New To Babylon 5

[Looney]

Hey all!

Been a while since I have posted and just wanted to come say Hi and see how you're all doing!

Time does fly I did not realize the last time I posted was May!! crazy how time just slips away from you.

So yeh, how's everyone doing?

Yes very true. It is amazing how busy and distracted we can get and then BAM! months have passed.

I'm SUPER-FANTASTIC! But I'm also SUPER-SARCASTIC.

 

[Axionz]

Hey all!

Been a while since I have posted and just wanted to come say Hi and see how you're all doing!

Time does fly I did not realize the last time I posted was May!! crazy how time just slips away from you.

So yeh, how's everyone doing?

Yes very true. It is amazing how busy and distracted we can get and then BAM! months have passed.

I'm SUPER-FANTASTIC! But I'm also SUPER-SARCASTIC.

Haha indeed it does!

I've still got Babylon 5 to watch through again for a 2nd time! I watched the first season and took a bit of a break and started on season 2 the other night, 6 episodes into season 2 and loving it, feels like I never seen it because I took a few months off watching.

Doing that is actually very surprising because you actually forget a lot of things and that makes it still feel super fresh.

So yeh I will be watching more of Season 2 tonight!

What you up to yourself these days?

 

[RW7427]

Hey all!

Been a while since I have posted and just wanted to come say Hi and see how you're all doing!

Time does fly I did not realize the last time I posted was May!! crazy how time just slips away from you.

So yeh, how's everyone doing?

Yes very true. It is amazing how busy and distracted we can get and then BAM! months have passed.

I'm SUPER-FANTASTIC! But I'm also SUPER-SARCASTIC.

I speak sarcasm like a second language

 

[JohnGaunt3.0]

Odd Symmetries

Season 3 Ep14&15, Bester and Londo both lose the loves of their lives to shadow agents, one in a deliberate act of malice the other in an act of indifference. Both ‘men’ shift alliances in response, Londo moves back into the darkness, Bester shifts toward the light. Later both reverse course after perceived or real realizations of betrayal and act to avenge themselves. Londo against Morden, Bester against Lyta/Garibaldi. Both have their revenge blow up in their faces. Bester creates an implacable, powerful enemy in Lyta after Byron’s death which when complemented by Garibaldi’s money and corporate power – in ways implied but not shown – leads to the destruction on PsiCorp and the PsiCops per Crusade. Londo’s action leads to the Drakh secret take-over of the Centauri government, an orbital bombardment of the capitol by the Drazi/Narn fleet and (in the Legions of Fire books) the detonation of a fusion bomb in the city.

I just noticed this and thought it strange. Never read the PsiCorp novels so I have no idea how Bester finally dies.

 

[LateArrival]

Never read the PsiCorp novels so I have no idea how Bester finally dies.

I don't think how he dies at the end of the book is as important as how he got to that point. For the sake of semi-spoiler trivia: Bester is eventually captured, tried, convicted, and spends the remainder of his life under guard/imprisoned on "Sleepers" till he dies of natural causes.

 

[JohnGaunt3.0]

I doubted he would repent his ways or go out with an act of heroic sacrifice, but with JMS you never know.

 

[Looney]

Decided to post in this thread since everything is pretty dead around here right now. I blame the time of year and current reboot disappointment. Anyway I'm sure things will pick up with the big anniversary right around the corner. And maybe we'll have some new fans to talk with once the anniversary news starts to spread.

 

[LateArrival]

Decided to post in this thread since everything is pretty dead around here right now. I blame the time of year and current reboot disappointment. Anyway I'm sure things will pick up with the big anniversary right around the corner. And maybe we'll have some new fans to talk with once the anniversary news starts to spread.

2023 should have going for it:
- New JMS Projects
- B5Books WTHH 2 and 3 (possibly other things? :dancing
- Mira's book
- Jason's B5 Super Book which has So Much Material that it can't be squeezed into a single volume as originally planned.


Do miss Pat's B5Events as it seemed she had one Mega Event each spring-ish, but guess that ship has sailed.

 

[Looney]

Decided to post in this thread since everything is pretty dead around here right now. I blame the time of year and current reboot disappointment. Anyway I'm sure things will pick up with the big anniversary right around the corner. And maybe we'll have some new fans to talk with once the anniversary news starts to spread.

2023 should have going for it:
- New JMS Projects
- B5Books WTHH 2 and 3 (possibly other things? :dancing
- Mira's book
- Jason's B5 Super Book which has So Much Material that it can't be squeezed into a single volume as originally planned.


Do miss Pat's B5Events as it seemed she had one Mega Event each spring-ish, but guess that ship has sailed.

Oh yes. I am looking forward to it all. Traveling right now and I hope Mira's book is waiting from me when I get home. :thumbsup:

 

[Axionz]

Decided to post in this thread since everything is pretty dead around here right now. I blame the time of year and current reboot disappointment. Anyway I'm sure things will pick up with the big anniversary right around the corner. And maybe we'll have some new fans to talk with once the anniversary news starts to spread.

Hey how's it going! Found this old post so thought I'd bump it, see how everyone is getting on in life these days! Literally re-watching B5 now and on Season 4, not seen it since this original thread started and man it's just so epic and also so gutting on season 4 when the Shadows & Vorlons leave!

So how's life been for everyone, good I hope!

 

[Looney]

Hmmm what has happened to me since Dec 30, 2022?!

Not Great.

I'll admit I was torn between a brief joke and a long drawn out response of everything that has happened to me, but opted for the lazy answer as I am really struggling to stay awake right now.

Glad you stopped by and checked int Axionz. I envy where you are in the re-watch.

 

[Axionz]

Hmmm what has happened to me since Dec 30, 2022?!

Not Great.

I'll admit I was torn between a brief joke and a long drawn out response of everything that has happened to me, but opted for the lazy answer as I am really struggling to stay awake right now.

Glad you stopped by and checked int Axionz. I envy where you are in the re-watch.

Time does fly! ahh well hopefully you're doing better this year!!

Yeh the re-watch so far has been amazing because it's been a good few years since I seen it, such an incredible story for the shadows and vorlons, about to watch season 4 episode 8 right now. I heard there was an animation movie made, seen the trailer and I will watch it after I've watched the last 2 season, I also need to watch all the movies! also heard there are some great books, a trilogy which JML said is cannon, will need to check those out, you read them?

 

[Springer]

I'll just reiterate what I said in another thread about how it's great to see new - or relatively new in Axionz case – viewers really appreciating Michael O'Hare's performance given how disliked he was by many people during the original run in the 1990s. It's such a tragedy he isn't with us anymore to see the praise that comes his way.

@Axionz (should I surmise from your name that you are made of dark matter??): there's 18 novels in total, including three trilogies centring around the Psi Corps, Centauri Prime and the Technomages. All the trilogies are canon. I didn't particularly like the Psi Corps trilogy, the Centauri trilogy is excellent, I've only read the first book of the Technomages, it wasn't very good but I'm led to believe all the interesting stuff comes in the second and third books.

There is also book #9, To Dream in the City of Sorrows, all about Sinclair's time on Minbar, him becoming Ranger one and the fate of Catherine Sakai. That is the best B5 novel in my opinion. There's also a comic book series, which you can find easy enough on eBay in graphic novel format, called In Valen's Name that concludes Sinclair/Valen's story. The art isn't great though.

Edit: actually there are more B5 novels than I remembered – I forgot about the three movie novelisations. KoshN made a good list here: https://www.b5tv.com/threads/b5-novels-novelizations-and-short-stories.11723/

 

[Axionz]

I'll just reiterate what I said in another thread about how it's great to see new - or relatively new in Axionz case – viewers really appreciating Michael O'Hare's performance given how disliked he was by many people during the original run in the 1990s. It's such a tragedy he isn't with us anymore to see the praise that comes his way.

@Axionz (should I surmise from your name that you are made of dark matter??): there's 18 novels in total, including three trilogies centring around the Psi Corps, Centauri Prime and the Technomages. All the trilogies are canon. I didn't particularly like the Psi Corps trilogy, the Centauri trilogy is excellent, I've only read the first book of the Technomages, it wasn't very good but I'm led to believe all the interesting stuff comes in the second and third books.

There is also book #9, To Dream in the City of Sorrows, all about Sinclair's time on Minbar, him becoming Ranger one and the fate of Catherine Sakai. That is the best B5 novel in my opinion. There's also a comic book series, which you can find easy enough on eBay in graphic novel format, called In Valen's Name that concludes Sinclair/Valen's story. The art isn't great though.

Edit: actually there are more B5 novels than I remembered – I forgot about the three movie novelisations. KoshN made a good list here: https://www.b5tv.com/threads/b5-novels-novelizations-and-short-stories.11723/

Hey hey! Yeh Michael O'Hare was brilliant, after watching the first few episodes on season 1 I Was instantly glued to it and binged it like crazy all the way through back in 2021 lol. I was so gutted beyond belief man when I heard he only did the first season, he was fantastic and ofcourse his voice is unique and very commanding which suited his Commander role to an absolute T, still a tough pill to swallow and such a damn shame that he was struggling so much to get through season 1. I did see what JMS said about him in his interview and that Michael wanted him to tell the fans after he passed on why he had to leave all those years ago and how he struggled to get through but the fans kept him going and he didn't want anyone on set losing their jobs if he dropped out, he's a legend in my books even though apparently him and Jerry Doyle never got on but later down the line I think Jerry was a bit shaken on things because he didn't know how bad Michael was struggling.

I will be checking out some of the books at some point for sure, love the idea of hearing more about Sinclair and his time on minbar, any books that deal with the core cast I would check out just because all the cast are just amazing, such a top notch cast of actors to have back then on that show and when Bruce came in I was so on the fence about having to accept that Michael was not coming back but Bruce is also fantastic which made the transition less painful from a fans point of view I think.

 

[Dusty Satai]

I also must praise Michael O'Hare and his portrayal of Sinclair. And of course JMS who took a chance in writing a more reflective kind of captain in a sci-fi show. Ok, now I realize that Picard might be somewhat in the same mold, but they are very different as characters.

The book To Dream in the City of Sorrows that Springer mentioned is one of my favourites too. In it you also get some more of Sakai's story.

I was very sad to hear of Jerry Doyles bullying of O'Hare. But the more I've seem of him in real life he seems to be a bit of a bully unfortunately.

 

[Markas]

Having watched B5 first-run, I loved Sinclair. I thought his character was quite fascinating and with S1 being so much the exposition season, lining up so much of what comes later, he was the right choice as both a character and Michael as the actor.

I just finished Sleeping in Light last night on my most recent re-watch. It's always exhausting in the most marvelous way.

 

[Dusty Satai]

...

I just finished Sleeping in Light last night on my most recent re-watch. It's always exhausting in the most marvelous way.

Watching Sleeping in Light is a tough one, and gets tougher every year. When we do a re-watch it usually takes a long time before we take on Sleeping. The mood got to be right to start with, and nothing planned afterwards. You are indeed right, it is a great episode, but oh so exhausting.

 

[Lord Garth]

Over the past two years, I've been watching Babylon 5 every week. But I know that Season 5 isn't as highly regarded and was tacked on after JMS went into a mad dash to wrap everything up in Season 4. So, I'm going binge-watch Season 5 over the next week or two. Then I feel like I'll be able to look around here and post freely without having to worry about spoilers.

BTW, Babylon 5 Season 4 is officially one of my favorite seasons of science-fiction ever. Loved it. But my all-time favorite episode of Babylon 5 actually comes from Season 3: "Severed Dreams". I loved watching Sheridan stand up to Clark. And it means so much more in the climate of today's world.

 

[Looney]

DEFINITELY TAKE YOUR TIME AND ENJOY SEASON 5!!!!!!! There are many excellent episodes and honestly you will want to work up to the end. It is just an adjustment because SO much happened at the end of Season Four and new things are starting in Season Five. Nothing bad about it. Just enjoy it and don't rush through. They start off good and get better and better up to the end.