BABYLON 5 THOUGHTS
Over the past 2 weeks I did a full binge watch of Babylon 5. Some things I noticed:
1) It obeys its own internal canon VERY well. This is probably because Babylon 5 is the poster child for a show that had a show "Bible" and actually adhered to it. As a result the show is semi-serialized and it is good at paying off every long running plot line. The show left nothing dangling out there.
2) The characters. This is an area where B5 simply outclasses DS9 and to be honest most other Science Fiction except possibly The Expanse. Deep characterization everywhere and the characters may do dark things but even the most morally suspect ones (Bester, Londo) either have some good qualities and/or at least a sort of redemption arc (Londo). One of my favorites is how Vir Cotto evolves over time from kind of timid and bumbling aide to Londo into eventually probably the greatest Emperor the Centauri Republic ever has. Likewise G'Kar, Lyta, heck everyone. DS9 has okay characterization but not on this level.
3) The acting. DS9 has some good acting (Jadzia, Quark) and some not so good acting (Sisko, Keiko, and more). Generally they do inhabit their characters decently well. B5 however is again on another level. The acting out of everyone is first level. Some REAL standouts include Mira Furlan as Delenn, Walter Koenig as Bester, Peter Jurasik as Londo, Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar and Claudia Christian as Ivanova.
4) The plot. B5 is a sweeping epic space opera that feels a lot like a high quality novel - it's even structured that way. You feel the historical arc as it fills in and you care about the characters and want to see them do well. DS9 clearly is copying B5 here but also trying to stay recognizably Star Trek and this is where it is hampered - Trek's premise doesn't really work well in a serialized format. The other problem DS9 has here is it really feels more like a soap opera a fair amount of the time with "who's shipping with who" being too prominent. B5 smartly kept the shipping both to a minimum and also tied closely to the story and the story always came first - even in the romance of Sheridan and Delenn.
Some thoughts...
Over the past 2 weeks I did a full binge watch of Babylon 5. Some things I noticed:
1) It obeys its own internal canon VERY well. This is probably because Babylon 5 is the poster child for a show that had a show "Bible" and actually adhered to it. As a result the show is semi-serialized and it is good at paying off every long running plot line. The show left nothing dangling out there.
2) The characters. This is an area where B5 simply outclasses DS9 and to be honest most other Science Fiction except possibly The Expanse. Deep characterization everywhere and the characters may do dark things but even the most morally suspect ones (Bester, Londo) either have some good qualities and/or at least a sort of redemption arc (Londo). One of my favorites is how Vir Cotto evolves over time from kind of timid and bumbling aide to Londo into eventually probably the greatest Emperor the Centauri Republic ever has. Likewise G'Kar, Lyta, heck everyone. DS9 has okay characterization but not on this level.
3) The acting. DS9 has some good acting (Jadzia, Quark) and some not so good acting (Sisko, Keiko, and more). Generally they do inhabit their characters decently well. B5 however is again on another level. The acting out of everyone is first level. Some REAL standouts include Mira Furlan as Delenn, Walter Koenig as Bester, Peter Jurasik as Londo, Andreas Katsulas as G'Kar and Claudia Christian as Ivanova.
4) The plot. B5 is a sweeping epic space opera that feels a lot like a high quality novel - it's even structured that way. You feel the historical arc as it fills in and you care about the characters and want to see them do well. DS9 clearly is copying B5 here but also trying to stay recognizably Star Trek and this is where it is hampered - Trek's premise doesn't really work well in a serialized format. The other problem DS9 has here is it really feels more like a soap opera a fair amount of the time with "who's shipping with who" being too prominent. B5 smartly kept the shipping both to a minimum and also tied closely to the story and the story always came first - even in the romance of Sheridan and Delenn.
Some thoughts...
6 months ago
(E)
