http://www.idkfa.com/v3 idkfa: syndicated http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=6687 BAHAHAHA Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 25 Aug 2014 20:10:44 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=6687 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=6686 I woke up this morning, trying to remember something. "What was that show... where the alien races thought that humans were idiots because they kept rebuilding things after they were repeatedly destroyed? And the humans thought it was an admirable quality? And the writers thought it was somehow thought so, too?" It took me a while. It was season 1, after all. But it was Babylon 5. It haunts you. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 25 Aug 2014 12:51:14 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=6686 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5871 I will learn from their mistakes so I may not repeat them. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Fri, 17 Jan 2014 12:15:58 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5871 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5868 ...if only you could demolish your memories of Babylon 5 as well, amirite? Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Indiscernible from Magic Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:01:21 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5868 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5867 Following in tradition, here are a few of my thoughts around watching Babylon 5. Spoilers to follow. Though, honestly, I know nobody is watching. The show starts off in a strange place. The known, unaligned worlds of the galaxy have survived a long bloody war, and as a result, collectively decided that building a massive space station was the best way to build diplomatic relations. Actually, they built five stations, and as of the start of the show, the previous four have been destroyed or disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Babylon 5 is the fifth attempt, and the pseudo-militaristic beauracrats that run the place are the galaxy's "last, best hope for peace." A quarter of a million beings live in B5, and is, oddly, largely staffed by humans, who among the known races are probably the least sophisticated, least advanced, and most war-like. The ambassadors from the larger, older worlds resent the humans, but tolerate them so far as they don't get in their way. The galaxy is filled with the relics and mysteries of the "Old Ones," races that date back to the birth of the galaxy itself. And from the outset, telepaths have a mysterious, critical function in the workings of the universe. It's a weird place to start. For instance: how would the unaligned worlds have ever gotten to the point where they could agree to build a space station, no less five of them? And if they can build five of them, why aren't there more stations like it? And why build it in orbit around a strange, mysterious planet on which no one is allowed to set foot? Anyhow. There are at least a few interesting questions to answer. Add a few compelling characters, decent acting, intriguing world building, and solid plot narratives, and you could go far. This, sadly, did not happen. The acting is mostly terrible, the dialog is cheesy and stilted, and the only interesting plot narratives dry up completely 3.5 seasons in (out of 5). It kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:06:22 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5867 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5865 Well, it's known that the last part of any experience greatly weights how you perceive the experience as a whole... so maybe they're making up for lost time? Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Indiscernible from Magic Wed, 15 Jan 2014 16:41:27 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5865 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5863 B5, "Objects at Rest", S05E21 Styooooooooooooooooooooop. Stop having characters make interesting, flawed choices at the second-to-last episode. Just stop. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Wed, 15 Jan 2014 16:29:45 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5863 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5857 Other people had to suffer through watching that show 1) at regular speed and 2) waiting for it weekly (monthly? whatever) for it to be released. It's only fair if your suffering is equal to their suffering. //I think I may have caught 5 minutes of a B5 episode once. It didn't look interesting in the slightest. kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 14 Jan 2014 17:15:05 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5857 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5856 It's justified: the show is cheating me out of enjoying my lunch hour. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 14 Jan 2014 17:06:32 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5856 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5855 I always forget that you're watching these at 1.5x. That seems like cheating. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 14 Jan 2014 17:04:01 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5855 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5854 B5, "Objects in Motion", S05E20 Everyone is leaving Babylon 5. At once. What I would have given to just have one of the characters say, "Goodbye," and go, rather than 20 minutes (playing at 1.5x speed) of sappy goodbyes. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:29:59 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5854 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5848 B5, "The Wheel of Fire", S05E19 Everyone is addicted to everything. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:41:00 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5848 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5825 B5, "Darkness Ascending", S05E15 Oh good. We're about to be at war with the Centauri again. Because that threat hasn't been used before. Twice. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Wed, 08 Jan 2014 16:54:08 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5825 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5813 Well, he could also get picked up by an Infinite Improbability Drive like on the starship Heart of Gold. kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:45:20 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5813 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5812 Even worse, they kicked him out into hyperspace. Never to be seen again. And likely to drift past Sam Neil at some point. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:04:12 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5812 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5810 ...where you won't need eyes to see? Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:47:01 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5810 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5809 B5, "The Corps is Mother, the Corp is Father", S05E13 This episode tries to put a human face on the evil telepath group by doing a "lower decks" episode about two young telepaths. At the end of the episode, they shove a mundane (non-telepathic person) out the airlock. I don't understand where this show is going. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:45:39 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5809 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5778 Nice. kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 30 Dec 2013 19:40:20 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5778 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5773 I think this is really a chronicle of your descent into madness. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 30 Dec 2013 17:14:07 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5773 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5770 B5, "Day of the Dead", S05E08 Nooooooooooo. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 30 Dec 2013 16:18:09 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5770 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5765 B5, "Secrets of the Soul", S05E07 Nothing like awkward psychic sex to show you're desperate for ratings. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Sun, 29 Dec 2013 23:34:10 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5765 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5639 B5, "No Compromises" S0501 Reminding me that you can, in fact, get used to the taste of your throw-ups. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 26 Nov 2013 23:59:30 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5639 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5622 B5, "Rising Star", S04E21 The writers have wanted to kill this show for half a season. They've resolved almost every plot thread, and explained away the others. The penultimate episode should have been the end. But there's another episode in the season, for what reason, I have no idea. Oh... and it's not even the last season. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Thu, 21 Nov 2013 16:47:24 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5622 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5489 B5, "The Long Night" S04E05 Bunch of cool shit happened. Also, Bryan Cranston sighting. To add some legitimacy to my lonely journey. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Thu, 03 Oct 2013 16:36:55 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5489 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5454 B5, "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place," S03E20 Nobody cares, but this was honestly a badass episode. It featured a gospel choir slow motion montage, culminating in sweet revenge a dozen episodes in the making. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:51:20 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5454 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5375 B5, "Convictions", S0302 Season three has started off pretty awesome. The second episode so far is a standalone, dealing with a mad bomber terrorizing the station. Best part: G'Kar and Londo, stuck in a slowly burning elevator (damaged by a bomb). G'Kar refuses to help Londo and he escape, for the reason that he'd rather see Londo dead that he survive. Scene ends: Londo: "This insane! Can anyone out there hear me!" G'Kar: (raising his hand, and in a tiny voice, holding back his laughter, next to Londo in the elevator) "I can hear you!" kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:43:39 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5375 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5132 B5, "Deathwalker," S01E09 Uh... real talk? This was... pretty awesome. A compelling villain in a science fiction novel is a hard thing to come by. This one was... actually interesting. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Wed, 22 May 2013 01:34:53 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5132 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5119 B5, "Mind War", S01E06 MIND QUAKES. Also, Walter Koenig. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Mon, 13 May 2013 16:46:21 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5119 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5103 THE TV MUST FIND SHOWS TO WATCH, AND THE SHOWS MUST BE ON TV! :-D kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 May 2013 19:05:30 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5103 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5102 B5, "Infection," S01E04 Babylon 5 is... a really strange show so far. My best description I can give for it so far is "A Scifi's scifi." It is so far doing its damnedest to throw in every costumed alien, laser blast, and computer graphic space dogfight possible. ...Which doesn't really forgive some of its cheese. I can see what they're doing, and I like it. They're taking most of the "soft" elements of Star Trek and filling them with other, more reasonable premises. So far, they're surviving without shields or transporters or replicators, but they're still using technobabble, pseudoscience, and one-liners as a crutch. I'm willing to forgive, however. I'm only four episodes in, and between the cheese there are pretty interesting dialogues, character developments, and plot twists. People are *actually* devious, rather than just having the camera cutting away to them making devious faces. And when commanding officers make magnificently bad leadership decisions, their reporting officers actually report on it. This episode was bizarre, as it managed to mix in: eugenics, criticisms against academia, the necessity for space travel for the human race to survive the death of the sun, and religious fanaticism. It certainly wasn't one of the best episodes of television I've seen. But for the amount of shit they crammed into there, I was impressed. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 May 2013 17:09:48 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5102 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5101 This is the story of one of the last great scifi television shows. The year is 2013. The name of the show... is Babylon 5. (Show synopses and commentary to follow.) kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Indiscernible from Magic Tue, 07 May 2013 16:54:04 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=5101&msg_id=5101