G'Kar, no more...Andreas Katsulas has passed away

Man, now this really is a case of a good actor dying way too soon. While the role which most likely will immortalize Andreas Katsulas is G'Kar of Narn in Babylon 5 he was a brilliant character actor that I had enjoyed in every role I had ever seen him in. This is also the second actor that played a primary character in Babylon 5 that has died since the series ended less than a decade ago. Richard Biggs, who played Doctor Franklin was the first casuality, and he was only 44, and now Andreas Katsulas at 59. I grew up a SF fan from the outset, although back then it was from books and not TV/movies, mainly because there wasn't much SF movies worthy of the name (as opposed to those using a SF basis for a fright flick of some type, never my cup of tea) and TV. I used to get nothing but teasing from both my peers and most adults for reading that "silly nonsense", for this was back when SF was seen as pure escapism only and pretty much nothing else, long before SF became recognized as the literature of ideas. These days SF has gone from being silly stuff to being a well developed and popular field of fiction, much to my gratification I must add.

Now, growing up I was a Trekkie, mainly because unlike every other SF premise of the day it had a positive vision for the future of humanity. It was not premised on a post apocalyptic event, alien invasion, etc. So for almost a quarter century there was nothing that beat Trek for me. Then came Babylon 5. The first series on TV, SF or otherwise, that was envisioned and written with a distinct 5 year story arc in the format of a great epic. It worked, indeed it worked better than anything I have seen before or since. Of all TV series ever Babylon 5 is my all time favourite. I have all the series on DVD as well as the movies, and it even now is a wonderful was to pass the time when my health went on a downwards trend to distract me. Now, of all the characters of the series the one that ended up having the best lines and delivery was Andreas Katsulas, something I think most fans of B5 would agree with, or if not agree with at least see why another might think so instead of say the characters of Delenn or Sheridan,

When I heard Richard Biggs had died I was sad, this though hurts like I lost a close friend or family member, not something I tend to feel for actors, but this man was truly a gifted and brilliant actor in my view, and to know I will never see him in anything new is a real let down. At least he has the legacy of his work in Babylon 5 to immortalize him that showcased him at his best doing what I would argue was some of his best work, especially in the later years of Babylon 5.

So this entry is for you Andreas Katsulas, you will be missed by many, I among them.