POLL: Babylon 5 or Stargate SG-1?

[Dream]

Which show did you like more?

I'm thinking of watching one of these shows for the first time, and will probably be on it for a while. How are these two shows similar/different?

I heard Babylon 5 is like DS9, they are both on a space station. Stargate is more like TOS/TNG but with more humor, right?

 

[MacLeod]

I say watch both but that's just me.

B5 and DSN do share some similartites in that they are set on a space station and feature a war. But you can enjoy both. B5 does have an even more serialised element to it than DSN, if you do watch B5 bear in mind S1 is more about setting up the universe and doesn't show B5 at it's best and there area fair few weak episode in there. But once it gets into S2 andesp. S3-4 it is very good.

SG-1 does have a certain amount of humour in it, and it is semi-serialised like B5 and DSN. And once again S1 is weak in the begining but definatly ramps up a notch towards the end of the season.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Re: POLL: Babylon 5 of Stargate SG-1?

If we go by comparisons, Babylon 5 is like a cross between a slightly grittier DS9 and a slightly more light-hearted Battlestar Galactica (Ronald D. Moore version).

It aims to be epic, dramatic, political, somewhat realistic and sometimes - but not always - dark (a frequent criticism of B5 is that its humour is - except for the Londo/G'Kar stuff? - often pretty cheesy, so it's a show which is great when it goes dark, but sucks when it tries to be funny ).


Stargate SG-1 is maybe closest to Star Trek: TOS... only set in the 90s, and with a long-range "transporter" (the Stargate) instead of a starship? SG-1 is mostly a action-adventure show which doesn't take itself too serious with some tonge-in cheek humour. But it doesn't fail when it does drama too.


Personally, I prefer B5... but that's just a matter of taste.

 

[DS9Continuing]

Given that I own everything that was ever put out on DVD for Babylon 5 and watch it all repeatedly, and I have only ever seen a handful of SG1 episodes and didn't particularly care to go back for more, I voted B5.

.

 

[Jan]

I enjoy SG1 but for me it's mostly watch-once TV. B5, on the other hand, I've watched many times and always enjoy it.

Jan

 

[Mr Light]

B5 is the greatest show of all time! Though I'll admit the first and last seasons are seriously flawed.

SG1 is in my top ten, but first couple seasons are terrible and the last couple of seasons are pretty bad. So really it's just for S3-6 that I absolutely love it.

 

[DalekJim]

I put Babylon 5 up there with The Wire, The Sopranos and Deadwood as among the best American dramas ever made.

Stargate SG-1 is enjoyable fluff but there's really no competition.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

I'm surprised by the unanimous vote for B5 so far.

Not that I disagree. I own B5 on DVD, while haven't considered buying SG-1 so far. It's just that SG-1 currently has a 8.3 and B5 a 7.9 on IMDb. Where are the Stargate fans?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I love and own both of these. There very different. You shouldn't miss either of them. I voted for Bab5 because besides being my personal favorite there are only five seasons. SG has 10. So if you're not sure about either watch the shorter one!

 

[Dream]

I was thinking about watching B5 last year, but never found the time. After cleaning up my room a bit, I discovered all five unopened B5 season dvd sets still in the Amazon shipping box. I thought I had lost them!

B5 should be the next show I tackle. I just finished watching Legend of Korra.

I was lucky enough to order the Stargate:SG-1 complete set while it was a Deal of the Day on Amazon at $59.53 a few days back, it is going to take weeks to ship due to demand. I wonder if I will ever get it or not.

 

[SG-17]

Stargate SG-1 is definitely worth watching over and over again in my opinion. Great characters, great writing, great stories I'd choose it over any other show any day of the week.

 

[DalekJim]

I think it's a mediocre, standard 90s genre show, whereas Babylon 5 pushed the format of television storytelling as far as it had ever gone before.

 

[Captain Craig]

I'm watching SG-1 now for the first time, see the Stargate forum, and am enjoying it immensely.

Babylon 5 is on my list as well, I've not seen it so I'm not voting. I'm already committed to watching it though. Got all 5 seasons via wb.com having a great sale last year, got some season sets for as low as $7!! I'll be watching B5 sometime in the next 6-9 months.

 

[EmoBorg]

I cannot vote for one or the other as i love them both equally.

I abstain.

 

[DalekJim]

Anybody starting Babylon 5 must remember to watch the pilot movie The Gathering before starting Season 1.

Always preferred Jeffrey Sinclair to John Sheridan. Great character and a very troubled man. Wish I'd gotten to meet O'Hare at a convention to tell him how much I loved his performance. His narration of the opening titles was much better than Boxleitner's effort the following year.

 

[Captain Craig]

Really? Noted.
So that's a prequel film made during, after the B5 series concluded I take it?

 

[Sindatur]

Really? Noted.
So that's a prequel film made during, after the B5 series concluded I take it?

Nah, The Gathering is the actual Pilot, and was aired a full year before Season 1.

There is an awesome Prequel, called In The Beginning. It was aired around the end of S4. I personally wouldn't advise viewing it prior to the end of S4, on your first run through the Series (Spoilers and exposes you to some of the most awesome the show becomes, too early, IMHO), but, on a second run through, it is great to watch it first, then The Pilot, Then S1-S5. Many think it's fine to watch it first, and even JMS says it's fine to view first, but, I advise against it.

B5 is my all time favorite show, but, I like SG-1 quite a bit too.

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

Many think it's fine to watch it first, and even JMS says it's fine to view first, but, I advise against it.

Yeah, it casually spoils tons of things the early seasons took their time carefully to reveal a bit at a time. It was made between Season 4 and 5, so that's when I'd watch In the Beginning. The Gathering, though, definitely needs to be watched first, even if some of it, in characters, the looks of characters, and even the tone, doesn't quite match the series that follows.

 

[Captain Craig]

Really? Noted.
So that's a prequel film made during, after the B5 series concluded I take it?

Nah, The Gathering is the actual Pilot, and was aired a full year before Season 1.

There is an awesome Prequel, called In The Beginning. It was aired around the end of S4. I personally wouldn't advise viewing it prior to the end of S4, on your first run through the Series (Spoilers and exposes you to some of the most awesome the show becomes, too early, IMHO), but, on a second run through, it is great to watch it first, then The Pilot, Then S1-S5. Many think it's fine to watch it first, and even JMS says it's fine to view first, but, I advise against it.

B5 is my all time favorite show, but, I like SG-1 quite a bit too.

So The Gathering is hopefully included on the S1 set. I'll have to check, if not I'll have to locate a copy when the time comes.

 

[DalekJim]

The Gathering, though, definitely needs to be watched first, even if some of it, in characters, the looks of characters, and even the tone, doesn't quite match the series that follows.

Midnight on the Firing Line is definitely better but The Gathering has its moments. Sinclair recalling the Battle of The Line, Kosh mystery and the most dangerous man alive.. Del Varner .

Couldn't recommend Babylon 5 enough to those who haven't seen it. No recent sci-fi series has come close, though I do love Dollhouse. I dunno why anybody would see Stargate-SG1 as a close competitor in quality.