Rewatch: "The Coming of Shadows"

[ruuger]

We move on to season 2 with the Hugo nominated episode that pops up on pretty much every Best Scifi Episodes of Anything Ever list.

Bonus reading:

Analysis on Lurker's Guide
Discussion at B5_revisited

Comments

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Such a sad episode - it is so sad to see all the plans of the Centauri emperor fail. The scene between Londo and G'Kar after he hears the emperor's message is so painful. It really feels like this is one of the points where things could have changed, but somehow even if the emperor had managed to make his speech and keep the peace, it seems unlikely that it would have lasted longer than he lived.

Also, it is interesting to see the introduction of the Rangers - one thing I hadn't remembered was that Sinclair said most of the Rangers are human at this point.

[vjs2259.livejournal.com]

Do you think the Rangers were mostly human because the Minbari hadn't bought into the whole prophecy thing yet (or ever)?

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Probably - and more humans who seem to be floating, looking for something to do.

[alexcat.livejournal.com]

I wanted to cry all the way through this one. The scene with Londo and G'Kar - I don't ever remember a tv scene so hard to watch as that one. And as much as i want to hate Londo, I never can. His evil does begin for the right reasons - he loves Cantauri so much that there is almost nothing that he wouldn't sacrifice, indeed almost nothing he doesn't sacrifice in the end.

I loved the Ranger - I had forgotten about him.

"In fire!" Wow!

[vjs2259.livejournal.com]

"The past tempts us, the present confuses us, the future frightens us...and our lives slip away, moment by moment...lost in the vast, terrible in-between."

Tick Tock Tick Tock


Turhan Bey was just about perfect in this role. It makes me want to look up his forties movies, where apparently he was either an exotic villain or sauve leading man. He was also excellent as Turval in S5. He died fairly recently, in 2012.

[philstar22.livejournal.com]

This episode is so sad. I really felt for the Emperor. He understood all the wrong his people had done, and he understood that for them to truly move forward that had to be acknowledged. You really see what could have been.

The introduction of the rangers. I always loved the Rangers. And as a huge Tolkien nerd, I loved that little reference.

I hated Londo the first time I watched through. Partly because I kind of skimmed season 1 and really only fully watched from season 2 on. So I missed the G'Kar as villain bits and really only saw the horrible Londo parts. But once I saw it through, I understood his character. He still makes me so angry in this episode and following. But I get him and by the time season 4 rolls around, I will be feeling sorry for him again.