"Lines of Communication" discussion

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 4X11 "Lines of Communication". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Summary:
Marcus and Franklin try to convince the Martian resistance leaders to join Sheridan's cause. Delenn investigates mysterious attacks against Minbari allies

Extra reading:
The article for "Lines of Communication" at The Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I think it's only the second time overall I've watched this episode now. (That lack of Centauri and Narn again being responsible. *g*) It holds up pretty well; it's a good episode for Delenn in particular, showing her in her take-charge aspect. (Though when she says to Sheridan early on "it pleases me that you are fond of what I have become, but never forget what I was, what I am and what I can do", the recent Atonment watching increases the urge to say "well, but he doesn't know and he never will, will he?") The two part space battle was surely one of the most exciting, and Delenn's "who says we're leaving?", showcasing that indefetigable ruthless determination she's capable of, practically made me cheer.

This episode kicks off the Minbari civil war mini arc, and I know it mostly came about because of Mira Furlan and Yugoslawia, but it feels like it's planned, because the caste conflicts have been set up since s1, and there really should be consequences to Delenn breaking up the Grey Council. Which now there are. Incidentally, the first time I watched I was expecting Ferell (spelling?) to have a Keeper, but I'm glad he didn't; that he joined up with the Drakh voluntarily, thinking to use them against the Warrior Caste, makes the whole thing more shades of grey than just his "The Warrior Caste went beserk" news would have done.

Speaking of the Drakh: am I ever glad that blurry effect was abandoned later, it's a headache to watch. Though I suppose this might not have been an actual Drakh but simply an "emissary" from another race.

Stephen and Marcus on Mars: continue to be entertaining. I'm not feeling any great chemistry between Franklin and Number One, but there isn't anti-chemistry, either, plus she's convincing enough as the tough resistance leader she's supposed to be, and that's the main thing. I had forgotten we actually hear about Earth resistance in addition to Mars resistance here, i.e. that it exists (and is apparantly led by a guy named Donavan). Bombing civilians: ethically I entirely agree with Franklin, storytelling wise I have to give the advantage to DS9 here because the fact that the Bajoran resistance did kill civilians (both Cardassians and fellow Bajorans) on occasion in addition to all the military Cardassian personnel is an important and realistic plot point and something Kira has to deal with later. The division "freedom fighter = someone who only ever kills the guilty oppressors with weapons in their hands" and "terrorist = bastard who bombs innocent civilians" is something that I suspect rarely if ever was practiced as neatly through human history. All of which isn't a complaint, btw: it's entirely in character (and laudable) for Franklin to use the weight he has via Sheridan to make the resistance draw a line here.

Sheridan gets an idea: the scenes with him and Ivanova remind me that their friendship is one of the few and successful m/f (without UST ever entering the picture) friendships on tv, and I really, really enjoy watching it this time around.

[londonkds.livejournal.com]

Since watching Crusade I think that entity actually is a Drakh: it looks like the "warrior caste" Drakh that turn up in the battle in the first episode of Crusade.

You heard that the blurry effect was introduced because they tried to get the actor to do weird alien motions and it just looked stupid? My personal fanon is that it's because Drakh don't react well to the proximity of Vorlon or Vorlon-influence tech.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

No, I hadn't heard that, but I like your fanon!

Weird alien motions: shame they didn't hire Chiana from Farscape, because the actress is great with just that.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Sheridan gets an idea: the scenes with him and Ivanova remind me that their friendship is one of the few and successful m/f (without UST ever entering the picture) friendships on tv, and I really, really enjoy watching it this time around.

So true. That's actually one of my long-standing pet peeves wrt TV relationships, that you never see a man and woman just be friends with nothing else getting in the way. Actually, it was nice in general to see a character like Ivanova mostly defined by her own character and not a string of hook-ups with the other men in the cast, as is par for the course with most other shows. I know I've read complaints about the way JMS writes romance, but give me telegraphed couples and overblown dialogue - and a greater emphasis on platonic, strong professional relationships - over shipper baiting and do-si-so partner switching any day.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Actually, it was nice in general to see a character like Ivanova mostly defined by her own character and not a string of hook-ups with the other men in the cast, as is par for the course with most other shows.

Quite true. Her relationship with Talia and Marcus' crush on her aren't what she's about, they're simply part of her life, and not the one which gets the most screentime.

JMS and romance: well, he outdid himself with the epic Londo/G'Kar I'm okay with his writing in this regard for the most part. His weaknesses as a writer to me are in other areas. And he's really good with friendships and complicated in-between-relationships.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

NGL, I would kill for that fake script I've read about with Londo/G'Kar action. And honestly, if you allow for romances without a sexual component, I'd argue that Londo/G'Kar IS the epic romance of the show.

I was pretty happy with JMS's writing with the other couples, too. I mean, I was a handful of episodes into season two and thought, "John and Delenn are pretty. I like them together. Too bad that'll never happen," so you can imagine how exciting the last couple months were for me. But he definitely doesn't write "TV romances," which is pretty refreshing.

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

It's in the last script book (and I believe it was also in a magazine published a billion years ago).