Before going to work today, I spent a couple hours browsing my usual selection of websites that I check pretty much daily. And I read a bit of news that saddened me greatly. An actor who I admire has passed away. That actor is Andreas Katsulas, who is better known to fans of sci-fi as the Narn Ambassador G'Kar on the TV show Babylon 5. Film fans might well remember him as the one armed assassin, who framed Harrison Ford's Dr. Richard Kimble for the murder of his wife in the movie Fugitive, or perhaps the terrorist cell leader whose freedom is demanded by the plane hijackers in the Kurt Russell action movie Executive Decision.
He was a truly great character actor, especially in his role as G'Kar, being as he brought that character to life from behind a full face prosthetic. No easy task! So I've done what I always do whenever I hear of a member of the B5 cast dying. I watch what I consider to be the best episode of that actors particular character. For Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin) it was the 2nd season episode "Confessions and Lamentations" where he has to find a cure to a 100% contagious, 100% lethal alien virus, before it annihilates an entire species. For Tim Choate (Zathras) it was the 3rd season two-parter "War Without End Parts I and II", the plot of which is way too complex to fit into a couple lines, but has to do with a time travelling space station, and the greatest theft ever undertaken.
Tonight it was back to the 2nd season, for the episode "The Coming Of Shadows", which won the prestigious Hugo Award for that years best filmed sci-fi presentation. A visit by the ageing Centauri Emperor to the Babylon 5 space station on a mission of peace, results in the outbreak of war. Watching his performances won't be quite the same again now that he is gone, but he left a legacy that I'll certainly continue to enjoy. Rest In Peace Mr. Katsulas. You will be missed.
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