Babylon 5, Season 1, condensed

[alpha128]

Wasn't (Katie) the one who kept repeating "This show...this fucking show..." so often?

Could be. At this writing I've watched as far as Katie watches Babylon 5, part 8, which includes these quotes about the following episodes:

Confessions and Lamentations - "What the fuck is wrong with you Babylon 5? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Divided Loyalties - "What the fuck did I just watch?"

[Looney]

You're welcome!



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.

Yes I know B5 is full of mysteries, but I meant mysteries where someone in the main cast isn't being framed for the crime or a missing body isn't going to lead to the start of another war. I meant on a station as large as B5 with a large population living in tight quarters we know there is crime that has nothing to do with governments or anyone in the main cast. I think it would have been interesting to see a mystery that has Allen or Garibaldi stumped that is just based on Random Person A committed a crime against Random Person B and now we're solving a mystery that doesn't have dire consequences for any of the main characters, governments, or races on the station. Something that is complex, but doesn't involve Changeling Nets. I guess I am just itching for it because I have been watching a lot of Agatha Christie's Poirot lately.

[alpha128]

I meant on a station as large as B5 with a large population living in tight quarters we know there is crime that has nothing to do with governments or anyone in the main cast. I think it would have been interesting to see a mystery that has Allen or Garibaldi stumped that is just based on Random Person A committed a crime against Random Person B and now we're solving a mystery that doesn't have dire consequences for any of the main characters, governments, or races on the station.

There were minor crimes involving guest actors in "Passing Through Gethsemane" and "A Late Delivery from Avalon". In the former Brother Edward's bag was stolen, and in the latter a picture frame was stolen from a lurker.

But the Babylon 5 series was always concerned with larger stories. That's not to say they couldn't have done a spinoff:

Law & Order: Babylon 5
"In the Babylon Project, a quarter of a million humans and aliens are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups. Station Security who investigate crime, and the Ombudsmen who pass sentence on the offenders." Dun Dun

[Looney]

But the Babylon 5 series was always concerned with larger stories. That's not to say they couldn't have done a spinoff:

Law & Order: Babylon 5
"In the Babylon Project, a quarter of a million humans and aliens are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups. Station Security who investigate crime, and the Ombudsmen who pass sentence on the offenders." Dun Dun

Exactly.

[Looney]

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

So alpha128 are you going to give us an updated list of episodes you'll be showing once you actually start? Will you be watching one a day, one a week, multiple a day? Is there one person or are you showing it to a group? And have you been talking the show up to this person or these people you plan to show it to?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I find it is helpful to find out how other people do these things in order to better help myself attempt it. I find that it is always best to not talk something up too much, a point that has always been difficult for me when it comes to B5 because everyone I know knows I love Babylon 5. I also find that honesty helps too. I've already told the next person I plan to show it to that he probably won't love The Gathering, but he will come to appreciate it once he sees how things from it fall into place in the overall arc. Again I am also dealing with someone who watches A LOT of shows and likes Science Fiction so when I tell him "he probably won't love The Gathering" I know that his expectations won't be high and then he'll actually enjoy it more. Are you doing anything like this or are you just telling them they need to watch this show?

[alpha128]

So alpha128 are you going to give us an updated list of episodes you'll be showing once you actually start? Will you be watching one a day, one a week, multiple a day? Is there one person or are you showing it to a group? And have you been talking the show up to this person or these people you plan to show it to?

Looney, my future plans may change, but this is what I'm thinking at present:

• I would be watching with two other people, at roughly weekly intervals.

• We went from "Person of Interest" (2011) to "Sherlock" (2010), which currently has 13 episodes. We have already watched the first "Sherlock" episode, so that means there are 12 more to go.

• Assuming we finish all of those "Sherlock" episodes, I would then propose B5 again. And I would say, "We've watched 13 episodes of 'Sherlock', give me 12 episodes of B5. If, after those 12 episodes, you're not interested in finding out what happens next, we'll find something else to watch."

• Assuming they agree to watch 12 "Babylon 5" episodes (my revised list), I would start a new thread recapping their reactions. This thread is already getting long.

So the bottom line is, there won't be any progress on this front for thirteen weeks, minimum. I recommend you go back to watching Katie's videos, because I won't have anything to report for a while.

[Looney]

• Assuming we finish all of those "Sherlock" episodes, I would then propose B5 again. And I would say, "We've watched 13 episodes of 'Sherlock', give me 12 episodes of B5. If, after those 12 episodes, you're not interested in finding out what happens next, we'll find something else to watch."

Sherlock episodes run about 90mins, that is 2 Babylon 5 episodes. So say "Give me 24 episodes of B5." LOL

[alpha128]

Sherlock episodes run about 90mins, that is 2 Babylon 5 episodes. So say "Give me 24 episodes of B5." LOL

Ha Ha!

Yes, if there's any pushback to my proposed 12 B5 episodes, I'll be sure to mention that it's the equivalent of 6 "Sherlock" episodes.

And if they're not interested in seeing what happens after "Chrysalis", B5 is not a show for them.

[Jan]

Here you go, almost the entire series condensed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-LbdDYVHXM

It's really good!

[alpha128]

Here you go, almost the entire series condensed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-LbdDYVHXM

It's really good!

Yes, it was well done. Thanks for sharing. My only complaint is the music was drowning out the dialogue at times, so the audio mix could have been better.

And although I have complained about Season 5 elsewhere on this forum, I must admit that its opening titles are wonderful, and do an excellent job summarizing the events of the first four seasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXbKKhEZVVk

[Looney]

Here you go, almost the entire series condensed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-LbdDYVHXM

It's really good!

I LOVED that, but so many spoilers.

Here is a different one I love that I am sure everyone has seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NIupHRYQRE



I do wish there were no spoilers because I hate spoilers, but this is a fun review.

[alpha128]

Here is a different one I love that I am sure everyone has seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NIupHRYQRE

Thanks for sharing.

I may have seen that one before, the narrator's voice sounded familiar.

[Looney]

Okay so I watched Infection, 1.4, last night and I forgot something very critical is in that episode, Sinclair's interview with ISN Reporter Mary Ann Cramer at the end. For me that is one of the most important messages JMS put in B5. "All of this was for nothing unless we go to the stars." And O'Hare does such a good job delivering those lines. It doesn't have much to do with the arc, other than the entire motivation for why humans have to go to the stars.

If you feel you must condense Season One I wish there was a way you could show clips of the most important stuff, like Londo telling Sinclair about his destiny with G'Kar twenty years down the road in Midnight on The Firing Line, 1.1. Of course this particular point does get mentioned again after Midnight on The Firing Line, but that "All this was for nothing" statement is so important to the mantra of Babylon 5.

[alpha128]

Okay so I watched Infection, 1.4, last night and I forgot something very critical is in that episode, Sinclair's interview with ISN Reporter Mary Ann Cramer at the end. For me that is one of the most important messages JMS put in B5. "All of this was for nothing unless we go to the stars." And O'Hare does such a good job delivering those lines. It doesn't have much to do with the arc, other than the entire motivation for why humans have to go to the stars.

Yes, but on the other hand, "Infection" is also the lowest ranked Babylon 5 episode of them all. I actually did see it recently as part of my preliminary Season 1 rewatch, and thought it wasn't that good.

If you feel you must condense Season One I wish there was a way you could show clips of the most important stuff, like Londo telling Sinclair about his destiny with G'Kar twenty years down the road in Midnight on The Firing Line, 1.1. Of course this particular point does get mentioned again after Midnight on The Firing Line, but that "All this was for nothing" statement is so important to the mantra of Babylon 5.

I do absolutely plan to show "Midnight on the Firing Line" as the first episode. "Midnight" is on both my original and revised lists.

On the other hand, I was thinking about "Interludes and Examinations", which builds on "Born to the Purple". "Born to the Purple" was on my original list, but cut from the revised list. I was thinking that I would skip "Purple" initially, but perhaps show it right before "Interludes".

But then again, I might be overthinking this since I didn't see "Purple" the first time through, and I had no trouble following the plot of "Interludes".

[Looney]

I do absolutely plan to show "Midnight on the Firing Line" as the first episode. "Midnight" is on both my original and revised lists.

Yes, I should have checked your lists before I mentioned it.

On the other hand, I was thinking about "Interludes and Examinations", which builds on "Born to the Purple". "Born to the Purple" was on my original list, but cut from the revised list. I was thinking that I would skip "Purple" initially, but perhaps show it right before "Interludes".

But then again, I might be overthinking this since I didn't see "Purple" the first time through, and I had no trouble following the plot of "Interludes".

Something I LOVE about Born To Purple, 1.3, is the scene where Sinclair and G'Kar find Londo waiting to watch Adira dance. The relationship of hate has already been well established between the Narn and Centauri/Londo and G'Kar. But here we see differences put aside for the sake of personal enjoyment. I mean Londo asks them to sit and all hate disappears for that little interlude. And that relationship gets another awesome moment when G'Kar ends up, unwittingly, helping Londo out of trouble. Couple that with all of the negotiations humor and that is why I love Born To Purple, 1.3.