Babylon 5 is one of the most important science fiction television programs in history. Why? In this podcast, we will explore this claim and discuss Babylon 5's enduring influence.
We noted with great sadness the passing of Mira Furlan on January 20, 2021. She brightened so many lives with her extraordinary work.
Obituary from BBC.
Obituary from The A.V. Club.
Obituary from USA Today.
Obituary from CinemaBlend.
Remarks from Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cruse, from Lost.
Episode 114 - Series Finale
Chris’s Bottom 3
3) By Any Means Necessary
2) Voices of Authority
1) Phoenix Rising
Jon’s Bottom 3
3) Eyes
2) Soul Hunter
1) Grail
Chris’s Top 5
5) Passing Through Gethsemane
4) Severed Dreams
3) In the Shadow of Z’ha’Dum
2) The Long Night
1) The Coming of Shadows
Jon’s Top 5
5) Chrysalis
4) In the Shadow of Z’ha’Dum
3) War Without End
2) Z’ha’Dum
1) The Coming of Shadows
Episode 113 - The Lost Tales
Synopsis: In which Colonel Lochley encounters an ancient evil, and President Sheridan meets one from the future.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0871427/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/118.html
“When the quacking has begun it is too late for the ducks to swim” is the new “I shall go into the West and remain Garibaldi.”
The Wandering Earth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lsOwtKNsAA&vl=en-US
Episode 112 - The River of Souls
Synopsis: In which the sins and arrogance of the Soul Hunters catch up to them
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146247/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/114.html
Martin Sheen: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000640/?ref_=tt_cl_t6
His 90s oeuvre was fairly dire. Including a role in Jon’s least favorite comic book related movie of all time, 1997’s Spawn.
Ian McShane: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574534/?ref_=tt_cl_t5
In Space: 1999
Episode 111 - Thirdspace
Synopsis: in which an ancient Vorlon artifact nearly unleashes terrors from beyond space
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121804/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/112.html
Jon is correct on the pronunciation of “squamous.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b-tLBZJKCw
We spend a lot of time dithering about when this film takes place, sounding like complete idiots. The Lurker’s Guide says it pretty puch has to take place *during* Atonement due to who was on the station at the time and Zack’s new uniform.
David Sedaris “Barrel Fever” https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026IUOHI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
The Babylon 5 Wiki has some really nice screenshots of the Artifact https://babylon5.fandom.com/wiki/Thirdspace_artifact
An “Old One” from the 3rd edition Call of Cthulhu rulebook. Something about this drawing gave Chris nightmares for years.
“It’s so beautiful!”
Iain Banks’ Excession https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excession
Event Horizon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_Horizon_(film) Rotten Tomatoes: 27%, Metacritic: 35, CinemaScore: D+
The Wild World of Batwoman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild_World_of_Batwoman
Wrestling Women vs the Aztec Mummy: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058304/
Episode 110 - In the Beginning
Synopsis: In which we learn the history of the Earth-Minabari War.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120711/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/111.html
Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Meridian
Station Eleven: https://ew.com/books/quarantine-book-club-station-eleven-helped-my-reading-slump/
T H E L A M P ! ! ! !
Ahsokan Farewell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZmxZThb084
“Divorced, Beheaded, Died. Divorced, Beheaded, Survived” - https://www.britain-magazine.com/features/history/tudors/divorced-beheaded-survived-the-wives-of-henry-viii/
The film “Pufnstuf” (1970): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pufnstuf_(film)
Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Sower_(novel)
Katherine Kurtz’ Camber trilogy (Jon was right, this came out in 1976): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/537107.Camber_of_Culdi
The Once-ler:
Episode 109: Sleeping in Light (Season 5, Episode 22)
Synopsis: In which old friends reunite to say farewell to John Sheridan and Babylon 5.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517691/?ref_=ttep_ep22
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/110.html
“Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips” was, of course, founded in Columbus Ohio. The titular Treacher was an actor who was known for playing Jeeves against David Niven’s Wooster. Facebook page has not been updated since February 2017.
Chris is remembering the last episode of Justice League Unlimited “Destroyer.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGbUb-ttL9g
The ending scene of the Mary Tyler Moore show: https://youtu.be/ttC_J66WF5A?t=1028
The ending of the Newhart: https://youtu.be/McVWkGWMHKI?t=419
The others we mention are a little too spoilery to link here, but you can find them easily.
Chris’s Bottom Three/Top Five
3) Learning Curve
2) Phoenix Rising
1) Secrets of the Soul
5) The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father
4) Objects in Motions/Objects at Rest
3) The Very Long Night of Londo Molari
2) Movements of Fire and Shadow
1) Sleeping in Light
Jon’s Bottom Three/Top Five
3) Learning Curve
2) Objects at Rest
1) Strange Relations
5) A Tragedy of Telepaths
4) The Ragged Edge
3) Sleeping in Light
2) The Fall of Centauri Prime
1) The Very Long Night of Londo Molari
Episode 108: Objects in Motion/Objects at Rest (Season 5, Episodes 20 & 21)
Synopsis: In which we say goodbye.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517676/?ref_=ttep_ep20
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517675/?ref_=ttep_ep21
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/108.html
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/109.html
Half this campus wasn’t even there when Jon did his farewell exploration, back in the Pleistocene https://www.umass.edu/visitorsctr/sites/default/files/maps/campusmap.pdf
Episode 107: The Wheel of Fire (Season 5, Episode 19)
Synopsis: In which Garibaldi and Lyta find themselves in hot water, and G’Kar ponders his untenable situation.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517717/?ref_=ttep_ep19
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/107.html
I think I (Chris) went a little too deep on how strange it was to me that Lise had taken over as owner of Edgars Industries. She was acting as a corporate representative when she came to the station to get some telepath research data.
Liquorice Allsorts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquorice_allsorts Now that I see them I’m fairly certain my grandmother had a bowl of these on her buffet for 30-40 years.
David Dickinson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dickinson
Episode 106: Movements of Light and Shadow/The Fall of Centauri Prime (Season 5, Episodes 17 and 18)
Summary: In which war comes to Centauri Prime, and Londo ascends the throne.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517672/?ref_=ttep_ep17
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517702/?ref_=ttep_ep18
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/105.html
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/guide/106.html
Apparently there’s a very happening bar scene in ruined pre-war buildings in Budapest. Who knew? https://www.offbeatbudapest.com/top10/best-ruin-bars-budapest/
Bart McCarthy: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565062/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Yeah, he’s got a lot of credits, but a pirate captain singing the SpongeBob SquarePants theme is really the pinnacle of a career, isn’t it?
“Star Trek: Picard borrows one incredible concept from The Lord of the Rings.” https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-trek-picard-seven-of-nine-lord-of-the-rings-rangers
This is me looking skeptically at you over the top of my glasses, Inverse dot com.
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