EpDis: Born To The Purple

[RW7427]

I would also strongly recommend avoiding pissing her off at all costs!

Some learned that the hard way.

 

[GreenMonkey]

B- (voted C)

Ivanova moment - very sad. Good stuff.
Important story arc for Londo.

Nothing outstandingly noteable, to me, I guess.

 

[Cell]

New review, cheers, enjoy,

http://worldsoforos.com/secondviews/2008/05/20/review-bablyon-5-103/#more-292

 

[Urban Roy]

Another enjoyable episode. Liked the development of Londo's character and the way that we were relatively gently given additional background to the Centauri people. I slightly get the sense that the series is finding its feet as, while there are hints of bigger things going on, these feel like stand alone episodes.

It feels like this episode sets out Babylon 5's stall for being a different kind of show. I can't imagine too many series where the story is driven by an ambassador's relationship with a stripper, still less a sci-fi series doing so (although I think that there are a few films where that wouldn't be out of place).

I thought that the best scenes were in the sub plot with Ivanova and her father, even though it was pushing her family's tragic background strongly I thought that they pulled it off.

The one irritating part for me was Sinclair not being recognised by the manager of the strip club. While some of the transients may not know who he is, I can't imagine that Babylon 5 is so big that all of the permanent residents don't know the commander of the Babylon 5, at least by sight. I'm not sure that putting a cloak on is really that much of a disguise.

 

[Sindatur]

Another enjoyable episode. Liked the development of Londo's character and the way that we were relatively gently given additional background to the Centauri people. I slightly get the sense that the series is finding its feet as, while there are hints of bigger things going on, these feel like stand alone episodes.

It feels like this episode sets out Babylon 5's stall for being a different kind of show. I can't imagine too many series where the story is driven by an ambassador's relationship with a stripper, still less a sci-fi series doing so (although I think that there are a few films where that wouldn't be out of place).

I thought that the best scenes were in the sub plot with Ivanova and her father, even though it was pushing her family's tragic background strongly I thought that they pulled it off.

The one irritating part for me was Sinclair not being recognised by the manager of the strip club. While some of the transients may not know who he is, I can't imagine that Babylon 5 is so big that all of the permanent residents don't know the commander of the Babylon 5, at least by sight. I'm not sure that putting a cloak on is really that much of a disguise.

Well, the station is 5 miles long, and there are a quarter million people, but, yea Station Commander is a pretty big deal not to know what he looks like, that's like not being able to recognize your mayor or Governor

 

[KoshFan]

Well, to a certain extent you recognize people like that because of context. You see the uniform, like Garibaldi puts it, or you see the commander because you know you're listening to an announcement from the commander. Different clothes, different context... you might not recognize them at first. If my mayor were jogging down the street in sweatpants, with no one around, I think I'd recognize him eventually, but not right away...

 

[Estelyn]

This is an enjoyable episode, with lots of character moments, something I particularly appreciate. Knowing Londo's later fate, it is nice to see him happy - and I can't help wondering how different things would have been had he been able to keep Adira.

I like the first signs of lighter-hearted bantering between Londo and G'Kar, and I lke the conversation between Ivanova and Garibaldi - the way they say nothing says it all!

The one thing that irritated me and took me out of the willing suspension of disbelief was that portable game console with which Vir, and later the Narns, were playing. What on earth would anyone be thinking to take such an item into an official meeting?! It may have been an attempt at humour, but I, for one, was not amused.

 

[Estelyn]

A detail that I've been pondering since previously posting is a brief moment of cinematography I really like - the transition from Londo alone in his quarters, looking at the brooch and thinking of Adira, to her, also alone in her quarters, holding and looking at the data crystal. (The transition cuts directly from the one object to the other.) I continued thinking of their relationship; when I first saw the episode, I was not convinced of its believability. However, rewatching has shown me how it could have genuinely grown.

The plot element of someone who begins a relationship for the wrong reasons (money, being set upon that person by other powers, etc.), but comes to have genuine feelings for that person, shows up in other genres of literature and film as well. Adira admits to the Centauri preference for persons of power, yet she also shows that Londo attracts her for more personal reasons. At that time in his development, he is a person with whom one could have lots of fun - and he looks so young (comparatively) in this episode!

I like the way we are shown her reluctance to comply with her owner's instructions, yet she feels she has no choice - much like Londo later on, when collaborating with the Shadows. And I like the ending - she apparently feels she must atone for her actions in some way. It's not just all erased instantly for a happy ending.

 

[Lennier's Tears]

There are some minor spoilers for later B5 seasons in the list below, but not anything particularly important.

The story in this episode is fairly average, I thought, and there's rather a lot of cheese in this, but I really like what it shows us about Londo and Ivanova. I also quite like the Adira character.

Random details and other stuff that stood out to me during this viewing for one reason or another:

• That scene where Sinclair and G'Kar go to the Dark Star to confront Londo. Sinclair is kind of ... school teacher-like with Londo. It's weird.
• Is that outfit Adira is wearing when she dances supposed to show us that Centauri have no bellybuttons?
• Unlike Estelyn above, I did find the video game sort of amusing.
• That's a really nice jacket Trakis is wearing ......
• I like the look of those star laces, too
• Slavery is legal on Centauri Prime.
• Fresh Air is the finest restaurant on Babylon 5.... Not that it has THAT much competition
• The graphics on the screen when Garibaldi is tracking those Gold Channel transmissions are somewhat painfully old school. Can't be helped .. it was the nineties.
• Speaking of Gold Channel ... I've always wondered, what's the deal with that? What exactly IS a priority channel? Is communication with Earth or other planets somewhat difficult? Why else would Ivanova go against regulations and use Gold Channel instead of whatever the regular channel is?
• Sinclair takes Talia out for dinner to thank her for her service? If only someone had done that with Lyta later on Is Talia not wearing her psi corps badge when she's out to dinner? That's ... odd.
• Londo has a lovely blanket or some other kind of decorative piece of textile on his couch. It appears to have human figures on it. Does he collect human antiques (unlikely), or does this perhaps show us an older style of Centauri fashion, when they didn't do their hair like they do now? (Or am I looking for meaning where there is none beyond "This looks nice and colorful, let's use it as a prop for Londo")
• Ivanova's one earring is clearly shown even this early in Season 1.
• I thought Sinclair's clever disguise was pretty amusing, and that fake laugh he did to trick the Dark Star owner was pretty cringeworthy. I like Londo's disguise cloak, although it screams "Centauri" and thus might not be much of a disguise
• Ah, those bad guys. Classic B5 bad guys. I laughed out loud when I saw them appear on my screen.
• Londo tells Adira that the jewel he gives her belonged to a powerful matriarch in his family. Is that just Londo talking or does it tell us something about Centauri history? What we see of Centauri society in the "present" is that it's very much a patriarchal society where men have power and multiple wives. Women have titles only through their fathers and husbands. We later see some Centauri women who are venerated because of their abilities and/or family associations, but I wouldn't go so far as to call them "powerful" as such.

 

[Wulf]

>video game
It seemed a Virish thing to do. I wasn't super-amused but it didn't take me out of the episode. At least, until they showed the front. Technology showing its age. I can understand not wanting to do some fancy sci fi VFX shot for it, but at least leave it to the imagination instead of showing us that it's lame.

>Fresh Air
...that makes sense. I'm apparently dumb and heard it as Freh Cher. Wunna them thar Frenchin' restronts....

>Gold Channel
I don't think it's ever a major plot point, but it comes up a few times over the series that civilian communications are expensive and unreliable. Military communications would need to be reliable to communicate in combat situations, but would likely have limited capacity.

It's the difference between a military "Red Phone" and Verizon placing a call. At least as I picture it.

Ivanova would use Gold Channel because her father will die at any minute. I can see that being important enough that you wouldn't want to get a "Please hang up and try your call again" midway through.

Also, it's a plot device, so there's that.

>Sinclair's laugh
Great Maker, none of these people know how to laugh. Garibaldi and Sinclair should get together and just laugh and laugh. That would be ****ing creepy to watch....

>Londo's disguise
I don't think it was supposed to hide that he was Centauri, just his hair. The longer a Centauri's hair, the higher his rank. Since he's probably the highest ranked Centauri on B5 it would be immediately obvious who he was even if nobody knew his face.

>matriarch
Patriarchal societies can still have matriarchs. Not in the full "leader of the family" sense, but they can still have power. In a society as willing to assassinate and blackmail as the Centauri, I could easily see a woman being the power behind the power and it being well known enough for her to have her own respect.

As for the rest of the episode, I'm getting out of the "setup" feeling so it was an enjoyable watch. Cheesy, not too exciting, but not too objectionable.

I'm sure that will all change soon as I think I've got Infection next. I don't remember much about it except for the lame racial purity commentary and it being the first episode filmed.

 

[Lennier's Tears]

>video game
It seemed a Virish thing to do. I wasn't super-amused but it didn't take me out of the episode. At least, until they showed the front. Technology showing its age. I can understand not wanting to do some fancy sci fi VFX shot for it, but at least leave it to the imagination instead of showing us that it's lame.

Could be an antique

>Gold Channel
I don't think it's ever a major plot point, but it comes up a few times over the series that civilian communications are expensive and unreliable. Military communications would need to be reliable to communicate in combat situations, but would likely have limited capacity.

It's the difference between a military "Red Phone" and Verizon placing a call. At least as I picture it.

Ivanova would use Gold Channel because her father will die at any minute. I can see that being important enough that you wouldn't want to get a "Please hang up and try your call again" midway through.

Also, it's a plot device, so there's that.

Yea, I can see that ... I guess I can't really say why I feel like the civilian communications seem to work just fine, because I can't think of any examples of it being used. Civilian TV seems to work just fine, though.

>Londo's disguise
I don't think it was supposed to hide that he was Centauri, just his hair. The longer a Centauri's hair, the higher his rank. Since he's probably the highest ranked Centauri on B5 it would be immediately obvious who he was even if nobody knew his face.

Good point, that.

>matriarch
Patriarchal societies can still have matriarchs. Not in the full "leader of the family" sense, but they can still have power. In a society as willing to assassinate and blackmail as the Centauri, I could easily see a woman being the power behind the power and it being well known enough for her to have her own respect.

That's all true. Women in patriarchal societies where men have all the official power don't just sit around doing laundry or whatever. They have their own networks and depending on the societal organization might indeed be the rulers of their households. I would imagine that in Centauri society there's DEFINITELY women who are the "power behind the power", as you say. That stuff tends to be "off the books", and not talked about by men. In the end, it's a word, and it could mean all sorts of things. He probably meant it in the sense of "dowager" or something. But I would LOVE if Centauri history was all worked out in great detail, and this was indeed a hint that they had a completely different society at some point.

 

[Wulf]

Civilian TV also has no requirement to be 100% live though. So it can buffer the show ahead of time and play it in complete chunks as needed.

I'm having trouble thinking of civilian uses of communication as well though. Isn't there something like that with the Mars troubles later on though? Or is that just a general communications blackout? I can't recall.

 

[Lennier's Tears]

Spoilers for seasons 3 and 4 below.

It's amazingly easy to forget details and whole plotlines. I sort of feel like I know everything that happens on Babylon 5. At least, the stuff we actually see happening on the show and in the movies, I'm not nearly as up to speed on all the stuff that happens in the books and comics, or the things that "So-And-So said in an interview one time". Yet, I keep finding that I have forgotten lots of things when I post in these threads. There was another episode thread where I couldn't remember that Anna Sheridan was indeed a confirmed archaeologist, not an unspecified scientist on a vessel sent to distant planets for all kinds of research, including archaeology. It's totally canon, Sheridan talks about it in "Thirdspace", and it's something I'd think I would remember. Yet, I obviously didn't

Anyway, yes, there is a communications blackout when Mars breaks away from Earth, all communication from Mars is cut off, and I think maybe when Babylon 5 breaks away from Earth they're sort of cut off, too. I have forgotten that, too

 

[Karajorma]

I watched [/i]And there all the honor lies[/i] a little while back and there is the scene where Londo goes out of his way to be nice to Vir, but at the same time is cruel to him about him having his first hangover. I always thought it was a little unfair of Londo, a man who drinks that much tends to have sympathy for those who have similar afflictions.



When I rewatched this episode I suddenly saw what was really going on. Since it is Vir's first hangover, this is the first time Londo ever had a chance to get revenge.