S5: A View From the Gallery

[vjs2259]

This is the Harlan Ellison taunts JMS episode, and so worthy of note. Harlan was, of course, obnoxiously right in that you never see the background people in stories of this type. JMS does it his way, giving them Big Speeches and Commentary. Which jars a bit, as it often does when he goes high-flying in his Meaningful Dialogue. But I like it

Comments

[kungfuwaynewho]

I love the idea of this episode so much, but the execution just mars it for me. I never feel the station's actually in danger, I never feel any real fear from anyone, John is acting stupid and Delenn needed to smack him (and I hate it when I'm unhappy with the situation that leads to a kiss, since I have so few of them!), but mostly, I really don't like Mack and Bo. I feel like I should like them, because I love stories told from the POV of a minor character. But we never saw those guys before, and we never see them again, and they're just so...well, maybe you're onto something if they're supposed to be JMS and HE.

But since I do like the idea, I find that I can bear the episode better than I can episodes that are executed well but are just blah. I'd rather shows try different things like this than just churn out the same MOTW over and over. It was an experiment, and it didn't really succeed for me, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

[kungfuwaynewho]

Also, do you have an image at the end? Because I'm not seeing it... :/

[vjs2259]

I can see it...*scratches head*

[alto2]

I can see it, too.

[singer_shaper]

I think I read somewhere that Bo is JMS and Mack is Harlan. Which explains a good deal of this episode.

Cool! That makes me like this episode better.

[vjs2259]

It's very meta. The lack o'drama doesn't bother me cause I don't think that's what it's all about.

(Of course we all know the hokey pokey is what it's all about.)

[nhpw]

Awwww... :D

I will confess: this is one of those episodes that I pull up on the DVD player if I'm having trouble falling asleep. It's self-contained, I don't have to think too hard about it, and the drama never hits a point high enough that I'm ever on the edge of my seat or anything. But I also like it. It is the perfect storm of bedtime story.

As such, I am rarely awake to see the end. Fandom Fail.

Um, but what I do remember is Delenn getting her way, and that adorable little J/D moment in the hallway. You'd think he'd have learned by now that he doesn't have to be the Big!Protector!Husband! with her. But... he's a boy... and he's a newlywed. IDK. It's cute and I sort of forgive him for it, and I'm sure deep down, Delenn appreciated the sentiment.

[vjs2259]

She's not pissed about it...just not going to do it his way. Cute, as you say.

[sailorangei]

I like the Ivanova comments. I think its more a commentary on the fan speculation, and not a dig at Claudia herself or anything.