Babylon 5?

[Brent]

Look, I'm just going to say this, IT IS WORTH IT. If you are one that doesn't like to waste their time with crappy TV, then Babylon 5 is for you. The story is good, compelling, and emotional. Once you are done with the series you will feel that it was certainly worth watching it and adding it to your database of SCIFI shows in your head. It is up there with the best of em.

 

[Jan]

I like it. A lot. It rewards people who pay attention and it's worth watching multiple times.

Jan

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I'm not reading this thread because I am almost done with Season 4 of Bab 5 and I have only ever had one teeny spoiler, AMAZINGLY considering how old it is.

Season 4 has blown me away. It's fabulous.

 

[Mr Light]

Ah, I'm late to this thread. But as I always say in these things, Babylon 5 is the greatest television series EVER!!! Once you get through the first season which is a little rough.

 

[Neroon]

Re: Concerning the JJ-verse novels

In "The Gathering", I loved how even then, in it's prototype stages, there are elements of the epic story. Watching it again after finishing the series I loved it when Kosh (who, for one night only, has arms) calls Sinclair "Valen". I also love how Delenn version 1 is totally unhinged and tortures G'Kar briefly when he mentions the Grey Counsel .

While I realize that the series has been off the air for quite awhile and various plot element are more than a little well-known... go easy on what you reveal as far as future events go. The only reason I say is because the OP is brand new to the show.

Here's the Vorlon translation of all that: Careful with the spoilers unless he says otherwise.

 

[RegFan]

I've only nearly finished watching the second season, but so far, it's pretty good. However, I doubt it will get even close to BSG (the new series) in terms of quality. And I prefer TNG and ENT (ENT is so underappreciated) to it. If you haven't already, watch BSG as well.

 

[USS Avenger]

Count me in as saying this show is well worth it. During its original run I had a hard time getting through this show. I quit watching part way through the first season. I would catch an episode here or there after that, but couldn't really get back into it. I started watching it again on re-runs on SciFi around ten years ago, back when they aired actual science fiction. Loved it! Now I have the entire collection on DVD and even got my wife to watch it. She enjoyed it too, especially Londo and G'Kar. So yeah, in my opinion, it is a show well worth watching.

 

[Pauln6]

It is a flawed masterpiece. I agree that some episodes are a bit ropey, and some of the speeches sound fine when coming out of an alien mouth but painfully clunky when spoken by the human characters. Events beyond JMS' control meant he had to adjust the overall story a couple of times and I think his original vision would have been that bit better.

If you are happy to know a few spoilers you can watch In the Beginning first as well, which was the best of the TV movies.

 

[TheGodBen]

I've only nearly finished watching the second season, but so far, it's pretty good. However, I doubt it will get even close to BSG (the new series) in terms of quality. And I prefer TNG and ENT (ENT is so underappreciated) to it. If you haven't already, watch BSG as well.

BSG is definitely the more polished show in terms of sets and special effects, and it was arguably a more intense show (I haven't seen all of B5 yet, but I can't imagine this show doing a scene like the one between Adama and Tigh in Sometimes a Great Notion). But BSG has two big problems, the first being that they introduced mysteries with no idea how to solve them, and the second thing being that characters would sometimes act out of character in order to shock the audience. B5 doesn't have either of these problems, the characters are fairly consistent thus far, and the plot was planned out in advance so it holds together much better. I'm not sure which I prefer, they both have advantages over one another. I think I prefer the characters on BSG, but that's just my preference.

 

[RAMA]

I have never watched this series because it looked extremly cheesy, is it any good, should I watch it?

How should I put this...first, its cheesy but not because of lack of talent...its mainly resources...having said that there are great design elements that are only let down somewhat by this lack of resources. The series is also marred somewhat by some shoddy acting. The story is very good, though individual non-arc episodes aren't as strong as non-arc shows from let's say..DS9. The series is well worth watching, and seasons 3-4 are excellent. I consider it the third best SF series that started in the 1990s (behind DS9 and Outer Limits).

RAMA

 

[FordSVT]

My wife and I watched both DS9 and B5 in its entirety this year. She had never seen either.

B5 has some great moments, a great overall arc, and two magnificent characters in G'kar and Londo. Overall, however, we both agree that DS9 is the superior show. Count me in the "flawed but definitely worth watching" camp.

But really, take G'kar and Londo out of the show and it would only be half as good. I mean that, most of the characters are boring as hell. It's a good thing Sheridan replaced Sinclair, because that character was written and acted incredibly poorly. Wince-inducing line delivery, during season one and later on when he re-appears.

Maybe it was budgetary, but a lot of the scenes feature performances that feel like that might have been first or second takes. I'll take Trek's often stage-like delivery over amateur-hour at the Apollo any day.

 

[-Brett-]

I have never watched this series because it looked extremly cheesy, is it any good, should I watch it?

Even fans would have to admit that it's pretty much the definition of cheesy. If you want to enjoy B5, you have to either like cheese or be able to see past it, because there's no getting around the fact that the show is cheesy as all hell.

 

[Smiley]

What definition of cheesy are you using? For me, it means either amateurish or stale, and I don't think B5 qualifies as either one. All of the sets, acting, and effects are passable or better to me. Some of it is a bit on the theatrical side, but so is TOS.

 

[StarryEyed]

Babylon 5 is very cool. I watched the pilot The Gathering first and was very underwhelmed. The cheese factor was especially high here. I eventually took a chance and bought the DVDs for seasons 1-5 and I was not disappointed. I think it is second only to Star Trek.

Make no mistake though, you have to watch it from beginning to end. There are few stand-alone episodes; it's one grand narrative.

I would NOT watch "In the Beginning" first because it contains a lot of spoilers.

 

[Lindley]

I have never watched this series because it looked extremly cheesy, is it any good, should I watch it?

Even fans would have to admit that it's pretty much the definition of cheesy. If you want to enjoy B5, you have to either like cheese or be able to see past it, because there's no getting around the fact that the show is cheesy as all hell.

Hmmm....I'm not sure. That description applies well enough to Buffy, perhaps (but then, "I wear the cheese. It does not wear me"), but I'd describe B5 as looking a bit cheap before I described it as "cheesy".

 

[Forbin]

I wear the cheese. The cheese does not wear me.

 

[Neroon]

I doubt this cheese ever had to be taken to sickbay......