Episode 103

In another thread, hypatia raised the (she thought ) rhetorical question, "How many times can you discuss episode 103?"

Well, that got me thinking, which is always dangerous.

Which episode is "episode 103"? In theory each B5 episode is represented by at least four numbers, and all four of them can be different.

By convention, episodes are refered to by two part, three digit numbers. The first digit indicates the season, the next two which of the 22 episodes of that season the particular episode is. But many episodes actually have two different three-digit numbers - the production order number and the airdate number. You can also simply count up the 110 episodes linearly, but, again, you'd end up with two lists - one in production order, the other in air date order.

So what is this "episode 103" that hyp says we can only talk about so many times?

The episode with the three digit production number 103 is "Midnight on the Firing Line". The episode with the three digit air date number 103 is "Born to the Purple". The 103rd episode produced is "Darkness Ascending" (prod # 516, air date 515.) It also happens to be the 103rd episode aired.

I suggest that we discuss, compare and contrast all three "episode 103"s, their place in the series, and their relationship to one another. Using this model we could be having fresh discussions of B5 episodes for years to come.

Thank you, hypatia, for giving me this very elegant solution to a vexing problem.

Regards,

Joe

*just walks away, shaking head*

Unfortunately I gave my tapes away when I sold my video recorder -- and equally unfortunately, the fifth season has not reached DVD yet.

Therefore, I have only one small nitpick. It seems very unlikely that Minbari *fighters* would have the ability leech onto an enemy ship.

Unless of course the fighter was refitted for Rangers, in which case modifications might have been included for multiple sorts of unusual activity.

I believe you have it completely surrounded, Mister DeMartino.

Hmm. Dare I suggest episode 42?

(Or is that too "Hitchikers Gude to the Galaxy" for you?

Well, lets see... Midnight is dark, Darkness is dark, and Purple is pretty dark too. Firing, Ascending, and birth are all powerful forms of movement from one place to another. Is it possible that all three of these EPs are really just rewrites of the same thing? I guess the only real difference is that Born is in the past tense.

Personally my favorite thing about "Born to the Purple" is that the title itself is a hint at Londo's future -- right up there with the "In purple, I'm stunning!" line. Of course the Centauri emperor wears white, not purple, but to us humans, Imperial Purple is a known phrase.

Midnight's a great first episode. A lot of backstory, yet it doesn't feel very expository, and plenty of action to keep things moving. My only gripe? Carn Mollari. Where did he go? After season one he's never mentioned again.

I watched Seasons Four and Five in gulps, and all the episodes blur together, so I won't commend on the last one.