EpDis: No Compromises

Refresher Links:
Lurker's Guide Main Page for No Compromises
Lurker's Guide Extended Synopsis for No Compromises

I rate this one as a B-. I know JMS liked to start slowly at the start of seasons to let new viewers catch up and whatnot. However, when I first saw it, I probably would have rated it higher since I was so happy to see new episodes of B5 again.

I have to admit that I was a bit confused at first since my local affiliate never ran the last few episodes of season 4...or if they did, they put them on at midnight or some other such time. So when I first saw Sheridan referred to as President, that was a good "Wha?????!!!" moment for me.

Wow! I can't believe our EpDis's are in season 5 already!

BTW, I gave the ep a B. Not bad stuff, but not among the Best of B5.

I have to admit...and for those who know me look around for something soft to land on... this episode was just okay for me. It had some wonderful moments, but it just didn't "WOW!" me like the others. I gave it a solid B.

I did like Andreas in this one, very much... as always! I thought he was just excellent. It still amazes me how much emotion and characterization he can push through that heavy make-up without any of it appearing forced or over-animated.

It was touching how dedicated and cute G'kar was about getting that declaration just right, knowing those words would speak for the many worlds represented on Babylon 5.

Hmmmm...what else?.... We also saw the swearing in of President of the Alliance, and we saw Byron. Btw, he may be the reason that I'm not as crazy about this episode.... sorry Byron fans, but I always thought he was a bit of a downer...??

I do remember thinking how sweet that little morning scene was between John and Delenn...complete with kisses, his coffee, her milk, and the "sock" story!

There 's more to share but I'd better give someone else a chance, so I'll stop here....

I did like Andreas in this one, very much... as always! I thought he was just excellent. It still amazes me how much emotion and characterization he can push through that heavy make-up without any of it appearing forced or over-animated.

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Andreas was great in just about every G'Kar scene he played in.

G'Kar: So, do you want to be President, or not?

Sheridan: Yes

G'Kar: Fine. Done. Let's eat.

I wonder how much of any of jms's own frustration of trying to write poignant speeches for the various characters of the show came out in this episode in G'Kar's ever-revising of the Declaration of Principles.

G'Kar: So, do you want to be President, or not?

Sheridan: Yes

G'Kar: Fine. Done. Let's eat.

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Best part of the episode!

G'Kar: So, do you want to be President, or not?

Sheridan: Yes

G'Kar: Fine. Done. Let's eat.

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Best part of the episode!

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Especially after all the pain about words in this episode.

Average episode really. The cliche of the mute kid speaking just at the right moment. The introduction of Byron (yawn) and Lochley. Her scenes with Garibaldi are pretty good though (their constant arguing, leading up to grudging understanding later in the season, are one of the highlights of season five). Still, I was just grateful to see the fifth season start, after it looked like we weren't going to get any more after season 4.

B-. Lochley is introduced pretty well, but like everyone else... I couldn't find anything terribly moving and exciting in this episode.

Opening shot - oranges, again?! Obviously we're being told that this is Sheridan's quarters - the scene with Delenn and Sheridan is cute though.

I remember seeing this the first time and thinking Lochley felt arrogant to me, coming on board and criticizing the way things were run. I guess that belongs to the character - don't we all miss Ivanova in the fifth season?!

I'm not a Byron fan either, but I think that is due to what happens in later episodes more than this one.

The visual of the fighter coming up behind the window during the inauguration is stunning! Nice variation on the assassin theme, which we've had several times before. I wonder what significance the music box had that the guy played all the time.

I too love the very brief ceremony G'Kar performs after the attempt - wonderfully anticlimactic and very funny!

The big question is, is Sheridan making a mistake by allowing the telepath colony? Could he have done something else that would have prevented the upcoming war?

The other question concerns Lochley's past - which side was she on? I do like her answer - on the side of Earth...

Estelyn said:

The big question is, is Sheridan making a mistake by allowing the telepath colony? Could he have done something else that would have prevented the upcoming war?

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I think that, given the principles upon which he was building his Alliance, he almost had to.

Okay, there was the part about allowing all members autonomy in governing their own people (i.e. internal civil or personal rights issues weren't in the Alliance purview)--but human teeps in a very significant way were arguably (becoming) their own race on Earth, and they certainly were being treated as such (and not in a good way). I think the "spirit of the law" so to speak of the Alliance would imply an obligation to protect them in any bid for self-determination. Obviously the B5 haven would have to be temporary if great numbers of them ended up joining it--and of course there's the issue of sensitivity of diplomatic secrets on B5 which as we know would end up being violated (that was a serious breach of good faith on Byron's part)....

But given the situation at that time, I really think Sheridan had to do it. For his part he probably should have sought as soon as possible someplace else where they could go though, before they even asked for a homeworld. But hindsight is 20/20.

I just finished watching No Compromises and I'm feeling pretty positive about this episode. I was pleasantly surprised, really. I always feel kind of sad when I get to the fifth season, but this is really a pretty solid episode, and despite the change in cast, it doesn't feel all that different from the episodes that came before.

I'm a big fan of the Season 5 opening sequence, and the new music. It's all very solid. I love the swearing in ceremony bits, and anything with G'Kar. I can't say I'm entirely crazy about the idea that swearing-in ceremonies would still involve holy books in the 23rd century, but I guess I'll get over it.

I feel a bit "Urgh, Byron" when he shows up, but he's really not horrible in this episode. There's no hint of just how annoying that telepath storyline is going to be .. which in truth is partially the case because the episodes got squished closer together and not JUST because Byron is annoying. I have to cringe at how they call Simon "Special Simon" though. And of course Special Simon saves the day and dies in the process. It's sort of weird that that assassin guy starts shooting into the ceiling immediately upon hearing a strange sound. Who does that? Or is he perhaps a telepath, too?

Lochley doesn't make the best first impression. She's all hardass to Corwin when she first gets there. I don't really have anything against the character, it's just unfortunate that she had to come in for the fifth season like that. What a thankless role ... Everyone's painfully aware that she's not Ivanova. I kinda feel they could have gone with someone a bit more different-looking to make it more obvious that this character isn't supposed to be an Ivanova clone. Instead we get another white woman with long brown hair. Also her relationship to Sheridan (not yet revealed in this episode) sort of annoys me. Came out of nowhere, that.

But, like I said, I quite like it. There's a lot worse episodes in this season.

I didn't look forward to start watching season 5. I remember not liking Lochley, and after Shadows and Earth war, all else sort of feels bland.
However, this first episode wasn't horrible. G'Kar is excellent as always, wrote a moving speech, and then there's the giggleworthy "you want to be a president? ok fine let's eat"
It's good to see most of the old cast.
Byron-character is soooooo far from the male type I find even remote appealing that I wonder how I'm going to be able to stand watching him in future episodes.

Lennier's Tears said:

Lochley doesn't make the best first impression. She's all hardass to Corwin when she first gets there. I don't really have anything against the character, it's just unfortunate that she had to come in for the fifth season like that. What a thankless role ... Everyone's painfully aware that she's not Ivanova. I kinda feel they could have gone with someone a bit more different-looking to make it more obvious that this character isn't supposed to be an Ivanova clone.

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This! What was the big idea?! Maybe they could've gone with a different personality type as well. At least in the first episode, Lochley is Ivanova-minus-sarcasm. Both kind of similar physical type (even though Ivanova has loads more personality in her looks), brunettes, no-nonsense badasses. What about someone who'd be "deceptively nice" (Stargate's Sam comes to mind)? Well that's maybe a bad example but since Ivanova was probably very well liked, it most likely wasn't the best idea to "replace" her.
I didn't see the show when it first appeared - I don't know what was the general opinion back then about this...

I think Lochley got short-changed because so many people wanted Ivanova. Me, I didn't care that much for Susan so I was just fine with Lochley. Not to mention that she (IMO) got more character development in those few episodes than Ivanova did in an entire first season.

Of course she was a hardass when she first got there. Most bosses are. The poker up her butt wasn't any worse than the one up Ivanova's in the first season.