The fifth disc of the 2nd season has another 4 episodes and all of them are darn good. None of them move the War with the Shadows along much but they all have great scripts, one by Lawrence G Ditillio and three by J Michael Straczynski. The show continues to have a great story line with lots of interesting characters and plot devices. Same with the sets and props and most of the CGI.
Knives May 17 1995
Written by Lawrence G Ditillio and directed by Stephen L Posey
In one story line Londo's old pal Urza Jaddo comes calling. Ursa's got a problem, he's not on the same side as the new Centauri government. Ursa's about to be called a traitor to the Republic. Londo is unhappy and he calls Lord Refa for some help. Ursa has a party where he starts a fight to the death with Londo. Poor Ursa, he gets stabbed. Later Londo tells Vir that it was his old friend's way to prevent his house from being taken by the Emperor. As the winner of the duel Londo inherits Ursa's house and he'll be able to take care of Ursa's family. Londo is such a mixed up guy, he keeps falling deeper and deeper into the trap he's set for himself.
In the second story thread Captain Sheridan finds a dead Markab. The alien grips the Captain's face and some flashing lights play across his skin. From then on Sheridan keeps seeing things that aren't there. Doctor Franklin's scans can't find anything wrong. It'll all work out, Sheridan gets the alien in him back through the rift in Sector 14 where it belongs.
Confessions and Lamentations May 24 1995
Written by JMS and directed by Kevin G Cremin
There's a deadly plague running through the Markab race and they are trying to cover it up. Dr Franklin finds out and confronts the Markab doctor on the station. It doesn't go well for the Markabs, they pretty much all die. There are just the latest in a long line of dead races in the B5 universe. There will be more to come. There's a quote from JMS on The Lurker's Guide Episode Guide that I liked. It's a bit topical for us today. The whole point of the episode is NOT political; it says that if you make a disease political on either side, you're gonna die. You have to set aside all that crap and just Deal With The Problem. The only "side" this episode took was in advocating compassion for those afflicted.-JMS
Sheridan goes to dinner at Delenn's quarters. Poor Lennier had to work two days to cook the special dinner. The Minbari have too many rituals. I wouldn't like it too much. Fury pilot Keffer has been looking for evidence of a shadow ship. Sometimes a guy should learn to mind his own business.
Divided Loyalties October 11 1995
Written by JMS and directed by Jesus Trevino
Patricia Tallman returns as Lyta Alexander. She had been the station's resident telepath in the pilot. She had scanned the poisoned Ambassador Kosh and when the series started we find out she had been called back to Earth. Psi Corps have kept her out of circulation ever since. She escaped and headed for Babylon 5. She's learned that there's a traitor on the station. The Psi Corps have programmed someone with a new personality and she has the trigger to let the mole out. She wants to push the trigger into the minds of the command staff to reveal the mole.
That doesn't go over so well, especially with Ivanova. She doesn't want anything telepathic going into her head. Everyone is worried that they are the traitor and with good reason. Sheridan and his team are investigating the death of the President and the new President and his cronies won't like hearing about that too much. Their lives are in danger. Poor Ivanova suffers a good bit when it is revealed that Talia Winters is the mole. Poor Talia is gone and Ivanova misses her friend. Lyta takes it on the run but not before going to see Kosh. He pops out of his environment suit for her. We still don't see him but we will. We'll also see Lyta return in the future and I'll be glad of that. I think she's a much more interesting character than Talia.
The Long, Twilight Struggle October 18 1995
Written by JMS and John C Flinn III
Draal makes himself known to Captain Sheridan and invites him down to the planet by the station. Draal is now played by John Shuck and it's a wonderful performance. Draal has been in the drivers seat of the Great Machine for a year and he's getting pretty good at it. He offers Sheridan his help in the upcoming Shadow War. The Captain will need it. W Morgan Sheppard returns to the series, this time as a Narn Warleader. He's leading a group of ships that are going to attack an important Centauri supply planet.
The Centauri are planning an attack too. They're going to attack the Narn home world with mass drivers. That's big rocks dropped from space. Mass drivers have been outlawed by treaty but the Centauri are going down a different road now that Lord Refa is in the drivers seat. Emperor Cartargia is prety much a puppet head. He'll be a problem later on. Londo has the Shadows attack the Narn fleet that attack the supply planet while he watches the destruciton of the Narn home world. The Narn surrender and the Centauri step up their empire gathering and "liberate" some other planets. You know, for a buffer zone, to keep the peace. Londo insists that G'Kar be kicked off the Babylon 5 Council. Sheridan offers G'Kar whatever help he can. The two of them will work well together in the future.
The last episode is another favorite. There's so much going on as they build to the end of the season. The nice thing about the series, at least for me, is I have been able to watch it repeatedly over the years and still enjoy it.