Universe of Babylon 5 Cover Up
- Thread starter dmccoy1693
- Start date
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Like it, smacks of the old 1E RPG and 1E ACTA books (what with the black cover)
LBH
LBH
TrippyHippy
Emperor Mongoose
Looks alright. It's basically looking like it is following the format of The Spinward Marches.
Hopefully, it'll be reletively light on the mechanics side of things also - although they will need some technical details obviously.
Hopefully, it'll be reletively light on the mechanics side of things also - although they will need some technical details obviously.
towerwarlock
Mongoose
OMG! Look out, I think I saw a Hiver and a Vorlon go into that bar just off the Zocolo! Quick call security before we have too many people commit suicide!
TrippyHippy
Emperor Mongoose
Yes, I think I may invest in a copy of it. The Spinward Marches was OK, but I've read about that Universe before, and I'm looking for something a bit new.
I've never really thought about Babylon 5 before - I knew it was a Star Trek style TV series, but that's about it. Anybody care to educate me?
I've never really thought about Babylon 5 before - I knew it was a Star Trek style TV series, but that's about it. Anybody care to educate me?
Greg Smith
Mongoose
There are certain Star Trek influences there, but it is thematically quite a way from Star Trek. There is probably more Lord of the Rings influence as there is Star Trek.
It is set aboard the space station Babylon 5 (duh!) which is a diplomatic station. It is 10 years after the Earth/Minbari war and the station was established to prevent another such conflict. The lead characters are the command staff of the station who are Earth military, their resident commercial telepath and the ambassadors of 4 main races.
There is a single storyline that runs through the five seasons of the show. I am not going to say any more because it would spoil it.
In fact the show starts out in kind of a Star Trek way, with various aliens and mysteries coming to the station that the characters need to resolve. But about midway through the first season, there is a real indication that something big is coming. And at the end of the first season everything changes.
Buy it, rent it, borrow it, steal it, but watch it.
It is set aboard the space station Babylon 5 (duh!) which is a diplomatic station. It is 10 years after the Earth/Minbari war and the station was established to prevent another such conflict. The lead characters are the command staff of the station who are Earth military, their resident commercial telepath and the ambassadors of 4 main races.
There is a single storyline that runs through the five seasons of the show. I am not going to say any more because it would spoil it.
In fact the show starts out in kind of a Star Trek way, with various aliens and mysteries coming to the station that the characters need to resolve. But about midway through the first season, there is a real indication that something big is coming. And at the end of the first season everything changes.
Buy it, rent it, borrow it, steal it, but watch it.
towerwarlock
Mongoose
Babylon 5 was and is still the best Scifi show of its time. It still has more continuity of its storyline than anything else on.
It is definitely worth watching.
Do NOT stop watching during the first season. The first season was very uneven. Do not let that discourage you. If you really want to, feel free to skip ahead to season 2. (IMO the core of the whole series was seasons 2-4.)
Also, if you don't want to actually watch everything, you can check out the venerable Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5. Even now, it is still (in my mind) the definitive resource for the B5 universe and the show.
Do NOT stop watching during the first season. The first season was very uneven. Do not let that discourage you. If you really want to, feel free to skip ahead to season 2. (IMO the core of the whole series was seasons 2-4.)
Also, if you don't want to actually watch everything, you can check out the venerable Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5. Even now, it is still (in my mind) the definitive resource for the B5 universe and the show.
dmccoy1693
Cosmic Mongoose
TrippyHippy said:
Not even close. Star Trek is the Dungeons and Dragons of Sci-Fi. Its a good introduction into a larger world, but if you want true depth, look elsewhere. Babylon 5 tackles topics that Star Trek never dreamed of covering. Questions like: "Who are you?" "What do you want?" "Why are you here?" made up a large part of the series and these questions have no simple answers. Themes like the need for freedom, determination regardless of the cost, alcoholism, and dealing with the impact of death of both persons as well as ideals ran throughout the series. The series took a major good character and made him a villin in a way there are still people that refuse to believe he is a villin and can identify with him (compared to the a way that Lucas utterly failed to do with Anakin' descent into Darth Vader). It also took a villin and turned him into a good character. Also unlike Trek, issues were seldom resolved in an episode. While the immediate issue was resolved, it generally left more questions unanswered then it answered.
Towerwarlock is correct, B5 is the best damn Sci-fi series to ever hit the air waves.
You'll probably want to watch the episodes you skipped later 
but if you want to watch skipping, one way would be to check an episode guide reviews to see what episodes to watch. For example http://www.tv.com/babylon-5/show/11/episode.html , there's others too.
Still thirsting for more info on the book
but if you want to watch skipping, one way would be to check an episode guide reviews to see what episodes to watch. For example http://www.tv.com/babylon-5/show/11/episode.html , there's others too.Still thirsting for more info on the book
B5. Watch it. You will love it. Mostly. Its few warts can be forgiven for the spine tingles and the storytelling.
I think it even invented a few decent quotes: I couldn't find a previous reference to "The avalanche has begun. It is too late for the pebbles to vote."
Magnificent. Such a shame the networks frakked with the end of S4 (I think it was) and therefore S5.
I think it even invented a few decent quotes: I couldn't find a previous reference to "The avalanche has begun. It is too late for the pebbles to vote."
Magnificent. Such a shame the networks frakked with the end of S4 (I think it was) and therefore S5.
towerwarlock
Mongoose
The thing I liked best about Babylon 5 is that all the critics hated it. The reasons they hated it had to do with the fact that humans were not the first ones out there, we were not the greatest and most powerful ones out there, and we had not created an empire where all other races worshipped us as gods. We given the fact that most tv critics have the IQ of dead pond scum is beside the point.
iainjcoleman
Banded Mongoose
Babylon 5 is a genuine masterpiece. It has its flaws, of course, but those flaws are generally the result of being over-ambitious. I find that easy to forgive. When it hits its groove, though, it is astonishingly good TV, with stories, characters and imagery that will stick with you long after you've finished watching.
What I really want to know is, will Mongoose be looking for the rights to Blake's 7?
What I really want to know is, will Mongoose be looking for the rights to Blake's 7?
towerwarlock
Mongoose
Blake's 7? What is that? I have only heard the title but never found anything more. Is that a good series? It is so hard to find good scifi here in the states, especially in Texas.
Blake's 7.
Iconic late 70's british SF from the same stable as Dr Who, only with less SfX budget. A bunch of criminals including politicals make a break from a prison planet and then start to wage a guerrilla war against the totalitarian government that sent them out into space to die.
Notable for two or three artificial personalities (Zen, Orac and Slave, to my recollection) and the cynic Avon, who's a real criminal, along to get out of jail who constantly finds himself having to do the right thing, and the whining Vila, a master petty thief who Avon bullies into either helping with some scam that has to be abandoned in the end, or doing the right thing, and the absence of Blake's person for a large part of the programme's run. Oh, and Servalan, who, being the crop-haired, lithe attack dog of the Federation, eternally chasing the 7, was the object of a large number of brit geek teens' 'affection'...
Vila: If it's so dangerous, why do I have to go, not you?
Avon: Because unlike you I am neither stupid nor expendable.
I really must get it on DVD...
Iconic late 70's british SF from the same stable as Dr Who, only with less SfX budget. A bunch of criminals including politicals make a break from a prison planet and then start to wage a guerrilla war against the totalitarian government that sent them out into space to die.
Notable for two or three artificial personalities (Zen, Orac and Slave, to my recollection) and the cynic Avon, who's a real criminal, along to get out of jail who constantly finds himself having to do the right thing, and the whining Vila, a master petty thief who Avon bullies into either helping with some scam that has to be abandoned in the end, or doing the right thing, and the absence of Blake's person for a large part of the programme's run. Oh, and Servalan, who, being the crop-haired, lithe attack dog of the Federation, eternally chasing the 7, was the object of a large number of brit geek teens' 'affection'...
Vila: If it's so dangerous, why do I have to go, not you?
Avon: Because unlike you I am neither stupid nor expendable.
I really must get it on DVD...
TrippyHippy said:
Oh great Cleon's ghost, comparing it to Star Trek makes me wince! Not that I've got anything against Star Trek as a whole...
But the guy who made Babylon 5 was not aiming for a Gene Roddenberry experience. It's grittier, and runs under a main story 'arc' that was written down before the series started. And sticks to the arc. The shows are continuous, in the sense that the influence of previous experiences consistently and noticeably changes the characters, so they develop... and circumstances change consistently... one of the poignant things for me is that every main character ends up suffering in one way or another, and none of their problems are pleasant... nor are they expected, actually... and it changes them.
The shows also tend to be a bit slow. But it's a great series nonetheless. The graphics are good, the ship designs refreshing, the interactions between people genuine, and builds up a good pile of drama.
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
What I liked best about Babylon 5 was that the characters CHANGED as the show moved along. Garibaldi, the security officer, is NOTHING like he was after the 5 year story is told, and it was a LONG, bumpy road for him.
I also liked that there was a PLAN to the entire series before it started. EVERYTHING had a reason being there. There were hints in the first few episodes of things that didn't develop until YEARS later. Before B5, nobody did it like this. Now, most shows that have a secret (Lost, Fringe, even Life on Mars) have the secret worked out AND HOW THEY WANT TO GET THERE at the beginning.
Considering the budget and network problems faced by the creator, this show is a true masterpiece.
BTW, the new movie Changeling is written by the guy who wrote B5 (J. Michael Staczysky or JMS).
I also liked that there was a PLAN to the entire series before it started. EVERYTHING had a reason being there. There were hints in the first few episodes of things that didn't develop until YEARS later. Before B5, nobody did it like this. Now, most shows that have a secret (Lost, Fringe, even Life on Mars) have the secret worked out AND HOW THEY WANT TO GET THERE at the beginning.
Considering the budget and network problems faced by the creator, this show is a true masterpiece.
BTW, the new movie Changeling is written by the guy who wrote B5 (J. Michael Staczysky or JMS).
dmccoy1693
Cosmic Mongoose
Rikki Tikki Traveller said:
SERIOUSLY!?! Dang, I haven't been following my JMS carefully enough lately. Now I"m definitely going to have to go see it.
