Would I like Babylon 5 ?

[RaymondJames]

I may have sen an episode or two but its escapes my memory. My father watched it when it was on and I did not, I was still very young.

I blame my father for my sci-fi fanship If it wasn't for him letting me watch TNG & Ds9 with him (I was more aware when Voyager started so we both watched it) I wouldn't be watching sci-fi shows. I liked Stargate SG-1, Sliders, X-files, all Startreks and Seaquest.

I not a fan of BSG old or new but I have no clue about Babylon 5... would I like it? what are your opinions on it?

 

[Ethros]

Well I know what Tim Bisley would say
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shXK4SmpVlM (skip to 1:35 if you're impatient)

 

[RaymondJames]

I also liked Andromeda. Wasn't into farscape though I have seen some of it. never seen the original Doctor WHO, hate the new ones.


Love your seth green avitar!

 

[MyCylon]

I think B5's great. It's one of my three favorite science fiction tv shows. The other two are nuBGS and DS9.
One of the reason I like these three is that they're all (more or less heavily) serialized, have really well-developed characters, deal with interesting and difficult subject matters, they go for shades of grey rather than black vs. white, and they're all highly entertaining IMHO.
So, based on my personal preferences I figure there's a 50/50 chance you'll like B5 .

 

[Lindley]

Eh, probably. If you're willing to wait out the slow start, it really pays off down the road.

 

[RaymondJames]

Eh, probably. If you're willing to wait out the slow start, it really pays off down the road.

that was so ds9, slow as hell and the first season of TNG.

 

[Neroon]

I not a fan of BSG old or new but I have no clue about Babylon 5... would I like it? what are your opinions on it?

Could you tell us a bit more about why you like the shows you did? Just as importantly ... why you DIS-like the shows you did?

 

[Alaedhros]

A rather risk-free way to find out if you'd like it would be to check it out on hulu.com, where they have the first two seasons available. However, that does assume that you have broadband internet and don't mind watching about two minutes of ads per episode.

 

[Neroon]

I keep forgetting about hulu.com! That's a good, non-committal way of looking into the first two seasons without any kind of cash outlay.

 

[Lindley]

Eh, probably. If you're willing to wait out the slow start, it really pays off down the road.

that was so ds9, slow as hell and the first season of TNG.

Yeah, but once B5 gets going, it makes DS9 look unfocused and meandering by comparison. Remember, both shows were on a time when serialized storytelling was not the norm----and, being tied to Trek, DS9 was less free to experiment in that regard.

 

[RaymondJames]

I not a fan of BSG old or new but I have no clue about Babylon 5... would I like it? what are your opinions on it?

Could you tell us a bit more about why you like the shows you did? Just as importantly ... why you DIS-like the shows you did?

I just couldn't connect with either BSG. Doctor who (new) is just cheesy and corny, though i think its supposed to be thats just not my style. I also don't like Lost though iw as a fanfrom seasons 1-2. Lost lost me when I said F it, all it is is a show with an endless plot which at taht point it had no "determined" end point. Charcaters would come and go like a revolving door.

I love Sg-1 because its more military for the most part and takes place in present time. Iliked the early years when they didn't have ships and stuff. I liked Atlantis for the same reason and that they were facing the wraith which were cool then by season 4 I gave up on that, though is till watch. I loved Sliders because it involved alternate realities and these places they went to were so much like earth thatw e know but when it got down to it they were not at all peaceful and some were corrupt. X-files because it was a police show which I love but it delt with religion and the paranormal. Scully being very religious yet science like, yet she was forced to work with Mulder who was a die hard conspiracy theorist and thought aliens existed.

 

[Neroon]

One thing you will often hear in description of Babylon 5 is that the show was structured somewhat like a book. The majority of the first season is used as set up, background for the characters and overall arc which will drive the show. That can be a two-edged sword - or as you get further into the show, a 3-edged sword - as that setup will lose some folks who want a quick payoff. B5 isn't made that way. It builds up slowly but surely and with intent to deliver a solid and engrossing story.

 

[Lindley]

I also don't like Lost though iw as a fanfrom seasons 1-2. Lost lost me when I said F it, all it is is a show with an endless plot which at taht point it had no "determined" end point. Charcaters would come and go like a revolving door.

They claim they have an end point now, and the storyline has certainly picked up. Might give it another look when it comes back for season 5.....if you can figure out what's going on. Things have changed a bit.

In any case, B5 has the opposite problem. It did have a predefined end point, which changed only slightly as the series progressed. This makes for some great storytelling....but it also means that the final year (a surprise after they thought year 4 would be the last), and the spinoffs, just aren't as good because the central story is over with.

 

[RaymondJames]

I also don't like Lost though iw as a fanfrom seasons 1-2. Lost lost me when I said F it, all it is is a show with an endless plot which at taht point it had no "determined" end point. Charcaters would come and go like a revolving door.

They claim they have an end point now, and the storyline has certainly picked up. Might give it another look when it comes back for season 5.....if you can figure out what's going on. Things have changed a bit.
.

My brother stuck with it, I see no point in returning, they killed 99% of my character off. I hatre Jack and Kate so theres no point for me to return while its still on air.

 

[Starbreaker]

I watched the first 90 episodes or so, but it never got better. It's crap!

Just kidding... I love the show. Check it out!

 

[Jan]

One thing about B5 that you should know going in: If you're going to watch it, be prepared to give it your full attention. With this show, you hardly ever get a "Previously on Babylon 5..." segment although JMS always tried to ensure that key data was in the current episode (which sometimes ended up with awkward dialogue). While there are a few red herrings, for the most part, little is throw-away in this show and something you hear or see early in season one may well pay off two or three years later. That's one reason why so many of us enjoy watching the show multiple times, to catch things we missed before.

Jan

 

[msbae]

One of the reason I like these three is that they're all (more or less heavily) serialized, have really well-developed characters, deal with interesting and difficult subject matters, they go for shades of grey rather than black vs. white, and they're all highly entertaining IMHO.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Lindley]

My brother stuck with it, I see no point in returning, they killed 99% of my character off. I hatre Jack and Kate so theres no point for me to return while its still on air.

Spoiler: Dead characters on Lost

All I can think of in the "confirmed dead" category are Boone, Shannon, Mr. Ecko, Nikki/Paulo (nobody cares), Libby, Ana Lucia, Charlie, Alex, and Russeau. The fates of Claire and Jin are still unclear.

The most interesting of the new storylines, to me, is the conflict between the Others and Widmore's group. So far most of the Losties seem to be taking Ben's side....but I'm sure that won't last. Personally, as long as Sawyer and Sayid are still around, I'll keep watching. Desmond and Ben are fun too, each in their own way.

 

[Kelso]

Season 1 was weak.

Seasons 2-4 were pretty good.

Season 5 was dire.

 

[Harvey]

Babylon 5 certainly requires attention, but make no mistake, this isn't The Wire. While plenty of subtle details will require a full second viewing for you to appreciate, anything you need to know about the characters and/or backstory will be referenced during the course of the episode you are watching. And that mostly means during the episode--Straczynski doesn't play around with "previously on" montages (with three exceptions, Voices in the Wilderness II, War Without End II, and an episode from season five which I'll refrain from naming--IIRC), for better or worse.