Welcome to Show #22!

Jeffrey has returned to civilization, but since a fine beverage establishment was his first stop on the road to recovering from more than a week out in the Mojave, Tim and Summer take this rare opportunity to get a little ahead on the episode discussions.

First up, episode discussion about “TKO”. Tim and Summer struggle to come up with admirable moments and high points in this episode. The differences between the levels of the pacing and action in both storylines created a jarring shift to watch, but learning more about the personal side of Susan almost makes up for that. The fight scenes and some of the interaction between the members of the Mutai and Garibaldi and Walker were still odd, but we get a little more foreshadowing about Garibaldi needing to watch his back.

Next, Tim, Summer dive into “Grail”, and scratch the surface on some of the subtexts found here. The Minbari respect given to Aldous, and their reverence for “true seekers”, might be another key in why they are so fascinated by Sinclair. The growth of Jinxo from a tragically comedic persona into a solid character is one of the small journeys that adds some hidden depth to the stories told on the station, and underplaying the comic situation in Londo’s reaction to the Nakaleen Feeder lends more humor to his unabashed panic.

These may be considered two of the weaker episodes of the first season, but as we’ll soon see, there’s always a boom tomorrow.

images courtesy of Gateworld.net BabGuide

Listener Feedback: Tim, Summer and Jeff address some of the listener emails and comments: Tim reads a variation of a money scam looking for Mr. Podcast; David Boyer comments on how seeing Garibaldi and Sinclair in the restroom got him hooked B5, which leads Tim, Jeff and Summer into a discussion about excrement in deep space; Valerie wonders about the random clicking sounds in a previous show; Rick responds to how Sinclair and Garibaldi met, which leads to a mini discussion on the B5 comics.

Many thanks to Gordon for sending out his extra copy of the Babylon 5 Script Book Vol 3, so Tim can expand his B5 geeking; and to Steve for finding a link for folks to check out Jerry Doyle’s talk shows for free before subscribing to his pay-per-play feed.

Summer would still like to know where in the world B5 is still airing.

Your feedback does matter, and is welcome! You can call us at 206-338-2259, or email us and tell us what you think… and likely hear it played or read on the show. Please try to keep the voicemail comments as brief as possible.

Promo: Dragon*Con: Podcasting: Now and Beyond and The Parsec Awards
Promo: Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas
Promo: The Dragon Page “With Class”, with Sheila and Lorrie
Link: 910 KNEW LIve Streaming Audio

 

 Babylon Podcast Show #22 [1:03:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4497)

Welcome to Show #21!

No guest interview this week, and no Jeffrey either, so Tim and Summer decide to run wild with B5 geeking.

First up, episode discussion about “By Any Means Necessary”. Tim and Summer revel in how well the A and B stories tie in together, and delve into whether or not the B story could have been the better choice for the A story. They also discuss what the intended political repercussions for Sinclair might have been had he stayed around, or whether we’ve already seen what was going to happen.

Next, Tim, Summer dive into “Signs and Portents”, technically the first of the WHAM episodes. The mysterious Mr Morden arrives with a mission in mind, and much speculation abounds concerning his selection criteria, and what exactly happened in that hallway with Kosh.

images courtesy of Gateworld.net BabGuide

Listener Feedback: Tim and Summer dive into emails and comments: Walter from LA agrees with commentary on B5 being the battering ram that opened the door for other scifi shows with arcs and characterization; Arioch asks about cast photos for the voices of The Babylon Podcast;

This week’s voicemail is a message from Greg from Galvin Australia comments on the comic that tells the story of how Sinclair and Garibaldi first met on Mars, and the use of Ivanova wallpapers. Summer would also like to know where in the world B5 is still airing.

Your feedback does matter, and is welcome! You can call us at 206-338-2259, or email us and tell us what you think… and likely hear it played or read on the show. Please try to keep the voicemail comments as brief as possible.

Promo: The Dragon Page “With Class”
Link: Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas

 

 Babylon Podcast Show #21 [1:04:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (3951)

Welcome to Show #20!

Guest: Sandra Bruckner, ISN News

Tim and Summer find themselves flying without Jeffrey, and Sandra Bruckner joins them for a chat.

Sandra runs the indepth and informative online resource ISN News: The Zocalo Today, currently keeping Babylon 5 fans updated on where their favorite B5 cast and crew members can be found in current projects.

She tells us all about how she became involved with B5, starting from the hard copy fan letters through the news updates on the website today. Sandra also relates her times spent on the B5 sets over the years, covering B5 cast appearances at conventions, keeping track of the B5 fan club sales, being an extra in “Objects at Rest”, and much, much more.

Next, Tim, Summer and Sandra engage in a roundtable discussion about where they feel Babylon 5 ranks all-time in SF television, past and present, and discuss how much B5 may have influenced current television projects.

Listener Feedback: Tim and Summer dive into emails: Susan puts forth a theory on how Marcus may have been a 30-year-old virgin; Chris tells us about the DVD for the Biggs/Carter Experience that used to be available from Pipetap Productions, the proceeds of which benefit Richard Biggs’ children.

This week’s voicemails include messages from Alejandro comments on “A Late Delivery from Avalon”, and wants to know why Delenn was portrayed as the Lady of the Lake; Alan in Dublin sends in an almost unintelligible message thanking us for producing the show; Ed from NJ sends his appreciation for the production values of the show, and wants a comment on Jerry Doyle’s pay-per-play podcast of his radio show.

Your feedback does matter, and is welcome! You can call us at 206-338-2259, or email us and tell us what you think… and likely hear it played or read on the show. Please try to keep the voicemail comments as brief as possible.

Promo: Dragon*Con: Podcasting: Now and Beyond and The Parsec Awards
Link: Kick-Ass Mystic Ninjas

 

 Babylon Podcast Show #20 [1:10:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4094)

Welcome to Show #19!

Interview: David J. Eagle (Director)

Tim, Summer and Jeff chat with David J. Eagle, director of 13 episodes from Seasons 2-5, including the Hugo Award winning “Severed Dreams”.

David talks about how he came to Babylon 5, the tendency of his episodes to be the high-impact ones, the joy of getting a complete script to work with from JMS weeks before shooting started, a little bit about his friendship with Isaac Asimov, and touches on some of his current projects.

Next, Tim and Summer discuss “Survivors”, one of the first set-up episodes that has major repercussions throughout the rest of the series. We have varying opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the episode.

Listener Feedback: Tim, Summer and Jeffrey dive into emails from Brian asking whether B5 will show up on TV again; Michael corrects himself on talking about longer “trailers” instead of the “gag reels”; Jason Rennie of The SciPhi Show on alternate audio tracks in files available for download; and David comments on the realism of the Ranger’s pike.

Your feedback does matter, and is welcome! You can call us at 206-338-2259, or email us and tell us what you think… and likely hear it played or read on the show.

Promo: Dragon*Con: Podcasting: Now and Beyond and The Parsec Awards
Link: Hugo Award Winners (listed by Year)

 

 Babylon Podcast Show #19 [59:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4459)