Some B5 questions from the newly corrupted viewer

[athelas]

Over the winter break, I was able to get my hands on six episodes of Babylon 5 - from “Legacies” to “Chrysalis”. This was my first exposure to the series, my previous plan of videotaping the reruns on Scifi having fallen through. I have a few questions about these episodes, but first off, I’d better say that I really enjoyed five out of the six ones that I saw (Legacies was, I thought, a bit weak) and that these are more inquiries than criticisms.

Tech’n’stuff

1. Babylon 5 rotates to create gravity, and it apparantly does so at a quite-rapid rate. Current projections for rotating space stations require them to be at least a kilometer wide to prevent dizziness from the inner ear “sensing” the rotation. Is there som mention of this difficulty in the series?

2. Starfuries are launched using the stations rotation to get them going (nice idea, btw). However, in the launching sequence, we see them going one after another, several seconds apart. Does that mean that they go out in an arc?

3. What do PPGs fire?

4. C&C does not appear to rotate, as evidenced by the viewscreen showing still stars. How do they stay on the ground, then? Magnetic boots?

Other stuff

1. Does the CGI improve as time goes on? The stuff in Chrysalis was amazing (for the time), but some, especially in “Legacies”, is rather awkward.

2. More importantly, does the scoring change? The greatest annoyance with watching these episodes was that the music is practically always an electronic-sounding series of tones, without any complexity that one gets from instruments, rhythmical rather than melodic. Is there any orchestral-style scoring for later seasons?

3. Does anyone else think that Sinclair has a distinct resemblance to a certain presidential candidate?

A Voice in the Wilderness

1. How did Sinclair know that the missiles wouldn’t hit him as he descended into the crevice, where covering fire was unavailable?

2. Wasn’t there any sort of evacuation of the outer levels before the battle? One would think that that would greatly reduce casualties

Babylon Squared

1. It was stated that it takes several hours to get to B4 in realspace, and that a few rounds were needed to evacuate everyone. Garibaldi was overseeing the evacuation at the time, but what was Sinclair doing? Asking Zathras some more questions? Talking about socks?

Chrysalis

1. Wow.

2. It seems that the story of a malfunction aboard EF1 will be told to the public at home. How, then, will they explain the jamming of the gold channels? That should be noticable to a few outside the government.

3. If Garibaldi was wounded on the back, why did they flip him over so that the wound was against the bed?

4. What does G’kar know about the attackers?

Thanks, all. And thanks to those who post in those B5 threads over the years, for getting me addicted. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see the rest until I flee the Parental Units for college.

[Knowed_Out]

Check out The Lurker’s Guide to Babylon 5. It’s got notes from JMS’s journal, as well as points brought up by various nitpickers and the explanations thereof.

I don’t have the technical eye a lot of scifi fans do, but I’ll give some of your questions a shot.

1) Babylon 5 rotates to create gravity, and it apparantly does so at a quite-rapid rate. Current projections for rotating space stations require them to be at least a kilometer wide to prevent dizziness from the inner ear “sensing” the rotation. Is there som mention of this difficulty in the series?

They mention how different sections have to have different spin rates to accomodate the various alien races. The station is 5 miles long, so its width is probably within resaonable specs.

2) Starfuries are launched using the stations rotation to get them going (nice idea, btw). However, in the launching sequence, we see them going one after another, several seconds apart. Does that mean that they go out in an arc?

Yes, and there are scenes from later shows that show them assembling a flight pattern after launch.

4) C&C does not appear to rotate, as evidenced by the viewscreen showing still stars. How do they stay on the ground, then? Magnetic boots?

It does rotate. I guess a stationary-to-space camera shows the stars to those inside.

1) Does the CGI improve as time goes on? The stuff in Chrysalis was amazing (for the time), but some, especially in “Legacies”, is rather awkward.

Yes it does. JMS explains on the DVD commentaries that CGI was a developing technology at the time, and it would sometimes take an entire night just to generate one frame. As the tech got better, so did the CGI.

2) More importantly, does the scoring change? The greatest annoyance with watching these episodes was that the music is practically always an electronic-sounding series of tones, without any complexity that one gets from instruments, rhythmical rather than melodic. Is there any orchestral-style scoring for later seasons?

Yes, the opening theme changes every season. Still the same composer, and they do use orchestras. I think he had to conduct the orchestra via satellite. In general, things vastly improve after Season 1.

*1) It was stated that it takes several hours to get to B4 in realspace, and that a few rounds were needed to evacuate everyone. Garibaldi was overseeing the evacuation at the time, but what was Sinclair doing? Asking Zathras some more questions? Talking about socks?

4. What does G’kar know about the attackers?*

You will find the answers in future episodes. Don’t want to spoil it for you.

[ultrafilter]

@athelas

Over the winter break, I was able to get my hands on six episodes of Babylon 5 - from “Legacies” to “Chrysalis”. This was my first exposure to the series, my previous plan of videotaping the reruns on Scifi having fallen through. I have a few questions about these episodes, but first off, I’d better say that I really enjoyed five out of the six ones that I saw (Legacies was, I thought, a bit weak) and that these are more inquiries than criticisms.

Legacies was a bit weak, but it probably helps if you see it in the context of the whole first season. The series is out on DVD, and it’s well worth the $400 or so it’ll cost you. So, onto questions.

1. Babylon 5 rotates to create gravity, and it apparantly does so at a quite-rapid rate. Current projections for rotating space stations require them to be at least a kilometer wide to prevent dizziness from the inner ear “sensing” the rotation. Is there som mention of this difficulty in the series?

Nah, not really. It rotates, and that works.

2. Starfuries are launched using the stations rotation to get them going (nice idea, btw). However, in the launching sequence, we see them going one after another, several seconds apart. Does that mean that they go out in an arc?

It should look like that, I guess.

3. What do PPGs fire?

Superheated gas (PPG = Phased Plasma Gun). They’re preferable to traditional guns because they can’t pierce the hull of the station or a ship.

4. C&C does not appear to rotate, as evidenced by the viewscreen showing still stars. How do they stay on the ground, then? Magnetic boots?

Yeah, it should be rotating. For all that they got right, I’m willing to ignore a lot of the small errors out there.

1. Does the CGI improve as time goes on? The stuff in Chrysalis was amazing (for the time), but some, especially in “Legacies”, is rather awkward.

Yes.

2. More importantly, does the scoring change? The greatest annoyance with watching these episodes was that the music is practically always an electronic-sounding series of tones, without any complexity that one gets from instruments, rhythmical rather than melodic. Is there any orchestral-style scoring for later seasons?

I think so. I never really noticed the scoring, so it’s at least a little bit unobtrusive.

3. Does anyone else think that Sinclair has a distinct resemblance to a certain presidential candidate?

A little wooden? Perhaps. If he had stayed on the show, his character would’ve been developed away from that, to some degree.

1. It was stated that it takes several hours to get to B4 in realspace, and that a few rounds were needed to evacuate everyone. Garibaldi was overseeing the evacuation at the time, but what was Sinclair doing? Asking Zathras some more questions? Talking about socks?

Nothing important enough to merit screen time, I guess.

2. It seems that the story of a malfunction aboard EF1 will be told to the public at home. How, then, will they explain the jamming of the gold channels? That should be noticable to a few outside the government.

Not really. The gold channels are pretty high-security.

3. If Garibaldi was wounded on the back, why did they flip him over so that the wound was against the bed?

Dunno. Maybe one of our doctors can comment on this.

4. What does G’kar know about the attackers?

Watch the rest of the series.

[Charlie_Tan]

@ultrafilter

Watch the rest of the series.

B5 is really a 73 hour long movie, where the odd episode that seems to be a filler actually is a cut scene, which serves a purpose which might not be obvious if you view them out of order. Watch them all. Then re-watch them to notice how extremely well told this story is. I don’t think anything else on tv has ever been close.
For this, I forgive any cheesy make-up, clunky cgi or sci-tech aspects that are wrong.

[silenus]

For all they got right, I am willing to forgive the little they got wrong.

Spring for the series…it’s worth it. Then bookmark the Lurker’s Guide, as Knowed Out told you to.

[Steve_MB]

@athelas

3. If Garibaldi was wounded on the back, why did they flip him over so that the wound was against the bed?

IIRC, that’s addressed in the Lurker’s Guide – apparently, the extra difficulty of breathing while flat on one’s stomach for a long stretch is a greater issue than lying on the wound in that situation.

[rowrrbazzle]

@athelas

3. Does anyone else think that Sinclair has a distinct resemblance to a certain presidential candidate?

All I’ll say is a character that shows up later has an even greater physical resemblance to another political figure.

[Baker]

I grew up when Star Trek-TOS was the “true church” I watched it when the episodes were original.

Then, after Babylon 5, I converted to the “new religion” The transformation was complete when I started thinking of Walter Koenig as Bester, not as Chekov playing Bester.

Best television series ever, IMHO. Watch it from beginning to end, in order. I taped it off the TV, three times. One to keep, one to give to my nephews when they are old enough, and one set of tapes to lend out.

Wait until you see Ivanova negotiate a first contract treaty! “Next time, my way!”

Wait until you hear Vir stand up to Mr. Morden! “What do I want? I’d like to live just long enough to see them cut your head off and stick it up on a pole, as a reminder that some favors come at to high a price.”

Dr Franklin, on the dish called bagna cauda that Mr. Garibaldi has made “I can feel my arteries hardening just being in the same room with it.”

Or Mr. Garibaldi going up against the Post Office.

Heck there are too many good quotes and scenes. Anybody got the entire statement Ivanova made, about God sending her?

[Baker]

I found the quote entire:

“Who am I? I am Susan Ivanova. Commander. Daughter of Andrei and Sophie Ivanov. I am the right hand of vengeance, and the boot that is going to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth, sweetheart! I am death incarnate, and the last living thing that you are ever going to see. God sent me.” - Commander Susan Ivanova, “Between the Darkness and the Light”

I also liked how B-5 had religion. “Parliament of Dreams”, the fifth episode, gave a glimpse of how diverse religious beliefs were among the races on the station. The last scene, about Earth religious practise, is a true classic. “Passing Through Gethsemane”, in the third season, moved me to tears. Susan Ivanova was Jewish, Garibaldi a lapsed Catholic, Sheridan stated he believed in a little bit of everything, G’kar followed G’kown, a Narn religious figure, the Centauri had about three dozen gods, and so on.

[Indyellen]

I see someone already beat me to it somewhat. I thought you meant this one:
*
“And just one more thing. On your trip back I’d like you to take the time to learn the Babylon 5 mantra: ‘Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova’s recommendations. Ivanova is God. And if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out.’ Babylon Control out. … Civilians! [Looks up] I was just kidding about the God part – no offense.”

-- Ivanova in Babylon 5:"A Voice in the Wilderness #1"*

Ivanova ROCKS!

[Baker]

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Babylon_5

I found this site full of good b-5 quotes.

[WilhelmGefallen]

@Baker

Wait until you hear Vir stand up to Mr. Morden! “What do I want? I’d like to live just long enough to see them cut your head off and stick it up on a pole, as a reminder that some favors come at to high a price.”

You missed the best part:

Mr. Morden: What do YOU want?
Ambassador Vir Cotto: I’d like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price.
I want to look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this.
[waves]
Ambassador Vir Cotto: Can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?

[Baker]

You’re right, I was in a hurry.

But what’s even better is that a couple of seasons later, when Mr. Morden *does * get his head cut off, on Centauri Prime, Vir is there, and he does wave at it!

That show remembered details like that.

[Alessan]

@Baker

Susan Ivanova was Jewish, Garibaldi a lapsed Catholic, Sheridan stated he believed in a little bit of everything, G’kar followed G’kown, a Narn religious figure, the Centauri had about three dozen gods, and so on.

Is it ever specifically stated that Garibaldi used to be a Catholic, or do we just assume it because he’s Italian?

[gobear]

@Baker

I also liked how B-5 had religion. “Parliament of Dreams”, the fifth episode, gave a glimpse of how diverse religious beliefs were among the races on the station. The last scene, about Earth religious practise, is a true classic. “Passing Through Gethsemane”, in the third season, moved me to tears. Susan Ivanova was Jewish, Garibaldi a lapsed Catholic, Sheridan stated he believed in a little bit of everything, G’kar followed G’kown, a Narn religious figure, the Centauri had about three dozen gods, and so on.

I like how JMS, an atheist, uses B5 to explore religion as a motivator of behavior in sentient beings, as in G’Kar’s inner journey with the Book of G’Quan and the ecumenical service in “And the Rock Cried Out, ‘No Hiding Place.’” Relgion also plays a significant role in the events on Minbar in the 3rd season and in much of Delenn’s actions.

I have to envy the OP getting to see the show for the first time.

[Stonebow]

Fellow B5 fan just chiming in…yes, the series was quite often over the top. But, my God, it was an epic…and I’ve not seen it’s like on TV again, unless you count the very well done story arc for Transformers: Beast Wars that my kids loved.

Good show. Though I think we can all live without season 5. It was just tacked on.

[athelas]

Thanks for your replies. A few more things:

1. Is there any rank indicator in the EA uniforms? I think the gold/red/black bars represent specialty, not rank. Yes, no?

2. In “Legacies”, is there any reason why Ivanova didn’t talk to Londo? Do the Centauri have telepaths, and if so is it not much of a life? Or does she just not like Centauri?

3. What happened to B1-3?

4. What kind of defensive armaments are available in the b5verse? The EA ship in “A Voice in the Wilderness” seemed to shoot some kind of missiles at the incoming missiles. What does B5 have?

When I asked about the music, btw, I meant the stuff during the episodes, not the title sequence. And don’t envy me too much - I read a bit too many spoilers in the Lurker’s Guide. Silly athelas!

[ultrafilter]

@Baker

You’re right, I was in a hurry.

…

That show remembered details like that.

You know, there might be some readers who don’t want that kind of spoiler.

[ultrafilter]

@athelas

1. Is there any rank indicator in the EA uniforms? I think the gold/red/black bars represent specialty, not rank. Yes, no?

I think so. It was explained in one of the season 2 episodes.

2. In “Legacies”, is there any reason why Ivanova didn’t talk to Londo? Do the Centauri have telepaths, and if so is it not much of a life? Or does she just not like Centauri?

Could’ve happened off-screen. Not everything in the B5 universe is shown.

3. What happened to B1-3?

The first two were destroyed by saboteurs. The third was either destroyed by saboteurs or was constructed too quickly and collapsed on itself once it was started up–I can’t remember.

4. What kind of defensive armaments are available in the b5verse? The EA ship in “A Voice in the Wilderness” seemed to shoot some kind of missiles at the incoming missiles. What does B5 have?

You’ll see later.

[bouv]

@athelas

3. What happened to B1-3?

It’s not a big spoiler, so no need for a tag. They all blew up. B1 and B2 were sabotaged during construction, and B3 was blown up just after it was finished, while a skeleton crew was making final preperations. Since you didn’t ask about B4, I assume you know what happened to it. There’s actualyl an episode they did that dealt with a character who refused to leave the station, because he worked on all 4, and they all had their bad things happen right after he left them.