It Was the Dawn of the Third Age of B5-Watching... - Page 2

Looney · February 26th 19, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoshFan

I forgot to keep you all posted here! And I don't have time tonight -- early morning tomorrow, and a long day ahead.

But having just watched "Endgame" while reading the Ex's written commentary, I was highly amused: they kept saying, "This is all too easy! When's the other shoe going to drop?" Which is of course a very wise attitude when watching this show. But this time, it all goes pretty smoothly -- because the plot does not have time for it to go badly, not when they were trying to wrap up the show in just a few episodes!

It's fun to imagine what might have been: Garibaldi would have had to work way harder to convince everybody, I'll bet Sheridan's rescue would have taken a full ep, and the fall of Clark would have been much more intense and required far more than a convenient voice-over monologue by a never-before-seen senator. The Non-Battle of Mars could have been waaaay longer, too.

Yet I love to delve into what might have been and what could have been.

Have any of you seen STAR TREK CONTINUES? The basic premise is the continuation of The Original Star Trek series with different actors hired to play the main roles. Well I think we should do that with Babylon 5. At a minimum this should be attempted to elongate some of the plot lines and fill in some missing material that we all would have loved to see. Of course, the other aspect would be to continue the series from where we left off; and I mean with the new Ambassadors and the like. Fill in every moment of time from then until SLEEPING IN LIGHT. Yeah I don't really want to see other actors, but I will take what I can get.

Karajorma · February 27th 19, 06:02

I really liked Star Trek Continues. It was definitely an improvement on Discovery.

KoshFan · March 2nd 19, 19:25

The Ex was not as impressed with "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" as I thought. Liked it as an episode but not as a season finale.

Looney · March 7th 19, 13:58

I still struggle with when to show it. I showed it in order with one person I did a first time viewing with and then showed it just before SLEEPING IN LIGHT with another first time viewer. I didn't get much of a tangible difference of opinion to nail down the better choice.

Jan · March 10th 19, 20:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Looney

I still struggle with when to show it. I showed it in order with one person I did a first time viewing with and then showed it just before SLEEPING IN LIGHT with another first time viewer. I didn't get much of a tangible difference of opinion to nail down the better choice.

I would never, ever, Ever show anything but the final three episodes in exact order. Regardless of any supposed chronology, nothing should ever break that final emotional ride. IMNVHO, of course.

Looney · March 11th 19, 01:26

Not me. I always say SLEEPING IN LIGHT should be the very last. Now that isn't to say I have a problem with showing the final three episodes as the very last chapter. But I definitely feel SLEEPING IN LIGHT should be seen as the final chapter in the twenty or so years of the Babylon 5 Universe we get.

KoshFan · October 15th 19, 04:33

Well, folks, I've finally done it: I've now seen all of B5.

Yes, only just now. I watched Season 5 for the first (and heretofore only) time on VHS owned by friends, and due to some bad recording, we missed two whole episodes: "Day of the Dead" and "Phoenix Rising." I watched "Phoenix" today, and so I have finally seen every ep of Babylon 5, as of 20 minutes ago.

Why? Well, it's because I do things in order. I wasn't going to watch Season 5 by itself, and I wasn't going to watch the whole show just for the heck of it. But I'm still taking my ex through the whole arc, and after years -- and years after we broke up, frankly; I take a little pride that we're still friends -- we finally made it here.

My reactions? In all honesty, I expected to hate Byron more. He is annoying and his plotline is full of holes (Delenn solved a similar issue in the last act of one episode back in Season 1; where was she this whole time?), but the sheer hatred of the character led me to expect something truly execrable, and it didn't happen. And everyone complains about the song. We heard it once, folks, once -- and then Byron sings one line at the end -- and that's it. As annoying characters go, that's hardly the worst B5 has ever seen. (B4's commander, anyone?)

Seeing more of Bester, and finally hearing the "How stupid do you think I am?" line was a lot of fun, in a terrible way.

"Day of the Dead" was fun but a slight letdown. I had expected worse of the telepaths and better of Gaiman, I guess. And much better of Rebo and Zooty. I'm totally with Lochley on this one.

In one of the last few eps, Londo meets his old friend Lord Jano. I'm sure Jano has been mentioned before in the series but I can't find any cross-references in the Lurker's Guide. Anyone remember? I think it would have been in Season 1 or 2. Incidentally, Jano was sufficiently helpful that I instantly knew he was doomed. Damian London as the tragic & doomed Regent is just magnificent. "I think we're well pastels, now..."

Looney · October 15th 19, 13:45

Well I think one issue might be that you were spoiled on so many aspects of Season 5. Had you not heard going in that people hated Byron or that Rebo and Zooty existed you might have had different reactions. I don't hate Byron. I think the problem with Byron is that people REALLY like the the Telepath Arc and Byron is the weakest link. During the original run people anticipated a big Telepath showdown eventually becoming a reality and Byron was a let down as far as catalysts go.

I agree that it did seem like Lord Jano was referenced more than once, but I can't remember when. I think it might just be some other time in Season 5.

Jan · October 16th 19, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Looney

I agree that it did seem like Lord Jano was referenced more than once, but I can't remember when. I think it might just be some other time in Season 5.

Lord Jano only appeared in the one episode. There was a Lord Jarno who got a name-check in "Dust to Dust", though.

That said, that Lord Jarno was married to Lady Morella who shared the name with Emperor Turhan's third wife who visited the station.

Jan - your friendly neighborhood script wizard ;-)

Looney · October 16th 19, 03:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Looney

I agree that it did seem like Lord Jano was referenced more than once, but I can't remember when. I think it might just be some other time in Season 5.

Lord Jano only appeared in the one episode. There was a Lord Jarno who got a name-check in "Dust to Dust", though.

That said, that Lord Jarno was married to Lady Morella who shared the name with Emperor Turhan's third wife who visited the station.

Jan - your friendly neighborhood script wizard ;-)

Thank you "Wizard" Jan. So the name was mentioned like I thought.