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    Babylon 5 Season 1

    Okay, heres the deal. My uncles lent me Babylon 5 Season One on DVD. Trouble is that what I've seen so far of B5 I haven't been crazy about (The Gathering, Midnight on the Firing Line) and I know quite a few B5 fans say its the worst season.

    So going on that, I would like to know which episodes are the best and most essential out of Season One so I can get through it as quickly as possible to Two.
    sigpic
    "Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."
    DS9 Superior|Farscape|Legend of the Seeker|Stargate Universe|STAR WARS

    #2
    Depends on your personal tastes.
    From where you are:
    2. Soul Hunter
    3. Born to the Purple
    5. The Parliament of Dreams
    6. Mind War
    9. Deathwalker
    13. Signs and Portents
    18. A Voice in the Wilderness part 1
    19. A Voice in the Wilderness part 2
    20. Babylon Squared
    22. Chrysalis

    Don't know why people don't like season one, it sets up much of the B5 universe and overall story arcs. Michael O'Hare (Commander Sinclair) vs Bruce Boxleitner (John Sheridan) is usually the arguement among B5 fans.

    Rent or buy the B5 telemovies if you want a more traditional, faster paced, and more action. In the Beginning, Thirdspace, and A Call to Arms are very good.
    It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

    Comment


      #3
      The thing that got me really confused is that a lot of the characters introduced in The Gathering didn't show up in the first episode. Whats with that?

      Big thanks for the suggestions and advice, btw.
      sigpic
      "Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."
      DS9 Superior|Farscape|Legend of the Seeker|Stargate Universe|STAR WARS

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Descent
        The thing that got me really confused is that a lot of the characters introduced in The Gathering didn't show up in the first episode. Whats with that?

        Big thanks for the suggestions and advice, btw.
        B5 was a hard sell to go to series. It seemed like they played the pilot movie almost twice a day for a month...lol. Naturally some of the actors took other parts/jobs...like Tamlyn Tomita (Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima) and Johnny Sekka (Dr. Benjamin Kyle). But Claudia Christian (Susan Ivanova) and Richard Biggs (Stephen Franklin) quickly became fan favorites. Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander) comes back later when Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters) leaves the show. Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair was a player, so you saw a lot of his girlfriends during the first season. Paramount's announcement of ST: DS9 probably prompted the go-ahead for the series...B5 was pitched to various studios, including Paramount, at least 3 years before, so many B5 fans were suspicious about ST doing a space station show what seemed like out-of-the-blue.

        Na'Toth was played by 2 actresses, Julie Caitlin Brown and Mary Kay Adams. Enjoy whatever scenes that character is in. She is quite ruthless, cunning, and a very strong fighter. JCB had health problems with the makeup and JMS didn't like MKA's more understated approach (written out of the show as a regular character) so you don't see that character again until season 5 ("A Tragedy of Telepaths") where JCB plays that role one more time.

        B5 Wiki has a lot of info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5
        You can read about the changes in the storylines and characters because of actors leaving. What isn't mentioned is that season 4 was actually season 4 & 5 compressed into one season because the threat of cancellation...JMS wanted to finish B5's story just in case. Then season 5 was approved. S5 had a lot of strong episodes though and Tracy Scoggins (Captain Elizabeth Lockley) was a good choice to take over the station. TS was pretty hot looking in the B5 telemovie "River of Souls".
        It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Sci-Fi
          B5 was a hard sell to go to series. It seemed like they played the pilot movie almost twice a day for a month...lol. Naturally some of the actors took other parts/jobs...like Tamlyn Tomita (Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima) and Johnny Sekka (Dr. Benjamin Kyle). But Claudia Christian (Susan Ivanova) and Richard Biggs (Stephen Franklin) quickly became fan favorites. Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander) comes back later when Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters) leaves the show. Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair was a player, so you saw a lot of his girlfriends during the first season. Paramount's announcement of ST: DS9 probably prompted the go-ahead for the series...B5 was pitched to various studios, including Paramount, at least 3 years before, so many B5 fans were suspicious about ST doing a space station show what seemed like out-of-the-blue.

          Na'Toth was played by 2 actresses, Julie Caitlin Brown and Mary Kay Adams. Enjoy whatever scenes that character is in. She is quite ruthless, cunning, and a very strong fighter. JCB had health problems with the makeup and JMS didn't like MKA's more understated approach (written out of the show as a regular character) so you don't see that character again until season 5 ("A Tragedy of Telepaths") where JCB plays that role one more time.

          B5 Wiki has a lot of info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5
          You can read about the changes in the storylines and characters because of actors leaving. What isn't mentioned is that season 4 was actually season 4 & 5 compressed into one season because the threat of cancellation...JMS wanted to finish B5's story just in case. Then season 5 was approved. S5 had a lot of strong episodes though and Tracy Scoggins (Captain Elizabeth Lockley) was a good choice to take over the station. TS was pretty hot looking in the B5 telemovie "River of Souls".
          EXCELLENT OVERVIEW!!

          But what is the hurry?
          Season 1 is great. It was interesting to see that there was
          a change in some of the characters from the pilot movie but that is the history! I definitely enjoy the episodes and the progressive development of the major characters, especially Delenn progressive change from pure Minbari into a hybrid Minbari/Earther! There is really alot to digest and I always learned that if you eat your food too fast you will not enjoy the meal!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Descent
            Okay, heres the deal. My uncles lent me Babylon 5 Season One on DVD. Trouble is that what I've seen so far of B5 I haven't been crazy about (The Gathering, Midnight on the Firing Line) and I know quite a few B5 fans say its the worst season.

            So going on that, I would like to know which episodes are the best and most essential out of Season One so I can get through it as quickly as possible to Two.
            Seriously? After watching "The Gathering" I was completely hooked. (course, i bought the pilot and S1 for like £30 or something so even if i didn't like it i was gonna power through anyway.. ) Some of the so-called "weaker episodes" i actually loved. There was always something redeeming. Actually, all apart from... TKO, was it? Not a fan of that one.

            Anyway, i'm now on something like episode 11 of S5 and although it's arguably not up to the quality as S2, 3 and 4 it is still amazing IMO.

            The center of Khlysty surrounds me

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Descent
              The thing that got me really confused is that a lot of the characters introduced in The Gathering didn't show up in the first episode. Whats with that?

              Big thanks for the suggestions and advice, btw.
              They did a recast with people that could act, except for Sinclare

              And in all fairness the actors may just have not been comfortable with their Characters as the guy that plays Sinclare is supposed to be a pretty good actor (but had never done scifi type stuff) and the lady that plays Lyta does a much better job at another point in the show.

              I would find it hard to beleive that people would not consider Dr Franklin and Ivonova and upgrade from their counterparts. And ofcourse Delenn is played by the same actor, it just doesnt look like it because of the better makeup job. (well better IMHO)
              Joseph Mallozzi -"In the meantime, I'm into season 5 of OZ (where the show takes an unfortunate hairpin turn into "the not so wonderful world of fantasy")"

              ^^^ Kinda sounds like seasons 9 and 10 of SG-1 to me. Thor, ya got Aspirin?

              AGateFan has officially Gone Fishin (with Jack, Sam, Daniel, Teal'c) and is hoping Atlantis does not take that same hairpin turn.

              Comment


                #8
                Season three is the best in my opinion. JMS wrote every single one of those episodes. It shows the brillance of the man.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by AGateFan
                  They did a recast with people that could act, except for Sinclare

                  And in all fairness the actors may just have not been comfortable with their Characters as the guy that plays Sinclare is supposed to be a pretty good actor (but had never done scifi type stuff) and the lady that plays Lyta does a much better job at another point in the show.
                  Michael O'Hare and Johnny Sekka were very accomplished, well known, and respected Stage actors (Broadway and London respectively). Many times stage performances do not translate well to film, so there is a learning curve and trying to find that comfort level in front of the camera.

                  Michael O'Hare is the first white actor who has been nominated by the black theater community of New York for the AUDELCO award as Best Actor for his role in the play "Shades of Brown".

                  Tamlyn Tomita was an up-and-comer and if you look at the projects she was involved in both Japan and in Hollywood, she was quite busy 1993 onwards...so she was in demand at the time and still is.

                  Originally posted by AGateFan
                  I would find it hard to beleive that people would not consider Dr Franklin and Ivonova and upgrade from their counterparts. And ofcourse Delenn is played by the same actor, it just doesnt look like it because of the better makeup job. (well better IMHO)
                  I always loved "The Brat" (Claudia Christian) performances before B5 and she deserved to get the part and show off her acting skills on a regular basis.

                  Richard Biggs, sadly no longer with us, cut his teeth on "Days of Our Lives" (Dr. Marcus Hunter) as well as stage, so he had plenty of experience in front of the camera. What people never realized was that Biggs was diagnosed with hearing problems when he was 13, and was partially deaf in one ear, completely deaf in the other. So his performances and interaction with other characters are even more amazing.

                  Delenn's original look (pilot movie) was an attempt to show the Minbari as almost unisexual...or more like a boyish look. I liked the S1 bonehead look and the later hybrid Delenn. Mira Furlan has a very interesting bio...can do a search to find out more.
                  It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    There is no such thing as a "worst season of Babylon 5" for me. All five were excellently done, in my opinion.
                    sigpic
                    "Dragons can't change who they are, but who would want them to? Dragons are powerful, amazing creatures."--Hiccup; Dragons: Riders of Berk

                    My Books:
                    Draconia: Forging Trust, Draconia: Fractured Dream, Draconia: Rehatching

                    Comment


                      #11
                      The more I watch B5, the more I admire it. But it is so counter-culture. For one, it's literate and thoughtful, even deep. Many of the speeches qualify as literature. It explores the essence of POSITIVE religion and its POSITIVE effects on people, along with all the negative reactions people have when they hero worship or get too zealous for their own good. The story telling is layered and simulatneous. Act III elements are introuduced and referred to throughout Acts one and two. The arcs overlap, reinforce and have multiple implications for the characters. The acting style is classic theater acting, another counter-culture element to the more intimate acting of movies........

                      I found Sheridan just a wee bit stiff in season one, but both Lando and G'Kar hit the ground running and were terrific throughout the 5 seasons. Claudia Christian is one of the 10 best Sci-Fi actresses of all time. Her final scene in season 4 was an absolute classic.

                      I would rank the seasons 3-2-4-1-5. Seasons 2-3-4 are essential and can be had at Borders or Best Buy for about $55 each.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Indeed, seasons 2,3 & 4 are the best-3 in particular. Season 5 was pretty pointless in the end-especially its first half.
                        Season one is pretty tough going but I suppose is essential to get an idea of the whole overarching story.
                        I liked Bab 5 alot but I would say that, as a show, its sum was always greater than its individual parts. Meaning it was a good overall story but its individual episodes were quite ordinary alot of the time.
                        Last edited by david2708; 10 September 2006, 04:31 AM.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by kmiller1610
                          I found Sheridan just a wee bit stiff in season one...
                          Sheridan wasn't there during Season 1. That was Sinclair--a totally different character.
                          sigpic
                          "Dragons can't change who they are, but who would want them to? Dragons are powerful, amazing creatures."--Hiccup; Dragons: Riders of Berk

                          My Books:
                          Draconia: Forging Trust, Draconia: Fractured Dream, Draconia: Rehatching

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by McClance
                            Sheridan wasn't there during Season 1. That was Sinclair--a totally different character.
                            Brain Fart .... Sorry ....... Please red me....

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I'm also following GW's word on S1 as well. Looks like they really hated a lot of episodes from the season.
                              sigpic
                              "Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."
                              DS9 Superior|Farscape|Legend of the Seeker|Stargate Universe|STAR WARS

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