Niners Unite...around Babylon 5! - The Lost Threads

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Season 1 has some stinkers, but after that it gets pretty good.

The important thing to remember is that it's pretty much a five-year arc story. Very little of what you see is standalone material.

[kirsten187]

DS9 Gal AZ wrote:

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Season 1 has some stinkers, but after that it gets pretty good.

The important thing to remember is that it's pretty much a five-year arc story. Very little of what you see is standalone material.

It has something in common with TNG then! It has season 1 stinkers too!

But the huge story arc is part of what I like best about DS9.

[teacake]

Season 1 of *everything has stinkers which is why it's such a disaster the way they cancel stuff after one season now.

*Except NuBSG

That said I loved season 1 Bab5 just fine. I remember 2 eye rolling eps but I still enjoyed the early character development in them. It's great seeing the early days and it's great seeing Sinclair.

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Some people try to debate Sinclair-vs-Sheridan, but frankly I enjoyed both characters. Some claim O'Hare was "wooden" as Sinclair but I never thought so. Sinclair always struck me as the more serious type, a man haunted by the past by destined to define it. Sheridan was more gung-ho, action guy, but he was also great to watch.

Plus, even after Sinclair departs, they wrap up his story arc quite brilliantly in Season 3. That was freakin' epic, man.

Oh, and there's a wonderful Season 2 blooper out there, where Bruce Boxleitner (Sheridan) says, "Medlab, this is Sinclair --" and everyone starts laughing. Ooops!

[teacake]

I completely agree. They were very different and it took me a while to get used to Sheridan. I had been enjoying the more intellectual, non-action leader. I haven't got a preference, they were both excellent and they got a lot of great storyline out of what happened to Sinclair.

However I have to say I consider Sheridan and Delenn to be the most romantic and believably done relationship in all of sci fi tv.

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Ah yes, I loved Sheridan and Delenn as well.

But my poor, poor Lennier ...

[teacake]

Lennier was a tragedy, but so so poignant.

[DS9 Gal AZ]

I know. I kind of really wanted him to get a nice happy ending. Like, maybe he'd get over his feelings and meet some nice Ranger girl? And JMS still hasn't told the full story of Lennier's end after all these years, though he's said things about it. C'mon Joe at least let someone write a novel or something!

[Jan]

DS9 Gal AZ wrote:

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C'mon Joe at least let someone write a novel or something!

He doesn't have any say in whether a novel happens or not since he doesn't own Babylon 5 (though he'd have to have some involvement, by contract). A publisher would have to license B5 from Warner Bros., pay them lots of money, pay a writer to write it, and pay to publish it.

Know any publishers who want to do that for a property that's been pretty much out of the public eye for at least 10 years?

Jan

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Yeah, yeah, I know. Frankly, I always wondered if maybe he planned to make it part of the whole direct-to-dvd "Lost Tales" that started in 2007. But that kind of tanked after only one release ... so it's up to the fanfiction writers now! :P

[Kirby]

So I finally got around to watching a little bit. Last night I saw Midnight on the Firing Line and today the Soul Hunter.
Overall I like the story quality and the tone of the show.
The Commander is a little stiff, but likeable, so is the 2nd in command; but I'm not sure if the actress is going for Mr. Spock, or Lillith Crane. The Security Guy seems cool, although I'm sure he's been compared to Bruce Willis/David Addison a million times.

The special effects seem a little too computer generated, but hey, it was 1994 after all, and I don't know why but the set decoration kind of bugs me. Some of the sets like the bar, seem very cheap, almost in a stage play kind of way.

The main aliens are great and creative, and I like their makeup moreso than the bumpy forehead aliens of Star Trek.

[teacake]

Interesting you say stage play. I always think Bab 5 is very theatrical, the dialogue and delivery. It has a real sci fi play feel to it.

[Jan]

The theatricality isn't an accident. JMS hired many classically trained actors and the set designer, John Iacovelli comes from a theater background. The budget for each episode at first was around $800,000 and never went over about $950,000 which means they needed to make every cent count.

Jan

[teacake]

That I did not know. Or if I did know, I've forgotten as I've been having the same conversations on this forum over and over for years. The theatricality is a rare treat imo and makes Babj 5 quite a different show.

[Mage]

teacake wrote:

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Lennier was a tragedy, but so so poignant.

I've seen the series 4 times in total now, maybe 5. I introduced my girlfriend to it, she loves it too. After her first viewing, during the last two episodes, we were both crying because of, and for, Lennier.

So during her second time viewing the series, the moment Lennier walks into screen for the first time....she was just crying again, knowing what was coming.

Hell, during the episode in DS9 where Bill Mummy has a part, she actually got a bit chocked.