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So I have discovered that Babylon 5 is available to me on Tubi (with ad breaks) and since it has been on my list of shows to rewatch I decided to start it. I don't think I've seen it since the original broadcast and I am fairly sure I missed a number of episodes the first time around. In fact I waas not sure whether or not I had seen any of the first season, because my memories of Sinclair are extremely vague.
Episode 0: I definitely had never seen this before! I assume it was some kind of pilot? Anyway, it was OK -- I guess it laid a lot of groundwork, but it certainly suffered from a lack of Ivanova.
Actual Episode 1 (Midnight on the Firing Line): This was a really strong episode, on the other hand, and I liked how it set up a the relationship between Londo and G'Kar, and foreshadowed its ending. I also appreciated the work it put in to establishing the tension between Susan and Talia. And somehow, this episode is always relevant. Sadly. 10/10 on the Londo scale, though.
Ep 2 (Soul Hunter): Stranger comes to B5, stuff happens. My memory is that this was a pretty frequent type of episode (see also ep 4) but I guess we see some set-up for the Mystery of Sincair and the Mimbari. I did kind of lose intrrest partway through this one.
Ep 3 (Born to the Purple): This was the first episode I had any real memory of, and confirmed that I had watched at least some of season 1 -- I had certainly seen the parts with Ivanova and her father. I can only assume that I had also seen the rest of the episode. What I liked best about this episode was actually the minor character stuff, like G'Kar's incredibly pissed-off new assistant, and everything with Vir.
Ep 4 (the Infection): Yet again, a stranger comes to B5 and stuff happens, although this time it's David McCalum and some other guy. This was the first episode I actually liked Garibaldi in: the final scene between him and Sinclair, when he confronts him about his risk-taking, was so well done. Spartacus watched this one and didn't give up partway through so I may see if he wants to watch more of the show with me.
Overall, I am enjoying the rewatch, although I wonder whether the pattern of even-numbered episodes being better than odd-numbered ones will continue. It's not quite as clunky as I had osmosed, and although I feel like the writing is sometimes awkward, the episodes do still feel very relevant. I do really love the Centauri, who are still somewhat ridiculous at this stage, but also just a little creepy; I feel like the Mimbari and Narn are less well-established at this stage. I do like how sketchy the Mimbari seem, though.
Ivanova remains wonderful. I am pretty sure the first time around I was mostly watching for her, and I don't think that was a bad decision on my part.
Episode 0: I definitely had never seen this before! I assume it was some kind of pilot? Anyway, it was OK -- I guess it laid a lot of groundwork, but it certainly suffered from a lack of Ivanova.
Actual Episode 1 (Midnight on the Firing Line): This was a really strong episode, on the other hand, and I liked how it set up a the relationship between Londo and G'Kar, and foreshadowed its ending. I also appreciated the work it put in to establishing the tension between Susan and Talia. And somehow, this episode is always relevant. Sadly. 10/10 on the Londo scale, though.
Ep 2 (Soul Hunter): Stranger comes to B5, stuff happens. My memory is that this was a pretty frequent type of episode (see also ep 4) but I guess we see some set-up for the Mystery of Sincair and the Mimbari. I did kind of lose intrrest partway through this one.
Ep 3 (Born to the Purple): This was the first episode I had any real memory of, and confirmed that I had watched at least some of season 1 -- I had certainly seen the parts with Ivanova and her father. I can only assume that I had also seen the rest of the episode. What I liked best about this episode was actually the minor character stuff, like G'Kar's incredibly pissed-off new assistant, and everything with Vir.
Ep 4 (the Infection): Yet again, a stranger comes to B5 and stuff happens, although this time it's David McCalum and some other guy. This was the first episode I actually liked Garibaldi in: the final scene between him and Sinclair, when he confronts him about his risk-taking, was so well done. Spartacus watched this one and didn't give up partway through so I may see if he wants to watch more of the show with me.
Overall, I am enjoying the rewatch, although I wonder whether the pattern of even-numbered episodes being better than odd-numbered ones will continue. It's not quite as clunky as I had osmosed, and although I feel like the writing is sometimes awkward, the episodes do still feel very relevant. I do really love the Centauri, who are still somewhat ridiculous at this stage, but also just a little creepy; I feel like the Mimbari and Narn are less well-established at this stage. I do like how sketchy the Mimbari seem, though.
Ivanova remains wonderful. I am pretty sure the first time around I was mostly watching for her, and I don't think that was a bad decision on my part.
