^^
Interesting listing the seasons like that. I'd probably list them this way:
1. DS9 season 7 (eps as great as S6 but overall less clunkers)
2. DS9 season 6 (some of the show's best eps but too many clunkers for no. 1)
3. DS9 season 5 (could be the most consisten season; "only" place three because the 'excellent's here aren't quite on the level of the 'excellent's in the last two seasons)
4. B5 season 3 (B5's most consistent and engaging season - makes you just want to keep on watching; tons of payoff as well as set up)
5. DS9 season 4 (this is when DS9 really took off for me; very consisten season with many great to excellent eps - 'The Visitor' is on one level with season 6 and 7's 'excellents')
6. B5 season 4 (less consistent than S3 - I remember it being a little weaker in the middle; I've already stated my take on the ending of the war
)
7. B5 season 2 (clear improvement over S1 IMHO, focuses well on building from start to finish, producing a great starting point for S3)
8. DS9 season 2 (seasons 1 - 3 of DS9 IMO can't touch season 4 - 7 but season 2 is the best of the bunch - very consistent, building lots of material for the future)
9. DS9 season 3 (far more bumpy ride than season 2 but with some good to great material to make it worthwhile)
10. DS9 season 1 (a lot of it is 'meh' but it's got an amazing start and finish with good eps in between)
11. B5 season 1 (still has too much of a Trek feel to it IMHO though slowly develops its own style plus many things that seem like your typical Trek one offs DO return in a big way - starting like this was risky, I think)
12 B5 season 5 (though that's tentative since I'm not quite through - much is summed up with a feeling of a lack of direction as well as a vocal "Forget Byron!"
; I realize the problems JMS had leading up to this but I do think there was enough material to tell more good stories i.e. there are some good to very good stories here but it's not nearly as focused as other seasons)
My mileage - please don't slam me for having three seasons of DS9 in the top three places!
In any case, I'm really glad I'd only ever seen B5 entirely once before AND years ago. It was almost like watching a new show which was great fun.
Just harking back to Neroon's question about a comparable season in DS9: I suppose the one that gets closest to what you describe is S3. It's just an incredibly bumpy ride but there's too much good stuff and important build up to say I'd rather forget about it.
Let's put it this way: There are seasons I wish had been shorter. The most prominent ones in my mind are seasons 3 and 6. Season 6 maybe even a little bit more because the ups an downs are REALLY tough. You've got amazing episodes and such incredibly crappy episodes in one season at a point during the show where you can't help but think: "What on earth were they thinking?!?". Or what I usually said back then: "Oh, Ira...." *slaps forehead*
You know, I was just thinking it's a shame that there's not another sci-fi show on tv as good as and in parallel to nuBSG - it would be the 90's with B5 and DS9 all over again only that I'd enjoy it much more because I've become more open minded
