The Long Road

General Information

Episode Number: 102
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski
Directed By: Mike Vejar

Starring:
Gary Cole as Captain Mathew Gideon
Daniel Dae Kim as Lieutenant John Matheson
Carrie Dobro as Dureena Nafeel  (not seen in this episode)
Peter Woodward as Galen
David Allen Brooks  as  Maximilian Eilerson  (not seen in this episode)
Marjean Holden as Dr Sarah Chambers  (not seen in this episode)
Tracy Scoggins as Captain Elizabeth Lochley (not seen in this episode)

Guest Starring:
Edward Woodward as Alwyn
Alison Lohman as Claire
Scott Paetty as Lieutenant Meyers
Mik Scriba as  Barkeep
Marshall Teague as Captain Daniels

Also Starring:
Rex Ryon as First Man
Michael O'Connell as Worker #2
Sophia Santi as Worker #3

Plot

Summary: The Excaliber is called to Regula 4 after mining operations for a natural anti-viral agent is sabotaged as well as strange happenings, including the presence of a dragon. Gideon and Galen go down to the planet and quickly discover the sabotage is the work of a Technomage named Alwyn.

Detailed Summary: Coming soon.

Observations

Facts

• Regula 4- A human colony founded 90 years ago by a separatist movement that abandoned technology for a peaceful and agragrian lifestyle. The world also contains a mineral that act as a natural anti-viral agent that is the source of the mining contraversy on the planet.
• The Medusa is Captain Daniel's ship.
• Alwyn has lived on Regula for 12 years
• The Technomage Elric soon after the Technomages reached their hiding place.

Effects
   The virtual world scenes in this episde are very good, though the colonist in seemed a bit too smooth and bright for the external shots. The mining facility looked excellent and quite believable. Alwyn's holomonsters were a bit hit and miss. The dragon looked good if, slightly cartoonish, while the holodemons were by far the best effects of the show.

Characters
   Captain Matthew Gideon:

• Does not trust easily and only trusts a rare few. (A trait mentioned by Galen)
• Enjoys basketball (or at least complaining about the court)

   Galen:

• It is implied that Galen's father was a Technomage, or at least knew of them.
• Galen was Elric's apprentice after his father died.

Music

   I found the score for this episode to be excellent and fit well with the moods intended for each scene.

Quotables

• "The teeth are a very nice touch." -Galen
• "Something always happens." -Galen
• "This was such a nice, quiet planet." -Alwyn

Questions

• If Alwyn has lived on Regula 4 for twelve years and the Technomages departure to avoid the coming Shadow War, nine years ago, how long had the technomages known the Shadows and their allies rising and why did they wait so long before deciding to leave? Did Alwyn leave for reasons other than those stated given the apparent three year time discrepancy?
• Why didn't Earth Alliance build the mining facility away from the populated areas in the first place? Arrogance and greed aside, it is a large planet with few people. Certainly a good source of mineral could have been found elsewhere on world.
• Is Earth Force so badly mauled from the Earth Civil War, the Telepath War and the Drakh attack that there is a shortage of officers at the rank of Commander and Lieutenant Commander? We have yet to see a Captain with an Executive Officer or assistants at these ranks. They've all been Lieutenants. Presumably these officers have been elsewhere attending to ship concerns.

Ratings

Story: 6.70
Acting: 7.50
Special F/X: 6.90

Notes & Opinions: Is it me or is Galen getting all the really good one liners?
   Seriously now, I enjoyed this episode but found it really didn't add to the overall growth of the show. While it did reveal a little more about Galen, the Technomages, and Earth Alliance's obvious desperation it did little to really move the overall story arc along.
   I did enjoy the touch of modern day social issues thrown in about destruction of the environment in the name of convenient progress and it's effect on people. It was a good reminder that we can have prgogress but need to keep in mind such advances can have on our surroundings and the responsibility that entails.

Best Actor/Actress: Edward Woodward. This was an easy choice given the limited number of actors used in this episode. Having the greatest exposition of the episode Edward Woodward rose to the challenge admirably.