Ah, yes. If any three words can sum up the balance between episodic and serialized storytelling on Babylon 5, they must be "as you know."
Babylon 5 remains to this day the greatest TV series ever made and must be watched by all. That said, the first season is very definitely a "learning process" and is not representative of the rest of the series. So if you're going to try it, don't quit because S1 isn't to your liking.
A lot of the central story is in season 5. Especially the latter 2/3 of it. And it was story jms had still planned, even if his plans got a little juggled around at the end of season 4 and there were some threads that ended earlier than he planned. If you think of it like a novel, season 5 would be the denouement, so it would be the falling side of the arc. Personally, season 5 has a lot of my favorite episodes in it.
Without getting into spoilers, I'd say most of season five was part of the story JMS planned. It's just that the telepath arc was extended to cover the first half of the season. The real problem is that the telepath story just isn't very good. IMO. Among other problems. Which don't prevent several of the episodes in season five from being great episodes, either.
^ Watching S5 is strange, in a way. The beginning and most of the telepath stuff (in no small part thanks to Byron...) is IMHO really, really bad and uninvolving. But it really picks up towards the end. At its best I'd say it's as good as seasons 2 - 4. But it just doesn't manage to maintain that level.
I told someone who was watching it for the first time on DVD to hang in there during season 5. I said that it gets better in the latter half with Garabaldi's drinking and the Londo-G'kar relationship.
I agree. I *love* the off-format, stand-alones in this season which JMS had had to shelve in the rush of the fourth season. And while I can't say that I particularly care for Byron but what I pay attention to is Lyta and the changes that that story arc make in her. Jan
Without resorting to spoilers; the telepath story was always going to be there, the difference being that Spoiler: Season 5 Ivanova would have been involved instead of Spoiler: Season 5 Lyta . As for stretching things out to cover the compression of season 4, it was only 3 episodes that were shifted, so it's not as drastic as some people seam to think. Like Jan, I actually quite enjoyed some of the more stand alone stories in season 5. In fact 'Day of the Dead' had what I think is the single funniest line in the entire series. Spoiler: Season 5
Well, actually Spoiler: Season 5 Ivanova would have been *romantically* involved with Byron but Lyta still would have been his follower. Only the romance thread was transfered to Lyta. Shifted, yes, but some events might have gone on an extra episode or half episode if there'd been time. In the script books (Volume 11) JMS has said that Spoiler: early Season 5 the Byron story was stretched out longer than he'd intended due, in part, to the need to introduce the Lochley character and intercutting her story with Byron and Lyta's That's a good one. I liked the surreal quality of "The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari" and the shifted point of view in "The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father" and "A View from the Gallery", too. Jan
Ok, so I'm not a rich smug person who can afford all the script books. Though I do have a newly printed copy of the "Chronologies of Babylon 5" sat on my desk, so at least I can look up two possible dates for the same event. But yes, I forgot about the need to establish Lizzy. Odd since she's one of my favourite characters. Not a popular choice I know, so sue me! From what I gather in terms of most fans' "pariah" characters she's right up there with Byron and Walker Smith. Getting back to season 5, you just named three of my four favourite episodes from that year. (NOTE: the last five episodes of the series don't count because it's taken as read that they're above and beyond the norm.)
Yeah, right. Try unemployed semi-fanatic and you might be closer. Not in my book. If found her much more interesting than Ivanova any day. The only thing I really didn't care for was Spoiler: Season 5 her marriage to Sheridan. Although it did make for a funny scene with Gideon in 'Crusade' What's the fourth? Day of the Dead? Jan
The show was only average to me but you may love it. The characters where pretty boring and not one grabbed me. Inbetween the main arc stories the filler eps where most of the time dire. There where some good space battles in it if thats your thing, even if there not upto todays standards.
If you liked DS9 or nuBSG or both, you will definitely like B5. It's an arc-based show like those are, and the arcs are very much about an interstellar struggle. If you prefer your scifi as episodic and tied up in a nice neat bow by episode end, then B5 is not for you.
Same here. Which reminds me, I really ought to find that CV... Ditto. Which is surprising given their comparative screen time. Not that I dislike Ivanova you understand, but Lochley seamed a more interesting balance between a human being with a heart and a disciplined military type person. Though I suppose the slight age gap would give Lochley an advantage in maturity, still Ivanova was so emotionally closed off half the time, it seamed to have been left to Claudia's natural charm and whit to carry the character through and keep her interesting. To be fair though.. Spoiler: Season 5 I imagine that aspect of her personality would have been addressed somewhat, had she been in season 5. And yes, that scene with Gideon was most amusing and to be honest, "that" part of her backstory didn't really phase me...out of left field, sure. Not necessary to the plot, no question. It was just there...like a sweedish meatball. You appear to have it surrounded.
Well B5 was a show with a huge amount of potential and some serious flaws. The general story line is its absolute strength, even if as mention parts of season 5 and parts of season 1 are generally weaker then seasons 2, 3 and 4 (and not that those seasons didn't have bad episodes, they certainly did). The acting, boy this was seriously hit and miss (and throughout the whole series). Some of the series regulars were absolutely awesome, some were horribly miscast. The guest cast in general were weaker (though again this was produced on a fairly small budget and as such talent cost money) and they still had some nice performances. Production values (everything from set design and construction to fx) were generally poorly done, but (and this is important) they tired for scope and they delivered scope. And as such the finer details suffered, but thats window dressing and fairly minor. As for the FX, though they lacked the detail that both more time and money could have providing (even during that time), they told the story that the writers wanted within their budgetary limitations. The two biggies are writing (which while not great in dialogue was great in scope and plot), and acting (which was very hit and miss). Thankfully the characters I generally liked were the ones that had better actors, so that was a very, very nice thing.
What regulars do you think were miscast? The mantis who played n'grath was excellent IMO! And actually, I liked all the actual regulars too.
gasp. blasphemy! lol jk why not???? i guess it's more a drama that just happens to have a science fictional twist rather than the other way around. it's a great show if you give it a chance. i never saw much babylon 5. i saw them as the non-star trek version of deepsh!t 9. since i didn't like ds9 (i saw them as lame usurpers to tng >_<) i never gave babylon much thought. though recently i've been thinking about giving it a chance... and maybe giving ds9 a try also. yay for netflix.