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Science fiction/fantasy Television

G’Kar is dead

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Sad news on the Babylon 5 front.

Andreas Katsulas died on February 13 of lung cancer at the age of 59. Besides playing the One-Armed Man in the movie The Fugitive and making frequent appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Katsulas was best known for playing the Narn Ambassador G’Kar on what was, in my opinion, one of the best SF television shows of all time, Babylon 5.

G’Kar was my second favorite character on the show after his nemesis, Londo Mollari. Whereas Londo’s character arc saw him starting out as a decadent and buffoonish oaf and then becoming a very dark and cunning character before finally acquiring wisdom and then sacrificing himself for the good of his people, G’Kar started out as an angry, violent, and arrogant character, out for vengeance for the Centauri occupation of his homeworld and, over the course of five seasons, evolved into a revered religious leader who had learned to put aside his hatred of his enemies. Through it all, G’Kar showed a wry sense of humor (and also got some of the best lines in the series). The central conflict between these representatives of two races at war, although not the primary plot, was always lurking right under the surface and drove many of the story arcs. How G’Kar and Londo finally came to a mutual respect, understanding, and something that bordered on being friendship produced some of the very best drama of the series. It wouldn’t have worked if Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik (who played Londo) weren’t such accomplished actors. Katsulas, in particular, had to manage to pull this off under layers of makeup and prosthetics.

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What is it with the cast of this series? First Richard Biggs (who played Dr. Stephen Franklin) died suddenly in 2004 at the young age of 44, and now Andreas Katsulas.

They live on only on DVD now.

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By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

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