Babylon 5 Is a Perfect, Terrible Series
Babylon 5 Is a Perfect, Terrible Series
Babylon 5 is one of the best science fiction shows ever made. It also kind of sucks, and that’s okay. “I hope the future will be like Star Trek, but I’m afraid it’s going to be like Babylon 5.” Thi…
"I hope the future will be like Star Trek, but I’m afraid it’s going to be like Babylon 5."
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I have to confess that I've never been able to get into Babylon 5. I've tried several times starting from the first episode but I've never found myself "sucked in". TBH it has always struck me as political soap opera with lots of makeup.
But as I said - I've never gotten into it, and I've read many times that it is great. So - I really want to like it.
I think I'd be in your debt if you sell me on it - at what point(s) might I be so into this show that I just can't stop watching?
Season 1 is hammy stereotypical action sci-fi like most other contemporary shows, but with quite important world building that is used for all plot points in the rest of the seasons.
So much questionable acting, awkwardly cheap shots, laughable cgi (even with the remaster), and distinctly 90s costume. No two ways around it, you have to accept those parts as a product of it's time. The writing is good from the start, and the acting gets better, as you get hooked on the characters everything takes off.
It fundamentally is a political soap opera with make up, but in a more fantastical way than Suits or House of cards, it's kind of a different thing when the political scheming gets derailed by a planet turning out to be a forgotten superweapon or that the current powers-that-be turn out to be ousted by unknown space magic. It's also a lot more dramatic seeing civilisation crumbling after a series of particularly poor developments.
What I love about Bab5 is that there's always at least three plot arcs, you have the Problem-of-the-day that requires running around and punching someone, you have the factional current issue where someone is building up forces in a way that's noticed in the day, and you have the overarching galactic issue brewing slowly, where planets or governments disappear and unknowable things move in the corner of your eye.
Also, superb story hooking, where a couple of planted background happenings are the pivotal main arc a few seasons later.
It's why I rewatch all episodes every couple of years, so much great weaving, world building, character, faction and universe development that you just don't get to see the first or even fifth time.
Also, Andreas Katsulas turns out to be marvellous actor and his character one of the most interesting in almost any epic story I've seen, heard or read since.
Also, superb story hooking, where a couple of planted background happenings are the pivotal main arc a few seasons later.
Strange new worlds is doing this, as well.
Sorry for the late reply, but I've now watched the two seasons of Strange New Worlds and just can't agree with you.
Strange New Worlds works at establishing plot lines, in the first season telling you a central character plot point and a few episodes later doing an episode around it. Until the J'Gal character plot there aren't even any twists.
What I mean with plot weaving would be something like the Vulcan Archeological Medicine fellowships being a secret Romulan plot (established through the multiple glimpses into what they're studying), or having reconstructed Pike after his premonition so that he can escape it.
And this totally makes sense, Strange New Worlds is a TOS tribute, and those are notorious for being very episodal, with almost no links between episodes outside the main characters.
Either we have different interpretations of plot weaving, or it's extremely subtle that I cant detect it after a rewatch.
Ok @Brainsploosh@lemmy.world - you are absolutely correct - this is an amazing series. I'm gonna confess that it was a very hard slog for me to get through the first 2.5 seasons, but then it just became this neverending stream of "wait... what?!?!? woah!!!". I'm in the second half of season four and I'm kinda blown away. I'm absolutely certain I'll be re-watching it to find some of that weaving you mentioned. Thanks again for your description.
Haha, good things are better shared, I'm happy you gave it another go!
Well - thanks for that - I'm giving it another go. "Long arcs" definitely reel me in :)
Can relate. Had to more or less force myself. But it did click around season 2 or 3 to the point where I think it's one of the very best space operas that has ever been made and most likely ever will be made.
If I recall, season 1 is a lot of setup, with payoff in later seasons. Season 2 is where it starts to take off. During its initial run, I found it totally compulsive viewing.
You have to just accept the kind of campy look to the show, as well as some of the more questionable acting and dialogue choices. Once you just accept that this will be the presentation, you can focus on the story, which is very insightful and complex. At its heart it's a political drama about American intervention in the Arab-Israeli conflict (never explicitly stated, but it's pretty evident almost immediately), with a shadowy outside threat, presented through a sci-fi lens. Then it adds way more mysticism and fantasy elements as the series progresses. It's a fantastic exploration of human nature, I strongly recommend it.
It left HBO before I could finish the last season. I just got a Tubi account so I can close it out.
I enjoyed Babylon but it's not something I revisit often. I feel the same way as you about Battlestar though. I watch it and my mind drifts away mid episode. I want to love it, I think it's a great story but something about the show keeps me from engaging fully. Makes me sad.
Come in on season 2 - the acting of some people in season 1 was Not Good.