Classics: B5 4:10 - Racing Mars

Overall: 7.2

Eh. This one has a few interesting bits (hence the high par score), but mainly, it's just okay.

Plot Synopsis:

The Lurker's Guide has a summary here.

The Skinny:

'Tis time once again to resort to handy-dandy bullet points. First, what I liked:

• The humor kind of works this time. Regardless of my lukewarm feelings in re: Sheridan and Delenn, JMS did get a genuine laugh out of me with the "woo-hoo" bit. I also laughed for real at some of the dialogue between Franklin and Marcus.


• Also, plus one to JMS for keeping the Drakh and their Keepers at the forefront of our consciousness with Captain Jack's storyline. The Shadows may be gone, but their minions are still here, and they're apparently working for Clark.

Second, what I found interesting but somewhat flawed:

• It is definitely intriguing to see Sheridan struggle - as he did in In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum - to live up to his principles once things get personal. As we see here, it's not quite so easy for Sheridan to make categorical pronouncements on the right of free speech when it is a former associate who is slandering him on the enemy's network news channel.


• On the other hand, I think this storyline would be even more fascinating if it weren't so blindingly obvious that Sheridan does not in fact have a God complex -- and if the propagandistic attacks on Sheridan weren't so blatant. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think anyone who has two brain cells to rub together should've figured out by now that the ISN narrative is total crap.


• Bottom line, I think Garibaldi's control personality is being telegraphed a little too loudly at this point. Sheridan tries to discourage a woman's blind worship right in front of Garibaldi and Garibaldi completely ignores that? Yeah -- JMS should've kept things more ambiguous.

Third, what I hated:

• Claton Landey's performance as Number Two is just awful. I mean, how completely over-the-top and cornball can you get? Ugh, ugh, ugh.


• A female pope? Har har, JMS. You are just so clever.

Writing: 7.5

The writing is probably this episode's strength, but as per usual, JMS sometimes goes for the ax when a rapier would be a better choice.

Acting: 7.0

Generally speaking, the acting is fine, but as I remarked above, I loathed Landey's Number Two.

Message: 7.0

Most people do have a hard time with free speech absolutism -- and I think it's good to acknowledge that fact.

Highlights:

MARCUS: My turn. Best of five. I spy with my little eye something that begins with B.
FRANKLIN: (bored) Boxes.
MARCUS: Right. (He tries again.) I spy with my little eye something beginning with M.
FRANKLIN: (still bored) More boxes.
MARCUS: Two in a row!
FRANKLIN: And that's when I shot him, Your Honor. (LOL!)

SHERIDAN: I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but it's not my problem. I've got a job to do, and I can't let anyone interfere with that. Not even you. Now privately, you think what you want, but publicly? I don't want to hear this stuff anymore. Otherwise, I'm going to have to make things difficult for you around here. I don't want to have to do that, but I will.
GARIBALDI: Don't threaten me, Sheridan. I'm a private citizen now.
SHERIDAN: With an obligation to keep the oath you gave me, Ivanova, and the Alliance. You held a position of authority here. Because of that, people took stock in what you say. You broke that trust. You knew what was at stake in that interview, and you deliberately gave aid and comfort to the enemy in front of a billion people!
GARIBALDI: (sarcastic) Ah, a little criticism and the whole universe starts falling apart --
SHERIDAN: Enough! Now if you have a legitimate complaint, you make it. But if it's a personal attack in disguise, it stops right here.
GARIBALDI: Hey, I didn't make this personal. You did that all by yourself.
SHERIDAN: What are you talking about?
GARIBALDI: The people who work for you -- they're not following the cause. They're following you. Did you ever hear of a little thing called the cult of personality? Well, it's not about us. It's not about doing what's right. It's about how you're fulfilling prophecy -- how you went to Z'ha'dum and came back alive. Hell, you even came back from the dead. How could you possibly get any more messianic than that? You know what the real problem is? You're starting to buy into your own publicity. And maybe - just maybe - it's time somebody punches a hole in that. (Of course, Garibaldi is under the influence of his altered personality here, but it's still interesting to watch Sheridan skate that line between liberty and security.)

(And finally, a video clip...)



(LOL! Classic.)