"GROPOS" discussion

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 2X10, "GROPOS". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Summary:
Babylon 5 becomes a temporary base for 25 000 Earth Force soldiers, lead by Franklin's father.

Extra reading:
The article for "GROPOS" at Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Better than I remember it being, but then, I remember it being utterly boring, so much so I skipped it in every subsequent season rewatch. Upon this rewatch, Fraklin and his father are still really standard Hollywood military movie, and so are the grunts, but I do like the continuity; this is one of the episodes that shows how xenophobia and saber-rattling are increasingly goverment policy on Earth, but not in a sledgehammer kind of way, and the grunts versus Delenn keeps up the Earth/Minbari war fallout thread, and shows the ISN reporters later aren't actually talking out of thin air when talking about hostile human reactions to Delenn's change. What does make the episode not a waste of time, though, is none of this but the Garibaldi/Dodger subplot, which manages to be funny and poignant at the same time, with Dodger being a vibrant character and a way to showcase Garibaldi's current emotional state, the way he distrusts himself and doesn't expect anything good to happen to him. This is probably my favourite of Garibaldi's canon romances (well, sort of romances...), and I thought it was splendid Neil Gaiman brought Dodger back in Day of the Dead in season 5.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

"This is probably my favourite of Garibaldi's canon romances (well, sort of romances...), and I thought it was splendid Neil Gaiman brought Dodger back in Day of the Dead in season 5."

Yep, agreed 100%