:lol:

rotfl @ das

Okay, okay fine. If it's as bad as you say... ;)

For the record, I hated the first episode of Buffy I saw (Go Fish) but luckily the next few I saw were part of the Angelus storyline, and I was instantlyhooked. It's now my all-time favorite show. I have to admit if I had watched from the beginning I may not have stuck with it, but having seen the good stuff early, it made those early episodes easier to watch when I finally got around to them.

This just makes me wonder if I'm the type that would actually be better served by jumping ahead to the good stuff, then going back to the early eps for background info once I was hooked. I know everyone has their method, and I really do want to like the show, honest. But I've historically been a quick bailer on shows that didn't instantly grab me, only to give them a second chance later on and love them. Sopranos, Sex and the City, and 24 are a few examples.

I know this show gets better, from what everyone says. I'm just afraid if I have to sit through 5 more discs of stuff like "Soul Hunter" or "Born to the Purple" to get there I may not make it to the promised land.

I started watching in season 2 (IIRC) and had to go back and watch the older ones later. While it made it easier for me to get hooked, I definitly would have prefered seeing them all in order from the beginning. Otherwise you are pre-spoiled.

Don't skip ahead, it'll be worth it in the long run. Disc 2 of the first season has some much better episodes. "The Parliament of Dreams" relates a little more to the main plot, and has some good character stuff in there, "Mind War" introduces an awesome reoccuring character, as well as introduces some more plot points that get picked up much later on, and "And The Sky Full Of Stars" really starts building up several threads of the main arc.

Disc 3's episodes are, for the most part, standalone ones, but have some good character background bits, as well as a few twists here and there. Not to mention the general quality of the episodes noticably improves, with one exception later in the season (I'll tell you right now, "TKO" is generally regarded as one of the series' weaker episodes).

As far as your other concerns:

Londo: His accent gets a tiny bit less harsh later on, but it's still the same general thing. However, his storyline is one of the best things about the series, so just stick with him. The groundwork for his character arc gets laid a little after the halfway point of the first season.

N'Grath pretty much disappears completely by the time the second season rolls around.

The CGI gradually improves during the first season, but takes a more dramatic jump in quality in the second one.

That said, please keep us posted on your progress through the series. I know that I always love reading the reactions from somebody who's just discovering the show for the first time, especially when they get to the "holy crap" moments.

Signs and Portents was the turning point for me on season 1.

I don't think there's a single actor on television who can get into character in less words than Peter Jurasik: two.

"Mister Garibaldi!"

I was at Optic Nerve one day during season five, and N'Grath was sitting in the corner of the warehouse. I took a picture with me holding his head. :)

Re: Is Babylon 5 for me?
 

I am a big fan of B5. I know season 1 can be a bit difficult to sit through (grab a six pack and you'll be fine) but the payoff does come early in season 2. The movies are all pretty good (well, most of them anyway) and the story line stays true. If they tell you about something in season 1, they stick with it through the entire series.

I also love DS9 and am just finishing up with season 4. I can't say that I love DS9 more than B5 or the other way around. They both have their good and bad points.

I think you'll love B5 once you get past a few of the stinkers in season 1. Shoot, DS9 didn't get really interesting until season 3, imho. ;)

Ah, the memories. Reminds me of the days when I was trying to get laid for the first time.

I'm a great lover of Sci-Fi and have many of the series in DVD. As far as being beautiful to watch and fun my vote goes to 'Farscape' (4 seasons). Not as beautiful or fun but great charactors 'B5' is my second love. I also have STNG, DS9, Stargate-SG1, Buffy/Angel, X-files, Lexx, Highlander, and a few others I can't think of. They are an aquired taste but once you get into them you will find you watch them over and over again if only to see special scenes you come to love. I've seen the entire series of B5 at lease 6 times, with commericals on Sci-Fi channel, before it ever came out on DVD.

I started watching the series sometime early this summer - don't exactly remember when.
I just finished season 4 last night, and the crazyness keeps continuing. 4x22 was a bit odd, however, I'm sure questions will be answered during season 5.
I would say keeep on watching.
Only advice I would say on season 4 is that I felt it got a little slow during the middle of the season - I thought everything was all tied up for a few episodes (coupled with me out of town for a while and not having access) I almost gave up the perpetual watching. Boy was I wrong - though I was a little let down on the scale of things.
Sorry for being vague, but I don't want to disappoint anybody who hasn't seen the series yet. I'll definitely take some time to write out all of my thoughts once I have finished everything.

So I was at the store this morning and decided to buy Season 5 so I could start watching instead of netflixing. After getting back and reading some reviews of season 4 (didn't want to be spoiled) some of them really seem to stear in the direction that season 4 tied everything up and season 5 is simply - blah. if so i am really disappointed that i bought this season and simply should have waited for the disc to come in the mail. unfortunately i already opened them and watched the first episode - i can already tell things are a little different...
Any reassurances that season 5 was worth my purchase would be greatly welcomed. :)
no spoilers please.

Season 5 is certainly worth the purchase, IMO. It's just not as good as 2-4. There are two primary plot points for this season. One isn't everyone's favorite, but it's fairly well done and relates to something the show has hinted at the whole time and is likely a large part of its future. The other is one of the greater arcs of the whole series, and Season 5 is where a lot of the meat of that story falls. It also contains one of the most powerful hours of television I've ever seen. Not owning it would be unbearable.

das

You ain't lying...I can't recall another hour of TV that brought on so much emotion.

Yeah, season five definitely has a different feel than the other four seasons. Can't quite put my finger on it. You'll even notice that it doesn't have an opening narration like the other four seasons...

About the season itself. The truth is, it's kind of rough going at first, and there's one new character that I fucking hate with a passion.

You can also expect two of the series more experimental episodes (and the only eps this season not completely written by JMS himself) in "A View from the Gallery" (co-written with Harlan Ellison) and "Day of the Dead" (written by Neil Gaiman, yes THAT Neil Gaiman).

The opinion on AVFTG is sort of split, with people either loving it or hating it. I think DOTD fares a bit better, though it's a very different take on the way the B5 universe works.

The second half of the season is much stronger, arc-wise, than the first, and nicely wraps up the series.

How about an actor who can do it in 2 shorter words? Wayne Pygram gets into the Scorpius character by saying "Hello John."

I literally just finished watching "A View from the Gallery" about 10 or 15 minutes ago and just checked up on this thread.

I absolutely loved the episdoe. It was well done - right mix of humor, whit, and seriousness. On the face of things, it reminded me of "The Zeppo".

As for the person to "loath", I have two guesses. I'll save comments until I'm finished with the series, but I'm leaning towards .

Looks like this thread has been left alone for a while...

Well, I have one episode left. I've covered quite a bit of ground in the past few months. I plan on watching the last episode tomorrow, but I must say the feeling is very bittersweet.

Perhaps my final say for this thread, unless somebody has questions...

I have spent the last 3 or 4 months watching Babylon 5, and am glad I spent the time to do so.

I alway avoided it because it always seemed unfamiliar to me, and different from Star Trek - which I'm a big fan of. There are several things I have issue with, but I have begun to raise those questions in another thread.

Having said that, if you are even considering watching this so do so immediatly. I may even go so far as to say it is the best television series I have ever seen - and to me that is saying a lot. If you are a Star Trek fan, I would trade all 7 years of Voyager and all of Enterprise (No, I don't hate it) for even 1 more year of Babylon 5.
I think you will be hard pressed to find any series that has as many intricate and fully developed characters, and that is not even touching on the plot line.
Simply put, you will be blow away.

If you do choose to venture into the universe of Babylon 5, all I can say is enjoy your ride.

And so it begins...

Yet another satisfied customer. ;)

das