{"id":41254,"date":"2014-03-01T15:46:19","date_gmt":"2014-03-01T22:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/01\/b5-rewatch-s2e07-soul-mates.html"},"modified":"2014-05-30T08:44:07","modified_gmt":"2014-05-30T14:44:07","slug":"b5-rewatch-s2e07-soul-mates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/01\/b5-rewatch-s2e07-soul-mates.html","title":{"rendered":"B5 Rewatch: 2×07 "Soul Mates""},"content":{"rendered":"
Peter David provides an entertaining stand-alone ep that includes nearly every one of the named stars in an overall jovial tale that doesn't advance the arc at all but is still entertaining as all that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A-Plot: \u00a0Londo's 30th anniversary of "ascension" means he can hit up the Emperor for a favor — which he takes advantage of to divorce two of this three wives. Ah, but which one? The shrew (http:\/\/goo.gl\/skqtmf<\/a>)? The beautiful femme fatale (http:\/\/goo.gl\/aw79yb<\/a>)? The society dame (http:\/\/goo.gl\/59KdpK<\/a>)? \u00a0What will he do — and what will they do to avoid being tossed out in the cold? (The A-plot is summarized at Babylon 5: The married life of Londo Mollari. Episode "Soul Mates"<\/a>, copied at the bottom of the post.)<\/p>\n

It's a fun plot, but ultimately hollow, with the results telegraphed far too early on (Londo goes for what's unpleasant but honest, a challenge he fails to take so many times in the future). It does provide some insight into Centauri society (at least among the nobility), but nothing we would not have guessed earlier. \u00a0It might have been a foundation for some recurring characters later, but the series never involves any of them again (a sadly lost opportunity).<\/p>\n

Londo's previous referred to his wives, in a jocular vein, as Pestilence, Famine, and Death. If he's the Fourth Horseman, that would make him War …<\/p>\n

B-Plot: It being an episode for spouses, Talia is dismayed to find her annoying Psi Corp-arranged ex-husband (played by Keith Szarabajka http:\/\/goo.gl\/zsdM2M<\/a>) is on the station. Everyone takes an instant dislike to him, except the the ones who seem not-so-subtly swayed by him. Which is odd, because he was kicked out of the Psi Corp when it seemed an experimental treatment burnt out his telepathy …<\/p>\n

Again, we learn more about the Psi Corp, including breeding programs and experimentation to make better telepaths. But aside from the fun of watching the ex be snarky to Sheridan and Garibaldi (http:\/\/goo.gl\/7LWfKk<\/a>), and learning that Talia really is jonesing to leave the Corp (mostly because of an episode order problem), there's not much there<\/i> there.<\/p>\n

C-Plot: Ivanova teaches Delenn about basic hair care (Delenn's hair<\/a>). Seems the Minbari have never learned about shampoo and conditioner, not surprisingly. An inconsequential subplot — mostly. It does establish a friendship between Delenn and Ivanova (and, however humorously, a fissure between Delenn and Lennier). \u00a0And it does wrap up with one of the best laugh lines on in the episode (which itself actually does a bit of foreshadowing).<\/p>\n

All told, lots of folks get to play — Sheridan, Garibaldi, Ivanova; Delenn, Lennier; Londo, Vir; even G'Kar. \u00a0They all do their jobs, but for all that it's entertaining, there's something just slightly off about the characterizations. Maybe because they're being written by someone competent and<\/i> who's not Joe, and who brings his own sensibilities to the denizens of B5. The humor is in many ways less forced, which seems odd, but the humor also jars with the growing sense of terror this season (of which only Talia's discussion of how the Corp scares the hell out of her rings true).<\/p>\n

Actually, this is one of Talia's best outings. She's far less the husky damsel in distress than usual. Garibaldi pulls out the intense "if you cross me I'll space you" shtick, his feelings toward Talia having somewhere crossed over from creepy-obsessive to murderous-obsessive. \u00a0Ivanova's crankiness is in full abatement, leaving her only with looking like she wants to laugh out loud or be horrified by Delenn's problems, neither of which plays all that well. Londo has the time of his life (and, almost, his death), but also shows\u00a0more than a bit of ruthlessness and abusive manipulation that makes it clear that any problems in his marriages are not all one-way streets. \u00a0G'Kar is also in fine fettle, but is almost too comedic in his mannerisms and proclamations (http:\/\/goo.gl\/Z7ngWW<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Bottom line, though, there's nothing that happens here that, had the episode never aired, would have been a huge gap in how things progressed into the future on the series. It still, though, remains an enjoyable romp, regardless of the (lack of) consequence.<\/p>\n

(Peter David speaks at length about the writing of the script here — it's a hoot: Babylon 5 Soul Mates<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Most Dramatic Moment:<\/b> Talia on being a telepath these days: "I'm tired of learning things about people I don't want to know. I'm tired of having them shrink away because of what I might find out. And I'm tired of being part of an organization that scares the hell out of me!"<\/i>
Most Amusing Moment:<\/b> All the wives, Timov in particular, have all sorts of delightfully biting lines. But I have to give it to Delenn, who, having resolved her hair problems, asks Ivanova about some other physiological changes … (http:\/\/goo.gl\/MCmA5U<\/a>)
Most Arc-ish Moment:<\/b> As noted, there's not much arc-ishness to be had. Maybe that Most Amusing Moment qualifies.<\/p>\n

Overall Rating:<\/b> \u00a03.9 \/ 5\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lurker\u2019s Guide: http:\/\/www.midwinter.com\/lurk\/countries\/us\/guide\/029.html<\/a>
Babylon Project: http:\/\/babylon5.wikia.com\/wiki\/Soul_Mates<\/a>
IMDB: http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0517693\/<\/a>
AV Club: hhttp:\/\/www.avclub.com\/tvclub\/babylon-5-a-race-through-dark-placessoul-mates-93629<\/a> (includes next episode)
Noise2Signal: http:\/\/noise2sig.nl\/2012\/06\/16\/babylon-5-soul-mates\/<\/a><\/p>\n

#babylon5<\/a> #b5<\/a>\ufeff<\/div>\n