So I started watching "Babylon 5" for the first time.

...sort of. At that point the absence of Lochley (even as a name-drop) feels a little weird to me.

I also can't remember whether anyone says a darned thing about Lyta, though if she continued down the road she was on when we last saw her, I can understand why she wasn't really fondly remembered.

 

Yes and no. In some cases is costs them money. I'm not 100% sure but I think that Mary Kay Adams (who replaced Julie Caitly Brown as Na'Toth) had a guaranteed number of episodes and wasn't used for several of them. It's as much a tool for ensuring actor availability as budgetary.

A common misconception that simply isn't true. The actors all got their contracted per-episode pay raises. What was different was the residuals payment schedule between syndicated shows (PTEN) and cable shows (TNT) which, if the actors or their agents should have been perfectly aware of. If there was an issue, it should have been with their guilds, not the production company.

The per-episode budget, however, did get cut which was managed by going from a seven-day to a six-day shooting schedule.

Jan

 

I've finished the Thirdspace and In the Beginning. In the Beginning I liked. Sad, sad Emperor Mollari. Thirdspace was meh. I could live without.


Debating watching Crusade, Legend of the Rangers, Call to Arms and River of Souls. I've read less than good things about these. Worse, since Crusade was cancelled before they could wrap up B5's hanging threads.

 

Everybody has their favorites and are always most vocal about what they don't care for. JMS used the movies in some ways to play, which is why Thirdspace and River of Souls are quite different from the episodes. If you tended to like the off-format episodes, you're probably more likely to enjoy the movies.

What 'hanging threads' are you looking to have resolved? Chances are they wouldn't have been anyway, since B5 was a slice of history and history simply isn't tidy. There are a number of things tied up via the canon novels, though.

Crusade is better approached with the attitude of wanting to watch a rather cerebral adventure series. How's that for an odd description?

Jan

 

As was I at that convention, where there had just about every key player there.

 

Research viewing order.

Although I can say three words that will utterly compel you to watch Call to Arms.

Spoiler: SQUEE!

Destroyer Class Whitestar.

And then you have to watch Crusade.

 

I agree Thirdspace is kind of meh, though I sometimes like to rewatch it for the sheer weirdness, and getting to see things we simply didn't see in the series. Though Sheridan's knack for blowing things up with nuclear devices gets a bit tedious.

If you're going to watch one of the four you listed, I'd recommend Call to Arms. If you like it, check out Crusade. If you don't like it, you almost certainly won't like Crusade.

I have a comment I tend to include with regard to those, but I feel I should hold off on it for now.

 

Oh.

One word to fire up your mind-loins about Crusade.

Spoiler: Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Technomages.

 

Yes, you have to watch Call to Arms before Crusade - CtA is basically the pilot for Crusade; it sets up the series.

 

There was no pilot for Crusade - it was contracted for without one.

Jan

 

Okay, but that's still what CtA basically is.

 

Given the actual events of CtA I wouldn't call it that. More of a kick-off than a pilot.

Kind of like how "Assignment: Earth" is a Trek episode but could have paved the way for a new show.

 

Does everyone know the definition of the word "basically"?

 

Essentially, yes.

 

The hanging threads of:

The Drakh on Centauri Prime during Londo's time as emperor. Basically how they maintained control of Centauri for so long and how they were driven off by (presumably Sheridan and Delnn's son). As well as Vir becoming emperor.

What became of Lyta, G'Kar and Vennir.

The telepath war. Bester and other telepaths play a role in the first 13 or so epiosdes of season 5 but seemingly disappear after that.

 

JMS plotted/edited/helped-write (But not actually wrote) three trilogies of novels he assures us is as canon as the TV.

Psi Corps trilogy.

Centauri Trilogy.

Technomage Trilogy.

In these 9 novels are the answers to most of the questions you're asking, but they also a little bit thread through Crusade as well.

P.S.

Last I checked these books were out of print, not at most libraries, and were each individually selling for near and over a hundred dollars US on ebay.

 

Does everyone know the definition of the word "pilot"? It does not just mean 'first episode'. It's the the episode or movie used to show TV execs in order to *sell* the project. That it's often used as an introductory episode when the show is aired doesn't change that essential component.

"The Gathering" was a pilot for B5 and the cast and station geography went through substantial changes between that airing and the show being put to shoot. Star Trek had two pilots which were later used as (or in) episodes of the approved project.

"A Call To Arms" wasn't a pilot or even a backdoor pilot, it was a bridge between the two series. As JMS said in his Premise for the then-called "Eve of Destruction":

ETA: Guy Gardner is correct that the trilogies are hard to find for a decent price. However, I've got copies and I'm willing to lend them to folks here for the price of postage both ways. PM me if interested.

Jan

 

Okay, okay, geez.
The point is, CtA sets up the plague, introduces the Excalibur etc, etc. It's useful to see CtA to understand the thru-story in Crusade.

 

If you keep an eye on Amazon the hardcovers come up with a decent price from time to time. It takes a while, but I got them all about $15 US. They are worth the wait, for sure.

 

Now I feel like I should laminate my copies.

But yes, the trilogies are anywhere between good and excellent (I know I greatly enjoy them, but I wouldn't dare to speak for all reading tastes) and are highly recommended, especially if you want answers to some of the questions posed above.