4 ms·

Not great television? IMHO, and IMHO only, it was the best TV series ever made, for the reasons you cited. I have never seen character driven serialisation lik

by alan_cx 13y ago

Not great television? IMHO, and IMHO only, it was the best TV series ever made, for the reasons you cited. I have never seen character driven serialisation like it, before or since. Even though its 20 years old, and visually iffy by today's standards, people still come to it fresh and enjoy it as much as people did all those years ago. OK, rationally, it has problems, but to call it not great is doing is a gross dis-service.

twoodfin 13y ago
There's lots to enjoy about it, and certainly I was more or less obsessed with it from the first time the pilot aired as a "Movie of the Week", well before it finally started syndication. But the writing, acting and direction all average a B+ at best, and that's being generous. Maybe we have different definitions of "great television", but mine requires a fairly low incidence of cringe-inducing dialog and stilted acting. Again, that's not to say there weren't some great performances and beautiful, memorable scenes. I could watch Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas (RIP) spar for hours.
- stormbrew 13y ago
  I think the scope of it, really being one of the first truly serialized SF shows to succeed, more than makes up for its shortcomings in other areas. There's rarely been so cohesive of a whole series story as B5 on TV and that's laudable all on its own.
baddox 13y ago
Most reviews I have heard agreed with you. I have heard nothing but praise for the show. But after watching the first 2 or 3 episodes several years ago the best word I can think of to describe it is "unwatchable."
- kposehn 13y ago
  I do have to say, keep going. Season 1 is...an inkling of something good coming. Season 2, B5 starts to get interesting Season 3, they hit their stride and then hit you upside the head mid-season (no spoilers!) Season 4...holy shit Season 5, things wrap up. Not.
  - majormajor 13y ago
    Yeah, for a new watcher, I'd really only recommend a handful of episodes from season 1 (And the Sky Full of Stars, Signs and Portents, A Voice in the Wilderness, Babylon Squared, Chrysalis). Then maybe about half of season 2, then all of seasons 3 and 4. I swear there used to be a page on the Lurker's Guide[1] that had arc-plot-heavy episodes in bold or something, but I can't find it at the moment. [1] http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/eplist.html http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/eplist.html
  - rosser 13y ago
    As amazing as Season 4 was, I can only begin to imagine the levels of awesome it would've reached if they hadn't had to wrap up all the open storylines out of concern that they wouldn't get renewed for the fifth season. If they'd gotten renewed in time, the Season 4 finale would have been Intersections in Real Time.
    - kposehn 13y ago
      I know! Season 5 was empire building (according to JMS on Lurker's Guide) but he really wanted to split 4 across up further.
  - baddox 13y ago
    Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever endure an unenjoyable series for that long, at least until I run out of series that I enjoy from the first episode.
    - inDigiNeous 13y ago
      You're missing out a lot then. B5 is one of the best television series made, be it scifi or not. I would say just skip the first season completely and start from the second one, you're not gonna miss much.
      - baddox 13y ago
        I could see myself skipping the first season completely, but regardless of downvotes I will never endure an admittedly bad season just to get to the good stuff. That simply doesn't make any sense as long there are still other series out there that have tolerable first seasons.
- tbirdz 13y ago
  The first couple episodes aren't the best, but it really picks up and gets better in later episodes.
- wvenable 13y ago
  The first season is not good. Of course, the first season of ST:TNG is equally as bad. I had the good fortune to start watching at the beginning of season 2.
davedx 13y ago
Battlestar Galactica was the only series to do what Babylon 5 did, but better, IMHO. Both of them were awesome, but I've rewatched all of BSG several times now.
- philwelch 13y ago
  B5 had a much more cohesive story. BSG was better in other respects (acting, SFX) but the story was mostly improvised from season to season and it's much less satisfying.

by alan_cx 13y ago

twoodfin 13y ago

There's lots to enjoy about it, and certainly I was more or less obsessed with it from the first time the pilot aired as a "Movie of the Week", well before it finally started syndication. But the writing, acting and direction all average a B+ at best, and that's being generous. Maybe we have different definitions of "great television", but mine requires a fairly low incidence of cringe-inducing dialog and stilted acting. Again, that's not to say there weren't some great performances and beautiful, memorable scenes. I could watch Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas (RIP) spar for hours.

stormbrew 13y ago
I think the scope of it, really being one of the first truly serialized SF shows to succeed, more than makes up for its shortcomings in other areas. There's rarely been so cohesive of a whole series story as B5 on TV and that's laudable all on its own.

baddox 13y ago

Most reviews I have heard agreed with you. I have heard nothing but praise for the show. But after watching the first 2 or 3 episodes several years ago the best word I can think of to describe it is "unwatchable."

kposehn 13y ago
I do have to say, keep going. Season 1 is...an inkling of something good coming. Season 2, B5 starts to get interesting Season 3, they hit their stride and then hit you upside the head mid-season (no spoilers!) Season 4...holy shit Season 5, things wrap up. Not.
- majormajor 13y ago
  Yeah, for a new watcher, I'd really only recommend a handful of episodes from season 1 (And the Sky Full of Stars, Signs and Portents, A Voice in the Wilderness, Babylon Squared, Chrysalis). Then maybe about half of season 2, then all of seasons 3 and 4. I swear there used to be a page on the Lurker's Guide[1] that had arc-plot-heavy episodes in bold or something, but I can't find it at the moment. [1] http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/eplist.html http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/eplist.html
- rosser 13y ago
  As amazing as Season 4 was, I can only begin to imagine the levels of awesome it would've reached if they hadn't had to wrap up all the open storylines out of concern that they wouldn't get renewed for the fifth season. If they'd gotten renewed in time, the Season 4 finale would have been Intersections in Real Time.
  - kposehn 13y ago
    I know! Season 5 was empire building (according to JMS on Lurker's Guide) but he really wanted to split 4 across up further.
- baddox 13y ago
  Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever endure an unenjoyable series for that long, at least until I run out of series that I enjoy from the first episode.
  - inDigiNeous 13y ago
    You're missing out a lot then. B5 is one of the best television series made, be it scifi or not. I would say just skip the first season completely and start from the second one, you're not gonna miss much.
    - baddox 13y ago
      I could see myself skipping the first season completely, but regardless of downvotes I will never endure an admittedly bad season just to get to the good stuff. That simply doesn't make any sense as long there are still other series out there that have tolerable first seasons.
tbirdz 13y ago
The first couple episodes aren't the best, but it really picks up and gets better in later episodes.
wvenable 13y ago
The first season is not good. Of course, the first season of ST:TNG is equally as bad. I had the good fortune to start watching at the beginning of season 2.

davedx 13y ago

Battlestar Galactica was the only series to do what Babylon 5 did, but better, IMHO. Both of them were awesome, but I've rewatched all of BSG several times now.

philwelch 13y ago
B5 had a much more cohesive story. BSG was better in other respects (acting, SFX) but the story was mostly improvised from season to season and it's much less satisfying.