A cool little thing I noticed

[GKarsEye]

Ah, the glory of Babylon 5. The other day, I was watching the episode where Nightwatch first makes an appearance and Sheridan questions Morden about he Icarus.

There's a scene where the Nightwatch representative makes his speech to recruit members. The next scene has Garibaldi telling Sheridan he can't arrest people (Morden) for what they think and without proof.

See the irony?

Of course, you can only see the irony if you know what eventually happens with the Nightwatch. It's one of those cute little things that lets you enjoy the show with repeated viewings.

This why all the B5 vs other sci-fi show threads are absurd. What other show does this? B5 rules.

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"You do not make history. You can only hope to survive it."

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Farscape occasionally has little moments like that, too. Of course, that only means they both rule.

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"You know, if you're trying to take a roomful of people by surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets if you don't yell going through the door."
-Miles Vorkosigan

 

[Nukemall]

That's kind of like reading the Universe Today headlines e.g. early season 2 headline 'Psi Corps back Clark.'

Makes the second viewings more entertaining I guess.

Regards

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Zog

 

[Morden]

It's what makes Babylon 5 the second greatest show of all time.

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"Ink on a page." -Refa describing the moral depths of a treaty.

 

[Quagmire]

Things like this are what makes B5 unique. Forshadowing years ahead of time, not weeks, that is subtle enough to miss the first several times you see the show.

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"This so-called new religion is nothing but a pack of weird rituals and chants designed to take away the money of fools. Let us say the Lord's Prayer forty times, but first, let's pass the collection plate."-Rev. Lovejoy in The Joy of Sect

 

[Jomar]

That's what makes this messageboard unique. I learn something new about B5 after seeing it through at least five times.

I'm looking forward to my next viewing during which I am going to watch what's happening behind the main characters.

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[bakana]

Some of the stuff is only visible if you can freeze frame.
The Universe Today headlines, text on the Babcom monitors in the background, etc. goes by too fast to read most of the time.

Or the subtleties, like the Harlan Ellison book Ivanova is reading in one of the 1st season episodes.
I believe the title is a book that Harlan has Said he's going to write for many years, but which has never been finished (Started?).
Since Harlan is JMS good friend, it's a little "in" joke.
Even the fact that Harlan was the Voice for that Very Annoying artificial intelligence they awakened by mistake. And was one of the PsyCops who brainwashed Mr. Garibaldi.



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The 3 most common elements in the Universe:
Hydrogen, Greed, Stupidity!

 

[hypatia]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Morden:
It's what makes Babylon 5 the second greatest show of all time.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

OK, Morden. I'll bite: what do you consider to be the Greatest Show of All Time?

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"I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."-- Galileo

"I think I speak for Mr. Bloom and myself when I say: you are the only director in the World who can do justice to 'Springtime For Hitler' " - Zero Mostel, The Producers

 

[GKarsEye]

The Universe Today thing and the stuff I've seen on Farscape is different than the two scenes I started the thread with. What this B5 episode was a literary device, graying the border between opposing forces.

Many would have guessed that Nightwatch would be trouble when they first saw that scene. It's the placement of the scene right before the one w/ Sheridan that is literary in structure.

Of course, it could have been an accident. But it's cool anyway, so

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"You do not make history. You can only hope to survive it."

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>I believe the title is a book that Harlan has Said he's going to write for many years, but which has never been finished (Started?).<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The book was a mock-up of Ellison's autobiography, which he has always sworn he would never write.

The business not only of foreshadowing, but of putting things into the episodes that can't be understood until you've watched the whole thing and are going through it for a second time was christened "holographic storytelling" by a fan, and I think the name is apt. The Universe Today headline about Psi-Corps meddling in politics is actually visible in the very first episode, "Midnight on the Firing Line." It only means something after you've seen at least up through S3, though. There's lots of this stuff in all five years, and I'm still catching bits I missed before, and I'm probably on my seventh or eighth run through the show. (Though I'm missing a lot of episodes now thanks to my inhuman work schedule.

)

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[Ninja_Squirrel]

SWEET!!! A Joseph DeMartino post. I haven't seen one of those in a while. All is right with the universe again.

I especially like when the 2nd and 3rd seasons are being repeated. I must not have seen them as much the first time around because I don't remember as much about them. In fact, I think I've only seen Comes The Inquisitor once.

I wish Warner Bros. had finished B5 on video. I can see the 1st or 5th season or the first parts of the 2nd or 4th any time I want to. But when it comes to the nice meaty 3rd season and late 2nd season, I'm still discovering every time I'm lucky enough to catch the repeats.

So, I'll agree, I catch new things all the time and love seeing B5 over and over again.

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An Old Egyptian Blessing: May God stand between you and harm in all the empty places that you must walk.

Thoughts & prayers to citizens of NY, DC, and to us all.

 

[Morden]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hypatia:
OK, Morden. I'll bite: what do you consider to be the Greatest Show of All Time?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The Twilight Zone, my dear.
And thanks for biting

.


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"Ink on a page." -Refa describing the moral depths of a treaty.

 

[RW7427]

I have noticed things like this myself. (Not this particular thing...thanks GKarsEye for pointing it out), but I have noticed other little things like that. That reminds me of a line Dr Franklin used when he was speaking to someone (right now I don't remember who, but it was a woman) and he said something to the effect of "Irony is one of the major items used in construction of B5". There are subtle little hints to ironic things such as this all over the place in this show. That is one of the things that makes it so good. I watch episodes several times and I find something new quite a bit, and also little ironic things too.

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The Whitestar Salad Bar, our last best hope for peace, and a good meal too!

 

[bakana]

Lets not forget B5's most "famous" guest: Dilbert (Scott Adams).

A reward for saying that Babylon 5 is the greatest TV show ever in a TV Guide interview that was Supposed to be a plug for Trek.

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The 3 most common elements in the Universe:
Hydrogen, Greed, Stupidity!

 

[whitestar90]

Its definately these little things that really makes one appreciate how truley grat B5 really is

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"When it is time, come to this place, call our name, we will be here" -Walkers of Sigma957