Rating: 
Summary: A solid lead into the continuing world of Baylon 5
Review: After a rushed 4th season, the 5th season find itself exploring more topics than had originally been intended. Still, it remains true to the ideals and principles of the series.Seasons 3 & 4 of the epic show were very fast paced and action driven. This final season is paced, and finds the characters facing the consequences of their actions from previous seasons. For SciFi fans, it just does not get better than B5. It's writing is far above par and has been called "The Best SciFi Series Ever" for good reason. I would highly recommend season 5 to anyone who wants to see the whole B5 story.
Rating:
Summary: Audio and video problems
Review: After reading reviews of all the box sets and some of the problems some people have had,I just wanted to add my experiences.
I too had a few occasions where the picture would break up and even freeze as someone else has mentioned.
I removed the dvd from the player and cleaned it useing a cd/dvd spray cleaner.When I reinserted the dvd and played it again I had no further problems.
I have encountered this on one or two other brand new dvds of other shows and in each instance a good cleaning solved the problem.
The discs never look dirty or scratched and are always played fresh out of the case which leads me to believe it may be a coating of something that cant be seen by the naked eye but is detectable by the players laser.
It may not solve everyones problem but its worth trying before returning the discs for an exchange and then encountering the same problem.
I hope this helps as the series itself is great and nothing is more frustrating then having a problem in the middle of watching it.
Rating:
Summary: The wheel turns, does it not, Ambassador?
Review: After Season Four's constant exillerating pace, Season Five slows down to give the show a fresh story-arch climb. The season starts out by introducing the new Babylon 5 Captain, Elizabeth Lockley, an Earth Force Captain who faught for Clark's regime during the civil war, creating an interesting dynamic between herself, Sheridan, Dellen, and Garibaldi. We are also introduced to the machinations of the Inter Stellar Alliance. Much of what Sheridan feared in Season Four comes to fruition with the legacy of the Vorlons and Shadows causing the paramount issues through out the year, and his Grandfather's quote, "The duration is longer than the war," is explained through action, consequence, and chance. Much of the drama involved with the telepath crisis is sucked dry due to Ivannava's absence, with Lyta evoling to capture and express much of the emotional struggles. It is her story sallied with the character of Byron where the show fails to capture the force that was prevelent throughout the previous two and a half seasons, but fear not, their story dominates for a mere four episodes, and with other story lines developing the grand finally along the way, these episdes are not a complete loss. After the telepath struggle, we get into what I consider to be JMS's best work, with Londo and G'kar's relationship developing from hatred to wry friendship. It is here where we see Straczynski pull the carpet out from under us as he uses the entire previous four season of emotions he evoked from us to show us that we are responsible for what we do, for good or ill. We see the struggle for redemtion, the struggle to forgive, the struggle to recreate from ash, and the struggle to give up all of ones self for all of ones family, friends, and people. The final eleven episodes are the best from the the Universe of Babyon 5, completing a task that was said to be impossible. Thank you B5 staff and crew, and, of course, Mr. Straczynski. You've taugh many wonderful ideas in a very insidious fashion, through entertainment. Mark Twain would be proud.
Rating: 
Summary: A Dark Year and a Farewell
Review: Always intended as a five-year story arc, only a last minute save from TNT brought us this final chapter. As 2262 begins, things are looking up for our characters. The Alliance has been formed and Sheridan is taking office as its first President. The station itself is getting a new captain as Elizabeth Lochley steps in for Ivanova who has left to captain a ship. But things soon take a dark turn. Sheridan agrees to let a colony of rogue telepaths live on the station. Their interactions with Lyta Alexander change her profoundly. Some mysterious force is attacking members of the Alliance. And Londo and G'Kar try to solve the mystery of the royal court back on Centauri Prime. This season is not as strong as the seasons preceding it. Because this was a last minute save, all plot lines had been wrapped up in season 4, and it takes a few episodes to get the ball fully rolling forward again. Personally, I loved Ivanova, so I miss her absence in this season as well. While watching this set, I realized why else this season isn't a favorite. It's much darker. We see Londo's final fate, Garibaldi hits the bottle again, and Lennier makes some poor choices. My final complaint is the endings left open involving Lennier and Sheridan and Delenn's unborn son. While this season may be dark, it is still powerful and moving drama that pulls you in and doesn't let you get. Especially if you've spent the four previous years with the characters. Fans can't help but watch this to get the next chapter in these character's lives. And this doesn't even touch the final episode. Filmed as part of season four, it's set 19 years in the future and does include Ivanova. If that episode doesn't move you, nothing will. If you've bought the previous season sets, you know exactly what to expect here. The episodes are presented in widescreen with some grain and dust in the picture. The full surround audio makes an impressive display of the soundtrack. Extras include the intro to the season on disc one, three commentary tracks, documentaries on the digital effects and fans and other merchandise related to the show and personnel and data files and the season gag reel. This set features three scenes from "Sleeping in Light" that hit the cutting room floor, a first for any of the sets. And there is an Easter egg to look for as well. It's unfortunate that this series couldn't go out with quite the bang fans had hoped for. Still, this is a good end to a great series that all fans will want to have on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Thanks for a Wonderful Series
Review: Anyone who is a fan of Babylon 5 will or has already bought this 5th and final DVD set. This was the year that almost was not. Thanks to TNT, Warner Bros. gave JMS the go-ahead to complete this wonderful story. The 5th season set of Babylon 5 wraps most of the major plotlines that all B5 fans have watched unfold through the entire series. The last few episodes from "The Fall of Centauri Prime" right on up to "Sleeping in Light" are all stellar pieces of good story telling. The sense of family and a bond between all of the major characters can be felt as each go their separate ways only to be reunited some years later in the touching finale. Thanks J. Michael Straczynski for giving us such a wonderful TV series. I don't think I'll ever see anything like this in my lifetime again. Just wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: Second Half of Season a great finish
Review: As others have said, the first half of the 5th season was quite disappointing. But once the character of Byron was killed off, the series returned to the high quality of seasons 2-4 to finish off the 5 year story in spectacular fashion. Some fans were upset that the show didn't tie up every last plot thread, but the show did wrap up the story of Babylon 5's crucial years quite well. The quality of the dvd set is good, but not great. The extras are okay. The series itself is what drives the sales of these DVDs, and most B5 fans will want to own the last half of season five.
Rating:
Summary: Babylon 5 Season 5 - The final incredible chapter...
Review: Can mere words do justice to the phenomenon that was Babylon 5, the show that critics said wouldn't make it past its pilot episode and then they said it wouldn't make past season after season? Critics obviously don't always get it right do they? Simply stated, Babylon 5 was an incredible series, the memory of which lingers on today and well into the future. No television series since the original Star Trek had created such an outpouring of support like Babylon 5 has. The reasons are simple; a five year/chapter arc on an amazing epical story stirred the imagination from the very first episode of the first season to the last episode of the last season; incredibly intelligent dialogue that was both entertaining and humorous at times; a larger than life character in Captain John Sheridan; shocking CGI graphics that were a credit to the shows producers considering when the series was made and ultimately the care and attention to detail that the shows creator and main writer, J. Michael Straczynski put into every episode. The one and only true disappointment of the fifth season was Claudia Christian's decision to not return as Ivanova! It's rather strange that in Sci-Fi shows there seems to be a point when major actresses who are integral to the show like to leave before the party is over. While the fifth season, "The Wheel of Fire" didn't quite always have the epic style of the fourth season which was a difficult season to follow up considering how amazing it was, it does have its own flavor of intrigue that fans of the series came to love. As much as J. Michael Straczynski and the shows producers are to be commended for the creation of this wonderful series, the actors who made it possible deserve as much credit and acclaim as well! Without the incredible performances given by the following actors, Babylon 5 might've been "just another" space opera: Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs, Bill Mumy, Tracy Scoggins, Stephen Furst, Jeff Conaway, Patricia Tallman, Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas. Highlights of the fifth and final season: -Captain Elizabeth Lochley (Tracy Scoggins) takes over as commander of Babylon 5.
-The new Interstellar Alliance struggles in its early days but ultimately proves worthy of its goals.
-Londo Mollari sees his prophetic dreams come true as he ascends from Prime Minister to Emperor but he must pay the terrible price that his dreams foresaw.
-Every member race of the Alliance endures mysterious attacks on its civilian cargo transports...
-Garibaldi faces one of his worst fears as an old problem renews itself.
-The pending war between telepaths and mundanes sees its early stages.
-G'Kar becomes a religious icon
-The "Fall of Centauri Prime."
-"Sleeping in Light"- An incredibly poignant and wonderfully well portrayed final episode. Oddly enough, due to fears that the show would end at the end of the fourth season, this episode was filmed at that time but put on the backburner when the fifth season was approved. Overall, I highly recommend not only this season but the first four seasons and the pilot episodes which are on DVD and any future releases of Babylon 5 on DVD. Few shows have ever kindled the imagination and fed the fires of Science Fiction fans such as this series has! {ssintrepid} Episode List: Season/Chapter 5 - The Wheel of Fire -No Compromises
-The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari
-The Paragon of Animals -A View from the Gallery
-Learning Curve
-Strange Relations
-Secrets of the Soul
-Day of the Dead
-In the Kingdom of the Blind
-A Tragedy of Telepaths
-Phoenix Rising
-The Ragged Edge
-The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father
-Meditations on the Abyss
-Darkness Ascending
-And all my Dreams, Torn Asunder
-Movements of Fire and Shadow - Commentary by Bruce Boxleitner, Peter Jurasik, Patricia Tallman and Tracy Scoggins
-The Fall of Centauri Prime - Commentary by J. Michael Straczynski
-The Wheel of Fire
-Objects in Motion
-Objects at Rest
-Sleeping in Light - Commentary by J. Michael Straczynski Special Features: -Digital Tomorrow
-Beyond Babylon 5
-The Universe of Babylon 5
-Data Files:
*Drakh, Interstellar Alliance, Book of G'Kar, Day of the Dead, Fall of the Centauri Alliance
-Personnel Files:
*Captain Elizabeth Lochley, Byron, Ta'Lon, Minister Virini, Mack & Bo
-Gag Reel
-Additional Scenes
Rating:
Summary: Best of All Seasons?
Review: I had ordered this season when it first came out and due to the way things wrapped up at the end of season 4 and the lackluster reviews about this one, I let it sit on my shelf and collect dust without having watched it. Til now.
I don't understand the complaints. Season 5 is absolutely brilliant and contains some of the best episodes of the whole show. Turns out, there really was a lot more to talk about. I'm not going to spoil anything by going into details, but if you got seasons 1-4 and were debating over 5, I say get it -- it's fantastic. Sure, the roster switches up a little, but the show is as good as ever, sometimes better. If anything, it proves the team behind this show could have gone on a lot longer before they really ran out of material.
Good stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: Little more than an epilogue to the first 4 seasons
Review: I love the first four seasons of B5 - best sci-fi show ever. However, as great as those seasons were, this one is equivalently bad. The addition of that awful Janeway-ish Commander Lockley (the best sci-fi show copying the worst sci-fi show? Why oh why?). The absolute trashing of our great Garibaldi character. The loss of Ivanovah. That boring telepath "war" which was just a lot of talking, and that Fabio guy and his romance with our once beloved and fascinating Lita character. Bester never getting his due, the gradual departure of all our favorite characters, the list of negatives goes on and on. The whole season seemed like an exceptionally long epilogue to the first four seasons. It really never rose to the level of anything more. When you've got a four year story arc which encompasses the fate of the entire galaxy, and then you follow it up with the "gripping drama" of some troublesome vagrants in down below, well... In exchange we didn't get much. I suppose a few of the episodes rose to the level of average, though some were just silly. The space battle as viewed through the eyes of a couple of janitors episode comes to mind - they must have been prety much out of ideas to resort to such a gimmick. There were a couple of episodes towards the very end where B5 was decommissioned that were watchable from a completeness standpoint; I put 5 years into watching the show, I suppose I need to see the last episode, etc. Zack and Sheridan talking about old times just before they left the station for the last time was quite memorable. But really, the last two episodes of season 4 were wonderful as a wrap up for the series. And all the major plot threads were finished up at the end of season four. This last season just seemed tacked on because someone realized there was still money to be wrung out of the franchise. Do youself a favor and just get the first four seasons. That's the way I prefer to remember it.
Rating:
Summary: I find this season difficult to assess
Review: I think that I would have rated it at 3 stars, except that the finale, Sleeping in Light is perfect both as an individual episode and as the epilogue for this whole gigantic, epic, series. The sense at the beginning of this season though was a lack of balance and focus. The abrupt resurrection of the series from its premature demise in Season 4, threw off much of the series' established dynamic, and like the fledging alliance, left the series on tottering feet. So they lurched and stumbled about for most of the season, only occasionally hitting the confident stride (okay I am pushing the metaphor a bit much), of previous seasons.
In particular the Londo and G'Kar arc continues to delight as they enter into a new stage in their love - hate (okay... mainly hate - hate, with a bit of ambivalence and some lothario bonding)relationship, that results in G'Kar acting as Londo's bodyguard on Centauri Prime. It is wonderful how these two characters have grown since we were first introduced to them.
The telepath subplot that extended threough the first half of the season had some intriguing moments, but was ultimately poorly executed, acted and resolved (with exception of Koenig's Alfred Bester character who is always wonderfully malicious and entertaining). The same could be said for Garribaldi's decline this season, which offered intriguing possibilities, but really didn't deliver. Also Captain Lochley, Ivonova's replacement, just was not as entertaining as her prickly, irascible and frankly paranoid predecessor.
As a final note the element that I missed most in Season 5 was the relationship between Sheridan and Delenn. In previous seasons these characters came to life in each others presence, with a palpable chemistry. I supposed that given the demands the characters were facing within the season a cooling of their passion is to be expected, but made them far less compelling to watch. One of the wonderful things about Sleeping in Light as a coda for the series is that it brought back the romance between these two iconic figures.
| 
