I can feel it coming. There are only 3 more episodes of Battlestar Galactica left. It's not as heart-wrenching as when the last episodes of Farscape were airing, but the end is nigh and I feel unprepared yet again. The trailer for "Caprica" looks interesting, but very earth-bound. I'm already collecting the Highlander Series on DVD (just two more seasons to go!), but I don't see many options for space opera. Which brings me to Babylon 5.
I have no idea what this show is about. When it aired on television I took one look at the CGI being used in place of models and dismissed it without question. (I prefer models any day.) CGI has improved enough that I've developed a tolerance for it, and after Farscape and Battlestar, what I'm interested in more than anything is sci-fi with characters and a story worth investing in.
From what little I've read on wikipedia (I'm trying to avoid as much information as possible while still getting a sense of the thing), Babylon 5 used long story arcs instead of the isolated episode structure of Star Trek. Looks like it also received praise for character development. Could it be that this show served as an early stepping stone for Farscape and Battlestar? Could this show, while certainly falling short of Farscape and Battlestar greatness, be my next television love? Is this show any good?
Really, I want to know. Just try not to give me the "details".
3 comments:
In a word: Yes
I have been burned by SF on TV before, so I tend not to commit until I know a show is gonna be good ... so I am often years behind. For example, I have not started the new BSG yet. I will start the DVDs over the summer, after I finish Babylon 5!
Babylon 5 is all about the 5-year arc, and so some of the individual episodes are not strong, but push forward the overall storyline. And know that the first season is much more of a "set up" year and so seems a bit slow.
But I stuck with it, and found it one of the best long-form SF tales I've ever seen. It is extremely well-written.
If you commit for it, there is one particular storyline that I'd be interested in having your take on.
Paeter,
Babylon 5 is the greatest show ever! Even my wife, who is mostly against all science-fiction, devoured it when we finally purchased the dvds.
It was the first American show to ever feature an ongoing, pre-planned story-arc. And unlike current "ongoing" series (a-hem . . . Lost . . . Heroes . . .) each episode is for the most part self-contained and each season ends with many of the viewer's questions answered, which in turn opens up a whole new set of questions.
The writing is superb (seasons 3-5 were written entirely by J. Michael Straczynski), the acting is top-notch and the graphics . . . um . . . are sometimes awesome, sometimes experimental.
The only caution I offer is this: You need to begin by watching the Pilot . . . which is terrible. The first season is good . . . but subsequent seasons are fantastic. (Oh, and don’t watch the movies until after the fourth season).
Go buy, rent, borrow Babylon 5.
You won’t be disappointed.
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