What is the earliest episode that you would personally put on your favorites list? Pardon my impatience, but I'm just curious.
I must be taking my new role seriously: I just ordered "The Complete Universe" - the box set containing all episodes of B5, all the movies, and every episode of Crusade, even though I've already got all of them on video! Then again, seasons 3-5 were recorded off the telly, many of them with the commercial breaks not edited out because I wasn't home, and some of them with some footage missing if the timer was set wrong!
This should be keep me busy for a couple of days ...
Callie, that should keep you busier for more than a "couple" of days... unless you have Epsilon 3 opening a time portal for you...
Question for B5 fans: I know that I have to be patient, because the series' arc is said to unfold slowly, with each episode acting as a chapter that contributes to the "novel", so to speak, and I understand this, since such series often start off trying to establish their legs (NextGen and DS9 did this too, though for different reasons), but my question is: At what point do each of you feel that the series really started to get "good"?
What is the earliest episode that you would personally put on your favorites list? Pardon my impatience, but I'm just curious.
Good to see you are entering the B5 universe Luigi. For me, I think it picks up in the second season. The first season is really about establishing the characters and the universe. Be patient because a lot of information from that first season comes back in later seasons. The Lurker's Guide is a great site that gives a good run down on all the episodes without spoiling things for future episodes.
BTW- It's funny you're discovering Babylon 5. I'm discovering Stargate SG-1 at the moment- halfway through season 2...
Mind War introduces the recurring antagonist Al Bester and establishes some of the more sinister aspects of the Psi Corps. And the Sky Full of Stars is the first episode that really focuses on the series arc.
Though personally I regard Soul Hunter as a favorite. Obviously we disagree on that point.
Okay, so that's the next ep, and two eps after that, so that's reassuring, Gordon.
Btw, do you or anyone else know of any B5 sites that rank, rate, or review episodes in a way that I can peruse so that I know whether an episode is not only not very well regarded like this, but can be skipped without fear that I won't miss an important bit of exposition or setup crucial to the series' unfolding story?
Probably the only one I would highly recommend skipping is "Grey 17 is missing". Awful, awful episode.
If I may observe Luigi you almost seem like you're not that impressed at the moment and want to "get it over with". Babylon 5's first season is hardly its best. Give the show the opportunity to •••• you in. You will be greatly rewarded if you do. Things pick up quite dramatically in the second season.
Keep in mind that any review you read might differ considerably from your reaction should you watch it yourself. By Any Means Necessary is a popular episode among fans but I regard it as a stinker (though the B plot with Londo and G'Kar was fun). Just go ahead and plow through them all.
I've always viewed season one as setting up the background for the rest of the series. In essence it shows how things were before...well that would be telling since you've not seen the rest of the series. I'd take this view watching the season again. This is more introducing you to the universe as it stood, so later on you can fully appreciate the changes that occur.
Although the weakest of all the B5 seasons there are plot points that crop up in it that come back in later years. In fact there are plot points that turned up in the pilot that turn out to be important in later years too.
Having said that it is not impossible to start watching B5 from season 2 onwards without missing anything too important. One of the better traits of B5 is managing to avoid the 'previously on' clips at the start of episodes, (There are only two episodes in the entire series that have this, both being double episodes), by getting the characters to give a one or two line explanation as to those things that you REALLY need to know.
There are, of course, some real stinkers of episodes - mainly on season one and at the start of season five. But for full enjoyment it is best to watch from the start and in order without missing episodes first time around. You never know when a throwaway line from season one will turn out to have greater meaning further down the line.
I'm not sure how you're watching these, Luigi, but if you've got DVDs, I strongly advise you not to listen to the audio commentaries until you've seen the entire series. The commentaries (and some of the other DVD extras) are the worst for assuming that anyone listening has already seen the series, and they frequently give massive spoilers for future episodes.
Once you have seen the entire series, I hope you'll be more than happy to go back and watch again with the commentaries on!
I concur Callie- JMS' commentaries are absolutely brilliant and do what good commentaries SHOULD do which is enhance the viewers' appreciation of the episode and the series. I especially found it helpful in deciphering the fourth season finale....
I'm watching them on Hulu, Callie.
Airing on TV in the UK from next Monday (13 November) on the Pick channel (which I think is channel 11 on Freeview). It's starting with The Gathering and then continues with Season 1.
Despite having everything on DVD, I've not watched it for ages and so I'm looking forward to watching this series again on the telly.
Carmen Argenziano has passed away.
Born on October 27 1943, Argenziano appeared in Babylon 5 in Knives playing Urza Jaddo.
He also played Samantha Carter’s father Jacob as well as Selmak in Stargate SG-1.
Other work included The Godfather Part II, Columbo, Crazy Mama, The Bionic Woman, The A-Team, Knight Rider 2000, Melrose Place, Broken Arrow, Mr & Mrs Smith, Apollo 11, NightMan, Gone in 60 Seconds, The West Wing, 24, Commander in Chief, House, The Young and the Restless, Angels & Demons, Flashforward & Castle.
He died on February 10 2019 at the age of 75.
Lawrence DiTillio died last week at the age of 71. As well as writing for many of the same shows as JMS, he co-wrote the classic Call of Cthulhu campaign Masks of Nyarlathotep.
Saw the movie Sweet Justice (1991) which curiously featured two future Babylon 5 verse actors that of Patricia Tallman and Marjean Holden with the former later becoming a regular in Babylon 5 playing Lyta Alexander and the latter a regular in its short-lived spin-off Crusade playing Dr Sarah Chambers.
However in truth this wasn't the reason why I watched this movie, the reason being for the presence of another cast member Kathleen Kinmont who I have been in love with for a long time.