This is the thread that you can use to discuss episods from Babylon 5's THIRD season. There's no time limit on discussion, so feel free to talk about any episode that we've already covered in as much detail as you like - we'll be monitoring these threads, and the best chatter will get read out on the Babble On Project!

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Thanks, and happy chatting!

Sheridan sets the timing of this episode to take place the *week after* the season 2 finale. The first scenes show repairs being made to the station's mooring arm and the central monorail shuttle track which were both damaged last week. This season shows another *marked* improvement in the quality of the computer graphics, strikingly evident in the rendering of the station in the opening title. Speaking of the opening title, the music and the camera shots make it the *most awesome and dramatic Babylon 5 opening yet*, and we get to see it for a whole season!

The first time I saw this episode, it struck me that it broke the mold of Babylon 5's usual setting centering around the station itself. Sure, things have happened off-station, and there have been away missions, but I feel this is the first time so much outer-space action and bridge drama together has happened involving some of the command staff on a capable ship far *away* from Babylon 5. You could even make some Star Trek TOS/TNG comparisons (BAD!!!!) In fact, was the Defiant in DS9 just a rip-off of the White Star? In any case, this episode goes to show that Babylon 5 episodes are *not* formulaic in nature.

The Lurkers Guide (be careful of going there: there are spoilers!) points out that this is the *first* time we see a Shadow vessel shimmer and wink out, and then immediately see it traveling through hyperspace. We can now assume that's where they go to and come from whenever they shimmer. On that note, the Shadow vessel clearly pauses and turns toward the overloading jump gate before running for its life. This characterizes the Shadow vessel, but it's hard to imagine the actual commander or pilot of a ship saying "Wait, stop. Turn slightly toward the jump gate. Ah crap! Get out of here!"

Even during his first introduction into the show, Marcus has a rather humorous portrayal via his pleading with Drozak The Drazzi to eject his shuttle: "Now. Now! NOW! DAMMIT NOW!..." and then a sarcastic monotone "...now."

I'm sure the hosts of Babble-On Project have referred to this episode before (in down-below, right?). Something about Zack convincing missionaries to poke the plant, the introduction of Brother Theo, and Sheridan putting a microphone in his bum each sound very familiar to me.

I do consider season 3 as a whole the best one, some top episodes while lacking the breakneck rush of Season 4. Apologies if I seem a bit hazy, re-watched thsi a while back and my DVD boxed set is stuck in a box until my wife guides the unpacking (I'm under strict orders)

We get introduced to the Whitestar, as EricxDu has said, took the action away from the station, not in a bad way, although paralells with DS9s defiant are understandable (Small ship, advanced, punches above its weight) Who ripped off who, Never going there, may still have scars from those arguments. Think we saw the Defiant first, but if it was in the JMS plan and if Paramount photocopied it before saying Nah... No, not going there, my scar is itching.

The Shadow vessel, its not perhaps the actions a ship commander would take, but its a very organic reaction, kind of like a person standing in front of an oncoming car and not being able to work out which way to run.



I liked the way the whitestar was kept somewhere secret, it reminded me of Airwolf, in the way they had to head out to the ship (in airwolf it was a Santini Air jeep to a cave) before running off to blow something up.

Also introduces Marcus, who is just brilliant. Met Jason Carter at a signing (Bunked off CSYS English to meet him IIRC) and he was a very nice bloke to boot.

Hey Pieman! Good to have you on board

Thanks for all the comments guys, we're recording next Wednesday and we'll fit them in as appropriate.

Thanks, Been enjoying the podcast, Now have it on while keeping an eye on kids as well, it takes teh edge of cbeebies.

Am now digging out my boxed set again, just finsihed S4 on my own re-watch but am trying to re-watch season 3 again because, well its great.

I'm not putting off season 5, honest, actually won't. I was pleasantly surprised that Season 1 was actually really good. I'm adding my old opinion that it sucked to the list of reasons I hate 16 year old Me. He had some questional TV opinions.

PieMan70: yeah I shouldn't have gone there, I'm just being a bit cheeky . To everyone: I did kind of assume that the Defiant was introduced somewhat far into the DS9 series, and so the White Star must have pre-dated it, but I'm easily not familiar enough with Star Trek series to really know when it came from. In all seriousness, both ships are good concepts on their own and only vaguely similar, and there's no reason to say a show can't have a small, powerful ship of it's own. It's a fairly generic concept.



Gillian: I'm glad you were able to notice the humorous exchange between Marcus and Drozak at the beginning of this episode! Another slightly funny thing is my wife and I both thought Marcus looked like John Stamos from the ABC sitcom "Full House" until getting a good look at his face in the credits. Imagine "Jesse the Ranger": it would have been too hilarious.

I like when science-fiction pays attention to technical details, like when the tech says the alien device has come to a "relative stop."

Corwin gets to exhibit a lot of snark in this episode. I like seeing that in his character, and he must be pretty brave to talk like that to Ivanova!

Londo sends Vir off to Minbar to wander around eating twigs and berries

This episode is full of well-directed suspense and mystery. It's incredibly well put-together.

Brother Edward seems like a nice guy but there's something noticeably off about him that gives me chills. I want to guess where I've seen the actor before, because I'm pretty sure I've seen that person elsewhere! I think last Christmas I recognized him as Mr. Teatime in "The Hogfather," but other than that I can't quite place him.

True, it is fairly common, I vaguely remember rough comparative dates but again am no expert. While I tend to stay away from who ripped off who, one thing I will say, Babylon 5 made Deep Space 9 better, having such a similar rival, and for it to be as good as B5 was, really made the DS9 writers up their game. But we're not here to talk about trek.

Anyway, Ha! tehy couldn't stop me, I found my B5 Boxed set.

So, A Day in the Strife. Loved the look on Sherridan's face when facing the Freight Captains association. The look on his face said "All the fruit in the world isn't worth this" and as you have mentioned in previous podcasts, it's nice to see that these people exist, Effectively space lorry drivers or cargo ship captains, just guys running a buisiness. This is one of the episodes where the focus isn't the A-Plot, very much the B-plots that have the significance.

I won't say much about Passing Through Gethsemane, it's suffers a little from the "Exposition" alarm with Death of Personality being explained again, but I found you got to know and rather like Brother Edward fairly quickly, so for all it was effectively an episode focusing on a guy we just meet, you don't ever wonder why we're not seeng more of the main players. very good writing.