B5 and the mainstream

[Dr Maturin]

<<instead of the TREK method of ( I dont know really but it was all instantly forgotten ).>>

Graviton emitters or something. What's funny is that discovering what gravity is (in this case a particle) would be a huge thing, and warp engines would pale in comparison to it.

[circularREASON]

I like B5 cause it was definately NOT mainstream.

Remember mainstream at the time B5 was showing consisted of ''TREK''.

I dont know about you lot but I got a bit sick of 'Warp Speed' and the new 'posiwatthefuckulator' which absolutely no-one explained either what it was or how to use it. It was sloppy folks.

B5 was explained - it could happen - it was based on real science - ie the station rotating to create gravity - instead of the TREK method of ( I dont know really but it was all instantly forgotten ).

lets face it - B5 rocks.

Nothing else comes close.

[CRONAN]

Babylon 5 is the best damned thing we've ''been given'' in this or any other time frame period.

[bakana]

I agree that for it's time, Trek was the best we had ever been given,

Disagree.
Both the Original (Rod Serling) Twilight Zone and Science Fiction Theater were better by a Large margin.
And both preceeded Trek.

[CRONAN]

Good thing jms isn't running for president.

[Dr Maturin]

I agree with grumbler. One of the reasons I have always like SF is because I am a nonconformist and I like to be different. If everyone liked B5, I probably wouldn't.

Mainstream shcmainstream. The DVD sales kicked ass, so who cares whether or not it's mainstream?

[grumbler]

I would argue that B5 was not mainstream due to its very nature. It was a work of love by a very few people who had a vision of what SF should be - and a vision that, frankly, differed from the mainstream in several important areas. As a result of their refusal to compromise on what the show was to look like, it only came to life in a small and nearly-deserted theater out on the edge of "town."

It ever had strong backing and had a miniscule budget for what it was trying to do. Most of the budget limitations didn't show, and those that did were cleverly built into a kind of 'we want the sets to look cheap, because it is OUR signature look" mentality.

As we saw when people who really WERE experts in "mainstreaming" shows (aka the "TNT suits") got involved, the B5 universe and the mainstream were an exposive combination. The result was the cancellation of Crusade, strangled in its crib.

I don't particularly care that B5 is not "mainstream." This is actually pretty much because I don't care for the "mainstream" much, but also because I think I can see what would have happened if B5 had been a "mainstream hit." B5 did what it did, and had so little interference from the suits, simply because no one in management cared about it all that much. It paid for itself, week by week, but the suits all had bigger fish to fry and so B5 was allowed to be what it was through benign neglect. Had it been a megahit from Season 2 or 3, I doubt season 4 would have been made, because all the old "notes" issues would have been present as each WB exec with any power tryied to grab a piece of the glory, for "succcess has many fathers but failure is an orphan." Thank god B5 was allowed to be the bastard stepchild and succeed in every important area bar fame, because "you have a choice: fame or every virtue bar fame."

[FuryPilot]

Originally posted by Capt.Montoya
...the city is Houston, BTW.

Lived there, done that.

Moved.

FP
(who loves Colorado)

[Dr Maturin]

<<What is this internet of which you speak?>>

It's mark of the beast, man. Stay away from it.

[Dr Maturin]

<<Something similar may have happened in the USA, particularly between seasons.>>

It's strange because Wal-Mart had Seasons 3, 4, and 5 on release day, but not the movie set. I never noticed 1 and 2 but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I bought 1 & 2 at Best Buy, I believe. Season 2 I'm sure of because I had to exchange it due to excessive scratches right from the box. Wal-Mart didn't get the movie set until at least three weeks after the release. I purchased 3, 4 and 5 via amazon because I didn't know if Wal-Mart would have them right away. The price was about the same with free shipping and they all arrived on release day. Rush delivery is a waste of money. I ordered Crusade a few weeks ago.

[AaronB]

Originally posted by Z'ha'dumDweller


I was referring to the wonder known as internet shopping, more particularly amazon.com.

What is this internet of which you speak?

[Andrew_Swallow]

I tried ordering the Babylon 5 DVDs from my local branch of Woolworths in the UK. I could not because it was not on their list. I ordered from W H Smiths. When they arrived I picked up the DVDs and Woolworths still did not have them. A week later Babylon 5 was in the top 30 and Woolworths started selling them. Something similar may have happened in the USA, particularly between seasons.

[Dr Maturin]

<<Because I live in a basackwards county that doesn't even have a bookstore, let alone a decent Borders or some such multi-media outlet. I have to either drive or live by the whims of Wal-Mart.>>

I was referring to the wonder known as internet shopping, more particularly amazon.com.

<<Actually, that's where I got seasons 4 and 5, as well as the movie set, because Wal Mart didn't have any in (and, according to their staff, wasn't even carrying them in the town I was shopping in).>>

I worked part time at Target last year to supplement my income and I was told that B5 was not on the lists and supposedly, all Targets have identical product inventories (unless something with a "shelf life" sells quicker at one store, but then the product in question is clearanced out everywhere else, which is why Target always has awesome clearance items). Curious.

<<See, I live in a backwards city in the middle of the Texan plains, near the coast, and the Target I usually visit has never ever had B5... the city is Houston, BTW.>>

Bizarre that SpooRancher did, then, seeing as the Target he likely shopped at is almost exactly at the midpoint between you and I, Montoya, and neither of our Targets carried it. I am not calling SpooRancher a liar, it's just that the electronics manager told me all Targets carry the same exact merchandise. Weird wild stuff.

[Capt.Montoya]

The problem with books of prophecies is that they should be more specific and have said "in each and every Target and Wal-Mart in every town all around the world"...

See, I live in a backwards city in the middle of the Texan plains, near the coast, and the Target I usually visit has never ever had B5... the city is Houston, BTW.

[SpooRancher]

Originally posted by Z'ha'dumDweller
Are we sure Target was carrying B5?

Actually, that's where I got seasons 4 and 5, as well as the movie set, because Wal Mart didn't have any in (and, according to their staff, wasn't even carrying them in the town I was shopping in).