This is one of my favorite Ivanova episodes so far. 
But before I get ahead of myself, I should mention the rest of the episode…
So now I know what Paul Williams would look like as an alien!
He has a very distinctive voice, doesn’t he?
Delenn made an excellent point when she said that if the Minbari helped the Narn now, they would only end up having to help the Centauri years from now.
And Londo is finding his new position of power not nearly as glamorous as he originally had envisioned:
I notice he’s wearing black now. He looks much better in purple. 
And this crew member looks so familiar:
Londo: I wanted respect. Instead I have turned into a wishing well with legs.
Wasn’t he in Taxi? I never watched the show, but have seen enough clips to remember this face…I think.
I’m more and more impressed with Sheridan’s determination to keep Babylon Five as neutral territory.
Londo: Why is everyone walking around here like they’re afraid of me?
Garibaldi: Because maybe we are.
I had such mixed feelings about Londo in this episode. Part of him still strikes me as so childlike and hopeful, his craving for friendship, especially with Garibaldi. And yet there’s clearly a darker side, the side that would let a ship of innocent women and children be destroyed, that craves power above all else.
He isn’t pure evil, nor is he pure good, and is obviously conflicted. What I’m wondering: which side will end up winning? Don’t answer that.
Ironic that the aliens that Ivanova was taking around the ship only agreed to sign an alliance agreement with the humans when they saw how the vagrants were being treated, pointing out the similarities between the two species.
And we get to see G’Kar in mortal combat for the first time:
I’m glad he survived that poisonous backstabbing!
I felt for G’Kar, though, when he found out that the humans and Minbari weren’t going to be helping his people with military forces, and without the explicit approval of their governments.
As some of you may have guessed, my favourite scene was Ivanova’s human sex scene. 
I was laughing hysterically throughout.
That must have been SUCH a fun scene to do.
What WAS that thing that the head Lumati (sp?) gave Ivanova?
Londo: It is good to have friends, is it not, Mr. Garibaldi. Even if only for a little while.
I am soooooooo worried for Londo! He is on such a slippery slope right now.
COME BACK TO THE LIGHT, LONDO!
Next episode: Hunter, Prey.
[For those who comment below: As the title of my blog indicates, I'm watching B5 for the very first time so PLEASE refrain from posting plot/character spoilers/hints about upcoming episodes, or including links to pages with spoilers (unless you warn readers that they contain spoilers). More info about spoilers here. Thanks so much! - Debbie]
13 comments ↓
Jeff Conaway, the guy who plays Zack, was indeed in Taxi and also in Grease.
And Wizards and Warriors.
Part of the genius of Bab5 is JMS’ ability to create genuine tragic characters and characters that grow, not stock heroes and villains. Would you imagine after seeing Midnight on the Firing Line that you would feel sympathy for G’Kar if the Centauri struck back?
Some JMS comments on the Ivanova Dance:
At the start of year one, Claudia came to me and said she’d love to do more funny stuff in her role; don’t change anything in the story, just let her have some fun here and there…
As it happens, I made it a point to be on-set the day we shot what we ended up calling “the Ivanova dance.” Wanted to make sure it was done correctly. We only had to shoot it about three times, only in the master, no coverage. The crew was absolutely breathless after the first take, from keeping from laughing. It was very funny.
Actually, not to split hairs, the idea of sex sealing deals goes back a heck of a lot longer than Larry Niven. [A reference to Ringworld] It’s been part of treaty signing and stuff going back to ancient Egypt, other parts of the middle east, even parts of medeival europe.
To the question raised: yes, if Sheridan had shown the Lumati around, the request would have been made to him, as it was to Ivanova.
Your heart breaks when you see G’Kar half cry, half laugh after he leaves Delenn and Sheridan. He understands why, but wishes it were otherwise, and his universe collapses around him just that much more.
They took 3 takes to do the Ivanova sex scene, and the crew was out of breath trying not to laugh. I half wished Paul Williams could have made a reference to an old-fashioned love song.
The beauty of B5 is that there are no Evil characters, and no Good characters. They’re all people - the bad guys have reasons that you don’t agree with, but can understand; the good guys have their buttons pressed and have that moment where it would be so easy to do something that is inherently wrong, but would get things done so much more easily and effectively.
JMS lets you get comfortable, then does an episode from another point of view, and suddenly your whole world tumbles out from under you.
Speaking of different perspectives, someone mentioned books worth reading - I’d agree with the Legions of Fire and the one from the random series they mentioned, most of which weren’t amazing, but I’d also add the Psi Corps Trilogy books as being very good. Not to be read before the end of season 5 though.
And Londo is wearing black a lot more - that’s deliberate. He’s our Centauri Mood Person!
Oh yes, Ivanova’s dance. I remember that it was talkied in advance about how she was going to do a “sex scene” and everyone (well, all of the male viewers at least) were waiting for it. Typical JMS skid…
The sex toy is just a joke. A visually interesing thing, don’t try to wrap your brain around it (or any other part, it looks dangerous).
Speaking of B5 novels, Deb, if any of them catch your interest after Season 5 and you want to read them let me know. I went on a tear after finishing the series myself (didn’t want to leave the B5 mythos behind so suddenly… :)) and I have most of the books mentioned so far (the Centauri trilogy, the Psi corp trilogy, the Minbar novel) sitting on my shelf.
There’s a brief note in the Lurker’s Guide to B5 on how the Lumati’s attitude slightly mirrors Trek’s Prime Directive.
Eric over at Websnark wrote a great essay/geek rant on the Prime Directive that expands on that , “In the course of Babylon 5’s run, we met a race called the Lumati. The Lumati were being courted by Earth Force, for diplomatic relations. But the Lumati wouldn’t treat with Earth — wouldn’t even directly speak to Earth representatives — until they determined that humanity was sufficiently evolved, as a race and as a society. It was buried, somewhat, but it was also clear that they stood for Star Trek’s Prime Directive — inverted, because it was now being directed at humanity instead of by humanity. That episode said, far entertainingly, everything I said above. If you need proof that it was a Star Trek reference, remember: at the end of the negotiation, the Lumati ambassador immediately sealed the deal with sex. The single finest sex ever performed on American Television, in fact. Jim Kirk would have been proud.”
Yeah, my heart was breaking over Londo too when I first saw this. And over Vir, who is getting dragged both up and down by his mentor.
Londo Mollari may well be the best written character in the B5 series. Yes, he’s neither pure good nor pure evil, for all his dubious actions jms somehow manages to make him likeable. At this point, you’re still in the early stages of an amazing example of character development.
The Lumati’s insistence not to interfere with the evolution of “inferior” species is another one of jms’ more or less veiled stints at Star Trek. The prime directive in this case.
I’ve been reading this blog these past two weeks. Watching your reactions is really fun.
Character development is one of my favourite things about B5, and Londo is probably the finest exemple of this.
And yes, he does look stuning in purple