Babylon 5

[Farscape One]

Yeah, I remember when they first them, it was billed as a "Limited Series". I heard about that cancellation before it aired, but it still made me sad. Both before it aired, because I loved the B5 universe itself and wanted more shows set in it, and after it aired, because I loved the characters and where they were going. Gideon was a great captain, and I loved Galen and Dureena. Everyone else had some great characterization, too.

And I loved the design of the ship.

 

[matthunter]

And I loved the design of the ship.

I'd have loved it more if I wasn't old enough to remember her forebear:

https://biomassart.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/seek017.jpg

 

[JD]

Blake's 7?

 

[RJDiogenes]

I have the CRUSADE dvd box set, first printing of them, that has the JMS commentary on one of the episodes that casts a pretty bad light on TNT. All later editions got rid of this commentary, if memory serves me.

Interesting. I got the DVD set immediately, so I must have that commentary.

I watched the show as it aired, and got the dvd the day it came out originally. CRUSADE had all the makings of being as good or better than B5. I was truly sad that it ended so quickly.

Me, too. It would have been fantastic. Such a great cast.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Blake's 7?

Yep, the Liberator, which always reminded me of a cyborg onion.

 

[Forbin]

I just got Blake on DVD (had to get a region-free Blu-Ray player to watch it!), and I'm almost done with season 1. My God, they must have stripped the British Isles clean of silver mylar!

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

I just got Blake on DVD (had to get a region-free Blu-Ray player to watch it!), and I'm almost done with season 1. My God, they must have stripped the British Isles clean of silver mylar!

When it was first shown, the BBC made a big thing about its "big" budget. Even at the time, that was an amusing conceit given what appeared onscreen. Thankfully, the quality of the writing and acting made up for the shortfall in props and effects.

 

[Booji]

I have the CRUSADE dvd box set, first printing of them, that has the JMS commentary on one of the episodes that casts a pretty bad light on TNT. All later editions got rid of this commentary, if memory serves me.

I watched the show as it aired, and got the dvd the day it came out originally. CRUSADE had all the makings of being as good or better than B5. I was truly sad that it ended so quickly.

Agreed! I've said it before and I'll say it again... Pound for pound, the first season of Crusade was better than the first season of B5. When you get past uniforms getting destroyed in the laundry every other week and other airing inconsistencies, it was an amazing show. I loved the story, music, and cast, especially Max. I'm still pissed off we never got a proper ending in some form.

 

[DonIago]

Better than S1 of B5 I could believe, but I don't recall thinking it was "amazing".

And I get that JMS wanted to do something "new" for the soundtrack, but I can't stand the direction they went in.

 

[David cgc]

And I get that JMS wanted to do something "new" for the soundtrack, but I can't stand the direction they went in.

The opening theme was great, and the incidental music was good when it stuck to that sort of style, but the droning atonal bits and clashing, confused action music was less laudable and ended up being what people generally took with them from watching the show.

 

[DonIago]

I can't say I cared for the opening theme either, personally.

 

[Booji]

Go back and listen to the music for the seasons 1 and 2 of B5. It was cringe worthy.

 

[DonIago]

I didn't mind the opening theme to S2, or the Battle of the Line theme, or the music played when Earthforce One blows up, or the music during "The Long, Twilight Struggle" or "The Coming of Shadows", probably among others.

 

[Forbin]

You kidding? I love B5's music!

 

[DonIago]

I assume you're not responding to me. Lord knows I bought enough of the CDs.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Nothing wrong with Christopher Franke's work on B5 IMO but then I also dig Tangerine Dream (well, apart from Atem, which I could never get into).

 

[Jan]

I enjoyed the music for all the seasons but there was definitely more nuance in the later seasons, I thought.

 

[Yanks]

Go back and listen to the music for the seasons 1 and 2 of B5. It was cringe worthy.

Maybe - maybe not, but there is no doubt they are distinctively BAB5.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Maybe - maybe not, but there is no doubt they are distinctively BAB5.

Except when it sounds more like Tenchi Muyo!

 

[David cgc]

I always it was funny how distinctly orchestral Franke's score for "The Gathering" was. It's not as out there as the original soundtrack, but it's very much its own thing compared to any of the series scores, even considering how the style changed from season to season. The only one that comes close is "In the Beginning."