Babylon 5

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Two questions:

A) Can I buy only the printed version and not the online one (perhaps with a small price reduction)?

B) Can I buy the encyclopedia from an online bookstore (i.e. Amazon, Barnes & Noble's)?

 

[Forbin]

As for A) - there was a click-box on the page to JUST buy the books, yes.

 

[Jan]

B) Can I buy the encyclopedia from an online bookstore (i.e. Amazon, Barnes & Noble's)?

Not that I'm aware of - at least not yet as this is in pre-order/debut discount status. Bor future plans, check with help@b5books.com and Captain Jaclyn or one of her elves will get back with you quickly.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

As for A) - there was a click-box on the page to JUST buy the books, yes.

Not that I'm aware of - at least not yet as this is in pre-order/debut discount status. Bor future plans, check with help@b5books.com and Captain Jaclyn or one of her elves will get back with you quickly.

Thank you both for your quick replies.

As for A) I now saw that there actually is a $48 price break if you buy both the online and the print edition.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The online edition, of course, has the advantage of potentially being updated to add new information and correct errors. Apparently, it also includes many video clips, including deleted scenes. $98 seems like a lot to pay for access but it will supposedly last a lifetime. However, do I need such a reference work? There really isn't that much more information than I could glean for myself (I have all the DVDs and all of the canonical novels apart from the TV movie novelisations). As more than two decades have passed since The Gathering aired, B5 has diminished to the status of "just another TV show" to me. Ten years ago I would probably have shelled out for the complete package without a second thought; now I doubt that I'd ever make sufficient use of it to justify the expense, though denying the urge does rankle so I must have some residual nostalgia.

 

[Forbin]

Well, I got the new 2-volume Trek Encyclopedia, so I may as well get this and put it next to it.

 

[DonIago]

^I admit I had similar thoughts. "Really? Right after the new ST Encyclopedia came out?!?"

 

[Forbin]

^I admit I had similar thoughts. "Really? Right after the new ST Encyclopedia came out?!?"

HA! Another Trek/B5 copycat conspiracy theory!

 

[Jan]

HA! Another Tre/B5 copycat conspiracy theory!

Oh...no... Please...just...no...

 

[Emperor Norton]

I received the entire series as a Christmas gift years ago, tried to watch it, and gave up a few episodes into season 1. Since completing my viewing of DS9 recently, I decided to give it a chance. Season 1 is proving unenjoyable, but I am taking the advice and slogging through till season 2. The subtitles never sync up with the actual dialogue, and it is frustrating.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

There are lists around of the essential episodes in season 1. I would suggest anyone struggling to complete the course should stick with those and ignore relative stinkers such as "Believers", "Grail", "Eyes", "Legacies", "Infection", and "TKO". Here is my list:

Episode 1 – Midnight on the Firing Line
Episode 6 – Mind War
Episode 8 – And the Sky Full of Stars
Episode 13 – Signs and Portents
Episodes 18 and 19 – A Voice in the Wilderness
Episode 20– Babylon Squared
Episode 21 – The Quality of Mercy
Episode 22 – Chrysalis

 

[DonIago]

"Believers" annoys me every time I'm exposed to it. "TKO" I've only seen once, but at least while I found that one a bit boring and stupid, it didn't irk me.

 

[LJones41]

There are lists around of the essential episodes in season 1. I would suggest anyone struggling to complete the course should stick with those and ignore relative stinkers such as "Believers", "Grail", "Eyes", "Legacies", "Infection", and "TKO". Here is my list:

Episode 1 – Midnight on the Firing Line
Episode 6 – Mind War
Episode 8 – And the Sky Full of Stars
Episode 13 – Signs and Portents
Episodes 18 and 19 – A Voice in the Wilderness
Episode 20– Babylon Squared
Episode 21 – The Quality of Mercy
Episode 22 – Chrysalis

I do not regard "Eyes" and "Legacies" as stinkers and are among my favorite Season 1 episodes.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

I do not regard "Eyes" and "Legacies" as stinkers and are among my favorite Season 1 episodes.

Fair enough, you like them, I find them a bit stinky, but are they essential viewing? One could argue that "Grail" and "Infection" are more essential.

 

[Harvey]

It's been more than a few years since I've seen the series, but is "The Quality of Mercy" really an essential episode? It introduces an important piece of technology that will return in later episodes, but as I recall it's a pretty tedious standalone hour otherwise.

That's the only one I'd quibble with; the rest of the episodes are surely essential.

 

[DonIago]

Yeah, aside from the "Easter Egg" I don't believe the episode has a whole lot going for it.

Unless Franklin being somewhat less-than-professional (again) counts.

 

[Forbin]

I LOVE "Believers," because I HATE religion.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Yes, a lot of people miss off "The Quality of Mercy" from the list, which would bring it down to eight episodes. I think it would be a bit strange to encounter the McGuffin (not sure that's the correct term) later on in the series if you didn't know where it came from.

 

[JoeD80]

"Quality" is totally worth watching for the Londo/Lennier scenes.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

There isn't an episode of B5 that I find to be so bad that I can't watch it through to the end. I can't say the same for a considerable number of Star Trek series episodes, unfortunately.There are also episodes of B5 that far outshine any Star Trek episode in quality (IMO) apart from a small number of TOS and DS9 episodes perhaps.