Still my third favorite science fiction television show (after Twilight Zone and Star Trek TOS). I would just watch the series in the order they originally aired.

I have all the DVDs, including the movies... somewhere, just dunno where. Probably in a cupboard in the garage. Unlike some people on this forum, I keep a clean home!

I would suggest that anyone who wants to watch it for the first time just start with the pilot movie "The Gathering," and go through the seasons in order.

The other movies and "Crusade" are really just ancillary material, and to watch the movies between episodes just breaks up the forward narrative momentum.

I bought the series on Vudu last year before it hit Prime. I think I still have the seasons, Crusade, and the movies on DVD.

I'll agree that Thirdspace and River of Souls are superflous in the grand scheme, but The Gathering and In the Beginning are right where they need to be in the story arc, and A Call to Arms sets up Crusade if you're so inclined. The Lost Tales just felt sad after having watched the series in it's original run.

People kept saying how wonderful this program was. I watched the first four seasons and then couldn't work up enough enthusiasm to finish. I gave away the DVD sets, including the movies, to someone who liked B5 so much that she was hanging onto boxes of videotapes that she'd recorded off the air.

I'm the oddball. I start with In The Beginning. It sucks me in and gets me hyped to see what led to this point.

I’m in the middle of a rewatch as well, but I skipped most of season 1. Up to beginning of season 5 now. I think seasons 2-4 have held up well.

On a second or subsequent viewings, I found the most watchable sequence was:

- In The Beginning (movie)
- season 2
- season 3
- season 4

Most of season 1 and season 5 were tedious slogs to go through, as well as the other movies.

Though with all that being said, on a first viewing I would go through the proper sequence as mentioned earlier.

On first viewing, dont watch In The Beginning until after Season 3, at the earliest. It does spoil a few things.

I feel like knowing everything from "In the Beginning" screws up so much of the dramatic tension of season one, especially. Knowing so much about Delenn and Sinclair before the show begins ruins a lot, IMO. I'd definitely watch it later in the run.

On a first viewing of the show, this ^ is definitely the case.

Though with that being said, whenever I do further rewatches of B5, I usually skip over season 1. The tedious slog over season 1, seems to be a lot of the episodes in the middle and towards the end of season 1.


Whenever I do rewatches of B5 where I devote my full attention to watching the show, I like the fast pace and (relatively) coherent serialization over seasons 2 to 4. Watching "In The Beginning" and going straight to season 2 is not entirely perfect (ie. such as at the very end of the movie), but it does maintain the fast pace and provides enough background to keep my attention during a rewatch.

The times I do watch season 1, I usually play it in the background when I'm at home and doing something else (such as netsurfing, or minor housework).

Just finished up S1 again... Hadn't seen it straight thru in years. I thought it actually held up much better than I remembered. Sure there's some "slog" especially in the middle but there was so much character development in S1 that's paid off in later seasons... it was a very pleasant re-watch.

Too bad Amazon (and iTunes) couldn't get the 5.1 soundtrack that's on the DVDs. The "surround" logo is still burned in the video at the start on both streaming services.

Now I want to rewatch it.

I just slogged through the end of season 1 too, and ready for the roller coaster ride to begin now.

I watched the first 3 seasons and some of 4 a decade ago on dvd.

Lost interest and never went back to finish it.

I’m still deciding if I’ll extend Prime for another year in July. Not a fan of the 20% increase.

So, I finished the first season of B5 and MY GOD was it an endurance trial to sit through. Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik pretty much carry this show (and they're not even in every episode). The production values are chintzy, the directing is pedestrian, the pacing is glacial, and the sets, costumes and the like are just ugly to look at. It's an obviously intelligently written series, but I'm not sure if I can make it to season 3 where the show is supposed to get better.

Am I the only one who has felt this way? I hear it's the work of genius, but I keep checking the elapsed time on the DVD player.

That is what I've heard from everyone, even those that love the series. The show supposedly becomes great during its second season, building upon the foundation laid out in season one.

Never found the time myself to binge all five seasons.

It does get better. Watched the whole series when it was on broadcast tv. Also owned all the DVDs.
Yes season 1 was slow but stick with it. By season 3 you will be on the edge of your seat. And wow season 4.

Definitely.

I went through the same thing and pressed on and so glad I did.

I watched it for the first time maybe 10 years ago and enjoyed. At the time, the graphics were definitely dated. I can only imagine what they’re like today.

However, the characters and plot as I recall are great. There are some interesting shifts, and really “oh crap!” plot changes. It’s a shame like half of the actors are dead now.

Note, if I remember correctly, I screwed up and watched a tv move first even though it came out - I think - between seasons 4 and 5. So don’t pull the same mistake!

On a first watch, one should watch through it sequentially in spite of the tediousness of season 1. I also found season 5 was tedious to watch too.

Though on a re-watch, I skip seasons 1 and 5 altogether. I start with the "In The Beginning" telefilm and go straight to season 2 -> 4 in sequence.

I was in the same situation several years ago, and someone on this forum recommended sticking with it (I think it was das Monkey), and I was glad I did. Been a while since I've seen it.

Absolutely! You’ve already gotten through the hard part. Season 2 still takes a few episodes to really take off but once it does you’ll be completely hooked. And all the shit you thought was filler earlier will come back, and you’ll realize how meticulously the puzzle pieces were laid out.

BTW- did you watch The Gathering? It should have been watched prior to season 1. If not, definitely watch it prior to season 2, since a character from the movie comes back as a main cast member.