Zathras says: what your own top 25 episodes of B5 are being?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Neroon, Aug 27, 2008.

  1. Neroon

    Neroon Mod of Balance Moderator

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    There has been some interesting discussion on various episodes of Babylon 5, to the point where it's clear we have a wide variety of opinion. Just to muddy up the waters even further, here are my top 25.

    Today, at least

    HTML:
    #25.)	The Deconstruction of Falling Stars
    #24.)	Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?
    #23.)	Babylon Squared
    #22.)	And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
    #21.)	Comes the Inquisitor
    #20.)	Signs and Portents
    #19.)	Chrysalis
    #18.)	Shadow Dancing
    #17.)	Into the Fire
    #16.)	The Face of the Enemy
    #15.)	Endgame
    #14.)	In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum
    #13.)	No Surrender, No Retreat
    #12.)	And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
    #11.)	The Fall of Centauri Prime
    #10.)	Objects at Rest
    #09.)	Sleeping in Light
    #08.)	War Without End, Part One
    #07.)	War Without End, Part Two
    #06.)	The Fall of Night
    #05.)	Point of No Return
    #04.)	The Long, Twilight Struggle
    #03.)	The Coming of Shadows
    #02.)	Z'ha'dum
    
    And the number one BABYLON 5 episode, coming in by the slightest of margins...	
    
    #1.)	Severed Dreams
    
     
  2. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    No-one answer this thread, no-one listen to Zathras. :)

    25. Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi ?
    24. The Long Night
    23. Sleeping in Light
    22. Endgame
    21. Intersections in Real Time
    20. Interludes and Examinations
    19. No Surrender, No Retreat
    18. The Illusion of Truth
    17. The Fall of Centauri Prime (the title of which is not a f***ing spoiler)
    16. Deathwalker
    15. Chrysalis
    14. The Hour of the Wolf
    13. Into the Fire
    12. Shadow Dancing
    11. Point of No Return
    10. War Without End, Part One
    9. War Without End, Part Two
    8. Babylon Squared
    7. In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum
    6. Severed Dreams
    5. The Coming of Shadows
    4. Signs and Portents
    3. The Face of the Enemy
    2. Z'ha'dum
    1. The Long Twilight Struggle

    This was really hard and it would probably change if I had to do it again.
     
  3. Jan

    Jan Commodore Commodore

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    I can't. I don't think I can even make a top 10 list because so many of the great episodes depend on so many other episodes. When it comes to lists, all I ever come up with is that the off-format episodes are way up there for me.

    Jan
     
  4. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    ^Yeah, with very few exceptions, I love all of them. My list above is fairly random.
     
  5. OmahaStar

    OmahaStar Disrespectful of his betters Admiral

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    In no particular order ...
    1 - Born to the Purple
    2 - Parliament of Dreams
    3 - DeathWalker
    4 - By Any Means Necessary
    5 - Babylon Squared/War Without End 1 & 2
    6 - Chrysalis
    7 - Geometry of Shadows
    8 - Soul Mates
    9 - Coming of Shadows
    10 - Acts of Sacrifice
    11 - In the Shadow of Z'Ha'Dum
    12 - Divided Loyalties
    13 - Passing Through Gethsemane
    14 - Messages From Earth/Point of No Return/Severed Dreams
    15 - Voices of Authority
    16 - A Late Delivery From Avalon
    17 - Z'Ha'Dum
    18 - The Summoning
    19 - Between the Darkness and the Light
    20 - Endgame
    21 - The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari
    22 - Day of the Dead
    23 - Fall of Centauri Prime
    24 - Objects in Motion/Objects at Rest
    25 - Sleeping in Light

    movies top one - In the Beginning

    Crusade top two
    1 - The Long Road
    2 - Memory of War
     
  6. Reverend

    Reverend Admiral Admiral

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    25?! That's more than an entire season, can't we narrow it down a little? Or just exclude the obvious ones.

    Well, here's my top 10, for what it's worth.

    10. Babylon Squared
    09. The Illusion of Truth
    08. War Without End 1 & 2
    07. Z'ha'dum
    06. Messages From Earth
    05. The Long Twilight Struggle
    04. Endgame
    03. Severed Dreams
    02. Sleeping in Light
    01. Intersections in Real Time

    That's just episodes in their entirety of course, though some of my favourite moments in the show take place elsewhere. The Sheridan captured in a bar sequence for one, or Kosh getting pissed off with Sheridan and of course Vir getting what he wanted from Morden. ;) Oh and an honourable mention should be made for "A View From the Gallery" and "Comes the Inquisitor".
    Actually the show was consistent in it's quality that it'd probably be easier to list the episodes I didn't like to much.
    "TKO", "Grey 17 is Missing" & "Exogenesis"...that's about it.
     
  7. OmahaStar

    OmahaStar Disrespectful of his betters Admiral

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    No.
     
  8. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    I can't remember well enough to rank them, but the top ten in no order:

    #1 shall always be "The Long Twilight Struggle"
    #2 Severed Dreams
    Interludes Examinations
    Shadow Dancing
    Whatever Happened to Mr. Garabaldi?
    Falling Towards Apotheosis
    Long Night
    Into the Fire
    Face Enemy
    Endgame
     
  9. Angel4576

    Angel4576 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    This is actually quite tough. After much deliberation;

    1. Sleeping in Light
    2. Severed Dreams
    3. Endgame
    4. Z'ha'dum
    5. In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum
    6. Babylon Squared
    7. The Coming of Shadows
    8. The Fall of Night
    9. Shadow Dancing
    10. The Long Twilight Struggle
    11. Chrysalis
    12. War Without End
    13. Falling Towards Apotheosis
    14. Comes the Inquisitor
    15. Intersections in Real Time
    16. Signs & Portents
    17. Interludes and Examinations
    18. Objects at Rest
    19. Objects in Motion
    20. Divided Loyalties
    21. Into the Fire
    22. The Fall of Centauri Prime
    23. Between the Darkness and the Light
    24. Day of the Dead
    25. Confessions & Lamentations
     
  10. Neroon

    Neroon Mod of Balance Moderator

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    Zathras KNEW someone would say this, so Zathras decide to ask for 25 to get everyone to think beyond a season's worth of episodes. Much apologisings if you are being concerned.
     
  11. Orac Zen

    Orac Zen Mischief Manager Super Moderator

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    Today's nominees, in no particular order (except for the first two), are:

    * Severed Dreams
    * Sleeping in Light
    * Z'ha'dum
    * The Long, Twilight Struggle
    * Passing Through Gethsemane
    * And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
    * The Coming of Shadows
    * Confessions and Lamentations
    * Interludes and Examinations
    * The Parliament of Dreams
    * War Without End (both)
    * Babylon Squared
    * Endgame
    * Atonement
    * Point of No Return
    * Chrysalis
    * GROPOS
    * Signs and Portents
    * In The Shadow of Z'ha'dum
    * And The Rock Cried Out, 'No Hiding Place'
    * No Surrender, No Retreat
    * Moments of Transition
    * The Fall of Centauri Prime
    * Objects at Rest
    * Falling Toward Apotheosis.
     
  12. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    Since I graded everything with a letter system, I'll post the top twenty-five picks:

    A+
    Revelations (2x02)
    The Coming of Shadows (2x09)
    Confessions and Lamentations (2x18)
    Messages from Earth (3x08)
    Point of No Return (3x09)
    Severed Dreams (3x10)
    Z'ha'dum (3x22)
    No Surrender, No Retreat (4x15)
    The Face of the Enemy (4x17)
    Movements of Fire and Shadow (5x17)
    The Fall of Centauri Prime (5x18)
    Sleeping in Light (5x22)

    A
    Mind War (1x06)
    Babylon Squared (1x20)
    Chrysalis (1x22)
    In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum (2x16)
    The Long, Twilight Struggle (2x20)
    Comes the Inquisitor (2x21)
    Matters of Honor (3x01)
    Convictions (3x02)
    Sic Transit Vir (3x12)
    Interludes and Examinations (3x15)
    And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place (3x20)
    Shadow Dancing (3x21)
    The Summoning (4x03)

    There's more in season four and season five, but that's the first twenty-five picks, chronologically.
     
  13. Fist McStrongpunch

    Fist McStrongpunch Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    My top 25, approximately, right now, from least best to best.

    25 Midnight On The Firing Line
    24 And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
    23 The Parliament Of Dreams
    22 The Deconstruction Of Falling Stars
    21 The Fall Of Night
    20 The Long, Twilight Struggle
    19 Point Of No Return
    18 The Coming Of Shadows
    17 Chrysalis
    16 Babylon Squared
    15 Comes The Inquisitor
    14 Rising Star
    13 No Surrender, No Retreat
    12 Endgame
    11 War Without End, Part 1
    10 War Without End, Part 2
    9 The Summoning
    8 Falling Toward Apotheosis
    7 Signs And Portents
    6 The Fall of Centauri Prime
    5 Passing Through Gethsemane
    4 And The Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
    3 Severed Dreams
    2 Sleeping In Light

    And The Number One Absolute Best Episode Of Babylon 5 Ever:

    1 Intersections In Real Time

    Damn, that was tough.
     
  14. Neroon

    Neroon Mod of Balance Moderator

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    So good, so well made tha tI've only seen it one time. Ever.

    It's that effective.
     
  15. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I've only seen the whole show 1.5 times through, but I am currently watching "Severed Dreams," and it is fucking awesome. Probably my favorite of the series.
     
  16. sidious618

    sidious618 Admiral Admiral

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    Okay, in some what of an order:

    Sleeping In Light
    Za'ha'dum
    The Long Twilight Struggle
    Into the Fire
    Intersections In Real Time
    The Fall of Centuri Prime
    Interludes and Examinations
    Endgame
    Whatever Happened to Mr. Garabaldi?
    Severed Dreams
    War Without End, Part Two
    War Without End, Part One
    In The Shadow of Za'ha'dum
    Objects at Rest
    The Face of the Enemy
    Shadow Dancing
    The Summoning
    Passing Through Gethsemane
    Movements of Fire and Shadow
    In the Kingdom of the Blind
    Chrysalis
    Signs and Portents
    Comes the Inquisitor
    Lines of Communication

    That was tough. I can't going, "Oh, wait, that one, too!"
     
  17. Reverend

    Reverend Admiral Admiral

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    That was my #1 too. ;)
    In and odd way, I think it'd like to see that episode adapted into a stage play. The audience doesn't even have to know anything about the show, you get everything you need through inference. Actually, probably best you don't know since more than anything else in B5 history, or perhaps in TV drama history, this one episode can stand totally on it's own. Change the names around, make the Drazi just another human and it could take place anywhere, any time.
     
  18. Alpha_Geek

    Alpha_Geek Commodore Commodore

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    This come from outside time, but still Zathras. Zathras think is good enough to be on someones top 25, maybe even The Ones:

    "Zathras look at budget deficit, says, not good. Stop spending.
    But no one ever listen to Zathras. But one day, everybody listen.
    Then, Zathras elected. Zathras will be great president. Someday even
    have face printed on money. Then, everybody have Zathras face in
    pants. It is good to be president." -JMS
     
  19. Jan

    Jan Commodore Commodore

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    ...is insane. --JMS
    No Top 25 would be complete without Zathras, of course.

    "Zathras trained in crisis management."

    Jan
     
  20. Neroon

    Neroon Mod of Balance Moderator

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    Just to be clear, it's not my #1.... but I still regard it as top shelf. Especially because Boxleitner turns in a stunning performance.

    Hmmm... hadn't ever thought of that, but I like the idea. It could definitely work.