Rating: 
Summary: A Wild Ride on the Wild Side
Review: Season 4 on B5 is when it all comes apart and gets back together again for the characters and plot lines on this fabulous show.
It's a shame it's not still on the Sci-Fi Channel or TNT because even rewatching the show again and again is a pleasure. Luckily, we have the DVD sets so all us "B5'ers" can continue to enjoy the experience. I have no complaints about disc quality, not being a techie with a state-of-the-art video/audio system. The dvd's play nicely on my little cobbled-together group of boxes, and besides, I'm so absorbed in the shows I rarely notice glitches!
The only other "space opera" that followed such a closely planned arc of stories was "Deep Space Nine", which is for my money superior to B5 in sets, acting, and special effects---the Star Trek bunch just had more money! However, for pure entertainment with some excellent actors (who became better over the 5 years), it would be hard to beat Babylon 5. The 4th season is a wild ride on the wild side of science fiction television, and I highly recommend it to all its fans---present and future.
Rating:
Summary: The best TV show ever comes to a premature end.
Review: Season 4 suffered from the need to wrap-up the entire arc in 22 episodes, because there was no assurance that the show would be renewed. This forced JMS to narrate the end of the Vorlon/Shadow conflict and the conclusions of the Minbari and Earth civil wars in a very rushed way. It's a miracle that the show maintained any coherence at all, but it did!The main problem, excluding the rushed feeling of many episodes, which was unavoidable, concerns the plot line dealing with Sheridan's resurrection and Lorien. Ah, Lorien, is there any B5 fan that actually liked that character? Lorien must be the worst plot device, the worst kind of Deus ex whatever, ever used in a major SF show. Did I mention I really hated Lorien? On the plus side are the special effects and action sequences that in this season get better than they were previously. Very effective special effects, done on the cheap, were always a B5 specialty, but season 4 had some of the best. The music also is very moving. Also on the plus side, this season has many magnificent, inspiring and disturbing moments. I will give a partial list, because there are so many of them. I guess you will have to watch the entire set to see what I mean. Top of my list of disturbing and exciting episodes is the killing of Kosh 2 in "Falling Toward Apotheosis". Killing an ambassador is a very unethical act. In this case it was necessary, and the last remains of Kosh 1 do the actual killing. Still, Lyta's deception is shocking. There is a symbolic aspect: an act of liberation is involved in the killing of Kosh 2, because the Vorlons had been playing gods for so long. The assassination of Centauri emperor Cartagia, in "The long Night" is also a very dramatic and well-acted episode. In some sense, it is also the killing of a false god. In the same episode, the Shadows take the bait that will draw them (and the Vorlons) to the Coriana 6 encounter in "Into The Fire". The set-up is great, but the actual encounter is one of the show worst disasters: "Into the Fire", rather than being the apex of the series is, in fact, one of the lamest episodes. The space scenes involving the liberation fleet approach to Earth are magnificent in "Endgame". Also very effective are the action scenes on Mars in the same episode. "Endgame" is truly an action-packed classic! An episode with almost no action, absolutely no special effects, but very good acting is "Intersections in Real Time". It still shocks me, and I have watched it many times. The season four finale, "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars" is somehow depressing: it is the "bad" finale. The "good" finale, "Sleeping in the Light" was filmed for season four, but used in season five, so "Deconstruction" (the first episode of season five) was used instead. It is a fitting end to an unsettling, sometimes infuriating, but still splendid season.
Rating:
Summary: A rollicking ride
Review: Season 4 takes us on a rollercoaster ride. High tension and quiet introspection. Deft intrigue and sprited action. In this one season we participate - for we cannot help become invested in the story - with the crew in - ending the Shadow war, where the heroes had no chance to match the force of the Shadows - a Minbari civil war - an Earth civil war - a season long sub-plot with a key individual - love, peace, violence and death Was the cast comprised of only the greatest thespians? No.
Is the CGI starting to look a little rough? A bit.
Is the story constantly compelling? Damned straight! As a season, this one is excellent. And Babylon 5 is exceptional as a whole.
Rating:
Summary: Great television, but the dvds could be better
Review: Season 4 was the most eventful season of Babylon 5, the best science fiction series ever to air on American television. If anything, the season was a bit too packed, since the resolution of the civil war with Earth was rushed to a conclusion because the season was in danger of cancellation as the result of the collapse of its syndication network (Season 5 was picked up at the last minute by a cable network, and only the second half of season 5 is worthwhile).
Despite its abundance of plot, Season 4 was as literate as the previous seasons. The directing, special effects, and acting continued to be solid. Every single episode this season works; there are no duds to be found. The characters and their development are as fascinating as ever. The ideas that are put into play are often intriguing. Babylon 5 is always much more than simple space opera.
The dvd collections are great to own, but they are far from perfect. The transfers are watchable, but both the video and audio could be better. The extra features are nice, but are not plentiful.
Though some may be disappointed by the package, anybody with a taste for intelligent science fiction will find Babylon 5 to be a monumental experience they will never forget.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent sci-fi dvd box set
Review: The B5 boxset(s) are a great addition to any sci-fi buff's video collection. The episodes build, so it's recommended to start with the first season.
Rating:
Summary: Babylon 5 Season Four - An incomparable penultimate season!
Review: The fourth season of Babylon 5 is titled "No Surrender, No Retreat" and boy o boy does it meet that title head on wear it proudly. Simply put, this fourth chapter in the five chapters (seasons) that ingenious creator J.M. Straczynski wrote entirely on his own is one of the most incredible and entertaining seasons of television ever produced. From the very beginning of the series J.M. Straczynski had been tailoring this extraordinary space "opera" to an ultimate conclusion through a multiple faceted series of plots, sub plots, twists and turns and all of that is paid off in immeasurable quality through this fourth season which is a collection heartrending, enlightening and ultimately supremely satisfying episodes that are, to say the least, unforgettable. This wide sweeping season imparts a great many details that are incredible in the breadth and scope of the entire series. In past reviews for Babylon 5, I've highlight episodes that stood out among the rest. In the case of this fourth season, I find that to be impossible as every single episode of the season is incredible; so, what follows is a synopsis of the season which I hope gives everyone a good idea of how the season goes without breaking it down into to much detail. The fourth season: At the conclusion of the third season, Sheridan had "sacrificed" himself in the hopes of destroying the Shadows at Z'Ha'Dum. The fourth season leads in with Sheridan still missing which also leads into a search for Mr. Garibaldi who went missing at about the same time as Sheridan. This incredible fourth season coalesces into several universe shattering events such as; Sheridan's return from Z'Ha'Dum despite no one ever doing so before and he's brought with him "a" First One in Lorien; G'Kar leaves B5 to search for Mr. Garibaldi as he is his only non Narn friend which leads him to a doom "and" enlightenment he could never have imagined; Sheridan and Delenn organizes the League Worlds into an alliance against the Shadows; Garibaldi returns but he is not quite who he used to be; Mollari determines that Emperor Cartagia must go before Centauri Prime is wiped out as the Vorlons begin eradicating any planet that is under Shadow influence; Sheridan finds he must remove the Vorlon ambassador from B5. The Shadow War comes to an extremely exciting battle involving Sheridan's forces which includes the League Worlds, the White Star fleet and several of the First Ones against both the Vorlons and the Shadows all ending in a somewhat melodramatic but highly intriguing conclusion to the Shadow War... Beyond the wonderfully scripted Shadow War in this first part of the season there are the wonderfully crafted scenes in which Mollari goes to Centauri Prime and removes Emperor Cartagia, resulting in a great surprise for him but one in which he had previously envisioned. With the Shadow War now concluded, Sheridan now begins to look at the untenable situation at home with President Clark; Delenn is called home as her relationship with Sheridan is in question and in doing so she discovers a truth about Minbari racial purity that is quite telling; Garibaldi involves himself in a scheme to remove Sheridan; Franklin and Marcus embark on a plan to assist the Mars Resistance; due to the Grey Council having been disbanded by Delenn during the Shadow War a civil war breaks out on Minbar between the religious and warrior castes resulting in an amazing scene on Minbar between Delenn and Neroon. Sheridan, no longer able to stand by and watch President Clark kill innocent civilians launches his fleet towards Earth via Proxima 3 and Mars, hoping to free those worlds of the Earth Force fleets blockading them; Garibaldi expends the ultimate betrayal upon Sheridan only to find that he wasn't exactly in his right mind in doing so; Sheridan must endure torture at the hands of Earth Force interrogators; Ivanova leads an incredible battle against Earth Force ships enhanced with Shadow technology which results in the ultimate sacrifice of two characters down the road; Garibaldi, now free of the influence he was under, leads a mission to free Sheridan. In one of the most incredible hours of episodic television ever created, "Endgame" brings the entire series to the ultimate moment of decisions as Sheridan's forces free Mars and head for Earth to remove President Clark. Few series has ever created such a dramatic episode through years of setup such as this one; this episode is a true treat for the fans! What follows in "Rising Star" is fairly incredible as well as Sheridan is forced to resign but he and Delenn made plans for that eventuality as well. I highly recommend not only this incredible fourth season of Babylon 5 but the preceding three and the fifth season to any and all fans of great Science Fiction that includes extraordinary writing, acting and visual eye candy. Simply put, this is an incredible and extraordinary season and series! {ssintrepid} Episode List: The Hour of the Wolf
Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?
The Summoning
Falling Toward Apotheosis
The Long Night
Into the Fire
Epiphanies
The Illusion of Truth
Atonement
Racing Mars
Lines of Communication
Conflicts of Interest
Rumors, Bargains and Lies
Moments of Transition
No Surrender, No Retreat
The Exercise of Vital Powers
The Face of the Enemy
Intersections in Real Time
Between the Darkness and the Light
Endgame
Rising Star
The Deconstruction of Falling Stars Special Features: -All new digital widescreen transfers
-Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1
-All new Introduction by Series Creator J. Michael Straczynski
-Audio commentary on 3 key episodes
-Episode Previews
-Celestial Sounds
-No Surrender, No Retreat DVD Suite
-The Universe of Babylon 5
*Data Files: Voice of the Resistance, Edgars Industries, Mars Resistance, Battle for Earth, Proxima 3
*Personnel Files: Lyta Alexander, Kosh II, Cartagia, Lorien, Neroon
Gag Reel
Rating:
Summary: Possibly the best season of the five
Review: The fourth season of Babylon 5 wraps up the series admirably, and in my view is much stronger than season five. If not for "Sleeping in Light" it would be fine if the entire series ended with "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars". The season itself is very tight. There isn't a lot of non-arc stuff, which is fine with me. Of the many subplots and loos ends that get resolved, look for Londo to sink even deeper into darkness while in Emperor Cartagia's court. The Minbari civil war comes to a head, with a very unexpected outcome for both the war and for Neroon. The acting is more than adequate. Of particular note, Wortham Krimmer is fantastic as the sadistic and depraved Emperor Cartagia. Andreas Katsulas has never been better as Citizen G'Kar. We understand the reason for the Shadow/Vorlon conflict...if if you don't know what the reason is, stay tuned...you might just find yourself agreeing with the Shadow point of view. Looking forward to a good long acquaintance with this B5 season.
Rating:
Summary: Babylon 5 Season 4-Worth the Wait
Review: There is by far more action per/second in the fourth season than in any 2 of the previous seasons combined. Almost all the story lines started during the early episodes are brought to a satisfying conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: 2261 - My Favorite Year in the Future
Review: Things are looking dark for our heroes. As this year opens, Garibaldi is missing and Sheridan is missing, presumed dead. Even though they are both alive (as we learn from the opening credits), things are dark. The Vorlons and the Shadows are no longer hiding behind allies and have launched a full scale war, using the younger races as the targets. Can Sheridan use what he's learned to bring a peaceful end to the fighting? Plus there's the situation on Earth with dictator President Clark. Throw in Garibaldi's weird behavior and you've got a full season that catches your interest and never lets go. Since JMS didn't know for sure if he'd actually get season 5, he worked hard to bring major plot threads together in season 4. As a result, this year is packed with action and story, but there are some wonderful character arcs as well. I've always found Garibaldi's to be the most interesting of the season, but Vir gets some great moments early on as well. Londo and G'Kar's relationship also takes some unexpected turns that are wonderful. I love watching that duo at work. Frankly, this season will always hold a special place in my heart because it's when I started watching. Hard for me to believe now, but my first episode was "Into the Fire." If it weren't for some very patient friends, I would have been lost, but I managed to stick in there, getting so hooked on the Earth plot that I couldn't stop watching. Later, when I'd seen the rest of the show, I realized exactly what I had missed in way of back story. Naturally, I don't recommend starting here. The way JMS is able to bring plot threads together is truly amazing this season and worth every hour spent watching the first three seasons for the payoff (not that that's a chore by any stretch of the imagination.) Still, I'll always have fond memories of waiting impatiently each week to see what happens next and the long wait over the summer to see how they'd resolve the mid season cliffhanger. This DVD set is in perfect keeping with the others that have come out. Picture quality is mostly good with the occasional grain or spot. A tad distracting, but overall sharper then my video tapes. Sound is wonderful in full surround. Again we get three commentaries. The cast commentary, featuring Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Peter Jurasik, and Patricia Tallman is entertaining if not very informative. (I'll never look at Jerry's head the same way again, however.) JMS does his usual two commentaries. He's joined by director Michael Vejar on "Face of the Enemy" for a fascinating look at creating that pivotal episode. And he does his usual interesting look at "Deconstruction of Falling Stars," the unusual fourth season finale. The special features are rounded out by an introduction on disc 1, a new documentary on the music of the show, a new suite of music set against visuals from the season, the usual data and personnel files, and finally a gag reel. I will confess I almost missed this, but it was great. Makes me wish more then ever that we'd gotten to see the gag reels from the previous seasons. If you're a fan of this show, you must get this set. It's worth every penny spent. And if you've never seen the show, DVD is a wonderful way to discover this wonderful show. I just suggest being smarter then I was and starting with season 1.
Rating: 
Summary: A great season
Review: This is one of the best seasons of B5.
It showed to end of the shadow wars, the resoltion of the earth conflict. This is a show that I would skip out on my friends, miss family meeting, pretty much drop everything I was doing for fear of my VCR failing and missing a show. (More of a threat is the way the cahnnel in San Anonio shamelessly kept changing the start times without ever mentioning it.)
This is what SciFI should be. In fact it is so good that it retractivly destroy TNG in my mind and set up at lot of different show (even outside the scifi scope) with high standards to reach.
Continuity is not something that was important to me before this show but it is now something I expect for any good quality show.
This is one of the few SciFi shows that doesn't abuse the fact that it is SciFi to get its characters out of a jam or to force them to act in a way against their character.
My only complaints is that the end felt rushed (not B5's fault since at the time they did not know that TNT would be picking up the series.) and I did not really like the way the shadow war ended - but that shadow war ending made perfect sense that is just a personal dislike of mine.
All-in-all another successful season.
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