Just Started Season Five, and am enjoying it.

Hi

Recently I asked via this board, whether I should watch Sleeping in Light before or after Season 5, as I was approaching the end of season 4. I really had my doubts about season 5, having lost track of B5 last time because of giving up halfway through S5, (despite being a rabid fan of every other season)

Well I am now 4-5 episodes into season 5. I have just finished watching "A view from the Gallery", and I have enjoyed it all immensely.

It's really weird, but last time I watched any season 5 episodes were during the first run (back in 1998 I think). I can remember watching this particular episode, and being really pissed off because it was all going too slow.

The problem at the time was that Season 4 had just finished with totally intense arc stories, and then we have season 5 with it's slowly building arc. But as JMS continuously said at the time, season 5 is about empire building, and watching it now, the second time, knowing that the season is about empire building (the new alliance et al), I can appreciate it all the better. I have to say, it feels like I am watching a new season of B5.

I heartily recommend to anyone who may have had negative reactions to season 5, because of its "empire building" to give it another shot. From what I am getting, its like a nice wind down to the series, the way Season 1 was a starting up to the series.

And as for Byron, I haven’t found him at all irritating, but rather scary, like you know there’s something lurking underneath (which I am sure is the intention)

Top one JMS

Percival Winterbottom

Wait till the arc kicks in regarding these "unknown forces" raiding alliance ships. That is by far the best of the season. The last 4-5 episodes are amazing.

Don't let the spoil-sports scare you away from season 5. Byron was an excellent character and he illustrated exactly and precisely the character flaws (and strengths) that were necessary for Lyta's (or what would have been Ivanova's) character development.

I always kind of felt an affinity to them. You have to see their plight: Psi Corp or drugs/jail. There are bound to be some pretty good people who are fed up with that kind of treatment.

Anyhow, re-enjoy season 5. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Season five I liked, not as much as the rest but it closed some chapters and asked some more questions.A view from the gallery was good as it shown B5 from another perspective /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifThe last half of seas 5 it the best though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ignore the anti-season 5 brigade!

Season 5 got bad press because of comparisons to the arc intensive season before it. It is different to each of the seasons that went before it (though as someone else has mentioned, it is closest in feel to Season one).

Just sit back and enjoy!

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The problem at the time was that Season 4 had just finished with totally intense arc stories, and then we have season 5 with it's slowly building arc.

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JMS relayed this story about season five at V-Con this weekend and I am transcribing his Q&A session this week. As soon as I get to that part, I can post it here if you are still interested.

Someone had asked him about season five--how he liked it or how much he changed or what affected the writing? Anyway, he answered something to the effect that, not only was he affected by Claudia's abrupt departure (which forced him to scrap the first two or three scripts) but when he fleshed out the new scripts, they got thrown away by the hotel staff. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

My impression was that he probably didn't intend for it to be so slow to start with but it was certainly meant to have a different tone than any of the other seasons. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I too liked S5 a lot better the second time. The first time it seemed pale and anticlimatic compared to S4, but the second time I was able to appreciate it for what it was, including Byron.

I was just so overwhelmed with joy after S5 started and it was good stuff again - as I've said before, the last half of S4 was almost enough to make me give up B5 for ever, as it was *for me* the absolute low point of the series (barring a few S1 eps).

Yeah, yeah, I know everyone loves S4 but I couldn't care less about either the Earth stuff or the Minbari civil war, so it was excruciating agony to sit through it.

But season 5 made me so glad I hadn't given up. At last some more character stuff - something else than the utterly boring Earth and Minbari storylines - and the end (not just the last 4-5 but I'd say 8-10 eps) was just terrific, easily the best of B5.

JMS has told the hotel story several times over the years. That was actually the same convention weekend that Claudia quit, and the fact that she was not coming back was not known for sure until the Monday after the con - that is, after "the hotel incident". So it happened before JMS started rewriting any scripts.

It wasn't completed scripts, it was the only copy of JMS's hand-written outline for the whole season (in which he was fleshing out which events would take place in which episode) that got thrown out by the cleaning staff. (Presumably JMS has since learned to do this kind of work on a laptop or PDA and make a backup copy!. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

Adjusting for the absence of Ivanova (whose entire story going back to S1 was supposed to reach its climax in the Teep Crisis) was certainly the major problem for S5. Losing the outline didn't help. But, in the main, I think S5 was still mostly what JMS had in mind for it, and that most of the hostility towards the season (especially among viewers who saw it once a week in the first run) came from fan's expectations rather than there being anything terribly wrong with what was presented on the screen. I think that's why I see so many people comment on how much better S5 plays the second time through, because we're no longer trying to "write the ending" in our own heads, and we can just watch what JMS created.

Regards,

Joe

Thanks for clarifiying that story Joe since I was only going by memory and haven't really listened to that part of the tape yet.

However, I never said that the completed scripts got thrown out by the hotel staff if that is what you were implying I said. I did say that the scripts he already had written with Ivanova in them had to be scrapped. Also, it sounds like I was a bit mixed up about what the hotel staff actually threw away ... the season 5 notes instead of a few script outlines. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyway, my point was that JMS indicated that there was a number of factors beyond his control which got season five off to a rough/slow start. That I don't think he intended but the general events that happen in season five pretty much remain unchanged.

I will post that part of the transcript here when I get there so I don't have to paraphrase the Great Maker's words. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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However, I never said that the completed scripts got thrown out by the hotel staff if that is what you were implying I said.

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I wasn't entirely sure if you meant fleshed-out scripts or other material, from the way that was phrased, and thought others might not be clear on that point either, so I spelled it out in perhaps excessive detail. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Regards,

Joe

I like season 5. That is what got me hooked on B5 in the first place. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Yay for Season 5. I like it. I'm actually currently watching it(well nto at the moment; I've been recording Crusade)

I just watched SiL tonight (again), it always seems to me, that when the station goes boom, it sends the hairs on your neck on end, and then when you see C&C go up, followed by the big boom, it tugs on the heart strings a bit. It's the boom that does it, I'm sure.

Sheridans scene with Zack is given extra poignancy, when you stop to consider G'Kar's leaving speech one more time.

SiL makes me wanna cry. It brings tears to my eyes every time.

I had the luxury of watching S5 after I'd seen the previous four seasons. I can't say I was disappointed, but it always seemed as though there was something missing. Not Ivanova necessarily, either. Yeah, the Byron stuff was weak, but it didn't really have the cohesion that the rest of the series had. From week to week, it was less like the next day than the next week (or month). It wasn't as continuous.

I liked how it stayed with the story arc and yet had the luxury of trying out some more experimental episodes.

A View From the Gallery is still one of my favorites. Mac and Bo. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

"Day of the Dead" was great too as a one-off. They could have spoiled so much more in that one.

I kind of get the impression from that episode that Lennier actually wanted to speak to Marcus, it ws nice to see Kosh exerting his influence one last time.

If Sheridan had been in the Brakiri area, it would have been interesting to see ho he'd face... Anna or Kosh would be mny guess. I reckon Kosh would appear in the form of Sheridan's dad again though.

If it were Delenn in there, I reckon we'd be looking at Neroon or Dukhat.

G'Kar, I think it would have been nice to see him face up to G'Quan, one icon advising a newer emerging one, but we'll never know now, due to his fear of what might happen.

A View From the Gallery was OK as an idea, but one of those two (I can never get the names straight) - the short little guy - was annoying as hell IMHO, that's what nearly ruined the ep for me. Then again, a lot of people *are* annoying in real life too, so I guess I shouldn't complain. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

But I liked the idea, seeing a day from the point of view from "ordinary folk". Even though the alien attack on the station was kinda... ugh, silly. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Plus it had lots of nice touches and pretty much the only "nice Byron" moment there was. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif