I've recently talked my friend Bluebird into watching Babylon 5 through her Netflix membership. She's seen the first three episodes, and enjoyed them--which bodes well, since anyone who's seen Babylon 5 knows how much better it gets!
I used to watch B5 over and over when I was deployed to Louisiana--it reminded me what the military is really supposed to be like! Also, it had great commentaries on religion and philosophy, wonderful characters who grow as the show progresses, and references to lots of the best fantasy literature ever(from Lovecraft to Moorcock to Tolkien to the legends of King Arthur).
Anyway, this is a post specifically for her--to make comments about what she sees, what she likes, etc. If you've seen B5, feel free to chime in--but no spoilers! The best part of watching B5 through the first time is watching the five-year plot unfold!
UPDATE:
This comment thread will get horrendous to track if I keep one post for the entire series, so this is now the post for "Season One" episodes.
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67 comments:
Oh, you are a sweetie for making this post for me! :D !
I am so glad you talked me into watching B5. I just wish it wasn't going to be so difficult for me (as it looks like I am only going to be able to watch 4 episodes a month through netflix.) It has been a LONG time since I have watched a good space sci-fi!
I wanted to post the myspace message I sent you last night... But I just realized that I erased it from my outbox! err!
Well, I should have kept a notebook with me while watching. It will take me a little while to learn names and alien species. I am so used to Star Trek... And when I first started the episodes, I admit I got a bit sad and remenicy about Star Trek... :(
Anyway, my first impressions are that I like the "dracula" aliens and I do not trust the "snake" aliens (they are ambushers!). I do believe that "20 years from now", Mr. Snake and Mr. Dracula will die with their hands around eachothers throats! I love forshadowing!
Hmm.. Ok, soul-stealer guy scared me. I like the sweet alien girl whose soul he tried to steal. There is now a question as to why someone of her special status is on B5... I am sure I will find out!
The 3rd episode was the sad love story between "Dracula" and his pretty alien (slave girl). :*( She betrayed him, but he forgave her. I wonder if this love story will continue down the road?
Any tips for me, G.P.??? :)
Don't worry--by the time you finish B5, you'll have forgotten all about Star Trek! :)
The "Dracula" aliens are the Centauri. Their culture is largely based on Italy after the fall of the Roman Empire. Ambassador Molari is a very deep character who can be very endearing--but sometimes you will hate him, too! And his love for Adira will change the galaxy.
The "snake" aliens are the Narn. Although it is difficult to be sympathetic to them at the start, they have very good reason for being angry at the Centauri! Ambassadors J'Kar's and Mollari's story will be more interesting than you imagine!
Delenn is a Minbari. Her species is based partly on Japanese culture and partly on the Elves from the Lord of the Rings.
If you like foreshadowing, this is DEFINITELY the show for you! :)
But speaking of Star Trek... Walter Koenig's first appearance is in episode 6... :)
:D !!!!!!! Ooooo!!!! So exciting!!!!!!!! Thanks for helping me with names and species! And YIPPEE for forshadowing!! :D
I will prob watch the 4th episode tonight. Possibly, as long as Hub doesn't have anything he wants on Netflix, I might be able to watch 8episodes a month. I really wish he would watch with me! Prob, you are right, and eventally he will be sorry...
I will have to mention B5 to my dad. He always loved Star Trek...
Thanks again, G.P.! I am glad we have this thread to chat about B5!
Oh, I will look forward to episode 6 !! :)
Ok, G.P.! I watch episode 4, "The Infection" last night. There seemed to be alot going on in that episode and I thought it was kind of scary! Organic weapons! And it was mentioned that the Nibari might have some of the technology (or did they say Minbari.... please clarify for me..)? I am sure this technology will come into play again later...
Now, it was said that the technology used one persons brainwave patters (Toolar) and then killed those who weren't "pure". Is Toolar the same guy who, in episode 3, was the owner of Adira, and caused her to betray Molari? It looked like the same guy, but it couldn't be...right?
Also, the whole deal with that monster/weapon guy who was killing anything impure.... then (I think it was Garibaldi) said something like "When you are obsessed with your enemy, you become your ememy!". I had just read a quote on myspace earlier in the day! The quote was... "Kill the spiders....to save the butterflies. It’s rational until you realize that, by striving for it, you become a spider yourself". I don't like that quote or that idea, G.P.!!!!!! :O
Ok, if you could give me just a few more tips, I'd appreciate it...
I really like Commander Sinclaire... he is a good guy.
I like (what is his title?) Garibaldi, even though he is a little dorky.
What is the name of the pretty girl with the brown hair and blue eyes, who has some authority and is kinda tough? I don't know her name! And, is she going to be an alcholic?
Well, I don't remember anything about "Nibari"... so they must be talking about the Minbari.
I don't think this episode had anything to do with Adira's owner... but you will notice that some of the secondary characters get played by the same actors! Especially if they're aliens, so they can use a lot of make-up.
Mr. Garibaldi is a Chief Warrant Officer. This is a rank lower than commissioned officers (like the Commander) but higher than enlisted personnel (like the members of Mr. Garibaldi's security team (and me)). Any warrant officer is referred to as "Mr. (x)" rather than by rank, and a Chief Warrant Officer can also be called "Chief." (They do a good job with this during the show.)
Lieutenant Commander Ivanova is the brown-haired girl. No, she isn't an alcholic. She's just very Russian!
Oooo! Oh yeah! Now I remember that Ivanova (pretty name!)mentioned that she was Russian (that should have stuck in my brain!)! lol!! I bet you like her! ;)
Thanks for explaining some things again... it sure helps me.
Hub heckled me again. And now he is saying that I am a nerd for liking B5! :/ !!
Well, now I have to wait for Netfix to ship my next set of episodes....
Hope you have a great weekend, G.P.! :D !
But surely, being your husband, he ALREADY KNEW that you were a nerd. I fail to see the problem?
:p
You have a good weekend, too!
LOL! :P !
"Kill the spiders....to save the butterflies. It’s rational until you realize that, by striving for it, you become a spider yourself".
Nonsense.
Very few spiders eat other spiders, and none "kill them to save butterflies." It would be more logical to say that, by killing spiders, you become a bluebird! (Of course, to be make it really valid, you'd have to eat them... :) ).
This was one of those silly liberal people on MySpace, wasn't it?
It was a liberal who made the quote! :O
The quote was just from my nightmares, is all... (because I kill spiders that are in my house and I raise butterflies!)
But I like what you say much better! Kill the spiders and become a bluebird! :) ! I always knew you were very smart, G.P.!! ;)
(but I won't be eating any spiders..ever!)
I was talking to Alley Cat (in the "bar") and he told me that I will really be addicted to B5 once the "shadow wars" start! :O
I HAD to be a liberal. Typical "moral equivalence" nonsense--these are the people who think self-defense is an evil act.
And yes, you WILL be addicted by then... if not sooner! :)
Weren't you kind of sad to watch B5by yourself? I am. I am going to try to get Hub to watch at least 2 episodes with me to see if I can get him hooked... but I doubt I will be able to. DRAT! And he made me watch "24" with him (I will have to remind him about that!)!! Sigh. It is just that when I watch something so good, I want to share the excitment with someone. Well, but it helps alot that you made this thread so I can talk to another "nerd" about episodes. lol. :) !
Oh, Hell. I've been by myself so long now that I wouldn't know what to do if someone else wanted to watch B5 with me!
Maybe my friend Kevin will stop by... he's the guy who introduced ME to B5.
What on Earth is his objection to B5? I guess I can't really fault him... I thought it was going to be another stupid Star Trek show when Kevin first told me about it. I wasn't going to watch it at, until I ran out of things to watch on my deployment... But it's coming to your house anyway!
:)
Hub thinks "Star Wars" or "Aliens" is the only good space sci fi. He says everything else is for "nerds".
And what do you mean "another stupid Star Trek show"???? >:/
Yeah, tell Kevin to come to the thread! lol!! Fun party!
hehe... I filled up the que will B5and didn't tell Hub!! :D !
Most horrifying line ever spoken on the television show Babylon 5: "Once, I would've thought pastels for the curtains, but I think we are well beyond pastels now."
Huh? ?? LOL! :O That does sound horrifying! ;)
Oh, you LOL now... So, when does the next disc arrive?
I think I should get it by the end of the week. Hub keeps forgetting to mail the old disk in! But if he forgets tomorrow morning, I will have my son ride his bike to the mailbox and put it in! (Our mail box is 1/4 mile from our house.) Netflix ships fast.
Hub was a good boy and remembered to mail the netflix! So I should have my new disk very soon!! :) !
The romancy scenes on B5 are very corn-ballish. lol!!
Why doesn't Delenn want anyone to know that she was on the Counsel!?!
:D !!!!! Episode 6!!! :D !!! Walter Koenig!!!! Still a cutie-pie, though I expected him to look much older...
Hmmm.. The character Jason Ironheart... I thought he was going to kill himself... or that they wouldn't let him go....Instead he turns into a god?? And he will see us in 1 million years?? Hmmm.. :/
And I am starting to like J'Kar! He might be a sweetie? :O
Where is your friend Kevin?? :/
Hmmm... episode 7 was very interesting. We have the crazy "Pro-Earthers" (please don't tell me that the pro-earthers are supposed to represent us Americans who are against illegal immigration!)and the shadowy murderers. Are the shadowy murderers the ones who start the "shadow wars" mentioned earlier??
Why did Earth have a war with the Minbari???
I wish I could talk to someone!>:/
Woah. Episode 10, "The Believers" was very very interesting.....
Hey, Bluebird!
You'll just have to watch the Shadow War unfold... I'll give away too much good stuff if I try to say anything! Earth's war with Minbar gets explained in great detail later. The root causes are especially explained in the second movie.
As for "The Believers"... one of the great strengths of Babylon 5 is that they would do shows and examine topics that nobody else would!
Hm. "The Belivers". I wish Hub would have watched it with me. I had mixed emotions about it. I think the show ended up making the "believers" look like they were nuts. I kind of hoped that wouldn't be the case. I kind of wanted the kid's soul to fly out of his body when they cut him. :O!! I don't know... Hm. It was very interesting. It is just fiction and I can't get upset about it. I can't expect a show like B5 to acknowledge that there is only one truth... But I wish they wouldn't make "believers" look like they are crazy. Maybe the creators of B5 are atheists?
Well, in fact, J. Michael Straczinski IS an atheist. But the point of the show is that you couldn't tell whose beliefs were true... and hard decisions had to be made anyway. For an atheist, Mr. Straczinski has some really interesting insights into religion.
I should probably let you know that the doctor in the program is NOT an atheist--he just didn't agree with the boy's parents' beliefs. And of course, there's no proof that the boy wasn't really a demon after the surgery...
I watched "Survivors" about Girabaldi being framed for that bomb. I thought He was very dorky in that episode. Plus he fell of the wagon. :(
I really like Commander Sinclaire. He seems pretty cool and great! He has such a kind face!!!!
Well, I did say that IVANOVA wasn't an alcoholic... :) But there aren't any perfect characters on Babylon 5.
Who is your fav character?
I have one more episode to watch on my disk tonight. Then Hub said he is getting a movie that HE wants. So, I will only get to watch on more set this month.
You haven't met my favorite character yet... although Mr. Garibaldi and Linnier would both be near the top of the list.
But they're ALL great characters! :)
Who is Linnier??
I don't know for sure who is my fav.... But I like Sinclair so much because he has the most gentle and kind face.
Tell me the name of your fav so I will know when I see him/her!
Uh-oh--haven't you met Linnier yet? Well, I won't be giving anything away. He's Delenn's aide.
My favorite character's name is Marcus.
Oh, yeah... I did met Linnier! I just didn't remember his name. I haven't seen him enough to know if I like him. But if you like him, I prob will too.
I will be on the lookout for Marcus.
Are you ever going back on myspace? The republican group is really dead and boring now. It makes me sad. I need to have my brain sharpened. I am lurking in a libertarian group... but there are alot of crazy and rude people there (a guy was saying that all people in rural areas are stupid!!), so I won't post. :*(
I just watched "By Any Means Necessary". It was a good one! About the workers srike. I LOVE Commander Sinclaire! He is wise and kind. I liked when he told the meanie guy who invoked "The Rush Act", "Don't give someone a gun unless you are sure where they'll point it." haha!
Lando was making me angry when he wouldn't give J'Kar the special plant for his cerimony! He was being a jerk and I felt bad for J'Kar. But then again, Sinclaire found the solution... talking about light travle and all and that J'Kar could still preform the ceremony in the light of his sun.
Anway. I think Sinclaire is my fav character!
Hmmm... It's not my favorite episode, but the part where Sinclair turns around the "Rush Act" is great!
Sinclair is your favorite character? Heh, heh, heh.
Why heh heh? He isn't going to turn into a bad guy, is he? :O
He seems wiser that Garibaldi to me...
Heh, heh, heh. I didn't say anything...
But he IS wiser than Mr. Garibaldi.
Oh no. It has something to do with the "hole in his mind", doesn't it!!!! :O !! Oh no!!!!!!!!! :(
Why, I have no idea whatever you might be talking about. *snicker*
I just watched "Signs and Portents"...
G.P., WHAT DO YOU WANT??? :O
More "shadow" foreshadowing?
What the heck was that scary black octopus in space??? I didn't understand.
So, more questions about Sinclair's memory loss. Garibaldi is looking into it now. We find out that Sinclair was way down on the list of people in line to command B5... but the Minbari wanted him there.... The Minbari seem like good and kind people to me... I can't imagine that they have some sinister plan! And please, I don't want Sinclair to be a bad guy! I don't want to love a bad guy!
And now Lando has that "eye" thing. Sigh. The time will come and he will have to pay the piper. :(
Heh, heh, heh! NEVER ASK THAT!...
Yes, "Signs and Portents" is filled with just that... lots of foreshadowing! It's interesting that you called the object and "octopus"... most people think SPIDERS! ...but I see some octopus in there, too. But mostly SPIDERS!
The thing to remember about the Minbari being good people is that they ARE people... they can be good, intelligent, foolish, brave, proud, underhanded... just like us. This isn't Star Trek where you get "good guy" aliens and "bad guy" aliens...
:P
Why can I never ask that question?? :O
I am very curious what authority the question asking-guy has. Is he a granter of wishes??
Weird! That thing totally looked like an octopus to me!!!! Why did you have to say SPIDERS??
Interesting that you mention "good guy" and "bad guy" Star Trek aliens.... It would be very cool to see the B5 aliens as more rounded characters.... Hmmmm!!!! I am happy! :D
I just watched "TKO". This episode just made me mostly feel sad... about Ivanova and her dad.
:*(
Honestly, it's one of my least favorite episodes. The last time I watched the series, I just skipped it.
Although, in retrospect, it's not a good idea to skip episodes... it's hard to tell when a juicy bit of foreshadowing may pop up unexpectedly...
I was just wondering.... what would happen if people said good and loving things when wish granter guy asked them what hey wanted???
Ok. I watched "Grail". This one was interesting to me and I was fusturated to watch it alone. :(
First of all. I knew that that creature was NOT really Ambassador Kosh b/c he didn't have that steamy gas stuff around him.
Interesting what Deleen said about the Seeker.... How it wasn't even important if what was being sought was real or not... it only matters that the Seeker is dedicated to perfecting his soul?? :/
And then she seemed to insinuate that Sinclair was a Seeker wheather he knew it or not! (later, she insinuated again and I wondered of perhaps she was referring to the fact that Sinclair is seeking about the hole im his mind???)
It was also interesting to me what Deleen said about the 2 classes of Minbari, the warriors and the religious and about how terrible it is when the 2 classes AGREE on anything! What??? Hmmm! (Hmm, G.P., you wouldn't be a good Minbari, since you are 2 classes in one!!!!)
You are smarter than me, so if there is anything you can help me with please do! Don't just say, "You'll see!"! >:O
Well, I say that a lot because I remember how much fun it was discovering the answers as the show progresses, and I don't want to ruin that for you in this thread.
As for your question about Mr. "What do you want?" Morden, after he asks that question of everybody, he does choose one specific person to help--no one else gets their wish granted.
One of the few pieces of the show that fails the continuity test, the Minbari are later edited to have THREE castes--warrior, religious, and worker ('cuz somebody involved got a Communist hair up their heider, I suppose). Anyway, the one thing that the warrior and religious castes agreed upon was the destruction of human race--which they very nearly accomplished.
I'm not going to tell you why they DIDN'T accompish it... but it wasn't any defense that the humans were able to mount.
G.P., I am thinking I actually will/do like B5 better than Star Trek. That is hard for me to say (because I grew up watching Star Trek). But it is because of the continuing and underlying stories and characters that keep developing in B5.... Star Trek really didn't have that.
I am glad you told me to watch. :)
Oh, you're very welcome! And remember--season one is *worst* season! It gets much better!
Oh, and as for Sinclair being a Seeker... It will be quite a while before THAT gets fully explained. But it is only indirectly related to the "hole in his mind."
I will watch "Eyes" tonight. Then I think I only have 2 more disks left in season one!!! Yay!!! So, I should be able to start season two by the end on November.
I feel like I am on an adventure with you! I love this thread!
Hub would have liked it too, if he would have just tried...
"Eyes". Hm. There was alot going on. Woah! Ivanova is quiet a woman! Garibaldi was kind of a dork to forget about her and leave her alone in the bar! But she took care of those brutes.
The guy who tried to overtake B5 was bad. He was mad about Sinclair getting picked over him to Command B5.... because of the Minbari!
Really, I love Sinclar more and more. He keeps showing himself to be wise and kind and a good friend...
I also like Linnier! He is a cutie pie!
I just watched "Legacies". Hm. This was an interesting one, and I wish that I wouldn't have had a headache while I watched it! :(
I found out more about the Minbari. About the religious and warrior classes. I found out that the war against Humans started because an imporatnt Minbari was "murdered"??
Also, I met Alisa. She is going to be maybe a mediator between the Minbari and Humans? Will she be in future episodes?
And then, at the end, Alisa mentions a word she found in Sinclair's (I love him more and more) mind.... CHRYSALIS!!!!!! :O !!!!!!
I TOLD you there was a chrysalis coming up... :)
Yup--the Earth-Minbari is highlighted in "In the Beginning," the second Babylon 5 movie. I believe that it fits between seasons 1 & 2. You'll get to see who got killed--and who was there. And, I believe it explains why Sinclair has a hole in his mind...
When I finish season one, I will watch the movie before starting season 2!!! :D !
I just watched part 1 of "A Voice in the Wilderness". Prob I need your help with this.
Hmm... interesting that sweetie Sinclair was born on Mars!
I watched part 2.
Hm. All about self sacrifice.
And Sinclair would have gone down there if he would have known. But Deleen says that his destiny lies elsewhere. Hm. And now Lando owns her a favor. Forshadowing again!
Garibaldi is such a hot head and kind of a dork. But he and Sinclair are both chivalris. :D I liked how, when they thought the planet was going to blow up, they said women and children and ambassadors first... and then they would make sure that Ivanova would be saved. :*)
But I feel sad for Garibaldi that his love got married. :*( Dumb guy. He shouldn't have waited so long to talk to her. See, he is a dork. :*(
I watched "Chrysalis" last night. It was scary. I am really worried about Molari. Also, I am afarid that Delenn is a bad guy (girl)??
What's this? Dear, sweet Delenn a BAD GUY??? MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Oh, the plot is just BEGINNING to thicken... but you'll have to remind me, now--what is Molari up to? And how many episodes before I need to make a post for Season 2? :)
Well, wish guy came and killed all of those Narn! 10,000.
I am not quite sure when season 2 starts... I think I just have a few more episodes.
I am really sick right now. :*(
Feel better soon...
You'll never like Mr. Morden--he's one of the few definite VILLAINS in B5!
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