"Conflicts of Interest" discussion

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 4X12, "Conflicts of Interest". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Summary:
Garibaldi gets a new job working for William Edgars. The resistance begins their counter-propaganda broadcasts.

Extra reading:
The article for "Conflicts of Interest" at The Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Ugh, Lise. They might as well have had a cardboard cut-out with "Plot Point and Something to Make Garibaldi More Sympathetic Because He's Kind of An Ass Right Now" written on it, and it would have worked just as well.

The telepath virus thing was a little bit too confusing and complicated to use as a MacGuffin, but it never really came into play other than to let Edgars do his whole Snidely Whiplash thing later on, so we'd know he was a Bad Guy.

(Can you tell this isn't my favorite episode?)

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Maybe this all goes under the heading "things that needed to be wrapped up in Season 4 because Season 5 was not in the cards when it was written" - I've always thought some of these minor storylines happened just a bit too fast and rushed - this one is probably the most egregious. This whole Garabaldi subplot would probably have been more believable if it had an entire season to develop (and probably given a chance and adding a third dimension to Lise).

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

You know, part of this is definitely it when it comes to Garibaldi's storyline; I felt like we missed some of the journey from Point A (Garibaldi taken, programmed, starts to behave differently) to Point C (the Edgars plot), which meant Point C kinda felt...there.

I think part of the problem, though, is not just its development but what felt like its ultimate purpose - from a narrative standpoint, Garibaldi is programmed and hooks up with Edgars and goes through all of that...just to betray Sheridan, to get him to that interrogation. I mean, there's really no other major point to that whole saga, from a plot standpoint. I suppose one could argue character reasons, but since Garibaldi and Sheridan are buddy-buddy right after the whole programming deal comes out, not so much there - so maybe a tiny slice of bringing Garibaldi back to Lise. Now, that plot point would be fine, but honestly? The programming thing is what doesn't work for me. Taking a season getting Garibaldi to the point that he's willing, mind his own, to betray Sheridan? Good plot. Taking a season watching Garibaldi succumb to some outside force to find out that Bester's used him for his own purposes? Good plot. But for whatever reason, combining the two just ended up...messy. The emotional resonance of Garibaldi's betrayal doesn't track because how much of it is his own agency and how much is his programming? And the revelation of just why Garibaldi's been acting so strange, and what happened to him after his abduction, ends up being kind of a let-down; to me, at any rate.

Eh, I don't know. I'm not fond of "so and so was programmed to do something" plots in general, because it just feels like a cheap way to have a character act out of character to get to a desired plot point.

I might not have had a problem with Lise had she been cast differently. That actress was just wretched.

[voxwoman.livejournal.com]

actually, there sort of is a plot point beyond Sheridan's betrayal. It ties in with the Markab disease and as backstory for Crusade. At least that/s how I see it.

Also, if he could have taken his time, I don't necesarily see JMS letting Garibaldi off the hook as easily as he did.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Ah, I haven't gotten to Crusade yet. Although I'm not a fan of setting up new shows at the expense of the existing show, LOL.

I definitely think that a lot of it came down to the "we're canceled - no we're not!" dance there in S4. I make allowances.