Join Earthforce, meet new people, and see them get killed! Babylon 5 becomes the staging area for 25,000 "ground pounders."
(Originally aired on February 8, 1995)
Written by Lawrence G. DiTillio
Directed by Jim Johnston
GUEST STARS
Paul Winfield – General Richard Franklin
David L. Crowley – Lou Welch
Ryan Cutrona – Sgt. Major Plug
Ken Foree – PFC Large
Morgan Hunter – Pvt. Kleist
Marie Marshall – PFC Dodger
Paul Winfield’s best-known SF roles are as Captain Terrell of the Reliant in Star Trek II and as Captain Dathon, an alien trying to communicate with Picard in the ST:TNG episode "Darmok".
WATCH OUT FOR
* A soldier named "Ellison" who is in the wrong line.
ANALYSIS
Despite its good intentions, "GROPOS" is a dull episode. There are a few good character moments, a gratuitous bar fight, a brief glimpse of how ground warfare works in the B5 universe, and not much else.
The best material goes to Franklin and his father. It’s an old story and the lines are hokey, but they have the great virtue of being true.
Sons and fathers are brought up not to show vulnerability to each other. It doesn’t matter which role you’re in, you’re supposed to be strong and capable – someone who makes their father or son proud.
It’s hard to say "I love you" when you’re being invulnerable.
Intellectually, we know he is proud. We even know he loves us. But knowing is nothing compared to the way the words make you feel. You could die for those words, or live for them.
"I love you" is something you never hear too often – and if it’s something you say to each other every six months or so, then you may hear it less than a hundred times from the man who matters most to you.
Ivanova is right. ("Ivanova is always right.") We only have only so many chances to tell our parents how we feel, and we’ll regret every one we miss.
COMING UP NEXT
"All Alone in the Night"
Grey heads and sharp knives
Experiments, dreams, conflict
Sheridan trusts them.
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