The best episode of the so far of the first season.

We finally get some information on the big bad guys of the show... the Daleks.

I thought this was a great episode. I loved the deeper look into the Doctor and his past history. We learn that the Dalek's and the Time Lord's basically made each other extinct. Although what caught my interest was that it was not the Doctor's wish to survive the war. It also seemed like he caused the destruction that eliminated both sides.

Although the Dalek seem an improbable enemy, with such a slow moving armor, its great defenses result in a powerful enemy. I did have some trouble understanding exactly what the Dalek was saying at times. Luckily I had it on tape and was able to rewind it to figure it out. Although there were still a few moments where I could not figure out a word or two.

I would probably have more to say, but I decided to watch this episode at 3AM, so it is a little foggy right now.

The less than amazing conclusion to the World War Three two parter...

I actually rated this episode lower than I did the pervious episode, although I enjoyed it more. This is mainly because I was very disappointed in this episode. I find the acting of the mother and Mickey to be horrendous. I would be happy to never see either one of them again, especially the mother.

Anyone notice the differences in behavior among the Slitheen? When the aliens were CGI, they moved quickly, aggressively, powerfully and appeared deadly. However, when they stood around they appeared harmless. They never even attempted to attack the Doctor in the episode.

I do not know. Had the behavior of the aliens been changed, this episode would have been much better.

I am looking forward to next week though, my first viewing of the Daleks.

I think that this is one of the most "-centric" episodes so far. During most episodes, the characters having the flash backs are only part of the storyline. However, this week, Hurley is in almost every scene. There are only three short scenes in the hatch or anywhere not featuring Hurley.

It was a nice change of pace, as I have been growing bored with the focus always being on Jack, Locke and the Hatch. I just realized something by the way, during the first season the Island was practically a main character. This season, however, the Island has been sent down to the reserves and the Hatch has taken its place.

These were some of my favorite flashbacks so far. They seemed to function and flow well on their own and telling a story of their own. It seemed more like "two days in the life of crazy Hurley" rather than assorted flashbacks taking place over a several months or year period.

Here is something I noticed. The picture that the doctor shows Hurley is fake. When Hurley is playing Connect Four with Leonard, it is daytime outside. It is bright and shiny in the room. There is a table and two guys behind and to the left (our left) of Dave when they are playing Connect Four, but no one is there in the photograph. When playing Connect Four, the celery is facing towards the camera, and is at a different angle in the photo. There is a checker right next to the plate when playing the game, yet there is a six or eight inch gap between the checkers and the plate. The background (walls) does not even seem to be the same, as if this picture was taken facing a different wall. Other stuff on the table is out of place as well. Sure, this could be a production goof, but on a show like this... I doubt it.

I think the Dave in the mental hospital was real. Maybe The Powers That Be (or whoever is orchestrating the events that occur on the island and the events that led up to the people getting on the island) wanted Dave out of Hurley's life. Therefore, they had the shrink take a picture of Hurley when he was somewhere else, and then lied to Hurley and told him it was a time when he was with Dave. It would be pretty easy to make a person that already doubts his or her sanity doubt it more. IF you think about it, Hurley said that once he said he admitted that Dave was made up he was out of the hospital a few weeks later. That does not make sense to me; it is almost as if once they convinced Hurley that Dave was imaginary they let him go back to the real world.

I do think, however, that the Dave on the island was imaginary. Especially with the whole jumping off the cliff part. Maybe Hurley is starting to realize that Dave was real and that the shrink had been lying to him. Something like that would make you question a lot in your life, especially if at one point in your life you were in a mental hospital.

Was interesting to see that "Henry" finally admitted that he was an Other. I was even more surprised to hear that Jack was telling everyone that they had captured an Other. Was Henry telling the truth about the computer, numbers and hatch or was he lying. What good would it cause him to lie?

Another interesting part of the episode was where they show Libby at the end of the episode in the mental hospital. I read somewhere that some people believe that she was just there for a routine mental evaluation that all psychologists and psychiatrists must go through. I do not believe this, she looked way off balance and was given drugs by a nurse. If it were routine checkup, then she would go to a psychologist’s office and not the mental hospital. She would be prescribed any drugs she needed instead of being handed them in a paper cup.

Now we are lead to the interesting question of Libby's honesty. She said that she was a psychologist. One of three things had to happen. One, she is lying and was never a psychologist. Any advice she gave is based off of stuff that she learned while in the mental hospital. Two, she had a mental break down when she was younger and then after she was "cured" she went to school to become a psychologist. I doubt this, because I doubt that a person, who had a major mental illness, a.k.a. bad enough to put in a mental hospital, would be able to receive a license to practice psychology. I do not know this for sure, but I would believe it to be true. Three, that she had her breakdown after she became a psychologist. This one makes the most sense to me.

This episode works heavily with two common theories about the show. One, that all of the events that take place are on the island are simply in the minds of one or more survivors minds. This was worked by the Hurley flashback. Two, it also works the theory that the numbers and the hatch are part of a social experiment, using humans as "lab rats." This is given credence by what Henry says at the end of the episode about the numbers.

The second season goes out with a bang.

I had hoped to write these reviews (this one and the two before it) a few days ago when the episodes were still fresh in my head. However, that did not happen. So the reviews I am about to give are going to be second rate. I’m just going to try to reflect on a few key points, because that’s about all I can manage right now, sad, I know.

A couple major events occur in this episode. Earth sends two representatives to Babylon 5 to assist with the crisis involving the Centauri. Although, instead of standing up to the Centauri, we sign a non-aggression treaty with them. This makes life difficult for Sheridan, as he recently offered to aid a Narn heavy cruiser and won't go back on his word.

One of the two people that come to Babylon 5 is a representative of the Ministry of Peace to check up on the members of the Nightwatch. This Mr. Welles wants to know why Zach Allen has not been filing reports and giving enough information. We learn that various members of the command staff are members of the Nightwatch, and one of them tells Mr. Welles about Sheridan helping the Narn ship. At the end of the episode, we see where the Ministry of Peace is closing a shop down. This is a shop whose owner has previously spoken out against President Clark. The Nightwatch is going to be a major problem in the upcoming season or two.

Also, we finally get to see what Kosh looks like without his suit on. Very nice CGI in that episode, it holds up well even when compared to TV shows 11 years later. I find it distressing to discover that the Vorlons have been manipulating the various alien species so that they appear to us how they want to appear. A human sees a human angel. A Narn sees a member of the Narn religion. They manipulated us to where they could hold a level of control over us.

Also, Keffer finally finds another Shadow vessel in hyperspace. However, it cost him his life.

Kosh decides that Delenn needs to be tested, to ensure she is the right one to lead the Army of the Light. However, the Inquisitor, is not whom you would expect.

I had hoped to write these reviews (this one and the one before and after it) a few days ago when the episodes were still fresh in my head. However, that did not happen. So the reviews I am about to give are going to be second rate. I’m just going to try to reflect on a few key points, because that’s about all I can manage right now, sad, I know.

I think we all have to view the Vorlons in a different light now. They are not the pure good guys that we have been lead to believe. They use Jack the Ripper to torture Delenn to see if she’s loyal. That is an awfully extreme action, in my eyes. Especially when there is seemingly so little rhyme or reason to his questions and behaviors. They have become much more "grey" in terms of ethics.