Babylon 5 (1993) Retrospective/Review - Part 1

[@RowanJColeman]

HELP THE CHANNEL GROW: www.patreon.com/rowanjcoleman Cards on the table here: This video got hit hard with copyright claims which are still to be resolved. This video was a huge amount of work and it sucks some anonymous AI can just decide I don't get rewarded for that work. So if you like what I do, please jump over to my Patreon where you can have a hand in making more of these :) P.S - I know it's William Edgars, not Burgess. You don't have to tell me a million times in the comments.

[@NunoMiguelDelgado]

I put my money where my mouth is. You just got another patron. I know it's not much but I hope every little helps. Keep it up!

[@davideastman928]

stay strong

[@Delekhan]

I'm currently jobless but will help out when I can. I hate the AI sometimes. Thanks for the awesome vid. Again! You've got a real talent and we respect the opinions you share on some of our favorite sci-fi/fantasy programs. Keep up the good work!

[@seanodeli7031]

Sorry Rowan you get paid by KZbin gotta play by their rules no different from any other job

[@Malryth]

The AI Bots on YT will be it's downfall one day. Worst idea ever and it restricts creativity so much.

[@JustAboutTime]

I met Bruce Boxleitner in 2015 .. at a convention. Everyone was cueing up to talk to William Shatner so I got to have Bruce all to myself and chatted endlessly about Babylon 5 and Tron. Was such a blast to meet him.

[@blackenedwritings]

I never met him but a close friend of mine did and they talked for almost half an hour. Bruce Boxleitner seems like an amazing guy.

[@zacharyjochumsen9677]

@@blackenedwritings younever notice how much brucec looks like Michal Douglas or is just me

[@p4radigm989]

@@zacharyjochumsen9677 Bruce looks better than Michael. dont compare somebody to people that look worse.

[@robwalsh9843]

He fights for the user!

[@JasonCliftJones]

@@zacharyjochumsen9677 I've lost track how many times I've seen Michael Douglas in stuff and thought "Oh, Bruce Boxleitner!" XD

[@serge00storms]

"Isn't it strange, G'Kar? When we first met, I had no power .. and all the choices I could ever want. And now I have all the power I could ever want .. and no choices at all. No choice .. at all." Londo Mollari one of the most tragic figures in Sci fi

[@LordGertz]

My shoes are too tight, but it does not matter as I have forgotten how to dance.

[@uberbeeg]

Shakespearean level tragedy. His arch was brilliant and bitter sweet.

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

@@LordGertz One of the greatest lines of the series. And the resolution: "Why, ambassador?" _"Because you are still children! And children should be allowed to dance!"_ {:o:O:}

[@redkommie80]

@@uberbeeg agreed

[@orangedream267]

I doubt we will see such a great example of character foils as Molari and G'Kar again. I heard rumors of a B5 remake, and I KNOW they'll screw up that dance real hard.

[@charlesweinert4116]

This was really enjoyable but I have one minor criticism. You mispronounced Zathras. It seems you were thinking of Zathras or maybe even Zathras.

[@petertrudelljr]

tsk tsk tsk, no no no no no.... Zathras isn't Zathras... this is wrong quote... and this is wrong tool.

[@rudolftrost3534]

No, it's Zathras!

[@GyorBox]

Ohhh. I thought he was talking about Zathras.

[@rudolftrost3534]

@@GyorBox See, that's where you went wrong. It was indeed Zathras.

[@GyorBox]

@@rudolftrost3534 -- I can see where I went wrong. Zathras and Zathras, while two completely different people, are easy to mess up. I mean, I could have even though Zathras by mistake also for crying out loud.

[@ShuRugal]

O'Hare's story is so tragic, but what an amazing dude. To be able to maintain an awareness and consideration of friends, coworkers, and audience while his mind was literally falling apart, and to have the selflessness to put them first, is not something many of us could do.

[@carolinahermadelcantocalde348]

Hay se nota la calidad humana tenia

[@concious2]

Yes great point, hopefully in his current existence he has more peace and much happiness!

[@badgerden7080]

I agree. He had a gentleness about him that I really liked.

[@stevebertz7043]

JMS was a man of honor. He took heat for replacing him, but kept his promise. He is a heroic figure, like his best characters.

[@crowtservo]

Go watch the last few episodes filmed in season 1. In the Quality of Mercy O’Hare had just two scenes. In Eyes, he is often alone on camera, the guy who played Garabaldi’s aide in season 1 read opposite of him as Claudia Christian and Jerry Doyle didn’t want to work with him. I saw a video at a fan convention where Claudia Christian is asked what’s the hardest thing she had to do for the show and she said “Work with Michael O’Hare.”

[@Ellis_Hugh]

"Only one human captain has ever survived battle with the Mimbari fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else." Just f'ing epic.

[@tray488]

Remember that scene.

[@tray488]

The second one was when the former XO telling the person she is a friend of God. If he still wants to fight just wait she'll send him to God.

[@AdrianColley]

I was more impressed by the immediately-preceding lines: "We have authority here. Do not force us to engage your ships." "Why not?" Bad. Ass.

[@trevinbeattie4888]

There’s a continuity problem with that line though. The human who survived the Mimbari war was Sinclair; when Delenn gave that ultimatum, Sheridan was in command of the station.

[@Ellis_Hugh]

@@trevinbeattie4888No, you're misunderstanding what she's saying - Sheridan was the only human who ever defeated a Mimbari warship in battle, and that's who she was referring to. Sinclair was captured and then released.

[@shaggycan]

Londo and G'Kar are two of the best written characters in TV history, I put them right beside Tony Soprano and Walter White.

[@ArcaneSorceror]

I do love the fact that despite it being a Neutral Ground Space Station built by Humans, with approval from the Minbari, the ultimate story is told through the Centauri Ambassador Londo and Narn Ambassador G'Kar.

[@pticatori]

Agreed. I absolutely admire how realistically their relationships develop across the series, and although I've binge-watched Babylon 5 four-or-so times already, I still can't figure out who of these two is my favourite. They're both deep and well-written.

[@vservo1149]

Thinks sopranos had good characters. Instantly invalidates any future remarks.

[@jonathancurran5366]

Bryan Cranston has a small role in B5.

[@AZRockslide42]

There is a reason G'Kar is my Discord avatar.

[@craigs71]

It's incredibly sad how many of the cast are no longer with us, to absent friends, in memory still bright.

[@PaulaSB12]

It’s incredibly sad about Michael’s illness and death

[@medexamtoolscom]

Celebrities die. Most of the celebrities from when you were a kid, you will see the death of. Though you're right that that show had a very large incidence of the actors dying fairly soon.

[@JoshSweetvale]

Sad? Unlike a hundred generations of actors, they put their best work on tens of hours of tapes, and we'll be able to enjoy it for generations more.

[@JayMaverick]

To absent friends.

[@jaycoburn7755]

Richard Biggs, much too early. He was the guest at our Rising Star convention for a number of years.

[@jojr5145]

I’ve long felt that Londo Mollari was one of the best written and acted Greek tragedies ever done on American television.

[@bondgabebond4907]

Can't leave out G'Kar, the rival enemy of Londo Mollari. Both stole the show with their non-ending bickering. When it was first revealed that the Narn were attacked by the Centauri, my jaw hit the floor. What great actors who created such memorable characters.

[@alanparsonsfan]

This, precisely. Everything else revolves around the staggering cost of Londo's choosing the easy way to get what he wanted, and then losing everything that ever mattered to him.

[@MatthewPettyST1300]

@@bondgabebond4907 Londo.............G'Kar..............Elevator fire.......need I say more. p.s. I need to say more.....I had a huge crush on Patricia Tallman.

[@EMSBoys]

Londo is Lear, dividing his kingdom, the consequences unbeknownst to him. G'Kar becomes his Fool, and cleaving from Shakespeare, his salvation.

[@medexamtoolscom]

A lot of the characters, you could say are among the best characters ever. I'd say Vir was a solid character too, as is G'Kar, and as for Ivanova she's like *the* example of a strong female character that isn't insulting to the viewer. Like, the only one I can think of. Ever.

[@AndarilhoMarco]

That scene with Delenn saving Babylon 5 is probably one of the most badass scenes in sci fi in general.

[@chheinrich8486]

Nothing is more badass than master chief, (you didnt exclude scify video games)😎

[@dmac3183]

"If you value your life be somewhere else" very fierce delivery. Delenn was a very strong but also sweet character, fantastic job by Ms Furlan.

[@Olfan]

On (at least) one convention Stephen Furst talked about his casting. He was extremely nervous, almost late, something was wrong with his outfit and/or hair, so he was super awkward, talked too fast and kept apologizing. He was absolutely sure he'd busted his chance when he was told he was the ideal cast for Vir. He's been dead for five years now, gone too soon like so many others of the gang. Blessed show, cursed cast…

[@Olfan]

There, found it! Played out a little bit different from what I remembered, but the gist holds. It was a Phoenix Comicon 2013, pretty much the first thing after the introductions. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqiVoX6VqqejjrM

[@harrymills2770]

Gone too soon, but not as young as we always remember from Animal House and Babylon 5. He'll always be that same guy to me, as long as I live.

[@alexandermakovics4583]

This show deserves not a reboot but a renaissance. And Rowan you're totally part of that. B5 is one of the best SciFi stories put to screen

[@kimnice]

Reboot for Crusade could be nice. Those unfilmed episodes had interesting plots..

[@frojoe2004]

yes, merely remaster the CGI, that is all that's needed

[@robertanderson6929]

I'm so sick of reboots. I don't want to see some other interpretation of the same events. B5 was 5 years of a story that goes on for a millennium. Why not jump ahead 500 years and tell a 5 year story about the Rangers, a Civil War and the rise and fall of other Empires? How does the Intersteller Alliance end? What replaces it? Who were the pivotal characters in that story? It's my main gripe about Star Wars and Star Trek. Can they not tell stories unrelated to Skywalkers or Kirk and Spock? In the Universes these franchises take place there are other people and other events, right?

[@JV-xf9ry]

Just curious, how old were you when you first watched B5? Seriously. Like I said in the main body of this thread, I laughed the first time I watched it (two years ago) because of how bad the effects, music, makeup, sets, and acting were. But like I said, I laughed at TNG season 1 many times as well. But the effects of TNG were always high quality. So I’m wondering if people love this show because of nostalgia from childhood, or is there some other reason? It certainly can’t be the effects.

[@ineptgamer3814]

@@JV-xf9ry Laugh now, but in '93 Babylon 5's CG crapped all over Star Trek's models from a great height. Obviously as Star Trek's model work improved, CG also did and I'm sure if B5's CG was redone, it'd come out on top again. As to your other comments, Rowan has already gone over those things in the video. You prefer the episodic nature of Star Trek...? Then go watch that and allow the rest of us to enjoy perfect long-form stories in peace.

[@talideon]

B5 is unfairly maligned by some because of the tight budget it had, but it's still to this day some of the most compelling small screen storytelling, and arguably marks the true beginning of the "prestige television" era.

[@BreetaiZentradi]

One of the things I love the most about the show is how the Vorlons are on our side but at every step of the way thwart what we humans think need to be done while we know the Shadows are evil and the bad guys but always willing to give us what we want...for a price. It is so delicious dealing with that tension it seems bad but their good vs it seems good but they are bad.

[@ScotSteam47]

@@BreetaiZentradi That season 1 episode where the Vorlons just literally run over that military figure who has immortality and then turns to say we're not ready for that is such a Vorlon move. Love how that was carried through the whole story. "I hate when you do that" *Vorlon noises* "Good" ....

[@jamesmaybrick2001]

Maligned by "some". You mean children used to modern crap where flashy FX are substituted for actual story, characters and genuine narative tension.

[@biocapsule7311]

Agreed, B5 was basically prestige television of the time. I am one of those people who watch weekly when it was first broadcast in my country, despite the late night. What is tight isn't the budget, it's the writing.

[@rmsgrey]

@@BreetaiZentradi The Vorlons, as a whole aren't on our side. The original Kosh was increasingly on our side (and eventually sacrificed himself as a result) but after his death, the Vorlons were definitely not on our side - and after Z'Ha'Dum, the war was very obviously three-sided: the Vorlons on one side; the Shadows on the other; and Babylon 5 and the Army of Light squarely in the middle.

[@stompingfreak8980]

Babylon 5 was one of the greatest modern sci fi shows. Incredible story arc, amazing characters, pure emotional roller coaster.

[@fgdj2000]

And full of valuable life lessons, particularly how dictatorships rise but by bit.

[@nurgleschosen8145]

It really was a roller coaster. I was really sad when i finished it. It will never hit the same ever again 😭

[@fgdj2000]

@@nurgleschosen8145 Maybe the reboot will. I also recommend The Expanse if you haven’t seen it yet. It has a similar storyline, although it only adapts 6 of the 9 novels. And of course the main perk of the show is, that it very closely adheres to actual space physics. The show is only set in our solar system, but feels just as vast as B5. The characters are also pretty great, though there isn’t quite a character as amazing as Londo, G‘Kar or even Sheridan. And we kinda have a moodier Garibaldi. Sadly my favorite character was awkwardly written out of the show, because the actor turned out to be a sexual offender.

[@davidcrandall4958]

absolutely!

[@alexanderkuptsov6117]

@@fgdj2000 Only the first three seasons. They are great, yes. Mainly because of Avasarala, of course.

[@JosephKano]

Vir Cotto. This was always my personal favourite character of the entire series. He was the common Centauri on the street. The ordinary guy. Caught up in things with only his sense of what is right and a need to do good. Also his answer to Mr Morden about what he wants is still one of those iconic moments of television.

[@davidmundy2906]

Yeah, he told Morden he wanted to see his head on a spike and would wave at it. Well his wish came true. Had to LOL on that one.

[@knghtbrd]

"Why not? Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else." We miss you Mira, Andreas, Jerry, Michael, and too many others… I know if I tried to list them all, I'd be devastated if I happened to miss someone in the moment. They were all among the greatest.

[@MrAlbinopapa]

That line sends chills every time, one of the best vailed threats I've ever heard.

[@keipfar]

Mira is gone?! damn, RIP (I knew about the others)

[@DavidManser]

Oh man, I didn't hear about Mira 😭

[@dariussmith8406]

Great, great line! Literally gave me chills. THAT is the “strong female” writing that we need. Mira brought so much to that role. She was strong, she was vulnerable, she was considerate to others and rock solid in her convictions. What a woman!!

[@victorfinberg8595]

epic quote susan got one as well: "i am death" she also got to say "our last, best, hope for victory" epic show, in all aspects

[@telemicus599]

Decades later Delenn's arrival in severed dreams still gives me chills. Mira Furlan will forever have a place of respect in my heart for her portrayal.

[@TrangleC]

She wasn't bad, but I found her very distracting for personal reasons. I have family in Croatia and basically all my aunts and female cousins there look exactly like Mira Furlan looked. (One even being named Mira too.) Every time I saw her on screen, I wondered: "Do all women in Croatia look the same?"

[@bensmith1689]

It was glorious. It cemented B5 as one of my favourite shows of all time. One thing that always pissed me off with TNG was how the characters would always take the high ground and be pacifistic to an almost suicidal degree (with the notable exception of Riker flat out murdering a dude), even when force was clearly and unarguably the correct response. B5 was different; it was not afraid to kick some serious ass when it needed kicking, but also didn't shy away from showing the cost.

[@stantackett107]

I remember seeing that scene for the very first time. My now-ex wofeand i we're at a viewing party and right as the jump points were announced we both said "ok this went straight from OH SHIT to AWWW, FUUUUCK!"

[@LaidbakZak]

I feel fortunate to grow up in the 90’s. Being able to see the star treks, star gate, Farscape, firefly, the Star Wars prequels. It really was a golden age of sci-fi

[@musicalimarc]

Hi Rowan. I just wanted to tell you that I think you handled Michael O’Hare’s challenges and untimely death with great sensitivity and professionalism. I got to know Michael through his wife with whom I worked closely with for several years in the late 90s and early 2000s. I was very much aware of his difficulties but the man I had the great fortune to call friend for a short while, was funny, and smart, and generous. It was very clear to me just how much he loved his wife. It was a great privilege to know him. Also, I love the whole retrospective series format. I’ve listened to all of the Star Trek ones and was so happy to see B5 get the same treatment. Best, Marc G

[@misterjoshua5720]

One of my favorite behind the scenes B5 stories was when Jerry Doyle auditioned, he sat down in the chair and they asked him what part he was in for and he answered, "I'm here for the part I'm gonna get." They said they knew instantly he was their Garabaldi.

[@alpaykasal2902]

This was the earliest days of CGI looking great on a Tv budget. I'd consider Babylon5 historic for this.

[@lfroncek]

Delenn's speech in Severed Dreams still gives me goosebumps.

[@RosLanta]

Same here

[@jacob7718]

The one that always stuck out to me is the speech she gives after they conquer earth where the white stars fly over. It's terrifying.

[@achtsekundenfurz7876]

Is that the "This man fought the Minbari and lived, and he's not on your side today. Go somewhere else" episode?

[@Alessandro-B]

Same here.

[@MiamiSunrise]

I cant even begin to explain how well built this retrospective is. This is a masterful view of the show's first 4 seasons and really digs into the meat of what Babylon 5 was attempting to do for its viewers. I have always been a fan of this show and will forever be a fan of it. I applaud you for putting this together.

[@delta7890]

Couldn't have said it any better!

[@v.sandrone4268]

I cannot accept any retrospective as complete if it doesn't mention Vir's finger wave to his enemy's head on a pike.

[@shaggycan]

Season 3 and 4 are masterpieces, 2 of the best seasons of any show ever put on TV.

[@MiamiSunrise]

Very much agree

[@LucLightWolf121]

Damn right!

[@c99kfm]

Yes - in retrospect. At the time, season 4 lost me. It was too cramped, missing a single episode made me no longer understand what was going on. The Garibaldi arc confused me to no end, and felt more like an actor who wanted to "explore" his character than the otherwise solid story of B5.

[@calebmauer1751]

@@c99kfm Yeah, the alien plot in season 4 was great, the human plot just kind of felt like moping up. If there was a way to compress them together...but the final showdown was pretty good, and I loved the last episode

[@TheAdamsteve1984]

Season 5 has the best intro in my opinion… the whole ‘there is a hole in your mind, these orders have forced us to declare independence, get the hell out of our galaxy, we are here to place president Clark under arrest’ monologue gets me every time

[@uberbeeg]

Bester was one of the best ' bad guys ' ever. Really well explored character. Brilliantly played. Loved every moment of him.

[@redkommie80]

So well written. And allows Walter Koenig so much fun to portray him. Bester had his joy, and ambitions and failures. Just like so many others in this show. He is and forever be an example of how a bad guy can be not only hated... but understood.

[@uberbeeg]

@@redkommie80 He must have had a ball.

[@redkommie80]

@@uberbeeg especially when he acting against Michael Garibaldi, Doyle. Those were some great lines

[@RA10H56]

bester certainly elicited strong emotions from me! I wanted to strangle that arrogant tyrant...lol. that's just great acting!!!

[@wren7195]

I *REALLY* can't ever oversell how much I love this series. As a little girl who grew up on Star Trek TNG, due to us living in the middle of nowhere I didn't get Babylon 5 in our literal neck of the woods. I found it on syndication in my late thirties, and it was everything I ever wanted out of any kind of fictional media, let alone sci-fi. Star Trek and Stargate and ... Star Wars... I never felt like anything was taking a deep dive look at what humanity would be when presented, philosophically, to the rest of the universe. They all tried it, but their interpretations were either too shallow or too encompassing, with either Star Trek's utopia (that was "sheer fucking hubris"d in Picard...[what did you people do to my hero....?]) or Firefly's utter humanistic dystopia for me to be sincerely invested. I genuinely believed that rational, high performing people going through their 9-5 (more like 12-18, people have no idea what nurses and factory workers genuinely trying to do their jobs go through) for several years on screen could be a very profound and inspirational statement of who we should be striving to be. Supporting each other, because ultimately the fight against the darkness of life is important to everyone, as opposed to us politically constantly making more troubles and suffering for everyone around us. Helping people know that they CAN sincerely be the best version of themselves as long as they choose to do that, and that the people who do love them will support them with everything they have because nothing else is more important. All while we watch the various degrees of political and commercial manipulation go on in the background realistically undermining everything we were working towards, while behind that there's an even more terrifying visage with an agenda we may not even be capable of understanding. Damn kinda, sounds kinda prophetic what with everything *looks around, shakes her head* We must be certain that everyone can be heard, no matter what we think about their position, we have to ensure that everything can be discussed. Thanks for making this series, I love this show and I really appreciate your hard work and effort giving us this precious behind-the-scenes history. Gladly subscribed, and best wishes to you and everyone here.

[@randallraszick6001]

Yeah, we are heading into strange times again. Love for each other and resistance to the rising evil will get us through the coming years.

[@wren7195]

@@randallraszick6001 Aw thank you Randall for reading my mess, and for posting such a true and positive message. I wish you the very best also, may we find our strength

[@randystegemann9990]

This is my favorite SF show. I got to see the first two seasons in the 90's, but my local station in the middle of nowhere Iowa stopped carrying it. I got to see episode descriptions in the TV guide for torture, but not until I found it on syndication years later did I get to see it all, Crusade, its spin-off of only one year and the movies. This show really explores the characters in depth and I loved how little easily missed details would become major later. I hope we get a reboot or sequel that can do it justice.

[@tarrickmerdev2324]

I think Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead add a differently realistic spin on what might happen if humans encounter other species, in that we might simply genocide each other by accident because we cannot form a basis for communication and cannot understand each other's actions. It's a shame that the movie adaptation turned out pretty mediocre but I think they probably did about the best they could; I can certainly see a lot of difficulty in adapting it to the screen.

[@alanmike6883]

Rowan. Babylon 5 will always be my holy grail. I'll love it till the day I die 👍

[@craigs71]

Same here.

[@alanmike6883]

@@craigs71 Quality is quality

[@lovipoekimo176]

Amazing retrospective. Despite being a massive Trekkie myself, Babylon 5 is my absolute favorite scifi series.

[@michaelcarney6280]

same here.

[@popmonika]

Nothing wrong with that - no Star Trek - no Babylon 5.

[@lovipoekimo176]

@@popmonika The reason I have to highlight it is because of the amount of vitriol some Trek fans have towards B5.

[@charlesjohnson7458]

While not my favorite show - B5 was an AWESOME show. Every once in a while I watch the final scene where Delenn gets up to watch the sunrise (RIP Mira)

[@dennismulhall3057]

I grew up in Australia in the '70s watching reruns of Star Trek (no :OS or TNG back then, must Trek) and scifi movies and tv (including British tv led me to reading science fiction short stories and novels by the golden age writers. I learned to appreciate each story or series for its own merits and not how it compares to some expectation of a previous iteration. That lets me enjoy each Trek series for its own sake, not complain about how it is different from the previous. In Babylon 5 was created a true long form story exploring a creation. It is not better or worse than its main rival Trek but simply different. I rank Babylon 5 as THE best science fiction tv series of all time for many reasons, but am not offended if people disagree.

[@Pod042b]

The scene with Ivanova after Marcus died is so amazingly acted by Claudia Christian, made me tear up and I had to take a break.

[@Andor2022]

It was heartbreaking 💔

[@akulinamackenzie4492]

my favorite actress of the whole show....💕 and she showed class, leaving after season 4.....she felt the end coming...

[@victorfinberg8595]

heck, i "teared up" 5 min ago, just on the 5 sec clip. no shame in that. badge of honour

[@Yesica1993]

It shredded me. I cried just as hard as she did.

[@levonschaftin3676]

@@akulinamackenzie4492 she said they didn't want her back for season 5.

[@marcodavinci3150]

Great video but I must disagree about the tone of the Sheridan and Delenn romance. To me and many other fans its one of the best part of the show and offers the most heart-warming and touching scenes of the entire series. Perfectly acted with chemistry thats off the charts and so important thats its an integral part of the series and its epic finale!

[@Shamelesscritique1]

I always liked their relationship because it wasn't a stereotypical "romance"...tv and movies often has so much "drama" and "passion"...lots of lust and excitement appealing to youth...Sheridan and Delen seemed more "mature"...this is what a relationship of equal partners and grownups looks like.

[@otakarkuby3926]

They always had to choose responsibility over their own desire to live through each other, yet by being who they were they sort of did that too, just not how people could relate to, unless you have been through it. I havnt watched the final season yet.

[@piecesofstarlight]

I agree. I was only a teen when I saw the episodes but I never saw their relationship as less than only different than. It would have been super easy to make their characters buck their responsibilities or alternatively end the relationship. I appreciate that they didn't fall into those tropes and allowed the characters to make it work. Sure their romance looks like one of royalty where duty and responsibilities come first but that I found was extremely true to the characters. There really isn't enough healthy, communicative, respectful relationships shown in movies or tv shows. Probably because they are less "exciting" than portraying a unhealthy one. I for one will always love the relationships of the show and how good they were. I will literally never get over Marcus and Ivonova nor will I get over Galen's love for Isabelle in Crusade. I will never forgive the show for showing her in a flashback. His love and his grief were far more bittersweet and more vivid in his retelling. Galen: Every technomage knows the fourteen words that will make someone fall in love with you forever, but she only needed one. Capt. Gideon: What word? Galen: "Hello."

[@JoshSweetvale]

A messiah with a happy marriage is a messiah who doesn't go nuts.

[@GaelicStorm1]

Yep, relationship was epic, like a king and a queen.

[@merlyworm]

Babylon 5 might just be the best SciFi show ever made. It is at least in the conversation. I remember watching this and thinking how deep and good it was. and after a complete rewatch last year, it is obvious its among the better written shows in history. Not just sci-fi. of any show. G'kar and Londo steal any scene theyre in. And that speech G'kar makes after his world is taken over... Man.

[@yegmeshjwp]

Er Farscape lol

[@texan-american200]

There was one scene not mentioned, where Vir ran into G'Kar in the elevator and he felt such an oppressive need to say something to G'Kar that all he could blurt out was, "I'M SORRY!" Gkar's only reply was to draw his dagger, slit his own hand and with each drop of blood declare, "DEAD! DEAD! DEAD! DEAD! Can you say anything to bring them back!?" When Vir said that he can't, G'Kar returned with, "THEN I CANNOT FORGIVE!" The entire season was practically Shakespearean by the way that it was played.

[@kamilpotato3764]

I really liked Space: Above and Beyond. Pity it was cancelled...

[@lanarkorras4411]

@@texan-american200 I believe his question is: "How do you apologize to them?" Not sure though. :) Also, it doesn't matter, and there are a lot of brilliant scenes like those already mentioned. Sheridan's "Everytime I say 'No'", for instance.

[@boobah5643]

@@yegmeshjwp I like me some _Farscape,_ it's a fun show, but better written than _B5?_ Especially with _The Peacekeeper Wars_ retcon/message trainwreck. I take exception to the 'hero' threatening the existence of the galaxy, at a _minimum;_ a galaxy devastated by war is better than no galaxy at all, especially since Crichton never did anything about the reasons the Peacekeepers and Scarrans were fighting in the first place.

[@danspawn85]

I kind of hope JMS sees this. He was active online in Babylon 5 boards back in the day. So he had interactions with the fans, more so than most other creatives.

[@musicalnotextr]

I hope The CW sees this too, so that they’ll feel more willing to pick up JMS’s B5 reboot next year.

[@Karajorma]

When Medusa Cascade started making B5 reaction videos he became a patreon so there's a reasonable chance of it happening.

[@blackc1479]

@@musicalnotextr I'm still kinda leery about the cw idea. If jms is involved, that's good, but not bullet proof ( thinking rangers). I would feel much better if it was one of the big streaming channels. They don't have a spectacular record, but it seems better than the cw's

[@boltonkevin]

I don’t think he watches, or generally engages, with much Babylon 5 stuff on social media. I think he is concerned that someone may suggest something similar to what he is planning and then, when the show is released, and the story suggestion mirrors what was suggested, the person who made the suggestion may want royalties.

[@musicalnotextr]

@@blackc1479 According to JMS, the guy who runs the network is a massive fan. And considering that the network kept it in the works for another development cycle despite the big ownership change happening to CW, I think that shows promise.

[@lfroncek]

When the show still aired, I remember going to the Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 every day to see if anything had been added. Loved that site.

[@Chace957]

It’s still there! I loved it so much when this show was on, I saved every page back in the day in case it ever disappeared

[@heatherlynnrigaud7385]

Same. I remember there was a running joke that B5 was so good, that you needed a website to understand it. Which of course wasn't true, but it wasn't totally false either.

[@Opocrious]

Yes, I too checked it after every episode. JMS was the first showrunner to commit to communicating with online fandom.

[@whiterockettv8469]

We go to it for research before every episode of The White Rocket Babylon 5 Review Podcast. It was useful back in the day and it still is!

[@anstef1485]

Yes! A fan favorite!

[@BobfishAlmighty]

One thing. I have to say. It is extremely refreshing to see someone celebrating the first season. It's so often overlooked by B5 fans. But, damn! It some of _the_ best episodes of the entire franchise. _A Voice in the Wilderness_ !

[@InfernosReaper]

The first season had some real duds, but it also had some good ones, too. The show was kinda trying to get a foothold and by the end of the season, it had. Meanwhile, some other shows(including my favorite Trek, DS9) don't find their footing until season 2 or 3, which can end up being too late for them. It's kind of a shame the lead had to bow out of the show for health reasons, because I wanted to see where that character would go. I liked Sheridan and am glad Sinclair got a good sendoff, but it would've been interesting to see a version of B5 where O'Hare had been able to do the roll.... Of course, no one really talks about other major characters getting swapped due to the actors leaving. Imagine a Babylon 5 where Na'toth shows up more than a few episodes and/or Talia either doesn't get rewritten or actually gets fixed.

[@BobfishAlmighty]

Right now, really, I just hope the reboot doesn't have to deal with any of the same issues

[@InfernosReaper]

@@BobfishAlmighty I'm hoping that the reboot is basically "the story JMS originally wanted to tell before he had to write out major characters" Though, an interesting twist could be to do "what if the roles of Sheridan and Sinclair were reversed" That is Sheridan comes in first then is replaced by Sinclair until he becomes Valen later, while Sinclair is one Kosh trains. Original personalities and everything. Just reversed roles, as much as practical.

[@BobfishAlmighty]

From what I've read, it will be Sheridan for the full five years. With a lot of people (myself included) hoping Boxleitner will be cast as Sheridan's Dad

[@InfernosReaper]

@@BobfishAlmighty that would be a nice casting, though that character really didn't get much screen time.

[@crippsverse]

Michael O'Hare's story is heartbreaking and can't not respect JMS for keeping O'Hare's illness a close secret

[@jcspoon573]

My friend and I were so upset with O'Hare, not liking Boxleitner's less nuanced character to start. And when O'Hare came back, we felt he COULD have kept in the show and not been such a cry-baby. OMG did we feel bad when we discovered the truth. It's amazing what he put himself through to finish his character's arc.

[@danielharnden516]

He did what he was asked to do. Making it public would have been betrayal to his friend.

[@zeraith]

@@jcspoon573 Ignorance is something we can't avoid, we can just learn from it as you did. B5 is a great series and I love seeing all these conversations going on about it still.

[@edkwon]

Of all the production trials and tribulations the show experienced, Michael OHares undisclosed struggle with his schizophrenia is the most tragic for me

[@jackau08]

sad indeed and as far as I know for years JMS live up to his promise to a friend and said Ohares decided to do some theater and left.

[@edkwon]

@@jackau08 yep I didn't hear of it until recently not long after OHares death

[@michaelcarney6280]

G'Kar's speech after the fall of Narn still has my blown away. Any time Andy Kat had a speech the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I'd get a tear in my eye.

[@willmfrank]

The "We Are One" speech is a masterpiece.

[@michaelcarney6280]

@@willmfrank it was indeed

[@victorfinberg8595]

i want a copy of the book of g'kar

[@willmfrank]

@@victorfinberg8595 Make certain that it has an authentically-replicated coffee stain on that one page...!

[@michaelcarney6280]

@@victorfinberg8595 Me too

[@Chace957]

The last scene of the Markab episode, with Delenn and Lennier walking out of that hold still makes me tear up

[@Armatige]

This magical show saved me during a very difficult time in my life. I'm forever grateful to all involved.

[@ijustbevibin0425]

Stay strong bro☯️ I’m glad you’re still here 💯

[@Armatige]

@@ijustbevibin0425 Thank you very much mate :)

[@RA10H56]

The arrival of the Centuari Emperor was epic!! He came with a fleet of warships, elite guards! I always thought it was odd in startrek that leaders of empires came in one lone ship and at times came aboard with only a aid and sometimes alone.

[@SilortheBlade]

This is the first time I have heard about O'Hare's problems. I am sad to hear of this, but I will say it is a tribute to JMS that I always thought the switch from Sinclair to Sheridan was planned. The story arc worked perfectly. The one who was, the one who is, the one who will be. The fact that he made all this flow perfectly is fantastic.

[@mayra3277]

If you haven't seen it already, you should check out a video you can find under JMS Promise - that's when he first tells that story during B5's 20th anniversary convention. It's quite emotional.

[@bigeye6606]

Babylon Squared was (and still is) absolutely amazing. Imagine the balls it must have taken to write and actually make something like this for network television back then. I remember watching the episode as a 13 years old and I was blown away. so many questions unanswered, so many mysteries in 45 minutes. Man Bab 5 was just awesome.

[@cindyashe4496]

Only 47 minutes into the video and I've been brought to tears so many times already, from the feels and the memories of greatness. I've lost track of how many times I've rewatched B5. And yet, it never ceases to endear and compel each time. ♥

[@mahatmarandy5977]

Just a minor trivial point: the "Hello old friend" message from Sinclair that Garibaldi and Delenn played in season 2 was actually recorded before O'Hare left the show, specifically with the intention of dropping it in later on in the series.

[@user-zp4ge3yp2o]

This was the favourite program of my dad who passed away in 2003. I've never been really into it but I love that people are still talking about it and hold it in such high regard. I've got his old fan club letters and signed photos of all the cast at home, and a little G'kar action figure too.

[@JimParshall]

"To absent friends, in memory still bright." And all those friends, absent and otherwise, shine brightly indeed in this video. Thank you for this. It was and is great.

[@macswanton9622]

My favorite go-to dinner party toast

[@donaldpaluga]

In my culture, death is not the end. They are still with us, as long as we do not forget tjem-T'Challa

[@Ryokan76]

To live and die in starlight.

[@matthiasbecker5064]

Somewhat hard to believe that there are creators who do a 100min video and that I TRULY did enjoy that! Looking forward to part 2.

[@alandoane9168]

The TNT press kit sent out to journalists when they acquired the series was one of the most impressive media pushes I ever saw ion my 27 years in broadcasting. Whatever comes in the next chapter, there's no question TNT was all-in on their desire for the series to be a success.

[@ScotSteam47]

They really wanted it to flourish into a lot of different shows. They weren't daft and knew the power of fandom I think.

[@ZakhadWOW]

and then they showed their TRUE colors when trying to turn Crusade into space-based version of 80s American Television. JMS himself pulled the plug rather than watch his IP being perverted into that nightmare.

[@ScotSteam47]

@@ZakhadWOW Yikes, sounds pretty bad

[@marcodavinci3150]

The commercials/trailers produced by TNT are some of the written and edited ads I've ever seen. Wish we could get HD versions of all of them!

[@speedracer1945]

The show was always posed to be canceled and they rushed the Shadow war .

[@HoustonSoto]

We’ve lost way too many great actors from this series, most of them WAY too young. I watched the series for the first time last year and I wish I could thank every one of them for such a wonderful experience watching this universe through their characters eyes. What JMS did for Michael O’Hare upon his disease was one of the kindest acts I’ve seen from a show runner. This series truly brings about a feeling hope and possibility even in the darkest parts of history. Thank you for the excellent documentary, Rowan!

[@teresaharris-travelbybooks5564]

I love this show and have the entire thing on DVD. I think one of the reasons it resonated with so many of us, was that underneath it contained many of the same elements as The Lord Of The Rings; the different races (with the Minbari as the Elves), Marcus ( Aragorn ) and the Rangers, an enemy that was initially only seen in glimpses but still generated great fear, a hero who died but is miraculously brought back. Even the ending, with the Older Races retreating beyond the Rim, corresponds to the Elves leaving Middle Earth; paving the way for the dominance of Men. Regarding the switch from Michael O'Hare to Bruce Boxleitner, the plot twist of Sinclair being the reincarnation of Valen, was a brilliant idea and let the viewer believe that Sinclair was still a part of the plot and was only off, doing more important work. Finally, Sheridan's departure; at the end of the series; was one of the most heart wrenching, most beautiful, and most fitting endings of any series ever. My daughter met Mira Furlan; at Pensacon; and asked her to sign a photo, for me. Even though my daughter was not of the generation to truly appreciate this show, I'm glad that she got to tell Mira, how much it meant to me.

[@evertonporter7887]

I've watched B5 twice and the story, the cast, the writing, the character development and worldbuilding are just top tier throughout. I'm going to watch it all over again, and I have to get it on DVD.

[@bjrneirikstrkersen1021]

Yeah, LOTR was clearly one of the Main inspirations for this show - Shadows, Lorien, Zahadum = Kazad-Dhum, Rangers, the mixing of lineages long seperated brought together (elves and men, minbari and human), Aragorn/Arwen = Sheridan/Delenn), etc. etc. In my mind, that doesn't take anything away from the show, which is still one of the most inventive and well written pieces of fiction out there. If anything, I consider this the ultimate homage to Tolkiens works.

[@zodden01]

One of the best Sci Fi shows in history. Great overall story. I hope they bring it back. I've thought a lot about Michael O'hare suffering from schizophrenia as season one went along. I have to give that man so much credit. In the later episodes it sure looks like he had very dark circles under his eyes. I can't imagine what he must have gone through. That's why I rate his performance as noteworthy.

[@Chace957]

Christopher Franke is amazing. His music helped make the success of the show!

[@natbarmore]

They released a bunch of CDs that were just the soundtrack for a single episode lightly reworked into basically a symphony. I believe you can now get them on iTunes and the like. And they totally hold up as pure music, without the story or dialogue or video.

[@sietuuba]

He and the orchestra were incredibly productive and massively upped the ante of what music for a mere television series could be. Not settling for just a few themes etc. they constantly worked on new pieces of music for episodes that deserved it and it shows... an integral part of the unique experience for the audiences of Babylon 5! They stand on their own too, just wonderful stuff.

[@Delfiinit]

His Babylon 5 score is how I found out about and eventually became obsessed with Tangerine Dream, and because of that obsession later started learning how to use synthesizers myself. A very unexpected chain of events and I can only thank B5 for that.

[@Jandalf.]

By Valen, I love this show. Great characters, brilliant storytelling. Still rewatch it every couple of years and it never dissapoints. Also love In the Beginning and Thirdspace. Sleeping in Light still makes me cry. Thanks for this video, great as always.

[@boobah5643]

_In the Beginning_ frustrates me because there are people who insist it should be viewed first, which... why would you spoil so much for a first time viewer? No, it's very much intended to be seen after the series proper. Not the movie's fault, though. _Thirdspace_ feels like it should have been a recurring b-plot that exploded into an a-plot for a couple episodes for the climax. So it's got pacing issues for a _B5_ story. And the worst offense is that it somehow took place during the middle of the show only there's no connective tissue that isn't in the movie itself.

[@latexrope1358]

As good as star trek is, it's never connected with me on such a deep emotional level as B5 did on so many occasions. I have never cried at ST. This is the best YT video I have ever found on B5, very well done!

[@animatewithdermot]

Agreed. Never teared up at any trek scene, but the final B5 made me cry my own tears, dammit.

[@treyriver5676]

at its best ST was fables in the future, STNG was to be Socialist Fables of the future bt G.Roddenberry died and the show became less heavyhanded with adventure and rehash of ideas that mostly worked.

[@misfit1978]

Not even at TNG Lower Decks?!

[@hannable70]

Because Star Trek was almost always episodic, the characters of Star Trek simply did not go through the monumental events that characters in Babylon 5 did. What happened in Episode 1, Season 1 of Babylon 5 became a part of the characters - and the events of the very first season were just as much a part of each surviving character as the events of the last episode of the last season. For characters in Babylon 5, things added up - and as such - every action, every emotion had more meaning. With Star Trek - literally EVERYTHING is erased at the end of each episode. I know - there were occasions here and there where Star Trek attempted to reference the events of other shows. But because every episode of Star Trek ended on a positive note, with everyone coming through the problems unscathed, there was no "additive" quality to their lives. Imagine if every night when we went to bed, we essentially forgot the events of the previous day. We would still know who we were, where we worked, what we were doing - who are friends and colleagues were. But we forgot the essence of our lives - that horrible tragedy we suffered yesterday has not affected us at all because - today we don't remember it. That's Star Trek. Episodic characters simply do not have that "real life" quality to them and, as such, I feel very little emotion for them. I know that, no matter how hard "today" is (i.e. this episode), "tomorrow" (the next episode) they will be all better. No lingering sadness. No depression. No PTSD. No anger issues or personality crises - and because Star Trek is such a friggin' utopia, so much of the relatable aspects of character personalities are wiped out. It reminds me of that cringeworthy episode of TNG where the bridge crew of the Enterprise essentially tag-teams Wesley Crusher about substance abuse and how it doesn't really solve problems. But you don't actually SEE anyone go through it. Like you do with Garibaldi and Franklin. You don't SEE the real affects of it on a person's life. No, because in Star Trek, no doubt there's an anti-addition hypospray that instantly cures someone of everything - from depression to PTSD to substance abuse to borderline personality disorder to bi-polar disorder. No matter how many friends are lost, how many ships are destroyed, how many planets are assimilated by the Borg - everyone in Starfleet are always hap-hap-happy people. Always bright and shiny and perfectly well-adjusted!! As such, ST characters simply cannot bring out the emotions in me the way B5 could - and still does.

[@sbritton1313]

Franklin's transformation of not believing in a religion other than science, to understanding that his God of science isn't always right, and that he needs to meet people on their own level, is a great transformation of it's own

[@sebastiangreenan1774]

The farewell phrase and salute of The Psi Corp. "Be seeing you." Is taken from the Patrick McGoohan TV series "The Prisoner".

[@davidsmith-ih2kk]

Probably you and I are the only 2 people living who knows about the original THE PRISONER, I to thought it strange to use that phrase from The Prisoner. Of course the reboot of that series doesn't use that phrase at all.

[@austinsmith3011]

I remember The Prisoner as well. Just discovered, it is free to watch on youtube : kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaS5lGitqrJ7mqs

[@dmp04]

@@davidsmith-ih2kk I am not a number.

[@IAMPAUL2021]

I Am not a number, I am a free man

[@petertrudelljr]

@@davidsmith-ih2kk In addition to the little circled finger salute by the corner of his eye. Definitely adds to the whole fascist feel of the Psi-Corp.

[@peterkroger7112]

It is the year 2022 and Rowan gives us the most epic retrospective imaginable.

[@chonchjohnch]

Discovered this gem on HBO max last year, loved it ever since. The world feels grounded in spite of the sci fi setting. And the whole concept of the higher races like vorlons and shadows reminds me a lot of halo lore

[@byzantiphile7630]

The pandemic episode was a poor parallel for COVID, all things considered. COVID was typified by questions regarding the severity of the illness, degrees of restrictions on civil liberties from minor to major,, ostracization of those who were not vaccinated, and questions about the role of government through the whole process for better or worse. Much of that wasn't touched on in the Markeb episode in anyway that reflected COVID. If you want an episode that is pertinent to today's politics, Deconstruction of a Falling Stars with Delenn and ISN is so poignant it still takes my breath away. It took me years to realize how much truth existed in that scene.

[@sidbeckett5655]

The genius of the "Passing through Gethsemane" episode only became apparent to me recently, before that season ends, Kosh has his own Gethsemane moment; he knows that the Shadows will come for him after he helps Sheridan get a rare win, but he does what John asks knowing the cost, and when the time comes, Kosh doesn't run. JMS is teaching the audience and foreshadowing his plot. There's no point giving Kosh his Gethsemane moment if the audience doesn't know what that is.

[@uscdave1124]

That line about "when we changed the dictionary" hit me hard when the War On Terrorism broke out, and suddenly "torture" became "enhanced interrogation", and "prisoner of war" became "enemy combatant". I remember thinking back to that scene and remembering the dialog. JMS is a HUGE part of the reason I became so strongly anti-fascist. I think B5 might be the most politically relevant sci-fi ever written besides maybe Starship Troopers or Robocop.

[@sugarnads]

Enemy combatant is correct. They are NOT prisoners of war (uniformed identified soldiers etc of a legally constituted national military). They are civilians under arms. Partisans. Theyre legally entitled to be SHOT out of hand. Not imprisoned, fed etc.

[@tonyhoban6600]

​@@sugarnads the woke are changing the dictionary . Abortion is ' my body my choice ' . Questioning lockdowns is misinformation .Wondering about the efficacy of a new drug is anti vax . And Marxist is anti-fascist .

[@OzgeKatip]

@@sugarnads QED.

[@thebluestig2654]

Changing the dictionary could also mean the "redefinition" of terms that actually started back when JMS was writing B5, including the demand to "use my pronouns or else" and the entirety of Cancel Culture that is actually full blown Fascist yet claims to be anti-fascist. BTW, if you doubt the rampant stupidity of today's "society" started back then, find the movie called PCU. Written in 1992 and filmed and released in 1994, it's a precursor of today's modern redefining of everyday terminology to make things seem less offensive to everyone, while at the same time being totally segregationist in origins.

[@trazyntheinfinite9895]

I would say the current wokeism fits much better. Its flat out facist behaviour of mob rule and agitation are soo eerily similar to how the nazis got their ball rolling. The massive media spinning and mispresentation and the continued attempt to block reality are also very familiar.

[@chuckjones9159]

I have always loved this show. Sheridan was a hero in every way and he followed the way of the warrior. His line "Every time I say no" embodied for me the courage that people need to have in our current times. The final episode with his ascension at the end will always have a home in my heart.

[@nightshade518]

I’m 75% through this and I just wanna stop and say that this is outstanding, what an amazing tribute. Can’t wait for all the other parts!!!

[@AshenVictor]

There's lots of little details in B5. Like the device that mutates Delenn we see her building it throughout the first season, and Londo's jacket gradually gets darker and darker as his arc does, starting out purple and ending up nearly black (and his hair gets better).

[@edpistemic]

I'm glad to say that I was there, watching week to week in the early '90s and from year to year as this utterly epic story unfolded. By the time it reached Seasons 3 and 4 I knew I was seeing scenes I'd never forget for the rest of my life. B5 is a masterpiece. Thank you for this wonderful retrospective.

[@robwalsh9843]

Some of the best ship design out of any sci fi universe. Each race has a unique and individual feel for their respective spacecraft.

[@VoreAxalon]

I have often thought this

[@SpacialKatana]

Check my channel if you like the B5 ships ;)

[@ObsidianBlk]

I've watched B5 a couple times over since it came out, the last time being a handful of years back when I broke down and bought the whole DVD collection. The show still threw details at me I never picked up on. The biggest I remember was a late first season episode (I forget which one, sorry). There is a scene that starts off with Garibaldi sitting at his desk reading a newspaper. It wasn't really the focus of the scene, but the headlines in the paper were clear enough that I was able to read them, and was totally floored to see it speaking of some offhanded Earth Gov group going by the name Nightwatch (I forget the exact wording, but it made Nightwatch out to be this small, grassroots thing). The scene, and episode it was in, had nothing to do with Earth Gov, or the Shadows, nor was the newspaper treated as anything other than a throwaway prop... but I strongly recall just sitting there, dumbfounded, that a season ONE episode had random background elements speaking to events we wouldn't even hear about for a season and a half!

[@Chromodar]

My favorite scene of the entire series is when Vir answers Mr Morden's question.

[@donaldpaluga]

Mine was Vir getting what HE wanted!

[@Chromodar]

@@donaldpaluga I think we can both agree the little smile and wave he does in both scenes are perfect ;)

[@treyriver5676]

and wave into you're cold dead eyes just like this.. can you associates arrange that Mr morden ? that is from memory so may be off a bit

[@Chromodar]

@@treyriver5676 I honestly don't remember the exact words but according to IMDB it goes: Morden: What do you want? Vir Cotto: I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave, like this. [gives a mockingly cheerful finger waggle] Vir Cotto: Can you and your associates arrange this for me, Mr. Morden?

[@zeugenberg]

Everytime an episode title is named a shiver goes down my spine.

[@sskoog]

Straczynski's choice to make the show 'non-linear' was bold and brilliant. It took Londo Mollari's otherwise-tragic character arc and made into... something Shakesperean. Really praiseworthy stuff. (Patricia Tallman finally spilled the beans, a few years ago, and revealed that Straczynski did file an intellectual-property lawsuit against Paramount, and the apparent parallels (space station, non-linear temporal protagonist, character named Lyta/Leeta) were sufficient to drive private meditation + cash settlement. Yes, there are many reasons for corporations to settle out-of-court, but this certainly seems like Paramount admitted some culpability for "the coincidental similarities." Straczynski was of course NDA gag-ordered as part of the deal.)

[@jamesstewart7736]

I'm about half way through this video and as someone who enjoyed every episode of Babylon 5 in the 90s this documentary is nothing short of outstanding. Thank you so much for producing this fitting tribute to such a great TV show.

[@talideon]

42:00 - The Narn never came across as even remotely villains from an Irish point of view. Severely traumatised and working through that trauma, not always in the most healthy way, but never villains.

[@ScotSteam47]

Early on as in the Pilot and the first few of season 1 I would disagree. The point was all the characters had time to grow and change. Makes it even more the better for us watching. The G'Kar that raises his voice at Delenn in the Pilot is not the same G'Kar who looks after Sinclair's girlfriend later on...

[@Edax_Royeaux]

I don't know man, even the Germans of WWII weren't making speeches about grinding an entire race's bones into powder. And claiming that the Germans were traumatized by WWI is not enough of an excuse to justify them not being villains.

[@Robotrik1]

The theme of B5 (expressed by G'Kar himself) was that "no one is what he seems to be" on Babylon 5 . This translated into every character having a transformation of sorts through out the show . In the beginning of the show, many people see the Narns as the most aggressive species in the B5 universe -- as they act out the "we were once occupied, now it's our turn to victimize" arc -- an arc that is then thwarted by the return of the Shadows, a their aid to the Centaurus . Babylon 5 worked intentionally on being unpredictable and thwarting expectations . That was a part of it's charm .

[@Bayard1503]

They were meant as villainous in the first season, when the Centauri also seemed likeable. The Narn were the ones that were destabilizing the status quo of the galaxy.

[@robbybevard8034]

They were specifically framed as villains in the first few episodes so the audiences could be surprised when things changed. Its impossible to see Gkar as villainous NOW knowing where he ends up, but if you see it fresh he's kinda villainey at first.

[@biocapsule7311]

I would also like to point out regarding Sheridan and Sinclair, their demeanor and personality suited their career path perfectly. You descript Sheridan as chisel jaw space hero, he is a career officer, usually people who personalities trait made them stand out instinctively. Where as Sinclair is a NCO specialist, who receive his commission the battle of the line. Hence his reserve manner, despite his abilities, he isn't someone who like to stand out.

[@gandalftheblack9114]

I watched every single episode as it aired originally here in the UK and still to this day every 2 or 3 years I go back and re watch it all again, including the movies, Crusade and all the spin offs. I have truly enjoyed every minute of this video. It made me laugh, whoop and cry and taught me a few things I didn't know. Truly a fantastic job and I look forward to watching Part 2. Thank you

[@stevepittman3770]

This is an astonishingly thorough and honest look at one of my favorite shows of all time and I sincerely think you knocked it out of the park. Excellent work, I can't wait for part 2.

[@KesselRunner606]

Babylon 5 was one of the key defining aspects of the 90s for me. Hearing the music instantly transports me back in time. I loved every aspect of this show, right down to the dodgy cardboard and balsa wood sets and props that were visibly falling apart. These failings only gave the show more charm and affection for me. You felt there was something truly new and original happening.

[@daenerystargaryen6302]

I still think Babylon 5 has one of the best endings I've ever seen! It actually makes sense because the story was planned out and it's heart-wrenching every time you watch it.

[@volodymyrbilyk555]

It also shows that it is not hard to conclude a show when the story moves towards something and not just wanders around for a seasob

[@TheInternetHelpdeskPlays]

I loved babylon 5, it introduced a young me to philosophy. The writing was beautiful, the plots were well woven and intricate, the characters were well rounded to the point I found myself crying at certain episodes. I cant wait to see the rest of your series.

[@mikem.s.1183]

Great retrospective. While Babylon 5 is not hard Science Fiction and much more soft SF, it's still a great accomplishment and the best TV series with SF content. JMS did a great job. In his screenwriting book he details a little bit what his process is. He is a writer through and through. A good one. Babylon 5 is a saga, highly complex, multi layered, filled with intelligent nuances. I don't know if others see it as I do but I'd say in this day and age , when story and intelligent discussion and speculation are NOT the most important aspects of movies and TV, Babylon 5 would never be done. [And no, the latest Dune is NOT at this level, there is considerable distance between Herbert's vision and this series. ] On a side note , the The Big Bang Theory writers several times threw jabs at B5 considering it as "highly derivative" while at the same time promoting Star Trek series (which were highly derivative) On a second side note... "False machismo" of certain figures? I think I know who you're referring to. But consider this, unlike the setting and events on B5, we now have major govts say there's a high probability (95%) that the pandemic came from a lab. It puts things in perspective. All the conniving of certain races, the brutal manipulation by the shadows and the vorlons have a match in today's political and corporate forces in this planet.

[@michaelmclaughlin261]

This made me realize how lucky we were to have a show like Bab 5

[@elonmusksellssnakeoil1744]

I'm glad someone else enjoys Believers, which is often listed as one of the series's worst episodes. But I unashamedly _love_ it. One of my favorite episodes, hands down.

[@Armoure10]

Its a great episode, but its also a very hard episode to watch. Probably the one i like the least to watch, because of the moral dilemma and the kids ultimately death.

[@mayra3277]

I love it as well. In fact, it was the episode which not only made me absolutely convinced that I'd watch the show to the end, but also probably the one from which B5 was my favourite show. It would have played out so differently on other sci-fi. And oh boy, it's hard to watch but in the good way.

[@MKR5210]

I see it less a religious comment and more a commentary on the west's assumption that it's culture, beliefs and ideologies are so much more "civilised" than that of others. And frankly the most extreme version of this is America's "exceptionalism" which defines "others" to include the whole rest of the world......

[@petertrudelljr]

@@mayra3277 It is unsettling to watch, but that episode, so quickly in the series cemented "This is NOT Trek" in my mind. The concept of B5 intrigued me more than any Trek... socio-political intrigue in space? Me Likey!

[@mayra3277]

@@petertrudelljr Same here! In season 1 during my first watch I referred to B5 as "DS9 on steroids", because it did what DS9 did (break the utopia) but took it up a notch. (Also see DS9 "The Quickening" and a somewhat similarly starting B5 episode... you know which one I mean.) On TNG, Picard would have found a legal loophole and all would have been happy. On Voyager, the Doctor would not have wanted to operate, Janeway would have forced him, and later the parents would begrudgingly have thanked her for saving their kid. On DS9, Bashir would have wanted to operate, Sisko would have forbidden it, the kid would have died among his parents and later Sisko and Bashir would have grieved together and discussed religion and life. But this is B5.

[@rej3ktstudios986]

Through your eloquence and earnest, you have single-handedly convinced me to watch Babylon 5 despite me not knowing anything about it!

[@sneakyking]

Enjoy

[@boobah5643]

Lucky. Wish I could watch it for the first time again.

[@robb8235]

Seasons 2-5 are the best in my opinion

[@Dr_Will_Tarr]

I love your long, detailed shows! I will send $3 a month to assist on Patron. Babylon 5 had a budget of $700,000 per episode… Star Trek DS-9 had $2,000,000. That is 1995 $… so double it for 2022. The reason Bab-5 did 5 seasons is it was cheap to make! Special effects were not great but plots/acting/story arc are fantastic. The Movies were cranked out in season 4 to season 5…. Cranked out quickly. I still have a few of the Babylon fan Newsletters… nicely produced. I am 60 now but in 1995, I was 34 and just loved how the show covered politic, money and complex story. Watching it on a 19 inch Sony Low res TV set… cheap two speakers. I bought the DVD…. 1st season was 5x4 standard tv format but season 2 to end production, wide screen 5x9. The producers thought big screen TV would be made someday or projection TV. My favorite Star Trek is DS-9… dealt with sex, money, politics and not always happy episodes. BE SEEING YOU!

[@gilmadreth680]

"Zathras is used to beast of burden for others. Very sad life. Will probably have very sad death. But...at least there is symmetry." To this day it blows my mind how Tim Choate managed to deliver this line as a humorous one-off for a laugh but while you're laughing the line replays in your head and makes you go from laughter to "oh this poor man needs a hug" fast enough to give a person whiplash.

[@SiriusMined]

Actually, Londo's response to Morden is very in character. Think of Londo's lament in the pilot "my god man, we've become a tourist attraction"

[@William-the-Guy]

I agree. I always find it weird when people say that was a new side of Londo. We saw that side of him consistently.

[@IanM-id8or]

Londo's arc was brilliantly portrayed throughout the entire series. And every step was in character

[@rashkavar]

I love how basically everything fans do related to Babylon 5 starts with a riff on the opening monologue. It's such a good opportunity to riff on using the first season intro. (Good luck with season 4, though!)

[@msthalamus2172]

Huh. I thought that Ivanova and Talia's relationship was meant to be a crystal clear same-sex romance. That it wasn't specifically called out made it, to me, read more genuine. One of the problems with depictions of same-sex relationships, really until recently, was drawing so much attention to the "gayness" of the relationship that all other apects of the characters remained almost wholly undeveloped. They ultimately were so often little more than the "gay couple" or the "trans couple", but people are so much more than that! Here, they were presented as a couple, just like any other couple, who both happened to be women. I cannot think offhand of a healthier example of a same-sex relationship in fictional pop culture fom the 90s than (what I read from) this one.

[@adamcline8728]

I love seeing JMS's utter contempt for bad studio notes. His treatment of the "hot-shot pilot character" and the gossamer thin veil thrown over Talia and Ivanova's romance are hilarious.

[@Zucadragon]

I know right, this show created a relationship, and that one happened to be female to female, but really, the relationship is so good, which makes the story surrounding them so much more impactful as well.

[@fredmdbud]

Sooooo ... swap every heterosexual public display of affection with a gay one and that's too overt? Sure, there are plots where relationships are kept undercover,/unrequited but those are exactly that - plot devices (e.g. Ivanova & Marcus), not the norm. As for a healthy relationship, I dunno, given that Talia's sub-alter ego pushed it along for the benefit of the Psi Corps and the emotional trauma it cause Ivanova.

[@msthalamus2172]

I was referring to the way the relationship was depicted, i.e. it's just a relationship like any other, and that no fanfare or shock value was attached to it because it involved two women, not to how the individuals within the relationship ultimately did or did not behave.

[@GankbotShuk]

That is what happens when you make two solid well rounded characters, and happen to have them be gay. As opposed to making two gay characters. In the first case its part of what defines them and adds depth, in the latter case it IS what defines them and makes them shallow. Hollywood still can't figure this out.

[@disgruntledtoons]

Hats off to O'Hare for putting everyone ahead of himself when deciding on his future with the series.

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

Babylon 5 was an excellent show. I ignored it at first. I'm not sure at what point I started watching it - somewhere in the 1st season - but I was immediately sucked in. I loved Babylon 5 and it was the perfect Saturday treat. Unfortunately it got shifted around on our local channels before landing there - making it even harder to watch. Eventually, by Season 3 it grew bigger and bigger and had a far larger audience and was treated with more respect by the primetime network UPN9. The special effects and acting were excellent without being overly dramatic like Star Trek DS9. I really do believe, however, season 5 totally jumped the shark. I'd have been completely satisfied if the show ended with the episode "ENDGAME". ENDGAME should have ended season 4 and Season 5 could have just been a bonus.

[@atariboy9084]

37:21 Funny that not only did both Bruce Boxleitner as Capt. John Sheridan and Peter Jurasik as Londo was in Babylon 5 but the two was also in the 1982 Disney film TRON Bruce Boxleitner as Tron and Peter Jurasik as Crom.

[@RachelAllcock]

As I remember it, Deconstruction of Falling Stars came *after* the renewal for fifth season, 5-22 Sleeping in Light being filmed as part of fourth season and intended as 4-22. Which is why e.g. it has Ivanova but none of the fifth season characters. When the renewal came, it was pushed back to 5-22 and DoFS filmed to replace it. That very minor niggle aside, excellent summary!

[@lanarkorras4411]

Not quite. It was shot as the first episode of S5, but aired as a replacement for the final S4 episode, which would wrap-up the entire show. Oh, I just wish War Without End could have been the ending of the five-year arc. :) And I also would have loved to see Laurel Takashima be revealed as the traitor from Gathering, Catherine going to Z'ha'dum and the very end of the Shadow War being a proper two-part episode. It's still my favorite show to this day and far superior to almost everything that doesn't have a planned-out story arc! Can't wait for the completely re-imagined reboot. Maybe it's time to switch my board computer in Elite Dangerous back to Mira Furlan. :)

[@alpha4IV]

from confessions and lamentations and onwards through the series, I found during the lockdown and at the height of the pandemic so far, I found much of B5 to be prophetic and oddly reassuring. I even did a B5 rewatch of the series when no one could go to work and found lines directly from the show repeated on real life news reports and political talking points by politicians. It was uncomfortably eerie.

[@ScotSteam47]

Afraid to say I found G'Kar's speech when hes told to leave the conference room really on point in relation to Ukraine right now. Scary stuff... especially the Ministry storylines....

[@tulinfirenze1990]

When JMS found out that George W. Bush was a big fan of B5, he was forced to say that B5 was created as a CAUTIONARY TALE, not a HOW TO in terms of creating an autocracy.

[@1804unclesam]

@@tulinfirenze1990 except it was the current administration that actually attempted to make a “Ministry of Truth”

[@TheWoblinGoblin]

I totally agree. I just lmao at the typo, because it is probably a good idea to laminate confessions

[@marocat4749]

As it should be .

[@missyprime8198]

Rowan, thank you for getting it right. Ivanova and Talia were bisexual, I couldn't begin to guess how many times I've heard people call them lesbians. When I heard you use the right label I actually cried out "yes, he got it right" Yours sincerely, someone who's bisexual and sometimes gets frustrated with bi erasure.

[@PDXLibertarian]

I remember watching this pilot, and I don't even know why I watched it. It was just so compelling. As the show went on, It was the highlight of my week - I would look at the old TV schedule in our old local newspaper and make sure my grandmother wouldn't watch the Golden Girls at the same time. Those were the days.

[@solomani5959]

What I loved about B5 was the gritty realism. This is exactly how humans would act in space dealing with aliens. Though I like star trek it was nice to see a counter point to ST in B5.

[@garanceadrosehn9691]

Excellent work on this retrospective. I watched it when it first aired. I wanted to highlight one small experience from that. The intro for seasons one and two start out with the voice-over saying _"[Babylon 5] was our last great hope for peace..."_ and goes on to describe it. The intro for the first episode of season three has the voice-over saying _"The Babylon 5 project was our last best hope for peace. _*_IT FAILED_*_ ..."._ Franke's music punches in dramatically, things start blowing up on the screen, and me and most of my friends fell out of our chairs. The impact of that change-in-tone was amazing.

[@tomhavenith2330]

Damn you... I watched Bab5 from beginning to the end at least three times... but now I have to watch it a fourth time.

[@lovipoekimo176]

I was a kid in the 90s when a local TV network here in the Philippines showed Babylon 5 at 10pm at night. For 2 years, I watched it religiously despite being sleepy and they only showed seasons 1 and 2. I only managed to see SOME season 3 and 4 episodes when I was in College (and there were no streaming services yet back then) when a Cable channel of ours broadcasted them but dubbed into Japanese. Only managed to properly watch the whole show when I chanced upon a DVD set in a local market during my 3rd year in College (2003). As for the movies, initially only saw them when our local HBO showed them. I remember staying up until 2am because that's when HBO replayed "in the Beginning."

[@ZlothZloth]

Wait, you got that speech from the president urging pilots to fight in the Battle of the Line when you were already tired!? OUCH!!

[@lovipoekimo176]

@@ZlothZloth well, I did sleep beforehand, but yeah, I was sobbing relentelessly when the President made that speech

[@EMSBoys]

I had the great honour of attending that Promise panel at Phoenix Comic Con 2013 when JMS revealed the reason Michael O'Hare left the show. Given Michael's recent death, myself and others had surmised, before the panel, that was the Promise he was keeping that day. But that still didn't prepare us for the truth. First, JMS paid tribute to the cast members who had already unfortunately passed. Richard Biggs, Andreas Katsulas, Tim Choate, Jeff Conaway, before revealing Michael's tragic illness. There's that phrase, "you could hear a pin drop". That packed, standing room only, convention room is the only time I've experienced it. And I can safely say everyone was in tears. As I am now, remembering it.