Topic: Babylon 5

[Sirgod]

Ok, well, I didn't watch it when it was on TV, outside of the few episodes where Chekov was a telepath. So  I ordered it  via Netflix or Blockbuster, I forget which, and it should be in the mail today or tomorrow.

I was curious as to what everyone's thoughts where of the series.

I recently wrapped up Earth 2, and was surprised that show didn't go more then what it did. It was an excellent setting and story line.

Stephen

[Nemesis]

I ended up watching it as a result of one of these online quizzes posted here and quite enjoyed it.

The series has excellent continuity as the story line was planned out from the beginning.  There are a few minor slips but they did do quite well. 

[KBF-Crim]

I loved B5...watched every episode I could find...

I liked it because humanity wasnt "sanitised"...

"who are you"

"what do you want"

Two questions...two paths...

[knightstorm]

I ended up watching it as a result of one of these online quizzes posted here and quite enjoyed it.

The series has excellent continuity as the story line was planned out from the beginning.

Not sure I agree.  They claim that now, but that might just be spin.  While Season 2 onwards is definitely one massive story arc, Season 1 seems to be more stand alone in nature.

[Corbomite]

Its awesome. I just got all five seasons. It had the best fleet action sequences since Star Wars VI. The storyline did suffer a bit between the 4th and 5th seasons because UPN dropped it and TNT picked it up at the last minute for the 5th season. They didn't know it was going to happen so they crammed as much as they could into the 4th season to finish the major story arc while sacrificing some minor story arcs that got resolved (a bit out of order) in the 5th season. There are also seven movies out, although only about four are really good and the others are just OK. Don't bother with Excaliber.

[KBF-Crim]

"Don't bother with Excaliber."

I concur....although we do learn a bit more about techno mages...

[Nemesis]

Stephen there are some potential spoilers below so read at your own risk.

I ended up watching it as a result of one of these online quizzes posted here and quite enjoyed it.

The series has excellent continuity as the story line was planned out from the beginning.

Not sure I agree.  They claim that now, but that might just be spin.  While Season 2 onwards is definitely one massive story arc, Season 1 seems to be more stand alone in nature.

Without watching the first season over again here are a few examples of things that presage the future of later seasons.

Season 1, Episode 4: Infection - A living weapon from a planet destroyed by its own defenses after fighting off an alien attack.  Hint of the last "Great War".

Season 1, Episode 6: Mind War - Catherine Sakai runs into a "First One" and is told of them by G'Kar.

Season 1, Episode 11: Survivors - first hint of Clarks conspiracy.

Season 1, Episode 13: Signs and Portents - first appearance of Morden, Delenns reaction to him is consistant with the "Great War" story arc.  Also the bare beginning of Londos path is revealed.  Londos path is consistent with his behaviour through this whole season, including his efforts to leave the path.

Season 1, Episode 16: Eyes - another connection to the "Clark conspiracy"

Season 1, Episode 18: A Voice in the Wilderness - The 5 century old installation on the planet waiting for the time to come.

Season 1, Episode 20: Babylon Squared - The first hints to what actually happened to Babylon 4

Season 1, Episode 22: Chrysalis - connects with Delenns ancestry which she later discovers and explains part of Valens origins.

All of these episodes leave links that are clearly picked up and woven back into the story line.  Hard to do if it wasn't planned that way.

[knightstorm]

Stephen there are some potential spoilers below so read at your own risk.

I ended up watching it as a result of one of these online quizzes posted here and quite enjoyed it.

The series has excellent continuity as the story line was planned out from the beginning.

Not sure I agree.  They claim that now, but that might just be spin.  While Season 2 onwards is definitely one massive story arc, Season 1 seems to be more stand alone in nature.

Without watching the first season over again here are a few examples of things that presage the future of later seasons.

Season 1, Episode 4: Infection - A living weapon from a planet destroyed by its own defenses after fighting off an alien attack.  Hint of the last "Great War".

Season 1, Episode 6: Mind War - Catherine Sakai runs into a "First One" and is told of them by G'Kar.

Season 1, Episode 11: Survivors - first hint of Clarks conspiracy.

Season 1, Episode 13: Signs and Portents - first appearance of Morden, Delenns reaction to him is consistant with the "Great War" story arc.  Also the bare beginning of Londos path is revealed.  Londos path is consistent with his behaviour through this whole season, including his efforts to leave the path.

Season 1, Episode 16: Eyes - another connection to the "Clark conspiracy"

Season 1, Episode 18: A Voice in the Wilderness - The 5 century old installation on the planet waiting for the time to come.

Season 1, Episode 20: Babylon Squared - The first hints to what actually happened to Babylon 4

Season 1, Episode 22: Chrysalis - connects with Delenns ancestry which she later discovers and explains part of Valens origins.

All of these episodes leave links that are clearly picked up and woven back into the story line.  Hard to do if it wasn't planned that way.

While they left a few stubs that they could develop further later on, the episodes in the season just don't seem as interconnected as later ones in the series.  Also, remember the Babylon 4 episode implied that they were bringing the station into the future, that's why they had to come up with an explanation of why future Sinclair appeared much older when they revisited that storyline.

[Sirgod]

Sounds like This will be very entertaining then. Thanks for the insights guys.

Stephen

[Corbomite]

Sounds like This will be very entertaining then. Thanks for the insights guys.

Stephen

Don't forget to watch the pilot, "The Gathering" as it really sets up everything. They include it in the 5 Movie Pack, but I think you can rent it separately. Keep in mind as you're watching it that all the graphics were done on a desktop Mac. Fifteen years ago that was really impressive! 

[Czar Mohab]

On the B4 story arc there is a short stub that is actually in the pilot that not only is quickly said but easy to miss - when Kosh meets his assassin (who is in disguise as one of the leads) he simply says the name of who he is to be, in almost a "wtf are you doing here?" kind of way...

The series Crusade is good enough on its own, but was doomed to failure after the (B5) fourth season closer more or less let us know that the great crusade would succeed... Of note, at the time the end of the fourth season was going to be what ended up at the end of the B5 series but due to the way in which they were informed of the now not-so-canceled season 5 they had to wrap up season 4 just a bit differently, and with haste.

I would HIGHLY recommend watching "The Gathering" and "In the Beginning"; there are arguments over when to watch ItB (before the series, after the series, etc.), and I feel it fits best inbetween seasons 4 and 5. There are enough "do you remember way back when, when we did that one thing and the other thing happened?" lines that tie right into The Gathering that it almost becomes a must, which, for you, it now is. 

Czar "Watch B5 and you'll learn cool new words like 'vivisection'," Mohab

[Nemesis]

One of the things I liked was their use of actors from other shows.  Walter Koenig, Bill Mumy, June Lockhart, Majel Barret Roddenberry.  A nice nod at what has gone before.

[KBF-Crim]

One of the things I liked was their use of actors from other shows.  Walter Koenig, Bill Mumy, June Lockhart, Majel Barret Roddenberry.  A nice nod at what has gone before.

Yes they did...and they also gave them license to play non type cast charactors...

Evil checkoff is a hoot...

[Corbomite]

One of the things I liked was their use of actors from other shows.  Walter Koenig, Bill Mumy, June Lockhart, Majel Barret Roddenberry.  A nice nod at what has gone before.

I loved that part. It was like a Who's Who of sc-fi actors.

[Sirgod]

Well, I'm up to episode 4, or rather I watched up to Episode 4 last night.

That living Organic computer weapon thingie was pretty cool, If not a little over acted, but I loved it.

Should be getting the rest in the mail soon.

I'll bump the pilot up to play when I get into season 4 or so.

Stephen

[knightstorm]

Yes they did...and they also gave them license to play non type cast charactors...

Evil checkoff is a hoot...

Bester wasn't evil, just misunderstood.

[Nemesis]

More spoilers Stephen. 

While they left a few stubs that they could develop further later on, the episodes in the season just don't seem as interconnected as later ones in the series.  Also, remember the Babylon 4 episode implied that they were bringing the station into the future, that's why they had to come up with an explanation of why future Sinclair appeared much older when they revisited that storyline.

Naturally the interconnections were not yet visible, if they were then the characters would have to be aware of them and you don't get the build up.   The author slowly presented the pieces on purpose to allow the audience to become aware of things as the protagonist did.  Sinclair was unaware of Mr Morden and his significance, he wasn't among those visited and had no reason to look for him.  The audience saw Morden but his significance was only slowly revealed. 

The characters visiting Babylon 4 as a rescue team made the assumption of the future because they were unaware of the facts of the prior war.  Being unaware of the war they could not conceive of the need for B4 to fight it.  Also it didn't occur to them that people of the present would be sending it to the past they thought it was people from the other time period taking it and how would those of the past even know of it to take it?  Also as far as they knew no one knew how to travel in time at their native time, they made the mistake of assuming that was because it hadn't been invented  yet when knowledge of it was at least a few centuries old, just concealed from others.

[Nemesis]

That living Organic computer weapon thingie was pretty cool, If not a little over acted, but I loved it.

Stephen

Another episode with one of the "old time" guest performers.  David McCallum, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the Invisible Man.

[jualdeaux]

I just got back from Wally World. They had all 5 seasons for $20 each. I am very, very tempted to go back and pick them all up at the same time.

I watched them all back when they were originally broadcast, kind of. I didn't have cable so i had to wait until they were re-broadcast in syndication.

[knightstorm]

More spoilers Stephen. 

While they left a few stubs that they could develop further later on, the episodes in the season just don't seem as interconnected as later ones in the series.  Also, remember the Babylon 4 episode implied that they were bringing the station into the future, that's why they had to come up with an explanation of why future Sinclair appeared much older when they revisited that storyline.

The characters visiting Babylon 4 as a rescue team made the assumption of the future because they were unaware of the facts of the prior war.  Being unaware of the war they could not conceive of the need for B4 to fight it.  Also it didn't occur to them that people of the present would be sending it to the past they thought it was people from the other time period taking it and how would those of the past even know of it to take it?  Also as far as they knew no one knew how to travel in time at their native time, they made the mistake of assuming that was because it hadn't been invented  yet when knowledge of it was at least a few centuries old, just concealed from others.

And the audience seeing an aged Sinclair at the end of the episode implied otherwise?  I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this.  To me, the first season just doesn't seem to fit in that well with the grand arc scheme of the rest of the series.