may have returned to the galaxy. His quest to reconcile his animosity toward the Centauri is cut short when the Centauri invade Narn space and start an all-out war. His role as leader grows immensely as he fights for his people,

Garibaldi - The Security Chief recovers from his near death with little memory of who tried to kill him or why. After working with Talia, he learns the truth and finds that station security is more and more a tool for the corrupt Earth Alliance government,

Dr. Franklin - Saves many lives, but at the same time starts to use the stimulants to keep productive. While his devotion to his work is challenged, he manages to make peace with his estranged father and work to the benefit of humanity by fighting covertly the actions of the Psi Corps,

Talia Winters - The resident telepath on Babylon 5 begins to explore the powers bestowed upon her in the first season when she must resolve conflicts between Garibaldi and his memory, herself and her ex-husband and herself and the Psi Corps, conflicts that resolve themselves in such a way that they threaten all aboard the station,

Vir Cotto - Begins his rise to being an assertive, actualized character as he begins to openly question Londo and his associates,

Warren Keffer - A new character, Keffer is a starfury pilot who has nothing to do on the show save show up for a few episodes, see a Shadow ship, and become obsessed with it,

Zack Allen - A new security deputy under Garibaldi, Zack attempts to woo Talia and falls prey to the seductive advances of the Nightwatch, an Earth group that is hunting traitors,

and Morden - The recurring villain is fleshed out as we learn that he is tied not only to the ancient enemy, but to Sheridan's dead wife, Anna.

Lennier and Na'Toth are also in this season, though the latter disappears near the middle and Lennier is not given much to do but relay messages this season.

The reason the plots remain engaging is that the characters are interesting and the more we learn about them and their desires and efforts, the more compelling the story becomes. The show uses computer-generated special effects that often look disturbingly like they came off a PC, but the show works and excels because the focus is on how the characters are rising to the challenges that are sweeping them along.

The acting in this season is absent the flaws and occasional poor deliveries of the first season. In fact, the actors are able to contribute even more in this season, like Claudia Christian, who broke her leg early in the season and had the injury written into the script. Christian does a great job of adding humor to Ivanova and using her voice to expertly convey urgency with Sheridan when necessary.

Andrea Thompson and Richard Biggs both shine, when they are given the opportunity. Thompson makes Winters softer and, at times, even more lethal. She exhibits impressive range that makes her character a pleasure to watch. Biggs has an amazing ability to alternate between easy affability and uncompromising intensity. Watching Babylon 5 now, it is sad to watch Biggs because his recent death makes us think about what a fine talent was lost that day.

The three acting heavyweights, though, are Bruce Boxleitner, Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas. Boxleitner appears to flawlessly enter the mix, an impressive task for a new lead actor in the sophomore year of a show. Boxleitner adds an energy to the cast instantly that energizes the show from the first frames of the season. His ability to use that energy to create an instantly memorable character is what keeps the most far-fetched moments of the season watchable.

Peter Jurasik continues to do an excellent job with Londo as the character evolves from something of a buffoon to a credible leader of the Centauri. Jurasik does this by incrementally improving Londo's posture, vocal bearing and emotive depth with facial expressions. Jurasik is impressive in the role.

The big winner on the acting front in the second season is Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar. Katsulas overcomes the detriments of being stuck in the extensive make-up that he's in to create a character that is emotive, sympathetic and incredibly expressive. Katsulas has a vocal force to him that resonates when he roars and a softness to him when his character is broken. G'Kar has an intriguing character run this season, but Katsulas owns the character and he dominates every single frame he is in.

The only real drawback to "The Coming of Shadows" is in the character of Warren Keffer. The character seems added (which, according to the commentary on the last disc, he was) and does not add anything significant to the mix. In fact, he has a single arc in the season and he disappears for most of the season. Na'Toth, recast for this season, disappears after only a few episodes, but her absence is more conspicuous.

In order to appreciate "The Coming of Shadows," one must first see the first season of Babylon 5, "Signs and Portents." While a little more fragmented and not as polished, the first season establishes essential character and plot points that are not entirely covered here in the second season.

In the current age with political uncertainty and incredible decisions being made by very few individuals, Babylon 5 becomes more relevant and inspiring. And the last moments of this set will have you hankering for the next boxed set. Honestly.

For other ambitious science fiction television shows, be sure to visit my reviews of:
Invasion - The Complete Series
V - The Complete First Season
The Clone Wars - Season Three

7.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing of all my reviews of television shows, series, and episodes!

© 2012, 2008, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Even Great Direction Cannot Save The Uninspired Jawbreaker!

The Good: Moments of humor, Creative direction.
The Bad: Lame character development, Predictable plot, Stiff acting, Utterly ridiculous, Frequently overbearing soundtrack, Repetitive.
The Basics: As much as I was prepared to enjoy Jawbreaker, it fell way too flat.


There is an ever-shortening list of movies that I am actually looking forward to seeing, largely because in the last decade of me reviewing films, I have made a real effort to see virtually everything I truly wanted to. But somewhere down on that list was Jawbreaker, a dark comedy that was moved to the top of the list the other day when my wife wasn’t feeling so well and wanted to get out movies to watch. When I arrive home to be with her, she had not yet begun watching Jawbreaker, so we watched it together.

My wife is a lot more lenient on movies for the style points than I am. When we concluded watching Jawbreaker, my wife – who had been lauding the creativity of the film’s director throughout our viewing – noted that the movie was not as good as she remembered it, outside how creatively the movie was shot. And she’s right. Jawbreaker is a very easy film to watch because it is intriguing to the eyes as writer and director Darren Stein shakes up the familiar high school dramedy with intriguing camera moves, a satirically bright color scheme and transitions that shows the story well beyond how it is told. Unfortunately, the movie that is presented so well is hardly all that interesting of a film and it is backed by actresses who are more shaky or stiff on their deliveries than the parts require and Jawbreaker left me utterly bored as a result.

The most popular girls in high school are a clique of four, led by the uber-bitchy Courtney. Flanked by Julie, Marcie and Liz, the quartet rules Reagan High. On her birthday, Liz is abducted by the other three with the plan being to take her out to breakfast and then playfully torture her as part of an annual hazing ritual. Liz has a jawbreaker stuffed in her mouth, which is then taped closed, and she is bound and thrown in the trunk of Courtney’s car. When they open the trunk to let Liz out for breakfast, they discover their friend has died and Courtney sets about to covering up the crime.

Unfortunately, while posing Liz’s body in her bed at home – Courtney’s plan to make it look like Liz was raped by a transient – the nerdy student, Fern, walks in and witnesses the girls attempting the cover-up. While Julie wants to come clean to the authorities, Courtney pitches another idea to Fern; she will have Fern made over to become popular and join the clique in exchange for her silence. As Fern becomes Courtney’s pet project Vylette, Julie is kicked from the group and her new relationship with the school’s leading man in the school play becomes a battlefield upon which Courtney seeks to continue to dominate her former friend’s life.

Jawbreaker could have been good, but it quite simply isn’t ambitious enough. Criminally absent from the film are parents who have any clue as to what might be going on with the young women. Jeff Conaway, for example, has little more than a cameo wherein he tries to influence Marcie and get her to be nicer. After the transformation of Fern to Vylette, Fern’s parents are entirely absent from the narrative. How could they not notice the radical transformation in their daughter?! And how stupid do the writers and director truly think young people are these days that not a single one of them would notice that one of the people they have been going to school with has disappeared? And how is it that none of the teachers or administrators seem to know that Vylette is Fern, even after the police investigator is set straight?!

Jawbreaker, then, is supposed to be some form of mindless fun where basic logic is not applied to the movie or its characters. We are supposed to appreciate the spinning effect connecting Fern’s transformation with the preparation of Liz’s body for burial, the way the parents open the door and the police step through to create the crime scene and the way Courtney’s framejob includes how she herself hooks up with a stranger in Liz’s bed. And stylistically, the movie is interesting to watch.

But it doesn’t work. On the plot front, this is a remarkably linear narrative wherein a group of liars has their lie exposed. Slowly, four high school girls learn that it is important to tell the truth. Maybe the movie would have worked better if the creators had lost the sex appeal of the leads and made it a story set in kindergarten instead. The plot progression is fairly obvious and as the movie develops, it goes in exactly the direction a seasoned moviegoer will expect.

As for the characters, viewers are expected to believe that everyone surrounding high school is a complete idiot. Courtney is manipulative and powerful within the school and somehow, Fern is attracted to becoming like her instead of smart enough to say “I don’t want to be as low a human being as you are.” And Julie, who is ostracized then Vylette takes her place in the clique is so slow to turn Courtney in to the police that one has to wonder how much being popular ever meant to her. Sure, there’s the humanizing scene wherein Julie calls Vylette up and reminds her of when they were younger and actually hung out, but it feels forced and because it has no immediate consequence on either girl, it seems generic and cheap, too.

Then there are the police. I can get why teenagers would think a plan like Courtney’s might work and why they exist in her orbit, but how the police detective buys it to the extent that she will not open up the case when Julie eventually comes clean is utterly ridiculous. Pam Grier gives one of the better performances in Jawbreaker simply by playing the police detective with a straight face.

Outside her, the acting is almost homogenously bad. Rebecca Gayheart seems to be trying to get by with her performance by opening her eyes real wide and pretending that makes her character of Julie something. Julie Benz illustrates none of the intelligence as Marcie that allowed her to play Darla in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel expertly. And Rose McGowan is more stiff when playing Courtney as cold and deadly, making me think she is either a real nice woman in person or a truly terrible actress in this role.

The winner for performance, though, would have to be Judy Greer. Greer plays Fern and Vylette and my wife and I have been enjoying watching her in the role of Kitty on Arrested Development (season one reviewed here!) of late. Greer is a wonderful character actress and in Jawbreaker she plays mousy amazingly and empowered equally well. Even when the character’s actions make no real sense, Greer makes her seem plausible and she is a pleasure to watch throughout.

But that ought not to make it seem like I endorse watching Jawbreaker. At its best moments, I was still bored and at the worst parts, I was utterly disappointed.

For other works set primarily in schools, please check out my reviews of:
Bad Teacher
Freaks And Geeks
Easy A

4/10

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

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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