Where to start with Babylon 5?
02-09-09, 08:34 AM
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Where to start with Babylon 5?
I understand that the 90 min pilot is not part of the 1st season box set? is this necesary veiwing before I kick off with the 1st season set?
02-09-09, 08:37 AM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
Not particularly. I had the season box sets before I had the pilot and I started right in with S1.
Just be patient with S1. It's a little bit of a chore to get through.
Just be patient with S1. It's a little bit of a chore to get through.
02-09-09, 08:40 AM
#3
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
This might help from another Babylon 5 thread:
“To answer your question, I believe you should watch them (more or less) in the order in which they were aired. IMO, the only reason to watch In the Beginning earlier than its original broadcast is if you need convincing of how incredible the story is before sitting down to watch. If you’ve already made up your mind to watch the show, no sense spoiling stuff that’s much better when revealed slowly over a few seasons. You say you’ve already seen up to Season 3, so I guess it doesn’t matter too much.
Also, while ‘Sleeping in Light’ does take place chronologically after River of Souls and A Call to Arms, I’d recommend watching it right after ‘Objects at Rest.’ This is certainly debateable, but unless there is a compelling reason otherwise (the network shuffled the eps or something), I tend to lean towards watching things in the order in which they were broadcast. I think ‘Sleeping in Light’ works best as a one-two-three with ‘Objects in Motion’ and ‘Objects in Rest’.
If I were building a definitive order, it’d likely go like this.
The Gathering
Season 1: Signs and Portents
Season 2: The Coming of Shadows
Season 3: Point of No Return
Season 4: No Surrender, No Retreat I
Thirdspace (Either directly after ‘Into the Fire’ or after ‘The Illusion of Truth’ … anywhere between ‘Into the Fire’ and ‘No Surrender, No Retreat’ would be fine though)
Season 4: No Surrender, No Retreat II
In the Beginning
Season 5: Wheel of Fire (I’d watch ‘Phoenix Rising’ before ‘Day of the Dead’, even though their aired flipped - doesn’t really matter as ‘Day of the Dead’ is a stand-alone, but it flows better that way)
The River of Souls
A Call to Arms
Crusade
The Legend of the Rangers
Hope that helps.”
das
Also, while ‘Sleeping in Light’ does take place chronologically after River of Souls and A Call to Arms, I’d recommend watching it right after ‘Objects at Rest.’ This is certainly debateable, but unless there is a compelling reason otherwise (the network shuffled the eps or something), I tend to lean towards watching things in the order in which they were broadcast. I think ‘Sleeping in Light’ works best as a one-two-three with ‘Objects in Motion’ and ‘Objects in Rest’.
If I were building a definitive order, it’d likely go like this.
The Gathering
Season 1: Signs and Portents
Season 2: The Coming of Shadows
Season 3: Point of No Return
Season 4: No Surrender, No Retreat I
Thirdspace (Either directly after ‘Into the Fire’ or after ‘The Illusion of Truth’ … anywhere between ‘Into the Fire’ and ‘No Surrender, No Retreat’ would be fine though)
Season 4: No Surrender, No Retreat II
In the Beginning
Season 5: Wheel of Fire (I’d watch ‘Phoenix Rising’ before ‘Day of the Dead’, even though their aired flipped - doesn’t really matter as ‘Day of the Dead’ is a stand-alone, but it flows better that way)
The River of Souls
A Call to Arms
Crusade
The Legend of the Rangers
Hope that helps.”
das
02-09-09, 08:52 AM
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02-09-09, 08:54 AM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
Yeah, it's bad. I'm sure if I was back in the 90s and checking the premiere/pilot out, I would have said it sucks and never bothered watching the series.
02-09-09, 08:55 AM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
And that's an understatement IMO and that first pre-season-one movie is even worse.
This might help from another Babylon 5 thread:
This might help from another Babylon 5 thread:
thanks..I did do a search first but this thread did not pop up
02-09-09, 08:55 AM
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02-09-09, 08:57 AM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
The Gathering sets up the premise of the series and introduces two of the mysteries that will be very important later: Namely, that something significant happened to Sinclair during the Battle of the Line, and that there's something big going on with the Vorlons.
02-09-09, 09:13 AM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
thanks all..gonna try the pilot first..heard lots of good things about this series but never watched it when it was on TV
Last edited by Deke Rivers; 02-09-09 at 09:23 AM.
02-09-09, 10:16 AM
#11
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
02-09-09, 06:50 PM
#12
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
Wow I didn't think there were so many people who hated S1. It's true that it takes awhile for the brilliance of the show to shine through. The 'mystery' of S1's arc doesn't readily become apparent until later in the show but it is pretty important to understand events that happen later on. There are a small handful of rubbish episodes in S1, but the finale is one of my favorite episodes of the whole series. When I saw it for the first time, the tension and suspense was breathtaking...until I got to S3's finale...I still get chills watching that one.
I also think that you should at least rent the pilot before starting S1 - there are threads mentioned there that come back later on in the series and, while it won't necessarily confuse you later on, will enrich your enjoyment of the show later.
I still think S5 is worse than the first season - the entire byron arc is difficult to sit through even once.
Advice for starting out - keep a careful eye on G'Kar and Londo - their character arcs shape everything that happens throughout the show. Don't be distracted by how 'standalone' many of the early episodes seem - a LOT comes back to haunt the characters later on - don't be too tempted to skip.
I also think that you should at least rent the pilot before starting S1 - there are threads mentioned there that come back later on in the series and, while it won't necessarily confuse you later on, will enrich your enjoyment of the show later.
I still think S5 is worse than the first season - the entire byron arc is difficult to sit through even once.
Advice for starting out - keep a careful eye on G'Kar and Londo - their character arcs shape everything that happens throughout the show. Don't be distracted by how 'standalone' many of the early episodes seem - a LOT comes back to haunt the characters later on - don't be too tempted to skip.
02-09-09, 08:14 PM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
My problem is that everyone says you just have to sit through the first season till things get really good. But I just couldn't do it... Like I just couldn't do it, haha.
02-09-09, 09:02 PM
#14
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
It's been a few years, but I too would say S5 was worse than S1. Also, due to my screw up (not going to rehash) I can't recall if I ever ended up watching The Gathering or not.
02-10-09, 05:40 AM
#15
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
I think that one problem with season five is
Spoiler:
02-10-09, 10:57 AM
#17
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
I think watching In The Beggining first could create a sense of expectation of things to come, a teaser, that would make sitting through The Gathering and lesser season one episodes more enjoyable.
02-10-09, 11:06 AM
#18
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
Thanks for the input everyone (and the OP for starting this thread)! Once BSG wraps, I was intending to start watching this start to finish over the summer. Now I know how to proceed! 
02-10-09, 11:35 AM
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
I've seen this suggested every so often, and I always feel compelled to completely disagree. Even though most of In The Beginning takes place well before S1, it really should be watched in its proper place (any time after the S4 episode, "Atonement"). As-is, it goes into a ton of the backstory and mysteries that are slowly revealed over the rest of the series.
02-10-09, 12:08 PM
#20
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
Truth is, had I watched this when it was on TV, around the days of Star Trek: TNG, I probably would have enjoyed it--it hovers around that calibur of TV. But TV today is different, especially sci-fi TV (ie BSG), and I just couldn't get past its shortcomings.
I'm still planning to do it "someday..." but I don't know when that'll come.
02-10-09, 06:17 PM
#21
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Re: Where to start with Babylon 5?
I think B5 in the last half of S2 through the end of s4 was far better than anything on NextGen at the time. Das is right that S3 is one of the most breathtaking seasons of any show and its finale is one of my favorite single episodes EVER. This show certainly had character development that was unheard of in television at the time - Londo and G'kar are almost unrecognizable by the end of the show and yet their journey to get there is completely natural.
I also would say that In the Beginning spoils too much of Season 1 for it to be a good starting point. You really don't want to know the secret of S1 starting out.
I'm sure I'm in a minority that I couldn't get into BSG despite watching 2 full seasons of it - I don't think it's that tv is so much different today, it's that B5 was so ahead of its time. It definitely is a 'novel' for television.
B5 used to be my favorite show, but these days it's probably third, behind Farscape and The Wire.
Michael
I also would say that In the Beginning spoils too much of Season 1 for it to be a good starting point. You really don't want to know the secret of S1 starting out.
I'm sure I'm in a minority that I couldn't get into BSG despite watching 2 full seasons of it - I don't think it's that tv is so much different today, it's that B5 was so ahead of its time. It definitely is a 'novel' for television.
B5 used to be my favorite show, but these days it's probably third, behind Farscape and The Wire.
Michael
