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

[FPAlpha]

I seem to recall some reports or interviews that RDM led a very loose writer's room which was the reason for some story failures in BSG when they ran out of time and had to come up with something.

RDM may have been a very good writer but he surely was a not the best showrunner. He sure could have used some pages from JMS' playbook and planned key events ahead, kind of story stepping stones that need to happen and use the episodes in between to flesh out the characters and the universe.

Well.. we got what we got. A stellar, must see first season which didn't live up to the promise later on except for a few episodes here and there.

JMS did have a plan and he stuck with it as much as he could but got sabotaged along the way by real world studio politics and some internal problems. As they say no plan survives first contact but JMS still managed to deliver an overal coherent show that achieved most of what it wanted to do and rightfully has become a SF classic show.

 

[MacLeod]

But as has been notied JMS had trap doors built into his overall story idea, in case actors left etc..

As for nBSG the Cylon's plan ammounted to "Kill all Humans", it might have worked if they had implimented it 24hrs later.

 

[Forbin]

I seem to recall RDM saying that the Cylon's plan wasn't his idea, and he was actually surprised one day when he saw someone had added "and they have a plan" to the opening titles, and said to himself, "What? Oh shit."

Or I may have halucinated that.

 

[Marsden]

But as has been notied JMS had trap doors built into his overall story idea, in case actors left etc..

As for nBSG the Cylon's plan ammounted to "Kill all Humans", it might have worked if they had implimented it 24hrs later.

I really think the cylons just blatently stole that from Bender.

He should sue.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Benders plan is "Kill all humans except Fry."

They couldn't really, really go to town until they locked down Fry and made sure he wasn't damaged in the crossfire.

 

[Tribble puncher]

Finished season 5....dang, the last 3 eps were just an emotional wreck...lol....When Sheridan and Delinn parted for the last time I...got something in my eye...An amazing show...trumps ds9 really, and most of trek to be honest......I'm glad I finally watched this...I think this was the right time to.

 

[Reverend]

I seem to recall RDM saying that the Cylon's plan wasn't his idea, and he was actually surprised one day when he saw someone had added "and they have a plan" to the opening titles, and said to himself, "What? Oh shit."

Or I may have halucinated that.

If that's true then he was a very lax show runner indeed. Anyway, we appear to be veering off topic again. the OP didn't come here to discuss BSG after all.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Well we know Dwight Shrute's opinion on people who do not want to discuss Battlestar falactica (Wow. That typo is so awesome, I think I'm going to leave it there.).

 

[Jan]

Finished season 5....dang, the last 3 eps were just an emotional wreck...lol....When Sheridan and Delinn parted for the last time I...got something in my eye...An amazing show...trumps ds9 really, and most of trek to be honest......I'm glad I finally watched this...I think this was the right time to.

Yeah, there's a pervasive issue with the Sleeping in Light episode that nobody's ever been able to fix. It gets misty in places, almost like you're watching it through drops of water.

Thanks for taking us along for the ride. Are you going to continue with the movies and Crusade?

Jan

 

[Tribble puncher]

Yes I am....Im not sure what to watch next, I already watched thirdspace (not bad, but could have been better) and "In the beginning" (pretty good IMHO, Londo was awesome as always.)

 

[shivkala]

^
Now go to The Lurker's Guide and go through each episode!

 

[Tribble puncher]

^
Now go to The Lurker's Guide and go through each episode!

Oooo...thanks for this...even has the correct order to watch crusade.

 

[MacLeod]

I mention this just for completition's sake there is also "Legend of the Ranngers" which had just about one redeeming feature, G'Kar's scenes in it.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Was Legends of the Rangers supposed to be a pilot?

A self contained movie wouldn't have introduced a villain that they needed 2 more movies to utterly crush.

 

[GalaxyX]

Finished season 5....dang, the last 3 eps were just an emotional wreck...lol....When Sheridan and Delinn parted for the last time I...got something in my eye...An amazing show...trumps ds9 really, and most of trek to be honest......I'm glad I finally watched this...I think this was the right time to.

Honestly, DS9 felt like "B5lite" almost in the sense that Voyager felt like "TNGlite"

With that said, I've enjoyed all series for that they are, and while I think B5 is very "nerd" oriented (for one, it takes itself dreadfully serious), I think it's probably been one of the tightest arcs I have ever seen on TV.

I might rewatch it again when I have some time.

 

[MacLeod]

Was Legends of the Rangers supposed to be a pilot?

A self contained movie wouldn't have introduced a villain that they needed 2 more movies to utterly crush.

Yes I believe it was a pilot episode.

 

[Mr Light]

Legend of the Rangers was a pilot movie for a new series, but it aired against a football playoff game or something and got demolished in the ratings so Sci-Fi Channel never took it to series.

It was supposed to eventually become Crusade Part Two in the third season when the timeline caught up.

Personally, I liked it. I thought it was funny with good characters and a good action plot. Hell, I didn't even mind the screaming lady shooting fireballs in space! It's more visually interesting than someone tapping a button

 

[Guy Gardener]

On a small ship like they had, it was interesting, but that interface really doesn't make sense for a capital ship with 80 batteries.

I knew I hated football for a good reason.

 

[Mr Light]

Surely they could just have a big open gymnasium of eighty dudes yelling and screaming at each other?

 

[Guy Gardener]

It's a waste of person power.

One person and a little automation could do the job fine.