Classics: B5 2:8 - A Race Through Dark Places

Overall: 7.3

Interesting ideas; okay acting.

Plot Synopsis:

The Lurker's Guide has a summary here.

Writing: 8.0

It must be noted that a lot of my appreciation for this episode comes from my having read Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps (a very good book as tie-ins go) some years ago. For example, when Garibaldi states that the Psi Corps was originally formed because the Earth population feared telepaths, I can immediately call to mind the specifics of that story: that the appearance of psi ability in the human population a century ago was quite sudden, and that telepaths were isolated ostensibly to protect the privacy of normals. Reading Dark Genesis, I was struck by how easily I followed the logic behind the formation of the proto-Psi Corps (which is not to say that I necessarily approve of the ultimate result- only that I understand why things turned out the way they did). In any democratic, individualistic society (and the EA appears to function as a democracy- Straczynski was writing what he knew as an American), the concept of privacy usually evolves philosophically until it reaches the status of a basic human right. What does a democratic society do, then, when a minority begins to manifest abilities that could threaten that right? This is one half of the Earthers' dilemma.

(Note: I specify Earthers because the Minbari and the Centauri clearly don't have problems with their telepathic class - likely due to the advanced age of both races and to the fact that neither the Minbari nor the Centauri harbor "American" assumptions. Individuality and privacy are not valued in the same way in either society.)

The other half of the Earthers' dilemma, of course, is this: in democratic, individualistic societies, the freedom to pursue one's happiness is assumed to be a basic human right from the beginning. Regulating telepathy to protect the aforementioned privacy right will necessarily violate the right to freely pursue one's happiness to some degree - and there will be inevitable disagreements as to how much regulation is too much. The more fascistic and eugenically-inclined among us (i.e., Bester) will see no reason to limit the regulation of the telepathic class; the more freedom-oriented, on the other hand, will certainly beg to differ. It is this conflict that gives the telepath thread in this series it's phenomenal potential - and some of that potential is definitely realized here. The stories the rogues tell - of forced experimentation, arranged marriages, and non-consensual impregnation (!) - are both compelling and horrifying.

Acting: 7.0

The acting wasn't spectacular, though. Bester is a great character, but this is certainly not the best performance Walter Koenig will ever deliver. And as for the others? Eh. Again, I walk away with no strong impressions either way.

Message: 7.0

The tensions that arise (once again) in this episode between freedom and security are temporarily resolved in a manner that should satisfy everyone. After all, it's impossible to quarrel with the idea that no one should be impregnated against their will or experimented upon without their consent. And that, I suppose, is a weakness in this episode's message: it's incontrovertible and thus hardly groundbreaking or audacious.