Babylon 5, Season 1, condensed

[ombuds wellington]

Alpha,

I did a similar thing for one or two of my friends who were sceptical

ubik... you consider people sceptical of B5 as friends!!!

ha , i also have a few who dont even like sci fi, although as time goes on those become fewer and fewer.

[alpha128]

I was only able to see a few scattered episodes of Season One back in 1994, due to various reason, and couldn't really sit down and get into the show until Season Two.

I was in the same boat. I saw only a handful of Season 1 repeats right before Season 2 started. Thankfully they included the absolutely essential "Signs and Portents" and "Chrysalis".

Having said this I guess it seems okay to skip some First Season episodes initially... I definitely understand trying to sell SciFi to people who aren't already into it is a TOUGH sell.

Exactly. I like the idea of showing "Parliament of Dreams" as the second episode because we'd be coming to B5 from "Person of Interest". The plot of a person of interest (even if they are a lizard ) threatened with death by an unknown perpetrator is very similar to what they're used to from POI.

We've got one more POI episode to go, and then I hope to start Season 1 of B5.

[Household Gods]

Sadly, you're also facing a challenge due to the standards in production values today. People expect a lot more, especially lacking a hi-res version.

This is sooo true - I already "de-tune" the family TV so as to minimize the dreaded "soap opera effect." Even so, Seasons 1 and 2 DVD transfers can be a little rough on the eyes sometimes, resolution-wise. In any one scene camera focus seems to go from sharp and crisp to no so crisp with a soft focus.

We have a Millennial in the house, and you can watch him struggle to pay attention within a few minutes of watching anything not shot in Hi Def.

[babylonlurker]

We have a Millennial in the house, and you can watch him struggle to pay attention within a few minutes of watching anything not shot in Hi Def.

This reminds me of my niece who was about 10 at the time, when she first saw a TV programme in B/W. Her reaction : "Where did all the colours go ?!?"

This was before HD became common.

[WorkerCaste]

Hey! My first TV was in B&W. All the shows lacked color.

[alpha128]

We have a Millennial in the house, and you can watch him struggle to pay attention within a few minutes of watching anything not shot in Hi Def.

Apparently all millennials aren't all like that. I was searching for B5 videos on Youtube, and came upon a series of videos entitled: Katie Watches Babylon 5. It's interesting, and often amusing, to see the series again through a newbie's eyes.

As for my own prospects, we have finished "Person of Interest" (my selection) and have started watching "Sherlock" (their selection). I've never seen it before and it's good so far.

"Sherlock" has only 13 episodes, so after that's done, I'm going pitch B5 to them again. I'll play up the mystery angle, and tell them that JMS previously worked on "Murder She Wrote".

[Looney]

Apparently all millennials aren't all like that. I was searching for B5 videos on Youtube, and came upon a series of videos entitled: Katie Watches Babylon 5. It's interesting, and often amusing, to see the series again through a newbie's eyes.

We got a dose of Katie a few years back after, I believe, JMS pointed her out. If not then it was Jan. I don't recall exactly how it went, but I am 98% certain JMS pointed her out. She is very entertaining. I wonder why I stopped watching. Maybe she took a long break and I didn't stick with it. I don't recall. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATED LINK ! ! ! !

I'll play up the mystery angle, and tell them that JMS previously worked on "Murder She Wrote".

It's funny you mention it. I was just thinking that I really wish there were more straight up B5 mysteries. What I mean is something that has nothing to do with grander schemes and is just Garibaldi or Allen having to solve a real Agatha Christie style 'Who Done It?' that doesn't necessarily involve any or all of the main cast. It could involve some of the main cast and of course others involved with running the station would take notice, but I wouldn't want it to be a matter of who is guilty, Londo, G'Kar, Delenn, Lennier, Vir, Na'Toth, Lyta, Ivanova, and so on. And it wouldn't have to be a murder. It could be theft or smuggling or any crime. I know there are plots that touch on this idea, but I wish there were more that were maybe just more self-contained.

[babylonlurker]

Hey! My first TV was in B&W. All the shows lacked color.

My first TV was B/W, a small 17" screen in a Huuuuge box that weighed a ton or so

[babylonlurker]

It was *great* seeing Katie reacting to every episode. I loved it.

[Jan]

It was *great* seeing Katie reacting to every episode. I loved it.

It was a lot of fun. Wasn't she the one who kept repeating "This show...this fucking show..." so often?

It was JMS who pointed it out the first time, I think.

[Household Gods]

My first TV was B/W, a small 17" screen in a Huuuuge box that weighed a ton or so

And the set had to "warm up" in order to get the best picture!?

[Looney]

And the set had to "warm up" in order to get the best picture!?

OH WOW DO I REMEMBER THAT ! ! ! ! 4 Channels and the TV had to warm up for a quality picture. . . scratch that, a picture you could actually tell what was happening. It was never a quality picture.

[Jan]

OH WOW DO I REMEMBER THAT ! ! ! ! 4 Channels and the TV had to warm up for a quality picture. . . scratch that, a picture you could actually tell what was happening. It was never a quality picture.

Yeah, I snicker when I hear people complain about anything less than 'count-the-pores-on-their-nose' clarity. "When I was a youngster" it looked like somebody had smeared Vaseline on the camera lens!

Jan

[Melanie]

I remember watching stuff in black and white when I was a kid. A few years later when I was recording in color the colors would sometimes be in the wrong places. I don't know how many inches it was, but I remember when my parents got a new TV. It was in color and looked huge. B5 would probably have looked fantastic on it.

[alpha128]

We got a dose of Katie a few years back after, I believe, JMS pointed her out. She is very entertaining. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATED LINK ! ! ! !

You're welcome!

I was just thinking that I really wish there were more straight up B5 mysteries. What I mean is Garibaldi or Allen having to solve a real Agatha Christie style 'Who Done It?' that doesn't necessarily involve any or all of the main cast. And it wouldn't have to be a murder. It could be theft or smuggling or any crime. I know there are plots that touch on this idea, but I wish there were more that were maybe just more self-contained.

Actually, B5 does have a number of mystery stories. "The Gathering" is essentially a "Who Done It" about the attempted murder of Kosh. "Legacies" is a "Who Done It" about the theft of Branmer's body. "Legacies" even has a near "Scooby Doo" resolution. I half-expected Delenn to say, "I was going to explain Bramner's disappearance as a true religious mystery, and I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you meddling humans!"

Furthermore, other mystery stories like "Survivors" and "There All the Honor Lies" have Garibaldi and Sheridan, respectively, framed for crimes they didn't commit.