I’ve been re-watching B5 for the first time since I saw it in the 90s. Not gonna lie season 1 was a bit of a grind but once it gets going holy shit the characters certainly grow on you and it really picks up. Gkar and Lando steal literally every scene they are in. Just got to the “Only one human has ever survived” scene and had to punch the air in excitement. The series was planned and written all the way through before they began filming and it’s really well thought out. All of the characters have an arc, decisions have repercussions, foreshadowing subtly sprinkled in every episode. It’s worth the investment
I agree, it was way ahead of its time, but the core concepts still shine through the cheap look. I will rewatch it at some point soon.
The first season of practically any sci-fi made before 2010 is a bit of a chore - you have to sit through the writers’ attempts at worldbuilding, feeling out the mechanics of what works and what doesn’t, not to mention budget constraints, and so on. Usually by season two, things find their footings and the stories become more streamlined.
One notable exception to this would be Andromeda, which had a strong first season then went downhill with every next one thanks to Kevin Sorbo’s quest to make everything about himself.
“Only one human has ever surived, and he is behind me. You are in front.”
Get um!
The B5 production was very stressful, from the mental health issues of Michael O’Hare, to the alcoholism of several actors, and the insane workload of the writer and show creator as well as other issues.
Both Jerry Doyle and Claudia Christian were dependent on alcohol at the time and used mock JMS stance against alcohol on set.
The CGI is dated, it was rendered on Amiga computers, but it is part of is charm.
Yet despite all of the issues and low budget, the show they created is absolutely beautiful, the characters are fantastic, the acting is completely on point and it tackles some very heavy subjects.
I love Jerry Doyle’s character Michael Garibaldi, he plays him so well all through out, and when I learned that he came almost directly from being a stockbroker with limited acting experience and did B5, I was shocked. I also was sad when I learned that he went all in on conservative radio later on.
G’Kar and Londo, what a fantastic pair of actors, and what amazing choices they made on how to portray their characters! Andreas Katsulas plays a man fighting on the edge of self control trying not only to build a a future for his people, but to maintain their dignity through out, and Peter Jurasik getting not only to ham it up beautifully, but also being able to switch instantly from ham to serious acting is fantastic.
Patricia Tallman plays the amazingly tragic character Lyta Alexander, a woman who have been used and abused by the circumstances she finds her self in, before taking control and finding herself.
Finally we have the amazing Walter Koening playing Alfred Bester, a true believer in the Psi Corps. He plays the role amazingly, and you can feel the contempt he holds for the others. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll leave it here, he is amazing!
You forget the most important character, Zathras.
But that’s ok, many forget Zathras. Zathras also forget many, but Zathras never forget the one.
Garibaldi: “Sometimes people walk away because they want to be alone. Sometimes they walk away because they want to see If you care enough to follow them into hell. I think I went the wrong way”
Didn’t know that Doyle was an alcoholic, then his alcohol issues were scripted in to his character.
That’s amazing. I collected all the episodes and movies over time thinking it was one of those shows that would disappear because it wasn’t one of the big popular sci-fi franchises. Very happy to see it released like this. Never ceased to impress me that they regularly took on difficult subjects like fascism, racism, drug addition, alcoholism, torture, etc. It’s maddening and frustrating to watch Deconstruction of Falling Stars where revisionists make up whatever suits their narratives about events, and just an overall great episode. Straczyinski hits the nail on the head so many times when it comes to politics.
I’m just now watching for the first time. A top quality series. With two episodes left in season 3 this show is wild!
Shit! Only in English, no dubbing😕
Some of the dbzer0 communities might be able to help with that if you’re okay with a little sailing. Yarr :)
No prrrroblem.
WARNING - SPOILERS!
This video shows just how brilliant Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik plays their roles in B5:
BluRay looks sharper.
Probably does, but being on youtube will be a good way for people who haven’t seen it to dip their toe in.
