EpDis: The Parliament Of Dreams

And here we have the next episode, The Parliament Of Dreams.

Refresher Links:
Lurker's Guide Main Page for The Parliament Of Dreams
Lurker's Guide Extended Synopsis for The Parliament Of Dreams

I personally really really love "The Parliament Of Dreams". The multitude of various religious demonstrations helps to flesh out several of the alien races, we have the fun of a G'Kar centric plot, and we get introduced to the wonderous Na'Toth!

The various alien religious demonstrations was fun. We get more of the calm, monkishness of the Minbari religious experience. I love the minor interaction of G'Kar in the background during the shot of Delenn speaking right after the red fruit is passed out but not yet consumed: G'Kar quietly swaps fruit with Ivanova sitting next to him. The Centauri festival was great too: "Everybody's cute, everybody's cute; but in purple, I'm stunning!" and "Do you know what the last Xon said? Argh!" And then the poiniency of Sinclair's introduction to the long line of various religious persons from Earth culture.

Second, we have the joy of seeing more of G'Kar beyond the brooding angry revolutionary. I think a lot of G'Kar in this episode is hillarious: "This is Ambassador G'Kar's quarters. This is Ambassador G'Kar's table. This is Ambassador G'Kar's dinner. What part of this progression eludes you?" "By this time, I'm already dead.""Good riddance."

And then the wonderful introduction of Na'Toth after the suspicious death of Ko'Dath in an airlock malfuction. I loved Na'Toth and G'Kar's repetition of the "You will known pain, You will know fear, And then you will die, Have a pleasant flight!" That whole conversation with Tu'Pari is great. I love Brown's delivery of Na'Toth's line: "Most unfortunate!"

Ultimately, I think this episode is great.

This one is excellant so it gets an A and rightly done .The Centauri festival of life was funny .But what stark contrast to the Minbari religious beliefs so somber .The one thing missing was Narn beliefs.

A 'B'. Like a lot of the early stuff, it works well on repeat viewings, there being a lot of foreshadowing of later seasons...
Good characterisation, enjoyed the humor, but the G'kar plot was possibly a little contrived.
One thing I will say about early episodes was that the musi, while good was yet to find its real hook. Sometimes it seems a bit intursive, but we were spoilt later on.

This is one of my early favorite episodes, and one I've used to hook new fans.

I haven't seen the introduction of Catharine Sakai mentioned. Not as important as it might otherwise have been due to Sinclair's departure, but she was a fine character in the three episodes we saw her in.

Perhaps one of my favorite lines has also been forgotten:

"He has become one with his inner spirit!"
"He passed out!"
"That too."

And the assassin's glasses....

That's the only down side to an otherwise great ep that I didn;t put in my post the character of catherine Sakai I am glad we only saw her in 3 episodes I never warmed up to her .But's it's still excellant .

I enjoy everything about this episode except the Narn A-plot, which I find is overplayed, laboured, and cartoony. Otherwise it does a great job of fleshing out each of the major B5 races (except the Vorlons - Kosh's scene was removed and edited into The War Prayer). It also features one of the funniest scenes in season 1 (the Centauri banquet) and one of my favourite scenes in the whole series (at the very end). At the same time it introduces important characters like Lennier, Na'Toth, and Catherine Sakai.

I find it hard to rate. Like many installments of B5, it's a bit like watching three different episodes intercut; but in this case at least two of them are stunning.

I had forgotten about Sakai being introduced this episode when I commented on the ep above. Personally, I really like Sakai and felt sad that with Sinclair leaving at the end of season one (with the notable reapparances) that it also brought on the departure of Sakai. I especially enjoyed her interactions with G'Kar in "Mind War" and looked forward to more such intereactions with him and other characters for her. I was pleasantly surprised to see her turn up again in the novel "To Dream In The City Of Sorrows".

I love the "But in purple, I am stunning!" line. I like to use it about myself from time to time.

And I love what G'Kar and Na'Toth do to Tu'pari and the stunned looks on his face at the end.

The G'Kar subplot was probably a bit overdone, but this was still early in the series, his entire character was overdone back then.

I did like the switching of the fruit that you can "just" see in the background. Wasn't that his doing, not in the script?

The end is perfect. I remember thinking the first time I saw this episode "how will they pull this off?". It really was done in the best way possible. Remind me, wasn't the atheist introduced first?

IMHO the series improved by leaps and bounds, for the most part, with the episodes made around here.

I did like the switching of the fruit that you can "just" see in the background. Wasn't that his doing, not in the script?

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Yeah, it sounds like it something that would be done sort of ad lib like that.

I love this episode simply for the end -

when the ambassadors are getting introduced to earth's dominate religion - they say "where's the chanting" "I don't hear any drums".

I thought showing members of every single earth religion was great. It really showed that "humans build communities". I noted to that the first inroduction was to an atheist. Is the choice a reflection of JMS beliefs or just the need to begin with the first letter of the alphabet?

I don't think he went in alphabetical order. So no, possibly he was thinking mathematically.

You must start with nothing, after all.

From nothing you can build anything.

I don't think he went in alphabetical order. So no, possibly he was thinking mathematically.

You must start with nothing, after all.

From nothing you can build anything.

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Yep, you're a math teacher all right!!

Or an Iraqi terorist Mr Asscroft!!! Help , she' trying to force Science on us!!!!

I agree the plot with G'Kar borders on being overdone to the point of slapstick, I gave this ep a B. The display of the various religions, the introduction of so many characters (e.g. Lennier, Na'Toth, Catherine Sakai) all make this a must see ep.

My favorite line is after Na'Toth beats the crap of G'Kar to free him.

Na'Toth: 'I had to hit them (the pain givers) as hard as possible, as often as possible and still make it appear as though I were beating you into another incarnation.'
G'Kar: 'And you didn't enjoy it in the least?'
Na'Toth: 'I didn't say that.'

Yep, you're a math teacher all right!!

Or an Iraqi terorist Mr Asscroft!!! Help , she' trying to force Science on us!!!!

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Never confuse mathematics with science. :devil:

PhoenixRising:

agree the plot with G'Kar borders on being overdone to the point of slapstick, I gave this ep a B. The display of the various religions, the introduction of so many characters (e.g. Lennier, Na'Toth, Catherine Sakai) all make this a must see ep.

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Yea, but I must confess, a slapstick that I liked.

I suppose both Londo and G'Kar had to go through a kind of "clown" stage before the real character development could take off.

My favorite line is after Na'Toth beats the crap of G'Kar to free him.

Na'Toth: 'I had to hit them (the pain givers) as hard as possible, as often as possible and still make it appear as though I were beating you into another incarnation.'
G'Kar: 'And you didn't enjoy it in the least?'
Na'Toth: 'I didn't say that.'

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The evil, Cat-bert in me gets WAAAAAAAAAY too much pleasure out of that line. :devil:

The best season 1 episode so far. The Centauri banquet was great!
Loved seeing a Narn wear glasses.
NaToth was some tuff cookie (a Narn Emma Peele). And the very sensual Mimbari ritual.
Great, Great episode.

Mimbari

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MiNbari

I give it a B. It's one of my favorite episodes from season one, mainly because of the G'Kar plot. G'Kar screaming in terror at a flower -- hilarious.

I was rewatching this tonight and I finally noticed G'Kar switching the fruit...too funny. I like the way that JMS puts an episode like this early in the series to offset the view of G'Kar as a quasi villain that comes across in other parts of season 1.