President Donald Trump raged against ABC and NBC on Sunday night, calling them “the most biased networks in history,” adding that he was “totally in favor” of revoking their broadcast licenses. Trump ripped the national broadcasting companies in multiple posts on Truth Social, suggesting that the Federal Communications Commission should terminate transmission permits with ABC’s and NBC’s local affiliates. “Despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History, ABC & NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the worst and most biased networks in history, give me 97% BAD STORIES. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC,” Trump wrote. “I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!!” While ABC and NBC don’t have to be licensed by or pay fees to the FCC, each local ABC and NBC affiliate station must obtain licenses and pay regulatory fees, according to Fox News. Trump questioned this arrangement in a follow-up post, writing, “Why is it that ABC and NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the absolute worst and most biased networks anywhere in the World, aren’t paying Millions of Dollars a year in LICENSE FEES[?]” “They should lose their Licenses for their unfair coverage of Republicans and/or Conservatives, but at a minimum, they should pay up BIG for having the privilege of using the most valuable airwaves anywhere at anytime!!!” Trump added. “Crooked ‘journalism’ should not be rewarded, it should be terminated!!!” End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships In April, the Media Research Center found that the evening newscasts from ABC, NBC, and CBS gave the president 92% negative coverage. The national network coverage of Trump was more negative in the first few months of his second term than during the beginning of his first term in 2017, according to the Media Research Center. Trump also recently settled a lawsuit for $16 million with CBS over its editing of a Kamala Harris “60 Minutes” interview just before the 2024 election. Trump argued that CBS engaged in election interference when it made one of Harris’s answers sound more coherent. Brendan Carr, the head of the FCC, told CNBC in December that the independent government agency could “take a fresh look” at TV networks to see if they are operating in the “public interest.” “You look on the media side, I think there’s no question that trust in media is at an all-time low. … And so I think there’s a lot that needs to take place to restore trust and confidence in media. And there’s a role for the FCC, at least on the broadcast side, for instance. They have to operate in the public interest. And I think it’s probably appropriate for the FCC to take a fresh look at what that requirement looks like.” Asked if that means he was open to revoking licenses for networks over their “perceived liberal bias,” Carr replied, “Well, look, the law is very clear. The Communications Act says you have to operate in the public interest. And if you don’t, yes, one of the consequences is potentially losing your license. And of course, that’s on the table.” “You’ve got the national networks, for instance, ABC, NBC, CBS,” Carr said. “They provide a lot of the content that the actual licensed local broadcasts disseminate. And so we need to look at empowering those local broadcasters to serve their local communities, even if that’s in conflict with the interests of those national networks.”

Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration recently blew nearly $500 million in potential savings for New York taxpayers by failing to move seniors to a federally funded Medicare plan. That’s half a billion dollars — gone — because Kathy Hochul couldn’t get her act together. That’s money that could have gone to tax relief, infrastructure, and keeping your utility bills lower. When it comes to utility bills, National Grid customers in upstate New Yorker should brace themselves for a 15% increase in their bill starting next month. This amounts to about $216 more per customer per year, thanks to Governor Hochul’s green energy scam agenda. Likewise, Con Edison has proposed double-digit rate increases that will raise costs for downstate residents, driving up their utility bills as early as January 2026. And that’s just the average cost increases. Many families and small businesses will be paying far more at a time when they are already struggling and can’t afford any more increases in their cost of living and doing business. These increases are not a reflection of market forces or a sudden spike in demand, rather, they are a direct result of action by the governor’s Public Service Commission, which Hochul controls. This board approved the increases to fund her ambitious climate mandates. It’s typical of Albany: self-righteous politicians pushing you to “do your part” by paying more, even when you’re already struggling. Why are these things happening? For starters, Kathy Hochul is incompetent and instead of addressing these problems and protecting you, she prioritizes politics. Currently, she’s focused on her crusade to illegally gerrymander New York’s congressional map – a scheme that the courts, and voters, already rejected. When the rules don’t work for the Democratic Party, Hochul tries to change them. Hochul and her cronies describe mid-decade redistricting as “undemocratic,” yet in the same breath she and her fellow New York Democrats have declared they will engage in mid-decade redistricting. In other words – their words – they’re going to take undemocratic actions in order to “save democracy” in America. The hypocrisy and absurdity of this is unparalleled, and New York voters can see right through it. The voters and the courts in this state have already made it clear the people must have the ability to choose their representatives, rather than politicians manufacturing uncompetitive districts and forcing their preferred candidates down everybody’s throats. New York voters overwhelmingly supported a nonpartisan redistricting process. However, Democrats ignored them, blatantly gerrymandered districts, and when they were thrown out by the courts, they corrupted the Court of Appeals to get their way. Now, they are looking to stomp on the Constitution again for another shot at rigging the system to protect their power. Meanwhile, New York taxpayers continue to struggle with rising costs and a deteriorating quality of life in their communities. This is not leadership. It’s political wheeling and dealing at its worst, and taxpayers are footing the bill. Albany’s ruling class has made their priorities clear: your paycheck, your bills, and your future come second to their grip on power. Until we get a governor who will put people over politics, rein in spending, protect ratepayers, and actually focus on making New York affordable again, New Yorkers will keep paying for Kathy Hochul’s failures. * * * Robert G. Ortt was sworn into office as a New York State Senator for the 62nd District in January of 2015. He serves as the Republican Senate Minority Leader. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

As the Cracker Barrel rebrand continues to dominate public discourse, the company is downplaying the plethora of negative comments as a “vocal minority.” The Southern-themed restaurants are undergoing remodels, and most recently, introduced an updated version of its classic logo that’s been poorly received on social media. Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino said during an appearance on “Good Morning America” that feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive,” but that doesn’t match up with most of the comments and videos circulating online.  A Cracker Barrel spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement that the response to the remodeled locations and other changes “were informed by direct input from our guests and team members alike.” The rep continued, acknowledging that “there may be a vocal minority who feel differently.” “However, the strong performance of these locations affirms that we are moving in the right direction,” the statement added. “We hope people who haven’t yet visited a remodeled store will visit us and experience the country hospitality proudly on display at every table and in every dish.” “Our values haven’t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed,” the company said. “And Uncle Herschel remains front and center in our restaurants and on our menu. He is the face of ‘The Herschel Way,’ the foundation of how our 70,000-plus employees provide the country hospitality for which we are known.” End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships “Cracker Barrel has been a destination for comfort and community for more than half a century, and this fifth evolution of the brand’s logo, which works across digital platforms as well as billboards and roadside signs, is a call-back to the original and rooted even more in the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all back in 1969.” The new logo removes the old man perched next to a barrel in favor of modern, minimalist text with no graphics. Critics say the new logo is devoid of personality, just like the remodeled stores have a generic aesthetic that’s leagues apart from the warm, welcoming, eclectic look of before. They also voiced complaints about the updated menu, which is all part of the rebranding efforts. Despite the company rep claiming detractors were in the “minority,” Cracker Barrel lost roughly $100 million in market value on Thursday following the announcement of the new logo. Social media is still flooded with negative comments and pleas for the restaurant to revert to its previous look.

When we’re teenagers, we all think our moms are dumb as a box of rocks. As time passes, around our mid-twenties, we realize that Mom had it going on. Until that stark realization sinks in, no amount of tips, tricks, and pointers will matter. This picture-hanging tip is one of the things we’d have ignored a few short years ago. Now, it is pure genius. Did you catch that? Watch it again, then follow along. Start with a flexible strand of braided embroidery thread or similar sturdy string. Baker’s twine and some yarns might work too, but you want something that is flexible and that won’t fray. You’ll need about 10 to 12 inches. From the middle of your string, wrap it around the nail you intend to hang your picture on. Pass both ends of the thread through the triangle, D-ring, or round hanger on the back of the frame. Turn your picture face-out and pull the string gently until the hanger rests on the nail. Then grasp one end of your string and pull gently to remove it from the nail until you have another picture to hang. Try This Picture-Hanging Tip For Frames With Wires If you think that picture-hanging tip was genius, wait until you see this next one. This is for frames that have a hanging wire on the back. You’ll need a fork from the kitchen. How innovative is that? Place the fork tines over the nail, then use the handle to guide the wire right to the nail. When the wire is on the nail, remove the fork, wash it, and put it back in the drawer. With these two picture-hanging tips, you will be able to easily hang almost every picture in your home. No more fighting to blindly find the nail with the tiny hanger. The string trick guides the frame right to it. Same with wires. No more trying to perform acrobatics to hold the wire out to catch the nail as you guide the picture frame into position. Please share. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here and here. The post Mom’s Simple Yet Genius Picture-Hanging Tip Will Have You Asking, “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” appeared first on InspireMore.

'Their free exercise is also burdened'

He was accused of choking his girlfriend, allegedly lifting her off the ground

His GOP challenger is struggling to get a fair recount

'This is a disaster waiting to happen'

'perhaps we should start looking at that very serious situation again'

Column Babylon 5 Rewatch Babylon 5 Rewatch: Third Season Overview A look back at the highs and lows of the third season of Babylon 5. By Keith R.A. DeCandido | Published on August 25, 2025 Credit: Warner Bros. Television Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: Warner Bros. Television Babylon 5 Third SeasonOriginal air dates: November 1995 – October 1996Executive producers: Douglas Netter, J. Michael Straczynski It was the dawn of the third age… The season starts with the officers of B5 dealing with the growing threat of the Shadows. Aiding in that is the assignment to the station of a Minbari-Vorlon hybrid ship the White Star—which by season’s end proves to be the vanguard of a fleet of powerful ships that can form their own jump points and at least hold their own against the Shadows. The White Star proves to be a valuable asset against the Shadows, helping keep a Shadow vessel unearthed in the solar system out of EarthGov’s hands and also bringing the fight to the Shadows. They also learn from the Book of G’Quan that telepaths are a weapon against the Shadows. To that end, the Vorlons deliberately genetically engineered humans to develop telepathy and the Shadows are trying to use telepaths to counter that disadvantage. The Rangers are also now working more overtly, with a Ranger named Marcus Cole assigned to B5. The Rangers are the ones who learn how extensive the Shadows’ machinations are, setting nation against nation. Meantime, creeping fascism on Earth is causing more and more problems. NightWatch is upping their enforcement of the more draconian laws. Earth even sends a political officer to B5, though she’s recalled when our heroes publicize footage taken by the Great Machine of Clark admitting to being behind Santiago’s death. Credit: Warner Bros. Television Eventually, the EarthForce personnel who are working against Clark under General Hague are targeted, with Hague himself killed, while several colonies declare independence, and ISN is forced to go dark—only to come back as an obvious propaganda tool. There’s a showdown at B5 that only ends when Delenn shows up with some Minbari capital ships to support the station. This leads to B5 following the lead of those colonies and declaring independence. NightWatch is kicked off the station, with Narns loyal to G’Kar supplementing Garibaldi’s security staff. G’Kar himself continues to fight for his people, while staying on B5 where he has asylum, though the Centauri make several attempts to get him to leaver the station. He endeavors to make himself indispensable with the goal of being read in on the Army of Light, which Sheridan and Delenn only do after procrastinating, due to having to reveal to him that they knew the Shadows were behind the Centauri’s aggression against the Narn. G’Kar also works with Mollari to take down Refa—the one who ordered the mass drivers to attack the Narn homeworld. Mollari is fooled by Morden into thinking that Refa had Mollari’s lover Adira killed (it was really Morden who did it), which also leads to him renewing his association with the Shadows. He also banishes Vir to Minbar as Centauri ambassador, mostly so he doesn’t have to put up with Vir being his conscience. However, Vir works to save Narns from suffering, which causes him to be recalled. Credit: Warner Bros. Television Sinclair returns long enough to fulfill his destiny: going back in time with Babylon 4 to become Valen and win the first Shadow War with the aid of B4’s from-a-millennium-in-the-future technology. This also explains why all of Valen’s prophecies came true. (That same adventure also sees Sheridan go two decades into the future, where we learn that the final fate of Mollari and G’Kar isn’t quite what we thought it was from Mollari’s premonitions…) Sheridan and Delenn are able to build a coalition from what’s left of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds to fight the Shadows. Sheridan even convinces Kosh to get the Vorlons to make an offensive strike against the Shadows, though the Shadows retaliate for this action by killing Kosh. These losses concern the Shadows enough that they pull Anna Sheridan out of the Shadow ship she’d been bonded with, attempt to reconstruct her personality, and send her to B5 to convince Sheridan to go to Z’ha’dum. However, while Sheridan does go to Z’ha’dum, he doesn’t buy the Shadows’ line, and uses the White Star and some heavy weapons to do significant damage to Z’ha’dum—and seemingly to die, as he’s last seen jumping into a very deep abyss. Sheridan’s visit to Z’ha’dum is simultaneous with the Shadows surrounding B5—but they retreat after Sheridan’s attack, though they do take a prisoner: Garibaldi. Favorite Get the hell out of our galaxy! From “Passing Through Gethsemane”: Sheridan says his faith is eclectic and open-minded. Theo says he’s rudderless, directionless, and cast adrift without a compass on an ocean of ecclesiastical possibilities. Which he says right before he puts Sheridan in checkmate. Credit: Warner Bros. Television Favorite Nothing’s the same anymore. From “War Without End, Part 2”: Sinclair turns out to be Minbari Jesus Valen. This goes a long way toward explaining why Valen’s prophecies tended to come true… Favorite Ivanova is God. From “Matters of Honor”: Ivanova already knew all about the Rangers and Sheridan, Delenn, and Garibaldi’s role with them. Sheridan is nonplussed to discover this, to which Ivanova says that he should start worrying when something happens on the station that she doesn’t know about. Favorite The household god of frustration. From “Dust to Dust”: After Bester pretends to still be telepathic in the interrogation of Van Troc, Garibaldi angrily confronts Bester about still being able to use his psi powers, because Garibaldi apparently skipped the class about how to conduct an interrogation in security school and didn’t realize that Bester was bullshitting Van Troc. Seriously, lying to the perp to get a response is Interrogation 101, and Garibaldi should know that, and the only reason he didn’t is because the script needs to let the viewer know that Bester is lying. It would’ve been much better—and not made Garibaldi out to be spectacularly incompetent at his job—if Garibaldi very reluctantly complimented Bester on his technique, especially since Van Troc couldn’t possibly have known that Bester was on sleepers. Favorite If you value your lives, be somewhere else. From “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”: Part of Delenn’s attempt to get Sheridan out of his funk is to discuss her search of the meaning of cranky, which led her to grouchy, which led her to crotchety. She expresses frustration with how words in English seem to just mean other words, plus she’s skeptical that “crotchety” even is a word. At one point, Sheridan shoots her a look, and she says, “Never mind—your face just broke the language barrier.” Credit: Warner Bros. Television Favorite In the glorious days of the Centauri Republic… From “Dust to Dust”: Vir’s report is that the Minbari are a lovely people interested in culture and art, they have cities that are thousands of years old, and that they’re a deeply spiritual people. Mollari’s counter to this is that they are decadent and soft, out to impose their views on everyone else, and their lack of new construction is a sign of their faltering economy, and it may make them aggressive. However, he says Vir should leave in the part about how they’re deeply spiritual—it always scares people. Favorite Though it take a thousand years, we will be free. From “Ceremonies of Light and Dark”: G’Kar is too busy trying to continue to be indispensable to attend the rebirth ceremony. Besides which, he says, he was already born once, “and quite sufficiently, I think.” Favorite We live for the one, we die for the one. From “Grey 17 is Missing”: The Rangers were run by the Warrior Caste back when Valen formed them, but they disbanded some time after the first Shadow War. At one point, Cole gives the Rangers’ mission statement: “We walk in the dark places no others may enter. We stand on the bridge and no one may pass.” (One hopes they’re better at guarding bridges than this guy…) Favorite The Corps is mother, the Corps is father. From “Passing Through Gethsemane”: Alexander is, strictly speaking, a rogue, though the senior staff doesn’t turn her in to Psi Corps because Psi Corps is a bunch of big stinkies, and besides, they can use Alexander to do all kinds of unethical things now! Credit: Warner Bros. Television Favorite The Shadowy Vorlons. From “Z’ha’dum”: Justin and Morden spell out the history, at least from their perspective, of how the Vorlons and Shadows have guided and manipulated younger races for the last several hundred millennia. Favorite Looking ahead. From “War Without End, Part 2”: Delenn has a flashforward to her watching Sheridan sleep, only to be interrupted by a woman’s voice. This scene will come to pass in “Shadow Dancing.” We see the fullness of Mollari and G’Kar’s strangling of each other, first mentioned in “Midnight on the Firing Line” and foreseen by Mollari in “The Coming of Shadows.” We have previously been told that Sheridan will die if he goes to Z’ha’dum, so Delenn’s urging of Sheridan not to go to there is understandable, though if he’s still alive seventeen years hence, he obviously doesn’t die—exactly. This will all be explained in “Z’ha’dum” and the first several episodes of season four. The Keeper is of Drakh origin—we’ll see more of the Drakh in the future. Mollari’s acquisition of the Keeper will happen in very aptly titled season-five episode, “The Fall of Centauri Prime.” G’Kar will lose his left eye in “Falling Toward Apotheosis.” Favorite No sex, please, we’re EarthForce. From “Exogenesis”: At the end of the episode, Franklin tells Ivanova that Cole wants a second chance with her, which leads her to think that Cole is the one who left the flowers by her door. (Which was, of course, a lie by Corwin to cover that he brought flowers to a staff meeting.) Ivanova then tosses the flowers at Cole, saying, “Keep them.” Cole, naturally, thinks that Ivanova got the flowers for him, and believes that he has a chance with her again. Wheeee! Credit: Warner Bros. Television Favorite Welcome aboard. New recurring guests this season include Vaughn Armstrong as a never-named security guard, Jennifer Balgobin as Hobbs, Melissa Gilbert as Anna, Rance Howard as Sheridan’s Dad, Diana Morgan as a propaganda-drenched ISN anchor, Louis Turenne as Brother Theo (eschewing the Minbari makeup of Draal for the lack of makeup necessary for a human monk), and Tim Winters as Rathenn. Back for more are recurring guests Ardwight Chamberlain as the voice of Kosh (as well as another Vorlon, Alkesh, and the First Ones in “Voices of Authority”), Kent Broadhurst as Krantz, the magnificent Tim Choate as Zathras, Joshua Cox as Corwin, Maggie Egan as Jane the ISN anchor, William Forward as Refa, the great Walter Koenig as Bester, Damian London as a Centauri official, Gary McGurk as Clark, Michael O’Hare as Sinclair, Robin Sachs as Na’Kal, John Schuck as Draal, Patricia Tallman as Alexander, Marshall Teague as Ta’Lon, the great John Vickery as Neroon, and Ed Wasser as Morden. Some nifty one-off guests: Wayne Alexander (“And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”), Lewis Arquette (“Point of No Return”), Erick Avari (“And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”), Majel Barrett (“Point of No Return”), Thom Barry (“Grey 17 is Missing”), Ron Campbell, Jeff Corey ( both in “Z’ha’dum”), Brad Dourif (“Passing Through Gethsemane”), Robert Englund (“Grey 17 is Missing”), Erica Gimpel (“Walkabout”), Francois Giroday (“And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”), Matt Gottlieb (“Severed Dreams”), Dona Hardy (“A Late Delivery from Avalon”), Marva Hicks (“And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place”), Michael Kagan (“A Late Delivery from Avalon”), Stephen Macht (“A Day in the Strife”), Kim Mayori, Bruce McGill (both in “Severed Dreams”), Aubrey Morris (“Exogenesis”), Phil Morris (“Severed Dreams”), Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow (“War Without End, Part 2”), Jim Norton (“Dust to Dust”), Tucker Smallwood, Kitty Swink (both in “Matters of Honor”), Cary-Horiyuki Tagawa (“Convictions”), Carmen Thomas (“Sic Transit Vir”), and Michael York (“A Late Delivery from Avalon”). But by far the best guest turn this year is by Mel Winkler, simply superb as Rev. William Dexter in “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place.” Favorite Trivial matters. Probably the one for “Sic Transit Vir,” mostly because I love being able to tell the story of Chiune Sugihara (as well as that of Oskar Schindler). Favorite The echoes of all of our conversations. From “Severed Dreams”: “This is Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari. Babylon 5 is under our protection—withdraw or be destroyed.” “Negative, we have authority here. Do not force us to engage your ships.” “Why not? Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. He is behind me—you are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else.” —Delenn having her crowning moment of awesome against EarthForce, and providing the source of the Minbari category in this rewatch. Credit: Warner Bros. Television The name of the place is Babylon 5. “If you go to Z’ha’dum, you will die.” Everything clicks very nicely into place in this third season, which is characterized by genuine progress and periodic setting of the status quo on fire. Ivanova’s opening voiceover for this year states that B5 has gone from the last, best hope for peace—at which it has failed, as there’s very little peace to be found in the galaxy at this point—to the last, best hope for victory. That is mainly due to B5 being the focal point of the coalition of people working for order against the chaos of the Shadows, particularly Sheridan and Delenn. It’s Sheridan who convinces Kosh to get the Vorlons to be more overt, which not only scores a major victory against the Shadows, but helps in recruiting people to the Army of Light. It’s Delenn who provides the White Star fleet, a major offensive weapon. But they’re not working alone. G’Kar and the Narns on the station provide needed assistance in keeping the station secure. Garibaldi is the one who figures out that telepaths are the best weapon to be used against the Shadows, and Alexander is the one who tests that theory. Even Bester, of all people, gets into the act, as he views the Shadows as impediments to his own ambitions, so he is willing to work with our heroes to deal a body blow to the Shadows’ plans by retrieving the telepaths they kidnapped. So many well-done storylines here. The NightWatch and Clark Administration plotlines that dominated the early half of the season are particularly striking to watch in 2025, and in general, writer/executive producer J. Michael Straczynski expertly shows the creeping fascism, from Kitty Swink’s senator in “Matters of Honor” to Vaughn Armstrong’s NightWatch toady in “Messages from Earth” and “Point of No Return” to Diana Morgan’s propaganda-spewing ISN anchor in “Ship of Tears.” Indeed, the NightWatch plot’s only misstep is the kidnapping of Delenn in “Ceremonies of Light and Dark.” Of particular note is Jeff Conaway’s Zack Allan, newly promoted to the opening credits this season, who is caught betwixt and between, not important enough to be read in on the Army of Light’s secret missions but also of sufficient unimportance to be used as a tool by EarthGov and NightWatch. The season’s back half is dominated by the war against the Shadows, and that too is a thrill-ride, with everything building to Sheridan’s fateful trip to Z’ha’dum. Of course, the best part is, as always the Centauri-Narn conflict in general and the Mollari-G’Kar dynamic in particular. The latter two go through quite a bit, from being trapped in a transport tube in “Convictions” to the futile attempt to replace him as the Narns’ representative in “A Day in the Strife” to G’Kar’s temporary telepathy giving him brutal insights into Mollari in “Dust to Dust” to the pair actually working together to kill Refa in “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place.” But the best is the brilliant revelation of their future in “War Without End, Part 2,” a masterpiece of unexpected foreshadowing. While much of the acting this season is excellent—a far cry from the first season’s parade of wooden performances from both regulars and guests—the thespic glue that holds it all together is Bruce Boxleitner. An ensemble only works with a charismatic lead, and Boxleitner has the perfect mix of determination, tactical acumen, friendliness, openness to change, and stubbornness that a leader needs. Sheridan goes through a helluva lot in this season, particularly in its final few episodes, and Boxleitner nails every nuance, every emotion, and every line of dialogue. In “Z’ha’dum,” Justin calls him a nexus, and it very much feels like it. The season is not perfect. Franklin’s addiction and recovery arc could charitably described as uninteresting, and I rewatched this season thinking that I would’ve been happy if his resignation in “Interludes and Examinations” was the last time we saw the character. And in general, the season—written entirely by Straczynski—has wildly inconsistent writing, with periodic bits of clunky exposition (e.g., several times in “Dust to Dust”), weak attempts at humor (“Ceremonies of Light and Dark,” “War Without End, Part 1”), and the occasional doofy-ass plotline (the titular portion of “Grey 17 is Missing”). Still, when he’s on, Straczynski can definitely bring it, from the nicely nuanced EarthGov official played by Tucker Smallwood in “Matters of Honor” to Sheridan’s powerful speech announcing their independence from Earth in “Severed Dreams” to Justin’s almost-reasonable-sounding description of the Shadows’ MO in “Z’ha’dum,” as well as G’Kar’s closing voiceover in that episode. Best of all is one of the series’ best episodes, “And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place,” which is a masterpiece by Straczynski: From the friendly-abuse banter between Louis Turenne’s Theo and Mel Winkler’s Dexter to Mollari’s holographic verbal evisceration of Refa before setting the Narn on him to the magnificent late-night conversation between Dexter and Sheridan to Dexter’s powerful sermon to that stunning climax intercutting the gospel singing with Refa’s murder. The season builds beautifully to the climax of “Z’ha’dum,” and leaves you really really really wanting to know what’ll happen next, with Sheridan having seemingly jumped to his doom, with Garibaldi missing, and with nobody knowing quite what will happen with the Shadows now… Next week: We’re taking the week off for Labor Day and for your humble rewatcher to go to Dragon Con 2025. In two weeks, we’ll kick off season four with a look at “The Hour of the Wolf.”[end-mark] The post <i>Babylon 5</i> Rewatch: Third Season Overview appeared first on Reactor.