Babylon 5 on DVD [NO SPOILERS for Season 5, please]

[John Crichton]

Okay, I have finally started watching B5 on DVD. I know nothing about the show and expect it to really entertain me. The first 2 eps have been really good (the first being better than the second) and the Trek actors are already popping up, which is a good thing.

The widescreen presentation is great and looks awesome on my TV. But there is one thing that I have to ask that I think I know the answer to: Did the CG look THIS FRICKIN' BAD when it was initially aired?! Ugh. Any scene with CGI stuff in it (space or live-action merged) looks terrible. I have read that it was because they didn't convert it to HD very well compared to the normal live-action stuff but it is really jarring at times. I know they had a low budget and all but I'm used to Trek/Firefly/Farscape level CG. Eek!

The story and presentation (I really like the aliens) is good so far, so the shotty CG isn't ruining things but it does take me out of the moment a bit. Anyone else have this problem?

I am looking forward to more eps, tho. I'm already looking for a good price on the Season 2 DVD set...

 

[Psychic Warrior]

The CGI (imo) improves with each new season (although the story gets a little thin after season 4). "Severed Dreams" from season 3 is probably the high point of the CGI.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Babylon 5 was one of the first, if not the first series to make big use of CGI for their space scenes. It was an evolving technology, and it looked decent enough for the time, but it is weak compared to today. It does get better, and Psychic Warrior is right about there being issues in the transfer to DVD, which acerbates the problem. That also gets better in subsequent seasons.

And trust me, the stories get better each season, too.

 

[John Crichton]

Babylon 5 was one of the first, if not the first series to make big use of CGI for their space scenes. It was an evolving technology, and it looked decent enough for the time, but it is weak compared to today. It does get better, and Psychic Warrior is right about there being issues in the transfer to DVD, which acerbates the problem. That also gets better in subsequent seasons.

The dating doesn't bother me, at all. I'm more referring to the DVD transfer. Have you seen the DVD compared to the show because I haven't. The net is telling me that the CG stuff actually looks better on a non-HD TV. I should have been more specific. My bad.

And trust me, the stories get better each season, too.

I'm counting on it. Too many folks have recommended this show for it to be bad.

Any favorite characters? Without giving away too much that is...

I'm liking Sinclair and Garibaldi the most at the moment. And I can tell that G'Kar and Londo are going to get along swimmingly... mmm.

 

[Mallus]

It's been a long time since I saw the early episodes, but my recall my take being "Wow, these these are some of the most artistic/best designed/beautiful CGI shots ever rendered by a bunch of home computers".

The level of artistry in B5's effects shots far exceeded their technical expertise (though I always chalked that up to budgetary constraints). I prefered B5's effects to those in say, the later Treks, which were technically higher quality, but less interesting to look at.

 

[Mallus]

I'm liking Sinclair and Garibaldi the most at the moment. And I can tell that G'Kar and Londo are going to get along swimmingly... mmm.

Garibaldi is a great take on a archtypal character; tough guy cop with a compassionate streak (which he never directs toward himself) and a troubled past.

Londo and G'Kar are, for my money, two of the best characters SF has ever produced (with Londo being my absolute fave). Watching their parallel development is worth the price of admission alone.

 

[Wolf72]

I know others have said, but it bears repeating ... the CGI gets better every season.

good viewing, I loved this series ..

season 1 was a bit slow, but my bro and I stuck it out and the later season made season 1 much better.

 

[Orius]

I know they had a low budget and all but I'm used to Trek/Firefly/Farscape level CG. Eek!

That's the problem right there. Yer spoiled by the fancy new fangled CGI effects.

I haven't seen it on DVD, so I can't comment, but the show was produced in the mid 90's so the CGI may seem a bit crude compared to more recent effects.

 

[Crothian]

I've been watching it on DVD too and while the effects are obvious it really hasn't detracted from the show which is what I was worried about

 

[Orius]

The dating doesn't bother me, at all. I'm more referring to the DVD transfer. Have you seen the DVD compared to the show because I haven't. The net is telling me that the CG stuff actually looks better on a non-HD TV. I should have been more specific. My bad.

Perhaps. I've never seen it on DVD on an HDTV, so I really don't know how bad looks in a higher definition. Besides, that stuff is eye candy, and JMS knew better than to rely on it alone.