Babylon 5, Season 1, condensed

[alpha128]

OMG! That is soooo funny you said that. I just started re-watching them today, because I forgot where I left off in the past. I think I watched through Season Two, but I can't remember so I started over.

Enjoy!

FYI. For some reason she reviews episode 3x22 on its own. All her other videos feature 5+ episodes.

[Looney]

Like I wrote earlier, first we're watching Sherlock until they run out of episodes. Maybe by the time you've completed Katie watches Babylon 5, we'll be ready.

OMG! That is soooo funny you said that. I just started re-watching them today, because I forgot where I left off in the past. I think I watched through Season Two, but I can't remember so I started over.

[alpha128]

Do you need me to talk to these people?

Like I wrote earlier, first we're watching Sherlock until they run out of episodes. Maybe by the time you've completed Katie watches Babylon 5, we'll be ready.

[Jan]

In that regard he is going to be picking every part of the arc apart; if I can get him to pay attention.

Of course, he won't be able to appreciate the full intricacy of the arc until he's watched it at least twice...

[Looney]

The situation is very different for Adira Tyree. Adira also doesn't get a lot of screen time and also dies an untimely death - but her death has profound future consequences.

That is NO joke. I wonder if she would be flattered or horrified by what transpired because of her death. Probably horrified.

Which is why I've given some thought to when/if I show "Purple", assuming this whole rewatch gets off the ground.

Do you need me to talk to these people?

In my own re-watch realm I have been thinking about how my big problems are the friend I want to show Babylon 5 to is sixteen years younger than me and is way too busy. He has grown up in a world where he watches many, many shows and is currently watching many, many shows, working two jobs, and just entered a new relationship. So he is going to see watching B5 as a BIG hassle . . . in the beginning. BACK IN MY DAY we didn't have so many shows to watch. His normal routine is watching shows with arcs that are sometimes well written - I tell him, "Thanks to Babylon 5" . In that regard he is going to be picking every part of the arc apart; if I can get him to pay attention. He wants me to help him start a YouTube channel where he does video game and other media reviews, so hopefully I can get him to watch it for that. I also have the benefit of the fact that he loves old movies and loves Star Trek TOS and TNG. But he also feels overwhelmed with not having enough time right now. Looks like I am going to have to get rid of this new girlfriend of his.

[alpha128]

Yes, but what I love about that is it shows non-focal character's deaths will be a part of the story. She died in an "unfortunate airlock accident", which lends itself to all kinds of speculation... What happens with Ko'Dath does add its own element to the series.

Yes, that's true. But for a newbie trying to wrap their head around who all these people are, what their jobs are, what their relationships are with each other, short-lived characters like Ko'Dath are a distraction. They devote mental energy to memorizing that Ko'Dath is the assistant to the Narn ambassador and then *poof* she's gone - with only a brief mention and no long term consequences.

The situation is very different for Adira Tyree. Adira also doesn't get a lot of screen time and also dies an untimely death - but her death has profound future consequences. Which is why I've given some thought to when/if I show "Purple", assuming this whole rewatch gets off the ground.

[Looney]

By comparison, "Purple" partially feels like a false start since it introduces the short-lived Ko'Dath.

Yes, but what I love about that is it shows non-focal character's deaths will be a part of the story. She died in an "unfortunate airlock accident", which lends itself to all kinds of speculation. The words "unfortunate" and "accident" create a mystic of was it really an accident or was she gotten rid of by someone or did she die performing a task? She seemed very angry so maybe that led to her demise in some way. Or was it really just an accident because accidents happen while living in a tin can in space. I mean it is all my speculation and my imagination, but what happens with Ko'Dath does add its own element to the series.

[alpha128]

Couple that with all of the negotiations humor and that is why I love Born To Purple, 1.3.

"Purple" is a pretty solid episode, but not necessarily a good one to hook newbies on. My revised list skips from "Midnight" straight to "Parliament of Dreams". "Parliament" actually feels like the second episode of the series, as it introduces Catherine Sakai, Na'Toth, and Lennier in one fell swoop. By comparison, "Purple" partially feels like a false start since it introduces the short-lived Ko'Dath.

[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.

[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]

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]

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]

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 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

[Jan]

Here you go, almost the entire series condensed.

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

It's really good!