The rarest thing you will ever see is me commenting on a B5 video. Just a quick comment to apologise for the frame rate and audio issues on this one. The file became corrupted but I salvaged what I could. Hopefully it isn't too painful to watch. 😊
To be honest, so FEW people bother with Bab-5 these days (especially for reactions) that I am just falling in love with your reaction to the show that I can over look the occasional "issues". Just seeing someone watching Bab-5 with "new eyes" is a joy for me. The only 'complaint' that I have is that you don't upload new videos fast enough. I am constantly going "I want to see how you react to the NEXT episode". So for me, just know that for some people, that "issues" that cause problems with uploads will be ignored JUST to see how you react to what is happening.
Now I have gone to a strange parallel universe where it was G'Kar and not Peter Capaldi's Doctor who starred in 'Heaven Sent'... How well he would punch that wall...
Babylon 5 is a rare gem that has been largely overlooked these days. It brings me great joy to see someone else experiencing and loving this show as much as I do.
One of the funniest performances given by Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova in B5. It balances out the heavier aspects of the story-line in this episode. Lovely reaction.
They had a lot of fun with the 'Ivanova dance'. Per jms, "Claudia (Christian) loved the scene when I first described it to her, prior to finishing the script. She was dying to do it, and kept sort of "doing" it around people for some time prior to filming."
Londo goes from being the biggest clown to the most dangerous man in the room. G'kar goes from the most underhanded back-stabbing petty bully to the most admirable. Dalen goes from the most powerful person in the room to the biggest bluffer due to no support from official channels. Sinclair goes from the friendliest guy you can know to the keeper of secrets behind the scene. Sheridan goes from happy-go-lucky to toe-the-line-or-else. And those are just the OPENING 2 SEASON character arcs. Just wait until season 3 where they all have even FURTHER character arcs.
Andreas Katsulas, Ambassador G'Kar indeed was phenomenal. If I recall, during shooting if you wanted to have a conversation with the actor, you had to find him before his makeup went on, or after it was coming off. I can't remember which interview it was with one of the other people from the show, but they said, once the makeup went on, he was G'Kar. Andreas wasn't there.
I'm curious: when you saw the Narns for the first time, in the pilot and in the early episodes of S1, did you think you'd feel so much sympathy for them as you do now?
Watching you being further immersed in one of the finest stories ever told in any medium is certainly, as others have said, a highlight of the week. There's some stupendous stuff to come - just wanna thank you for letting me be able to re-live it anew vicariously...
"I'm literally obsessed with watching this", heh I watched it when it first aired and rewatch it at least once per year since, its the best sci-fi show ever made. :D
Been waiting for your B5 eps 👍 The scripts for each of the mains characters is just on another level, it's almost Shakespearean. I think Londo and G'Kar have the best interactions. Delenn's script was specially written for her as Mira Furlan had such a fantastic delivery.
@@AlexJones-ue1ll I Totally agree with you. 👍 On a side note this is mindblowing to watch someone experience this series for the first time but knowing what is to come. I'm excited for her to progress through the arc
@@Sol3UK me too! B5 is my favorite show of all times and its so nice to see someone so engaged with the show as oneself was back when first watching it. I can wait for the the reaction to ... stuff later on. Mustn't spoil anything from S3 or S4 now :D
@@AlexJones-ue1ll Only a few episodes away from Zah. ey what. Shes already ahead on patreon but great to see it unfold, it even still blows my mind when I see it again. Give me an injection to make me forget
Babylon 5 is one of the few shows where everything came together so well that it's a marvel. It's incredible that Londo, G'kar, and Delenn can be party to such terrible deeds and yet love and compassion for them remains.
Don't worry, you'll never leave this universe, in 25 years I never have! Love watching your reactions to this series and listening to your speculation, it's almost as good as watching it for the first time again!
Can't wait to see your reactions to some later moments int this particular season. It is not the same as watching it for the first time, but it comes close. Babylon 5 is THE best show that has ever graced television. I for one have not seen anything even remotely as good. I look forward to your next episodes.
one Sunday back in the late 90s I watched an ep of B5, and refused to answer the frantic doorknocks from my neighbor, who wanted to alert me that my boiler was overflowing into his house. Until 7pm when B5 finished. back then nothing was more important to me than watching B5.
I stumbled across your B5 reaction videos a couple of weeks ago and am already as hooked to your reactions as I was to Babylon 5 when it first graced our screens (and still am all these years later. I still think about what ifs while going to sleep). Thank you so much for sharing!
I know that the time you watched this the was in Ukraine had not started but now, in 2022, this lame excuse of "We're not targeting civilians, it's the other side who is using them as shields" is frighteningly reminiscent of what we saw earlier on this year. And the fact that JMS included this in his show, written about 30 years ago, shows that this is nothing new. It's unfortunately been done before. Yes, the late Andreas Katsulas, who played G'Kar, was a very powerful actor (you might have seen him as a Romulan a few times on Star Trek TNG).It helps that he is given a great character, great lines, and that he can deliver them so wonderfully. As for Londo, he truly is a tragic character. The more powerful he gets, the more lonely he becomes. Heartbreaking.
There are only three ways to forget this show and not having it run through your head: 1) Dying; 2) Alzheimer's; and 3) Traumatic Brain injury. And, with the 3rd at least, you could watch it all over again, discovering it anew . . .
These reactions have been a joy to watch. It's rare to see any Babylon 5 reactions anyway, but to see that you're so engrossed with the show, just make the videos go up to another level.
Boom shakalak. JMS just writes life, he has a real knack for it, I think that's what pulls you in. It's fascinating to see how much he actually wrote my childhood too - you might be too young but a lot of the cartoons I grew up on he also had a hand in writing. And completely right about Katsulas, it's incredible how much he can emote from under those prosthetics...
Another lovely reaction. ... aaand the episode opens with a great act of sacrifice - the Narns have their troubles ... I know not everyone likes Ivanova's "act of sacrifice", but I enjoyed it. And then G'Kar - Andreas Katsulas' acting through all that make up is something special. I see it as a combination of his voice acting and body language, and the result is felt, isn't it? His laugh/cry at the end is just so expressive, and yes he does have some beautiful speeches.
The big difference between B5 and Farscape is that B5 had an outline for a 5-year arc from the outset (which had to be modified along the way due to cast changes and issues with the network) and Farscape was only loosely planned as they went along.
Trivia Bit - The scene where Sheridan is talking to the Earth Force Officer (7:49) you see wall fans running in the background. This was a mistake. The fans are real. They were supposed to be covered over with a suitable backdrop in post production, but somehow it was missed.
It's great to watch you get so invested in this show, it's still my favourite, 25+ years after I first watched it. Not sure if you've noticed the subtle change in Londo's clothes. He used to wear purple, but now he wears black. Just wait until you have to resist quoting the show at work 😀.
It’s actually dark blue. It’s looked black forever but on the HD remaster because of the increase in colour clarity you can see that it’s a really dark shade of blue.
@@dykesy30 I've only got the DVD's so haven't seen the remasters yet. Although it is possible that with the colour adjustments on the remaster, they may have inadvertently shifted the colour casting more towards blue. In all honesty, I've no idea which is correct (black or blue).
@@simonoleary9264 It’s possible but I think it’s just the lack of colour clarity on the DVDs. I would really highly recommend watching the HD remaster. It’s like experiencing it again for the first time visually speaking.
@@dykesy30 I would love to, but HBO Max isn't available in the UK and I don't like the idea of buying them from a single streaming service (Amazon Prime or iTunes), because I'm only buying a right to watch it as long as they host it. I am hoping WB will release them on Blu-ray, but it's looking less and less likely as the year passes (which is a pity, because there are lots of people in UK & Europe that would buy them).
@@simonoleary9264 I’m in the UK too. But I managed to get a hold of a copy of the HD streams. I would love a Blu-ray release but if they did a Blu-ray release I’d hope they’d do a better upscale of them Visual Effects.
I love this eps, G'Kar maintains his composure in front of Delenn and Sheridan and shows his gratitude, but as soon as he is out of sight he loses control and all you see from him is grief and a building hopelessness. Being the leader that he is he does not let others see him not be in control. So many great characters and actors on this show it is so hard to pick my favorite, but G'kar and Londo I really think are my standout characters.
Thing is, it isn't just the sense of hopelessness. He is grieving the losses, sure. But he is also weeping in joy at the numbers who will be saved because people who couldn't act "officially" decided to act "individually". He didn't win Minbar and Earth to his cause, but he gained TWO allies who would defy their own worlds to help his. Yes, he cries for the dead and those who will die. But he is also crying because despite all that death, there is a flicker of hope for some good to come around the corner.
".... being at work, thinking 'Oh my, whats the ramification of that gonna be?'" in relation to B5. Yep, we share that experience. This show keeps you thinking even when not watching it. I remember the time when I could hardly wait for the week to go by to watch the next episode back when it first aired.
thanks for these videos, i patiently wait each week for a new update! Glad you're loving it as much as many of us do. I didnt watch B5 when it first came out, I as in high school and thought it was boring. However in my twenties, id come home from work, and turn on sci fi channel while I ate dinner, and B5 happened to be on. Started watching mid second season, and I was like "this show is really good, what is this?!?!" Found out it was B5 and started watching it. Please keep making the videos and hopefully keep avoiding spoilers!
The little translator is Paul Williams also know as Little Enos from Smokey and the Bandit ! I am sure you know Laneir is Bill Mummy from Lost in Space. Vir aka Stephen Furst aka flounder in the movie Animal House!
I don't know if you still read these comments, after a year of reviews; but I really, really enjoy your reviews. You totally immerse yourself in the program and become emotionally involved. (Not to mention, that you're really cute. lol). Just as you are watching episodes, I am watching you.
The show has some great speeches, but 6:36 is one of my favorite lines in the whole show and it's just five words long. Londo's desperation and loneliness is so heartbreaking, no matter how many times I watch the show.
Thank you Medusa Cascade. Yes this is a great show. Set a couple of hundred years in the future but you can see 20th and 21st century geo politics being unveiled before your very eyes. The first casualty of war is the truth. The show is almost portrayed as a really strong theatre production where all the props and the effects don't matter so much because the story is mostly being played out with all the amazing dialogue it's got you completely addicted. It's the three alien ambassadors that are the biggest stars for me Peter Jurasik, Mira Furlan and Andreas Katsulas. Looking forward to the next reaction . Keep up the great work ☺
I love these reactions! B5 is one of my favorite shows of all time. When it was airing on television, my older kids were hooked on it too. TV reception was awful in our apartment building, so we would take turns standing by the tv set moving the antennae around and holding it in place to keep the picture clear enough. We'd have to stand like that until the next commercial break, when we'd switch places. It was worth it! Of course, later on I bought the series on DVD and now, I stream it. I rewatch it about once a year or so.
I've really been enjoying watching your journey through B5. I watched the show when it aired as a teenager and loved the hell out of it. I've gone back and rewatched a lot of shows/films from my younger years and normally end up a little disappointed so was always a little apprehensive about going back to B5 but I needn't have worried I got the box set last year and I loved it even more than I originally did. This is Sci fi done right with amazing character arcs. Such a shame that we have lost so many of the original cast R.I.P
Its a joy for me to watch new people get stuck in the world of B5... Its been a large part of my life since it first aired and the characters feel like friends & relatives now.
"It's easy to talk about being strong here, when there isn't a Centauri ion cannon pointed at your head!" God the writing and delivery is perfect here. War hawks should hear this.
since I first saw it when it aired on my local tv .. I'll never forget the line "It's good to have friends... even if only for a little while" ... the sentence itself is so true and has become more real(?) the older I get ... and the delivery with that weirdly half forced, half happy intonation is just perfect Katsulas and Jurasik (G'Kar and Lando) steal the show most of the time ... I've watched all of their work since I enjoyed their acting so much, but sadly they didn't have a lot of big roles otherwise.. and although they're decent, in B5 they just .. I don't know... channel the souls of the fictional characters? ^^ .. and they get a lot of the most interesting lines and especialy the dialogues ... sorry for the incoherent and badly spelled (probably) rant .. that's my fav. episode of B5 .. the twist with the alien ambassador and it's extremely accurate if somewhat bleak reflection on capitalism and modern sexual selection .. is just such a suprise .. and the whole interplay of power, sacrifice and everyone doing their all but still failing .. saving some lifes, yes but still losing .. this episodes only "weak point" is Ivanovas "sex-scene" and that's hilarious now there's +1 comment for the algorythm god and I've vented my drunken enthusiasm .. wow I haven't writen english drunk in years.. your language is rather complicated ^^ I'd very much like to know your thoughts on the ambassadors reaction to the down-below ... have a wonderful day and good night
I don't know if you know this, but Strazinski got approval for the entire 5 year series in advance. This allowed him to aquire writers like Harlan Ellison and others and have them plot out character development arcs for years in advance, which is one of the reasons the characters are so amazing with all the backstories and histories.
Although he may have gotten tacit approval for 5 years, the show was in danger of cancellation every year and then was cancelled during Season 4 with the collapse of the PTEN network. If not for the sudden acquisition of B5 by TNT, there would have never been a Season 5 and Rising Star would have led right into Sleeping in Light as was originally intended.
The thing about G'kar and leadership is that it is easier to lead people in the direction they want to go. G'kar always tried to make his people stronger, more powerful, and repay old scores. Easy to follow a leader like that if you agree. It is when you DON'T agree that the leader has to be really good.
G'Kar and Londo were an interesting contrast. The Narn had miscalculated and were doing badly but, because of G'Kar's earlier conduct, Delenn found it hard to trust him and couldn't offer any help. Lando was getting exactly what he wanted, his people were returning to what they once were, and it was giving him nothing but misery.
In retrospect, there was a much simpler, if far less comical, way for Ivonova to have addressed the Lumati ambassador's demand. And it's based on the same premise, that the ambassador probably didn't know squat about human sexual practices. Essentially, human procreation requires an exchange of fluids and cellular material during physical contact between two partners. Therefore, each party would hock up a loogie and spit it into their palm, and then both would shake hands. If there was cellular compatibility, a pregnancy would then ensue. It's almost plausible, especially to an uninformed outsider. The diplomatic ignoramus would probably have fallen for it, although I doubt the translator would have been taken in.
We are more here that loves to watch your reaction to a show we love, and I think we miss that first time as you now experience :-) and we just love it !!!
This episode really shows how things have flipped since season 1. In the beginning the Narn were seen as the aggressive and hostile faction while the Centauri were seen as the victims. Now the Narn are fighting for their lives while the Centauri are dealing out the pain. I also like how G'kar now has to deal with consequences of those aggressive action in season one with no one willing to help his people openly. This really shows how mature this show was and how it didn't pull any punches.
So excited to see how strongly you are into this show now... it is hard to draw away from it once you're hooked! The acting is really strong in this one. Personally I'm not a fan of the "sex scene", but everything else is pretty impressive. We see Franklin's morals again when he's about to argue with the ambassador of a (supposedly very advanced) civilization about their treatment of others. If Earth wants to get in league with the Lumati, what does that say about their morals? Are they sacrificing them for convenience? In turn, Sheridan and Delenn are willing to at least risk their standings because they can't sacrifice their morals, even when their governments tell them to. Extremely strong acting in that entire plot, from Delenn feeling obviously uncomfortable with the situation every time she talks to G'Kar to his breakdown after Sheridan offers joint aid. Things are getting intense and rough. At this point, it seems like everyone has to sacrifice something - for the greater good, for political convenience, for their morals. The question is whether these sacrifices will be worth it.
I love these reaction videos of yours just seeing your expression is exactly how, well i'm a guy, lol, but basically the same as yours. Though i watched them as they aired when i was 22/23.....oh man i'm old... lol i haven't re-watched them in years, even though i own the new remastered versions...think i'll have to binge sometime soon, nice work! Cheers!
I was 9 going on 10 when B5 came out in 1993. I saw a few episodes but didn't really get interested until Season 2. Being more visually inclined, it was the first time I saw the Shadows and listened to G'Kar frantically trying to warn the other races about their prophecied return. That really got me interested at then 10 and 11. From then on, I was hooked!
I love this series, watched the DVD several times. It's all in the writing, that's key and it doesn't hurt that they have top actors and excellent CGI battles. The sets aren't the best but that's forgivable. Ivanova is a treat.
Glad to see how well these reactions are going over and how much you enjoy them. Success comes from a combination of passion, which anyone can see watching your face or hearing the urgency in your commentary, and timing. By timing I mean that you have chosen a show that is virtually untapped in the reaction scene and you are experiencing a rabid fan base that didn't realize just how much they missed this show and seeing it through fresh eyes. I only wish you hadn't already seen BSG as that is another untapped reservoir
Love how obsessed you're becoming with B5!! - and as I'm sure others have said, it only continues to ramp up from here! I remember when this first aired here in the UK, think it was channel 4, the show was severely cut up for broadcast- then later series were relegated to an early a.m. timeslot- I used to come home from drinks/clubbing with friends & stay up a bit longer to see each one! It may perhaps seem tame by todays standards, but back then it's more grown up & often darker themes where often frowned upon and as such treated very poorly by British tv back then!
A week before the Schools shut down there was a Kidnapping at the Local Primary School. It ended well. The Teacher woke him up. Think about it. You could tell by your Reactions you were really enjoying it. I love your laugh and smile.
Don't worry it's called Fandom B5 had a following in the USA never was really popular ,but the fans it has all felt the same way and loyal it's a master piece and survived up against Deep Space 9 and Voyager!
The rarest thing you will ever see is me commenting on a B5 video. Just a quick comment to apologise for the frame rate and audio issues on this one. The file became corrupted but I salvaged what I could. Hopefully it isn't too painful to watch. 😊
❤❤❤❤❤❤Medusa....
I thought it was my internet connection
To be honest, so FEW people bother with Bab-5 these days (especially for reactions) that I am just falling in love with your reaction to the show that I can over look the occasional "issues". Just seeing someone watching Bab-5 with "new eyes" is a joy for me. The only 'complaint' that I have is that you don't upload new videos fast enough. I am constantly going "I want to see how you react to the NEXT episode". So for me, just know that for some people, that "issues" that cause problems with uploads will be ignored JUST to see how you react to what is happening.
I did wonder why it was a bit juddery 😂 it wasn’t too distracting 😁 as always loved this video 😁😁😁
Not really watching for the clips, rather your reactions to them. So long as I have an idea as to what you're referencing I'm fine with it.
"G´kar has the best speeches I´ve ever heard"
*literally everyone here nods silently and thinks: oh ... just wait!*
Indeed!
Now I have gone to a strange parallel universe where it was G'Kar and not Peter Capaldi's Doctor who starred in 'Heaven Sent'... How well he would punch that wall...
Andreas Katsulas. Legend! RIP.
exactly that :D
Hear hear
"G'Kar has some of the best speeches I've ever heard" ... Oh my dear dear summer child .. You have NO idea. 😆
💔😭😭😭😭😭
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Personally I prefer "Get the hell out of..." speech from Sheridan to all G´Kar´s speeches. Also, "We have come Home!"
Babylon 5 is a rare gem that has been largely overlooked these days. It brings me great joy to see someone else experiencing and loving this show as much as I do.
One of the funniest performances given by Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova in B5. It balances out the heavier aspects of the story-line in this episode. Lovely reaction.
They had a lot of fun with the 'Ivanova dance'. Per jms, "Claudia (Christian) loved the scene when I first described it to her, prior to finishing the script. She was dying to do it, and kept sort of "doing" it around people for some time prior to filming."
Londo waiting alone in the pub
G'kar crying to himself after the briefing with Sheridan and Delenn.
Powerful actors both of them.
Your B5 reactions are the highlight of my week. Its so hard not to inadvertently write spoilers.
Unbelievably, It. Gets. Even. Better....
Its not that hard not to write spoilers. Because nobody spoiled us when we first watched it. And watching it with here is like beeing unspoiled again!
Or let me use one of G´kares speeches. "I know! It is difficult. We must remain calm " :)
Londo goes from being the biggest clown to the most dangerous man in the room.
G'kar goes from the most underhanded back-stabbing petty bully to the most admirable.
Dalen goes from the most powerful person in the room to the biggest bluffer due to no support from official channels.
Sinclair goes from the friendliest guy you can know to the keeper of secrets behind the scene.
Sheridan goes from happy-go-lucky to toe-the-line-or-else.
And those are just the OPENING 2 SEASON character arcs. Just wait until season 3 where they all have even FURTHER character arcs.
Andreas Katsulas, Ambassador G'Kar indeed was phenomenal. If I recall, during shooting if you wanted to have a conversation with the actor, you had to find him before his makeup went on, or after it was coming off. I can't remember which interview it was with one of the other people from the show, but they said, once the makeup went on, he was G'Kar. Andreas wasn't there.
I'm curious: when you saw the Narns for the first time, in the pilot and in the early episodes of S1, did you think you'd feel so much sympathy for them as you do now?
No one on Babylon 5 is exactly what they seem.
Watching you being further immersed in one of the finest stories ever told in any medium is certainly, as others have said, a highlight of the week. There's some stupendous stuff to come - just wanna thank you for letting me be able to re-live it anew vicariously...
Well put!
The immersion will grow. Seasons 3 and 4 are just such marvels.
"I'm literally obsessed with watching this", heh I watched it when it first aired and rewatch it at least once per year since, its the best sci-fi show ever made. :D
Been waiting for your B5 eps 👍 The scripts for each of the mains characters is just on another level, it's almost Shakespearean. I think Londo and G'Kar have the best interactions. Delenn's script was specially written for her as Mira Furlan had such a fantastic delivery.
The actress was also from war-torn Yugoslavia, which gave her personal experiences to draw from in scenes like this episode when talking to G'Kar.
@@AlexJones-ue1ll I Totally agree with you. 👍 On a side note this is mindblowing to watch someone experience this series for the first time but knowing what is to come. I'm excited for her to progress through the arc
@@Sol3UK me too! B5 is my favorite show of all times and its so nice to see someone so engaged with the show as oneself was back when first watching it. I can wait for the the reaction to ... stuff later on. Mustn't spoil anything from S3 or S4 now :D
@@AlexJones-ue1ll Only a few episodes away from Zah. ey what. Shes already ahead on patreon but great to see it unfold, it even still blows my mind when I see it again. Give me an injection to make me forget
Babylon 5 is one of the few shows where everything came together so well that it's a marvel. It's incredible that Londo, G'kar, and Delenn can be party to such terrible deeds and yet love and compassion for them remains.
It’s a testament to how well crafted their characters are.
Don't worry, you'll never leave this universe, in 25 years I never have! Love watching your reactions to this series and listening to your speculation, it's almost as good as watching it for the first time again!
It is sad to see how strained Londo and Garibaldi's friendship has become.
"No alcohol?" Garibaldi is a recovering alcoholic.
“Boom shabalaba boom! Shabalaba! Kiss kiss kiss…. Old style you fall asleep. New style I get a pizza and we never speak to each other again.” 🤣
Can't wait to see your reactions to some later moments int this particular season. It is not the same as watching it for the first time, but it comes close. Babylon 5 is THE best show that has ever graced television. I for one have not seen anything even remotely as good. I look forward to your next episodes.
Hear hear!
one Sunday back in the late 90s I watched an ep of B5, and refused to answer the frantic doorknocks from my neighbor, who wanted to alert me that my boiler was overflowing into his house. Until 7pm when B5 finished. back then nothing was more important to me than watching B5.
I stumbled across your B5 reaction videos a couple of weeks ago and am already as hooked to your reactions as I was to Babylon 5 when it first graced our screens (and still am all these years later. I still think about what ifs while going to sleep). Thank you so much for sharing!
You know you're very spoiled because you can see it all in a reasonable timeframe, and not worry that it's gonna get cancelled out from under you? LOL
Or change time-slots and mess up your vcr recording it so that you could watch it when you got home from work. LOL (Yeah, I am that old.)
I know that the time you watched this the was in Ukraine had not started but now, in 2022, this lame excuse of "We're not targeting civilians, it's the other side who is using them as shields" is frighteningly reminiscent of what we saw earlier on this year. And the fact that JMS included this in his show, written about 30 years ago, shows that this is nothing new. It's unfortunately been done before. Yes, the late Andreas Katsulas, who played G'Kar, was a very powerful actor (you might have seen him as a Romulan a few times on Star Trek TNG).It helps that he is given a great character, great lines, and that he can deliver them so wonderfully. As for Londo, he truly is a tragic character. The more powerful he gets, the more lonely he becomes. Heartbreaking.
This series really does have amazing character arcs, some are outright heartbreaking, credit to the actors and writers.
There are only three ways to forget this show and not having it run through your head: 1) Dying; 2) Alzheimer's; and 3) Traumatic Brain injury. And, with the 3rd at least, you could watch it all over again, discovering it anew . . .
That was right up there with the Elaine dance.
so enjoying seeing the story arcs drawing you in. this journey is absolutely so incredible. thankful to be on this with ya.
These reactions have been a joy to watch. It's rare to see any Babylon 5 reactions anyway, but to see that you're so engrossed with the show, just make the videos go up to another level.
Boom shakalak. JMS just writes life, he has a real knack for it, I think that's what pulls you in. It's fascinating to see how much he actually wrote my childhood too - you might be too young but a lot of the cartoons I grew up on he also had a hand in writing. And completely right about Katsulas, it's incredible how much he can emote from under those prosthetics...
Another lovely reaction.
... aaand the episode opens with a great act of sacrifice - the Narns have their troubles ...
I know not everyone likes Ivanova's "act of sacrifice", but I enjoyed it.
And then G'Kar - Andreas Katsulas' acting through all that make up is something special. I see it as a combination of his voice acting and body language, and the result is felt, isn't it? His laugh/cry at the end is just so expressive, and yes he does have some beautiful speeches.
The big difference between B5 and Farscape is that B5 had an outline for a 5-year arc from the outset (which had to be modified along the way due to cast changes and issues with the network) and Farscape was only loosely planned as they went along.
Trivia Bit - The scene where Sheridan is talking to the Earth Force Officer (7:49) you see wall fans running in the background. This was a mistake. The fans are real. They were supposed to be covered over with a suitable backdrop in post production, but somehow it was missed.
It's great to watch you get so invested in this show, it's still my favourite, 25+ years after I first watched it.
Not sure if you've noticed the subtle change in Londo's clothes.
He used to wear purple, but now he wears black.
Just wait until you have to resist quoting the show at work 😀.
It’s actually dark blue. It’s looked black forever but on the HD remaster because of the increase in colour clarity you can see that it’s a really dark shade of blue.
@@dykesy30
I've only got the DVD's so haven't seen the remasters yet.
Although it is possible that with the colour adjustments on the remaster, they may have inadvertently shifted the colour casting more towards blue.
In all honesty, I've no idea which is correct (black or blue).
@@simonoleary9264 It’s possible but I think it’s just the lack of colour clarity on the DVDs. I would really highly recommend watching the HD remaster. It’s like experiencing it again for the first time visually speaking.
@@dykesy30
I would love to, but HBO Max isn't available in the UK and I don't like the idea of buying them from a single streaming service (Amazon Prime or iTunes), because I'm only buying a right to watch it as long as they host it.
I am hoping WB will release them on Blu-ray, but it's looking less and less likely as the year passes (which is a pity, because there are lots of people in UK & Europe that would buy them).
@@simonoleary9264 I’m in the UK too. But I managed to get a hold of a copy of the HD streams. I would love a Blu-ray release but if they did a Blu-ray release I’d hope they’d do a better upscale of them Visual Effects.
I love this eps, G'Kar maintains his composure in front of Delenn and Sheridan and shows his gratitude, but as soon as he is out of sight he loses control and all you see from him is grief and a building hopelessness. Being the leader that he is he does not let others see him not be in control. So many great characters and actors on this show it is so hard to pick my favorite, but G'kar and Londo I really think are my standout characters.
Thing is, it isn't just the sense of hopelessness. He is grieving the losses, sure. But he is also weeping in joy at the numbers who will be saved because people who couldn't act "officially" decided to act "individually". He didn't win Minbar and Earth to his cause, but he gained TWO allies who would defy their own worlds to help his.
Yes, he cries for the dead and those who will die. But he is also crying because despite all that death, there is a flicker of hope for some good to come around the corner.
@@herrzimm Very true, goes to show how great the acting in a single scene true is.
".... being at work, thinking 'Oh my, whats the ramification of that gonna be?'" in relation to B5. Yep, we share that experience. This show keeps you thinking even when not watching it. I remember the time when I could hardly wait for the week to go by to watch the next episode back when it first aired.
thanks for these videos, i patiently wait each week for a new update! Glad you're loving it as much as many of us do. I didnt watch B5 when it first came out, I as in high school and thought it was boring. However in my twenties, id come home from work, and turn on sci fi channel while I ate dinner, and B5 happened to be on. Started watching mid second season, and I was like "this show is really good, what is this?!?!" Found out it was B5 and started watching it. Please keep making the videos and hopefully keep avoiding spoilers!
The little translator is Paul Williams also know as Little Enos from Smokey and the Bandit ! I am sure you know Laneir is Bill Mummy from Lost in Space. Vir aka Stephen Furst aka flounder in the movie Animal House!
Paul - "I'd like to kick his a... just once."
Andraes Katsulas(G'Kar) and Peter Jurasik (Londo), were close friends in real life, and had incredible chemistry throughout the show.
G'Kar has come quite a ways from "The Gathering", eh?
I don't know if you still read these comments, after a year of reviews; but I really, really enjoy your reviews. You totally immerse yourself in the program and become emotionally involved. (Not to mention, that you're really cute. lol). Just as you are watching episodes, I am watching you.
Every actor in this brought their A game to this show.
Babylon 5 , the writers the actors the stories . one of the few shows that had every thing come to gether ,
The show has some great speeches, but 6:36 is one of my favorite lines in the whole show and it's just five words long. Londo's desperation and loneliness is so heartbreaking, no matter how many times I watch the show.
Thank you Medusa Cascade. Yes this is a great show. Set a couple of hundred years in the future but you can see 20th and 21st century geo politics being unveiled before your very eyes. The first casualty of war is the truth. The show is almost portrayed as a really strong theatre production where all the props and the effects don't matter so much because the story is mostly being played out with all the amazing dialogue it's got you completely addicted. It's the three alien ambassadors that are the biggest stars for me Peter Jurasik, Mira Furlan and Andreas Katsulas. Looking forward to the next reaction . Keep up the great work ☺
the performances for G'Kar , him and Londo, magic
JMS offered himself to become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. But unfortunately, the BBC would never let that happen.
I love these reactions! B5 is one of my favorite shows of all time. When it was airing on television, my older kids were hooked on it too. TV reception was awful in our apartment building, so we would take turns standing by the tv set moving the antennae around and holding it in place to keep the picture clear enough. We'd have to stand like that until the next commercial break, when we'd switch places. It was worth it! Of course, later on I bought the series on DVD and now, I stream it. I rewatch it about once a year or so.
G'Kar's speeches...are one of the jewels of B5
Londo is the most tragic character of the whole show. When he quoted Cinderella that his shoes were too tight, he perfectly described his situation.
I've really been enjoying watching your journey through B5. I watched the show when it aired as a teenager and loved the hell out of it. I've gone back and rewatched a lot of shows/films from my younger years and normally end up a little disappointed so was always a little apprehensive about going back to B5 but I needn't have worried I got the box set last year and I loved it even more than I originally did. This is Sci fi done right with amazing character arcs. Such a shame that we have lost so many of the original cast R.I.P
Its a joy for me to watch new people get stuck in the world of B5... Its been a large part of my life since it first aired and the characters feel like friends & relatives now.
The roller coaster is just starting to climb. Better hold on tight for some of the best story telling ever put on air.
I am surprised you didn't include a reaction to the dignitary wanting to see Down Below and his reaction to seeing it.
Yes, indeed. That observation was a rather damning assessment of humanity :-(
"It's easy to talk about being strong here, when there isn't a Centauri ion cannon pointed at your head!"
God the writing and delivery is perfect here. War hawks should hear this.
B5 was that rare convergence of top shelf writing and some of the best actors of their era.
since I first saw it when it aired on my local tv .. I'll never forget the line "It's good to have friends... even if only for a little while" ... the sentence itself is so true and has become more real(?) the older I get ... and the delivery with that weirdly half forced, half happy intonation is just perfect
Katsulas and Jurasik (G'Kar and Lando) steal the show most of the time ... I've watched all of their work since I enjoyed their acting so much, but sadly they didn't have a lot of big roles otherwise.. and although they're decent, in B5 they just .. I don't know... channel the souls of the fictional characters? ^^ .. and they get a lot of the most interesting lines and especialy the dialogues ...
sorry for the incoherent and badly spelled (probably) rant .. that's my fav. episode of B5 .. the twist with the alien ambassador and it's extremely accurate if somewhat bleak reflection on capitalism and modern sexual selection .. is just such a suprise .. and the whole interplay of power, sacrifice and everyone doing their all but still failing .. saving some lifes, yes but still losing .. this episodes only "weak point" is Ivanovas "sex-scene" and that's hilarious
now there's +1 comment for the algorythm god and I've vented my drunken enthusiasm .. wow I haven't writen english drunk in years.. your language is rather complicated ^^
I'd very much like to know your thoughts on the ambassadors reaction to the down-below ... have a wonderful day and good night
I don't know if you know this, but Strazinski got approval for the entire 5 year series in advance. This allowed him to aquire writers like Harlan Ellison and others and have them plot out character development arcs for years in advance, which is one of the reasons the characters are so amazing with all the backstories and histories.
Although he may have gotten tacit approval for 5 years, the show was in danger of cancellation every year and then was cancelled during Season 4 with the collapse of the PTEN network. If not for the sudden acquisition of B5 by TNT, there would have never been a Season 5 and Rising Star would have led right into Sleeping in Light as was originally intended.
G'kar is my favorite character in this series. He does have the best speeches.
The thing about G'kar and leadership is that it is easier to lead people in the direction they want to go. G'kar always tried to make his people stronger, more powerful, and repay old scores. Easy to follow a leader like that if you agree. It is when you DON'T agree that the leader has to be really good.
To think.
It gets even better.
"I'm obsessed" - Welcome to the club.
G'Kar and Londo were an interesting contrast.
The Narn had miscalculated and were doing badly but, because of G'Kar's earlier conduct, Delenn found it hard to trust him and couldn't offer any help.
Lando was getting exactly what he wanted, his people were returning to what they once were, and it was giving him nothing but misery.
In retrospect, there was a much simpler, if far less comical, way for Ivonova to have addressed the Lumati ambassador's demand. And it's based on the same premise, that the ambassador probably didn't know squat about human sexual practices. Essentially, human procreation requires an exchange of fluids and cellular material during physical contact between two partners. Therefore, each party would hock up a loogie and spit it into their palm, and then both would shake hands. If there was cellular compatibility, a pregnancy would then ensue. It's almost plausible, especially to an uninformed outsider. The diplomatic ignoramus would probably have fallen for it, although I doubt the translator would have been taken in.
Love your enthusiasm!
A person does not simply "like" Babylon 5, they are captivated by it.
We are more here that loves to watch your reaction to a show we love, and I think we miss that first time as you now experience :-) and we just love it !!!
it is great to watch G'Kar grow over the next seasons and during the war.
@7:51, this guy is always military, secret service, and once an ensign in Next Generation.
This episode really shows how things have flipped since season 1. In the beginning the Narn were seen as the aggressive and hostile faction while the Centauri were seen as the victims. Now the Narn are fighting for their lives while the Centauri are dealing out the pain. I also like how G'kar now has to deal with consequences of those aggressive action in season one with no one willing to help his people openly. This really shows how mature this show was and how it didn't pull any punches.
So excited to see how strongly you are into this show now... it is hard to draw away from it once you're hooked!
The acting is really strong in this one. Personally I'm not a fan of the "sex scene", but everything else is pretty impressive. We see Franklin's morals again when he's about to argue with the ambassador of a (supposedly very advanced) civilization about their treatment of others. If Earth wants to get in league with the Lumati, what does that say about their morals? Are they sacrificing them for convenience?
In turn, Sheridan and Delenn are willing to at least risk their standings because they can't sacrifice their morals, even when their governments tell them to. Extremely strong acting in that entire plot, from Delenn feeling obviously uncomfortable with the situation every time she talks to G'Kar to his breakdown after Sheridan offers joint aid. Things are getting intense and rough.
At this point, it seems like everyone has to sacrifice something - for the greater good, for political convenience, for their morals. The question is whether these sacrifices will be worth it.
I love these reaction videos of yours just seeing your expression is exactly how, well i'm a guy, lol, but basically the same as yours. Though i watched them as they aired when i was 22/23.....oh man i'm old... lol i haven't re-watched them in years, even though i own the new remastered versions...think i'll have to binge sometime soon, nice work! Cheers!
I was 9 going on 10 when B5 came out in 1993. I saw a few episodes but didn't really get interested until Season 2. Being more visually inclined, it was the first time I saw the Shadows and listened to G'Kar frantically trying to warn the other races about their prophecied return. That really got me interested at then 10 and 11. From then on, I was hooked!
I love the Narn... especially their bread
I love this series, watched the DVD several times. It's all in the writing, that's key and it doesn't hurt that they have top actors and excellent CGI battles. The sets aren't the best but that's forgivable. Ivanova is a treat.
13:55 Sounds like love to me. :-)
Very much!
Glad to see how well these reactions are going over and how much you enjoy them. Success comes from a combination of passion, which anyone can see watching your face or hearing the urgency in your commentary, and timing. By timing I mean that you have chosen a show that is virtually untapped in the reaction scene and you are experiencing a rabid fan base that didn't realize just how much they missed this show and seeing it through fresh eyes. I only wish you hadn't already seen BSG as that is another untapped reservoir
That alien translator was actually played by the songwriter Paul Williams
Paul, "I'd like to kick your a... just once."
RIP Andreas Katsulas.
Love how obsessed you're becoming with B5!! - and as I'm sure others have said, it only continues to ramp up from here!
I remember when this first aired here in the UK, think it was channel 4, the show was severely cut up for broadcast- then later series were relegated to an early a.m. timeslot- I used to come home from drinks/clubbing with friends & stay up a bit longer to see each one!
It may perhaps seem tame by todays standards, but back then it's more grown up & often darker themes where often frowned upon and as such treated very poorly by British tv back then!
Your reactions to take me back to being a first time watcher in the 90s. It puts a smile on my face. 🙂
One of the funniest things I heard about this episode is that the lumati ambassador is a parody of Star Trek's Federation!
A week before the Schools shut down there was a Kidnapping at the Local Primary School. It ended well. The Teacher woke him up. Think about it. You could tell by your Reactions you were really enjoying it. I love your laugh and smile.
ive watched it through 4 or 5 times, and I still think abut it a lot hahaha
And G’Kar’s speeches only get better👍
Also, I was wondering, if I may ask, are you from Scotland?
I would say keep an eye on Londo. For as many times as I have watched this show from start to end. I think his character arc is the best.
Don't worry it's called Fandom B5 had a following in the USA never was really popular ,but the fans it has all felt the same way and loyal it's a master piece and survived up against Deep Space 9 and Voyager!
Your reaction videos are great fun to watch. Love the Star Wars cup. - The Music Loving Klingon...
The relationships between the characters in B5 is superb.
This is one story that drew me in from the very beginning much like it has you. And I so enjoy watching your reactions.
Just to comment on what you said near the end: I think about Babylon 5 every single day.
Love this show, love your reactions and your absolute joy with the show. Thank you.
Third!. I have been loving your reactions.
Just got home from dinner with my wife. Couldn't wait to get home to watch. The B5 virus is strong with this one 😂😂😂
Another good reaction overall, though I did notice some framerate/sound hiccups present in the video.
You're right, it really is one of those shows...
A civilian ship carrying weapons. I only say: Lusitania...
Ooooh it’s “this” episode! 🤨 hahaha
You need to get to watch the films which tie into the series. G'Kar and Londo, two people that are going in opposite directions into the future.
❤❤❤❤❤❤Medusa....
I Love Babylon 5
It's fun to see how often you are wearing the same shirt for several episodes in a row.