December Talking Meme: Babylon 5's biggest weaknesses (Doylist, Watsonian or both)

[selenak]

Disclaimer: I love Babylon 5. It's one of my two adored space station shows, it was my first non-Trek sci fi tv fandom, it contains some of my most beloved characters in any fandom of all time, and I think it still holds up as one of the most amazing things pulled off on tv. With all this in mind

Comments

[selenak]

Re: Sheridan up to Z'ha'dum, not only was he allowed to sometimes be wrong until then, but he had an interesting personal narrative that allowed for growth and change. When Sheridan arrives at B5, he had, as he later states, two things he was passionate and absolutely sure about, his career and his late wife. He's still struggling with his grief for Anna, but he's certain as to what happened to her and who she was. And then the show proceeds to shake his perspective on his job, the institution he represents, what happened to his wife, his wife. It introduces him to a larger community than the Earth military, gives him new relationships (not solely with Delenn but also with Kosh and G'Kar, and of course his old friendship with Ivanova stays and blooms), and Z'ha'dum in so many ways represents the pay off and wrapping up of his personal arc; he's saving B5, knows what happened to Anna, and is sure in his feelings for Delenn. Now, after Z'ha'dum, Sheridan as a character by contrast is static. The world around him is still in movement - the Shadow war, the Earth civil war - but Sheridan himself doesn't change anymore, or is challenged to change, or is insecure about anything. (Or proven to be wrong about anything). That's the problem.