EpDis: The Long Dark

Episode 2.05.

Refresher Links:
Lurker's Guide Main Page for The Long Dark
Lurker's Guide Extended Synopsis for The Long Dark

I give this one an A Dwight Schultz's performance as Amis was what made this ep for me so good .

I gave it a B, but wish it could be an A- or B+. Amis and Garibaldi were good together, plus I really liked the ending in C&C. <brrrr>

I give it a B as well, though would also like to assign a B+ if possible. It was certainly a good episode and I do like the way Schultz created his character. However I felt that Mariah was not only a bad actress but an unbelievable character. Her husband just died, everyone she ever knew is dead, and now she's responding to Franklin's advances? Plus I think that the fact that Franklin even hit on her is just too far out of character. Ok, maybe it was the ‘stims’ and I can see that making him horny enough to forgo better judgment, but still. I never really believed that they were into each other. Maybe if casting would have chosen someone who Franklin really had chemistry with, but she just didn't do it. It's not like they can't find the person. For example, that episode where he finds the alien healing machine (that eventually saves Ivonava and does Marcus in), he's pretty into that blond chick, what was her name, ... uh... damn, I can't remember her name, but the episode was The Quality of Mercy. He had chemistry with her. But Ms. Johnson was just a sucky actress and could not pull it off IMHO. She never seemed even a little bit attracted to him. Plus the fact that her husband just died. And WOW, what kind of trip is THAT? "We were having martial problems so we decided to put ourselves in suspended animation and shoot ourselves into space." Now THERE is an novel attempt to save a marriage!!! I don't buy it. Most couple just get divorced or have a kid. Oh well. What do I know about marriage counseling anyways?

For example, that episode where he finds the alien healing machine (that eventually saves Ivonava and does Marcus in), he's pretty into that blond chick, what was her name, ... uh... damn, I can't remember her name, but the episode was The Quality of Mercy. He had chemistry with her.

Click to expand...

You think so? Personally, I thought the blonde woman that Franklin connected with in "The Quality of Mercy" was as at least as emptily acted the entire time as Mariah was at points in "The Long Dark." I've always had problems seeing an unforced connection between the blonde woman and Franklin when I watch the episode. That it happens is fine script-wise, but in terms of intercharacter interaction, I have considerable trouble believing it. But don't get me wrong, Mariah in "The Long Dark" had moments that didn't go over well for me too.

As for the Soldier of Darkness, at the time I first saw this episode, I thought it was wicked cool. But now having gone through the whole series, the Soldier -- in terms of its size and look -- kinda suck next to the Shadows. I do very much love the ominousness about the discovery about the Copernicus having drifted toward the world and how the Soldier got onboard and was using it to get to Z'ha'dum.

Schultz did do a great job performing his character and is one of the best guest characters in the first two seasons.

Overall, I do like the episode considerably, especially for how ominous it is.

Yeah, I too gave it a B (reserving the A grade for stuff like Severed Dreams). I loved the creepy atmosphere, it did that to much better effect than Thirdspace was supposed to. And Dwight Schultz is terrific. When he tells his story of what happened at the Minbari listening, it sends chills down my spine. There is a sense in this episode that there is somthing really evil and dark out there, it pervades the first half of the season. The only thing that lets it down is the shadow creature at the end.

Now THERE is an novel attempt to save a marriage!!! I don't buy it. Most couple just get divorced or have a kid.

Click to expand...

Hey, you're stealing my lines!

Even with Franklin's strongest romantic moment, the singer, he was not a credible romantic lead, and you certainly can't blame the actress there, she was great. I don't know if it's Biggs' acting, the way his character was written or just that he didn't get as much screen time, but I just cringe whenever I see him with a woman.

The episode is OK. It rates a Bart Simpson-esque "meh"

I gave it a C because it's kinda boring and really doesn't have a whole lot to do with the rest of season 2.

Like this ep, but in the grand sceme of things I can't give it more than a B-. Mariah is embarrassingly cheesy. The "I don't sleep with my patients!" bit was fun though. FYI for Captain Sheridan: Never, ever, question the doctor's morals! BTW, I have always wondered at what point Stephen started his regular stim use. What do you lot think?
The chilliness of the end scene is very well done.
Oh, and:
"Got a plan?"
"Try not to get killed."
"Brilliant!"
is great stuff! I can imagine Susan thinking to herself "A very Russian plan!"

Even with Franklin's strongest romantic moment, the singer, he was not a credible romantic lead, and you certainly can't blame the actress there, she was great. I don't know if it's Biggs' acting, the way his character was written or just that he didn't get as much screen time, but I just cringe whenever I see him with a woman.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I loved the Cailyn character, but Franklin's interest in her felt somewhat forced. But his interest in Cailyn was much more believable than his interest in Mariah.

Ultimately though, I think Franklin's most believable with-woman relationship was with Number One. That relationship wasn't about putting in a woman that would be some never seen again "ooo potential love interest" the way everyone else had been for Franklin, but instead was a relationship of the moment for tomorrow they may be dead sort of thing.

Yes, you're right. The one thing that bothered me about #1 and Franklin is that she seemed like a woman who needed WAY more man than a pussy little doctor. The only B5 dude who could handle her is the mighty G'Kar.

Coincidentally, the only B5TV member who could handle would, of course, be the mighty GKarsEye.

We rool.

...she seemed like a woman who needed WAY more man than a pussy little doctor.

Click to expand...

ehHEM!!!

I want to know.. what happened to the Soldier's body? Is it still invisible and rotting in Down Below? Doesn't it smell? Do people walk into it? I wish JMS would just finish off his stories properly sometimes..

Saved by Dwight Schultz. Aside from him, it's probably the most B horror movie B5 ever felt for me.

RW7427 said:

I gave it a C because it's kinda boring and really doesn't have a whole lot to do with the rest of season 2.

Click to expand...

I did this well. I would've given it a B- had I been presented with some sort of implementation of this big scary monster that was capable of more than A BOOT TO THE FACE.

I liked this episode when it first aired because I had a huge crush on Rick Biggs. On second and third viewings it's not quite so good, but still okay. I liked the character-driven episodes in general, and this is one of the better ones. I always felt sorry for Franklin in that he never seemed to get a relationship to work. That said, the same thing is valid for most of the rest of the characters too.

Just watched this episode a couple of hours ago. I'll give it a low B just because I like how we get more out of Franklin's character, but nothing else really gets going with this episode.

It does help to make Z'ha'dum and the big mysterious (still at this point) enemy more spooky. It ends with a kind of "something's out there" vibe. I like that kind of spookiness. Some of the acting could've been polished better though.

I'm not grading episodes, but this one would get a medium mark from me if I were. The main plot is fairly interesting, but layering the love interest onto it spoiled it for me. That is highly unprofessional behaviour for a doctor and as much as the widow needs comfort, I can't imagine her falling in love so quickly either. (Quite frankly, I, a female of the species, do not find Dr. Franklin attractive, so I guess that colours my view. Others see him differently, I know.)

I realize how much the music influences the viewers' perception of what was going on in this episode. We only had to listen to it, appropriately spooky, to realize that something was going on, though we couldn't see it. Then it turned romantic when there were scenes between the doctor and Mariah.

I agree with the previous posters who praise Dwight Schultz' acting - he's terrific in this role. I've always enjoyed him, and he plays sane mad men extremely well.

Best line of the show was spoken by G'Kar: "The future isn't what it used to be." I love that! It makes me think of the changes in science fiction over the years - the way we see the future isn't the same as it used to be.