Speculation about Babylon 5's upcoming 20th anniversary
By
Atomic_Saint,
Posted on: 2012-05-07 09:20 in Comic and Hero-Villain Culture
I'd probably pick it up were it available.
Though I don't know that I'd say it was 5 mostly great seasons. Seasons 2-4 were quite good. Season 1 had some pretty serious issues, and Season 5 was close to incoherent.
I'd go with 3 great seasons and leave it at that.
I agree on Crusade and the TV movies.
Too many alts to list.
Wow it has been almost 20 years since B5 started... where does the time go.
Anyway for what it's worth I wouldn't mind seeing a B5 with the CGI scenes updated the same way they "remastered" the Star Trek TOS episodes. To be honest the original effects were almost crude and outdated even by mid-90s standards.
As for a new movie it would almost certainly have to be some kind of "reboot" at this point and it's just hard to imagine it happening today. They'd pretty much have to gear it towards some kind of trilogy to do the story justice and sadly if the first one tanked the rest of the trilogy probably wouldn't get made.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
Babylon 5 streaming on Netflix.........
I've already forgotten about most of you
Quote:
My nephew recently expressed interest in the show, stating he heard a lot about it. So, since I happen to have it all on DVD with a nice 5.1 sound system and a 55inch hi def TV.....ah good old B5. We are now at the point in B5 S5 where Byron has learned the origins of the telepath species, he still needs to watch the rest of S5, plus the other movies (we started with The Gathering of course) and then Crusade. He's loving it, especially the season 3 two parter that wrapped up the Sinclair/Valen plot. |
Originally Posted by Lothic
Wow it has been almost 20 years since B5 started... where does the time go.
Anyway for what it's worth I wouldn't mind seeing a B5 with the CGI scenes updated the same way they "remastered" the Star Trek TOS episodes. To be honest the original effects were almost crude and outdated even by mid-90s standards. As for a new movie it would almost certainly have to be some kind of "reboot" at this point and it's just hard to imagine it happening today. They'd pretty much have to gear it towards some kind of trilogy to do the story justice and sadly if the first one tanked the rest of the trilogy probably wouldn't get made. |
As to the CGI being crude/outdated even then, nah it still looks pretty good despite DVD transfer issues. But I wouldn't be against a faithful CGI overhaul. There is no need to update the design of the station or the ships, just shine them up with new CGI.
I still also wouldn't mind a movie or TV series that tells the chronicles of B4 and Valen.
Quote:
Yeah I'm not really talking about whether you have good DVD transfers or not. I'm talking about the fundamental CGI itself.|
Originally Posted by Nericus
As to the CGI being crude/outdated even then, nah it still looks pretty good despite DVD transfer issues. But I wouldn't be against a faithful CGI overhaul. There is no need to update the design of the station or the ships, just shine them up with new CGI.
|
At this point the show could really use the TOS "remaster" treatment on the space CGI scenes. I'm not suggesting they change the overall design of any of the ships but they could use plenty of detail/texturing work to make it all look much more "realistic" than it does now. Right now it -looks- like CGI. It would be cool if those scenes were re-rendered to look photographically real the way CGI in 2012 can look.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
Quote:
Then we are in agreement |
Originally Posted by Lothic
Yeah I'm not really talking about whether you have good DVD transfers or not. I'm talking about the fundamental CGI itself.
At this point the show could really use the TOS "remaster" treatment on the space CGI scenes. I'm not suggesting they change the overall design of any of the ships but they could use plenty of detail/texturing work to make it all look much more "realistic" than it does now. Right now it -looks- like CGI. It would be cool if those scenes were re-rendered to look photographically real the way CGI in 2012 can look. |
Can you imagine how the Shadow ships alone would look with a CGI overhaul? Whew......
Quote:
Season 1 as with many new shows started rough but started picking up steam as it laid the ground work for the rest of the series. |
Originally Posted by docbuzzard
I'd probably pick it up were it available.
Though I don't know that I'd say it was 5 mostly great seasons. Seasons 2-4 were quite good. Season 1 had some pretty serious issues, and Season 5 was close to incoherent. I'd go with 3 great seasons and leave it at that. I agree on Crusade and the TV movies. |
A particular favorite S1 ep of mine is the one where each planet demonstrated its dominant religion. Sinclair's solution to show Earth's "dominant" religion was classic. A long line of people, each from a different religion of Earth.
Also the episode where Sinclair's girlfriend had that "Close Encounter of the Third Kind" with that First One vessel and was saved by Narn sent by G'kar who warned her previously not to go there.
Season 5 suffered from them not knowing they'd get a season 5 thus rushing to conclude things in S4
To me seasons 2-4 were obviously the solid "core" of the show but there were a few season 1 and 5 episodes I liked as well. I figure roughly half of season 1 and half of season 5 were weak/questionable, but the rest was worthwhile.
Bottomline it's hard for me to say an entire season of a show is simply all good or bad in a binary way. 
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
Quote:
I wouldn't mind a well written TV movie or mini series that gives us the telepath war or the fall of centauri prime that led to Londo and G'kar's mutual death. Their death scene is long since filmed so they should be able to compensate for the loss of actor Andreas Katsul'as as G'kar.
|
Originally Posted by Lothic
To me seasons 2-4 were obviously the solid "core" of the show but there were a few season 1 and 5 episodes I liked as well. I figure roughly half of season 1 and half of season 5 were weak/questionable, but the rest was worthwhile.
Bottomline it's hard for me to say an entire season of a show is simply all good or bad in a binary way. |
Doing the series without Richard Briggs and Andreas Katsulas just seems like... sacrilege. 
But if JMS were willing to helm a new round of B5, I'd go with it. Just please please PLEASE get Christopher Franke to do the music again!
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
Dark_Respite's Farewell Video: "One Last Day"
THE COURSE OF SUPERHERO ROMANCE CONTINUES!
Book I: A Tale of Nerd Flirting! ~*~ Book II: Courtship and Crime Fighting - Chap Nine live!
MA Arcs - 3430: Hell Hath No Fury / 3515: Positron Gets Some / 6600: Dyne of the Times / 351572: For All the Wrong Reasons
378944: Too Clever by Half / 459581: Kill or Cure / 551680: Clerical Errors (NEW!)
THE COURSE OF SUPERHERO ROMANCE CONTINUES!
Book I: A Tale of Nerd Flirting! ~*~ Book II: Courtship and Crime Fighting - Chap Nine live!
MA Arcs - 3430: Hell Hath No Fury / 3515: Positron Gets Some / 6600: Dyne of the Times / 351572: For All the Wrong Reasons
378944: Too Clever by Half / 459581: Kill or Cure / 551680: Clerical Errors (NEW!)
Quote:
They can always say that Dr. Franklin is busy in Earthdome Medical doing the cross species disease research project that he started in S5 for the Alliance. As for G'Kar, JMS did state that when Andreas died so did G"kar, and that's fine. He could still be flying around the galaxy helping Lyta cope with the loss of Byron, or again they could still do the fall of Centauri Prime, mention G"kar in it and then add in the remastered footage of him and Londo killing each other.
|
Originally Posted by Dark_Respite
Doing the series without Richard Briggs and Andreas Katsulas just seems like... sacrilege.
But if JMS were willing to helm a new round of B5, I'd go with it. Just please please PLEASE get Christopher Franke to do the music again! Michelle aka Samuraiko/Dark_Respite |
Babylon 5 was created by a perfect storm of the right creator coming together at the right time with the right actors and the right support people and the right network, i.e. one that was willing to let JMS do his thing without interference. It was an accident, and this is borne out by the fact that every attempt to continue the series has tanked in some way.
Accept it for what it is and let it be.
Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
Quote:
It was streaming on Netflix at one time (that's how I actually saw the series in the first place). It came off streaming about a year or so ago.
|
Originally Posted by VoodooCompany
Babylon 5 streaming on Netflix.........
|
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
Quote:
I believe you can watch it on WB's site and on Hulu.
|
Originally Posted by Hyperstrike
It was streaming on Netflix at one time (that's how I actually saw the series in the first place). It came off streaming about a year or so ago.
|
Quote:
One of the more interesting S5 episodes, imo, was the Day of the Dead. Certain people being visited by the spirits of the departed, though how Lennier ended up getting Mr. Morden was a bit of a puzzler. Granted Morden told him he was going to betray the Rangers, but still I would think that the spirit of Marcus would have been the more likely candidate to appear to Lennier and warn him that is following a dark path that will lead to betrayal. |
Originally Posted by Lothic
To me seasons 2-4 were obviously the solid "core" of the show but there were a few season 1 and 5 episodes I liked as well. I figure roughly half of season 1 and half of season 5 were weak/questionable, but the rest was worthwhile.
Bottomline it's hard for me to say an entire season of a show is simply all good or bad in a binary way. |
Also I liked how Sheridan's skepticism about the dead having visited was quickly dispelled when he was given the message from Kosh.
As to the overall characters, I liked how many of the characters evolved over the series.
G'kar: starts as a villain then evolves into a leader and inspiration to his people and became a source of sage wisdom and council to the humans. Also a supplier of nukes
Londo: if ever there was a character that was proof that the road to h--l was paved with good intentions it was this character. He gets into working with Morden without thinking through things which is what the Shadows want. He tried to distance himself but ends up going back due to Morden's manipulations, and when he learns the truth he does everything he can to purge Morden and the Shadows from his homeworld, but inadvertently left the door open for the Drakh to take over. Also it's a shame he couldn't pay more attention to the signs of prophecy that were given him:
1. Do not destroy the eye that does not see. This had to be G'kar's cyber eye. I suspect that it could see the Drakh and the Keeper attached to Londo. Hence why it was gone and he was wearing an eye patch again when he finally gets to kill Londo.
2. Do not kill the man who is already dead. Well that could be Morden or Sheridan. Killing Morden may have been a satisfying vengeance kill but it could have also helped provoke the Drakh infiltration. He spares Sheridan's life in the future so that he and Delenn can escape to liberate Centauri Prime.
3. Embrace his greatest fear though it will destroy him. That would be becoming the emperor, and surrendering to Drakh control in the process as well as setting things up for his final and fateful confrontation with G'kar.
Sheridan: from soldier to Captain to revolutionary to President of the Alliance.
Sinclair: from soldier to wise leader to Valen. A life trapped in a temporal loop.
Quote:
It's established that both characters are dead in "The Lost Tales".
|
Originally Posted by Nericus
They can always say that Dr. Franklin is busy in Earthdome Medical doing the cross species disease research project that he started in S5 for the Alliance. As for G'Kar, JMS did state that when Andreas died so did G"kar, and that's fine. He could still be flying around the galaxy helping Lyta cope with the loss of Byron, or again they could still do the fall of Centauri Prime, mention G"kar in it and then add in the remastered footage of him and Londo killing each other.
|
I really should do something about this signature.
Quote:
Good to know, I haven't seen the Lost Tales yet.
|
Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU
It's established that both characters are dead in "The Lost Tales".
|
Quote:
Not very good I'm afraid. |
Originally Posted by Nericus
Good to know, I haven't seen the Lost Tales yet.
|
I really should do something about this signature.
Quote:
Yeah I've been hearing that, which is why I've been hesitant to watch it. |
Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU
Not very good I'm afraid.
|
However I did check on Wikipedia and if correct, the Lost Tales takes place during the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Alliance.
But now we hit a continuity snag, If the Lost Tales states that Dr. Franklin is dead, then how come he's there 10 years later at Sheridan's farewell dinner? He did examine Sheridan and determined that the energy Lorien put into him was running out of power but he had no idea how to treat it or recharge Sheridan.
Edit: I just did some more poking around, apparently the Lost Tales states that G'kar and Franklin are exploring space beyond the rim.
Quote:
I think they actually say they are "travelling beyond the rim", thus acknowledging the tragic deaths of the actors, without changing the continuity.
|
Originally Posted by Nericus
Yeah I've been hearing that, which is why I've been hesitant to watch it.
However I did check on Wikipedia and if correct, the Lost Tales takes place during the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Alliance. So okay, I get that Centauri Prime's Drakh infestation should be resolved and that Vir is the Emperor following the deaths of Londo and G'kar. But now we hit a continuity snag, If the Lost Tales states that Dr. Franklin is dead, then how come he's there 10 years later at Sheridan's farewell dinner? He did examine Sheridan and determined that the energy Lorien put into him was running out of power but he had no idea how to treat it or recharge Sheridan. |
I really should do something about this signature.
Only Peter Jurasik can be Londo, because he is stunning in purple.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Hyperstrike
It was streaming on Netflix at one time (that's how I actually saw the series in the first place). It came off streaming about a year or so ago.
|
FiguresThough I'm afraid of it standing up to the nostalgia test for me.
I've already forgotten about most of you
Goodbye may seem forever
Farewell is like the end
But in my heart's the memory
And there you'll always be
-- The Fox and the Hound
Quote:
Hulu and the WB website should have the episodes available. As to nostalgia testing, for me at least this series holds up far better then Star Trek.
|
Originally Posted by VoodooCompany
FiguresThough I'm afraid of it standing up to the nostalgia test for me. |
Back in 1993 a pilot movie called THE GATHERING premiered.......and the rest as they say is history.
We got 5 mostly great seasons, some TV movies most of which were good, a good spinoff series that wasn't given a fair chance imo.
Along the way, we read up and hear all about the technical problems it took to get B5 to DVD and that at the time it would be nearly impossible to put B5 on Blu-Ray due to the same technical problems, the fact that some of the CGI source material is lost, and of course.....the MONEY needed to make it happen.
Yet rumors from WB are that they are planning something for B5's 20th anniversary in 2013 and they are supposedly approaching JMS about a big screen movie for B5 (sadly I suspect that would be a reboot movie if it happened)
So, what do you all think? Has WB and JMS worked out the technical and especially the FINANCIAL problems? Will they do to B5 what they have done to Star Trek TOS and completely reconstruct the CGI to get this series to Blu Ray? I would trust JMS to ensure that such reconstruction is as faithful and accurate as possible without going overboard with pointless reconstruction of scenes such as the infamous change to the Han/Greedo scene in Star Wars.
Also at Amazon if you search using Babylon 5 and Blu Ray as keywords you get a page that lets you sign up to be notified when the product is available. No release date of course, but still.......a sign of wishful thinking by Amazon or is this Amazon's way of showing WB fan interest in such a thing?
Or is it happening.......?
Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.