Been hearing that this show is a little...slow and cheesy True?

[Cold Fuzz]

Unfortunately, it is a tall order because by the time a series sets everything in motion like B5's first season, they cancel it. B5 was perfect for it's time, as if it had happened today then I don't think we'd have gotten such an amazing series.

I tend to attribute that to network executives having about as much lack of patience, attention span, and good taste as the demographics they continuously pander to.

[maneth]

Indeed. And even B5 suffered from it, given the way they feared it would be cancelled after the 4th season. That's why the Shadow War was a bit rushed at the end.

[Cold Fuzz]

Indeed. And even B5 suffered from it, given the way they feared it would be cancelled after the 4th season. That's why the Shadow War was a bit rushed at the end.

They unfortunately had to deal with the very real possibility of cancellation virtually every single season. It's a not so minor miracle that they got all 5 years of the story on screen. When it wasn't about ratings, they had to deal with PTEN just totally folding and leaving B5 without a parent network. We are all very lucky to have the B5 storyline the way it is, imperfections and all.

[SaberBlade]

A good example of B5 being on the fringe of cancellation is season 4. They filmed the final episode (Sleeping in Light), designed to properly end the show. Once it was filmed, they were told season 5 was finally agreed confirmed. They had to film a new season 4 finale (Deconstruction of Falling Stars) and then that season 4 finale was used at the end of season 5 (which is why it has Ivanova, Marcus, but not Scoggins or Cox).

However given how amazing Sleeping Light was, and season 5 only worked to lay down the foundation of a telepath war we never got the chance to see, but the season as a whole only really showed us the reasons why people were leaving B5. That's not a bad thing, as it was the last episode that we learnt people would be leaving.

[BOTA:99]

Babylon 5 remains my favorite scifi show of all time as well. Its what got me to come online in the first place with Compuserve because I read in the paper that JMS actually interacted with people there on the forums (well what passed for forums back then ) and I basically grew up on Bab5 and DS9 so they will always be special to me. But the story B5 tells, while the first season can be a bit slow, the payoff is definitely worth it to hang in there.

I don't want to spoil it for the few of you just watching it now, but when you see that last episode and how it ends I am enough of a man to admit that I actually teared up a bit *embarrassed face* and no other show has had the sheer power to do that too me. It is just such an experience these characters are put through over those 5 years that it basically defies any words I can type here.

[maneth]

Indeed. The finale was wonderful, even if a bit too messianic for me. But this one's really worth getting through the fairly slow start and the unfortunate Byron arc in season 5.

[SaberBlade]

Indeed. The finale was wonderful, even if a bit too messianic for me. But this one's really worth getting through the fairly slow start and the unfortunate Byron arc in season 5.

Well to be fair, the messianic aspect of the episode isn't as bad in the finale when watched at the end of season 5. To watch at the end of season 5, you end up wondering what happened to half the new characters brought in to staff B5 when the mains left, what happened to David Sheridan, what happened during the telepath war, what happened to Lyta, the PSI-Corp, Bester and Garibaldi getting his revenge, the Drakh and so on. You sort of drift over Sheridan planning his death as it's just a conversation on a bed between Sheridan and Delenn, with a surprise appearance from Lorien.

[Cold Fuzz]

Babylon 5 remains my favorite scifi show of all time as well. Its what got me to come online in the first place with Compuserve because I read in the paper that JMS actually interacted with people there on the forums (well what passed for forums back then ) and I basically grew up on Bab5 and DS9 so they will always be special to me. But the story B5 tells, while the first season can be a bit slow, the payoff is definitely worth it to hang in there.

I don't want to spoil it for the few of you just watching it now, but when you see that last episode and how it ends I am enough of a man to admit that I actually teared up a bit *embarrassed face* and no other show has had the sheer power to do that too me. It is just such an experience these characters are put through over those 5 years that it basically defies any words I can type here.

Those of us who were emotionally invested in B5 definitely shed a few tears at the end of the series, especially for those who watched the show when it originally aired back in the 90s—like me. I did a B5 re-watch at the end of summer last year, including all of the movies and Crusade in order, and it was quite a build-up to see the whole timeline played out and have it end with Sleeping in Light.

[SaberBlade]

Those of us who were emotionally invested in B5 definitely shed a few tears at the end of the series.

Same thing happens to me after a series re-watch (Don't have the movies, too expensive and can never find Crusade). It's just an amazing story and for it to end with Sleeping In Light, sad as hell. But still, something is lost on it because they filmed it at the end of season 4. If it hadn't been recorded, I think the finale may have ended differently.