Hello all, thanks for the feedback!

Charly, could you remember to use the spoiler tags when discussing events or info from episodes we've not yet covered, please?

Even just in this thread we have at least one person watching Babylon 5 for the first time, and we all know how it feels to accidentally spoiler someone!

Much appreciated xxx

I am sure I read somewhere that episode had more effects shots than any tv show previous. I suppose when you are storyboarding a show on that budget, with battle scenes that complicated, it must be tricky keeping everything together.

Outside of Star Wars, this episode still has some of the best space battle scenes aound. Far superior to the stuff DS9 served, with its all of a sudden "one shot kills" (what happened to shields). Ironically Foundation Imaging was doing the FX work for Trek. Never matched their B5 work.

Gillian Coyle wrote:


Apologies, but I did not think I had spoiled anything, just clarifying something in a current episode. I will try to be more careful.

don't get me wrong, loved some of DS9s big setpieces, but yes, too many one hit kills, suppose battle damage is more expensive to animate.

I can't say enough nice things about the FX guys. The B5 Scrolls site linked to from the Tumbler site shows the amount of thought they put into things, even stuff that was never used onscreen. Take the Omega Class, it had broadside missile tubes down the centre line of the rotating section, mine launchers and the effects people even came up with different launching procedures from B5 style launch bays. I love that, even if none of it made it on screen.

A decent couple of episodes showing the repercussions of Earth declaring martial law.

Why have they still not given Vaughn Armstrong's characters a name? Is there some big reveal coming later or did JMS want to make him a nameless vessel to represent fascism? I loved Lady Morella's speech about greatness and that wonderful end scene with Vir and Londo at the end of Point of No Return although there was really no need for it, one of them has to become Emperor before the other has to start looking over his back. Londo becoming Emperor is in all his futures so it has to happen. The way Sheriden defeats Night Watch was good although I had to wonder how they would send supplies in if they had to keep them all prisoner for long. It's great to see the new G'Kar as well, he's really become a more serene person and more in tune with the universe.

Angry Deelen was great, another brilliant performance by Mira Furlan. Did we actually see Garibaldi get shot? If we did I must have missed it and of course we get the obligatory "War is hell Mmmkay" shot of the wounded. The FX on the space battles was wonderful too. Interesting to see behind the scenes of ISN too after being such a bedrock of the show so far.

Watching this makes me realise how much TV has come on in the past 16 years. Although the ongoing plot arc is there characters drop in reminders like G'Kar telling Garibaldi that he was in prison for hitting Londo. I doubt that would happen these days but TV now is designed to be rewatched over again through the internet, DVDs and sites like iPlayer. back in the mid 1990s video was still coming in. Maybe it'sjust no-one takes the time anymore.

Greeting all!
Longtime B5 fan
And fan of The Babble On Project too.

I must say another outstanding review. Severed Dreams is a favorite episode with a lot going on and one that I'm compelled to add my 2¢ to a few comments that caught my attention - for your consideration.

1 - During this Earth Force attack, was Garibaldi living his vision he experienced on B4 as seen in Babylon Squared?
No - I'll post my answer in Down Below spoilers

2 - The Narns should not have gone ahead of Garibaldi and into the Gropos line of fire.
He told his men to take up a defensive positions in an outer hall saying 'We'll hold them here'.
Suddenly all the Narns are seen running past, Garibaldi looks surprised, says 'Nuts' and then 'Come on'.

3 - During the battle, the wall fire behind Sheridan in C&C was accidently started by a pyrotechnic explosion. I thought it looked great!
The JMS audio commentary for that episode says a stagehand in costume stands by during these FX scenes in case the plywood set burns down.

4 - That's a lot for a first post! One last thing...
When you mentioned Mr. Morden, I thought of the filk song "Sympathy for Mr. Morden"
Sung to the tune of the Stones, 'Sympathy for the Devil'
www.cdbaby.com/cd/bohnhoff3

During this Earth Force attack, was Garabaldi living his vision he experienced on B4 ?

Hi DaveNarn! Welcome to the forum and thank you for the feedback.

You can discuss future episodes in the context of episodes we're currently discussing, all you have to do is use the spoiler tags

For reference, this is the button you need:



Simply highlight the spoilerrific text and click that button. You can then edit the text within the spoiler tags if you like.

(I've also deleted that spare thread for you)

Thanks again, and hope to hear more from you!

Thank you for your help Gillian

First a bit of feedback on the last ep.

I have a wee habit, I like to try and shoehorn working explanations into shaky plot premises, in the same vein as the old Marvel "No Prize" winners or the TNG Nitpicker's guide "Creator is always right"

So, another potential reason why Sherridan wouldn't use Draal. We know the weapons system on the Great Machine packs a serious wallop. It could be concievable that Sherridan wouldn't want to unleash that sort of burning death on ships where he was hoping to kill as few as possible.

However

That would only make sense if, rather than say "He's our ace in the hole" he said "That would be a death sentance to every crewman on those ships, I'll only use that if I have to" this would mean his terrified look before Delen rides to his rescue would be more to do with teh realisation taht he's going to have to keep blowing up earth ships coming out of that gate until one side gets bored of the excessive killing.

It still doesn't work totally but I'm trying.

Ceremonies of Light and Dark

Since the huge events of the past 2 episodes we calm down a little for this one. There are some nice ideas. First, it seems nice and realistic that Earthforce would have command lockouts for their station, so comms are offline until they can re-programme the system. A system that we now know was built by the Sirrus cybernetics corporation. The "terrible New York Italian Steryotype" would definitely be one of their Genuine People Personalities. Anyway, nice to see a direct aftermath of the previous episodes, I wouldn't expect buisiness as usual, but its nice to see things following directly on. Its Very Delen to want a re-birth ceremony and in many ways her attempts to rope people in is more of the main plot than the Earthforce loyalists kidnap. Some classic B5 moments here, Marcus beating up an entire bar, Lennir's confession and of course lots of lovely Sherriden and Delen stuff (I'm guessing by this point there will have been much squeeing) We also have, in one lovely line Franklyn admitting he has a stim problem (Actually, the whole ceremony is just brilliant) Finally, Spiffy new uniforms yay.

Sic Transit Vir

yay, a Vir episode, good fun with dark edges to it. I honestly thought when I first saw the epsidoe that Vir had been good naturedly shipping Narns to their death because he believed some govt line on the work camps, so the twist that he'd been forging death certificates is even better. Add on a comedy psycho-wife and its great fun. Plus, Naked Ivanova.

off to my happy place now. Look forward to the next cast