das Monkey

I wasn't exactly sure what to do about this, and if someone has a better idea, we can go with it, but with a new run of B5 on Sci-Fi, I wouldn't want someone to stumble into our other thread and be treated to spoiler after spoiler.

Since I'm sure many of you have no shame (like me) and are watching the series from the beginning for the 9th time, hopefully there will be something to talk about. If we're lucky (actually, if they're lucky), there may be a few newcomers this time around.

Right now, there's not much to talk about, but I'll start off by stating that I'm enjoying these first season episodes more than I expected. Having seen them so many times, I figured I'd be tired of them, but both 'Midnight' and 'Soul Hunter' seemed a little better than I remembered. Maybe it's just withdrawal after the end of the last run.

Anyway, newcomers, identify yourselves. As the series progresses, you'll want a support group ... and we'll be right here.

das

Rand

I watched the first season episodes again a couple of months ago on laserdisc. I too was surprised by how much I enjoyed them. I'll admit though that I skipped a couple in my eagerness to get to season two. I'm not sure just how many times I've seen the full run, quite a few though. Was "The Gathering" shown on Sci-Fi the new and improved version (as on the laserdisc)?

das Monkey

I assume it was - that's what they aired the last time around. I skipped "The Gathering" this most recent time, since Sci-Fi screwed up the showing, so my TiVo missed the last 5 minutes of part one. I was going out Friday evening and just figured I'd seen it enough times. Maybe someone else knows.

das

adamblast

I'm watching the whole thing this time... I saw The Gathering... I take it there are two editions? If you ask me about something I might be able to tell which one it was...

I've probably seen about 90% of the episodes, but I didn't watch with a lot of attention, and missed key points...

For example, until now I've always confused Lyta Alexander and Talia Winters... They're the two blond psi-corps regulars, right? One was in The Gathering, and the other was in Midnight? I thought they were the same character, played by two actresses... They never seem to be in the same ep or relate to each other...

I did notice Ambassador Kosh calling Sinclair by a name which will later become important-- and I noticed that it wasn't mentioned in the closed-captions. I look forward to following that arc through, I'm already seeing lots of forshadowing...

Do we see the Soul Catchers again? While the first visitor with the beard was a bad guy, of course, it was interesting how "open to interpretation" they left the whole matter... Imprisoning or saving? Freeing or killing?

BTW, what website has the best ep guides? I'm looking for maybe a paragraph or two--not a couple pages or a single sentance...

das Monkey

"River of Souls" tells their story in more depth. I thought I wouldn't like that telefilm, but it's actually pretty good.

Mine, when I get off my ass and make it. For now, I'm not sure. I usually run to The Lurker's Guide at http://www.midwinter.com/ but some of their stuff is jumbled and annoying. It's a quick way to get key info without dealing with annoying interface and graphics, though.

das

bboisvert

The Sci-Fi Channel showed the newer "Special Edition" of THE GATHERING. I think the only way you can get the original edition is on VHS through Columbia House.

adamblast -- you weren't kidding when you said that you weren't paying attention. Lyta isn't even remotely blonde!

Anyway, yes they are two different characters and (without spoiling anything) they do appear in one episode together later on.

The Soul Hunters appear again in the movie THE RIVER OF SOULS.

And, this website:

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/

has the best summaries and resource lists. It also compiles JMS's online comments about each episode and is very good about not spoiling the show.

Rand

adamblast, Are you sure you've been paying attention?
Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander) is a redhead, Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters, later of NYPD Blue and CNN news) is a blond and the two of them could hardly be more unlike. Especially since Andrea has such a distinctive voice.

I guess it's no spoiler to say that we do see the Soul Catchers again, in one of the B5 movies. Think presidential and West Wing.

adamblast

I know, I know... The actresses are unalike, but that doesn't mean they couldn't have been playing the same character... (I always lump blondes and redheads together anyway... ) In the pilot, Lyta seems like she's going to be the main female telepath, then she just disappears and is replaced by Talia... They just seemed to occupy the same "niche" among the regular cast, like you-know-who and Tracey Scoggins, so I mistakenly thought it was the same character for a while...

das Monkey

So, I'm watching "Infection" right now, and if I weren't laughing so hard I'd be annoyed at Sinclair's Captain Kirk impression when dealing with Spawn. While creating a weapon/computer/artificial lifeform that turns on its creator is a common Sci-Fi premise, I thought the execution of this was well done in this episode. Granted, the directing, acting, and music could have been better ... much better, but still a good premise. I'm noticing that Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin) is the first of the humans to figure out how to act. Over time, you see most of the characters figure it out, and by late second season everything is beyond perfect, but he seems to have a handle on it the earliest.

das

strife

Need to bump this back up. We are near end of Season 1 and now (IMHO) the good stuff starts.

das Monkey

Good call. Babylon Squared was yesterday ... and so it begins ...

So, I guess that puts Crysalis tomorrow? I've been watching Buffy and am a little off. I'd love to get new blood in here discussing though. And what happened to the Lurker's Guide?

das

das Monkey

"Nothing's the same anymore ..."

das

strife

Season 2 time started today what happened to all the people during the last go around? We had some really good discussions going

das Monkey

You know I'm not going anywhere

I imagine Buffy reruns are hindering things a bit. Oh, and they showed the last episode of "Prey" today before the new "I-Man", so "Points of Departure" won't be until Monday. I'll be here and ready to discuss. Hopefully there's some new blood to fuel the discussion.

das

valkyrie

Sorry, I'm sure you all know what a fan I am of B5, but I just don't have the time for all the new shows AND B5. Not to mention, some poor fool from the last discusison turned me onto Farscape...and I'm hooked.

B5 still rules, though. I'm sure once the good stuff starts, I'll be back into it!

- Valkyrie

das Monkey

Ack! Sorry about that Farscape is such a good show ... they need to hurry up and finish those Season 1 DVDs. I know I said this somewhere already, but the current plan for Sci-Fi is to run the rest of Season 3 in January. They haven't said why yet, but that puts it suspiciously close to the launch of B5:LotR. I wonder if they're planning some kind of big rollout or something. The episodes are already finished. Strange stuff. At least we have the 8pm repeats every day (annoyingly against Ally, which was so wonderful in those first seasons).

das

bboisvert

DVDFile is reporting that the Warner representatives at Studio Day claimed that the upcoming THE BEGINNING/THE GATHERING dvd will be the only one... that they aren't planning on releasing full-season boxes.

The reason: The episodes didn't sell well on VHS. Give me a break.

Who do we contact to yell about this?

das Monkey

F*CKING CHRIST!!!

Well, first, make sure you buy the DVD. Past that, I'm not sure, but I'm sure an organized letter-writing campaign will be in the works. This is unacceptable.

das

strife

So the VHS set has it in the box set and dvd will still not have In the begginning in a box set and not The gathering. Son of a b. Das time for another petition!

Also better have all the damn episodes none of this half season 2 and part of season 4 junk

das Monkey

Petitions are fun, but you're talking to a Trek fan, which can only mean one thing ... letter writing campaign. Maybe Bjo Trimble's a B5 fan and would be willing to come out of retirement. We'll have to wait for some more word on this from jms. I would be surprised if they made a decision before the current DVD is released, so hopefully mad sales of that DVD will inspire the episodes in the future.

das

strife

bumping for any first timers.

Gotta love todays episode with the Drazi delema.

das Monkey

Definitely a fun episode. Poor Claudia took a beating in that one scene. One of many broken bones they suffered during filming. Whoops ... Enterprise is back on.

das

ratguy

I'm pretty new to B5. This is my first time watching it through from the start, but I'd seen a couple of the final episodes a few years ago. Not enough for it to really spoil what happens, so please keep spoilers to a minimum!

I wasn't able to get too into the show the first time I tried, but this time I'm hooked. The shows thus far from season 2 have been really great.

A question from my other thread that never got answered, and should have been asked in here anyhow:

What is up with Delenn since her cocoon thing? Is she now half-human? Bizarre.. how/why did that come about?

Concerning tonight's episode: good show. I liked it when Garibaldi impersonated a salesman to get into the Drazi's quarters. I really enjoyed it when the Tech Mage quoted straight from Lord of the Rings. That really made my day.

Ratguy

das Monkey

It all depends on how you look at it. She's gone through a metamorphasis of sorts into something new, that I would argue is probably more human than Minbari.

How? The triluminary.

Why? You've got 4 more seasons to go

das

ratguy

Okay, last night's Episode shed a little more light on the change that Delenn went through. I wonder.. how long will they draw this out? (don't answer that one.

Overall, the show was pretty decent. Where it faltered were the scenes onboard the Cortez. That had to be about the worst acting I've ever seen on a tv show. Please tell me they won't be back.

Also.. having missed a few shows, perhaps even the first show, I never did get a decent explanation of that wormhole thing. They've got the jump point quite close to the station, but why is it necessary? I seem to recall seeing a couple of times when ships would jump without needing it.

Ratguy