Babylon 5 - I'm finally going to do it

[Jan]

My one and only complaint about SD is that I thought the Earth Force ships turned tail and ran WAY too quickly after Delenn showed up. I'd expect a bit more shouting/negotiating back and forth, before any good task force captain would retreat.

I agree with this assessment. Although I always thought their abrupt about-face looked a little silly and girly. I laughed out loud the first time I saw it. It was like ... "Oh shit, time to go."

I like the way it turned out but yes, the idea that the EarthForce captains turned and ran was just a little strange. There was a reason, though.

In the script books, we learned that after Delenn's ultimatum to the destroyer group, a coded message comes in to C&C that Delenn's invited some others to join. The next scene in the script was deleted: A huge jump-point opens up and the Vorlon fleet emerges. After that is the scene of the destroyers turning tail.

I think that it's stronger dramatically with Delenn's "BE somewhere else!", though.

Jan

 

[Phily B]

So I cracked open my DVDs and I'm on the 4th episode so far. Is it just me or is the DVD quality not very good? I swear it looks just as good/bad as my used SLP VHS collection I taped off of TNT. Also, you can even see little artifacts / white dots briefly appearing on the screen. ... Also... only TWO commentaries for the first season?! WTF!

Yeah, its awful quality really if you're watching on a big TV or just a HDTV. It gets better though after season 2.

 

[tomalak301]

A Late Delivery From Avalon

Basil Expedition was on Babylon 5? What is this Austin Powers day. First Allota, now Basil. Mike Myers didn't appear on the show did he?

Once the show got going, it was pretty enjoyable. Only problem is until the revelations that "Arther" was the gunner on the Prometheus, I could tell this was a sweeps episode and not the kind of thing I expect from Babylon 5, stand alone or otherwise. When things started falling into place, it became highly enjoyable, and York did a great job with the role. As for the Babylon 5 peace treaty, I guess one of my questions is now that B5 has succeeded from earth, what is the organizational structure like. Things are starting to come into some focus with this treaty with some of the non-aligned worlds.

 

[tomalak301]

Ship of Tears

Now this is an episode of Babylon 5 that feels like it was long awaited for. What I mean is with all the events of the last few episodes (Babylon 5 declaring independence, Martial law on earth), the series has kind of gotten away from the mythology of the Shadows, who they are, and the Conspiracy of Light (War Council if the first term really hasn't been used yet). This one makes that whole thing back into focus and damn this was great. From Delenn explaining to G'Kar why things happened (I remember the episode where Kosh explained that to save the Narn people, many must be sacrificed) and seeing that come together in this episode was awesome. Also, the revelations that the Shadows fear telepaths and that those telepaths could be used as a weapon is just stuff I really like about this show.

Also, I think that brings the total to three ways to kill a shadow ship. Jump within a jump, through a gasous atmoshpere, and with Telepath help.

 

[tomalak301]

Interludes and Examinations

Wow is this season awesome or what. Another heavy and fantastic episode that pretty much fully started the Shadow War and there were just so many things going on. I can't believe they killed Kosh. It makes sense given what we've heard and all the prophecies, but they still killed him. It was actually quite sad and I should have seen it coming given the scene in the hall way in which that was the most acting Kosh has done all series. Then Morden and the associates come and holy crap. Loved the battle sequence between the Vorlons and the Shadows and I wonder if the Vorlons are now done (Since they were saying they were not ready) or if they did end up joining the coalition.

As for the Londo story, we were talking about Adira today and this episode kills her off. She never makes an appearence again, but it forces Londo down deeper in the hole of darkness and yeah he did play right into Morden's hand. I wonder how far his killing is going to go.

Again, another fantastic episode. I'm loving this season more than the other two by far. The next two episodes are the ones I've been looking forward to as well so I can't wait.

 

[RoJoHen]

I didn't see Kosh's death coming at all, and I was really shocked when it happened. I was also surprised at how sad it made me.

 

[chrisspringob]

BTW, I noticed the whole alliance thing that was formed was called the Conspiracy of Light. Was that phrase actually used before (Or a few episodes down the line). I know it was about the light defeating the darkness, but I was just curious.

IIRC, Sheridan uses the phrase "Army of Light" at the end of The Long Twilight Struggle.

 

[tomalak301]

I didn't see Kosh's death coming at all, and I was really shocked when it happened. I was also surprised at how sad it made me.

That's the thing. It hit hard because of how shocking it was.

 

[tomalak301]

BTW, I noticed the whole alliance thing that was formed was called the Conspiracy of Light. Was that phrase actually used before (Or a few episodes down the line). I know it was about the light defeating the darkness, but I was just curious.

IIRC, Sheridan uses the phrase "Army of Light" at the end of The Long Twilight Struggle.

Your right. They also described B5 has the fortress of light.

 

[Forbin]

Although I always thought their abrupt about-face looked a little silly and girly. I laughed out loud the first time I saw it. It was like ... "Oh shit, time to go."

exACTly. All that was missing was the "yipe yipe yipe"-dog sound effect. I know it was the end of the episode, but a little more bravado, short of shooting, was certainly called for.

 

[Jan]

A Late Delivery From Avalon
<snip>
Once the show got going, it was pretty enjoyable. Only problem is until the revelations that "Arther" was the gunner on the Prometheus, I could tell this was a sweeps episode and not the kind of thing I expect from Babylon 5, stand alone or otherwise.

While B5 wasn't above the occasional stunt casting, it *never* wasted an episode on just fluff.

Another of my favorite non-dialogue scenes is Delenn taking the sword (guilt) from David. That will come to be more meaningful down the road a bit.

When things started falling into place, it became highly enjoyable, and York did a great job with the role. As for the Babylon 5 peace treaty, I guess one of my questions is now that B5 has succeeded from earth, what is the organizational structure like. Things are starting to come into some focus with this treaty with some of the non-aligned worlds.

You'll see some of the issues that the station will face now that they're on their own. Some greater, some lesser.

Jan

 

[Mr Light]

From "Ship of Tears" to 4X6 is the high point of the series. Everything is downhill after that, but man that 2/3 of a season or so was just absolutely amazing all the way through... except for one subplot of one episode I'm sure we all know which one that is ... Meanwhile I'm already up to the first good episode of S1, Parliament of Dreams! God I love this show. Even Season One. I've been working on my own TV show for 15 years and B5 was definitely a huge influence.

 

[Harvey]

I'd say everything is uphill after "Into the Fire" through "Rising Star," and then the series takes a serious downhill dive. But we can argue about the opening episodes of season four all day--when the OP gets there.

 

[CorporalClegg]

^
See, I've always found this episodes to be rushed and loaded with fan-wankery.

But, you're right. It's a discussion for later.

 

[tomalak301]

I'd say everything is uphill after "Into the Fire" through "Rising Star," and then the series takes a serious downhill dive. But we can argue about the opening episodes of season four all day--when the OP gets there.

^
See, I've always found this episodes to be rushed and loaded with fan-wankery.

But, you're right. It's a discussion for later.

I guess it's a good thing I have no idea what you guys are talking about.

 

[Jan]

I guess it's a good thing I have no idea what you guys are talking about.

Ignore them and form your own opinions. I'm enjoying your posts a lot.

Jan

 

[Reverend]

^Seconded.

 

[ST-One]

So I cracked open my DVDs and I'm on the 4th episode so far. Is it just me or is the DVD quality not very good? I swear it looks just as good/bad as my used SLP VHS collection I taped off of TNT. Also, you can even see little artifacts / white dots briefly appearing on the screen. ... Also... only TWO commentaries for the first season?! WTF!

It gets better by the end of the first season, then takes a nose dive by the beginning of season 2. Luckily by the end of season 2 into 3the quality looks really good.

It's really bad if you are watching on an HD widescreen TV. Since the live parts were shot in widescreen, it's presented as such. The problem is when they transition between live and CGI. The CGI being shot in 4:3, the image is cropped to fill the widescreen aspect, and since the shots leading up to and coming back from are also in 4:3, these shots look bloody awful. Again it does get better in the later series, but it such a disappointment on my 42 inch HD.

Please WB, release a better version.

I was thinking the same thing (I finished my run-through on Sunday - I cried to hard at the end of Sleeping in Light).
Unfortunately that is probably never going to happen, since it would mean that each and every CG-shot would have to be redone, they being rendered only for 4:3 in an NTSC resolution.

(JMS should just provide all the raw (green-screen) footage to the fans who have worked with Lightwave - Fabio Passaro for example, a fan himself, worked on The Lost Tales; he built the new B5-CG-model)

 

[Trubinator]

I'd say everything is uphill after "Into the Fire" through "Rising Star," and then the series takes a serious downhill dive. But we can argue about the opening episodes of season four all day--when the OP gets there.

I disagree. Season five has plenty of good episodes and the final three episodes were amazing.

 

[The Evil Dead]

(JMS should just provide all the raw (green-screen) footage to the fans who have worked with Lightwave - Fabio Passaro for example, a fan himself, worked on The Lost Tales; he built the new B5-CG-model)

And what a beaut that model is, I am currently using one of his Babylon 5 renders as my background on my computer at work.