A Niner Watches Babylon 5 (NO spoilers, please) - Page 4

TheGodBen · January 25 2010, 02:56 AM

Pemmer Harge wrote:

Although I've rarely found B5 dull even at its worst, those first four episodes contain what I consider two of the worst episodes the show ever did (Soul Hunter and Infection) and though I personally enjoyed the other two, I know that many fans aren't crazy about them.

Oh gods, I remember hating those two episodes.

I felt that Midnight on the Firing Line was okay, but Soul Hunter made me want to give up. I gave the show another shot with Born to the Purple only to be disappointed, so after that I waited a week or two before moving on to Infection, and that episode successfully killed my interest in the show. One of the reasons why I'm doing this thread is that I hope it will give me a motivation to continue past the rough first season, just like the Voyager thread helped me get through that show's third season.

Orac Zen wrote:

This could be amusing. Sometimes these types of threads devolve into idiotic "I know better than you" / "you're wrong" / "if you (dis)like this you're an imbecile" gibberish

Hmm, sounds almost exactly like my M.O.

Hyperspace05 · January 25 2010, 04:03 AM

So if you saw those episodes, where did you post the reviews? Or are you just going to post them when you finish the season?

Admiral Buzzkill · January 25 2010, 04:05 AM

TheGodBen wrote:

...Soul Hunter made me want to give up.

Well, the dialogue on the show rarely got as bad as it was in Soul Hunter.

Forbin · January 25 2010, 04:23 AM

A four page thread on B5 just since I last logged on this morning!?!?

I'm never gonna get a chance to read the whole thread.

RoJoHen · January 25 2010, 05:05 AM

Gep Malakai wrote:

As someone who also has never watched B5, I'll be following this thread intently as well, so I'll finally know what the hell everybody is talking about.

Maybe you should start watching it, too!

The last time there was a big thread like this, it motivated me to re-watch it from the beginning, and it was even more awesome than the first time.

Harvey · January 25 2010, 05:34 AM

Dennis wrote:

TheGodBen wrote:

...Soul Hunter made me want to give up.

Well, the dialogue on the show rarely got as bad as it was in Soul Hunter.

And that was the heavily re-written version of the script, too. But I'm not big on the first season, which basically comes down to six episodes that really matter and a lot of mediocre universe-building (which, in retrospect, has a little more value, but not a lot more). IMO.

Orac Zen · January 25 2010, 07:58 AM

TheGodBen wrote:

Orac Zen wrote:

This could be amusing. Sometimes these types of threads devolve into idiotic "I know better than you" / "you're wrong" / "if you (dis)like this you're an imbecile" gibberish

Hmm, sounds almost exactly like my M.O.

I was being polite for a change, but if you want to own up that's okay, too.

StarshipDefiant · January 25 2010, 08:04 AM

I personally thought the first six episodes of season one (Especially "Soul Hunter" and "Infection") were kind of "meh" even worst that I ended up seeing them about a half a dozen times before I was able to get going on the series and fully watch it. Aside from some set ups and character establishment, this episode (or even some characters) don't really mean much in the long run.

Give it another ago, and get past the first six, and you'll be glad (maybe) you did, I know I was. I sat though them, finally fell in love with the show and kept with it to the end.

tomalak301 · January 25 2010, 08:22 AM

Of the first 6, Soul Hunter and Infection were the ones I didn't really like. I really liked Born to the Purple, and people didn't like Bester's first episode, Mind War? I thought that was one of the season's best?

StarshipDefiant · January 25 2010, 08:27 AM

tomalak301 wrote:

Of the first 6, Soul Hunter and Infection were the ones I didn't really like. I really liked Born to the Purple, and people didn't like Bester's first episode, Mind War? I thought that was one of the season's best?

"Mind War" was pretty good, and reminded me of why Sinclair just reeks of bad assery.

Kegg · January 25 2010, 09:04 AM

As far as appeal goes, I think B5 is basically a cult show because you simply have to be willing to overlook a lot of problems, like acting, SFX, music and occasionally writing - be someone willing and inclined to appreciate the show for its broader scope and all that. Something like nuBSG isn't as good when it comes to the big picture and the answers to the big questions, but it's also rather superior in all of those other fiddly little details (which are far more important for any show on a day-to-day basis).

Basically, you've just got to be a geek. We're more than patient for all of this if we just get our little bit of space opera world building on the side; and B5 is one of the best concieved space opera universes on TV, full of epic sweeping political stuff and character arcs, so naturally some go gaga.

RoJoHen wrote:

Skywalker wrote:

RoJoHen wrote:

It's always so silly to me how people proclaim these sorts of things so matter-of-factly.

Well, they are wrong. Farscape is the greatest sci-fi show of all time.

I will concede this point.

This is factually true.

TheGodBen wrote:

Oh gods, I remember hating those two episodes.

I felt that Midnight on the Firing Line was okay, but Soul Hunter made me want to give up. I gave the show another shot with Born to the Purple only to be disappointed, so after that I waited a week or two before moving on to Infection, and that episode successfully killed my interest in the show.

Hence the great wisdom of that guy who made me watch In the Beginning first. I would never have stuck with season one without it ringing in my ears, to be perfectly honest, and even if it's a too spoilerific opening it's still one of the better outings of the franchise.

Sykonee · January 25 2010, 09:20 AM

By the way, a website you may want to check out as you're watching the series is the Lurker's Guide, where a bunch of info regarding episodes and discussion from JMS is included. Most of it was done as the episodes aired, so there isn't anything that'll heavily spoil subsequent episodes so long as you only read its contents after you've watched an episode.

It's very... enlightening.

Admiral Buzzkill · January 25 2010, 03:45 PM

StarshipDefiant wrote:

tomalak301 wrote:

Of the first 6, Soul Hunter and Infection were the ones I didn't really like. I really liked Born to the Purple, and people didn't like Bester's first episode, Mind War? I thought that was one of the season's best?

"Mind War" was pretty good, and reminded me of why Sinclair just reeks of bad assery.

"Mind War" was pretty damned cool.

Harvey wrote:

And that was the heavily re-written version of the script, too. But I'm not big on the first season, which basically comes down to six episodes that really matter and a lot of mediocre universe-building (which, in retrospect, has a little more value, but not a lot more). IMO.

Oh, there were seven or eight good episodes - stories only "matter" if they're good, not because they fit into and advance some kind of "arc." It doesn't help that the metastory in B5 was mediocre, derivative and ended in a sham climax ("Get out of our galaxy!").

Lindley · January 25 2010, 05:12 PM

zakkrusz · January 25 2010, 05:24 PM

It's definitely possible to enjoy both DS9 and Babylon 5.

<---Living Proof right here.

It was certainly a much better show after season 1 though.

January 25 2010, 04:03 AM	#47
Hyperspace05 Commodore	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 So if you saw those episodes, where did you post the reviews? Or are you just going to post them when you finish the season?

January 25 2010, 04:23 AM	#49
Forbin Admiral Location: I said out, dammit!	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 A four page thread on B5 just since I last logged on this morning!?!? I'm never gonna get a chance to read the whole thread. __________________ My kitbashes: http://www.inpayne.com/models/kitbash/trekpage.html My Kitbash Wallpapers: http://www.inpayne.com/models/wallpa...allpapers.html My kitbash calendar: http://inpayne.com/calendar/kbcalendar2013.html

January 25 2010, 08:04 AM	#53
StarshipDefiant Captain	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 I personally thought the first six episodes of season one (Especially "Soul Hunter" and "Infection") were kind of "meh" even worst that I ended up seeing them about a half a dozen times before I was able to get going on the series and fully watch it. Aside from some set ups and character establishment, this episode (or even some characters) don't really mean much in the long run. Give it another ago, and get past the first six, and you'll be glad (maybe) you did, I know I was. I sat though them, finally fell in love with the show and kept with it to the end. __________________ Mal: I aim to misbehave Whiskey: I know where to find food. In the kitchen. Bennett: D-did you just...try to tase me?

January 25 2010, 08:22 AM	#54
tomalak301 Admiral Location: Bay Area, CA	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 Of the first 6, Soul Hunter and Infection were the ones I didn't really like. I really liked Born to the Purple, and people didn't like Bester's first episode, Mind War? I thought that was one of the season's best? __________________ Twitter

January 25 2010, 09:20 AM	#57
Sykonee Fleet Captain Location: West Coast of Canada	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 By the way, a website you may want to check out as you're watching the series is the Lurker's Guide, where a bunch of info regarding episodes and discussion from JMS is included. Most of it was done as the episodes aired, so there isn't anything that'll heavily spoil subsequent episodes so long as you only read its contents after you've watched an episode. It's very... enlightening. __________________ DS9 Versus Electronic Music Critic: (~)

STAR TREK

CSI

ABOUT US

January 25 2010, 05:12 PM	#59
Lindley Moderator with a Soul Location: Fairfax, VA	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 Everyone always focuses on that line, which entirely misses the point of the ending. I wish JMS hadn't put it in there. __________________ Lead Organizer for EVN: Firefly. "So apparently the really smart zombies have automatic weapons!" -Torg, Sluggy Freelance

January 25 2010, 05:24 PM	#60
zakkrusz Rear Admiral Location: The Wired	Re: A Niner Watches Babylon 5 It's definitely possible to enjoy both DS9 and Babylon 5. <---Living Proof right here. It was certainly a much better show after season 1 though. __________________ "Formidable, are the World Delicacy Noodles." Chachamaru-Negima!?