This is B5's version of "Lower Decks", I suppose - a look at the "little people" who make the station run. As an examination of industrial relations in B5's version of the future it's entertaining enough, with good performances and interesting views of the various isues involved...

...but the undercurrents are much more interesting.

The G'Kar/Mollari situation continues to fester. Mollari's pettiness is quite remarkable - as if withholding access to a plant could ever be comparable with the loss of a colony - but it also underscores his sense of powerlessness and helplessness. The plant isn't much, but it's all he's got to get back at G'Kar and so he uses it.

The other interesting thing is the Rush Act and the implications its existence has. Just what is going on back on Earth? What agendas are in place? What and who are they aimed at? And whatever one thinks of Sinclair, it was rather neat the way he used the Act in a way no one had anticipated...and demonstrates his interest in and concern for everyone - whatever place they may hold in the station hierarchy.

Useless trivia: The episode was written by Kathryn Drennan, the real-life Mrs. JMS. From all accounts the script was put through the wringer to ensure everyone was happy with it and ward off any accusations of nepotism. Frankly, I like the episode. I like eps where the lead characters (usually all-powerful and all-knowing and all-doing) take a bit of a back seat. "By Any Means Necessary" adds a few more puzzle pieces, yes...but is good viewing in its own right.

Useless trivia no. 2; John Snyder's second performance in B5; the first being as Soul Hunter 2 in the self titled earlier episode, and here, Orin Zento.

I enjoyed this episode and of the 12 I have seen so far I think this is one of the best performances by Michael O'Hare.

It was great the way he turned the RUSH ACT around and also the way he dealed with the pettiness and sheer bloody mindlessness of G'Kar and Londo was also very well done.

The warning he is given at the end I take it is a direct hint at what is to come?

The better of the two episodes for this week in my opinion.

Another "nothing" episode I enjoyed a lot. A decent story well done.

Similar to the previous episode. Very solid but rarely remembered next to the arc-laden episodes around it.

I found this one fascinating, and as Ken rightly pointed out earlier, definitely MoH's finest hour as Sinclair so far. Another observation was that this was B5's version of Lower Decks. Correct, but again, you can't really see TNG or Trek in general posing this kind of moral dilemna. It was a classic case of letter of the law and spirit of the law, with the letter backing up Zento and his hardline supporters back home, but the spirit very much on Connelly and the workers' side, with Sinclair playing Devil's advocate. On the surface, this sounds like a mundane subject; basically a dockers' dispute. Due to the quality of the writing and the performances of all concerned, this is elevated above the level at which it would normally have found itself.

Behind the scenes, once again you get the impression that all is not well back on Earth, with the political geostructure quite divided along some alarming lines. In fact, you have to wonder if the whole event, was orchestrated via the tight budget, to enflame the situation to the point of embarassing Santiago. B5 would appear to be the focal point of Santiago's new 'closer ties with Alien governments' policy. It's certainly alluded to with the line from Senator Hidoshi; "Some people are hoping for violence."

We also get the ominous line from Sinclair; "Earth's changing, and not all for the better."

On the flipside of that particular story we have the Londo/G'kar story. It has to be said, a story that's typical of the them. Completely childish and petty. Their rivalry is more akin to that of a schoolyard. Londo and G'kar often provide one of the show's most powerful dynamics.

In this episode, and the last, both Delenn, and the Minbari by extension have been notable by their absense.

In the end, an ingenius solution from Sinclair, on both fronts, and the warning that "You've made new enemies today Commander". You begin to wonder how prophetic that may be, and will there be consequences further down the line ??

We also learn that Sinclair's not popular in Government cicles. Better hope Santiago wins that election then Jeff :lol:

A bit dull to start with, but then got better at the end. Particularly enjoyed the statement that "Sinclair will have made some enemies by doing what he did".

Sorry, too tired to write long reviews tonight. :lol:

Another solid type episode.

I think this was where I found the show being more consistently enjoyable, with a bit more of an accomplished feel to things.

Sinclair definately comes out better in this episode.

Can't think of anything else to say really :rolleyes:

The main thing about this episodes (which was previously mentioned in Andy Lane's 'The Babylon File' - one of the best B5 episode guides) is how this episodes does something not really seen before (at least not in Trek), and in fact not as far as I'm aware dealt with since - the little people who make all their fancy toys work. Yes, you see the odd techincials in Trek, but it always seems that they have their happy life on the perfect Starfleet ships :)

An important factor in this episode is that you take the sympathy of the workers, even though you know what they are doing is in the wrong, and the guy doing the legally right thiing is the evil overlord :) OF course, Sinclair is again the main in the middle (like in Believes), except this time he's forced into taking action, and pulls of a wonderfull clever stunt, which I'm sure will have severe repercussions in later episodes.

The other thing is the B story - the relationship between Londo and G'Kar is really taking form here - and it's played ever so well :) (my personal favourite moment is just after G'Kar finds out Londo has the plant, when we see Londo laugh at him as the lift doors close :)). A nice touch here is how the hostilities between the two of them from the Ragesh 3 events of 'Midnight on the Firing Line' come back - it's nice to see things like this aren't just forgotten as irrelevant plot details.

One thing of note - I'm not sure if it was Peter Jurasik's accent or not, but I distincly heard him call G'Kar's aide No'Tath, rather than Na'Toth :)

Plus Ivanova's evacuation of C&C was priceless :)

This is the first real episode that I found to be completely different from Trek. In Trek they've done away with money, on B5 they still have budgets to worry about (at least I won't be unemployed in the future). In Trek all disputes are resolved amicably, on B5 they still have unions. (I did wonder whether on 250 years time we,ll still be using working practises that are over 400 yeard old but then I don't understand why we still do it now. And did Eduardo have to be quite such a cliche, right down to his woolly hat)

Still, an enjoyable episode with a satisfying ending.

Again all been said by y'all already :)

I heard it too (and I don't think that's due to a genetic hearing problem we both share :) ).

One thing that did spring to mind was that the crash at the beginning didn't feel nearly as impressive as it was the first time I watched it... which was a bit of a downer, seeing as that was one of the things I remembered making me think "this episode rocks!"...

For a show that is majorly concerned with conflict on a grand scale, to cut it back and make an episode about an issue as potentially mundane as a dockworkers strike is a refreshing change of pace and, to a large degree, it works. It might have been better served as a subplot to a bigger story, but that's nitpicking.

A lot of it is very effective, particularly the riot scenes towards the end, although I have to say I always find the frequent shots of dockworkers standing in the background brandishing tools like weapons and generally looking unclean and menacing unintentionally hilarious :lol:

Of more geniune amusement is further conflict between G'Kar and Londo, which provides some lighthearted relief.

Not brilliant, but nowhere near as bad as the preceding episode. :)