Babylon Podcast #43: The Geometry of Shadows (Season 2)

Welcome to Show #43!

On a rare instance, Jeffrey is already home enjoying a concoction when he joins Tim and Summer to chat. He’s still going on about the snow. We have to find snow for this man, and soon.

Tim reads an email from a confidential informant, giving us details on some of the effects work being done and minor changes in which stories will be shot for Vol 1 and Vol 2 of The Lost Tales, and Jeffrey gives us a minor lesson on the business of runaway production, and one possible way it could impact the historical continuity of the crew involved then and now.

Deep Geeking: It’s been a while, but we’re getting back into episode discussion! Tim and Summer delve into “The Geometry of Shadows”, the first of many WHAM episodes to hit us in Season 2.

We talk about Lord Refa, and his ambitions to gain favor in the court, and his hopes that an alliance with Londo would vault him into the line of succession to the throne. We disagree about the introduction of technomages into the B5 universe, because Tim prefers rocketships and Summer prefers sword-n-sorcery. We talk about Ivanova’s promotion and her trial by fire introduction to the careful dance of diplomacy with the Drazi and their ritual of dominance (in consideration of her broken foot). We talk about Garibaldi’s doubt in himself and his ability to continue to do his job in light of being ambushed and betrayed by his former second-in-command, Jack.

The “Purple-Green” machinations provide much geek fodder, touching on the diplomatic, the political, the humorous, the devious, the scheming and the counter-scheming, between both Drazi factions, and the humans trying to maintain some semblance of order and preventative furniture care. And the rules change committees.

Tangents traveled include wondering how the Drazi method might work out in our own political systems; Galen having a bigger impact on Tim than Elric; more musings about human-alien interactions in terms of species specific information sharing.

images courtesy of The Lurker’s Guide, and Gateworld

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Listener Feedback: In voicemail, Jarsto submits another B5 Haiku (RevolutionSF has Sci-Ku’s as well); John from Dispatches from Tuzenor chimes in on the B5/BSG debate; Jarsto comments on Mike’s newly found appreciation for B5, and on Jeffrey’s anecdotal contributions to the show; Iron Eagle responds to a live stream comment on Captain Janeway’s real contribution to the Trek universe; Jarsto calls in with yet another instantly inspired B5 Haiku.

Shameless plug: Summer contributed an essay to the essay collection, So Say We All: An Unauthorized Collection of Thoughts and Opinions on Battlestar Galactica, now available at your local bookstore and at Amazon.com.

Shameless related begging: Summer’s also really hoping to convince the publisher to eventually do a collection on Babylon 5. If you’d be interested in buying one if they did do a B5 collection, let Summer know, either here in comments, or over in the Babylon Podcast forums.

We are still considering doing a separate B5 Fan Tales segment in the future, so send us those favorite anecdotes of yours.

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.

Buy “The Geometry of Shadows” via iTunes

Promo: Variant Frequencies: Audio Dramas and Fiction
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Link: Smart Pop Books