"Mind War" discussion [spoilers]

[ruuger]

This is the discussion post for the episode 1X06, "Mind War". Spoilers for the whole of the series, including the spin-offs and tie-ins, are allowed here so newbies beware.

Extra reading:

The article for "Mind War" at Lurker's Guide.

Comments

[shapinglight]

This is the second in a run of very powerful episodes. It's also the first appearance of Walter Koenig as Mr Bester, which is of course a reason to rejoice all on its own. He's absolutely excellent, creepy and smarmy and deeply unsettling. His colleague, Kelsey, is more conventionally unpleasant and I certainly don't mourn her demise, especially after the rather wince-inducing way the actress speaks through gritted teeth when telling Talia not to contact Ironheart. She's not my favourite of the many Brit actors that appear in the show, though she also serves her purpose pretty well because you can't help but absolutely hate her smug superiority and sheer nastiness.

Obviously, a great deal of what is set up in this episode, with Talia being gifted with Ironheart's TK abilities, goes to waste when Andrea Thompson leaves the show, which is a great pity - and I have to say, with every episode I rewatch, I regret the replacement of Michael O'Hare more and more -but the episode does a lot more than further Talia's story arc, since it introduces the Psi Cops and shows how very much they're a law to themselves and the Psi Corps a kind of nation within a nation.

I did find it hard to believe in Talia and Ironheart's prior relationship and it didn't help that I found the 'when telepaths make love' speech rather overdone (and I wish Andrea Thompson would pout less), but I think the story of Ironheart does a good job of introducing yet another of the many, convoluted plot strands in the show.

Of far more interest to me, in fact, is the B plot with G'Kar and Catherine Sakai. I like Sakai very much and am sorry we ended up seeing so little of her, and I thought all her exchanges with G'Kar in this episode were very spot on, especially the last. It also gives us further insight into G'Kar, showing yet more of his many hidden depths and helping to flesh out the Narns as a people.

The two plots do dovetail beautifully at the end, though, in that they both give us glimpses - through Ironheart's transformation and through the Sigma 957 beings - of the sheer vastness and wonder of the universe.

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

You know, I didn't care for Catherine in her first appearance, but she grew on me a lot in this episode. Her scenes with G'Kar were definite highlights of this episode for me.

[shapinglight]

I don't know why, but I loved her right from the very first time I watched her first episode, even though her delivery is kind of flat at times. I found her 'Don't touch me unless you mean it' far more believable than the 'when telepaths make love' scene in this episode.