In The Beginning
The Gathering or
Midnight on the Firing Line?

In the Beginning would be a terrible spoiler for later events imo.

The Gathering is a bit out of place but I'd still go for that - a good grounding in the setting.

So is "In the beginning" the tv movie, and "Midnight on the Firing Line" S1 episode 1?

I would agree about ITB. it would be very confusing for Newbies and give away too much of what's to come.

S1 episode 1 is Midnight...

The pilot was The Gathering

In the Beginning is the TV movie which gives a fuller explanation of crucial events referred to at several critical stages of the series.

The Gathering was the double length pilot

Midnight on the Firing Line is S1ep1

In the Beginning is a TVM made much later that included a few scenes extracted from later on in the series plus some new stuff.

So, to a person who knows absolutely nothing about Babylon 5, what makes it the best show ever? :)

Why change the order in which they originally came ??

TG first, followed by MOTFL, leave ITB until much later :)

It's bredth of vision, it's epic scale ...

Yeah ITB works best as what it is, a comment on events you've already seen from a slightly different perspective.

A diverse selection of characters who all "make sense" in their place in the scheme of things.

The meticulous planning which only becomes evident at the most crucial stages.

The "closing" of loopholes 3, 4 or even 5 years down the line - a wonderful reward for a fan.

The philosophy/moral issues that are explored and how people are overtaken by bigger events.

The sheer epic drama of the "big" episodes.

Susan Ivanova.

it's all in the forward planning. Joe had the whole thing mapped out from start to finish long before the Pilot movie ever saw the light of day. With this knowledge came great consistency (for the most part). Certain things changed through necessity along the way but the sheer scope and vision coupled with the decisiveness behind just made it absolutely compelling. Threads laid in the pilot and opening episodes of the first season could take anywhere from one to three or four years to come to fruition. After that much of a build up the payoffs were eventually made all the more significant.

I love sci-fi and I love the diversity of the genre, but Babylon 5 is by far and away the best product that the genre's ever put forward.

It's simply awesome, grand in scale, monumental in achievement ;)

All of the above (esp the Susan Ivanova bit. That's how to be a female first officer, Kira) to which I would add the sheer complexity of the characters. They all matter, not just the Captain, First Officer and Doctor. In fact, in a way, the most important characters are G'Kar and Londo. It's they that drive the Shadow war along. In addition, the special effect scenes are spectacular.

I think you've got to start with The Gathering. It's one of those shows where starting anywhere other than the beginning could create major confusion down the line: there are so many set ups early on that don't pay off until two, three, even four years later.

I can't think of another series to match it in terms of scope and ambition. The level of planning and detail behind the major plot points can be quite staggering, although when it does go off plot it tends to lead to a fair number of duff episodes. But the counterpoint is that the big episodes are nothing short of stunning: The Coming Of Shadows, In The Shadow Of Z'Ha'Dum, The Long Twilight Struggle, The Fall Of Night, War Without End, Severed Dreams, Z'Ha'Dum...

The list goes on and on and on... :thumbsup:

This B5 talk inspired me to watch The Gathering this evening (Off to watch Midnight... in a minute) and there were a couple of things I noticed which I'd missed before - its a while since I watched it.

Of course there was the assassin's "There is a hole in your mind" but the big shivery moment was Lyta's scan of Kosh's assault and the fact he called Sinclair "Entusar Valen"


First time around I only really got into B5 as it was broadcast on C4 about mid way through S2 although I had seen a few eps here and there I didn't know how arcy it was. I only started watching it religiously from the start of S3.

When the Scifi channel started about 6 years ago they started repeating it daily and I taped it "rough" then transferred it minus ads at the weekends and thats when I saw all the episodes and its arc in its full glory.

I have bought the first 3 DVD sets but have only found the time to pick out and watch the pivotal episodes up to now.

After I get through 24 and Alias I think I will try and make time for a complete rewatch.

I remember my first experience with B5 was when THE GATHERING was released on rental VHS. Didn't think much of it at the time, it was only afterwards that I heard it was a pilot for a show hoping to get a series committment. Nothing else happened for about a year and I thought that was that. Then, out of nowhere it was on C4. Hurrah !!

My initial interest waned after a few episodes. I liked MIDNIGHT ON THE FIRING LINE, but after that SOUL HUNTER put me to sleep (I was really tired), BORN TO THE PURPLE managed the same (it was just dull) and INFECTION had me laughing my t*ts off at it's mediocrity. Not surprisingly I checked out at that stage. Luckily I checked back in for AND THE SKY FULL OF STARS after having read a synopsis of the episode in TV Zone. After that I tuned in infrequently right up to the point where SIGNS & PORTENTS aired. After that I was hooked. :)

I've got TG/ITB on DVD as well as Seasons 1-4, as soon as I get Season 5 I'll start again from the beginning as well. I've only really cherrypicked the episodes on DVD so far, mostly the major arc stories and the commentaries.

I can't remember whether I had seen TG before watching MotFL or not, I do remember though that for some reason I taped the show while watching it and every ep thereafter.

B5 was the first show I ever did a "marathon" on watching the entire first series again over the space of one weekend.

C4 didn't start with TG did they ?? If I recall correctly didn't they show it much later down the line. They missed TKO out as well didn't they ?? Gave it a late night slot one evening :rolleyes:

I can't remember the first marathon I did, it may well have been Twin Peaks. I remember everyone raving on about it, so I went and got the entire series on VHS. Only intended watching the movie, then proceeded to make my way through the first season and most of the second :)

I remember after watching MOTFL when it first aired on Channel 4 I went in to work the next day and declared that it should not have been called Babylon 5, but Boloxon 4 instead :lol:

Thankfully I stuck with it all the way through :)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I remember thinking it was a very pale imitation of the superior DS9 :rolleyes:

Oh God dont get them started............ :fear:

To be fair Ken, it's a question that could only ever come from someone who knows nothing about it ;)

Its good, even I will admit that but its not that good.....

(I am trying to watch as many episodes as I can)

You sir, are clearly wrong :P

Seconded :)

Now I'm scared to watch it, in case I don't like it :unsure:

I'm fairly sure you'll like it :)

This is how it started with Willowroolz and Farscape :lol:

Ah well there you go, you set the precedent there ;)

Everything I've seen of Farscape thus far, would lead me to believe that the shows are at least slightly similar in that they're both well written with good characters and intruiging arcs for both character and plot ;)

It's a safe bet that if you like one you'll have a higher propensity to like the other.

B5 broke the stranglehold on Sci-Fi that Star Trek had and practically paved the way for shows like Farscape and Firefly to follow it.

I'm sure I'll give it a try at some point ;)

I'll just get through Firefly and Farscape first :lol:

Have you started Farscape yet then ??

I finally got around to watching the second episode this afternoon, at work of all places :lol:

Not yet, I'm definitly watching the first couple of eps tomorrow though. I'm taking the kids out for a couple of hours tomorrow morning, which should hopefully tire them out enough to have nice long naps, well that's the plan anyway ;)

i'll talk to you all tomorrow, off for some lovely sleep ;)

I've had ITB for over a year, but Valhalla warned me off it when I started watching, so I still haven't. I've just finished watching season 4 (after getting through the final 5 episodes on Saturday in a bit of a marathon!) So, is it safe to watch it now? I need a fix... can't wait until the season 5 release later in the year!

Andrew

You should be safe enough to watch it now Hovis :)

I think you'd probably have been ok after season 3 if memory serves. But you should be definitely ok now, can't remember anything that could spoil season 5 for you.

So Hovis, to coincide with the eventual release of season 5 onto DVD, will you be joining our little "rewatching" ?? :)

Hi Hovis.


so at what point am I better off downloading or watching from?

The beginning? :unsure:

How wrong you are Loobi :P

I have no idea TBO ...just seems like the logical thing to do :D
Consider me told ;) :lol:

There's a prequal movie entitled In The Beginning. Despite the title, this isn't intended to be seen until a good way down the line.

Logically then, you'd expect to start with episode 1x01 Midnight on the Firing Line. This again however would be incorrect.

The best starting place is the pilot movie The Gathering, followed by 1x01 Midnight on the Firing Line.

It's just all so complicated :lol: :lol:

ITB was released in the gap between S4 and S5 iirc and no it won't spoil any of S5.