B5: 1.01-1.04

[snick_backup]

I watched the first ten or so episodes of B5 five years ago, when I was in grad school. I was Not Impressed and gave up. However, ruuger and selenak's fond and frequent mentions over the years have finally inspired me to give it another go.

My thoughts so far, they are not deep:
* Ivonova and Garibaldi are still my favorites, for having personalities. Lando is an honorary favorite, for the same reason.

* I want to like Delenn, but I'm petrified with not caring very much.

* Can Jeffrey Sinclair and his actor please GO AWAY? AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? He has all the acting ability of a wooden box (although the writing does him no favors, either).

* I know that soulhunter! He was the hologram in the first season of SeaQuest!

* I've been trying to pin down what specifically bores me so horribly about the plots here, and I think it comes down to two things: most of the key actors in the plots are (so far) defined solely by their species and consequent political affiliation, and b) the politics so far are mostly territorial spats, no different in character from any other territorial spat in all of human history, for all that the participants in this case are of alien species and the territory they're squabbling over is on planets around other stars. And I just. don't. care. I'm in science fiction for the goshwow stuff, not for simplistic border disputes.

* Speaking of goshwow stuff, the one developing plot thread that intrigues me is this whole Psi Corps business. The interaction between Talia Winters and Ivonova is probably my favorite bit thus far, and from before I recall being even more intrigued once Alfred Bester (whose name never fails to throw me) shows up.

Original entry posted at Dreamwidth. Feel free to reply here or there. ( DW replies)

Comments

[hamsterwoman]

Ivanova, Garibaldi, and Londo are definitely some of the best things about s1, especially early s1 :) (And I think Delenn gets more interesting as time goes on.)

I can't stand Sinclair either, both for the acting and because he seems to get all the cheesiest lines. I'm not sure what your policy on spoilers is, so I won't say more, but, yeah.

The PsiCorps continues to be a major thread. I confess that I've never liked Talia, but Bester is very interesting whenever he shows up, which he does from time to time, usually to great effect.

The plots also get more complex (and some of the simple stuff from early on, like the border disputes, pave the way for more major things), but I'm not sure if they do so in a suitably sci-fi goshwow way.

[snickfic]

Well, I know Sinclair goes away pretty fast, and that at least gives me hope. I tell you true, I could not stomach five seasons of him.

You know, I'm okay with plots that aren't particularly goshwow if they're, you know, good. Which I just don't think this has been so far.

I'm very interested in the PsiCorps aspect. I don't really remember how I felt about Talia before, but I liked her fine in the premiere or whatever it was, so we shall see.

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

IMO the show doesn't really get going until season two. Now, a lot of important stuff for the rest of the series is set up in season one, but it's more foundational if you know what I mean.

Ivanova and Garibaldi are by far the most interesting things about season one. G'Kar is probably my favorite overall, but it takes him a while to get there.

And honestly? An awful lot of your issues will get better if you just hang in there! spoiler: Sinclair goes away. Delenn (while never my favorite) gets a whole lot more interesting. Bester keeps coming back.

And a couple of my favorite episodes are coming up!

[janice-lester.livejournal.com]

I discovered the show during season 2, and when I eventually went back and saw what I missed, well... I don't think I missed much. In fact, I'm not sure I would have kept watching if I'd begun with season 1. Jeffrey Sinclair is the main problem, but not the only one. Agree with zanthinegirl above that B5 doesn't really get going until season 2. Somewhere in season 2 is where I got hooked. I will say that when I DID get around to watching the entire show in order beginning with season 1, I had JUST reached the point where I could calmly tolerate Sinclair when he was written out. :-|

Seasons 3 and 4 are magical, IMHO. I think you'll enjoy them. :-)