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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 26, 2010 19:13:11 GMT
Having taken a break in order to watch Battlestar Galactica from start to finish, I am now resuming re-watching B5 from start to finish.
I have this summer already watched:
In the Beginning
The Gathering
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3 episodes 1-6
I have lined up and waiting:
Season 3 episode 7 onwards
Season 4
Season 5
Thirdspace/River of Souls/A Call to Arms
The Lost Tales
It retains its status as my favourite TV series of all time, comfortably ahead of The West Wing which holds second place.
Martin
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 26, 2010 19:34:45 GMT
Have you not got Crusade?
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 26, 2010 19:36:27 GMT
There's another movie missing too: Legend of the Rangers.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 26, 2010 19:43:07 GMT
I know, but Crusade and LotR are separate series, albeit aborted ones - like DS9 and Voyager to Star Trek: TNG. That's how I justify not buying them, anyway. (I need some reason to placate my completist nature. They are not good.) A Call to Arms and The Lost Tales, on the other hand, have B5 regulars in the lead roles so I count them as part of the main B5 run.
Martin
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Post by KnightBeat on Aug 26, 2010 19:53:57 GMT
I cry when I think of the amount of money I spent on the VHS tapes of Babylon 5 and Crusade.
I enjoyed Legend of the Rangers with the obvious exception of the cringeworthy crazy tantrum woman during the battle scene. It's worth it to see Andrew Katsulas's last performance as G'Kar.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 26, 2010 19:57:38 GMT
I enjoyed Legend of the Rangers with the obvious exception of the cringeworthy crazy tantrum woman during the battle scene. It's worth it to see Andrew Katsulas's last performance as G'Kar. G'Kar's minor role was the one reason I owned LotR on DVD for a short while, but it wasn't enough to justify keeping. It made the lows of early season 5 look like high art. Martin |
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Post by legios on Aug 26, 2010 21:12:04 GMT
Seems like a reasonable way to draw a line to me.
I haven't actually seen B5 since it aired (and only up to Season Four at that time). It is something I remember liking a great deal back in the day though. I remember being ridiculed amongst aquaintances at University for finding its original pilot movie more interesting than the Star Trek:Deep Space Nine opener at the time.
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 27, 2010 10:02:53 GMT
At the time I thought it strange that Channel 4 showed the pilot after season 1. Then I saw the pilot and understood. Had I seen that first, I never would have watched the show!
-Ralph
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 27, 2010 16:48:19 GMT
I agree with Ralph. The B5 pilot is awful - so bad, that I only watched season 1 with one eye open and was adamant that Star Trek Voyager was a better series. Then one of my sci-fi friends at uni made me sit down and watch 'In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum', and my sight was restored. I can't think of an instance in my life where the words "It blew me away" could be better applied.
These days I prefer to think of 'In the Beginning' as the real B5 pilot.
Though I suppose it does contain some spoilers.
Edit: 3000th post, by the way.
Martin
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 27, 2010 19:18:38 GMT
I haven't seen B5 since it was on TV either. But I freakin' loved it. The Shadow War, ancient races fighting an ancient war. It's the stuff of legend! Superior to Star Trek in many ways (and I say that as a total Kirkophile!). I envy your DVD run, Martin!
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Aug 27, 2010 23:47:00 GMT
Kudos on 3k Martin.
The B5 pilot was painful but the series I loved. It was either preceded or followed by a classic Mighty Mouse short during the first series run on C4. Which just made that hour of tv even better.
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Aug 28, 2010 10:01:03 GMT
I was quite obsessive about the show back when it was originally airing to the point where I've felt no need to watch it since!
-Ralph
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 28, 2010 18:42:14 GMT
Oh, man. I can't think of any other series where I'd give four out of five consecutive episodes a 10/10 rating.
3.6 - G'Kar mind-assaults Londo and has his great spiritual awakening
3.8 - White Star tackles a Shadow ship over Jupiter
3.9 - Earth declares martial law - our guys take out the Night Watch on B5
3.10 - B5 declares independence and dukes out out with the invading Earthforce fleet
Some of these scripts are just one fist-pumping quote after another. All unrealistic of course, but great drama generally is.
(Chap moves aside.)
Martin
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Post by Philip Ayres on Aug 29, 2010 12:15:36 GMT
Severed Dreams (3:10) has my favorite moment of the entire series in it. The battle has been fought, but Earthforce reinforcements have showed up. The jump alarm is going off on the bridge indicating more ships are jumping in which you expect to be *more* Earthforce cruisers. But it isn't, it's Delenn with the White Star and several Minbari ships. Brilliant stuff.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 31, 2010 16:58:57 GMT
"Jump! Jump, now!"
Martin
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 31, 2010 19:26:12 GMT
Aw, Martin, all these great quotes and scenes are bringing back glorious memories of just what a brilliant series Babylon 5 was/is!!!
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Post by Shockprowl on Aug 31, 2010 19:29:47 GMT
Man, I'm gunna have to buy this box set on DVD. MARTIN, YOU SHALL KNOW THE WRATH OF MRS SHOCKPROWL!!!!!!!! |
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Aug 31, 2010 19:39:00 GMT
Aw, Martin, all these great quotes and scenes are bringing back glorious memories of just what a brilliant series Babylon 5 was/is!!! Londo: But this - this, this, this is like being nibbled to death by... what are those Earth creatures called? Feathers, long bill, webbed feet... go 'quack'... Vir: Cats. Londo: Cats. Being nibbled to death by cats. Martin |
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Dec 11, 2010 12:54:42 GMT
After slowing down for a bit I picked up again and just finished re-watching season five.
I think I've done it an injustice at times in the past, saying that they should have stopped after season four. The first half of the year is a slog, with that annoying telepath rebellion led by Byron the Wet and some dud standalones, but the later Centauri story needed telling. The scene where G'Kar tells Londo he forgives him, just before Londo goes in to receive his Keeper, is perhaps the true emotional climax of the entire series. And the final episode of all is a 10/10er.
They didn't need a full fifth season, but they needed a half-length fifth season as a minimum.
It remains my favourite TV series of all time. Can't think of anything else that has such a strong story planned from the start to be told over five years, and which puts its characters through such major life changes that transform them so organically and convincingly from the people they were at the start to the very different people they are at the end. At the beginning the later events cannot be seen coming, but when they come it makes so much sense.
Apart from 'The Lord of the Rings', there is nothing I've ever come across that deserves the term 'epic saga' as much as B5.
Martin
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Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 11, 2010 14:13:23 GMT
I think if they'd have stuck to the original plan and the telepaths had come to the station during series 4 when there's a reason for them to be needed there with some of the civil war carrying over into five, then the climax of the telepath plot which had been brewing and then the end as we see it it would have worked better.
However Network interference nixed this making the producers think that S4 would be it, so they came up with closure there, and by the time S5 was comissioned it was far too late in the day to do anything about it after that,
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Post by Philip Ayres on May 28, 2011 6:28:39 GMT
I read elsewhere that Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan) has died aged 60.
This show isn't doing well with Actors surviving to a great age: Andreas Katsulas, Richard Biggs & Tim Choate (Zathras) all predecease him
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Post by The Doctor on May 28, 2011 10:51:55 GMT
Darn it.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jul 14, 2012 12:24:02 GMT
Severed Dreams (3:10) has my favorite moment of the entire series in it. The battle has been fought, but Earthforce reinforcements have showed up. The jump alarm is going off on the bridge indicating more ships are jumping in which you expect to be *more* Earthforce cruisers. But it isn't, it's Delenn with the White Star and several Minbari ships. Brilliant stuff. I've had occasion to watch both B5: Severed Dreams and BSG: Exodus 2 this week. I'm struck by how similar they are, especially containing a crucial scene where all hope is lost (B5 being surrounded by second wave of Destroyers, Galactica getting pounded by the basestars) and from nowhere help arrives (Delenn, the Minbari & Whitestar vs Lee & the Pegasus). |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Sept 28, 2012 20:55:24 GMT
I'm reading elsewhere that Michael O'Hare has died but yet to see it confirmed from a reliable source.
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Post by The Doctor on Sept 28, 2012 20:57:57 GMT
Shit!
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Sept 28, 2012 21:04:40 GMT
I rather hope that is incorrect.
Karl
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Post by Philip Ayres on Sept 28, 2012 21:15:11 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Sept 28, 2012 23:25:38 GMT
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Post by blueshift on Sept 28, 2012 23:38:27 GMT
Oh man  |
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Post by Marc Graham on Sept 29, 2012 7:39:44 GMT
Sad news, he had a tough job in B5 a show that was a slow burner and going up against a somewhat similar Star Trek series, he did an awesome job in the show and when he came back as a guest star, great actor - sad loss.
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