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EpDis: In The Beginning

In The Beginning

  • A -- Excellent

    Votes: 30 69.8%

  • B -- Good

    Votes: 9 20.9%

  • C -- Average

    Votes: 2 4.7%

  • D -- Poor

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • F -- Failure

    Votes: 2 4.7%
  • Total voters
    43
I enjoyed seeing this prequel to the series, though I do have several reservations. I definitely would not use it to introduce someone new to B5; not only are there spoilers, but also a bewildering number of characters showing up, some only very briefly. I can imagine someone wondering why that young girl appears, not realizing that Ivanova will play an important role on the station.

I do like the framework of aged Londo telling the story to children. Having him ask that crucial question, "What do you want?" brings back memories of his own decisions.

Why did Robin Atkin Downes have to play a Minbari?! I kept seeing Byron in him and wondering why he had to send for a telepath...

Interesting to know that Londo actually gave some good advice to the Earth Alliance on approaching the Minbari. However, he made up for that by spoiling the chance for peace later on.

What's fun to see is the younger version of each character! Londo with more and darker hair, Sheridan with a crew cut, Ivanova with short hair.

I do like seeing Dukhat again - a great character! Tragic that his death is the trigger for Minbari wrath and revenge. His statement about looking into the face of a Vorlon, upon which all doubt is gone, makes clear why Delenn later wanted to see Kosh to be sure of her path.

Interesting that Sheridan describes himself as chosen for the mission because he's expendable. He's not, of course.

The President's speech was very moving. Her appeal to "hold the line" makes clear why the battle was named so. I did notice one phrase she used, though - "Eve of Destruction" is a 60s protest song - intentional or chance?

Having G'Kar as a translator is risky, isn't it?! A warrior would not seem to be the best aid to achieving peace.

Once again Delenn blows a candle out, symbolically for the lives lost.

Sinclair is bound in that Christ-like position we've seen several times in the series.

The closing is very interesting - immediately preceding the end of Londo's life, after his last encounter with Sheridan and Delenn. Great camera move - leaving through the one open window.

I have read the first two of the Centauri book trilogy; alas, the third is so expensive that I haven't bought it. Wish it were available at a reasonable price - I'd like to read the conclusion.
 
Actually, Robin Atkin Downes played the Minbari *before* he played Byron. ItB was shown as a lead-up to Season Five on TNT.

Jan
 
I do like the framework of aged Londo telling the story to children. Having him ask that crucial question, "What do you want?" brings back memories of his own decisions.
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If you remember back to "The Gathering", Londo began that with a bit of narration too. It kind of establishing the whole show as being him telling the story to someone. "In The Beginning" now seems to be showing us to whom he was telling it.
 
I just watched this the other night for the first time and I loved it. I was moved to tears over the defense of earth. It was also great to see so many epic moments that had been slowly revealed in the series but not shown. It was great to see Sinclair again too.
 
I didn't think the system allowed it, but it looks like it happened. Or at least something happened.

On topic, teacake: I too find the defense of Earth in In The Beginning to be a particularly moving moment in Babylon 5. The President's speech, the music, Londo's narration, they're all excellent.
 
vacantlook said:
I didn't think the system allowed it, but it looks like it happened. Or at least something happened.

On topic, teacake: I too find the defense of Earth in In The Beginning to be a particularly moving moment in Babylon 5. The President's speech, the music, Londo's narration, they're all excellent.
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Me three! :lol:
 
Started another re-watch of the series (this time via Netflix Instant).
Decided to do it chronologically within the story, so started with In the Beginning. Just that whole beginning dialogue with Londo and the kids, like "are you the emperor" "sometimes I ask myself the same question" and "what do you want?... he did better with that question than I did."

He talks about stuff that happened! I love that crap.

Last night I watched Parliament of Dreams, and that ridiculous writerly dialogue between Sakai and Sinclair still makes me laugh. Good times.
 
I just watched this one, before starting on Season 5. I just read through the 8 pages of discussion here, and I fear I have nothing to add. A whole bunch of people have already said all the stuff I was thinking: 1. This is my favorite of all the b5 movies. I love seeing the backstory come to life like this, and everything looks really nice. 2. It's great to see what everyone we know from the series was doing during the war, but the bits that put them all together are indeed a bit contrived. 3. The Londo bits are great, as always. 4. The Presiden't speech and everything to do with the Battle of the Line is very moving.

One thing I didn't yet see mentioned in response to Estelyn's post: Robin Atkin Downes didn't come out of nowhere for this movie, he already played that same part in the flashback scenes in Atonement.

Oh, and as for when I watch it, usually right about at this point, after season 4, before season 5.
 
I just watched In the Beginning twice. An appropriate title for what will be my first review of Babylon 5 on this board.

"In the Beginning"

This was a great TV Movie and what it was about couldn't have been a better choice: depicting how and why the Earth-Minbari War started. This was very much a Babylon 5 story which could only be told in full outside of Babylon 5's normal scope. Starting off in 2278, well after the series proper, and using an Old Londo telling a story to two Centauri children was the perfect framing device, making it almost feel like a Christmas Movie in structure. Even though the story about to be told is far from festive.

It all starts off in 2243 with Dukhat deciding to send one Minbari ship to Za'ha'dum to see if there was any sign of a war with the Shadows that Valen predicted.

As soon as I first saw Dukhat through flashbacks in "Atonement", I had a feeling he would show here and play a prominent role, and I was not disappointed. Dukhat is real presence, even though he's killed off early on. He has wisdom, intellect, and courage all rolled into one. It's easy to see why he'd believe in Delenn and would want her to see appointed to the Grey Council.

It was extremely tragic to watch Dukhat be killed so shortly afterwards by a very simple misunderstanding between the Humans and the Minbari. In the heat of the moment with the Humans attacking the Minbari needlessly, and watching Dukhat die, someone Delenn looked up to so much, it makes sense -- in the moment -- why Delenn would be casting the deciding vote to go to war against the Humans. Then, of course, once she comes back to her senses, she regrets it. The Warrior Caste are overzealous just like the Humans before, they see an enemy that's easy to defeat, giving them easy victory after easy victory, fueling their thirst for violence and causing the war to take on a life of its own.

From Earth's POV, it makes sense that they'd be concerned about Minbari since one third of their population was warriors. The military leaders are completely arrogant. They think that just because they won some battles against a less powerful race means that they can go up against the Minbari. Then, not understanding it's Minbari costume to bear their weapons, Earth Defense Force uses that as an excuse to attack, which is what they were gunning for (pun intended) anyway. They should've listened to Londo, but they were just too trigger happy.

Speaking of Londo. Way too weird seeing him with a full head of hair, but it was very effective in making him seem younger. Who don't seem younger are Sheridan and Franklin. They look way older than their 20s, but you have to suspend disbelief.

Good to see Sheridan and Franklin as men of principle who wouldn't back down from them even earlier in their careers. And despite Sheridan doing so well against the Minbari, even back then he wanted an end to the war and was willing to accept the assignment to meet with the Minbari who wasn't part of the Grey Council to sound out the possibility for peace. A bit too convenient that the person who's the intermediary between Sheridan and the Minbari is G'Kar, but I'm not going to complain. Interesting that they all actually met each other long before the series.

It was a foregone conclusion that the Olive Branch would be disrupted by Londo, all because the Centauri thought Earth was going to form an alliance with the Narn. Again, another misunderstanding.

Then, of course, the war continues for two more years, and if I hadn't already been familiar with the first four seasons of Babylon 5, I'd have thought that Sincliar came from out of nowhere. But, in a way, it fits what actually happened because, to the Minbari, Sincliar really did come from out of nowhere! They did a great job of blending in footage shot with Sinclair four years earlier during Season 1 with the new footage here. You really can't tell the difference. Then the Minbari see that Sincliar is what they think is the reincarnation of Valen, end of war.

What I really want to do now, later on, is watch In the Beginning and The Gathering back-to-back to see how it flows.

The perfect ending for the Framing Sequences of In the Beginning, is Londo sending the kids away as he waits for G'Kar to rescue him by killing him, so he won't be possessed by the parasite inside of him any longer.

In the Beginning crosses the t's, dots the i's, and is as thorough as it is compelling. I give it a 10 out of 10.
 
Lord Garth said:
Good to see Sheridan and Franklin as men of principle who wouldn't back down from them even earlier in their careers. And despite Sheridan doing so well against the Minbari, even back then he wanted an end to the war and was willing to accept the assignment to meet with the Minbari who wasn't part of the Grey Council to sound out the possibility for peace. A bit too convenient that the person who's the intermediary between Sheridan and the Minbari is G'Kar, but I'm not going to complain. Interesting that they all actually met each other long before the series.
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Glad you enjoyed it!

One way to look at the huge coincidence of half the cast members meeting each other during the war is that Londo is telling the story, and he wasn't the most reliable narrator at the best of times - he could just be populating the story as he understands it with people he knows, because he doesn't actually know which individuals were involved. So you could look at it as slightly apocryphal in that respect and it would also explain other discontinuities (such as in Points of Departure Sheridan says he destroyed the Black Star in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter, but it is in a different star system in In The Beginning).
 
Springer said:
Glad you enjoyed it!

One way to look at the huge coincidence of half the cast members meeting each other during the war is that Londo is telling the story, and he wasn't the most reliable narrator at the best of times - he could just be populating the story as he understands it with people he knows, because he doesn't actually know which individuals were involved. So you could look at it as slightly apocryphal in that respect and it would also explain other discontinuities (such as in Points of Departure Sheridan says he destroyed the Black Star in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter, but it is in a different star system in In The Beginning).
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I'm inclined to think the Franklin part of it is true. Not wanting to aid in biowarfare is consistent with his character. And volunteering for the secret diplomatic mission is the only way I can see him getting out of jail.

With Sheridan's involvement, I'm willing to roll with it. Though next time I watch Season 2, I'll be looking at Sheridan's early interactions with Franklin and G'Kar more closely.

One more thing I forgot to mention: It's such a contrast seeing G'Kar's demeanor here compared to later on, when the Narn are occupied by the Centauri. Andreas Katsulis did a wonderful job of recreating his performance as early G'Kar.
 
Springer said:
Glad you enjoyed it!

One way to look at the huge coincidence of half the cast members meeting each other during the war is that Londo is telling the story, and he wasn't the most reliable narrator at the best of times - he could just be populating the story as he understands it with people he knows, because he doesn't actually know which individuals were involved. So you could look at it as slightly apocryphal in that respect and it would also explain other discontinuities (such as in Points of Departure Sheridan says he destroyed the Black Star in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter, but it is in a different star system in In The Beginning).
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Thank you Springer! This is a very good way of explaining all the coincidences that annoyed me to no end with that movie :)
 
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