Want to watch Babylon 5, but not all of it

[Crusher Disciple]

Well, I watched all of season 1. I'm watching the season opener of S2. I'm going to miss Sinclair, but I can live with Sheridan. I love how they had so many open threads going on during the season fanale. And I loved how they didn't go for the parter "there's a massive armada about the destroy Earth/ B5, etc..."

That got really old with the SG1 franchise. I stopped watching their season enders after a while.

 

[Tulin]

Wow - interesting you said THAT because, and I will be VERY vague here - S2 ends with just ONE ship turning up.


And I promise you, rather than "SLAM BAM ACTION", it will very quietly and VERY ominously chill you to the bone!!!!


See what I mean about my friends not being able to resist my challenge?

 

[Forbin]

Oh I can identify with you on that... whenever Lyta Alexander is on screen, especially later in the series.

Lyta? Where!?

She's not here?

Oh.

 

[Mr Light]

Season Two is a vast improvement. While S1 tended to be awful standalones combined with good standalones, S2 manages more consistency and also more little important moments within every episode. Also the production values improve dramatically. And Ivanova becomes cool. And Sheridan is much cooler than Sinclair.

 

[Tulin]

Just watch out for shadows..........they move when you're not looking.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Okay, so I've heard them use the word "frag" in one form or another (Sheridan just said it). Is this B5's form of "frack" and "frell?"

Also, do we get to see Jinxo again?

 

[Cutter John]

See, that I disagree with. Sure, watching them all is better, but I know several people who missed some episodes along the way, but never bothered to go back and watch the ones they missed. I don't think their entire B5 experience was ruined. Not in the slightest.

How is that even possible? To me, B5 episodes are kinda like potato chips.

 

[Mr Light]

I think Jinxo cameos in one of the TV movies but that's it. He, and 95% of that episode, are not important

 

[Crusher Disciple]

I think Jinxo cameos in one of the TV movies but that's it. He, and 95% of that episode, are not important

Well that stinks. I really liked his redemption at the end.

Dammit, I always latch onto the threads that never get any payoffs.

 

[Jan]

I think Jinxo cameos in one of the TV movies but that's it. He, and 95% of that episode, are not important

Deuce, not Jinxo appears in "Thirdspace".

I liked that episode. It didn't have to be important, it was just a nice episode and a pleasant hour spent. I feel much the same way about "A Late Delivery from Avalon".

Jan

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Ivanova has a bright blue nightgown. I love this woman!

 

[chrisspringob]

See, that I disagree with. Sure, watching them all is better, but I know several people who missed some episodes along the way, but never bothered to go back and watch the ones they missed. I don't think their entire B5 experience was ruined. Not in the slightest.

How is that even possible? To me, B5 episodes are kinda like potato chips.

Not everyone loves TV as much as we do. I know plenty of people who watched B5 either in its initial run or in reruns on TNT or Sci-Fi and enjoyed it a great deal at the time, but might have missed a few episodes along the way, and wouldn't have bothered to track down the episodes they missed or buy the DVDs or what have you. Heck, I know people who maybe only have seen about 5 episodes from Seasons 1-2, but then started watching some time in Season 3, and enjoyed Season 3-4 a lot, maybe kept watching part way through Season 5 and then stopped. They're just not motivated enough to go back and watch everything they missed.

I don't know, maybe this is the difference between watching it in the DVD era and the pre-DVD era. I knew several such casual fans of the show when it was in its first run. But for someone getting into the show now, you'll presumably have them all available on DVD, so keeping up with all of them isn't an issue.

 

[Tulin]

Okay, so I've heard them use the word "frag" in one form or another (Sheridan just said it). Is this B5's form of "frack" and "frell?"

Also, do we get to see Jinxo again?

No.

frack and frell are BSG and FS's versions of frag.

 

[Neroon]

I've never been clear on the actual origins of "frag". At least with "frak" I think it was first used in the original incarnation of BSG.

 

[Harvey]

Frag is a military term that has been appropriated by video games, mainly first person shooters. The tagline for Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, for example, being "set phasers to frag." I'm not sure if JMS has ever discussed his appropriation of the term on Babylon 5. Perhaps Jan knows?

As for frak, yes, it was used on the original Galactica, though not quite as liberally as it was on the new version.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

So, what's the fascination with oranges on the show? Sheridan gorges on them after he gets to B5. Franklin's dad doesn't want to drink anything other than orange juice.

Does this become a running gag? Or is it that hard to grow fresh orange without hydroponics?

 

[Jan]

I'm not sure if JMS has ever discussed his appropriation of the term on Babylon 5. Perhaps Jan knows?

If so, I'm not aware of it.

I can only think of one case(*) where 'frag' by itself was used as a replacement word for f*ck. Most of the time it's used correctly as shorthand for 'to kill or assault', though without the current implication that an unpopular superior officer is the one getting killed. The other usage, as part of 'abso-fraggin-lutely' was used for humor and almost certainly was used as a replacement for f*ck.

Jan
(*) 'Moments of Transition' when awakened by Edgars, Garibaldi says "...what the frag..."

 

[Jan]

So, what's the fascination with oranges on the show? Sheridan gorges on them after he gets to B5. Franklin's dad doesn't want to drink anything other than orange juice.

There were various uses:

-Sheridan wanting them right away was a way of playing into fan expectations that the character would be a lightweight as Bruce's previous parts had prepared people for.

-At some point a bowl of oranges became kind of a trademark of one of the directors. Janet Greek, iirc.

- Franklin's dad only liking orange juice was a subtle underscoring of his Human-centricity. He didn't want to try alien drinks and he didn't want his son practicing medicine on aliens.

- Not an orange, but Elric gifting Sheridan with an orange blossom brought to light a bit of Sheridan's history.

Jan

 

[Colonel Midnight]

^ Not to mention, in RL... (apart from B5)... The smell of fresh fruit is practically intoxicating if you haven't had any recently after being say, 40-50 days out at sea.

I can't even imagine how it would be with being stuck on a space station way out there.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Best part of S2? The gratuitous shots of Garibaldi with no shirt on.