Babylon 5: Should I invest my money and time? ANSWER IN POST #500 (1 Viewer)

[Dan Hinson]

Also, you may want to bump past the opening titles of the first couple of episodes of Season 2, so as to avoid spoilers.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

I'll add my two cents...

A friend of mine loaned me The Gathering and Season One. She told me to watch The Gathering, but warned me quite emphatically not to judge the show on that episode. She was so strong in her warning that the pilot wasn't that great that I went into it with severely lowered expectations. And I found I really enjoyed the pilot much more than I expected. I eagerly went on to season one, and found that there were a few clunkers, but on the whole it was really impressive.

A month later, they released Season Two here, she loaned that to me, and I really enjoyed that as well.

So, convinced that I really did enjoy the show, I took the plunge of buying Season Three when it was released here last December. My gosh. I watched the whole thing in a week, intensive viewing. I couldn't stop watching.

It's been six months since then, and it'll be another couple of months before Season Four is released. Every time I go to the rental store, I walk past old VHS copies of B5, and I have to force myself to wait for the DVD.

Bear in mind it is low budget. I remember somewhere JMS said that the cost of making the pilot episode of Voyager would have paid for 1.3 seasons of B5. So it is very low budget. But who cares, because it's not just about pretty pictures. It really is a show that is about something. There is an intelligence and a thoughtfulness underpinning the show that is really rare.

There are moments of great tragedy that you wouldn't believe. There are moments of revelation where suddenly every piece suddenly falls into place. There are times when the show is laugh out loud funny. You meet characters that change and grow, some for the better, some for the worse. Some characters you dismiss initially as mere comic relief, and then they turn around and show such delpths that you would have never thought possible. There are moments where the show has things occur which make you think "I have never seen that in a TV show before". There is an intricacy of plotting - even having watched only a little over half the show, I can marvel at the way the whole series arc was progressed consistently through the show. Very little happens without purpose.

It is an incredible show, and in watching it my only regret is that it took me ten years to discover it. It really is a television marvel - one of the most satisfying TV experiences I have had.

As others have indicated, there are sadly problems with the visual quality of the release. But the quality of the entertainment is so great you will barely notice.

Also, avoid the extras, particularly the commentaries. I haven't heard them, but everything I have heard says they are very spoiler-heavy, talking about how events in this episode affect the future direction of the show. There is also a featurette on season two called "Shadows and Dreams: Honors of Babylon" about the awards won by B5, that discusses a major turning point episode in season three. Definitely do not watch this extra - I made the mistake of watching it, and really regret it.

Definitely worth your money and time. Glad to hear you got such a great deal. Hope you like it as much as I do.

By the way - Dan I'm trying to think what spoilers you could mean. I mean, if you are talking about the consequences of the final episode of season one, I believe they imitially use images from season one to avoid spoiling that. In any case, JMS wrote the opening titles, and he knew people were going to watch them, so anything revealed in the titles would not be considered a spoiler, because JMS approved that that revelation be made at that time, even if it is made a few episodes in advance of the relevant show.

 

[Andy_Bu]

On the DVD's the opening credits for the first two episodes of season 2 are spoilers.

I don't know how JMS handled this during the regular run on TV but the opening credits for the first two episodes of Season 2 are spoilers for what happened in Chrysallis (season 1 ender) on the DVD.


Andy

 

[Andy_Bu]

.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Only on the NTSC widescreen versions. It was an error in creating the widescreen version of the credits when the show first aired on The Sci-Fi Channel here and it was never corrected. Because widescreen PAL credits already existed from countries where the series was broadcast in widescreen during its initial run, and those were correct, the studio used those credits for the DVDs. This is one of several quirky differences between the two releases.

Regards,

Joe

 

[James Lambert]

3/4 weeks ago I was lent The Gathering, Season 1 and 2 from my brother. After being curious about the series for a long time and catching the (very) occasional episode when it aired, I was looking forward to it. I have to say it has almost completely overtaken all spare time that I have. I'm on disc 5 of season 2, with such great shows as West Wing and Simpsons sets going unwatched. I found Season 1 quite enjoyable, but since disc 3 of season 2, it's really hotting up. It's quite strange though that the alien characters are often more fascinating and well rounded than the humans, though I feel certain that this will change.

My only problem is how can I afford the other series right now!

 

[MarkHarrison]

When it originally aired, the first two episodes had modified opening credits so as not to give anything away.

Speaking of skipping the opening credits (and you gotta love how WB got the chapter stops right ), for those that have season 5 and are used to skipping the opening credits, make sure to watch the opening credits on The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father. It's nothing major, but it's rather cute. I would have forgotten all about it had my wife not remembered.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

You guys have me pumped!

If you read my last post I indicated that I
ordered SEASON 1 & 2 from Columbia house for
a whopping $10 (for both).

I am just awaiting my Columbia House shipment
to arrive. Perhaps next week.

Have also ordered The Gathering and am
awaiting its arrival as well. I promise not to
watch the second episode on that DVD nor watch
any of the supplements on any of the DVDs.

I have had a wonderful time reading all your
thoughts on this show. With so many overwhelmingly
positive opinions I know I am in for something
really special.

Give me a month or so and I'll report back.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Ron let me just save you some time and tell you how it all ends......................................Just Kidding !

Boy are you in for the ride of your life. If you thought 24 was great you ain't seen nothing yet. When you get to the end of Season 2 you'll be heading out to get season 3. I introduce this to my Brother in Law who's not a big sci fi fan and he was hooked an we ende up watching like 4 episodes a night. Like the sopranos B5 is better done in batches of a disk a night. That way you'll pick up on the little things dropped into the shows. When B5 was originally aired with its erratic schedule they show a few eps and then weeks of repeats, a reason why I think it never gathered a following like it has now. DVD was made for this series.

 

[TheLongshot]

Glad you took the suggestions to heart. We all will be waiting with baited breath to hear what you think.

Jason

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Oh, OK, that makes sense. I watched it on the PAL r4 release, where that one specific image in the season 2 set was inserted only after the appropriate revelation. I never realised that was a difference in the NTSC release.

In that case, Ron, you should definitely skip the credits until the third episode.

Enjoy it. Looking forward to hearing your views.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Oh, OK, that makes sense. I watched it on the PAL r4 release, where that one specific image in the season 2 set was inserted only after the appropriate revelation. I never realised that was a difference in the NTSC release.

In that case, Ron, you should definitely skip the credits until the third episode.

Enjoy it. Looking forward to hearing your views.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

For those intereste in more recent B5 related news, JMS has confirmed that the still-un(officially)-announced major new B5 project is called Babylon 5: The Memory of Shadows - which will be a big hint to those of you who have watched the entire series.

Because deals are still being finalized, and Warner Bros. hasn't been able to make a public announcement, JMS has had to mostly hold his tongue, as well, and limit himself to cryptic hints. In fact, he said if he spoke too soon the powers that be would beat his head against a wall until it made a 2.35:1 hole there.

So Ron, you're not only about to watch the entirety of a five year novel for television that told the central story of our galaxy from the years 2258 to 2262, you're getting in on the ground floor of what could be a major new SF franchise as various other stories of the B5 universe from other times or involving other characters and locales are told. And you're hardly alone in first discovering the show on DVD. It is the unexpectedly strong sales of the DVDs that have Warner Bros. suddenly thinking feature film, and Del Rey books prepping another series of authorized novels - presumably based on outlines by series creator J. Michael Straczynski, like the existing Del Rey paperbacks. Heck according to JMS the first three and a half season releases ("half season" because of the different release schedules in differnt countries) netted Warner Bros. about $70 million world wide.

This is truly the little show that could, and JMS's latest post hints at at least one and possibly a couple of more projects related to the series in the offing. Of course, he can still be as obscure as a Vorlon - or, as an episode of Unsolved History reminded me recently - as obscure as certain human "prophets". So in that spirit I present...



"Trumpets will sound from the wrong side of the river,
The three brothers, Harry, Jack and Albert go forth.
Into a hole seven wide by three high his head fits,
When the ides of May pass slowly."

-- Quatrain 1, 25, The Prophecies of Nostraczynski




Regards,

Joe

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

For those intereste in more recent B5 related news, JMS has confirmed that the still-un(officially)-announced major new B5 project is called Babylon 5: The Memory of Shadows - which will be a big hint to those of you who have watched the entire series.

Because deals are still being finalized, and Warner Bros. hasn't been able to make a public announcement, JMS has had to mostly hold his tongue, as well, and limit himself to cryptic hints. In fact, he said if he spoke too soon the powers that be would beat his head against a wall until it made a 2.35:1 hole there.

So Ron, you're not only about to watch the entirety of a five year novel for television that told the central story of our galaxy from the years 2258 to 2262, you're getting in on the ground floor of what could be a major new SF franchise as various other stories of the B5 universe from other times or involving other characters and locales are told. And you're hardly alone in first discovering the show on DVD. It is the unexpectedly strong sales of the DVDs that have Warner Bros. suddenly thinking feature film, and Del Rey books prepping another series of authorized novels - presumably based on outlines by series creator J. Michael Straczynski, like the existing Del Rey paperbacks. Heck according to JMS the first three and a half season releases ("half season" because of the different release schedules in differnt countries) netted Warner Bros. about $70 million world wide.

This is truly the little show that could, and JMS's latest post hints at at least one and possibly a couple of more projects related to the series in the offing. Of course, he can still be as obscure as a Vorlon - or, as an episode of Unsolved History reminded me recently - as obscure as certain human "prophets". So in that spirit I present...



"Trumpets will sound from the wrong side of the river,
The three brothers, Harry, Jack and Albert go forth.
Into a hole seven wide by three high his head fits,
When the ides of May pass slowly."

-- Quatrain 1, 25, The Prophecies of Nostraczynski




Regards,

Joe

 

[Stephane]

Well this is a question that is very simple to answer for myself. I started to watch B5 at around season 2 1/2. I regret not starting to watch it erlier. The character development from season 1 through to season 5 is just amazing. J'Kar has to be one of my favorite characters in the show.

To get back to your point, YES YES YES just buy them.... You will not regret it not one bit, especially if you can get season 1 and 2 from Columbia for $9.95. Kinda makes me wish I had not spent $79.99 CDN per season. But I have them all now and it is one of the best series on DVD to get in IMO.

Tiamat

 

[Stephane]

Well this is a question that is very simple to answer for myself. I started to watch B5 at around season 2 1/2. I regret not starting to watch it erlier. The character development from season 1 through to season 5 is just amazing. J'Kar has to be one of my favorite characters in the show.

To get back to your point, YES YES YES just buy them.... You will not regret it not one bit, especially if you can get season 1 and 2 from Columbia for $9.95. Kinda makes me wish I had not spent $79.99 CDN per season. But I have them all now and it is one of the best series on DVD to get in IMO.

Tiamat

 

[Terry St]

Babylon 5 benefits greatly from the DVD format. During it's broadcast run B5's ratings were savagely curtailed by the difficulty of jumping into the middle of the show. People would hear the buzz, tune in, and be totally confused. Even if they stuck with it they'd never get as much out of the show as those who watched all of the previous episodes. There was always something significant popping out of the past episodes. The timeslot shuffles, out of order re-runs, etc. only made matters worse. On DVD we can now easily watch B5 in order, the way it was meant to be viewed. It should be no surprise that B5 is now a hot item. The show was probably made ahead of it's time. TV just wasn't the right distributing medium for the show. DVD is.

 

[Terry St]

Babylon 5 benefits greatly from the DVD format. During it's broadcast run B5's ratings were savagely curtailed by the difficulty of jumping into the middle of the show. People would hear the buzz, tune in, and be totally confused. Even if they stuck with it they'd never get as much out of the show as those who watched all of the previous episodes. There was always something significant popping out of the past episodes. The timeslot shuffles, out of order re-runs, etc. only made matters worse. On DVD we can now easily watch B5 in order, the way it was meant to be viewed. It should be no surprise that B5 is now a hot item. The show was probably made ahead of it's time. TV just wasn't the right distributing medium for the show. DVD is.

 

[James F]

Ron,

I've been a huge B5 fan since the show first aired, and I doubt you'll be disappointed. I've gotten so many people hooked on this show, both sci-fi fans and not. Please report back and let us know how you're enjoying the show.

 

[James F]

Ron,

I've been a huge B5 fan since the show first aired, and I doubt you'll be disappointed. I've gotten so many people hooked on this show, both sci-fi fans and not. Please report back and let us know how you're enjoying the show.