CNET Networks Entertainment GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | MP3.com | TV.com | MovieTome
Score: 7.9 Good 91 votes

By Any Means Necessary

Episode Number: 12    Season Num: 1    First Aired: Wednesday May 11, 1994    Prod Code: 114
An accident in the docking bays stars a series of problems on Babylon 5, when a Narn freighter is destroyed and one of the workers is killed. The dock workers demand better conditions or they'll go on strike. G'Kar has to get a replacement G'Quan-Eth plant for an important religious ceremony.

Cast and Crew

Add Cast | Add Crew
Writer: Kathryn M. Drennan
Director: Jim Johnston
Star: Mary Kay Adams (Na'Toth),  Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar),  Jerry Doyle (Michael Garibaldi),  Michael O'Hare (Jeffrey Sinclair),  Mira Furlan (Delenn),  Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters),  Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin),  Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari)
Recurring Role: Michael McKenzie (Narn Captain),  Marianne Robertson (Tech #1)
Guest Star: Jim Johnston (Docker (uncredited)),  MaCaulay Bruton (Jack (uncredited)),  Katy Boyer (Neeoma Connally),  John Snyder (Orin Zento),  Aki Aleong (Senator Hidoshi),  Patricia Healy (Mary Ann Cramer),  Jose Rey (Eduardo Delviontos),  Ricardo Martinez (Worker #2),  Floyd Vaughn (Worker #1)

Notes

add »
John Snyder previously played a Soul Hunter in the episode "Soul Hunter." (edit)
Macaulay Bruton appears as Jack, Garibaldi's aide, but has no dialogue and is uncredited. (edit)
Director Jim Johnston has a brief cameo as a docker yelling "Strike!" at the meeting. Other production crew fill in as dockers as well. (edit)
The writer for "By Any Means Necessary" is Kathryn Drennan, who is the wife of producer and creater, J. Michael Straczynski. He has remarked that his wife is "very astute politically, a believer in the rights of workers... and thinks that characters are more interesting if they act smart than if they act stupid." This was their first collaboration since several articles on The Night Gallery which appeared in Rod Serling's Twilight Zone Magazine. (edit)
According to J. Michael Straczynski, the reference in the title "By Any Means..." is to Matewan, where a terrible labor strike took place (and a film was made about it). There is another Matawan which is where he used to live, but the reference in the title is to the former, not the latter. (edit)

Quotes

add »
G'Kar: We all believe in something...greater than ourselves, even if it's just the blind forces of chance.
Na'Toth: Chance favors the warrior. (edit)
Sinclair: You should never hand someone a gun unless you are sure where they will point. (edit)

Trivia

add »
The G'Quan Eth plant is used by the Narn for religious rituals. The Centauri for use the G'Quan Eth as a pleasure drug, a use the Narn consider sacrilige. (edit)

Allusions

add »
The Rush Act
Deliberate intended reference to 21st century radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. (edit)
Tell the world what you think of By Any Means Necessary, write a review for this episode.
Write a Review

Community Reviews (4)

 
8.2
Great
By Any Means Necessary
"Well written"
Industrial relations dispute in the 23rd Century
Continue » Posted Oct 12, 2007 2:50 pm PST

seaqueastdsv
Report Abuse 1 user agrees
with this review
1 user disagrees
with this review
10.0
Perfect
By Any Means Necessary
"Exciting"
londo getting even with g'kar
Continue » Posted Aug 16, 2007 7:26 pm PST
8.0
Great
By Any Means Necessary
"Character development"
Aboard the Babylon 5 tensions arise when dock workers prepare to strike amidst dangerious conditions and uneven wages.
Continue » Posted Jul 28, 2006 3:42 pm PST

mr_m704
Report Abuse 2 users agree
with this review
7.5
Good
By Any Means Necessary
"Well written"
Sinclair faces a crises for the dockers while G'Kar searches for a sacred plant.
Continue » Posted Oct 14, 2005 5:51 am PST
Previous Next
advertisement

Episode Vital Stats

 
Episode: By Any Means Necessary
Season Number: 1
Episode Reviews: 4
Episode
Score:
7.9 Good 91 votes
Your By Any Means Necessary Score
This content requires Macromedia Flash Player 7 or higher. Get Flash
Review This Episode Contribute

Top Contributors

 
Retired shatterdaymorn
Score: 1,703 points
Editor jrgreenmd
Score: 1,088 points
Gislef
Score: 322 points
Bobby_Debonaire
Score: 257 points
Parricida
Score: 148 points
mr_m704
Score: 146 points
Revolos55
Score: 145 points
Darth_Dave
Score: 128 points
Hal_10000
Score: 102 points
danawhitaker
Score: 76 points

Episode Downloads

 
Babylon 5 Episodes can be downloaded from these services:
By Any Means Necessary No. 12 season 1
1 iTunes Quicktime get download