posted
Again, won't work as well as watching a couple of shows in a row. The understanding, surprises and revelations will be diminished, and B5 depends on the surprise factor and careful watching to keep a viewer interested.
It's kinda like one of those cheap soap operas in Spanish -- they're shot on video using synthesized music and uneven cuts, and the only reason people want to see them is to find out What Happens Next? Of course, B5 is not nearly in that category, but it does borrow a few tricks from that kind of show to offset its low budget.
posted
If you can - go down to your video store and borrow out the entire first season (usually they have deals for old weekly vids - like $7 for 10 weeklies.
I did this with the second season of B5 when they came out on video - and I got through the whole season in a few days - it was great stuff.
Also did that with Stargate-SG1 season 1.
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
posted
Definitely a good analysis, Mucus. But I'd offer a few differing points of view.
"Believers" -- Yeah, this isn't a momentous episode, but the first time I saw it, it really made me sit up and realize that this series was not your average sci-fi show. The twist ending was very different, and very thought-provoking.
"By Any Means Necessary" -- Not one of the first eps to show, certainly, but this episode is one of my favorite non-arc eps of the first season. For one thing, the enormous live-action crowds for the strike scenes were very impressive and proved that the series was not going to cut corners to make its point. (By contrast, any Trek show would have had no more than 10 or 15 extras for a "crowd" scene.) I've actually written an attempted "review" of this ep: check here.
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Thanks very much, everyone; I'll have to check out the video rental place to see what they've got.
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posted
Actually, its interesting that someone mentioned Stargate SG-1, since I'm rather fond of that show as well. Plus there's the fact that I saw a season set at the store for a mere $50 CDN. Haven't made a decision yet. On one hand, it does offer continuity and some nice dialogue, on the other hand, its continuity is somewhere in the lower half between X-Files and B5. Just enough to keep interesting things happening and avoid X-Files' fatal annoyance factor, but not enough to create a compelling overall story.
I read your review, and although I'm much more indifferent about this episode, your review is rather interesting. I particularly like the quote:
quote: It's a rarity in science fiction series when the plot focuses on events outside the core characters which invariably form the command staff of whatever outpost or ship the show takes place on. An unfortunate side effect of this is that the outside world of that series tends to be glossed over or even ignored.
This is obviously not the case on "Babylon 5."
In one of the commentaries for the S1 DVDs, JMS mentions that the genesis of B5 was a combination of two shows, one about a set of characters stuck in a "tin can" space station, and another about the rise and fall of empires. As a Foundation fan, I'm particularly fond of the second part....which is why I particularly like the political and historical (for lack of a better word) aspects of B5. This aspect is really absent from ST, with the half-way exception of DS9 which did involve "outside events."
As for the twist ending in Believers, I did rather like it and I agree that it demonstrates that B5 is indeed different. The problem is that the rest of the episode is rather plodding and slow....a nice ending doesn't single-handedly make for a good episode. Deathwalker kind of fits in the same category, although its a little better off. The explanation behind the serum and the subsequent Vorlon "solution" to the problem are nice but do not make the episode a classic.
If we want to introduce the new viewer to a good B5 twist ending, both Sky Full of Stars and Chrysalis will do admirably. Both start with a cliched science fiction story (a seemingly unwarranted interrogation ala Drumhead and a conspiracy to assassinate a powerful figure) and end with a twist: the captain IS in fact hiding something and the assassination ISN'T stopped by a last minute heroic deed.
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True. And I don't think that anyone can fail to be intruiged by "Babylon Squared".
You have two choices. Go straight away for one of the Big ones, like And the Sky Full Of Stars, or start with Midnight On the Firing Line and work towards it. If at all possible though, try and avoid watching Crysalis first. It works so much better if you know a bit of backstory.
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quote:Originally posted by Wraith: Thanks very much, everyone; I'll have to check out the video rental place to see what they've got.
Where on Sol III are you? If it's the UK, they should be readily available.
And do what I did to my local video store - just keep pestering them week after week until they eventually by the whole season! That's how I got them to bring season II in. They would have made money off me anyway - cause I borrowed them out and then forgot to take them back for a few days!
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
quote:Originally posted by Mucus: and the assassination ISN'T stopped by a last minute heroic deed.
Indeed - that was quite a powerful moment for season 1. The frustration of the crew knowing what might happen - and their futility at not being able to be doing anything about it at the last minute.
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
quote:Originally posted by AndrewR: Where on Sol III are you? If it's the UK, they should be readily available.
Yep, I'm in lincoln though, which is a bit of a backwater. I'm fairly sure the video place has them and they usually have some ex-rental on sale very cheap (I picked up a few DS9 tapes for �2.99 each).
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posted
If you must do so, at least don't use "arc" episodes to introduce the viewer to a twist ending. If anything, use standalone shows that the viewer can understand from beginning to the end, that she can be surprised by on their own merits.
Watching "Chrysalis" alone is nothing like watching it after the first 21 shows. The viewer doesn't know that this is the first time Londo did something as awful and cannot feel for him, or that it's the first time G'Kar really becomes a victim. You need time to establish the Londo=good and G'Kar=bad perception, so that "Chrysalis" can properly shock you.
I'd rather you don't spoil that kind of fun for anybody. If you really have to start with a few random shows, pick the ones from season 1 that have very little or no connection to the overall story ("Believers", "Survivors", "By Any Means Necessary", "The Quality of Mercy").
Even so, standalone shows are not what B5 is about. The original "Twilight Zone" is a lot better in that kind of thing.
An example:
Aliens come from outer space and start helping humanity, solving all of its problems. Earth is becoming a paradise. One of them accidentally leaves a book entitled "To Serve Man", whose contents are written in the alien language. Just before the humans are about to leave for the alien planet, where a greater paradise is being promised, the woman examining the book comes screaming and yelling at the spaceport:
"I managed to translate the book. To Serve Man...It's a...It's a COOKBOOK!"
quote:Originally posted by AndrewR: Where on Sol III are you? If it's the UK, they should be readily available.
Yep, I'm in lincoln though, which is a bit of a backwater. I'm fairly sure the video place has them and they usually have some ex-rental on sale very cheap (I picked up a few DS9 tapes for �2.99 each).
Well seeing as Australia and UK video releases seem similar (at times) Not long back Target (I don't know if you have that there) were selling the whole series for like $9.95 each!!
Or you CAN get one video store to bring in videos from another video store if that particular store doesn't have it.
Andrew
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But I'd offer a few differing points of view.
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