{"id":7208,"date":"2019-03-01T13:00:24","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T21:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=7208"},"modified":"2019-02-25T18:15:45","modified_gmt":"2019-02-26T02:15:45","slug":"mark-watches-babylon-5-s05e04-a-view-from-the-gallery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2019\/03\/mark-watches-babylon-5-s05e04-a-view-from-the-gallery\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Babylon 5’: S05E04 – A View from the Gallery"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the fourth episode of the fifth season of Babylon 5<\/i>, Mack and Bo go about a day\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to watch Babylon 5<\/i>.<\/p>\n

I like the idea<\/i> of this episode more than the execution.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153A View from the Gallery\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a strange (and probably self-contained) episode, entirely because of the shift in perspective. The script is written from the point of view of a maintenance team who is sent about the station \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wherever they are needed,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d rather than a stationary assignment in one part of Babylon 5<\/i>. From this vantage point, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re able to see just how much work must be done to keep the station running. How many people are never given the spotlight, even if they deserve it? And there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a powerful metaphor in that, since at its heart is an appreciation and a respect for people who are often ignored in our society. Yes, flashy heroes can be important, but what of the everyday<\/i> sort of hero?<\/p>\n

That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where Mack and Bo come in, and the show paints them with a kind brush. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re friendly, hardworking, and have developed a witty rapport after an untold time together being sent to every conceivable part of Babylon 5<\/i>. And through their eyes, we get a sense of what it is like being part of the station when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not<\/i> part of command.<\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s compelling, but only to a point. Aside from the subplot with Dr. Franklin, I found this episode to be amusing but kinda lifeless. It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have that usual spark of commentary or subversion, and when there is<\/i> something there, the script doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t explore it. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a cloying, rosy-eyed tone to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A View from the Gallery.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mack and Bo might complain about how few breaks they get, but this isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like the story in season one about protest and workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rights. They bring up their schedule or the general attitude toward workers, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not addressed beyond that. Instead, the two men have an odds-defying day on the ship, where they happen to meet every major primary and secondary character on the show. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s talk about them, and often that commentary is, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t this person great?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Then during or after the interaction, Mack and Bo agree that the person is great, and in one case, Mack outright tells<\/i> a character they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re great.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is, simply put, no real<\/i> conflict here between these two characters. They agree on everything that might cause friction. Then, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no conflict between them and virtually anyone they interact with during their day. The closest thing to one is the scene where Bo challenges Dr. Franklin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ethical principles. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no surprise, then, that I found that to be the most interesting scene in the episode! Bo comes from a place of survival, but he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also not one who has had the same experiences as Dr. Franklin. And isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t that the point? The episode shifts perspective to show experiences that aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t traditional to this narrative. And because of this, Bo comes to learn why Dr. Franklin finds his work so important and so vital.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I just wish the rest of this episode was the same way. Did any of the main characters re-think their approach to the workers on the station, or are they just passing blips in their lives? It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s such a strange choice because by the end of this story, all it did was reinforce that everyone is great and powerful? I dunno, maybe that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the point of the tonal difference, and maybe this episode is supposed<\/i> to be an exception to the realism we often get. Basically: I wish this episode had teeth, and I wish it had something meatier to say.<\/p>\n

The video for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A View from the Gallery\u00e2\u20ac\u009d can be downloaded here for $0.99<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mark Links Stuff<\/b><\/p>\n

– The paperback edition of my debut, ANGER IS A GIFT, is now up for pre-order!<\/a> It comes out on May 7, 2019.\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>If you’d like to stay up-to-date on all announcements regarding my books, sign up for my newsletter<\/a>! DO IT.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"