Babylon 5 is the Greatest TV show!

[DaveNarn]

A lot of good short lived sci-fi shows. Of the ones that lasted more than a season or two Farscape and SG-1 are favorites. I still give B5 the edge for most comprehensive story.

On a limited budget they still looked great.
The use of virtual sets was outstanding - not to mention CGI space battles and the practical way they were executed, no WWII dog fights thank you!
Christopher Franke's use of the internet and his remote studio. He was scoring new music for every episode.

On top of all this and most importantly, the story kept churning. The shift in characters maintained a consent level of intrigue.

So many sci-fi shows with bigger budgets just lost their fizz and soon went flat.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I can dream, can't I?

#1 - B5. Dream come true.

#2 - The hypothetical full 5 or 6 seasons of Carnivale. Tragic it only lasted 2, but I can dream...

#3 - The hypothetical 4 or 5 seasons of Virtuality. Tragic also, especially when I read the Universe Today article on the proposed Mars One mission possibly being subsidized by Reality TV.

#3 - BSG by Ron Moore. Despite the differing opinions on the finale, it could not have been any other way to be true to the original Glen Larson vision, no pun intended. Anyone remember the original "Ship of Light"?

Tied for 4th - STOS, DS9

#5 - Mr. Terrific

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Faracape is the second greatest tv show, but if I were stranded on a desert island and could take 3 shows, I'd take Babylon 5, Crusade, and the movie collection and then I'd prolly sneak in the books and comics as well.

[David Panzer]

I got that Farscape box set on my shelf, just glaring at me since I haven't watched it yet

Don't hate me.

[DGTWoodward]

Good grief, FARSCAPE! Hoe could I have not mentioned FARSCAPE? It went off a bit in the fourth season but it was still head and shoulders above most of the other stuff around on TV at the time.

I would place them this way then...

All equal first place:

Who, Classic Trek, B7 and B5 (chronologically, to avoid an argument)

Currently Second place:

Farscape

[babylonlurker]

I've seen a little bit of Dr. Who, and liked what I saw, but haven't seen enough to rank it yet. It is on my list for eventually though. The silent Library , and the one with the creepy little boy ghost in the gas mask impressed me quite a lot.


Anyway B5 is the line for me, and I do not believe it is possible for any show to come along and surpass it. Though if it does then it will. *nods wisely*

Oh - I love those Doctor Who episodes, but :

"Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations . . . there would never be another . . ."

I feel like that now, but who knows - something better *could* be made one day - it just has not happened yet.

It set the bar very high.

[Marsden]

... There will never be another show this perfect. Never. ...

Absofragginlutely Damnit!

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I've seen a little bit of Dr. Who, and liked what I saw, but haven't seen enough to rank it yet. It is on my list for eventually though. The silent Library , and the one with the creepy little boy ghost in the gas mask impressed me quite a lot.

I watched the Sarah Jane Chronicles on sci fi for a while. *giggles*

I love Spock, but again have only seen a smattering of Original Star trek episodes, is also on my list for when I have a way of earning money again.

Couldn't make it all the way through Voyager, am slowly making my way through DS9 - would likely be my fave trek. think i may have started season 5 now. Defly not the same I gotta keep watching this vibe, and the war with the dominion drags on and is nowhere near as interesting as the shadow war. Though Odo is one of my fave characters.

Farscape is my second favorite sci fi show, and it would be my second favorite show of all time, but JAG gets the edge because it gives me the same feelings that I get when I watch B5.

I couldn't make it past season one of BSG. The story was good, but the religion stuff was insufferable to me. I love how JMS does religion. Cannot abide the BSG versions of it. Though I did really like Baltar, and Number 6, and the president.

You know I always say that I watch for characters and not for plot, but I'm beginning to see that this is not true. hmmmmmmm *weird self realization*

Anyway B5 is the line for me, and I do not believe it is possible for any show to come along and surpass it. Though if it does then it will. *nods wisely*

[Lope de Aguirre]

I have always believed that, time beginning with the first time I saw Babylon 5. There will never be another show this perfect. Never. Babylon 5 was a once in a lifetime event that I don't believe that anyone will ever be able to duplicate. Not even JMS. Cause you can't recreate perfection.

I also think it's still one of the best Sci-Fi shows (it may be the very best) but it's far from perfect.

I put "Carnivale" over B5 and there are other great shows like "Six Feet Under", "Breaking Bad", "Dexter", "Firefly", "Twin Peaks" and "Caprica".

"Game of Thrones" starts promising and I really really like less perfect shows like "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", "Star Trek: Enterprise", "Lost", ""Battlestar Galactica", "The Sopranos", "In Treatment", "Farscape"...

[DGTWoodward]

I agree.

It had a completeness to it that very few shows ever achieve. For me there are four shows that reign supreme and always will...

Classic STAR TREK, Dr. WHO, BLAKE'S 7 and BABYLON 5.

There may be others that eventually get added to this list, but for right now, these are the rulers. There have been contenders that might have been on the list...new BSG could have been on the list but fissled into pointless meandering, likewise LOST.

[pascalahad]

Babylon 5 is still my favorite tv show, no matter the years. It's unique, and will still be.

The only show I'm impressed with almost on par with Babylon 5 is the 2005 revival of Doctor Who. Steven Moffat is also a master at foreshadowing and planning. His choice of companion for series 5 left nothing to randomness. Name, marital situation... Even her hair color had a purpose!!

[David Panzer]

Babylon 5 is the line by which I now use to measure everything, and nothing even comes close to it's greatness.

I'm in complete agreement and it's my only complaint with the show.

I can't really enjoy anything else, though I exclude the shows I loved before I watched B5. It took me a few years to get back to watch newer shows.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I have always believed that, time beginning with the first time I saw Babylon 5. There will never be another show this perfect. Never. Babylon 5 was a once in a lifetime event that I don't believe that anyone will ever be able to duplicate. Not even JMS. Cause you can't recreate perfection.

Although JAG, for me gives me almost the same fuzzy feelings as B5 though it's nowhere near as deep. But it's like there is Babylon 5 a long demaraction then JAG, X-Files, 4400, V 2009 season one. IMO, of course. Just for me.

And then there are other shows below that line, but the important thing is that Babylon 5 is the line by which I now use to measure everything, and nothing even comes close to it's greatness.

Just needed to share my B5 testimony, of sort. *giggles*