Customer Reviews

Babylon 5 - A Tragedy of Telepaths / Day of the Dead [VHS]

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I agree with a previous reviewer that this videotape should have contained two consecutively aired episodes. Yet both are among the finest episodes of Season 5, with special praise going to Neil Gaiman's witty "Day of the Dead". "Tragedy of Telepaths" begins a story arc which will finally tell us what happens to the rogue telepath colony on Babylon 5. With much reluctance, Captain Lochley (Tracy Scoggins) contacts Alfred Bester (Walter Koenig), and asks for his help after most of Byron's (Robin Atkin Downes) colony barricades itself in Brown Sector. A few of his followers have escaped above, and forsake Byron's nonviolence when Bester returns. Meanwhile on Centauri Prime Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik) and G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas) rescue an old friend of G'Kar's from the Royal Palace's prison. In "Day of the Dead" President Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) welcomes celebrated comedians Rebo and Zooty (Penn and Teller) to Babylon 5, noting that humor is as universal an element as hydrogen. And the Brakiri prepare part of the station of their "Day of the Dead" festival; old friends, lovers and acquaintances return to visit Mollari (Peter Jurasik), Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle), Lochley, and Lennier (Bill Mumy). We learn a bit more about Lochley's restless, tragic youth.

In what is probably the most original and challenging of the Star Trek "universes," Day of the Dead is a stand-out episode. The writers of Babylon 5 made a daring assumption: fans are intelligent, well-read, well-educated and live in absolute terror that there's ALWAYS another McCarthy lurking Out There waiting for us to Forget. B5 fed our hearts, our minds -- and our darkest fears. After the Shadow Wars, it also gently chided us with the delightful "Day of the Dead." It not only incorperates references earthly religious traditions, but is also chock full of asides to former episodes. (B5 is a series that loves disembodied heads way too much!) Its richness grows with every viewing. "Day of the Dead" reminds you that, well, no matter where you go, there you are -- and in order to truly appreciate the fact you have to make peace with where you've been.

"Why?"

"Because it tells me to."

Grin.

First, "Day of the Dead" seems a little misplaced in the airing order of the series, but that aside, this was a really well done episode. It was interesting to see both Dodger and Morden again, although I thought that Lennier seeing Morden was a little odd. Tracey Scoggins won me over with this episode, although I still like Ivanova better. As for "Tragedy of Telepaths," also a good and interesting episode. Another character, Lyta Alexander won me over with the telepath arc, but again, I miss the other telepath, Talia. These are both wonderful episodes from this excellent series. Well worth repeat viewings.

This review is based on the aired versions of the episodes, and as I understand it, the tape versions are the same. It's impossible to do a complete review without mentioning a major problem with the tape - it's out of the airing order. This is the intended ordering of the episodes: 9.A Tragedy of Telepaths 10.Phoenix Rising 11.The Ragged Edge 12.Day of the Dead. Now, with most shows (X-Files, Star Trek, etc), episode ordering is not important; but B5 relies heavily on a 'plot arc', and in this case, "A Tragedy of Telepaths" leaves some things unresovled, which are supposed to be picked up in "Pheonix Rising".

Other than that, however, both episodes are well worth watching. "Day of The Dead" is written by Neil Gaiman, and is one of the best of the early 5th season. It's guest charachters are some of the most interesting that have dropped by B5, and I especially liked how Capt. Lochley's past was fleshed out a little.

"A Tragedy of Telepaths" is good, but is most important in the way it sets up the Byron situation for the next episode. The Londo/G'Kar thread was okay, and resolved something that had been off in the background for some time, something most viewers had forgotten about by season 5.

If you didn't record these when they aired, then I suggest you go out an get them, though the episode order is annoying.