Rating: 
Summary: "No Surrender, No Retreat"
Review: I started watching this series beginning with season 2(by recommendation from many reviewers here) and by season 3(the best in the series, by far) I was thoroughly hooked to buy this, season 4. With the Shadow War in full swing throughout season 3 there was bound to be a let-down in the following season. The Shadow War overflows into season 4 and the final battle is a magnificent climax with stellar(excuse the pun) special effects but with a fairly lame resolution. There are 22 episodes here and with nearly twenty episodes to go after the climax the next phase in the story unfolds: that of reclaiming Earth from President Clark and his Orwellian empire. There are a few average shows leading up to the confrontation, with side-stories covering specific characters and their agendas, but when all the pieces are in place(a Queen's Gambit, to be sure) the fireworks begin and the show has renewed vigor and purpose. I have a minor complaint regarding the dialogue. For the most part the teleplays are sharp and seldom strained, but occasionally there is a feeble jab at humor regarding love-making or something else with similar predictability that felt forced. There is also frequent use of modern-day slang, which I'm certain will not be as hip in the middle of the 23rd century as it was in the mid-nineties when this show was created. Someday the dialogue in this show will definitely show its age. Then there is the occasional flashback to season 1 which was horribly written with tepid performances from some characters that make a return here; and seriously speaking, I can see why they were either replaced or their lines were cut to shorten their fairly unremarkable performances. This series ends with a complete wrap-up of all the characters and an all-encompassing final show that had me scratching my head in lieu of the fact that there is yet another season left to be seen. Overall, this is certainly worth obtaining for a solid continuance from season 3 and a good, oftentimes great follow-up story. Thank you.
Rating: 
Summary: The Primacy of the Moral
Review: I too was no big fan of season one, after a couple of episodes when it debuted, I tuned out; it was too derivative of Star Trek and Straczynski had yet to find B5's unique and astounding voice.Season Four is a stunner, bringing two wars to conclusion, raising heros from the dead, a wicked conclusion to Bester's most fiendish plot (in his defense, he was fighting for his freedom and his life). As always, "The Demolished Man" joke is a great one--and if you don't get it, you need to learn a LOT more about sf! Once again, the writing is amazing, the direction tight, the CG splendid--the explosions finally stop looking like bad video games from 1985--and the acting, well, the "torture" ep--that's all I'll say--should have one a certain actor an Emmy. But...we know he didn't. I'm afraid the same fate awaits Peter Jackson, et al, on Feb 29th. This season also contains my fav ep of all time, "Deconstruction of Falling Stars." Another ep that deserved an Emmy. I can't say enough in it's praise. B5 can no longer be labelled at ST's ... little brother: it's an equal in every sense. The cast commentary is hilarious. You can tell that these are people (Boxleitner, Christian, Tallman, etc) who genuinely like each other and the camraderie and friendship is still there, six years after it all ended. Straz's three ep commentaries are interesting, but I wish that one of the actors or ep directors could have been present to discuss the eps; Staz's voice, contrary to his pen, can be monotone and a little somnolent, but, once fully awake, what he says IS interesting. This review of the serious still says everything that I feel needs to be said. It goes straight to the heart of the B5 series and the real core. Eh, voila... J. Michael Straczynski and Robert B. Parker (of Spenser fame) have both achieved the same thing with very different subject matters and in very different media: they have made the moral choices of their characters the primary, indeed, almost the SOLE focus of the action. Straczynski's task is probably that much the harder because, unlike the novel, he can only graphically illustrate his characters' inner worlds. The result is triumph; presenting something so rare on TV: real people. Yes, as in the Parker novels, there is plenty of violence. Also there is no downplaying certain characters' relish of the test of battle and their love of soldiering. Straczynski has a real respect for the military and does not let his correct skepticism of government (even if does repeat the McCarthy myth on a commentary track) spill over into disrespect for those who put their bodies where "the metal hit the meat." His use spectacular special effects only enhances. The ground breaking CG had one real drawback: B-5 explosions simply don't look real. I guess they just didn't have the processor power to simulate them on their budget. Even now fire is said to be impossible to model and thus its creation is more the work of artist than artisan-something the insane schedule of network drama simply doesn't allow. Both series place characters--whatever the literary allusion--in situation where they have choose between expedience and principle. Straczynski does a superb job of dropping his characters--ones obviously very beloved to him--into horrible situation in which they die or undergo the most dreadful pain and loss. Then there are those, like Mr. Morden, Mr. Bester nice "Demolish Man" joke), and "President" Clark who clearly took the road of expedience. Straczynski shows, graphically, the very real consequences of their actions not only for themselves but for billions of other humans and aliens. The main theme was taken from an old Poul Anderson novel whose name eludes me. He pictured a war between vastly powerful species whose mere existence was outside human comprehension but who used humans and others as proxies in their never ending struggle. Redux the Shadows and Vorlons--who turn out to be as amoral as the Shadows when crossed. As with the Spenser novels, Babylon 5 rises far above genre to achieve what is so utterly rare in any historical era: art. They both show us the recesses of the heart, the secret places we hide from everyone else. We are also shown the devastating consequences of moral failure or necessity. In a hundred years B-5 will still resonate in a way my beloved Star Trek never can. Star Trek, you see, is fantasy, the way the world ought to be. Babylon 5, unfortunately, is the way the future WILL be.
Rating:
Summary: Action, intrigue, romance, comedy...this has it all!!!
Review: If you are a Babylon 5 fan, or even just a Science Fiction fan, this is a must see. This is THE best sci-fi show ever!!! I was a big Star Trek back in the day, but this show definately knocks it out of it's orbit. Babylon 5 has a great sense of reality that Star Trek never had...most of the technology is NASA approved. Season 4 definately eclipses the rest of the seasons... If you are new to the series, check it out on Sci Fi Channel, they are currently showing Season 3, my next favorite season after season 4. Give it a try, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Rating: 
Summary: A vast Dissapointment
Review: it isnt what you expect of the details,it has too much techinical errors,it was far least than i expected,such a huge
dissapointment for me as a long time fan of babylon,star gate
and many other sci-fi's the DVD resolutions are good but it isnt enough the quality and the scripts arent as they used to be..
Rating:
Summary: Epic Science Fiction
Review: J Michael Strazynski (an avowed atheist if memory serves) offers up a most compelling myth with Babylon 5 overall and Season 4 in particular. He explores the themes of both Creation and the Messiah and he does so in a way that is both intelligent and believable. Aside from creating a science fiction tour de force, JMS has offered a provocative essay on the age old questions of where we came from and why we are here. Or to use a B5-ism "Who are you?" "What do you want?". These are the questions that have inspired/plagued humankind for millennia; we have invented gods and religions to explain these questions, and men great and small have used god and religion to build and destroy throughout history. JMS hasn't just created great science fiction he has imposed upon his viewers the moral burden of answering those questions and given them gripping insight as to the importance of the answers. If all of this is a little too heady rest assured that Babylon 5: Season 4 is science fiction at its best. Winner of multiple awards including Hugos and Nebulas (not to mention a slew of Emmys), Babylon 5 is probably the finest science fiction ever produced for television, and I am speaking as an old line Star Trek fan who remembers the first run of the original series. For those who want tightly written, fast-paced, hard hitting sci-fi look no further than Babylon 5. For those who desire a journey into the meaning of the human condition B5 is worth very serious attention. It is a moving and exhilarating blend of story-telling and philosophy in the great tradition of the Greek morality plays.
Rating:
Summary: superb
Review: like season 3, season 4 was superb. Unfortunately, because JMS thought there may not be a season 5, he rushed to cram almost everything into season 4 making it the most exciting season of the show and leaving himself a little dry for season 5. No season of this show is really bad, and even though season 5 starts off slow, there is plenty still to come on this show. On my t.v. and dolby pro-logic it looks and sounds great. There are some scratches in the film, but to get the wide screen version, I understand they went back to the original negatives so they wouldn't have to crop the picture. My only true disappointment is that every episode should have a commentary. Not just one or two. There are more cast members, crew, directors etc who could have contributed but alas it is not to be. These sets are worth it for the show alone.
Rating:
Summary: The Penultimate Season
Review: Likely the greatest of the 5 Babylon seasons, season 4 contains a majesty and scope unequaled in pretty much any other television series. Within it there is the fall and rise of empires and the demonstration of just what one person at the right place in history can do. The quality of this show continued to grow in even this season. The FX shots are of much higher quality, which pays off to no end during the many, many extended battle sequences that take place throughout the entire season. Like the rest of the series prior, these sequences are works of art, with the ships and fighters buzzing around each other in actual combat strategy, not just sitting there and trying to pummel each other. The writing is stellar once, despite Straczynski's penchant for just gobs of dialogue at certain parts, and the quirky humor and one-liners that are dropped in from time to time keep things fresh. The story, though, is where this season truly shines. All the major arcs that have been building over the previous seasons are resolved, sometimes with unexpected results. The characters all move in new directions, some further into darkness and some come into the light. While some people accuse this season of being rushed, that is not the fault of the writer, but rather Warner Brothers. JMS simply had to finish as much of the major narration as possible before WB pulled the plug at the end of the season. While this didn't happen, it wasn't known whether it would till the production of the last few episodes. As for the DVD set, all that was good about them before is back. The JMS commentaries are interesting, especially the one with Michael Vejar as that gives a technical view of how an episode was put together. The cast commentary was good, though there was very oddly a lot of instances of dead air. It seems as though the recorder stopped working at times. Also, Jerry Doyle comes off a bit obnoxious during some of the beginning. Still, very worth a listen. The data files are small, filling in only the pieces new to this season. The gag reel, however, is in plain sight on the menus this time, but it's still as funny as always. Overall I was extremely pleased with this set. The only disappointing aspect to it was that now the best is behind is and there is only the end to look forward to.
Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: My favorite season of Babylon 5. I've watched every episode at least twice.
Rating:
Summary: Simply...
Review: One of the best season for one of the best sci-fi tv show! A long movie of 110 parts. Perhaps not the best 3D animation ever seen but enough to enter the dream of J. Michael Straczynski! A must to watch.
Rating:
Summary: B5 at its best although with some transfer issues
Review: Science fiction is the only place where you'll find an avowed atheist like Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Strazynski exploring life after death. That's the nice thing about fiction you can dive into things, stir things up and see what happens. Season 4 of B5 begins with an ending. Our main character John Sheridan is dead having died on the enemy world of Z'Ha'Dum. If there's any doubt, we're reminded by a glimpse of the jump Sheridan made when he had his ship the White Star crash into the city of the damned. Sheridan jumped off a balcony of a building into the jaws of a pit two miles deep. That's about as dead as it gets. So clearly resurrection is the only option for Strazynsky and, not surprisingly, Sheridan does the only other known resurrection since Christ. All isn't as it appears, though and if B5 referenced a popular religious figure, it wasn't in an attempt to convert others to the cause against the Shadows. Sheridan destroyed Z'Ha'Dum, killed a large amount of human Shadow collaborators (including his wife Anna Sheridan but...well she wasn't his wife any longer but something else entirely). So if the Shadow War appears to end a bit prematurely forgive JMS; he got the feeling that B5 might not be renewed and, unlike some series creators, he wanted to conclude his epic even if it was premature. Strazynski brings his savior back to the nasty war being fought against the evil Shadows. He manages to reunite a splintering alliance and convert those characters still sitting on the fence about the war itself. That meant that season 5 acted more as an extended coda for the war demonstrating the aftermath. Unfortunately, the dramatic conflict of a war is difficult to compete against and season 5 also had 4 previous well received seasons to work against. Nevertheless, season 5 is worth picking up for a number of outstanding episodes as well.
The highlights are many during season 4 which is probably the best season for the show. Highlights include "The Big Burn", "No Surrender, No Retreat" in which Sheridan takes on the corrupt Earth government which is continued in the arc episode "Rising Star" and "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars". The entire cast continued to give strong performances during season 4. I hate to say it but the transfer here actually looks worse in spots than during season 3. There's numerous digital artifacts, edge enhancement and the grainy, dark images only highlight the weaknesses of this transfer. The opening episode is among the worst with lots of grain problems evident in just about every scene. The image quality improves periodically throughout the disc. So expect variable image quality. At its best, B4 looks very good, at its worst, it's problematic. On the plus side, the analog artifacts have been reduced but it's not much of a trade off. It's a pity as it's unlikely that Warner will do another transfer of the series in the immediate future. Reportedly, the discs were mastered from new widescreen transfers (remember, it's not anamorphic. Anamorphic refers to the use of a lens to distort and stretch the picture. Widescreen essentially means that it's been matted). The optical effects vary in quality. In some scenes they look stunning while in others they are fuzzy looking. This is particularly noticeable in scenes where there's live action integrated with effects shots. I'm not really clear if this is due more to the higher frames per second "speed" for television or what was considered acceptable resolution when the series was produced. I had hoped that Warner Home Video might have solved this problem but I'm sure they probably had fairly tight budgets for revamping the series for DVD. No doubt sacrifices had to be made and it appears improving the resolution and sharpness of the opticals was one of them. It's not a huge distraction just a bit annoying at times. The sound varies from fair to exceptional. I noticed a considerable amount of compression during some episodes which made the dialog difficult to hear particularly if you listen to it in Surround Stereo. The remix is flat and static sounding dominant feature is dialogue. The sound quality varies from episode to episode with a lack of regularity. The extras are just as nice as the previous boxed sets We're treated to the season ending gag reel. I wish more boxed sets had these. It gives the viewer an inside peak into the fun and games that occur during the production of a series. We also get Data and Personal Files similar to previous seasons. They provide a bit of background on the characters and situations in the series. There's two episodes with commentary tracks provided by series creator J. Michael Strazynski and one with most of the regular cast. The former commentaries are interesting but be warned that Strazynski mentions a number of spoilers on future episodes and the fifth season. The cast clearly are having a ball ribbing each other and their fun is infectious. I'd recommend watching the episodes without commentary the first time (particularly the ones with Strazynski commenting). Curiously, there's never been an episode with commentary by the effects supervisors or directors. It would have been interesting to hear about the creation of the optical effects and how an episodic director approaches an individual episode of a series. Hidden inside this nicely packaged set is one of B5's finest seasons. The image and sound quality varies from very dicey to good. I'm a bit surprised given the fact that these are new digital transfers that the picture quality wasn't cleaned up a bit more. While there's less analog artifacts, the digital artifacts dominate much of the set. The sound quality varies from muddy and flat to very good. I'm curious if there were alternate scenes shot for European and Asian markets. If so, it might have been interesting to include these. The B5 extras have always been excellent despite the budget limitations that exist at putting together these DVD sets. I would have liked to see more features on optical effects and compositing. The commentaries by Strazynski and the cast are enlightening and fun.
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