Six Seasons and 16 episodes!

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I finally have digital copies of all my B5 episodes and movies, and I renumbered them so that they're all chronologically in order, which means that Sleeping in Light is now S06E16.

I just felt really happy looking at my new library and wanted to share.

For anyone interested in the order here is my list:

S01E00 The Gathering (Original version)
S01E00 The Gathering (TNT Version)
S01E01 - S04E08 In normal order
S04E09 Thirdspace
Then S04E09 becomes S04E10 and all the rest of the season 4 episodes are moved up one number, as well.
Then S05E00 In the Beginning
S05E01 -S05E21 all appear normally.
S05E22 The River of Souls
S05E23 Legend of the Rangers
Then A Call to Arms is S06E01 and the 13 crusade episodes are the rest of season 6, each episode is moved up one number since I included the pilot as episode 1 instead of 0, for some reason.
The Lost Tales are S06E15
And Sleeping in Light ends it all at S06E16!

I love having an extra season and putting off the very saddest episode ever until the very end. This order works for me because it is all B5 to me, even the stories with new casts that don't take place on the station itself. For me, I fell in love with the universe, itself, and so as long as it takes place in the B5verse it is Babylon 5 to me.

And as a true fanatic I now love absolutely every part of it! Even though when I first started out on this amazing journey there was quite a lot I didn't care about. Distance only makes B5 that much sweeter!

[alpha128]

I love having an extra season and putting off the very saddest episode ever until the very end.

If my planned rewatch of B5 ever comes to fruition, I'm strongly considering substituting "Sleeping in Light" for "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" and have that be "THE END".

At present, I'm having difficulty mustering the necessary enthusiasm for another Season 5 rewatch. And I don't think I can, in good conscience, recommend this series to someone else and then show them Season 5.

Then S04E09 becomes S04E10 and all the rest of the season 4 episodes are moved up one number, as well.
Then S05E00 In the Beginning

Again, if my planned rewatch of B5 ever comes to fruition, I plan to show them "In the Beginning" immediately after "Atonement". I think it would be far more effective if the first appearance of General Lefcourt was "In the Beginning" and then have him show up as Sheridan's adversary in "Endgame".

[Jan]

And I don't think I can, in good conscience, recommend this series to someone else and then show them Season 5.

Then why show them any of it at all? After all, if they care about Londo and G'Kar at all, you'll deprive them of the end of their arc. Give that even JMS says that the show is very much about them, I don't see how anybody could consider skipping that.

[alpha128]

Then why show them any of it at all? After all, if they care about Londo and G'Kar at all, you'll deprive them of the end of their arc. Give that even JMS says that the show is very much about them, I don't see how anybody could consider skipping that.

Yes, but JMS was prepared to end the series with "Sleeping in Light" as episode 422 and leave that part of the story untold, at least on television.

But I agree that the Londo and G'Kar story is the highlight of Season 5. The scene where G'Kar forgives Londo is especially good.

The alternative is restrict the number of Season 5 episodes to the essential ones. Both of the sources linked to below agree that would include:

509 - The Kingdom of the Blind
510 - A Tragedy of Telepaths
511 - Phoenix Rising

516 - All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
517 - Movements of Fire and Shadow
518 - The Fall of Centauri Prime

520 - Objects in Motion
521 - Objects at Rest
522 - Sleeping In Light

Babylon 5 condensed

Season Five Essential Episodes

But I'm not going to worry too much about it at this point as this rewatch is not going to happen soon, if at all.

[Ubik]

Yes, but JMS was prepared to end the series with "Sleeping in Light" as episode 422 and leave that part of the story untold, at least on television.

But I agree that the Londo and G'Kar story is the highlight of Season 5. The scene where G'Kar forgives Londo is especially good.

The alternative is restrict the number of Season 5 episodes to the essential ones. Both of the sources linked to below agree that would include:

509 - The Kingdom of the Blind
510 - A Tragedy of Telepaths
511 - Phoenix Rising

516 - All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
517 - Movements of Fire and Shadow
518 - The Fall of Centauri Prime

520 - Objects in Motion
521 - Objects at Rest
522 - Sleeping In Light

Babylon 5 condensed

Season Five Essential Episodes

But I'm not going to worry too much about it at this point as this rewatch is not going to happen soon, if at all.

If they like the preceding seasons, and are invested, then S5 is worth it just to have proper closure. It's more in the same universe, and I don't think it's quite as bad as people make out. Okay, yeah, Byron, but there are a few really great Episodes, and the tail end of S5 is just as essential as anything else.

[Ubik]

I finally have digital copies of all my B5 episodes and movies, and I renumbered them so that they're all chronologically in order, which means that Sleeping in Light is now S06E16.

I just felt really happy looking at my new library and wanted to share.

For anyone interested in the order here is my list:

S01E00 The Gathering (Original version)
S01E00 The Gathering (TNT Version)
S01E01 - S04E08 In normal order
S04E09 Thirdspace
Then S04E09 becomes S04E10 and all the rest of the season 4 episodes are moved up one number, as well.
Then S05E00 In the Beginning
S05E01 -S05E21 all appear normally.
S05E22 The River of Souls
S05E23 Legend of the Rangers
Then A Call to Arms is S06E01 and the 13 crusade episodes are the rest of season 6, each episode is moved up one number since I included the pilot as episode 1 instead of 0, for some reason.
The Lost Tales are S06E15
And Sleeping in Light ends it all at S06E16!

I love having an extra season and putting off the very saddest episode ever until the very end. This order works for me because it is all B5 to me, even the stories with new casts that don't take place on the station itself. For me, I fell in love with the universe, itself, and so as long as it takes place in the B5verse it is Babylon 5 to me.

And as a true fanatic I now love absolutely every part of it! Even though when I first started out on this amazing journey there was quite a lot I didn't care about. Distance only makes B5 that much sweeter!

Looks cool! And yes, we just have to appreciate what's there, cause I don't think there'll be anything new for a LONG time.

[alpha128]

If they like the preceding seasons, and are invested, then S5 is worth it just to have proper closure. It's more in the same universe, and I don't think it's quite as bad as people make out. Okay, yeah, Byron, but there are a few really great Episodes, and the tail end of S5 is just as essential as anything else.

Yes, it's only the first half of Season 5 that is weak. To me, #511 "Phoenix Rising" is the first episode of the season that feels like fully realized B5.

I wouldn't necessarily be averse to showing #501 "No Compromises", skipping to #509 "The Kingdom of the Blind", and then watching to the end. As you say, it depends on how invested they are in the show at the end of Season 4.

I'm trying to avoid a scenario where I'm told, "I hated that episode, you told me this show was good!"

[Jan]

I'm trying to avoid a scenario where I'm told, "I hated that episode, you told me this show was good!"

Is it even remotely possible that all 'they' ever watched is shows where they loved, even liked, every single episode? Puh-leez.

If they got that far they're gonna be fine. And I can't tell you how many times I've had people who watched the show without being told how they'll hate season 5 say it's their favorite. So it's in everybody's best interest not to prejudice them.

[Ubik]

Yes, it's only the first half of Season 5 that is weak. To me, #511 "Phoenix Rising" is the first episode of the season that feels like fully realized B5.

I wouldn't necessarily be averse to showing #501 "No Compromises", skipping to #509 "The Kingdom of the Blind", and then watching to the end. As you say, it depends on how invested they are in the show at the end of Season 4.

I'm trying to avoid a scenario where I'm told, "I hated that episode, you told me this show was good!"

POI definitely has some lacklustre episodes to slog through, the highly procedural ones. etc. I'd rate it highly, but it has it's duller moments too. If they can do POI as a whole, I can't imagine that they'll be bothered by anything B5 throws at them.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Looks cool! And yes, we just have to appreciate what's there, cause I don't think there'll be anything new for a LONG time.

I appreciate all of it, muchly! (nods head)

I just started a rewatch and did something different, this time. I started at Epiphanies, so everything after the shadow war is over, which are the episodes that I've seen the least of, and then I'll go into season 5 and try to feel less sad about it.

In the past, the whole season has felt to me like one long extended good bye, and has made me feel like everything good is over with now, but I don't think that was the right attitude, and I'm trying to appreciate each episode for itself.

My current opinion on the future of B5 is that there will never be anything new, but I would not mind changing that opinion at all, if something miraculous were to happen.

[alpha128]

Is it even remotely possible that all 'they' ever watched is shows where they loved, even liked, every single episode? Puh-leez.

If they got that far they're gonna be fine. And I can't tell you how many times I've had people who watched the show without being told how they'll hate season 5 say it's their favorite. So it's in everybody's best interest not to prejudice them.

Yes, but I have to watch it with them, and I am prejudiced against Season 5 (the first half at least). As I mentioned in another post, I am having difficulty mustering the enthusiasm for a complete Season 5 rewatch. But the idea of skipping six Bryon-heavy episodes at the beginning of the season appeals to me.

[WorkerCaste]

Yes, but I have to watch it with them, and I am prejudiced against Season 5 (the first half at least). As I mentioned in another post, I am having difficulty mustering the enthusiasm for a complete Season 5 rewatch. But the idea of skipping six Bryon-heavy episodes at the beginning of the season appeals to me.

I'm curious. How many times have you watched Season 5, alpha128? I ask because my reaction has changed over time. The first time, when it was broadcast, I really felt the telepath arc weighed heavily and I thought it was very weak, so the season seemed weak. The second time I watched it, I had steeled myself to slog through it, and was surprised to find there was less telepath material than I remembered. That viewing was still colored by my original perceptions, though. The third time through I finally came into more open and was able to enjoy the pieces other than the telepath arc. I still rate it as probably the weakest season, but I watch S5 in any viewing in order to appreciate the small things.

Has anyone else found shifting perceptions like this about S5?

[alpha128]

I'm curious. How many times have you watched Season 5, alpha128? I ask because my reaction has changed over time.

I've watched Season 5 three or four times. I watched it on TNT as it aired. I watched it again when I bought all of the seasons on DVD. I've done one, possibly two, complete rewatches since then.

[alpha128]

Speaking of six seasons, someone imagined what the credits of a sixth season of B5 would look like:

[WHAT IF?] Babylon 5 Season 6 Credits

[Looney]

Speaking of six seasons, someone imagined what the credits of a sixth season of B5 would look like:

[WHAT IF?] Babylon 5 Season 6 Credits

OMG! The range of emotions I just experienced watching that was INCREDIBLE. That is one of the things I wanted to see most happen with Babylon 5. It is one thing to have the show continue, but I wanted to see it continue with that cast soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. I thought if there was to be a sixth season that cast was the way to continue the level of quality with new blood and new arcs, not that I have any problem with the old blood or old arcs. The truth is the show would have been great either way, but maybe the new cast was a perfect continuation while letting the original leads move on in a natural fashion and still being able to return for guest shots.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THAT VID ALPHA128!