Mother of Invention

[PsionTen]

Somebody had to start this thread, but I really have nothing much to say about this episode. It was predictable as hell, but it was ... servicable. The only thing that that stood out to me was the great, almost world-class, banter between Jeremiah and Kurdy -- great dialogue that was wasted on a mediocre story.

I can only guess that this was the episode where we were supposed to understand something more about Jeremiah -- the origin of his quiet nature, why he writes those letters to his dad, etc... but to be honest, I really didn't learn anything new about Jeremiah -- at least not as much as I learned about Kurdy in Journeys End. In fact, I found the whole flashback love affair thing kinda hokey. She simply takes off one day, for no reason at all, and tells Jeremiah that he can stay as long as he wants, but he has things he has to do as well. What the hell? And then they throw in the whole "is he my son or not" subplot, which wasn't resolved at all. As haunted as Jeremiah is over the death of his little brother, one would think that he would want to know if Gabe was his son or not.

Oh well....

 

[Recoil]

I kinda liked it, and thought it was neat that we found out WHY he has been writing letters to his dad and burning them...

BTW did anyone else here think Michelle was HOT?!?! /ubbthreads/images/icons/eek.gif

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Every show has a episode like this and i expected it to be like this with the final stretch run of episodes coming. Yes its predictable but everyone kept complaining Jerimiah and Kurdy Kept going to hostile places Finally they didnt. We saw why Jerimiah writes those letters, Thunder Mountain has its first ally, and even though Michelle didnt say it you gotta think that Gabe is Jerimiah's son. They will probably be back sometime in a future episode. I thought it was a pretty good episode. Better 90% of the stuff on TV these days

Capt

 

[channe]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by CaptDS9E:
<font color=yellow>and even though Michelle didnt say it you gotta think that Gabe is Jerimiah's son. They will probably be back sometime in a future episode. I thought it was a pretty good episode. Better 90% of the stuff on TV these days</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

Haven't seen it yet, but I couldn't leave this thread alone... as I couldn't leave a plot thread like that alone if I were the writer of this show.

They'll be back.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PsionTen:
<font color=yellow> ... I found the whole flashback love affair thing kinda hokey. She simply takes off one day, for no reason at all, and tells Jeremiah that he can stay as long as he wants, but he has things he has to do as well. What the hell? And then they throw in the whole "is he my son or not" subplot, which wasn't resolved at all. As haunted as Jeremiah is over the death of his little brother, one would think that he would want to know if Gabe was his son or not....</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

She understood they both had destinies, and they wouldn't involve staying together. And Jeremiah did want to know if Gabriel was his son. She refused to tell him, or to accept her version, she refused to figure it out. She felt it didn't matter, since she was going to have to raise the kid by herself. Her choice. *shrug* Such is life.

Nope, nothing got resolved. Pretty normal for a JMS show, isn't it? We'll see these people again.

It's interesting how quickly posts appear that criticize the quality of the episode. Hands up, everybody here who has a job writing scripts or producing television shows....

 

[PsionTen]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>It's interesting how quickly posts appear that criticize the quality of the episode. Hands up, everybody here who has a job writing scripts or producing television shows.... <hr></blockquote>

Oh, so only people who are members of the screenwriting guild get to criticize a show. If that's what you truly believe, then why even come to sites like this -- which are pretty much devoted to fan reactions.

Hands up, everybody here who hasn't critiqued a television show or movie.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Ive Criticized shows/movies before, but anything JMS is involved in which shows up in a early episode will show up later on in the series in one way or another. When i first got into B5 there were a few season 1 episodes i didnt like. But once i saw the rest of the series and went back i was like "Damn that set it up"

Capt

 

[Cerbs_Friend]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by fanuilh:
<font color=yellow>Nope, nothing got resolved. Pretty normal for a JMS show, isn't it? We'll see these people again. </font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

If i am not mistaken JMS did not write this episode.

You talk about critizing a show, you just critized JMS for a show where nothing was resolved. (don't know if you meant to insult him or say gj)

I personally liked this episode, for many reasons, like the notes and stuff, i am suprised no one has said anything about the art. What would the point of life with out art? or beauty? or poetry?

nothing was resolved? Like someone else said, they made a new ally. and we even got to see another team, which we haven't gotten to do since Jeremiah and Kurdy became a 'team'

Note:all my post seem to be liek i am flameing someone, i am just trying to get you to see another point of view.

Also Like you said, "i am sure we will see these people again" your probably right, In my opinion JMs does like to open things in S1 or shows and bring them back in later episodes.

 

[Lyta]

Well, I had a "nice" weekend of working on the house and I have finally finished up the updates to the site. You can <a target="_blank" href=http://abyss.hubbe.net/jeremiah/eps/114.html>read my review here</a>.

Like Recoil, I quite enjoyed this episode and the stuff we learned (and almost learned) about Jeremiah. While I wouldn't go as far to say that Michelle was "HOT" I did like her quite a lot. Can't wait to see her again. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

PsionTen, I think Jeremiah is supposed to be a tough nut to crack and that we aren't supposed to learn a lot about who he is really. Or at least, not like we get to see Kurdy. I do actually like the character of Kurdy better but I also like the mystery that surrounds Jeremiah. /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

I was also a bit confused as to why Michelle left like she did and how did she know Jeremiah had "things to do"? Maybe she saw things in Jeremiah that he didn't know he had or maybe it was just an excuse to leave him. *shrug*

As for the "Is Gabe his son?" question being unresolved ... are you watching too much Star Trek? /ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif As fanuilh said, "Such is life". /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif I like the fact that stuff isn't resolved in 45 mins and it gives us a chance to see Michelle again. /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

Cerbs_Friend, I'm sorry but I don't see what fanuilh said was negative in any way. Also, just because JMS didn't write this episode ... he is still the showrunner which is what I think fanuilh was referring to. /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

My takeaway with the art stuff was a reflection of what Markus said at the end of Firewall. If people didn't save stuff from the old world, the Renaissance would have never happened. Looks like progress is being made in that respect which I was very glad to see. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Cerbs_Friend]

omg Lyta are you nuts? Michelle was too "HOT"

About fanuilh post, i wasn't to sure if it was or wasn't, maybe i just read it wrong.

onmy last note for probably a week, i am sure i am not the only one who noticed this. That Gabe and Jeremiah are both saints name. I just found it a little ironic that Michelle decided to name him another saints name. Ohwell, bye all, hope you all like the next show.

 

[GKarsEye]

The ep was a little slow with a litte too much heavy-handed melodrama for my tastes. Considering that the previews for next week's episodes hinted at huge arc stuff and lots of intense story action, it's standard practice to have a low-key ep before it. This is the kind of episode that won't be remembered by most, but it does add to the over-all "feel" of the show.

This is the kind of ep that wasn't bad, but if it's on again, I probably wouldn't watch it.

Next week looks like a real doozy, though.

 

[channe]

If I recall correctly ('cause I'm a curmudgeon), there was never a St. Jeremiah. Jeremiah was the name of a Hebrew Prophet that lived around the time of the Babylonian Captivity.

My one question remains this: why and how is Jeremiah so important? Was he important before Ezekiel and some in VS were alerted to his existence? WHY? There seems to be no reason for Jeremiah to be anything more than just another survivor. Yeah, he's hanging around Thunder Mountain, now, but he's still not in deep enough to merit a protector. Unless... someone wants to use Jeremiah as a weapon against someone else. Gah. Dunno.

 

[GKarsEye]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>If I recall correctly ('cause I'm a curmudgeon), there was never a St. Jeremiah. Jeremiah was the name of a Hebrew Prophet that lived around the time of the Babylonian Captivity<hr></blockquote>

Correct. He was also quite young for a prophet, which matches the running theme of youthful leadership in the show.


When I saw the title of this episode, I thought it would be about Frank Zappa. Oh well.

 

[Theophilus]

I really liked this ep. I appreciated seeing, if not necessarily home-grown technology, at least basic technology systematically provided. Michelle's organization is doing a great job, and it's refreshing to see some budding large-scale entrepreneurs in the new world. More has been done by self-interested businessman to build civilization than all the do-gooders in history. Not that I think Marcus should be going into business...after all, his pile of resources did come from tax money. But I frankly think an outfit like Michelle's is more likely to do more to build civilization than Marcus'.

Oh, and there was nothing remotely supernatural in this ep, which makes it better in my mind.

 

[frankob5]

I actually thought this was one of the better episodes of the season - certainly far superior to last week's ep ("The Touch"), which I found very heavy-handed and clumsily executed. "Mother of Invention" was much more subtle, with a great deal more emphasis on character than on action sequences. I also like the fact that the question of Gabriel's paternity wasn't resolved by episode's end. Much more realistic than a pat resolution at the end of the 45 minutes. I certainly hope we see more of Michelle and Gabriel in the future.

I know that most people prefer the big, arc-moving episodes (which I also enjoy); but sometimes the best episodes of a series such as this are the quiet, character-centered episodes where the plot advances only a bit, if at all. I am reminded of the B-5 first season episode, "Believers", which was one of the best (if not the single best) episodes of that year. While I don't think that "MOI" was quite in that class, the tone of the episodes and the fact that they were both written by someone not intimately involved with the show gave me a similar feeling.

 

[channe]

Well, I finally got around to watching "Mother of Invention!" Gah! Schedules! /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

I loved how Michelle was "skimming" art. Loved it. She's a complex character already, even though we've only seen her for one episode. She's just a great character. If we never see her again, it would be such a waste.

My favorite exchange:
Michelle: It is our history. In inks, and oils, and stone. When I gave birth to Gabe in that museum, surrounded by all that beauty, I knew that someday he'd want to look back on who we are, the faces of who we were.
Jeremiah: That's funny.
Michelle: What?
Jeremiah: That you'd want him to see who he was in the faces of strangers he'd never met, instead of the face of someone like - his father.
Kurdy: (looks from one to the other) Look at that. Dogs playin' poker.

Here they are, building things, when next week's episode is called "Tripwire."

Anybody smell conflict coming up?

 

[channe]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PsionTen:
<font color=yellow>Somebody had to start this thread, but I really have nothing much to say about this episode. It was predictable as hell, but it was ... servicable. The only thing that that stood out to me was the great, almost world-class, banter between Jeremiah and Kurdy -- great dialogue that was wasted on a mediocre story. </font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>
Mmm. PsionTen, I really hope we see those writers again. I think they're the freelancers JMS referenced, but I do, do hope they come and write again, because the dialogue in this ep was fantastic!

 

[Sigma]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by channe:
<font color=yellow>I think they're the freelancers JMS referenced, but I do, do hope they come and write again, because the dialogue in this ep was fantastic!</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>
Yeah...have to agree with you. Good episode with good dialogue (and with good directing).

Dialogue has always been JMS weakest part ("Get the hell out of our galaxy" line for exaple) so it's not surprising that different writers will sound fresh. But i´m not complaining - i rather like JMS "power style" (Maybe its not most realistic but i like it)

Sigma

 

[Theophilus]

>Dialogue has always been JMS weakest part ("Get the hell
>out of our galaxy" line for exaple) so it's not surprising that
>different writers will sound fresh. But i´m not complaining - i
>rather like JMS "power style" (Maybe its not most realistic
>but i like it)

JMS has a very theatrical style of dialogue, i.e., it's more suited to the stage than to the way we normally see television. Frankly, I like it. Yes, he often has really weak parts, but he also often has really, really good dialogue. No, it doesn't necessarily sound natural, but then, Shakespeare's blank verse didn't sound natural, either, but it definitely adds something above just straight prose.

 

[Cerbs_Friend]

Sorry, i am not all too familure with religious background, even though i am catholic. It was just a point that they both had something to do with a God, like a messenager, or serviced a god somehow.