You know, Mack and Bo did a *lot* of work over the course of the episode. Did they get time and a half based on that union agreement Sinclair helped hammer out? Or did that get torn up when Babylon 5 declared independence?

Oh agreed, it was completely ridiculous. But I was a nerdy teenager who would go on to major in History when Head of the Class aired, so I thought the show ruled. It was totally tubular, even.

Yup, and Lorien's questions also suggest a path between the two. I also like the hints that humanity will become new shepherds of the galaxy and have to know when to let their charges find their own way. Something else not developed as much as it could have been, but a nice epic touch.

So a reprise of the Zack arc? Glad we missed out on that. Lame as the whole Byron arc is, it makes much more sense for Lyta to be involved than Ivanova. Lyta's untapped power helps sell the potential threat of unregulated telepaths roaming around.

Oh, let's. Wasn't he also a helmeted PsiCop when Bester was brainwashing Garibaldi?

I was in Awana as a kid (essentially Baptist Scouting except you got badges for memorizing bible verses and shit, so basically indoctrination) and that song was like a 'Nam flashback.

I only know Hair from a vague memory of the Head of the Class episode in which the guys were excited to do it because of the nudity and then the girls told them to strip first and they got all self-conscious.

Her reunion with the Lumati ambassador?

Oh, you're right, I forgot about that. So there was a new power vacuum after he died of Methuselah Syndrome?

Ok ok, I'll say something positive. I really liked Sheridan's little smile in "No Compromises" when Lochley launches into her "I can't have you questioning my decisions" spiel. It conveys a lot — one piece "I knew this was coming," one piece "this is exactly what I wanted and why I choose her" and one piece (*mild…

The curmudgeon continues!

So anyway, now imma kvetch about specific episodes.

*wimper* I haven't watched these since they aired and I remember what a downer they were after the awesomeness that was Season Four. And yeah, they're still just…not very good. I did appreciate some of the nice character beats — like Vir doing the Minbari gesture and then hugging Lennier — so these eps are still…

Count me in with feeling that showing the rape was unnecessary and unpleasant. I know there's lots of debate about why people are bothered by televised rape more than by televised violence, so I can't quite explain *why* it disturbed me so much to have to see that. But it sure did.

The stand-alone Scorpius plots also give us more time with Braca, who
just might be my favorite side character. Not sure what that says about
me…

On the NEXT! Babylon Fiiiiive: it's the Byron arc! I think I'll hit snooze so my soul can sleep through that.

OK, that's really cool. Consider your site bookmarked.

It just struck me that the "Canticle for Leibowitz" section pretty thoroughly misses the point of the book, doesn't it? It's been a long time, but I seem the recall the book being about cycles of destruction. Later generations discover the old technology, most of its leaders are dogmatic and/or blind to the danger,…

A few more random thoughts:

You're right, Rowan — you've done great work writing about this show. The whole Space League of Nations transitioning into Space U.N. feels like one of those things I should have picked up on years ago, but didn't.