Rating: 
Summary: At last we can exhale
Review: For years I've been fuming at the TV/DVD industry execs for inundating us with a lot of garbage TV show boxed sets and bypassing what all who have watched the entire B5 series hold as the greatest live-action TV Sci-Fi series to date. It really seemed that the fandom had to fight tooth and nail to get those bozos even to consider it. If they drop the ball on this and fail to produce (with quality) all 5 seasons, I feel I'll go on a murderous rampage. Nuff said about that.The true prize of this saga is the character development with the tight story arcs, but there is so much the series has to offer for a fan of sci-fi. The brilliant storylines of political intrigue, the social commentary, the space action, the effects... heck even the fact that the spaceships finally move like they are in zero gravity (spinning around while firing, etc) and not just like airplanes in space... well, you get my point, this is a definite must for any fan of sci-fi. True, someone who is new to the series will have to suffer through this first season, as it is largely episodic with many seemingly disconnected episodes, much like Trek or any other sci-fi show. But the rewards are great as you see the importance of much that went on in season 1 down the road. In season 2 things get interesting and seasons 3 and 4 really shine. But they cannot be FULLY appreciated without the season 1 foundation, so please bare with it; It is good in its own right when you compare it to other sci-fi shows of the time, e.g. DS9. (Anyone ever notice how DS9 started to have season-wide story arcs towards the end of its run, well after B5's arcs had been established? And to think the trek crowd dissed B5 for being a DS9 knockoff.)
Rating:
Summary: At last !
Review: This is the best sci-fi show of all times. 1st season is one of the best and it's a must have for fans.
We can't but wait for the 4 more seasons. And of course, I want to own them all !
Rating:
Summary: A SHOW OF EPIC PROPORTIONS
Review: B-5 is truly a story that takes five sessions to be told. Character development is fascinating to behold and the subplots are numerous and thought provoking. A show well worth watching over and over.
Rating: 
Summary: And so, it begins...B5 Season sets!
Review: At long last, the regular BABYLON 5 series finds its way to DVD and I, for one, couldn't be happier. J. Michael Straczynski developed an incredible assortment of characters rich with depth, complemented by engrossing story arcs and snappy dialogue. The first season is a solid introduction to the B5 universe, which really doesn't kick into high gear until Sheridan arrives in Season 2. However, a great foundation for the series is established in Season 1, and you certainly can't go wrong with characters like Susan Ivanova, Michael Garibaldi, Kosh, Londo Mollari, G'Kar, and Vir Cotto. Also, Season 1 brings us the wonder that is Zathras and sets up a great time-travel story not fully understood until a later season. So, thanks to everyone involved with bringing us the first B5 DVD set...Now where's Season 2?
Rating:
Summary: The greatest SF saga on TV finally makes it to DVD!
Review: B5 was always meant to be on DVD. It was shot in widescreen way back in 1993, when most shows at that time were thinking they were doing well with Dolby surround sound. Here we have the complete first season of the TV saga, in anamorphic widescreen, and remastered 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Not only that, but with shed loads of extras (including commentary tracks on some episodes by jms himself, no less). Wonderful. However, I can't comment yet on the DVD quality itself, since it hasn't been released at the time of writing this. But to the show. B5 is an acquired taste. It actually took me about a season and a half to get fully hooked, even though I could always see the potential there. This season box set is just that potential. B5 is a five year 'book on TV', and this being the first volume, there is a great deal of 'setup' for future stories. Most of the famous plotlines in the later seasons (e.g. the Shadow War) hark back to this first season in a very big way. Consequently, to get the most out of the series, you have to watch it in order. This boxset should be a great introduction to the series for newbies, and a treasure for those like me who lived and breathed the show when it was first on. Highlights of this season include 'And the Sky Full of Stars', 'Mind War', 'Signs and Portents', 'Chrysalis', 'A Voice in the Wilderness', 'Babylon Squared', and, ah hell, its just all great! Watch and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: We'll See...
Review: This is THE finest work of science fiction ever produced for television. The content alone(if you don't already own the VHS) is worthy of the price. Hopefully, remastering and special features will be involved, but I personally cannot wait to own the set.
Rating:
Summary: The Start of the Greatest Story Ever Told!
Review: This is the TV show that changed all tv show's in the Same genre. Before B5, Science fiction just moved from episode to episode, telling a new story every week. Well now every scifi/fantasy show builds its story on seasonal of series long story arc. And so it begins. Babylon 5 started out being very subversive. The creator, Joe Michael Straczynski was being watched very closely by the network so he could not do everything that he wanted to do. So how did he build his story? He did so by planting seeds in each episode that woulod sprout one, two , three even four years later. By watching the story unfold, it makes season one that much better. Season one is probibly the least best of the Five, but it is still better than any sci-fi season of any show ever made. The characters are still undeveloped. And let me explain that, The characters were not fully revealed so you did not know who was good or bad, in fact they did not know if they were good or bad. They had to be thrust into incredible scenarios to find out how they would react in a certain situation to find out what type of person they were. It is brilliant. And the scenarios that they were put into are incredible. The author really does a great job of leading you down one path only to find out that you are more lost, disturbed and manipulated than you ever imagined. And the writer is an author. He put the outline of a book together in 1987 and instead of trying to write it as a paper novel, he turned it into a tv novel. I believe he wrote about 90 of the 110 episodes made. that is over a thousand pages a year. Most people don't read that much. Eacvh episode is a new chapter driving the story and charaters deeper into a pit of despare and intregue that allows us to ask various questions on human nature. It is mythology, psycology, sociology, science fiction, politics, philosophy and allegory all in one. No author has ever built a more intense story and put all of his characters through such hell. Where do they end up? Well you will have to watch it to find out but if you decide not to, then you are missing the greatest peice of art that the TV has ever displayed. I recommened it for anyone who likes to think about things that matter, religeon, life, justice, crime, punishment, chaos, order, how to let go and how to move on. It is all there. It has always been there!
Rating:
Summary: Get hooked on a wonderfully complex show.
Review: This show is fantastic. The complexity of the characters and story have rarely exceeded what I have seen in this show. Every character in this series has many motives. Every time you think you know a character, they do something that will completely change your opinion of them. "Babylon 5" uses science fiction to it's fullest by using the future as an allegory for modern issues. These issues include euthanasia, racism, religious conflict, civil rights, government oversight, nations sitting on the sidelines during genocide, and when to cross the line between pacifism and violence. Every action taken on B5 has a consequence, and every issue addressed tries to represent both sides. The story is so complex that things brought up in the pilot, are referred to in the fifth season.
Some people don't quite like the first season as much as the others. For me, it is one of my favorite seasons. It is true that the cast are still finding their rhythm, much of the story is about the set-up for the following seasons, and the effects are a bit low budget and sparse (especially by today's standards). Still, the story is so wonderful that I found it very hard not to be drawn in. Also, I may be in the minority, but I really enjoy Michael O'Hare as Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair. Some find him wooden, but I think he had a certain strength and determination that I really enjoyed about his character. I want to say more, but it's difficult to talk about this show without giving spoilers away.
For a very basic plot, Babylon 5 is a space station which acts as a cross between the United Nations and a Trading Post. There were a few big space wars, so now the major and minor races meet at Babylon 5 to try to work out their differences without resorting to violence. Since the Minbari vs. Earth and Centari vs. Narn wars had recently ended, there are still many who have animosity towards their former foes, and constant conflicts are inevitable. At the same time, B5 is where aliens from all planets gather to make both legitimate and shady (...or shadowy?) deals. That's about as much as I can say, without giving away too much. There are a lot of small fights, large battles, backstabbing characters, creepy telepaths, and alien races that are defined by more than a just a spiny forehead.
ADVISE for those new to the series: First, you have to track down and watch the pilot "The Gathering". It sets up the entire first season. It's really low budget, but you need to see it. Second, don't watch any of the other B5 movies, because they will give away the story. After Season 4 you can watch "In the Beginning", and the rest of them after you are done with the show. Finally, don't listen to ANY of the commentaries or watch ANY of the extras. They are full of spoilers for the whole series, which I discovered (much to my disappointment).
Rating:
Summary: a great introduction to the next 4 seasons.
Review: i watched this show from beginning to end and can't believe that people critized this season. the best part of it was michael ohare as commander of the station. claudia christian i think was at her best this season before the writers decided that she needed more diplomacy(bull) we liked her just the way she was.
and the ambassadors, all are played by fantastic actors. mira furlan is the best one as the minbari ambassador from minbar. gkar and londo are good too and their battles with each other are priceless.
when michael left after season one there was a void in the show that all the bruce boxliners in the world could not fill. although we would all come to love him, i wonder what the show would have been like if michael had stayed on.
Rating:
Summary: Oh the Pain....But it was Worth it.
Review: Please, don't judge this series by it's painfully dull first episodes. I read the reviews and was prepared for it. So as I sat patiently waiting for it to get better I knew there was hope in the form of seasons 2-5. So bear with the bad acting (does not apply to all actors)horrendous and often laughable music and dear lord the tedious plots. Because I promise every single one of those things improves tenfold. The music must have been complained about because it is completely different. Some actors were replaced and others became more comfortable with their roles. And the plot actually produced audible gasps from me at more than one point. Quite a challenge and I never saw it coming. So bear with it and you won't be disappointed.
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