BABYLON 5 REMASTERED: A Retrospective and Rewatch Thread!

[Flash525]

As a huge sci-fi fan, I'm insulted that I didn't get a mention in the opening post.

 

[Teelie]

I had no idea they were actually doing a remaster either. I remember well over a decade ago they talking about how it would be too expensive to redo the effects shots because it was done on video or something. I have the original on DVD's in those giant boxes they came in. If they release the remasters on Blu-ray or even DVD I would probably buy those.

 

[DKDetective]

As a huge sci-fi fan, I'm insulted that I didn't get a mention in the opening post.

I tried to remember and include everyone who I had knew had an interest, but obviously hard to remember everyone! But you are here now and I fixed the opening post as well!

 

[Flash525]

I tried to remember and include everyone who I had knew had an interest, but obviously hard to remember everyone! But you are here now and I fixed the opening post as well!

Edit: if I might clarify, this will be available for UK Amazon accounts, right? I don't own one, but I have reason too now, especially if there's truth to Zilla, MK & Snyders Justice League making its way there..

 

[moviefreak]

Edit: if I might clarify, this will be available for UK Amazon accounts, right? I don't own one, but I have reason too now, especially if there's truth to Zilla, MK & Snyders Justice League making its way there..

AFAIK, it's available on Amazon rental. I'm not sure but when you subscribe to Amazon Prime Video, you'll get 30 days (maybe 60 days?) free trial before your first payment. Now, I'm not sure if the 30-days free trial is inclusive of Babylon 5, however you can catch up on things like The Expanse and many other TV series & movies in the collection.

 

[moviefreak]

Nice trend to start off the B5 rewatch.

I have already started on the pilot 'The Gathering' and the first 2 episodes of the season.

For the new-comer to the series, I would recommend not to watch the stand-alone movie, 'In The Beginning' before anything else as it is full of spoilers.

I posted a png link in my signature to the idealised viewing order. Just to make it readable, this is what I would suggest:

The Gathering (Movie / Babylon 5 Pilot)

--------------------------
Babylon 5: Season One
--------------------------
Midnight on the Firing Line
Soul Hunter
Born to the Purple
Infection
The Parliament of Dreams
Mind War
The War Prayer
And The Sky Full Of Stars
Deathwalker
Believers
Survivors
By Any Means Necessary
Signs and Portents
Grail
Eyes
A Voice in the Wilderness - Part 1
A Voice in the Wilderness - Part 2
Babylon Squared
The Quality of Mercy
TKO
Legacies
Chrysalis

--------------------------
Babylon 5: Season Two
--------------------------
Points of Departure
Revelations
The Geometry of Shadows
A Distant Star
The Long Dark
A Spider in the Web
A Race Through Dark Places
Soul Mates
The Coming of Shadows
GROPOS
All Alone in the Night
Acts of Sacrifice
Hunter, Prey
There All the Honor Lies
And Now For a Word
Knives
In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum
Confessions and Lamentations
Divided Loyalties
The Long, Twilight Struggle
Comes the Inquisitor
The Fall of Night

--------------------------
Babylon 5: Season Three
--------------------------
Matters of Honor
Convictions
A Day in the Strife
Passing Through Gethsemane
Voices of Authority
Dust to Dust
Exogenesis
Messages from Earth
Point of No Return
Severed Dreams
Ceremonies of Light and Dark
A Late Delivery From Avalon
Sic Transit Vir
Ship of Tears
Interludes and Examinations
Walkabout
War Without End, Part One
War Without End, Part Two
Grey 17 Is Missing
And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place
Shadow Dancing
Z'ha'dum

--------------------------
Babylon 5: Season Four
--------------------------
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

Thirdspace (TNT TV Movie)

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

In the Beginning (TNT TV Movie)

--------------------------
Babylon 5: Season Five
--------------------------
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
In the Kingdom of the Blind
A Tragedy of Telepaths
Phoenix Rising
The Ragged Edge
Day of the Dead
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
The Fall of Centauri Prime
Wheel of Fire
Objects in Motion
Objects at Rest

River of Souls (TNT TV Movie)

The Legend of the Rangers - To Live and Die in Starlight (SciFi Channel TV Movie / Failed Pilot)

A Call to Arms (TNT TV Movie)

--------------------------
Crusade: Season One
--------------------------
Racing the Night
The Needs of Earth
The Memory of War
The Long Road
Visitors from Down the Street
The Well of Forever
Each Night I Dream of Home
Patterns of the Soul
The Path of Sorrows
Ruling from the Tomb
The Rules of the Game
War Zone
Appearances and Other Deceits

The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark (WB DVD Movie)

Over Here
Over There

--------------------------------
Babylon 5: Season Five concluded
--------------------------------
Sleeping in Light

---------------------------------
Babylon 5: Season Four concluded
---------------------------------
The Deconstruction of Falling Stars

 

[Flash525]

AFAIK, it's available on Amazon rental. I'm not sure but when you subscribe to Amazon Prime Video, you'll get 30 days (maybe 60 days?) free trial before your first payment.

It's 30 days - I used to have it for Lucifer (before it moved to Netflix) and a few other shows, but I ultimately found that Amazon was limited with much of its content on the rental.

At least with Netflix, and Disney, you pay that monthly fee (or annual) and you know you can watch whatever you want.

Now, I'm not sure if the 30-days free trial is inclusive of Babylon 5, however you can catch up on things like The Expanse and many other TV series & movies in the collection.

Oh I'm already up to date with the expanse; I have other means of watching episodes that're released on a weekly basis, but with something like the Babylon 5 remaster, it would be difficult getting ahold of all the episodes in the remastered quality.

 

[moviefreak]

It's 30 days - I used to have it for Lucifer (before it moved to Netflix) and a few other shows, but I ultimately found that Amazon was limited with much of its content on the rental.

At least with Netflix, and Disney, you pay that monthly fee (or annual) and you know you can watch whatever you want.

Oh I'm already up to date with the expanse; I have other means of watching episodes that're released on a weekly basis, but with something like the Babylon 5 remaster, it would be difficult getting ahold of all the episodes in the remastered quality.

No problem as long as you're happy with whatever method of watching.

I have an Amazon Prime account and used it mainly for whatever available TV series and some movie rental. I just checked, it is indeed rental for Babylon 5. I don't mind rewatching my old DVD rips that I have stored on my thumb-drive.

Sometime later I'll get the new remastered version though.

 

[DKDetective]

Nice trend to start off the B5 rewatch.

I have already started on the pilot 'The Gathering' and the first 2 episodes of the season.

For the new-comer to the series, I would recommend not to watch the stand-alone movie, 'In The Beginning' before anything else as it is full of spoilers.

I posted a png link in my signature to the idealised viewing order. Just to make it readable, this is what I would suggest:

While I agree very much with your placements of the TV movies in the run order, I'm a hardcore broadcast order person when it comes to Babylon 5 (Crusade is obviously a totally different story as you know). It is the show how JMS presented it and how it blew my mind as a kid.

So, I have to spend the night getting doing some administrative tasks done for end of the month for work, who is up for watching The Gathering tonight and book club discussing? @DarthSkywalker? @InCali? Maybe @Snow Queen?

I know @flickchick85 is going to catch up FAST so we should get the rest of you a head start! Her talk of watching the show flat out in an all-consuming manner reminds me of how I would watch each season during High School when the DVDs first came out... For the seasons that were released during summer break, I am pretty sure I watched all 22 episodes in a 36 hour period... When they came out during the schoolyear and during the week, I am pretty sure I would watch them in a 72 hour period. Watch 6-7 episodes straight using all of my free time between the end of school and bed. Good times...

 

[flickchick85]

Yeah that Portlandia sketch about Battlestar Galactica was actually a doc about me and my then-roomate. I was never ever to consume media at a healthy rate again after that.

 

[InCali]

I can't go that slow. I have nothing going on in my life during this pandemic. Once I start a show, that's it. That's my life. Until it ends.

But I can use spoiler tags if y'all wanna do that book club thing, lol.

Awwwwww......someone please send her something to put in her microwave.

Maybe you can rearrange your Lucy wall.

EDIT: It's tough to improve on perfection though...

 

[DKDetective]

Yeah that Portlandia sketch about Battlestar Galactica was actually a doc about me and my then-roomate. I was never ever to consume media at a healthy rate again after that.

I love that sketch. Yeah, I have done that sort of binge way too many times.

By the way, a lot of the style and physics of the space battles on BSG were really influenced by B5, such as the use of realistic space physics, fighter screens for capitals ships, and the use of interceptors to stop enemy projectiles rather than magical Star Wars/Star Trek style energy shields:

Which reminds me, of the old fans, what is everyone's favourite ship? I will always have a soft spot for the old EarthForce Omega-class Destroyer, especially the Agamemnon:

I just love how robust and practical they are, and how they are clearly not designed with aerodynamics or atmospheric flight in mind. They are clearly designed for operation in the vacuum of space and just so badass!

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I just started the television flick. I am guessing this didn't get the treatment the rest of the show did, as it is in 16:9 and bit tore up.

 

[DKDetective]

I just started the television flick. I am guessing this didn't get the treatment the rest of the show did, as it is in 16:9 and bit tore up.

Yep, exactly. The original negatives were lost in the 1994 earthquake.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yep, exactly. The original negatives were lost in the 1994 earthquake.

Ah, that's a shame. To make sure, I started the first episode and saw it was all good. Right aspect ratio and very colorful. It was a stark contrast.

 

[DKDetective]

Ah, that's a shame. To make sure, I started the first episode and saw it was all good. Right aspect ratio and very colorful. It was a stark contrast.

Just wait until you see the man I knew as Space Bruce Willis as a kid.

 

[DKDetective]

Holy crap! I totally forgot that Ed Wasser was an extra in the pilot movie. It's crazy how he is a nameless red blue shirt here and then get re-cast as the show's greatest villain (not a spoiler) (it is apparent what he is as soon as he appears on the show).

 

[Snow Queen]

Some of the CG in the TV movie is surprisingly good for a 1993 TV budget. Even at the weakest spots so far, it hasn't gone full Christmas Light so I call that a win.

 

[DKDetective]

Some of the CG in the TV movie is surprisingly good for a 1993 TV budget. Even at the weakest spots so far, it hasn't gone full Christmas Light so I call that a win.

Yay! We have a third! Yeah, and it only gets better as the show goes along. The pilot CGI is by far the weakest. I think the use of dramatic moody lighting does a great job of improving the effects shots and concealing the weaknesses. If I recall correctly, the guys at NASA were huge fans and actually supplied nebula shots for the space backgrounds.

 

[InCali]

You can see they’re setting the stage for a complex story line. The doctor isn’t a particularly strong actor.

 

[Snow Queen]

Yay! We have a third! Yeah, and it only gets better as the show goes along. The pilot CGI is by far the weakest. I think the use of dramatic moody lighting does a great job of improving the effects shots and concealing the weaknesses. If I recall correctly, the guys at NASA were huge fans and actually supplied nebula shots for the space backgrounds.

That's really cool! Yeah, the lighting definitely helps. While I think some of the ships just flying around bits can look wonky, there was one shot of the tram traveling along the outside of the ship I thought looked really good for the time.

 

[DKDetective]

You can see they’re setting the stage for a complex story line. The doctor isn’t a particularly strong actor.

He gets replaced between the pilot and series order. Ironically, the actor who played Kyle was thought to be the British "Sidney Poitier" in the 1960s.

 

[DKDetective]

That's really cool! Yeah, the lighting definitely helps. While I think some of the ships just flying around bits can look wonky, there was one shot of the tram traveling along the outside of the ship I thought looked really good for the time.

If you consider that this CGI was the same year that Jurassic Park basically acted as proof of concept for CGI effects, they are pretty solid. The ship movement gets a lot better between just the pilot film and the series premiere.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

He gets replaced between the pilot and series order. Ironically, the actor who played Kyle was thought to be the British "Sidney Poitier" in the 1960s.

Yeah, this is definitely a, "he vaguely looks like him" thing.

 

[InCali]

Episode 1 seems to be in 16 9. Episode 2 looks like it’s in 4 3. ????