angryThe Coming Of Shadows
There is bad VFX as the Centauri Emperor visits B5. There is exposition and mumbling. Sheridan is wildly unsympatheitc to G'Kar and what the Narn suffered under the Centauri. An extra overacts during the greeting between Sheridan and the Emperor, who doesn't get a name. The Emperor wants to see a Vorlon. A Ranger is seen.
Sheridan mentions there was a planetary draft during the Minbari war. There is really bad and dated VFX. Londo dreams of the future, which would have a different meaning when seen in context. The Emperor offers G'Kar peace and an apology. Londo gets the Shadows to attack a Narn colony and kicks off war. The Centauri PM is killed off and Zack shows up. The supremely annoying Garibaldi gets a message from Sinclair, who hints about a great darkness that is coming.
Franklin is snippy to G'Kar. Sinclair mentions the Rangers and even he won't go into detail about the Shadows. Sinclair has a new hairstyle. G'Kar overacts. Sheridan is an ass. Kosh more or less predicts the obliteration of Centauri Prime by all the people Londo will piss off. Londo lies about the Emperor's dying delcaration. What about the Centautri telepaths who wear too much blusher? Fredrick Lehne plays the Ranger, it's a bit odd to see him as a good guy. Earth has no ambassador on B5, it is represented by a military officer. In fact B5 has no civilian oversight at all. Even before Clark, Earth was fascist. There are no Minbari fish ships in this ep, we do get the Shadow ships and their cosmic dread – before later seasons ruined their mystique. After this show JMS did the terrible 'Jeremiah'.
Best Lines:
“Patrol the frontier.”
“Stay close to the Vorlon and watch out for Shadows. They move when you're not looking at them.”
“How will this end?”
“In fire.”
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Aloha Malama Pono Farewell And Take Care
In this comically inept ep, Kono is somehow wanted for murder. Steve and Danno say the law doesn't apply to them. Steve and Danno talk too much. People attack Wo Fat's jail and Steven's unloved mother leaves. Chin Ho forgets his dead wife. Nobody does anything of significance. Kono accuses Adam. Oh shut up bitch.
Adam is sick of Kono's crap. Adam's brother is fighting him for control of the family buisiness and he framed Kono. This ep is not a peerless classic. Kono leaves town with Adam. Kono is exhaustingly tedious as the erosion of trust goes on, then she just gets over it. Adam's brother dies in a fight with Adam, who has a cry. Chin Ho covers it up. People run.
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The Watchers
Kevin McCarthy and Shirley Knight guest star as aliens are vituperative. The horror of David Vincent's dilema is not substantial or considered. DV is intolerable, with his impassive gaze. There is no gothic presence. This was soporific. DV is ego-driven and this show has the distinct whiff of fiasco. There is no deep consideration. DV did incurbale reputational damage to himself. DV is morally repugnant and has an unpleasant disposition. Is he a serious nuisance to the aliens with his bitter dispute?
DV sees meance everywhere. There is no neo-realism. Why can't incalculably powerful aliens bend their fingers? What are the aliens a social metaphor for? They're intimidatory. DV is glum and has an accumulation of misery. This was unsentimential. There is no good regard for DV, who is adrift from reality. This was not unmissable entertainment. This was soulless and full of desperate chicanery.
Aliens preclude any nuanced discussion. DV is enraging. This was not absorbing. A Kevin McCarthy lookalike wanders around in this slightly dull ep which was not gritty or virtuosic. This was not dramatically galvanising. DV is not vigilant or wary. There is no accumulating dread. DV hurls accusations and has unremitting suspicion. What are the aliens sinister pattern? There is no gloomy tension. DV stares earnestly and does dire warnings. There is no genuine alarm. I've no idea what this was about. This was essentially meaningless and causes no sustained engagement.
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What's Past Is Prologue
There is yet another Wells, with a fake French accent. The smug Barry plots against another Big Bad. Nora, who is Barry and Iris' daughter from the future, plots with Thawne. This years big crossover 'Elseworlds' is set up. Nora and Barry timetravel. There is none of the portent of season 1. There are shattered chronologies. Why doesn't Barry ever go back in time and stop Thawne murdering the orignal Wells? Season 1 still stands unequalled.
Everything depends on the talents and determination of the protagonist in this show. Groan. Killer Frost shows up. Cisco made Barry a Flash ring. This is the 100th ep. Thawne has vengeful satisfaction. A Time Wraith is an obsessed pursuer but not for long. The famously gloomy Zoome makes a not much-anticpated return. Did the gang ever look up Hunter Zoloman? Will there be serious consequnces to any of this? Will Barry ever chart a new course? Things are under-discussed. There is no risk aversion and Thawne is not safely dead.
Barry needs an ideological rethink. One is not actively engaged. Nora is undesirable. Barry has atavisitc discomfort around Thawne. There is no tangible narrative and Thawne has an unyielding response. There are coercive situations and a Grodd mention. Barry isn't defusing unrest. Thawne is all the more sinister and plots dark vengeance. Barry does not deserve unstinting support. Nobody acts with urgency. This ep is revelatory but has no anthemic potential. The plot is a quagmire. Barry is always obsessively reliving his past. I cannot beleive that Barry gets immortal fame. Is Nora a hero or is she in the Legion Of Doom?
People wonder about Nora's secret lexicon. Nora's failed to dismiss concerns about herself. Barry has ever prioritises his own comfort and happiness. Thawne has transfixing stillness. This has lofty ambitions and people are endlessly tolerant of Barry, who is revered to the point of mawkishness. Cisco has antic glee. The new Big Bad has amigious menace. There is no emotional resolution and this has admirable ambition. Barry has no self-management. Some metas have invited the Big Bad's aggression. Thawne is resilent. The Big Bad is honest in his sorrow.
Chris Klein has been reduced to this. Killer Frost is not fearosme and causes no apprehension. There is no multi-faceated discussion about anything or speculative inclinations. Barry will never understand or forgive Thawne. New Wells is so Thawne. Somebody asks a dangerous question about the nature of truth. Nothing is rectified. People must obey Barry's stifling moral strictures.
Best Lines:
“Do a time hack.”
“Clever girl.”
“Time language.”