Another rather detached episode. Here the main characters aren't really in the spotlight and this fact causes the episode to lose some time for more interesting character development.
While it was nice to see a little on the Minbari Rangers and their training, there was not nearly enough substance. The whole Terror Thing could have been better had it played out a little differently . The problem was that the definition of the Ranger "fighting his terror" seemed a little too silly, along with the two-dimensional badguy, and that the following battle was not nearly dark enough (according to the way Marcus described it back in Season 3). I think that had the directing here been by someone more creative than David Eagle, like Vejar or Greek who would have made the "Terror" aspect of the episode darker, the plotline would have come off quite a bit better. Also, why couldn't one of the Rangers been Lennier?
Still it was nice to see Turhan Bey back on the show in a fitting role that is a bit of a reverse from his last (as the Centauri Emperor in "Coming of Shadows"). Turval's comments about Lennier seems to indicate that Lennier is on the path to possible self-destruction. It will be interesting to see where this goes.
Garibaldi's behavior in this episode seems to be enforcing some of my earlier comments. Like last season Garibaldi seems to WANT to see a conspiracy even if there isn't one there. It is understandable that Lochley and Garibaldi are in conflict because of her opposite sides in the Civil War. This fact would especially irritate Garibaldi considering his own betrayal of Sheridan causing him grief and now he is working beside someone who opposed Sheridan completely volunteerily). However Garibaldi's behavior seems to be un-nerving even Zack (who has turned into a competant security chief) who is one of his most loyal friends on the station. If Garibaldi's not careful, like Lennier, he might eventually overdo it and possibly self-destruct in the process.
Lochley seems to be a stickler for the rules most of the time, and her "Civil War" speech (the people clapping afterwords was another low point in this episode) at the beginning of this episode indicates this fact. Unfortunately most people on Babylon 5, for different reasons, have needed to break the rules at one time or another. It seems Lochley is finally realizing this fact in this episode. Babylon 5 cannot be run "by the book" over half the time and that fact will more than likely never change.
Yet again Lochley is called on one of her decisions in this episode. Although this time only unofficially by Sheridan. While both decisions were political decisions giving Sheridan a say, I hope Lochley doesn't forget the fact that both of her decisions were overturned.
Also nice to see Sheridan's secret causing him to be on the recieving end of Delenn's anger (a nice opposite to past times when Sheridan has been mad at Delenn from holding out on him). Hopefully the secret of Sheridan's and Lochley's past relationship will be good (unfortunately its not that good, but that fact should be saved for the episode review of "Strange Relations").
So in the end this episode could have been better if one of the Rangers was Lennier and the storyline a bit darker, but since that doesn't happen this episode is not all it could be.
Rating: 5.0
Next Week: Bester's back
