Writing With a Scalpel #2

I'm trying to cut out sluggish exposition. This means I write the version where everybody explains things first, then I hack the action and dialogue down to the what audience should be able to understand by inference.
Also, House gets away with a one-scene introduction because people have no problem believing in hospitals, doctors, or jerks.
I went back and watched pilots for genre shows, and the first episode is always thick with awkward exposition. In fact mid-arc episodes can also be thick with exposition.
(It seems the most important rule of diplomacy on Babylon 5 is not to start mentally re-organizing your wardrobe when anybody starts a sentence like - 'On *my* homeworld.....'
This goes double for Sheridan. )