Babylon 5: The Complete Third Season (Repackage) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Babylon Project was our last, best hope for peace. It failed.
In the Year of the Shadow War, it became something greater: our last, best hope... for victory."
This narration is spoken during the opening credit sequence of this season. The credit sequence is much different this season than its predecessors. Gone is the optimistic theme music of the first two seasons, in its place is the much sadder Requiem for the Line. It establishes very well the dark places that this season will take us.
The production values of the show seem to improve quite a bit this season, and we see more great work behind the camera from directors like Mike Vejar. The whole show seems to hang together very organically now, as even the stories that don't directly reference that main story arc (the few that there are) are quite good, especially "Passing Through Gesetheme," which is a true science fiction (opposed to sci-fi fantasy) story that explores the theological issues of telepathy. Even the lesser stories pack an unexpected punch, such as "Dust to Dust" which starts out with a pretty unremarkable story of Garibaldi and Bester hunting down drug dealers, but ends with a beautiful scene that heartbreakingly portrays the spiritual redemption of one of the main characters.
Marcus Cole is a great addition to the season. This character could have gone wrong in so many ways, but good casting and writng made him work wonderfully. The White Star also worked out really well after a rocky start. (The first set design in "Matters of Honor" was admittedly not that great, but they quickly fixed it). These two changes also worked well because they were a natural outgrowth of the direction the story was moving, and not just an attempt to get better ratings (as some shows are known to do).
There is much good drama this season. Here, the show really lived up to its billing as a "novel for TV". This season was a great examination of pain, loss, sacrifice, redemption, and most importantly hope. The final words of the season sum up the overall message better than I ever could:
"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain."

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Babylon 5: The Complete First Season (Repackage) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Since B5 Year One is considered by many here as a mere warm-up to the rest of the series, I present the following First Season entries as essential and fantastic Babylon 5 viewing. These episodes alone make the entire first year well worth the purchasing:
(Fear not: No spoilers here.)
DEATHWALKER: You'll love the sheer toughness of this one. A villain beyond understanding or redemption. Sinclair and Garibaldi willing to buck the system to do what's right. Sarah Douglas' electrifying portrayal of a character that even death is too good for. N'Toth at her wrench-swingin' best. Cool FX. The great twist and turns throughout leading up to an unexpected trump card played from an unexpected quarter. Riveting throughout.
MIND WAR: This was the first episode that many saw the series for what it was rather than "Well, it is doing right for what Next Gen is doing wrong." It was with this story that fans began to love B5 for ITSELF. Huge threat, huge stakes. A dynamite intro to the Psi Corps and Bester. (Giving us a new appreciation for Walter Koenig by revealing an acting ability that was NEVER properly spotlighted by Trek) A story that's awe-inspiring, imaginative, and intense. And, oh yeah...the sub plot about Katherine and Sigma 957 with G'Kar's speech capping the whole thing. "No one is what they appear to be" indeed. (And Psi Cop Kelsey is pretty darn cute too)
A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS: This two-parter about the Great Machine is simply epic. Numerous factions dealing with a powerful and deadly discovery, the ticking clock, Sinclair's surprising willingness to oppose his own. The incredible FX, and two unlikely characters working together for the first time. Just delightful.
AND THE SKY FULL OF STARS: If you're a sucker for War Stories, here is all that and more. A great, intriguing payoff which raises as many questions as it answers (a B5 hallmark). Christopher Neame is a delightfully over-the-top heavy, the stylized FX has emotional impact as well as a cool factor, Chris Franke's chilling and sophisticated score, and of course there's the teeniest chance that the series from this point on is all in the mind.
BABYLON SQUARED: This one's an all-out rocket ride. Fully satisfying on it's own, this episode is also sequelized in a Third Season 2-parter. Here's a B5 that has it all, delivering what this series does best, action, intrigue, laughs (in the form of the could-have-been-annoying-but-was-great Zathras), high stakes, ect.
CHRYSALIS: Wow! Nothing was the same after this one. The best Season-ender SF had ever seen (Until B5 topped it in both Second and then Third years!). When watching this, you can feel the rug being pulled out from everyone's feet and the show take a decidedly dark and epic turn. The surprises and emotions keep hitting one after another until the end credits.
And perhaps the best Season One episode...
SIGNS AND PORTENTS: This brings home the idea that a true epic tale is being told. Not merely a series with strong threads of continuity, but clearly, Babylon 5 is a capitol "S" Story. Of course, stunning FX, music, and performances by regulars and guests alike, Morden's incredibly cool, creepy introduction, the Raider battle supreme, and Ladira's chilling vision of B5's possible fate.
Though, the above entries are essential viewing for the overall saga, Season One has some other very worthwhile episodes such as: BELIEVERS, LEGACIES, SOUL HUNTER, and, THE QUALITY OF MERCY.
Thanks for listening.

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Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 06/16/2009Rating: Nr

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Babylon 5: The Complete Second Season (Repackage) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the year things really started to heat up and the overall story arc of this series' five-year plan began to edge out the more stand-alone episodes. About halfway into the season, Babylon 5 becomes a true chapter-by-chapter affair.
In fact, series creator, J. Michael Straczynski's saga became so continuity driven, that by the last third of this season, he went from the show's most prolific writer to its ONLY writer. This Herculean task would challenge him for the next two and a half seasons (and three B5 movie specials) without a break.
Amazingly, this staggering amount of work didn't decrease the quality of writing; Just the opposite. I'd go so far as to say that jms' unbroken marathon of scripts running from late Season Two through the end of Season Four is an unmatched body of work in all of science fiction television (perhaps ANY television, period).
Like Buffy and The X-Files, Babylon 5's Season Two pulled in casual viewers and Season One viewers became unmitigated addicts with no turning back.
Here's a SPOILER-FREE smattering of the some of the better Season Two Babylon 5 entries (as small a list as I could bring myself to provide!):
REVELATIONS: Without fanfare or preamble, one of the central mysteries of this saga is revealed and a major character will never be the same again after a certain "change".
AND NOW FOR A WORD: The first (but not last) of Babylon 5's refreshing experiments in format. This episode is done entirely as a futuristic "60 Minutes" or "24 Hours" type program, which visits Space Station Babylon 5 and digs deep with hard hitting, exploitive journalism, bringing one character to tears and also illuminating the seemingly dark motivations of another.
IN THE SHADOW OF ZA `HA `DUM: An intense episode about personal loss and sacrifice when two powerfully opposed characters square off. Bruce Boxleitner does some of his best work in this episode as John Sheridan's personal agenda puts him in conflict with his staunchest allies.
DIVIDED LOYALTIES: The less revealed the here, the better. You need to see this one for yourself. A jaw dropping surprise awaits. Without spoiling here, I've noticed that whenever Star Trek does the same kind of story that B5 does in this episode, they turn it into a cheap stunt by promoting away any possible audience surprise (Spock's TNG guest appearance, for example). Here is a good example of how anything is possible on this series without warning!
THE LONG TWILIGHT STRUGGLE: A massive and dramatic conclusion to a major storyline. Breathtaking effects, performances, surprises, and great tragedy capped off with tremendous performances by Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar and Peter Jurasic as Londo.
COMES THE INQUISITOR: The most claustrophobic and intense episode so far, featuring one of the best guest performances by Wayne Alexander (Babylon 5's favorite utility guest player) as The Inquisitor. This atmospheric and experimental episode (almost a two-person stage play) also features a tour-de-force performance by Mira Furlan's Delenn.
THE FALL OF NIGHT: A Season-ender, which does the seemingly impossible job of topping Season One's finale. The (very story-supporting) special effects pushed the state of the art at that time and still hold up magnificently today. The story itself is a pressure cooker, but the topper is a MAJOR series revelation.
Saving the best for last...
THE COMING OF SHADOWS: This Season's best episode (which is saying something) won the Hugo (A major award from the Science Fiction community) for Best Dramatic Presentation of the Year, beating out other entries in television AND feature films. It's easy to see why. The drama, subtlety, surprise turns, and razor sharp dialogue are positively Shakespearian. A pillar of the series as a whole. Also, here's a good model to study for any serious writer of television drama.
Of course, the balance of this season has some dynamite episodes such as GROPOS, SOUL MATES, A RACE THROUGH DARK PLACES, and ACTS OF SACRIFICE.
Season Two is wonderful, with even the weakest episode well worth watching. It's a solid improvement on a perfectly fine inaugural season...and year three is even better!
Happy Viewing!

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Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ranger David Martell (Dylan Neal) has committed a horrid offense - staying alive. The Ranger code strictly states that at no time shall a Ranger back down from a fight. But with his ship out-gunned, David doesn't force a fight, thereby living to fight another day.
A funny thing happens on the way to his court marshal. Saner heads prevail, and he is allowed to stay in the Rangers. He was in line to be given command of a new ship just coming off the assembly line. He does still get to command a ship, but he is given command of a 20-year-old Minbari ship rumored to be haunted.
His first assignment is to provide support for a larger ship taking a group of delegates to an undisclosed location. Even with all the secrecy, they still fly into an ambush, and David and his crew must use every trick up their sleeve if they are going to survive this encounter with an ancient race.
I had only watched this movie once, the day it first aired. I was less then impressed. I bought it mainly so I could complete my Babylon 5 collection. The movie was actually better then I remembered.
The story presented here is entertaining. It had been long enough since I had seen it that I couldn't remember much about it and was pulled into the action again. The acting by a group of unknowns is top notch, and the characters are interesting enough that I wish the series had been picked up so we could learn more about them. Fan favorite Andreas Katsulas (who unfortunately passed away recently) returns as G'Kar, the only character from the original series to appear. His performance, as always, is great. And the dialog is witty. I was laughing out loud at many of the lines. This is some of the sharpest writing series creator J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) has done. This is all supported by great special effects.
Unfortunately, the flaws I remembered were still here. If this had been the pilot for a new series, it would have worked well. It introduces us to a new danger and sets a potentially interesting story in motion. However, since this was all we got, it feels empty. Adding to this is the sense we've done this before in the original series. I'm sure a series would have gone in a new direction, but here "The Hand" just felt like a retreat of original series villains The Shadows.
The almost fatal flaw of this movie, however, is the weapons systems. I mean, seriously, what was JMS thinking. In order for this ship to fire, the ammunitions officer must go into a virtual reality chamber and use Kung Fu moves. I'm not kidding! She has to punch and kick at pictures of the ships in order to fire the weapons. While the visuals are unique and interesting, the idea that a ship would have a weapons system like that is laughable. It pulls me right out of the movie.
This movie was never popular with fans, and in keeping with that, this is a bare bones release. We get the movie in widescreen and surround sound with nothing in the way of extras. I'm a little disappointed. I would have loved to hear JMS attempt to explain the stupid weapons system.
This is not the place to get introduced to Babylon 5. If you are interested in a great science fiction show, start with the season sets. This is a movie only a fan will love, and even then, most fans don't.

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Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers is a two-hour television movie created by J. Michael Straczynski (original creator of the Babylon 5 series) for the Sci-Fi Channel. The telefilm takes place in 2264 after the wars are over and a new age of space exploration has begun. The Interstellar Alliance has been organized to establish and maintain peace among its member worlds, including Earth. The Rangers are an elite military force made up of hand-picked young, smart, dedicated human and alien members who combine the high-tech elements of space travel with the idealism and honor of the knights of old. They encounter a previously unknown alien race whose lethal power is far greater than any force previously known to Earth or any other world in the Interstellar Alliance.

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Babylon 5: The Complete Seasons 1-5 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a lover of sci-fi series, it's great to see such a saga sold as a set. The reality for the B5 connoisseur is that this isn't the Full Monty. You should also purchase "Babylon 5 - The Movie Collection" and the B5 spin-offs "Crusade - The Complete Series" and "The Legend of the Rangers". The reasons are indicated below in my recommended viewing order.
1. Watch the B5 movie "The Gathering"
The Babylon 5 pilot movie The Gathering was originally broadcast in 1993 a full year ahead of the regular show.
2. Season 1
3. Season 2
4. Season 3
5. Watch Season 4 up to episode "The illusion of truth"
6. Watch the B5 movie "Thirdspace"
7. Season 4: continue with episodes 9-22
8. Watch Season 5 up to episode "Objects at Rest"
9. Watch the B5 movie "River of Souls"
10. Watch the B5 movie "In the Beginning"
This is a prelude set 10 years before Babylon 5. Against the logic of the title, I would strongly recommend seeing it at this stage. Should one see it before Season 1, much of the suspense in the main series would be ruined.
11. Watch the B5 movie "A Call to Arms"
This movie lays the groundwork for the spin-off TV series "Crusade".
12. Watch the B5 movie "The Lost Tales" [Thanks to Eric Pregosin for his comments to build on the original list]
13. Watch the B5 movie "The Legend of the Rangers" [Thanks to Lisa for her recommendation]
14. Season 5: watch final episode "Sleeping in light"
15. Watch Crusade Series
The question which is debated in several other reviews is: Despite the release dates of the material produced, in what order should it be seen? In particular, if the viewer is a total new comer to the series. The above is an attempt to give some structure to great content so it is more enjoyable as a complete work.
PS - It is astounding that the Warner marketing dept. gives no official recommendation on how these products should be best enjoyed.

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