Babylon 5

[Charles Bradshaw]

I missed most of Seasons 1 and 5. The first, cause I got tired of tuning in, only to see 'the making of' place holder for the series (grrrr). The fifth, cause I only had broadcast where I lived in Hollywood, CA.

I have been through the Mysteries, which contains Spiritual Law, as opposed to Religious Law. B5 had the Mysteries in various episodes (not all), very cleverly disguised. Only someone familiar with the Mysteries would see this and those not familiar with them would only see one heck of a good show.

One thing I have noticed over the years: If a SciFi series goes Spiritual, it WILL be cancelled as soon as the Powers get wise to it. (Earthly Powers)

This happened in season 4 of B5, when it got cancelled at season end on broadcast TV. Turner wisely picked it up and finished the series with the fifth season.

I am a member of Columbia house DVD Club, and recently got the chance to subscribe to a TV series via TV Greats. The default series was Babylon 5!! I could NOT pass that up, as I will get all 5 seasons on DVD. I already have the first DVD.

I remember some episodes by the most memorable thing in it:

"Forget Something?" End of first season where Delenn is in the transformation cocoon and Kosh asks Sinclair/Valen that.

"Bad Hair Day." early season 2, where Delenn is having trouble with her so unfamiliar hair!

"Exploding Probe" where the probe explodes after being given the correct answer to the last question.

Delenn, btw, is a direct descendent of Valen (Sinclair). The Triluminary only lights up for Valen or one of his descendents and only a descendent of Valen can break Valen's staff. (as seen when Delenn breaks Valen's staff, thus ending the Grey Council, and becomes the Government of the Minbari Federation.)

"Who are you?" Vorlons' question (race of First Ones)

"What do you want?" Shadows' question (also First Ones)

"Who are you, What do you want?" Lorien's question (The First One)

Crusade: another excellent series, though far too short.

Movie: Legend of the Rangers - there is a hook for another movie or better yet, a series 'Hand of God' race.

 

[BuddTX]

Tell us more about this Colombia dvd Babylon 5 deal.

The couple of times I watched Farscape, it was too "Muppit-ey" for me. Now, I LOVE the Muppetts! That "children's" show had some world class adult humor in there, but for sci fi, it just doesn't do it for me.

 

[leddite]

[ QUOTE ]
BuddTX said:
Tell us more about this Colombia dvd Babylon 5 deal.

The couple of times I watched Farscape, it was too "Muppit-ey" for me. Now, I LOVE the Muppetts! That "children's" show had some world class adult humor in there, but for sci fi, it just doesn't do it for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

so you know there's 15 dvds of 3 episodes each released of the classic
muppet show, with 5 more for 20 total being released soonish?

timelife.com and if you know the magic codes, and get the correct deal
of the day, you can score big. i snagged a good chunk of them for,
get this: 80% off by playing the right deal combo. woo hoo.

google on "time life muppet coupon" for a magic code. find at least
20-25% off that way on TOP of any additional time life bundle.

 

[AlexGT]

So how many Hi-Fi lights have you seen on the B5 series?, On a Star Trek I saw a Card sized light that put a nice big beam of light, surefireish, it must have been a FX of somesort, because the whole card shined on one side and was held like an Id card.


Alex

 

[Skyline]

Farscape

Yes, Farscape has been cancelled. The people involved and fans are still campaigning to work out a way for Farscape to return, but there isn't much hope at this point. I did the whole spiel, telegrammed Sci Fi, snail-mailed, emailed, signed petitions, etc. The Sci Fi network is just being stupid. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Fortunately, seasons 1 and 2 are already out on DVD. The plans are to release all four seasons on DVD. I must say the DVD quality is top notch too. Full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, great video quality, etc.

As for Farscape being Muppet-y.. I felt the same way after watching one or two episodes. But then I got into the story line, the acting.. and you actually come to accept the animinatronic characters as being just as real as the life actors.

Let me tell you though. The season two finale had me going "OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!". Then, months later, the season three premiere had me going from "IT'S SO SAD!" through to "OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! YESSSSSSS!!!!!!". Hehehe.

If you've never watched Farscape before, if you just watch how the opening title sequence has changed from season 1 through the current season 4... it actually gives you an honest feel for how the storyline has progressed.

 

[Dreck]

[ QUOTE ]
rrtanton said:
Woah, Dreck...which show has seasons 1 & 2 out? If B5's second season's out...I gotta run to the store... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If it's Farscape, then I'm even more interested in chasing down rentals. I've yet to see even a single episode, despite the fact that I'd probably love it. I've never received sci-fi and I refuse to pay my cable provider's ridiculous rates to get it (getting sci-fi would force me to TRIPLE my bill!!)

Did anyone here try watching Firefly before it's early demise? I can't compare it to Farscape, obviously, but I was enjoying it... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

rusty


[/ QUOTE ] When I was at my local Borders' bookstore I could have sworn I saw seasons one AND two in the dvd sets ( I could have been mistaken though)

 

[rrtanton]

Hmmm...looking on Amazon, it's still listed as released on April 30th... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Oh well. I get to keep my money for a bit longer... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

rusty

 

[Lighthouse]

arioch,

That was a great episode. I recall watching it and enjoying it.

Regarding ST, Voyager, B5, SGate, Andromeda and the others, I continually find new things while viewing reruns. Too sad that the commercials eat up so much of the content though.

 

[MichiganMan]

Arioch, yeah, that was definitely a satisfying scene. I truly enjoyed the periods when, as Delenn said, he was "free to be dangerous" JMS made him a post-modern (very "post") Alexander the Great. Watching him you knew that no matter what the odds Sheridan was the baddest SOB in the galaxy, and those that underestimated him did so at their own peril. The final battle over Earth with the Agamemnon was ... well, stellar. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif I'm still debating who's more "The Man" when they're on their game, Kirk or Sheridan, but both Shatner and Boxleitner made either a joy to watch.

BTW, don't misinterpret my examples using Star Trek as my dislike. I immensely enjoyed almost all of the Star Trek universe, but the Next Generation got a little too soft and preachy for me after a while. I swear to God, if I saw one more holodeck episode involving pre-20th century Earth, or another gratuitous trying-too-hard-to-show-off-duty-camaraderie poker party/music recital scene I was going to have to take a hostage. DS9 was more my style. Avery Brooks brought an edge to the job that no others have matched. Speaking of DS9 (To boldly stay where no one has stayed before) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif It and B5 owe a mutual debt to the other. It was the revitalized success of the Star Trek franchise that enabled B5 to find its way to air, and it was the quality of B5 that drove DS9 writers to rework and renew a rapidly stagnating series. I remember seeing a post on a newsgroup asking "Why was the Federation at war with the Dominion?" The reply was "Because of what's going on on TNT at 7:00 each night."

I have been very pleasantly surprised by the quality of Enterprise. I didn't have high expectations, especially when I saw a picture of Phlox and thought "Oh great, another comic relief alien" But the show has done quite well at bringing a seriousness for the mythology that the Next Generation writers seemed to have lost their nerve for in the later seasons. Nothing demonstrates this better than the portrayal of the Klingons. After years of seeing a pretty and "sensitive" Klingon on Voyager (clumsy pandering to gather wider demographics)and Worf either getting his *** kicked (usually by women of course) or only "growing" by learning the futility of violence, we finally get to see the Klingons as truly dangerous again. Seeing a series that is more about telling good sci-fi than being heavy handedly PC is refreshing. The recent episode involving the virus T'Pol contracted via mind meld rape beat us over the head with its Aids analogy ("Message!" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif) but the series has otherwise shown a subtlety that demonstrates a respect for its audience.

BTW, in spell checking my earlier post I see I lost the HTML to my Lurkers Guide to Babylon 5 I didn't want folks to miss this was an easily accessable web site and not a book.

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

For the TV series subscriptions DVD or VHS (some on VHS only), I think the url is www.tvgreats.com (don't hold me to that, as my method was US Mail).

Since I have been up for nearly 24 hours, I need to make something to eat, then get some sleep. Gotta finish system reworking (button up the case, etc.) and install mandrake 9.0 tomorrow.

 

[Lighthouse]

MichiganMan,

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif re: Zathras sig line. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Lucien]

Babylon 5 was fantastic. PERIOD. I'd say what did it for me was the well planned out storyline and the characters (Londo and G'Kar in particular). There was that "WOW" factor everytime something from earlier in the series clicked with events that happened much later, and sometimes (usually?) not in ways you would have expected (Bab 4 being a perfect example)

I'm ashamed to say I missed a fair part of the first season... I thought it was too boring /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif but towards the end it really picked up... and from the second season on I was hooked.

It wasn't all perfect though, a few out of place things here and there, and I didn't care too much for Boxleitner's acting, but still something that any sci-fi fan should have watched.

 

[leddite]

yeah, Enterprise has been surprisingly good and subtle.

i esp enjoy seeing some of our "earlier" alien friends, like the andorians,
occasions odd skinned tailed ones, the xenophobic wonder web weavers that
are our pals the tholians, proto-borg, and more.

makes you wonder where some of the ones we do see, "went", as they never
seem to get referred to ever again. hmmmmmMMMmmmmmm /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

and we also know why the enterprise and incarnations have always seemingly
been favored... the elite corps of temporal engineers union 101 ;> and
Q /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
MichiganMan said:
...
I have been very pleasantly surprised by the quality of Enterprise. I didn't have high expectations, especially when I saw a picture of Phlox and thought "Oh great, another comic relief alien" But the show has done quite well at bringing a seriousness for the mythology that the Next Generation writers seemed to have lost their nerve for in the later seasons. Nothing demonstrates this better than the portrayal of the Klingons. After years of seeing a pretty and "sensitive" Klingon on Voyager (clumsy pandering to gather wider demographics)and Worf either getting his *** kicked (usually by women of course) or only "growing" by learning the futility of violence, we finally get to see the Klingons as truly dangerous again. Seeing a series that is more about telling good sci-fi than being heavy handedly PC is refreshing. The recent episode involving the virus T'Pol contracted via mind meld rape beat us over the head with its Aids analogy ("Message!" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif) but the series has otherwise shown a subtlety that demonstrates a respect for its audience.


[/ QUOTE ]

 

[sstrauss]

It seems there are some real diehard geeks in here so I will throw LEXX into the fray.

Scott

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I have never gotten into Babylon.

I dug Voyager pretty good. Except for a couple episodes I think Enterprise ROCKS!!

T'Pol could kick my *** any day!!!

 

[rrtanton]

Lucien...yeah, exactly my comment to new B5 watchers...if you have a problem it'll probably be with season one. Just have to stick through it and you'll be fine. They DO lay enough clues to keep you interested, and once you REALIZE they're doing that, you start watching much more intently.

rusty

 

[BuddTX]

[ QUOTE ]
MichiganMan said:
but the Next Generation got a little too soft and preachy for me after a while. I swear to God, if I saw one more holodeck episode involving pre-20th century Earth, or another gratuitous trying-too-hard-to-show-off-duty-camaraderie poker party/music recital scene I was going to have to take a hostage.

[/ QUOTE ]

WELL, here is your very own ST:TNG Episode generator:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Amjad_Majeed/epigen.htm

Just point and click and you have your own episode!

ALSO, check out The Star Trek Writers Construction Kit :

http://www.pathcom.com/~boby/tstwck.htm

esp the "techo-bable generator:"
http://www.pathcom.com/~boby/babble.htm

Here is one quote: (hit re-load to be a different generation!)
Geordi: Data, come here and take a closer look at these readings: I think there's something wrong with the life dampening chamber

Data: The chamber appears to be functioning normally Geordi. Perhaps you were referring to the command warp undefined, right here, beside this bipolar maintenance grid. If we use the emergency transient sensor to align it with the shuttlecraft plasma field, then...

Geordi: Yes, of course! Then by modifying this interior fusion tricorder, we can make it work in conjunction with the guidance operating hatch. That would...

Data: I believe that this will increase the efficiency of the tactical destruct sensor by 19 percent. Thus reducing the load on the structural environmental display.

Geordi: Data -- you're a genius!

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Lucien, you are falling into the classic Critic's Trap: looking at an actor's acting and how you think it should be. The Actor's acting you are criticizing, simply did exactly as the Director, Creator, and Producers wanted.

Each character has a unique personality and style of doing things, that was planned out by the Creator and the screen writers. In order for the show to work, everything has to mesh and flow, in order to tell the Story. The Story is what is important, not who the actors are.

I had never heard of Bruce Boxleitner or any of the other actors before. I loved Babylon 5, and the way the characters brought life to the story. Some good examples are the pomous Minbari (Friend of Delenn's) who is in the Heart of the Machine on the planet below B5, Bester (Walter Keonig): oh what a devious and despicable character he is. Morden is another devious and despicable character. I actually felt sorry for G'Kar when Natoth first showed up.

The first season was laying the groundwork for the meat of the story in the following seasons by introducing characters and establishing macguffins (story hooks) for later. Miss a few episodes and your lost for a while, like soap operas.

The Minbari Venerate Valen like christians venerate Jesus. After all, Valen is the Saviour of Minbar. By understanding that, you can understand how shocked the Grey Council was to learn the Valen is in an Earth Human body (the reason that the Minbari surrendered in the Earth/Minbari War)!! It is also the reason that Satai Delenn is an ambassador (to keep an eye on Valen/Sinclair).

The story of Babylon 5 is a rich one that needs to be enjoyed and not critiqued or pre-judged on pre-conceived notions.

 

[Lucien]

[ QUOTE ]
Charles Bradshaw said:
Lucien, you are falling into the classic Critic's Trap: looking at an actor's acting and how you think it should be. The Actor's acting you are criticizing, simply did exactly as the Director, Creator, and Producers wanted.


[/ QUOTE ]

I guess, but it was a common gripe shared by a bunch of my friends too. Had to keep telling myself "That is not Bill Clinton. That is not Bill Clinton. That is not Bill Clinton..."

[ QUOTE ]
Charles Bradshaw said:
The story of Babylon 5 is a rich one that needs to be enjoyed and not critiqued or pre-judged on pre-conceived notions.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with that. When it started I was seeing it as a show that aired once a week, instead of as a story that was going to be spread out over 5 years. My loss /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif



Enterprise: I like it (sofar). It has a sprit of adventure unlike TNG which somehow felt stale. Of course I never saw all the TNG episodes, so admittedly thats an opinion not based on all the facts.


BTW, Proto-borg? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[leddite]

Proto Borg - the "repair" station... running
on brain power, superior mechanical adaptation...
replication... destroyed, yet rebuilt itself.

pretty borg like /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

you will service, us.