Babylon 5
- Thread starter Kail
- Start date
JMS wanted the sense of shock that followed the JFK assassination. When they shot the scene of VP Clark taking the oath of office JMS wanted it to be staged to look like the photos of VP Johnson taking the oath of office aboard Air Force One, as Jackie Kennedy stood nearby.
B5 usually filmed their season finale in the middle of the season to allow sufficient time for the inclusion of special effects/CGI. Chrysalis was filmed between the 12th and 13th episode. In Chrysalis Londo had his second meeting with Mr. Morden. It actually was their first meeting together on screen. The episode showing with their first meeting (Signs and Portents Ep13) was the second episode they were filmed together. Chrysalis was also filmed on the anniversary of the JFK assassination, and the stage was unusually quiet and solemn.
Shadow Vessels are one of the best "Antagonist" vessels ever designed IMO.
BSG did the same with Laura Roslin taking the oath of office.
B5 was the show that my friends watched while I hung out with them but paid little attention to the screen until I saw a Shadow ship on the screen for the first time.
"What's that???"
I've rarely seen a ship that seemed so intentionally designed to project a sense of malice.
"What's that???"
I've rarely seen a ship that seemed so intentionally designed to project a sense of malice.
And the good thing about the Shadow vessels is they never suffer villain decay, even if our heroes do find ways to combat them.
A Blu-Ray-Version seems more and more likely fingers crossed:
From TheDigitalBits:
Also, we’re starting to hear rumors that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is cooking up a Blu-ray release of the classic Babylon 5 TV series, which would presumably involve some kind of upsampling and remastering. But a number of European retailers have set a Babylon 5: Complete Collection for tentative Blu-ray release in March. We’ll keep our eyes on this and post as we learn more.
There's also a preorder page in a swedish shop:
https://www.discshop.se/tv-serier/bluray/babylon_5_complete_collection_blu_ray_import/P171025
From TheDigitalBits:
Also, we’re starting to hear rumors that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is cooking up a Blu-ray release of the classic Babylon 5 TV series, which would presumably involve some kind of upsampling and remastering. But a number of European retailers have set a Babylon 5: Complete Collection for tentative Blu-ray release in March. We’ll keep our eyes on this and post as we learn more.
There's also a preorder page in a swedish shop:
https://www.discshop.se/tv-serier/bluray/babylon_5_complete_collection_blu_ray_import/P171025
Probably remastered by upscaling the 625i PAL tapes? There's no way WB would pay to do rescans plus re-rendering and recompositing the CGI elements. I'll probably shell out if the set is not exorbitantly priced. I wonder if they'll go for 4:3 or 16:9...
ETA: The price shown for the set in Sweden is 1,290 kr - about £120 or $150.
ETA: The price shown for the set in Sweden is 1,290 kr - about £120 or $150.
The 16:9 DVD transfers were a bit of a disaster (an understatement), especially for the CGI elements. I watched it in 4:3 back in the day so as long as the new upscaled picture is a big improvement over the DVDs, I hope to see that way again. If the picture isn't improved, I'm not going to shell out £120 or whatever. I doubt much money will be spent on the sound - maybe that will only be in stereo. I'm not holding out big hopes but we shall see...
"Points of Departure"
A transitional episode to begin season 2 as I'm forced to get accustomed to rapid change.
First, a new captain. I will say that I was already aware that Michael O'Hare left the show at this point as well as the reason for it. So I wasn't blindsided by the appearance of Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan. I do have to wonder, of course, how things would have gone if O'Hare had stayed. Did JMS (that's the first time I've ever referred to him - you can tell I'm now a fan of the show) always plan for Sheridan to come in at some point? Or was he forced to create him out of the blue after O'Hare left? If it's the latter, he did a pretty good job. The transition was handled credibly enough.
I will also say that I preferred O'Hare's weary yet strong Sinclair compared to Boxleitner's Sheridan. I don't know if that's a controversial view or not. The latter seems a little oddly upbeat and cheery compared to his supposed character history as a grizzled soldier and famed Minbari-killer. Still, it's only been one episode so I'll give him a chance.
The main crux of the story dealt with a renegade Minbari ship of outlaws seeking, as it turned out, an honourable death. It was a suitably gripping plot and a decent showcase for Sheridan's introduction - I liked the way he figured out and resolved the situation without needing to shed any blood himself. For a second I was wondering if Ivanova would simply ignore his orders and have the Starfuries start firing. Things working out as they did helped him earn respect quickly.
Overall though, the premiere pressed pause on many of the events of Chrysalis in order to introduce Sheridan. Garibaldi's still in a coma. Winters is around, I'm sure, doing telepath things. Delenn's still in a cocoon, though she seems to be coming out now. All this for next time. The good news is that, of what the episode did do... I think it did well.
Rating: ****
-The new opening credits sequence almost made me dock the episode a half-point or so. Am I being overly harsh here? To me it's noticeably worse than season 1. O'Hare's voice was much better suited for it while Boxleitner displays a real lack of gravitas which doesn't seem to gel with the more dynamic, intense imagery (and words). I don't like the face shots of characters accompanying the actor names either.
-As said, quite a few absences here. I'll have to wait another episode to see what G'Kar, Londo, and Kosh are up to. Not that I ever really see Kosh do anything. Will this be the season, I wonder?
-The Minbari stopped the war because they discovered that their souls were entering humans? That seems a little hard to get on board with, to me. I hope there's more to it.
A transitional episode to begin season 2 as I'm forced to get accustomed to rapid change.
First, a new captain. I will say that I was already aware that Michael O'Hare left the show at this point as well as the reason for it. So I wasn't blindsided by the appearance of Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan. I do have to wonder, of course, how things would have gone if O'Hare had stayed. Did JMS (that's the first time I've ever referred to him - you can tell I'm now a fan of the show) always plan for Sheridan to come in at some point? Or was he forced to create him out of the blue after O'Hare left? If it's the latter, he did a pretty good job. The transition was handled credibly enough.
I will also say that I preferred O'Hare's weary yet strong Sinclair compared to Boxleitner's Sheridan. I don't know if that's a controversial view or not. The latter seems a little oddly upbeat and cheery compared to his supposed character history as a grizzled soldier and famed Minbari-killer. Still, it's only been one episode so I'll give him a chance.
The main crux of the story dealt with a renegade Minbari ship of outlaws seeking, as it turned out, an honourable death. It was a suitably gripping plot and a decent showcase for Sheridan's introduction - I liked the way he figured out and resolved the situation without needing to shed any blood himself. For a second I was wondering if Ivanova would simply ignore his orders and have the Starfuries start firing. Things working out as they did helped him earn respect quickly.
Overall though, the premiere pressed pause on many of the events of Chrysalis in order to introduce Sheridan. Garibaldi's still in a coma. Winters is around, I'm sure, doing telepath things. Delenn's still in a cocoon, though she seems to be coming out now. All this for next time. The good news is that, of what the episode did do... I think it did well.
Rating: ****
-The new opening credits sequence almost made me dock the episode a half-point or so. Am I being overly harsh here? To me it's noticeably worse than season 1. O'Hare's voice was much better suited for it while Boxleitner displays a real lack of gravitas which doesn't seem to gel with the more dynamic, intense imagery (and words). I don't like the face shots of characters accompanying the actor names either.
-As said, quite a few absences here. I'll have to wait another episode to see what G'Kar, Londo, and Kosh are up to. Not that I ever really see Kosh do anything. Will this be the season, I wonder?
-The Minbari stopped the war because they discovered that their souls were entering humans? That seems a little hard to get on board with, to me. I hope there's more to it.
There is.
And JMS admitted he would have always had to create a Sheridan-like character to complement Sinclair.
And JMS admitted he would have always had to create a Sheridan-like character to complement Sinclair.
I'm watching a Canadian Muslim Sitcom.
They keep saying "Minbar".
It's the pulpit which Imam preaches from.
They keep saying "Minbar".
It's the pulpit which Imam preaches from.
About the change in COs for B5 between season 1 &2. JMS says the only people who really know about the change from Sinclair to Sheridan were the four who were in the room at the time the discussion took place, and those are the only people who will ever know.
The show is like a second Pilot because of the new station CO. They start him out as happy and smiling, because that is what the audience expects from someone like Boxleitner (who has been type cast by his previous roles). They are going to add layers to his character throughout the rest of season 2.
The Points of Departure aren't just the literal one's of Sinclair leaving B5 or Sheridan leaving the Agamemnon. It is the beginning of Sheridan's journey from what he has always known about his life and where he thought it was going, to a completely new direction; the moment he set foot on B5.
I don't want to say anymore as that might spoil the show.
If you've spotted the production numbers at the end of the titles, you'll spot that Chrysalis was about episode 12, so there could be a lot of post-production work on the finale. Later seasons had a closer match of production and tx (sometimes there was a swap, but only within a 'pause' period, IYSWIM).
What is IYSWIM?
If you see what I mean?
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