Should I watch B5?
- Thread starter Danoz
- Start date
It is worth it, no doubt.
I've been watching it for the first time myself this past month and have yet about 10 episodes to finish it.
Season 1 is just ok and it mostly sets things up for the next seasons.Try to stay with the show even if you are not impressed.
Seasons 2 and 3 are the best and strongest.
Season 4's first few episodes are not so good in my opinion but it greatly improves after that.
As for season 5 I'll not judge it until I finish it.
In any case I think B5 is definitely worth watching. Go for it.
I've been watching it for the first time myself this past month and have yet about 10 episodes to finish it.
Season 1 is just ok and it mostly sets things up for the next seasons.Try to stay with the show even if you are not impressed.
Seasons 2 and 3 are the best and strongest.
Season 4's first few episodes are not so good in my opinion but it greatly improves after that.
As for season 5 I'll not judge it until I finish it.
In any case I think B5 is definitely worth watching. Go for it.
It has a slow start, but once the momentum ramps up it never looks back.
I've been watching DS9 lately for the first time in about 4 years, maybe 5. I'm struck by how unfocused it is. It's as if they always assumed they'd get another season, so there was no need to hurry into the heart of the story. B5 had no such luck----it struggled for renewal every year. And as a result it's a much more focused show on the whole. Probably for the best; standalone episodes of B5 are often weaker than standalone episodes of DS9. But the arc is faster-paced and, frankly, more daring.
I've been watching DS9 lately for the first time in about 4 years, maybe 5. I'm struck by how unfocused it is. It's as if they always assumed they'd get another season, so there was no need to hurry into the heart of the story. B5 had no such luck----it struggled for renewal every year. And as a result it's a much more focused show on the whole. Probably for the best; standalone episodes of B5 are often weaker than standalone episodes of DS9. But the arc is faster-paced and, frankly, more daring.
As i'm not aware of what was going on when the show first aired, were they under the impression that they may not return for a 5th season ?
Because that last episode of season 4,The Deconstruction of Falling Stars, had a real "end of the show" feel to it.
They were canceled towards the end of season 4. No "impression" about it. But "Deconstruction" wasn't the end; "Sleeping in Light" was.
When TNT bought the show from PTEN for one more year, "Deconstruction" was filmed to close off season 4, and "Sleeping in Light" was moved back to the end of year 5.
That's the reason season 4 is so fast-paced, really. They were trying to squeeze in as much of the planned storyline as they could. This also had the unfortunate effect of making the first third of season 5 rather glacially paced by comparison.
When TNT bought the show from PTEN for one more year, "Deconstruction" was filmed to close off season 4, and "Sleeping in Light" was moved back to the end of year 5.
That's the reason season 4 is so fast-paced, really. They were trying to squeeze in as much of the planned storyline as they could. This also had the unfortunate effect of making the first third of season 5 rather glacially paced by comparison.
What Kosh said. 
Interesting.
I imagine low ratings were the reason for cancelation, right ? How come TNT decided to buy it ?
Yes, watch this series. Keep in mind this, that in the first series there are things happening that will not be explained untill S4.
As I understand it the show was never marketed properly, and had its time slot dicked about with. Which sounds eerily familiar.
That I don't know. I wasn't one of the original viewers on this one....only found it around '02 or so.
It was certainly never well treated by Channel 4 over here. Two seasons of a weekday 6pm slot. Then it got moved to Sundays at around 6:30pm. Then it, inexplicably, got moved to 11pm on Thursdays for the fourth season before being shown chopped to pieces as part of the Big Breakfast for its fifth. Then the fifth season got repeated uncut in the middle of the night - 1am usually.
I will not forgive Channel 4 for showing "Sleeping in Light", which had one of the saddest TV endings ever, and then cutting straight from the Executive Producer credit to a room full of breakfast TV morons cheering and shouting.
The ratings were good enough to take a risk. Sci-Fi shows that manage to run for four years always seem to be able to deliver a loyal audience who will watch no matter what. B5 was no exception. Plus JMS agreed to do the TV movies which, IIRC, were fairly successful one-offs for TNT.
I will not forgive Channel 4 for showing "Sleeping in Light", which had one of the saddest TV endings ever, and then cutting straight from the Executive Producer credit to a room full of breakfast TV morons cheering and shouting.
The ratings were good enough to take a risk. Sci-Fi shows that manage to run for four years always seem to be able to deliver a loyal audience who will watch no matter what. B5 was no exception. Plus JMS agreed to do the TV movies which, IIRC, were fairly successful one-offs for TNT.
In my opinion, Babylon5 is clearly inferior to BSG and DS9, but it's still an interesting show and worth watching.
Technically, perhaps. Artistically, debatable. Writing wise? Not a chance in DS9's case. I love both shows, but B5 is far superior.
Yeah, I love all 3 shows, but Bab 5's story is the best, most epic story ever told on TV. Only Lost's story may come close depending on how they finish the series out.
DS9 definitely had a lot more money to throw around and BSG's writing is fantastic but Bab5's story is really in a class by itself.
As someone who also really likes DS9 and nBSG, I would recommend B5. As many have said, the 1st season requires a bit of patience the first time through it, but it is a great show and you patience will be rewarded in the middle seasons. I wouldn't say I like it quite as much as DS9 or nBSG, but it's a show I've now watched 3 times through, which I haven't done with many shows outside Trek.
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