After a series of episodes that needed to introduce new characters, and new sets, we finally get to an episode that is dedicated to moving the arc of some of the main plotlines along.  We get some movement on the upcoming war with the Shadows and we get a major break in the character’s plot against the president.  Closer to home, we get more discomfort from Zack, and a growing rift between him and the chief over Night Watch. 

To kick it off we get a silly walk and talk between Zack and Garibaldi, where Zack complains about his tailoring.  Things get interrupted by Ivanova summoning Garibaldi to a code 7R meeting, which Zack questions.  The meeting itself is about the upcoming war and the need for allies. Delenn relays the need for powerful allies, and mentions the First Ones, races that have been in space for millions of years.  She claims most went away, but that the few remaining ones might be willing to fight the Shadows as they have in the past.  Sheridan is willing to jump right in to contact the First Ones, but Marcus and Delenn point out that they are incredibly dangerous, and she suggests they use Draal and his machine to reach out. Draal indicates that he has some records to start with, and asks the captain to come on down to the planet.

Elsewhere an Earth official named Julie Musante arrives and begins bossing Zack around.  She gets brought to the Captain’s office where she announces that she is his new political officer, appointed by the government to keep toeing the President’s political line.  She lets him know that there is dissatisfaction with some of his decisions back home.  Sheridan reacts about as well as you would expect to this news, angrily insisting that he is charge and that he does not need a political officer. Musante is all charm until this point and she is pretty deft at hitting back on Sheridan’s complaints, becoming quite cold as she does so.  She caps it off by practically ordering the captain to take her to dinner, making him miss his meeting with Draal.  He quickly arranges for Ivanova to go in his place. 

There is a brief scene where G’Kar tries to pin down Delenn about mysterious meetings and the existence of the Rangers.  I like this as an indication that the main characters are not being as clever as they thought in terms of keeping things secret.  It echoes Zack’s suspicion of code 7Rs, and shows that conspiracies can only go so far before getting found out adding to the sense of building pressure that this and the next few episodes will evoke. 

Ivanova goes down to Epsilon 3 and meets with a perturbed Draal who warms quickly to her, and lets her plug herself into the great machine. She then embarks on a trippy journey, where she sends her mind out into the universe to try and make contact with the first ones.  She starts off and almost immediately gets ambushed by a psychic representation of the Shadows.  As she pulls away from the attack, she somehow projects her mind through time and overhears Mr.Modern and then Vice President Clark discussing the recent murder of President Santiago.  Draal helpfully is able to record the message.

Sheridan gets to have a full on 1984 dinner with Musante.  She dismisses the idea that Earth would ally themselves with a war like nation like the Centauri, claims that there is no more poverty or prejudice back on Earth and claims that all of this comes from President Clark.  Her mask slips a little and she admits that all of the problems disappeared when they rewrote the dictionary.  She also spouts off a slew of conservative talking points talking about the Earth government, and how Earth belongs to its hardworking and “decent” people.  She then throws Sheridan a curve ball by claiming to be attracted to him.  All in all Musante is throwing everything she has at Sheridan in order to try and get him on her side.  Later she even scams her way into Sheridan’s quarters and strips down to throw herself at him.  Ivanova uses Draal’s system to pop in but Sheridan is able to distract and also evade Musante. 

G’Kar is still sniffing around, this time accosting Garibaldi about the strange events on the station.  Tired of getting the brush off he eventually explodes at the security chief. Garibaldi gently tells him that he is not aware of anything that could help G’Kar, but G’Kar turns it around on him, insisting that there may be a way he can help him.

Zack runs into a deeply frustrated Mustante who is stabbing at her breakfast.  She lets him know that he will be required to attend a political meeting, and it is a doozy. She explains that the Night Watch will begin to expand their investigations, and be allowed to relax the rules of due process.  She also lets the group know that in the coming months there are plans to arrest and charge senior government officials with treason against Earth, spinning a story of a massive pro-alien and anti-Earth conspiracy.  

Ivanova embarks on her adventure to find the First Ones, but is frustrated to find that instead of Lennier, she has been paired up with Marcus on the White Star.  They make it to Sigma 957, last seen as the planet that Catherine Sakai almost died at way back in Season 1.  Marcus tries to have a friendly chat with Ivanova but they get interrupted by the arrival of the Walkers.  Ivanova makes her pitch for the Walkers to join the alliance against the Shadows.  After some thought, they initially reject the idea, but she is able to bait them into saying yes with some pretty basic manipulation.  Then again as we see all too often being powerful and mysterious does not mean you are also smart. 

While Ivanova is off, Garibaldi and Sheridan debate what to do with the message that Ivanova intercepted.  Garibaldi rightly points out that they cant release it themselves, as it will beg the questions of how they got it, and why they were looking for it.  Sheridan brings up General Hague as someone they can trust and someone that can get the message out without it coming back on them. 

Eventually the news breaks back on Earth, and Musante gets recalled to help manage the crisis. Garibaldi breaks the news to his people, and then he confronts Zack, asking what he talked with Musante about, and pointing out that stuff like that makes him wonder if Zack can be trusted.  Zack hits back by pointing out that the chief does not trust him, bringing up the code 7R.  

After all the chaotic events of the episode, Garibaldi is trying to get some rest when G’Kar drops by with the Book of G’Quan insisting that it can be helpful if he reads it.  Garibaldi accepts it while grumbling back to bed. 

Next week we get more Earth centric plotting as well as religious epiphanies brought to you by psychic aliens and heavy drug use, so dont miss out on “Dust to Dust”.

As always the show is available to watch for free on Tubi with ads. 

Where do I know them from?

• Shari Shattuck is another long time TV veteran, but she had a bit part in the Leslie Nielsen comedy Spy Hard and she was also in the dreadful Steven Segal flick, On Deadly Ground.

The Good

• The plots are plotting again, in this one with strides made in several of the ongoing plots. 
• Musante shows a bit of the continuing evolution of Night Watch and by extension the fascist Earth government.  Each time they show up they get a little more brazen, and little more open about what they are up to. 
• I am a fan of Draal, so I always enjoy his interactions with the others. 
• The bonkers FIrst Ones are back, which for me is always a treat.

The Bad

• If anything it can feel a little overstuffed, but JMS was pretty candid about trying to ease into each new season to help out first time viewers.  

Arc Points (Spoilers Ahead)

• The Walkers of Sigma 957 are back! The search for the First Ones is an intriguing plot point, something that sadly gets truncated in Season 4.  Another of the plots that could have been more fun if the original plan had come off.
• Garibaldi and Zack’s conflict is started here, which for 90’s television is staring pretty early, as it wont blow up until episode 9.  
• The idea that Draal can see out into the universe, but that the Shadows can tell, is something that also sadly does not come up again. 
• This episode also confirms what was hinted at a few episodes ago, that Morden and Clark have been working together for some time.  This also neatly explains why Morden did not ask Sinclair “What do you want?”.  Also it is semi endearing that Morden apparently made sure to ask his fellow humans first.