Babylon 5 - is this all I need?

[chris watton]

I have never watched one episode of Babylon 5, but I have since heard that it is very good, with good effects and excellent story arcs. With this in mind, I have bought series 1-4 and the movie 'In the Beginning', as, from what I have read, series 5 has little to do with the main story, and the other movies and offshoots are not very good at all. Would that be a fair thing to say?

[joe_90]

Have you watched BSG?

[chris watton]

joe_90 said:

Have you watched BSG?

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

[Marvindodgers]

That is all you need. However, persevere through season 1 as it gets much, much better in 2 and going mental in 3 & 4 as they shoehorned most of what was mean't to be 5 into 4.

[vxr8mate]

Although not important I thought the films to very watchable.

Not overly impressed by any of the spin offs though.

[joe_90]

chris watton said:

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

And you think B5 will trump it.. Nothing can.. or ever will, its just downhill from now..

[chris watton]

joe_90 said:

chris watton said:

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

And you think B5 will trump it.. Nothing can.. or ever will, its just downhill from now..

So, what you're saying is don't bother watching any other sci-fi series, as BSG has rendered all others unworthy?

I just fancied something a little different to watch, instead of the same stuff I usually watch (for the Nth time). Many seem to rate Babylon 5, so I thought I'd give it a go (having missed this one completely), what I bought didn't even amount to £20...

[funkyrobot]

As has been said above, persevere through series 1. When you get to 2 you will notice the difference instantly. 2 - 5 seem to have the main story ark, but you need to see 1 to pick up some bits later in series 2 - 5.

I'm a fan of the series and have the whole lot on box set, plus the spin-off movies. Some are ok, like 'In the Beginning' (I think) which explains the Earth-Minbari war. This is a good one to start with.

They did a series after BF5 called Crusade. This didn't last long, however.

Edited as I have just read your post properly OP! Doh!

Edited by funkyrobot on Wednesday 8th February 13:21

[joe_90]

chris watton said:

joe_90 said:

chris watton said:

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

And you think B5 will trump it.. Nothing can.. or ever will, its just downhill from now..

So, what you're saying is don't bother watching any other sci-fi series, as BSG has rendered all others unworthy?

I just fancied something a little different to watch, instead of the same stuff I usually watch (for the Nth time). Many seem to rate Babylon 5, so I thought I'd give it a go (having missed this one completely), what I bought didn't even amount to £20...

yes basically I tried, it made me sad.. Im just trying to save you the pain and hopelessness you will feel.

[vxr8mate]

joe_90 said:

chris watton said:

joe_90 said:

chris watton said:

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

And you think B5 will trump it.. Nothing can.. or ever will, its just downhill from now..

So, what you're saying is don't bother watching any other sci-fi series, as BSG has rendered all others unworthy?

I just fancied something a little different to watch, instead of the same stuff I usually watch (for the Nth time). Many seem to rate Babylon 5, so I thought I'd give it a go (having missed this one completely), what I bought didn't even amount to £20...

yes basically I tried, it made me sad.. Im just trying to save you the pain and hopelessness you will feel.

While BSG is great, I think B5 is better.

Take out the obvious comparisons such as modern production and better CGI and we're left with the story and acting. While BSG has much better actors I believe B5’s story arch to better.

It starts slow (season 1) and continually gathers pace to the end of season 4. Keeps you coming back for more each time. While BSG started great it seemed to falter mid way (US writers strike or something I seem to remember) and somewhat limping to the end.

[RemaL]

chris watton said:

joe_90 said:

Have you watched BSG?

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

yet you have not watched Babylon 5. Loved it when it first come out. get the box set and watch from the first episode.

well worth watching

[clonmult]

vxr8mate said:

While BSG is great, I think B5 is better.

Take out the obvious comparisons such as modern production and better CGI and we're left with the story and acting. While BSG has much better actors I believe B5’s story arch to better.

It starts slow (season 1) and continually gathers pace to the end of season 4. Keeps you coming back for more each time. While BSG started great it seemed to falter mid way (US writers strike or something I seem to remember) and somewhat limping to the end.

Even thought BSG is good (apart from the mind-numbingly crap finale), B5 is definitely better - its obvious that the whole story/arc was known from the outset, and for my money the acting is easily as good as that in BSG.

Crusade was pretty good, followed on directly from the end of Series 5, but typical network intervention killed it off.

[chris watton]

RemaL said:

yet you have not watched Babylon 5.

An oversight that I have just rectified.

[freecar]

vxr8mate said:

joe_90 said:

chris watton said:

joe_90 said:

chris watton said:

Of course! I have the whole collection - what self-respecting sci-fi nut wouldn't?

And you think B5 will trump it.. Nothing can.. or ever will, its just downhill from now..

So, what you're saying is don't bother watching any other sci-fi series, as BSG has rendered all others unworthy?

I just fancied something a little different to watch, instead of the same stuff I usually watch (for the Nth time). Many seem to rate Babylon 5, so I thought I'd give it a go (having missed this one completely), what I bought didn't even amount to £20...

yes basically I tried, it made me sad.. Im just trying to save you the pain and hopelessness you will feel.

While BSG is great, I think B5 is better.

Take out the obvious comparisons such as modern production and better CGI and we're left with the story and acting. While BSG has much better actors I believe B5’s story arch to better.

It starts slow (season 1) and continually gathers pace to the end of season 4. Keeps you coming back for more each time. While BSG started great it seemed to falter mid way (US writers strike or something I seem to remember) and somewhat limping to the end.

I watched BSG recently, now I'm on season four of B5.

It. Is. Awesome!

Yes, season one is a but slow but it gathers great pace unlike BSG that I'm having to explain to my friend that I'm rewatching it with to keep him interested while it gets going!

[defblade]

[Whispers] I thought it was a bit... well... rubbish, mostly. Forced to watch it by my lodger at the time who considered it the best thing ever EVER. Graphics were good, tho, for the '90s.

[Happy82]

Season 1 is very early 90s cheese, especially the Commando style music However the acting picks up in season 2, as do the effects and music and it's one of the best sci fi series out there You'll see similarities to DS9, and also the reason that the writer of B5 was so pissed off when Paramount originally turned him down and then 'created' DS9shortly after

BSG will need something epic to take it's #1 spot for sci fi series, but B5 is a good contender

I assume you've seen the other cheese-fest that is Andromeda?

[chris watton]

Happy82 said:

Season 1 is very early 90s cheese, especially the Commando style music However the acting picks up in season 2, as do the effects and music and it's one of the best sci fi series out there You'll see similarities to DS9, and also the reason that the writer of B5 was so pissed off when Paramount originally turned him down and then 'created' DS9shortly after

BSG will need something epic to take it's #1 spot for sci fi series, but B5 is a good contender

I assume you've seen the other cheese-fest that is Andromeda?

Cheers for that (and others )

I don't think I watched B5 at the time because there were so many crap'n'cheesy US Sci-Fi series’ at the time, Andromeda being one of them - I just thought that B5 was just another annoyingly mediocre, too American series – so I steered clear. I never liked or got into the Star gate series’ either – most are way too soap-opera-ish.

I say that, but I think some of the Star Trek TNG are OK/tolerable, but only the ones without Wesley crusher, Rodenberry’s Jar Jar Binks for sure – some episodes are so cringworthingly bad I simply cannot watch them. Also Voyager, when they dedicate episodes to Chakoty (sp!) – are we really meant to believe he still practices his Indian religion, even though they class 1937 as ‘ancient history’ – it would be like an English sci-fi series who’s main character still practiced Druidy – both equally implausible and ridiculous.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

it was very good B5 but i have a bigger soft spot for all the stargates

[Twincam16]

chris watton said:

Cheers for that (and others )

I don't think I watched B5 at the time because there were so many crap'n'cheesy US Sci-Fi series’ at the time, Andromeda being one of them - I just thought that B5 was just another annoyingly mediocre, too American series – so I steered clear. I never liked or got into the Star gate series’ either – most are way too soap-opera-ish.

I say that, but I think some of the Star Trek TNG are OK/tolerable, but only the ones without Wesley crusher, Rodenberry’s Jar Jar Binks for sure – some episodes are so cringworthingly bad I simply cannot watch them. Also Voyager, when they dedicate episodes to Chakoty (sp!) – are we really meant to believe he still practices his Indian religion, even though they class 1937 as ‘ancient history’ – it would be like an English sci-fi series who’s main character still practiced Druidy – both equally implausible and ridiculous.

I know what you mean - I have a love-hate relationship with Star Trek. Generally speaking, I think the movies are terrific (with the exception of Generations), but I've never really got to grips with the TV series. The original '60s one is endearing but badly dated at times. That said, the acting isn't bad, which overcomes the fact that all the sets are made of cardboard and they land on the same planet every week.

However, I really can't get on with TNG, Voyager or Enterprise. DS9 was a masterstroke and added genuine depth to the characters (who, as in any drama, are far more important than anything to do with the special effects). TNG funnily enough hasn't visually dated much, but its politics have - it's clearly from a time when the Cold War was coming to an end, the Californian ex-hippies were running American commerce and Bill Clinton was president, and as a result it comes across as though it's been written by the Liberal Democrats. Funnily enough, the plots seem to be a left-wing version of 'Team America: Galaxy Police', where this wise and benevolent Federation gads about the cosmos solving everyone else's problems. Same goes for Voyager. Neither would work post-Iraq without looking like hypocrisy.

Also, the problem I found with TNG was their over-reliance on made-up technology to provide whole chunks of the plot. As I understand it they employed physicists to make sure it all theoretically 'worked', but the result is that you need to be a total-immersion geek to 'get' it, and I don't have time for that. I remember the kids at school who did though :shudder:.

And then you get Enterprise, which seems to me to be an opportunity for Trekkies to fill in the gaps in a very self-congratulatory way. I just couldn't get into it at all.

I have a feeling I'll enjoy the new series of films far more.

[chris watton]

Twincam16 said:

I know what you mean - I have a love-hate relationship with Star Trek. Generally speaking, I think the movies are terrific (with the exception of Generations), but I've never really got to grips with the TV series. The original '60s one is endearing but badly dated at times. That said, the acting isn't bad, which overcomes the fact that all the sets are made of cardboard and they land on the same planet every week.

However, I really can't get on with TNG, Voyager or Enterprise. DS9 was a masterstroke and added genuine depth to the characters (who, as in any drama, are far more important than anything to do with the special effects). TNG funnily enough hasn't visually dated much, but its politics have - it's clearly from a time when the Cold War was coming to an end, the Californian ex-hippies were running American commerce and Bill Clinton was president, and as a result it comes across as though it's been written by the Liberal Democrats. Funnily enough, the plots seem to be a left-wing version of 'Team America: Galaxy Police', where this wise and benevolent Federation gads about the cosmos solving everyone else's problems. Same goes for Voyager. Neither would work post-Iraq without looking like hypocrisy.

Also, the problem I found with TNG was their over-reliance on made-up technology to provide whole chunks of the plot. As I understand it they employed physicists to make sure it all theoretically 'worked', but the result is that you need to be a total-immersion geek to 'get' it, and I don't have time for that. I remember the kids at school who did though :shudder:.

And then you get Enterprise, which seems to me to be an opportunity for Trekkies to fill in the gaps in a very self-congratulatory way. I just couldn't get into it at all.

I have a feeling I'll enjoy the new series of films far more.

Nicely put!

I too love the new Star Trek, even the kid's liked it, and they hate TNG!

ETA - regarding overtly injecting US left wing politics (Democrats) into otherwise decent shows stopped me buying the last 2 seasons of Boston legal - as they were nothing more than political broadcasts for Obama - so I just have seasons 1-3, and am quite happy with that...

Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 8th February 18:22