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

[Tribble puncher]

I saw parts of episodes here and there in the 90's when it aired, but was never interested in it....even back then, it looked cheap (sets wise), c.g.i. was pretty cool at the time,plus having not followed the show, I had no Idea what was going on. but now.....

The sets look REALLY cheap, it almost looks like a highschool play. and the effects look like Playstation One cut scenes, however, it is fairly well acted, and the show is starting off a little slow right now, but there is something about it that suggest the show gets stronger as it goes on. hoping I'm right, I need to return the dvd's to my friend in a timely manner, hoping to finish the series in a month.

 

[Tribble puncher]

I'm on ep. 5 now, I'm starting to enjoy the show...the universe would make a killer MMO I think.

 

[Tribble puncher]

God I love Londo...what a great charicter...would love to see him hang out with Quark

 

[JuanBolio]

Keep going. You'll dig it. The whole thing has an arc that last the length of the series, and is really great to see pan out. Don't skip any episodes - you CAN, but there's something good in all of them. One of my all-time favorite shows.

 

[Ethros]

I suppose it's not the most expensive looking show ever made. But I think after a while you won't even notice anymore, as that's not what you'll be looking at; it's the great stories and characters you'll care about

 

[Technobuilder]

I saw parts of episodes here and there in the 90's when it aired, but was never interested in it....even back then, it looked cheap (sets wise), c.g.i. was pretty cool at the time,plus having not followed the show, I had no Idea what was going on. but now.....

The sets look REALLY cheap, it almost looks like a highschool play. and the effects look like Playstation One cut scenes, however, it is fairly well acted, and the show is starting off a little slow right now, but there is something about it that suggest the show gets stronger as it goes on. hoping I'm right, I need to return the dvd's to my friend in a timely manner, hoping to finish the series in a month.

Glad you've finally decided to watch the show that will change your opinions about storyline and character on Television forever. (Not Kidding)

I'm on ep. 5 now, I'm starting to enjoy the show...the universe would make a killer MMO I think.

Agreed. A Babylon 5 MMO would be sick if the IP was treated with even a quarter of the talent involved in shaping this particular Science Fiction universe.

God I love Londo...what a great charicter...would love to see him hang out with Quark

It's been stated before, and without spoiling anything, you will come to understand that Babylon 5 is in fact the story of Londo Mollari.

Keep going. You'll dig it. The whole thing has an arc that last the length of the series, and is really great to see pan out. Don't skip any episodes - you CAN, but there's something good in all of them. One of my all-time favorite shows.

DO NOT SKIP EPISODES, you will be doing yourself a disservice. Series like this don't come along often.

I suppose it's not the most expensive looking show ever made. But I think after a while you won't even notice anymore, as that's not what you'll be looking at; it's the great stories and characters you'll care about

^^This. So many people point to the Production Budget and "Look" of B5 as a the reason they have never really wanted to watch it, but put it aside because the story and characters will demand that you do and you won't really care once you adapt to it.

Overall, I'll say this.

Babylon 5 is a series that never had a chance and yet in spite of the realities of big business, the time in which it was produced, and all the other various difficulties, Babylon 5 endured to become one of the most lauded and critically renown science fiction television series of all time.

It will never have the fame of Star Trek, or the media buzz of Battlestar Galactica but very much like Farscape and Firefly it will continue to garner an audience years from now.

One which enjoys it for no other reason than it's just that damn good.

 

[RandyS]

I just finished a month long rewatch of Babylon 5, and again, was reminded of why I think it's the second best sci-fi universe out there (behind Star Trek, of course).

That said, I really don't understand why people compare Babylon 5 to Battlestar Galactica (RDM version), considering that B5 outclasses that mess in every way imaginable. Hell, it's even better than the 1978 version, a show I love quite a bit.

I agree with the others here. Stick with it. You'll love it.

 

[Klaus]

...as I say every time someone does this, I'm jealous. I wish I could watch it again for the first time.

 

[Ethros]

Can't wait also for the inevitable "don't bother with season 5, stop after s4" posts

 

[Hound of UIster]

I would advise them not to bother with Crusade or the LOTR/Call to Arms/River of Souls/Thirdspace movies.

 

[diankra]

I think there is one episode that has no later relevance in The Big Story... but it's a very good one.

 

[MacLeod]

I saw parts of episodes here and there in the 90's when it aired, but was never interested in it....even back then, it looked cheap (sets wise), c.g.i. was pretty cool at the time,plus having not followed the show, I had no Idea what was going on. but now.....

The sets look REALLY cheap, it almost looks like a highschool play. and the effects look like Playstation One cut scenes, however, it is fairly well acted, and the show is starting off a little slow right now, but there is something about it that suggest the show gets stronger as it goes on. hoping I'm right, I need to return the dvd's to my friend in a timely manner, hoping to finish the series in a month.

You've got to remember B5 was one of the first TV shows to make extensive use of CGI, and for it's day they were decent enough to do what they need to do. As with anything they improve over the show.

 

[Technobuilder]

Can't wait also for the inevitable "don't bother with season 5, stop after s4" posts

Yeah, I'd advise not listening to those people. Judge for yourself.

I would advise them not to bother with Crusade or the LOTR/Call to Arms/River of Souls/Thirdspace movies.

Again, don't just skip things if you want to have any true perspective on them later on, however these movies listed here don't contribute much to the larger B5 arc overall.

I think there is one episode that has no later relevance in The Big Story... but it's a very good one.

Which Episode?

I saw parts of episodes here and there in the 90's when it aired, but was never interested in it....even back then, it looked cheap (sets wise), c.g.i. was pretty cool at the time,plus having not followed the show, I had no Idea what was going on. but now.....

The sets look REALLY cheap, it almost looks like a highschool play. and the effects look like Playstation One cut scenes, however, it is fairly well acted, and the show is starting off a little slow right now, but there is something about it that suggest the show gets stronger as it goes on. hoping I'm right, I need to return the dvd's to my friend in a timely manner, hoping to finish the series in a month.

You've got to remember B5 was one of the first TV shows to make extensive use of CGI, and for it's day they were decent enough to do what they need to do. As with anything they improve over the show.

It was indeed. It used to take days to render some of those early shots. Lots of neat-o concepts were explored via CGI that just wouldn't of been possible otherwise for the day.

 

[Gov Kodos]

B5 tells a great story. Any complaints about CGI are just folks wanting eyecandy. All the awesome special effects in the world would do nothing for me with a shite story. Take TOS and Lost in Space, very similar special effects, acting, and production values for the time, it's the stories that make TOS a superior show. Doctor Who had laughable special effects in the 60s and 70s, but also, great stories that made any dodgy space prawns easy to overlook for the tale being told. B5 is a wonderful story, especially elevated by the performances of Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik.

 

[MacLeod]

If I had to guess at the S1 episode which has litte relevance to the shows overall plots and themes it would be "By Any Means Necessary"

But here is a blast from the past (As the OP has only seen bits of the show caution: Spoilers)

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html

 

[Tribble puncher]

actually I am on ep. 12 now, yes the look of the sets are not Important anymore...I'm sucked in. I will prob. watch all the movies, crusade just to say I did.

 

[FPAlpha]

If I had to guess at the S1 episode which has litte relevance to the shows overall plots and themes it would be "By Any Means Necessary"

But here is a blast from the past (As the OP has only seen bits of the show caution: Spoilers)

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html

Holy crap.. that's really a blast from the past

I used to frequent the site so often in the 90s when i had sporadic internet access at university and at friends, it was the best site for B5

Thank for the memories!

 

[kirk55555]

actually I am on ep. 12 now, yes the look of the sets are not Important anymore...I'm sucked in. I will prob. watch all the movies, crusade just to say I did.

Crusade is actually pretty good. I watched it on DVD, where its in TV air date order, and I liked it. If you watch in JMS's recommended order (the show was really screwed around with by TBS, and aired out of order on TV, the DVD is put together in that order), it would probably be even better. Its only real neagative to me is that it doesn't have resolution for the main premise of the series because it was cancelled. I also liked all of the movies I've seen (The Gathering, In the Beginning, Third Space, River of Souls, A Call to Arms) although I haven't seen Lost Tales or Legend of the Rangers.

 

[Ethros]

I've only watched the series once through (via DVD in 2009,) I'd love to revisit it someday when I get the time.

I suppose it's not the most expensive looking show ever made. But I think after a while you won't even notice anymore, as that's not what you'll be looking at; it's the great stories and characters you'll care about

^^This. So many people point to the Production Budget and "Look" of B5 as a the reason they have never really wanted to watch it, but put it aside because the story and characters will demand that you do and you won't really care once you adapt to it.

This was probably one of my favourite moments of the series. (maybe best for the OP to not watch this if you don't wanna be spoiled too much)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-enNj3gnZk

Now yeah like we say, a newbie could just watch that scene alone and scoff and the fairly obvious green screen sets, and the pretty basic CGI of the Shadows approaching. But really by this point in the show you'll be so invested I can't believe anyone would care or even notice. Instead (apart from that slightly cheesy scream at the end) it's one of the best endings to any episode of anything, and a perfect example of a brilliant cliffhanger.
"Jump. Jump! Now!"

 

[sidious618]

I'd put that YouTube vid in spoiler tags- the title alone tells a lot.