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

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' started by Neroon, Aug 20, 2007.

  1. Phily B

    Phily B Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Also I really wish they hadn't gone past season 4, or knew they had an extra season. The Earth war is the best part of the whole show, but it goes a bit too fast. Season 4 is great, it just feels like its cramming two seasons into one.
     
  2. Phily B

    Phily B Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Trying to watch Season 5 now.

    Whose idea was it to have that woman as Captain? She is awful. She isn't a bad actor or anything, she just doesn't fit at all.
     
  3. Mal

    Mal Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005
    [kosh]yes[/kosh]

    not a "fan" but certainly better than *ducks* ivanova.

    (it's the voice. i'm just a sucker for the voice... :drool:)
     
  4. Phily B

    Phily B Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Ivanova would've been ok, only because of the connection. She grew on me after season one, but I never felt like she was her own character and never had the presence of Garibaldi, Franklin or Sheridan. She was pint sized, and even if she did her best and put in decent performances tbf she was never intimidating.

    Also Matt Striker (WWE wrestler) reminds me A LOT of Mr Morden.
     
  5. Smiley

    Smiley Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2005
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Thoughts on The Shadow Within: I was a little nervous about this one since Anna is not my favorite character on the show. However, after the first couple of chapters, I really warmed up to the character. Anna, John, and Morden are all presented in sympathetic and realistic ways, and both storylines proved to be quite interesting.

    Some of you may know that I have a fondness for ranking lists. Here is my list for the first nine B5 novels:

    1. To Dream in the City of Sorrows
    2. Voices
    3. Personal Agendas
    4. The Shadow Within
    5. Accusations

    6. Blood Oath

    7. The Touch of Your Shadow, The Whisper of Your Name
    8. Clark's Law
    9. Betrayals

    None of them totally rocked my socks, but the top five are quite solid, the sixth is okay, and the bottom three are out of my personal continuity.
     
  6. Anthony Sabre

    Anthony Sabre Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2001
    Location:
    Dallas, TX USA
    And the Sky Full of Stars

    This episode pretty much makes it official. I'm hooked. Glad I didn't watch B5 during its original run. I get to enjoy it now. :)
     
  7. Neroon

    Neroon Mod of Balance Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2000
    Location:
    On my ship the Rocinante
    Most of my original run consisted of borrowing VHS tapes from a friend, in exchange for a batch of ginger snaps. :D

    I tell ya though, watching it in first run would have been maddening but exquisitely so. Waiting each week for what would come next. But I'm impatient enough that I'm grateful I didn't have to wait so long.
     
  8. Mal

    Mal Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005

    i didn't watch B5 till after it had already ended. then, i watched it 3 times through in 3 months (an experience i highly recommend!).

    anyway, it's become my standard practice now. i only watch shows after they are canceled :) except Doctor Who... cause's it's just too damn shiny!

    the way BSG has been recently, i wish i had the same policy back when it started too...
     
  9. Jan

    Jan Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2005
    Location:
    ...is insane. --JMS
    "Maddening but exquisitely so" describes it nicely. First you'd would watch the episode and, if lucky, any encore showing. I was lucky to find some great online communities where we'd discuss (and dissect) each episode, too. Nothing like hanging out with the shows writer/creator as well as all the rest of the fans as we'd wait for an 'eep' as to whether or not each season would be renewed. That was truly maddening! Still, as into the show as I was, I didn't appreciate the true genius of the B5 method of storytelling until the second viewing, when the episodes were 'stripped' on TNT.

    Jan
     
  10. Phily B

    Phily B Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Trying to watch season 5. I think the credits are the best part of it so far.

    I think B5 is one of the most unique shows out there though, there is defo something about it that gets you to watch it multiple times. I wish all shows were done like this, script and a sense of direction before going out and shooting it. The fact that JMS could do S5 because he had a bible is pretty amazing.

    Though I can understand why its under rated overall and never got any critical praise.
     
  11. Mal

    Mal Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005

    the intro is awesome.

    but it is only the best part so far. the second half is as good as season 4, bringing the season's average quality up to that of... well, season 2.

    the problem, of course is :o byron :scream::scream::scream::scream::scream:
     
  12. Phily B

    Phily B Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Yes, that guy was really annoying. Lyta should've hooked up with Zach, once he dies its all good.
     
  13. Ryan Thomas Riddle

    Ryan Thomas Riddle Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2003
    Ah, but as Lennier says, "All love is unrequited."
     
  14. Smiley

    Smiley Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2005
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Lennier is hardly objective on the matter of love, unrequited or not. I would hardly call Delenn and Sheridan's love for each other unrequited.

    On a different subject, I finished the first Techno-Mage novel, and I would hardly call The Shadow Within a prequel to it. Yes, the Anna, Kosh, and Morden bits are consistent, but we already know enough about those characters from the show that their minor parts of this story make sense. I liked Casting Shadows much more than I thought I would. It's kind of like the Young Jedi Knights series with its coming-of-age-with-strange-powers storyline. Cavelos did a great job making me care about all of these mages that we never saw on screen. I'm curious to see what Galen and Elric do in the next book.
     
  15. Anthony Sabre

    Anthony Sabre Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2001
    Location:
    Dallas, TX USA
    I watched Survivors yesterday and Any Means Necessary today. Survivors was great. The concept of an alcoholic lead character in a sci fi series is kind of rare. I enjoyed Gariabaldi's conversation with Londo in the casino. Both episodes really drove home how there are truly different political forces at play on B5. DS9 addressed politics on occasion but only as a one episode plot device. Politics are always present on B5.

    I don't agree with the complaints about season 1. I'd take season 1 B5 over season 1 DS9 any day. Far more exciting.
     
  16. Mal

    Mal Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005

    which made it all-the-more cruel when Delenn told Lennier that he was wrong :(


    well now you're just comparing rotten apples with rotten oranges :)
     
  17. Tzenkethi

    Tzenkethi Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2007
    It is so refreshing to find fellow Trek fans who enjoy B5 equally and will communicate in civil fashion.
    Both shows share similarities but the characters are very different and ultimately that's what makes them different.
    In the end, paramount rejecting B5 may have been for the better, no way would characters and character arcs of the likes of Franklin, Garabaldi or Gkar be allowed in a Trek series, well, pre ENT.
     
  18. Ryan Thomas Riddle

    Ryan Thomas Riddle Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2003
    As much as I felt for Lennier, I'm glad that JMS gave that fallible aspect to Delenn's character. At times, the character seemed too damn sanctified.

    She couldn't hurt Lennier by being straight forward with him; so, she ended up hurting him more. When she told John that "Three is sacred," it showed that a part of her couldn't let go of Lennier because he provides something that John can't even though she romantically loves the latter over the former.

    Ah, for some of us, indeed, love is unrequited. Poor Lennier. Poor Zack. And poor Marcus.
    I never understood the rivalry between 'verses. I find something in one that I don't find in the other. Together both universes offer a separate, yet equally compelling world view. Ultimately, both 'verses are about hope against the most difficult of odds. Perhaps, they are more similar than we would like to believe.
     
  19. Mal

    Mal Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2005
    fascinating.

    Londo's love was not unrequited, but it did end early, suddenly, and tragically.

    it's not clear g'kar loved. kosh either.

    Garibaldi had a happy ending. good for him - he certainly deserved it!

    franklin got lucky. and vir is a genuine mac-daddy.

    ivanova - she's just fucked up. caused pain to herself and marcus. women. by the way, the problem was systemic: she pretty much did the same with talia too (until, basically, it was too late...)

    zoe is dead. ;):drool::devil:
     
  20. Anthony Sabre

    Anthony Sabre Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2001
    Location:
    Dallas, TX USA
    I watched Eyes yesterday and Legacies today. This stuff with Delenn and the Gray Council has really gotten my interest peaked. I can't wait to see how it's finally revealed. Another thing... I've noticed that B5 seems to make changes mid season. Like the opening credits changed and Ivanova changed her hairstyle. Also they don't use all of the cast in each episode. I was starting to wonder if I'd see the Dr. and Ms. Winters again.