Mark Oshiro watches Babylon 5

[Jan]

Looking forward to his finding out that "Commander Sinclair has been reassigned..."

 

[Karajorma]

That was one of the videos I bought for exactly that reason (and the revelation of why the Minbari War ended). It was most amusing.

 

[Looney]

I can't wait for everyone to start buying my video reviews. :thumbsup:

 

[KoshFan]

I like his analysis of Sheridan. Sheridan's ability to question himself is a recurring theme in Season 2 -- first his capacity in "There All the Honor Lies" and (much more subtly) in "All Alone in the Night," then his inability to see he might be wrong in "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum."

Now that I reflect on it, however, that's a major character shift for Sheridan in Season 4 and 5: he is much less self-doubting. After all, by that point he's come through the fire and is massively more battle-tested. His confidence is deservedly rather higher... but I do think he starts to get too confident at that point.

 

[Looney]

Now that I reflect on it, however, that's a major character shift for Sheridan in Season 4 and 5: he is much less self-doubting. After all, by that point he's come through the fire and is massively more battle-tested. His confidence is deservedly rather higher... but I do think he starts to get too confident at that point.

I definitely agree, but I think that is just part of the wonderful layering of the story. The over confidence eventually leads to what could have been disaster.

 

[Karajorma]

It does lead to disaster. When he overrules Lockley and allows Byron to live on the station. That's a direct cause of the Telepath War. If he wanted telepaths, he should have contacted the leader of the underground railroad from A Race Through Dark Places.

 

[Jan]

It does lead to disaster. When he overrules Lockley and allows Byron to live on the station. That's a direct cause of the Telepath War. If he wanted telepaths, he should have contacted the leader of the underground railroad from A Race Through Dark Places.

Who'd probably left at least a couple of years before that episode. The key to a successful underground is mobility.

(*Lochley) ;-)

 

[Karajorma]

Oh, I know he wasn't on station at the time, but they did contact the underground railroad when they were looking for telepaths to fight the Shadows. So it's not like they don't know how to get hold of them if they need them. And as a possible P13 he could probably keep even Byron in check.

 

[KoshFan]

If Sheridan & Co. had treated Lyta with more respect, she could have shut Byron down.

And honestly, if Byron had just gone and talked with Delenn first...

 

[Karajorma]

Just watched Coming of Shadows. Mark was saying that he feels more disappointed by the tragedy in that episode than any other TV show he's ever seen.

I wonder if we're just putting him through this because misery loves company.

 

[vacantlook]

Just watched his "The Coming of Shadows" video too. If you don't watch his vids, this might be one to do so. Oshiro definitely has some strong reactions this episode. And to think, things are only beginning. [evil laugh]

Just did his video for "GROPOS," and I love Oshiros's comment, "This week's episodes are going to destroy me."

 

[Karajorma]

He doesn't appear to have noticed that whenever AlchemyPotato or Rukbat 5 commissioned an episode it's going to fuck him up. Because they went through and quickly picked all the best episodes!


"I feel this whole show changed!" - Well done, you got the point of a wham episode.

 

[vacantlook]

From his posting on "A Race Through Dark Places":

my soul left my body during this episode.

And given one of his comments in reply to someone down in the comments section:

did all of you see my goddamn soul leave my body when i thought she did it

because i still haven't recovered

It seems that that soul-leaving moment was precisely when he thought Talia had betrayed everyone and sided with Bester.

A couple weeks from now when he hits "Divided Loyalties" will be interesting.

 

[Karajorma]

Yeah, I've watched the video. He truly bought it that Talia had betrayed the underground railroad and killed them all. Talia seems to be one of his favourite characters so yeah, Divided Loyalties is going to be very interesting.

 

[KoshFan]

He's a Talia/Ivanova shipper for sure.

 

[Lennier's Tears]

Wow, this is really great! I've never watched any of the "Mark Watches" videos, but I've checked out the discussions of some of the other shows on that blog and always really enjoyed them. I really love seeing first time B5 watchers reactions and comments, but I was a little nervous about checking this out, in case he hated the show, and the discussions were all really negative. Fortunately, they seem really interesting, so I will definitely check it out!

 

[vacantlook]

Oshiro has up his review for The Coming of Shadows today. In the comments section for that review, he posted:

i watched an episode today

it was called Va gur Funqbj bs gur M'un'qhz

what have you all done to me

(The rot13 is: "In The Shadow Of Z'ha'dum;" well, he accidentally included an extra "the," but still.)

 

[Karajorma]

Just wait. He's commented on how tragic Coming of Shadows was. If that episode messed him up, due to the play order he's using, Confessions and Lamentations is next!

And that is probably the saddest episode of B5.

 

[vacantlook]

In a comment posted to yesterday's review for "All Alone In The Night," Oshiro said he's now finished watching season 2 and he posted this gif to accompany that comment.

 

[Springer]

I'm really enjoying reading his episodic commentaries, and it's great to see the series through a fresh set of 21st century eyes. He's picking up on things really quickly – maybe because of how common serialised TV is these days, we've all been trained to do that? – and has even had insights into the show that I've never had, so I really appreciate that. He does go a little over the top in his enthusiasm, which can remove a bit of subtlety from his commentaries, but I guess that's just his style (I mean, I liked Eyes though not many people do, but he LOVED it!).

Reading the comments section, often from people seeing the series for the first time, is also eye-opening. It had never occurred to me that Sheridan and Franklin were being condescending in their attitude towards G'Kar in The Coming of Shadows, and I'm still not sure I agree that they are, but I think I've been indoctrinated by watching Kirk and Picard prancing around the galaxy espousing platitudes to quarrelling aliens for too long. There's also a commenter who I think is the first person I've come across who doesn't like Delenn. Interestingly I can see where they are coming from, and the series itself addresses this in Comes the Inquisitor, so I'll be interested to read their response to that episode.