vacantlook
Super Moderator
Time for another'n.
Refresher Links:
Lurker's Guide Main Page for Grail
Lurker's Guide Extended Synopsis for Grail
Refresher Links:
Lurker's Guide Main Page for Grail
Lurker's Guide Extended Synopsis for Grail
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EpDis: Grail
- Thread starter vacantlook
- Start date
vacantlook
Super Moderator
There are two things about "Grail" that keep it from being an average episode for me, one is the na'ka'leen feeder, the other is the potrayal of Jinxo.
The voice of the feeder is not to my taste. I'm not sure the thing should have even had a voice, to be honest. That wimpy voice it had made it seem much less threatening to me and broke the suspense of it. Some of the CGI for the feeder was pretty nice, especially for its time. For me, the best part about the whole feeder in this episode is the reactions of Londo and Vir; those are some quite funny scenes.
Poor Vir getting locked out into the hallway! 
As for Jinxo, I like the character in concept, but not in execution. There's something that's just not quite there in the performance of the character that, with the character being such a major guest character this episode, deflates the episode for me. Again, in concept I like him: the fear of being cursed and staying on the station to try and prevent that curse from destroying it, but then having Aldous reveal another perspective on it that Jinxo was lucky in having escaped all the previous stations' destruction. And I like Jinxo's taking up Aldous's quest after Aldous's death. But again, there's just something in the performance that doesn't live up to the character in concept for me.
The whole bit of Sinclair's looking for a reason is brought back into the episode, which is a definite boon for the story. (Random thought of the moment: it's kinda fun to note the similar character element in David Martel, who says at the Naming Of Names ceremony that he's searching for something.)
The voice of the feeder is not to my taste. I'm not sure the thing should have even had a voice, to be honest. That wimpy voice it had made it seem much less threatening to me and broke the suspense of it. Some of the CGI for the feeder was pretty nice, especially for its time. For me, the best part about the whole feeder in this episode is the reactions of Londo and Vir; those are some quite funny scenes.
Poor Vir getting locked out into the hallway! As for Jinxo, I like the character in concept, but not in execution. There's something that's just not quite there in the performance of the character that, with the character being such a major guest character this episode, deflates the episode for me. Again, in concept I like him: the fear of being cursed and staying on the station to try and prevent that curse from destroying it, but then having Aldous reveal another perspective on it that Jinxo was lucky in having escaped all the previous stations' destruction. And I like Jinxo's taking up Aldous's quest after Aldous's death. But again, there's just something in the performance that doesn't live up to the character in concept for me.
The whole bit of Sinclair's looking for a reason is brought back into the episode, which is a definite boon for the story. (Random thought of the moment: it's kinda fun to note the similar character element in David Martel, who says at the Naming Of Names ceremony that he's searching for something.)
GKarsEye
Regular
I think this ep sucks donkey ass- it's definitely bottom of the barrel for me, along with TKO. I'm actually glad they're right next to each other in running order, so I can get them "out of the way" (or skip them altogether) when going through the series.
No, I don't respect the concept of a due flying around looking for a mythical object as being some kind of "true seeker." This always comes up and the episode treats it as if it's some kind of clever concept, but it's not, it's a lot of philosophical bullshit and the only sane character in this whole ordeal is Garibaldi who rightly views him as a wack-job.
No, I don't respect the concept of a due flying around looking for a mythical object as being some kind of "true seeker." This always comes up and the episode treats it as if it's some kind of clever concept, but it's not, it's a lot of philosophical bullshit and the only sane character in this whole ordeal is Garibaldi who rightly views him as a wack-job.
i like this episode. i always thought that after the Drahk Plague hit, that Jinnxo (Thomas?) might be a valuable resource of information, seeing as how his Order has travelled the galaxy and might have found some interesting things.
plus, the part at the beginning with the Vree being sued still has me rofl
plus, the part at the beginning with the Vree being sued still has me rofl
Ninja_Squirrel
Regular
I kind of view this episode as the slower, dimmer little brother to A Late Delivery From Avalon.
The strengths of the episode are the concept of a true seeker, the concept behind Jinxo's alleged curse, and another great performance by David Warner (even though the material he's working with could be better). Also, wasn't this the episode where we get to see a Vree?
The weaknesses of the episode are the Nakaleen Feeder and the lack of believability that just anyone can obtain or replicate a Vorlon encounter suit. While the idea of a "true seeker" is intriguing and reassuring, looking for the grail on a space station robs the concept of a little credibility.
The sporadic thing in the episode is the performance of the actor plaing Jinxo. When he's quiet and sincere, he's likable, but when he's scared or excited, the bad acting is apparent.
Overall, I give the episode a C+.
The strengths of the episode are the concept of a true seeker, the concept behind Jinxo's alleged curse, and another great performance by David Warner (even though the material he's working with could be better). Also, wasn't this the episode where we get to see a Vree?
The weaknesses of the episode are the Nakaleen Feeder and the lack of believability that just anyone can obtain or replicate a Vorlon encounter suit. While the idea of a "true seeker" is intriguing and reassuring, looking for the grail on a space station robs the concept of a little credibility.
The sporadic thing in the episode is the performance of the actor plaing Jinxo. When he's quiet and sincere, he's likable, but when he's scared or excited, the bad acting is apparent.
Overall, I give the episode a C+.
KoshFan
Regular
This episode doesn't really stand up to close scrutiny, but I like a few parts of it.
-- The opening bit with the Vree lawsuit. Classic.
-- Delenn telling Sinclair he's looking for something (he is).
-- Aldous telling the feeder to emerge from the suit. Although it's cheesy, it's clear he still has some kind of power.
-- Sinclair telling Kosh about the use of the fake Vorlon encounter suit.
"Well, it makes people nervous."
[Kosh] "Good." [/Kosh]
-- The opening bit with the Vree lawsuit. Classic.
-- Delenn telling Sinclair he's looking for something (he is).
-- Aldous telling the feeder to emerge from the suit. Although it's cheesy, it's clear he still has some kind of power.
-- Sinclair telling Kosh about the use of the fake Vorlon encounter suit.
"Well, it makes people nervous."
[Kosh] "Good." [/Kosh]
Look as though they saved money there by reusing the scene from the War Prayer, but with a different dialogue track (the CGI viewer is gone, but its frame is still floating between Sinclair and Kosh..)
I don't dislike this episode as much as Legacies or War Prayer, chiefly because of David Warner.
But it still blows doors off a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
vacantlook
Super Moderator
Good answer! Good answer! [applauds]
B5obsessive
Member
I can see GKar'sEye's point but we must remember that at this point our beloved series had not long been born, and was only a baby finding its feet. Compared to the series the pilot is quite frankly embarrasing
but Babylon 5 was fated to rise above ST's episodic format and tell an emotive, galaxy-spanning saga. And as for Grail, we are all forgetting something.......BOOM!IVANOVA FOREVER!!!!
Not a stellar episode, but some of the better comic acting in the series. I didn't really see many of the classic B5 themes here other than "faith manages." Still, there were no obvious clunkers (other than our expecting to take "Jinxo" seriously at the end after working against that idea for the whole ep). Probably a good reason why we don't see anything again by Christy Marx other than fan club stuff.
vacantlook
Super Moderator
Yeah, I had forgotten that wonderful Ivanova line until I rewatched Grail this morning. I remember back when I was on AOL and we had the delightful full-time Babylon 5 chat room there, we could play sound wavs in the chat, and the "No boom today; boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. What? Look, somebody's gotta have some damn perspective around here. Sooner or later: boom. Boom!" clip got quite a lot of play. It was just hillarious to hear it come out of nowhere in the middle of chatting.
Shaal Mayan
Regular
Average for me although I did like the Nakleen feeder.
