Still lovin' it

Still lovin\' it

I'm wrapping up the DVDs this weekend and it's amazing how I still love watching this show for some reason. I sold all my other TV shows on DVD and really have no desire to watch them again (maybe I'll compile a list of my fave Treks or something) and even movies no longer hold repeat value for me. The though of watching more Trek, after stuffing myself on the DVDs and stupid Enterprise, makes me ill. Even Monty Python and Family Guy can lose their edge after gorging on it too much (the only other TV shows I'm keeping on DVD).

But I'm watching this Babylon 5 stuff for like the gazillionth time and it's still great. Don't know why. Can't wait to get home to watch more.

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Guess I don't own as many series on DVD as you do, but I feel more or less the same way. I guess some of it's because I'm reminded of the first time I saw the series god knows how many years ago. Ah, for a simpler day when I didn't have to work for a living...

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Babylon 5 just kicks ass. I have no other explanation.

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Pretty much agreed, GKE. The only things that match B5 for repeat viewability (for me) are my homemade DVDs of Brimstone, Crusade, Keen Eddie (homemade VHS), and maybe Wonderfalls and Peacemakers. Been thinking of selling my store bought SG-1 DVD sets. Sold my store bought Buffy DVD sets. Never bought, and am never going to buy, the Angel sets (Most of Season 4 ruined it for me.).

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B5 and Buffy stand up to repeated (and repeated and repeated, etc.) viewings for the same reason; the writing was excellent in both shows.

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I'm one of those ancient people without a DVD player yet.

But I still watch my B5 tapes regularly, and I find that I still love the show!

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Yup, B5 was the only series I even bothered buying on DVD, though I still have piles of movies. Firefly is right up there for me too; may even have displaced B5 for the top spot, though it is yet to stand the test of time...

VB

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I'm a massive Six Feet Under fan, and own the first series on DVD. I can watch that again and again, and not get bored

But there are some episodes of Babylon 5 (The Long Twilight Struggle etc..) that have been watched so many times I can almost remember them word for word...

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I'm sure we can all quote large chunks word for word

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I agree with the comments so far. Babylon 5 is extremely succeptable to repeat viewing. I find myself watching at least a couple episodes on DVD per weekend. Back in Janurary when I was cooped up in the house due to snow & ice, I'd go through marathons of watching a whole season in 2 or 3 days. In fact, I think I've even come to like Season 1 a lot better through my weekend viewing.

The only TV shows I've bothered buying on DVD are all of Babylon 5, season 1 - 5 of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, and a few episodes of The Prisoner. I'd rather sell what I have of The Prisoner than complete the set. And, as far as Buffy, I will never buy seasons 6 & 7, and I'm almost regretting getting the first five seasons.

But, Babylon 5 holds up. I'm in the middle of watching Season 5 right now. So far, some of the first six eps of season 5 are more disappointing than I remember them being. I'm almost about to change my mind and say that season 1 is better than season 5. I can deal with the fate of Marcus, since it was rather fitting, but the lack of Ivanova really hurt season 5. Lochley just isn't as good a substitution as I remember her being either. But even with Byron, Lochley, and no Ivanova, a season 5 is better than no season 5.

The only things that match B5 for repeat viewability (for me) are my homemade DVDs of Brimstone, Crusade, Keen Eddie (homemade VHS), and maybe Wonderfalls and Peacemakers.

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I liked Brimstone. I'm usually not fond of dark & gritty shows, and the plotlines of individual episodes weren't all that great. However, it had an intriguing overall concept, and a very good last episode. It's a shame it didn't have a full run. Same with John Doe. What is it with Fox and cancelling good shows with lots of potential before they have a chance to succeed?

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I still watch it because there are still things that I haven't caught yet. Just a month or so ago I finally "got" the line in Soul Hunter where Delenn says to Sinclair "I knew you would come." She is talking to Sinclair as Valen (whom she saw in a temple on Minbar as a young girl, see Confessions and Lamentations, and in which he said words to the effect that he would not allow her to come to harm in his great temple).

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But, Babylon 5 holds up. I'm in the middle of watching Season 5 right now. So far, some of the first six eps of season 5 are more disappointing than I remember them being.

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I'm in the same boat as you, Ninja. I've found it a bit slow going through the first two discs. Byron is just so unlikeable that it almost makes watching his scenes impossible. The depressing undertone makes it hard to get into. Thank god for "Day of the Dead".

With the previous sets, I would sometimes watch entire discs at a time, but season 5 doesn't really lend itself to that as much. But now that I'm up to "Ragged Edge", that might change...

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I've seen every B5 ep there is more times than I can remember, and sometimes I still pick up bits of info from it or discover something that I didn't know before!

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I've found it a bit slow going through the first two discs. Byron is just so unlikeable that it almost makes watching his scenes impossible. The depressing undertone makes it hard to get into. Thank god for "Day of the Dead".

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I got to Day of the Dead last night. However, I'm not that fond of that episode, so I actually skipped it. In The Kingdom Of The Blind was looking like a good episode so far, but I was so tired that I fell asleep, so I don't remember how it ends.

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Babylon 5 endures with me I have seen every episode more times than I can count but each time I notice something different about the episode a little background info that makes Babylon 5 something truly special to watch .

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I've been going through Season 3 this last week, and as you say, you notice new things upon every viewing.

I must say though, after having watched Severed Dreams again, you could air that on TV today and not notice it was getting on for 10 years old. It really does show that they blew most of their Season 3 budget on that episode - definitely worth it, mind

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In my opinion, Babylon 5 is the best written series there is. Like everyone here, I can watch this show over and over and never bored, and often catch little things I had missed before.

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I've just started lovin' it.
I bought series 1 at £25 in february, and then saw series 2 go cheap and got that the next day. One week later I couldnt wait for series 3, and have now finished series 4.
I'm just waiting for series 5....

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Ah, for a simpler day when I didn't have to work for a living...

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Amen to that. Yeah, it's still the best. What scares me is just how much i've remebered, not how much i've forgotten!

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I just finished watching Season 5 on DVD and I agree. The Byron episodes were just not as good as they should have been, but overall the season and series are wonderfully watchable. I remember choking up when I first watched the fate of the station in "Sleeping in the Light", and I choked up again last night. Ditto for the exchange of salutes in "Objects at Rest". I think the music had a lot to do with those emotions.

I think there are a few very good television shows in history, but this was the hands-down best, in any genre. I'm glad JMS stuck with his 5-season arc; that is part of what made it so good, but God, how I miss B5.

Tarondor