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Re: New To Babylon 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springer (Post 463999)

Not that anyone does ask me, but if anyone did, I'd recommend And Now For A Word as a good introduction to the series, it gives the viewer a good overview of all the characters, the station, and the circumstances.

It may be sacrilege to say this, but I find Intersections in Real Time a bit dull. I rarely re-watch it.

The Illusion of Truth feels a bit forced to me. Stuff like "Nothing in the Universe can stop us" felt completely unnatural things to say. Though I did appreciate the concept of showing how things can be taken out of context. Nowadays they'd just deep-fake it.

A View From the Gallery... yeah, not my cup of tea, but I understand why people like it.

The other off-format episode I can think of is The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari, which I think is very underrated, but it's one of the best episodes of season 5.

By the way, just want to say how much I'm enjoying reading Axionz thoughts about viewing the show for the first time. There's also been a lot of first-timers posting on Twitter after watching on HBOMax, and it's a joy to read.

It's always great when you find a hidden gem like this but it always get terribly sad when approaching the final season, and you know there will be no more episodes or even the possibility of seeing these characters again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubik (Post 464004)

I totally agree with Jan here. Watch S5 in the intended (airing) order. Don't worry about the films, spins offs, etc for now.

IMHO most of the TV Movies are pretty bad and only In the Beginning really stands up as excellent. They're like a fun little bonus if you find yourself craving more (and you will!)

Crusade is a bit of a curiosity. I've seen it from start to finish three times, and on my third viewing, I came down very heavily on the side that it shouldn't have been made. It just felt cheap and derivative to me, with rare moments of quality. BUT, that's just me. Check it out once you are done with B5 proper. Everything after the original show is diminishing returns, but it's cool there are extra things here and there to watch.

Enjoy the final stretch! Whilst S5 is a bit up and down in terms of quality, it has some superb moments and B5 has one of the best finales.

Yeh I'm just watching through season 5 and I'm on episode 6 - Strange Relations. I've really slowed it down so I can enjoy the last season even more instead of binge watching it all and then I have no more Babylon 5 really lol.

A few things I will say about season 5 so far is that I much prefer Sheridan as the captain, really end up missing him being in that role and it just feels different that he's moved to a president role and taking on a new look, the beard and uniform just feels so strange as if the whole idea was to move Sheridan away from the command structure, that sort of military vibe which I loved about his character.

Garibaldi as well, miss him being in his main security chief role as it just starts to feel like a huge change as if the writer/directors were trying to distance the main characters a bit around that time, like not make them the prime focus anymore? Dunno it just feels strange lol, and I wasn't a big fan of Garibaldi being rogue when his mind got altered by Bester, I just loved that sort of Garibaldi, Sheridan, Ivanova trio. So when Garibaldi was mind altered it completely changed the dynamic of the show I thought and he never got much time on the episodes during that time frame either I don't think.

The last point would of course be not having Ivanova anymore which again just adds to that feeling mentioned above, as if the main cast have changed big time with their roles and sort of moving off the spot light a bit. I'm assuming Ivanova doesn't come back in as I think I read somewhere that she wanted more focus or a bit of a change up with her character and michael straczynski did not agree and wanted to keep her as is on the show?

Anyway it all feels very different in season 5 with so many changes and with the Shadow plot done and dusted and no more Vorlon's it sort of feels like the mystery has been removed, the Shadows were an absolutely AMAZING story and not knowing much about them made it even more interesting and just captures you when watching. The Vorlon's as well added to that mystery throughout especially when you learn that both the Vorlon's and the Shadows are linked, stellar story line for those.

With all these changes in both story and characters it makes me want to be back in Season3/4 lol.

Hope you're all doing good and enjoying the weekend!

Re: New To Babylon 5

Et tu, Ubik? :p

But like I said, it is a win, win either way you choose to watch it.

For the record I rank the movies as thus.....

IN THE BEGINNING
A CALL TO ARMS
THIRDSPACE
RIVER OF SOULS

I don't really count THE GATHERING as one of the movies because it is the pilot and was made with different intentions than the made-for-TV movies. I feel LEGEND OF THE RANGERS TO LIVE AND DIE IN STARLIGHT also falls into a different category and I don't really compare it to the above.

Anyone want to mess with the movie viewing order? :)

Re: New To Babylon 5

Thirdspace goes in the middle of season 4. It's referenced in later episodes so it needs to go there. The others go after season 5.

You've forgotten Legend of the Rangers and Lost Tales though.

Re: New To Babylon 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karajorma (Post 464028)

You've forgotten Legend of the Rangers and Lost Tales though.

Are you talking to me? I mentioned Legend of The Rangers, but I did forget to mention that I do not consider THE LOST TALES to be a movie. It is episodes of a two episode spin-off series. :thumbsup:

Re: New To Babylon 5

I quite like all the movies, even River of Souls for all its faults, it's always fun watching Ian McShane and Martin Sheen. Think Thirdspace and A Call to Arms are my favourites, In The Beginning always felt to me like it needed a bigger budget, and it was a shame Michael O'Hare couldn't come back - what happens to Sinclair at the Battle of the Line just feels tacked on at the end, I think it would have worked better if Sinclair had been present earlier in the movie.

Axionz - don't worry about the ordering of the movies, they are made to be watched out of order, and the chronological ordering of Thirdspace always seems to cause debate among fans anyway :-) Just enjoy through to the end of season 5.

Re: New To Babylon 5

[QUOTE=Axionz;464016]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springer (Post 463999)

With all these changes in both story and characters it makes me want to be back in Season3/4 lol.

Yeah, the first four seasons were some of the best TV we've ever been given. Season five is not the one to savor. BUT, the good news is that when you go back and watch it again you are going to find SO MUCH great stuff that you missed before! I must have watched the series 10 times, probably more. Each time I appreciate something new (maybe I'm just not very observant).

I still love it and put it on when I want to be cheered up. It's like comfort food for me.

Re: New To Babylon 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaded (Post 464049)

BUT, the good news is that when you go back and watch it again you are going to find SO MUCH great stuff that you missed before! I must have watched the series 10 times, probably more. Each time I appreciate something new (maybe I'm just not very observant).

I still love it and put it on when I want to be cheered up. It's like comfort food for me.

I could not have said it better myself.

Re: New To Babylon 5

[QUOTE=deaded;464049]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axionz (Post 464016)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springer (Post 463999)

With all these changes in both story and characters it makes me want to be back in Season3/4 lol.

Yeah, THIS. Season 1 on a re-watch has so many 'ahhhh' moments of foreshadowing. My first proper re-watch really made me appreciate just how well Season 1 is structured. Sure, there are a few clunkers (Infection, Eyes, etc...) but there's so much good groundwork. I had always seen Season 1 as rather weak, but subsequent re-watches have totally changed my opinion. Same for Sinclair / O'Hare, I really grew to appreciate the character / actor.

Re: New To Babylon 5

I definitely agree that S1 improves more than any other season on rewatch.

Re: New To Babylon 5

Yes, I was woefully unappreciative of season 1 the first time I saw it. I saw it again , and it really impressed me. It took me a bit before I got into the style.