Babylon 5

[Storm Raven]

Will there be more B5 spin-offs? For a show that did well (and three seasons longer than TOS), you would think the franchise would roll out more series, but each of the spin-off got cut tragically short. I don't know why since I'm not a cable subscriber, so I've been hearing about network meddling with the development.

Network meddling had a major part in killing Crusade - there is an infamous points letter in which, among other things, a network executive stated that JMS should look to professional wrestling as a guide for how to write action scenes and develop characters through conflict. The network also did something that greatly affected Firefly - in a show that had a story progression and characters that changed as the series went on, they decided to show the series episodes out of order.

Legend of the Rangers was just awful. I don't know what happened there.

Is JMS done with B5 TV? What about a B5 film?

The original B5 series was developed as a self-contained 5-year story, and was executed as such. Crusade was a different story set in the same universe, but suffered as a result, because it wasn't simply a close of B5 and was mishandled the network. The B5 novels are all pretty good, and take on various aspects of the story, fleshing out areas that the series itself alluded to but didn't explore - the Telepath War, the liberation of Centauri Prime, what the heck the Techno-mages were up to and so on.

But Legend of the Rangers was awful. It is a shame that that was G'Kar's last performance. JMS moved on and did some other work, notably Jeremiah, but ran into conflict with network executives there too. I doubt JMS will do many more projects without being certain he is free of newtork interference.

I have most of his script books, and the commentary he wrote in them gives a clear idea of the sort of idiocy he faced on a regular basis from television exceutives. It is clear that being a television executive doesn't require you to actually understand what makes shows work, you just have to mouth certain platitudes about how people want sex and violence and action all the time, and make sure you push for every character in the show to be between the ages of 17 and 25 and you will be named vice-president of programming.

 

[Mark CMG]

The episodes are now available through the WB website -

Babylon 5: Watch Full Episodes on TheWB.com

(and to view instantly on Netflix, too).

 

[Vigilance]

While it is (unfortunately) true that the first half of season 1 was pretty weak (especially given the fantastic nature of seasons 2-4, and parts of 5), I still can't get behind watching ITB first. Better simply to acknowledge going in that the series takes some time to get going, and that it's worth waiting for it to do so, than to spoil such major plot points.

Or just not watch the first season.

I always felt starting with Season 2 was a much better option for introducing folks to the series. Season 1 is bad enough to turn a lot of folks off the series altogether in my experience.

 

[Victim]

Maybe watch the pilot or the Gathering for an introduction to the characters, that one episode where they rescue the survivors of Babylon 4, and then the best episode of Season One, Signs and Portents. Then move on to season two.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Or just not watch the first season.

I always felt starting with Season 2 was a much better option for introducing folks to the series. Season 1 is bad enough to turn a lot of folks off the series altogether in my experience.

Too many major plot points and characters are introduced in season one to just skip it. There are a bunch of specific episodes that can be skipped, though.

 

[jonesy]

The episodes are now available through the WB website -

Babylon 5: Watch Full Episodes on TheWB.com

"The WB can only be viewed in the United States."

Looking back two years of this thread it's a bit sad that Lost Tales didn't amount to anything.

 

[Orius]

Some of them are also on Hulu, but last time I was there it was only the first two seaons.

Or just not watch the first season.

I always felt starting with Season 2 was a much better option for introducing folks to the series. Season 1 is bad enough to turn a lot of folks off the series altogether in my experience.

No, there are a few episodes from the first season that are relatively important. Even the seemingly non-important episodes introduce stuff used later on.

The important ones to watch are:

Midnight on the Firing Line
The Parliament of Dreams (optional)
Mind War
And the Sky Full of Stars
Signs and Portents
A Voice in the Wilderness, Part I
A Voice in the Wilderness, Part II
Babylon Squared
Crysalis

There is some stuff throughout the first season that becomes important later, but much of it's scattered, and might not matter much if you skip it. There are of hints and stuff I really didn't notice until watching some of the episodes again.

The Gathering can be skipped. I got into the show without watching it originally, and I wasn't lost.

 

[jonesy]

Some of them are also on Hulu, but last time I was there it was only the first two seaons.

Same thing.

"Sorry, currently our video library can only be streamed from within the United States."

 

[John Crichton]

Too many major plot points and characters are introduced in season one to just skip it. There are a bunch of specific episodes that can be skipped, though.

Just finished re-watching S1 over the last few months. I'd agree that there are certainly some eps that can be skipped as they have zero impact on the rest of the series. However, there are many eps of those that are actually pretty damn entertaining on their own. I'd say just pop in the discs and watch from the start.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I agree with John. I think the first season included some great standalone episodes as well as some important arc episodes. Coupled with that, I preferred Sinclair to Sheridan as a commander.

For instance, the episode 'by any means necessary' bad an excellent premise that just doesn't turn up in scifi much - and a great resolution too.