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B5's greatest hits

M

MrFlibble

Member
B5\'s greatest hits

I couldn't help but notice the rise in posts that talk about the very few bad aspects of Babylon 5 and concluded that what was needed was a thread where we could talk about the hundreds of spine-tingling/ tear jerking/ profound (running out of words)that set Babylon 5 aside from most other TV sci-fi.I'll start the ball rolling with a scene in "comes the inquisitor....." that i've never seen discussed here. The scene in question is the one where Vir walks solemnly into a lift only to turn around a few moments later to see a seemingly angry G'Kar staring him out. What follows is about 10 seconds of total awkward silence before Vir says "I'm sorry". Needless to say the bit that followed where G'Kar sliced his hand so that the blood that dripped represented the thousands of Narn lives that were lost left me with a tear in my eye :eek:. The performances between the two in that scence have to me one of my favourite out of the whole series and possibly out of any show i've ever seen. I think its the way you can both feel sorry for Vir and his helpless position and understand why G'Kar cannot forgive him despite Virs peace offering. Sorry, I got pretty into that, its a bloody great scene! So what are your favourite moments and how did they affect you? :cool:
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

YAY! A 'nice things to say' thread!

My favorite parts are often the silent ones-at least, no dialogue. Londo watching the bombing of Narn. The look on Londo's face after G'Kar takes his drink. Dr. Franklin checking the dead after a battle.

To me the fact that B5 could linger on moments like these yet still pack 90 minutes of story into each episode is one reason why the show is so special to me.

Jan
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

What's even more amazing is that they can cram 90 minutes of story into 43-minute episodes.
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

OK, my tingle moment is Marcus' final three words.

Actually, it's everything of his leading up to that moment. We open the episode, Endgame, on him sitting by Ivanova's bed looking like he hasn't slept in three days. There is also the tenderest touch on her hand, possibly the first intimate contact Marcus has made.

Later, when Marcus is speeding back to B5 in the Whitestar, he is sitting on the bridge staring into the middle distance. Look at his expression and his eyes. He KNOWS. He knows exactly what he is going to do and he knows that he is going to die doing it.

Gets me every time.
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

There are so many great moments and I agree totally with all the ones mentioned above. It's also the 'little things' that make it so good.

For example, when the Narn surrender to the Centauri and G'Kar is banned from the Council Chambers - he does his great speech about the need to be free and then, standing tall, he walks out. However, I noticed that he was standing by one door, but he walks across the chambers passed every one there and out of the door on the other side. That was an amazing scene :)

And of course, just about every scene in Sleeping in Light was more moving than any thing else I have ever seen.
 
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On my favs is Gkar wal;king out of the council chambers when he is bouted off by Mollari.The other is In the movie In the Beginning when the EA President makes her emotional speech it brings a tear to my eye .And another one is Delenn's final vote to start the EM war.truly great tv.
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

On my favs is Gkar wal;king out of the council chambers when he is bouted off by Mollari.
Click to expand...
Thats a favourite of mine aswell, again though for the little things. Just seeing the once proud G'Kar sitting in the corner knowing that hes lost everything. I think its just the way that you don't even realise he is there until Londo stands over him to announce his impending arrest and trial, it just highlights how things have so drastically changed from the days when G'Kar was the most charismatic member of the council to his new isolation. It also does it for me when G'Kar makes his speech and you can see londo's expression at the side of the shot. He has a look of pity and guilt for his vanquished enemy that gets me every time.
I think its fair to say that Londo and G'Kar had the most outstanding scenes in the whole series :)
 
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Moving away from the monetous occassions to some of the "little things" ... and since I have been knocking CC's performance in one scene in the other thread I'll start with her here.

Ivanova's interactions with Brother Theo were always fun watch. There is one quick reaction shot that always cracked me up because Theo and Susan are obviously playing and having a lot of fun with each other. In Theo's first episode, when Susan has taken Garibaldi to the monks to get their help examining the video, Theo loudly shushes Ivanova and Garibaldi. The reaction shot is very short and it is two shot with Garibaldi, so it is easy to miss the look Susan gives Theo .... I find it hysterical.

A little bit less obscure is her reaction shot as the turbo-lift doors are closing and Delenn says "Well, there is one other thing. I've been getting these strange cramps."

It is also great fun watching Susan get all flustered and uncomfortable when Vir starts asking for advice with women.

".... or should we just snap your hands off at the wrists to save time?"

"Garibaldi, you're a dead man!"

"Just kidding about the God part."

"So you feel symbolically cast ..... in a bad light."
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

As one might guess from my screen name here, anything with Kosh is brilliant in my mind.

I'm really fond of the scene where he teaches Sheridan the lesson about "beauty in the dark." First Sheridan is worried about what Garibaldi would say if he knew the captain and an ambassador were in Downbelow without an escort (but on second viewing, and possibly guessed the first time, we know that Kosh is escort enough). Then, when Sheridan's listening to the song inside, we see Kosh outside, standing guard in a way, listening. I really liked that shot. In a way he's presented as solitary, apart from the younger races, but at the same time looking out for them.

When Delenn and Sheridan are talking about the Shadows in "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum," they start talking about the First Ones, and they rise, framing Kosh in the background.

Kosh's death is of course phenomenal. And his brief consultations with the others after his death are great ("Is there a problem?"). But the best thing, sentimentalist that I am, is when Kosh comes to Sheridan's rescue in Fall of Night, although I agree with JMS that they needed to put a fan on Boxleitner to make it look like he's actually falling.

'Course, I only saw the Kosh vs. Kosh duel once, years ago. Perhaps when I see it again I will rank that first.
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

I am not ashamed to say this.

When Delenn & Sheridan say their final goodbyes.

Both Bruce and Mira were superb.

:D
 
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I didn't get into B5 until the somewhere in Season 2, so my moment is when Sheridan is getting the pilots to train in fighting manevoures to counteract the Centauri style, because he thinks Earth are going to step into help the Narn. Then it's announced that Earth has signed a treaty with the Centauri.

I too had thought that Earth would help out the Narns, I suppose from watching TV where humans always make the right decisions.
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

I too had thought that Earth would help out the Narns, I suppose from watching TV where humans always make the right decisions.
Click to expand...

But how many of those humans were lead by people like President Clark? ;)
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

Then, when Sheridan's listening to the song inside, we see Kosh outside, standing guard in a way, listening.
Click to expand...

I must admit that I'm a bit of a sucker for Kosh scenes as well. The ones where he is seen to be a benevolent caring father figure to our charecters almost guiding them along have to be the best. In particular, G'Kars revelation is outstanding, you really get the sense that this charecter has been through hell over the last year and is no longer alone. I love the realization we get as an audience with the lines "All this time, where have you been?"
"I have always been here G'Kar" and he then flies off in all his glory. Then we also get a shot reminicent of the one described above where Kosh is standing in the doorway watching over G'Kar. What a show!
 
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Yeah, I've been known to watch that bit over and over.

But for real repetitive watching, Turhan's speech about making a difference is best. I never get tired of it... "The past tempts us, the present confuses us, and the future frightens us..."
 
Re: B5\'s greatest hits

The scene between Sheridan and Kosh where Sheridan is trying to get Kosh to have the Vorlons attack the Shadows and he refuses and nearly kills Sheridan. At first, you think he's angry at Sheridan for being disobedient, then find out the real reason was he was afraid because he knew the Shadows would kill him. A great scene where we see the Vorlons actually have some power and can be real bad-asses when they want/need to be.

Of course, you could also say, with a few exceptions, that every minute they put on the screen was a great moment.
 
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