Topic: Babylon 5: The Complete Series

[hal9g]

Title: Babylon 5: Season One - Five
Year: 1994
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 4818 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Michael O'Hare
Bruce Boxleitner
Claudia Christian
Jerry Doyle
Mira Furlan
Richard Biggs
Stephen Furst
Bill Mumy
Andreas Katsulas
Peter Jurasik


Plot:
Season One
Babylon 5 a flashpoint for conflict located between five competing races, home to diplomats, smugglers, terrorists and dreamers. On DVD for the first time in a 6-disc, 22 episode set, the Hugo and Emmy Award winning series has been digitally remastered for superior presentation and includes Exclusive Extras. Combining action, adventure, drama, and state-of-the-art effects, Babylon 5 has become a modern day science fiction classic popular around the world. Enjoy Season One: Signs and Portents.

Season Two
Armed with a new commander and a fortified sense of purpose, Babylon 5 continues its often perilous but always vital peace mission among the five competing interstellar races that inhabit it. Each variously comprised of diplomats, smugglers, terrorists and dreamers. This 6-disc, 22-episode set of the sophomore season of the Hugo-and Emmy-winning series has been digitally remastered for superior presentation and includes exclusive extras. All aboard for Season Two: The Coming Of Shadows.

Season Three
The year is 2260 and the space station that was the last, best hope for peace is now the only hope for victory. Sheridan and the rest of the Babylon 5 command take a stand against the duplicitious alliance forged by Earth and the Shadows in this 6-disc, 22-episode, third-season set. The award-winning series has been digitally remastered for superior presentation and boasts Exclusive Extras produced in collaboration with the series creators. Lock into boarding position for Season Three: Point of No Return.

Season Four
The future begins - or ends - here and now. "Here" is the huge space station Babylon 5. "Now" is the fateful year 2261. Commander John Sheridan has already declared the station free, breaking the ties between it and Earth Alliance. It was perhaps only a matter of time before he would have to fight to remain free. That time has come in this complete 22-episode fourth season adventure presented on 6 discs and featuring an exciting array of exclusive extras.

Season Five
From the beginning, both were running out of time. The space station that was the last, best hope for peace was sooner or later certain to be eclipsed by new political coalitions and technical advances. And John Sheridan, who guided the massive freeport through its most tumultuous days, knew that his own fate had been inalterably prophesied. Now both storylines converge in a 22-episode final season (with dazzling Exclusive DVD Extras!) whose events also include Sheridan's attempts to wage peace for the Interstellar Alliance, the tragic fate of the telepaths and the ultimate fireball destruction of the outmoded station after it is declared to be a spaceway navigational hazard. You're cleared for final approach to Babylon 5.

My Thoughts:

I just spent the past two weeks watching all five seasons of this series, which I had  never seen even a single episode of in the past.  I have to admit that I was completely blown away by it.  Surprisingly, even to me as a somewhat huge fan of science fiction, this series has moved into the honored position of my all-time favorite science fiction TV series, previously held by Stargate SG-1.

Putting aside the stunning special effects, the wonderful alien species (a la Star Wars), the terrific acting and the stunning special effects, this series sets itself above all others because of the superb writing and the incredible soundtracks.  The continuity of the story from beginning to end along with the "precursors" so deftly implanted from the very first episode on, is just an incredible feat and amazing to experience as it unfolds.

I have not yet watched the "movies" (other than The Gathering).  I am hopeful that they will uphold the quality of the series, but I fear that that is going to be very difficult to do.  I will add my reveiw of them (as a group) once I've seen them.

I can't believe that I let this take so long, but am glad that I finally got around to it!

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Sounds like a series I should check out. Never seen a single episode. 

[Dragonfire]

I've never seen any of it either.

[RossRoy]

I have it all but haven't watched it yet either.. I know I should get to it..

So much to watch - so little time.

[Dragonfire]

So much to watch - so little time.

I understand the feeling. 
I need to find someone who will pay me just to watch movies and tv shows on DVD.   

[RossRoy]

I need to find someone who will pay me just to watch movies and tv shows on DVD.   

You're probably much closer to it than most of us! With the amount of reviews you write. And managing to get high in the epinions reviewer hierarchy is quite a feat. 

[Dragonfire]

That's true.
It would just be nice if I could make enough doing that so that I didn't have to do other work.  But I'm not holding my breath.

[Jimmy]

I need to find someone who will pay me just to watch movies and tv shows on DVD.   

Most of us internet reviewers aren't and we do it because we love to talk about what we like. Me, by exemple, I don't receive any screeners to review so everything I review on my blog is paid from my pocket. Sometimes I got some free stuff but that had nothing to do with my blog, since it's more because I'm friend with some label owners.

Actually I'm in discussion with a company blog (not launched yet) to be one of their staff, but I have no idea if it will or won't be a paid gig. But it isn't important at all, what is is that I continue to talk about what I like freely.

[DJ Doena]

Hal, if you ever find the time, watch the show again. You will be surprised how many hints and inklings are hidden in the first seasons, that only become obvious once you know the whole story.

[Dragonfire]

I need to find someone who will pay me just to watch movies and tv shows on DVD.   

Most of us internet reviewers aren't and we do it because we love to talk about what we like. Me, by exemple, I don't receive any screeners to review so everything I review on my blog is paid from my pocket. Sometimes I got some free stuff but that had nothing to do with my blog, since it's more because I'm friend with some label owners.

Actually I'm in discussion with a company blog (not launched yet) to be one of their staff, but I have no idea if it will or won't be a paid gig. But it isn't important at all, what is is that I continue to talk about what I like freely.

That's true too.  I haven't gotten any screeners or free movie tickets or anything either. 
The company blog thing...would that be for movies if you end up doing it?

[Jimmy]

Yes it will be always about movies, in fact it will be a little bit like I do on my blog actually. Of course that will be more technical since it will be dvd reviews on something bigger. You can see it as a complement to my blog (that I will continue). I know we had talked of screener wich is great since it can be quite costly to get the materials (by exemple the last two I got this week cost me more than 60 $CAN) even if I got most of them by VOD.

[Dragonfire]

That would be good if you could get some screeners. 
I did start posts on a blog earlier this year...and then I haven't taken the time to do more for months.  I need to get back to doing that.  I though I could do that to sort of go along with what I post on Epinions. 

[MEJHarrison]

Hal, if you ever find the time, watch the show again. You will be surprised how many hints and inklings are hidden in the first seasons, that only become obvious once you know the whole story.

I was going to say the same thing.  I think you'll be shocked to see just how well crafted this series was.  There is a lot you won't pick up on until you go through it again.  Little bits here and there that you totally don't notice but which were foreshadowing what was to come.

I'm not surprised you liked it so much.  It's not only my favorite sci-fi show, but my favorite overall show.

Finally, one last way to squeeze all the goodness this show has to offer is to visit The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5.  Go to The Episodes and check out some of your favorite episodes.  There's a lot of cool analysis along with comments on almost every episode from the show's creator.  Very interesting stuff there.

As for the movies, in my opinion a couple easily meet the quality of the show.  A couple are decent.  I'll let you discover which are which on your own.  Don't forget, it's not just The Movie Collection.  After that was the movie The Legend of the Ranger and The Lost Tales.  As well as the aborted series, Crusade (different cast, same Babylon 5 universe).

[hal9g]

Thanks Mark, I'll check out that website for sure.

I have the movies, and all the other parts including Crusades.

I've now watched "The Beginning".  I was surprised that Sheridan had met Delenn, G' Kar and Molari prior to Babylon 5.  I didn't see any indication of that (at least not the first time through).

I will definitely be watching this again at some point.  The more I think about it, the more I realize how much I enjoyed it.

[DJ Doena]

I've now watched "The Beginning".  I was surprised that Sheridan had met Delenn, G' Kar and Molari prior to Babylon 5.  I didn't see any indication of that (at least not the first time through).

ITB has a lot of retconning in it, just to make a movie with all the cast. For example, Marcus explains the word Isil'Zha (future) to Stephen in the third season. Stephen looks like he has never heard it before. I doubt he would ever forget the word that saved his life.

Also, Franklin and Sheridan are properly introduced to each other at the beginning of season 2. Would you ever forget someone you went with on such a mission?

BTW: The children Londo tells the story to are the nephew and niece of Urza Jaddo, the man who Londo killed in the sword fight, so his family would be protected (that becomes clear in the novelization).

I still quite enjoy that movie (especially Londo's speeches).