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| Registered: May 9, 2007 |  Posts: 94 |
| | Posted: | | | | Greetings (Been a while since I've ventured on here):
I'm think I'm about to take a plunge into watching Babylon 5. (It's on the cheap right now at Amazon.)
It would seem that there are a couple ideas on how to watch the show.
I can hunt around the interwebs and find a" chronologic" order of show. But if I do that, won't I ruin things? Shouldn't I just watch them in order of airing on TV, so it's like I'm watching them "live".
(An example of this is the "In The Beginning" movie. I've seen chrono lists that say you should watch that right before the first season. But that wasn't aired until after the fourth season was over, according to wiki.)
Any help or links or such would be most appreciated. | | | | Kittens give Morbo gas. |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | Reputation:  | | Posts: 13,203 |
| | Posted: | | | | As my signiture would suggest, it is one of my favorite shows...I would watch it in the order it aired. | | | No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever.
There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom.
Against this power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand.
The Centauri learned this lesson once.
We will teach it to them again.
Though it take a thousand years, we will be free.
- Citizen G'Kar | | | | Last edited: by TheMadMartian |
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| Registered: March 14, 2007 | | Reputation: |  Posts: 6,747 |
| | Posted: | | | | In the Beginning was filmed between S4 and S5 IIRC.
I no case should you watch it before 4x09 Atonement.
It spoilers a good deal of the events of the first few seasons and would rob you of your enjoyment of discovering things on the slow lane.
ITB is like Episode III, if you already know that Anakin is Vader and that Luke and Leia are siblings the big reveals in V and VI are not so big anymore.
The most fascinating thing about B5 is that after you know the big secrets you can watch the first seasons a second or third time and discover all the subtle hints that meant nothing at the time but are now so obviously staring you in the face. | | | Karsten
DVD Collectors Online
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| Registered: July 26, 2010 | Reputation:  | | Posts: 259 |
| | Posted: | | | | In my best recollection, "The Gathering" was broadcast in syndication as a pilot for the show sometime in 1993, before the actual seasons began. It is considered first in the series, and should be watched first.
As a bit of trivia, the music for this pilot episode was originally written and performed by Stewart Copeland (of the Police) when this was first broadcast. When the series was put into production, Christopher Franke (of Tangerine Dream) became the composer of the series. In later years when the pilot was re-broadcast and became available on DVD, the music was re-written and re-performed by Christopher Franke so there would be more continuity between the pilot and the episodes that followed. Unless someone has an original video recording of that first broadcast, there is no known official release that uses Stewart Copeland's soundtrack that I know of.
At least that's what I remember.... |
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| Registered: March 14, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 6,747 |
| | Posted: | | | | Well at least the DVDs that were sold in Germany always had the original pilot in it. I know that because there's a certain reference that Kosh makes in the Franke version that isn't there in the original pilot. And quite frankly, it shouldn't be there in the later release either. The reasons for that I'm going to explain in the spoiler. rink_no2, under no circumstances are you allowed to read this before you finished season 3. Spoiler: (Select to view)We all know by now how the Vorlons really look like. And we also know that no puny human poison is going to any harm to them. You need a Shadow to beat a Vorlon out of his suit.
So why exactly was Kosh poisened? Simply, to frame Sinclair as it almost happened and to bring him to the Vorlon homeworld, to keep him safe until it's time for him to close the time loop and become Valen.
That was the whole point of the Pilot, even though it was never stated during the entire show IIRC. But it's the only thing that make sense in hindsight.
Which brings us back to where Kosh first lays eyes upon the assassin that looks like Sinclair. In the original pilot he said nothing. In the re-edited he utters a suprised "Valen".
It still means nothing to anyone who doesn't already know the story.
But Kosh shouldn't be suprised to see him at all.
And even if my theory about the plot of the Pilot is incorrect. Surely after the construction of the Babylon stations and the "disappearance" of Babylon 4, the Vorlons would have a close eye on the station and knew beforehand who's going to be the commander - long before Kosh arrived there.
| | | Karsten
DVD Collectors Online
| | | | Last edited: by DJ Doena |
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| Registered: May 9, 2007 | | Posts: 94 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting DJ Doena: Quote:
rink_no2, under no circumstances are you allowed to read this before you finished season 3. Well, OK then.  Thanks for the suggestions. Guess maybe I'll have to do some ordering this evening.  Rink | | | | Kittens give Morbo gas. |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | Reputation:  |  Posts: 485 |
| | Posted: | | | | | | | Eric
If it is important, say it. Otherwise, let silence speak. |
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| Registered: May 9, 2007 | | Posts: 94 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting eommen: Quote:
Have you seen the Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5? It has an episode list and a master episode list to check.. Yes, I've been hunting around that site for guidance. It would appear that the master episode list would be a good way to re-watch the show. I want to be surprised. So I think I'll watch The Gathering, then watch season sets 1-4, then the movies and season 5 in the order they aired according to this. Rink | | | | Kittens give Morbo gas. |
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| Registered: March 14, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 6,747 |
| | Posted: | | | | One warning though: Babylon 5's special effects have dated awefully. But a) they're going to get better from the third season on and b) the show is not about the space battles, not really. | | | Karsten
DVD Collectors Online
| | | | Last edited: by DJ Doena |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 3,321 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting rink_no2: Quote:
I want to be surprised. So I think I'll watch The Gathering... Well, if you've heard nothing but good about the show, and you're starting with The Gathering, I think you will be surprised!  Seriously, it's my favorite TV show and I think the pilot is simply awful. When I start people on the show I tell them there's a pilot and we're skipping it and then start with season 1. They can always come back to the pilot later once they realize it's a great show and worth watching. Thanks for the tip on the sale. I'm needing to replace my sets and those prices are too good to pass up! | | | Get the CSVExport and Database Query plug-ins here.
Create fake parent profiles to organize your collection. |
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| Registered: May 19, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 5,918 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting DJ Doena: Quote:
Spoiler: (Select to view)
We all know by now how the Vorlons really look like. Spoiler: (Select to view)Depends on what race you are  On the graphics, JMS intended to re-render all the CGI for the DVD release but the original animation files were lost. While the show itself was filmed in 4:3 format, it was framed with letterbox in mind. Sad that the actors who played G'Kar and Dr. Franklin have passed on.  ETA: The high resolution models used for the final renders in the TV series were also used as the low resolution models for the later B5 Movies. | | | | Last edited: by Dr. Killpatient |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 3,321 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting Dr. Killpatient: Quote:
While the show itself was filmed in 4:3 format, it was framed with letterbox in mind. Not to nit-pick, but I'm almost certain you have that backwards. The show was shot widescreen, with 4:3 in mind (since that's how it ultimately aired). But the raw footage is 16x9 I believe. That's why shots with no special effects look good. | | | Get the CSVExport and Database Query plug-ins here.
Create fake parent profiles to organize your collection. |
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| Registered: March 14, 2007 | | Posts: 5,734 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting DJ Doena: Quote:
One warning though: Babylon 5's special effects have dated awefully. And don't forget the ugly, cheap, small TV studio sets. | | | | Don't confuse while the film is playing with when the film is played. [Ken Cole, DVD Profiler Architect] |
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| Registered: March 14, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 6,747 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting bbbbb: Quote:
Quoting DJ Doena:
Quote:
One warning though: Babylon 5's special effects have dated awefully.
And don't forget the ugly, cheap, small TV studio sets. These I don't find them any more aweful than other TV show sets... | | | Karsten
DVD Collectors Online
| | | | Last edited: by DJ Doena |
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| Registered: May 19, 2007 | | Reputation: | | Posts: 5,918 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting Mark Harrison: Quote:
Quoting Dr. Killpatient:
Quote:
While the show itself was filmed in 4:3 format, it was framed with letterbox in mind.
Not to nit-pick, but I'm almost certain you have that backwards. The show was shot widescreen, with 4:3 in mind (since that's how it ultimately aired). But the raw footage is 16x9 I believe. That's why shots with no special effects look good. You're correct! |
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