# Whoa, Babylon 5 is cool. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2003, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742 "2003-06-23T11:59:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/1 "2003-06-23T11:59:20Z")
I had only ever seen a few episodes of _Babylon 5_ before, and never thought much of it. I thought the CG space battles were pretty and the sets were fun to look at, but that was about it. Over the years I have heard people rant and rave about how amazing and cool B5 is, how there’s this gargantuan five-year arc and how it is the only truly serialized sci-fi show, but I always remained farily indifferent about it. So when last week I saw the DVDs for the first two seasons on sale, I bought them and decided to try and watch it from the beginning. I figured if I didn’t like it after a few episodes, I’d just sell them on eBay. There’s a huge market for this stuff. I was amazed. Blown away. _Babylon 5_ is simply epic in proportion and brilliant storytelling. The CGI space stuff is out of this world. When I realized that the show was done entirely with early-to-mid 90’s CG technology and no models or matte compositing at all, I was enthralled. I spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday watching the first two entire seasons in between re-reading _A Study in Scarlet_ and _The Sign of the Four_. When I noticed the dapper but nefarious Englishman in _Comes the Inquisitor_ I thought some wires had been crossed in my fatigued brain and Mr. Holmes himself was about to show up on the space station. Anyhoo, I now wait with great anticipation for the rest of the episodes to be released on DVD. Having no knowledge of the rest of the story, I request that you reveal no spoilers here. And if you haven’t seen _Babylon 5_ yet, go do it. Now. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/2 "2003-06-23T12:20:13Z")
Well, DUH! 😉 Welcome to the Elect. ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/3 "2003-06-23T12:34:50Z")
No spoilers revealed, but I would personally suggest you save your money and not buy the 5th season when (or if) it comes out. The “five-year arc” really wraps up at the end of season 4 (mostly because they weren’t sure there would be a season 5 until after season 4 was completed), and season 5 really just spun its wheels a lot. Barry ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/4 "2003-06-23T12:39:58Z")
I’m glad the first season hooked you. I always felt it was weak, except near the end. Season two has some real gems in it, and quite a few heavy arc episodes. The season finale rocks your world. Season three ramps it up like you won’t believe. I can’t wait to buy it when it comes out. Gotta love Londo & G’Kar, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/5 "2003-06-23T12:58:28Z")
Okay, that goes on my DVD wish list. Even though there were a few things I complained about with _Babylon 5_, they were just minor flaws in a great show. If you liked the first two seasons that much, I think the ending of Season 3 (if I remember right) will “blow you away” (as the kids say). That show had more good, solid 1950’s style science fiction than anything else I’ve seen on tv. I didn’t get into it until about the third season, then had to catch up with reruns. (In part this was because the network didn’t know how to promote the show, and the early promos made it look like a stupid “monster of the week” show.) ---
**Author:** ![spanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@spanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spanna)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/6 "2003-06-23T13:25:47Z")
Yeah they screwed it up in Season 4. Weren’t sure if Season 5 would get the go ahead so they had to try and cram it all in. Its a real shame. they messed it up. Still the best sci-fi tv ever though. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/7 "2003-06-23T14:05:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\*No spoilers revealed, but I would personally suggest you save your money and not buy the 5th season when (or if) it comes out. The “five-year arc” really wraps up at the end of season 4 (mostly because they weren’t sure there would be a season 5 until after season 4 was completed), and season 5 really just spun its wheels a lot. > > Barry \*\* I have to concur with that sentiment. Season 5 was a major disappointment. The frist 4 are gold though- it really was a 4 year arc. The follow-up series were very bad though- avoid them. The movies were pretty good though. I envy you-- you have some great shows ahead of you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/8 "2003-06-23T14:13:33Z")
There were some good episodes in Season 5. Let’s not write them off. Sure, the story in season four should have stretched out over five, but it didn’t. Londo’s story is worth following, as is Lennier’s. And the CG got better throughout the series. Season 5 had some great battles. I owe my career to the inspiration of watching B5 and wanting to learn those skills. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/9 "2003-06-23T14:17:17Z")
The best episode of season 5 is the last one 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/10 "2003-06-23T14:21:37Z")
Oh, yeah. Sleeping in Light. Buy the whole season just for that, if nothing else. It’ll be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/11 "2003-06-23T15:04:33Z")
If you haven’t seen the pilot yet, go out and get that. It’s a decent movie on its own, and ties in very well with the rest of the series. Also, if you think the first two seasons are good now, go back and watch them again once you’ve seen through season four. You’ll be _amazed_ at how tight the arc is, and what JMS managed to foreshadow way back when. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/12 "2003-06-23T15:05:02Z")
it was sad the ending, a bit cheezy in some aspects, I like the scene where Garibaldi takes a shot glass with him to remind him of the station… ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/13 "2003-06-23T20:53:29Z")
I LIKED season 5. But then, I loved the whole series more than any other sci fi Ive seen so… ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/14 "2003-06-23T21:14:07Z")
Think of Season 5 as an epilogue in a universe you’ve grown to love. The best stuff is in 3 and 4, but by the time that’s done, you won’t want to pass up the final year. Also look for In The Beginning/The Gathering on DVD. It’s the first B5 movie, and the first B5 episode, packaged together. ITB is the best B5 movie out there. And the brief spinoff Crusade was pretty good, even if JMS was being smothered by the powers that be at TNT. Also it has my favorite line from any science fiction series (from when they go explore uncharted space and find that they have no problem communicating with the new aliens): “Either these guys have been to Earth before, or there is one _hell_ of a busy English teacher going around this part of space.” ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/15 "2003-06-23T21:22:42Z")
A lot of the stuff in season 5 would’ve been there even if there hadn’t been any question as to whether it would happen. JMS said that if season 4 hadn’t been rushed, _Intersections in Real Time_ would’ve been the finale. I don’t think he would’ve stretched out the rest of the war to fill the entire next year. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/16 "2003-06-23T22:23:26Z")
It’s too bad JMS was forced to wrap up the Shadow War almost a year ahead of schedule because TNT wouldn’t commit to a fifth season. _Sleeping in Light_ was actually filed during Season 4, which is why Ivanova is in there and Lockley isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/17 "2003-06-23T22:25:19Z")
P.S. At the end of the episode _Sleeping in Light,_ look for the maintenance technician who shuts down the power to Babylon 5 before leaving the station: that guy is JMS. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/18 "2003-06-23T22:32:51Z")
psst, beware the spoilers. Especially if you’re the OP and have three years left to watch before the above events wrap themselves up… ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/19 "2003-06-24T00:43:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nangleator \* > \*\* > Gotta love Londo & G’Kar, huh? \*\* I submit to you that _Babylon 5_ is the story of Londo and G’Kar. The rest is window-dressing. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742/20 "2003-06-24T01:58:04Z")
When _Babylon 5_ finished its run, I stopped watching network television. 'Nuff said. DD [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-babylon-5-is-cool/183742.md?page=2)