You can sort of tell the scenes where Michael O’Hare was struggling. He starts blinking rapidly. Props to him for staying the entire season and for retuning to finish Sinclair’s arc. Just sad that he ultimately lost his battle with mental illness.
Only Babylon 5 could end an episode with a shot of an ant crawling on a flower and make its audience feel an overwhelming sense of wonder at the infinite universe.
"The enemy is the one who tells you that you must hate that which is different. because that hate will turn on you, and that same hate will destroy you" how accurate this is with whatever is going on in the world now
This is exactly why I love this show, it’s so deep and addresses some of humanity worse shortcomings but also highlights it’s strengths, I wish we could just unite as a species, not under a one world government but for the good of all humanity so that we could be the ones forging our path to the stars and not some unelected elites who are riddled with greed and corruption
I was deeply saddened here reasons why Michael O'hare (Cmdr Sinclair) had to leave the series. Bruce Boxlitner was OK, but just thought O'hare just more convincing.
G'Kar's speech was , and remains the finest anthem for freedom ever. Adreas Katsulas,may e rest in peace, was simply awe inspiring and amazing as G'Kar. He brought a soul inspiring depth to the character that has never been seen since in Scifi. B5 remains a shining beacon in Scifi history.
His speech to Catherine Sakai was just as good in it's own way. It stands on it's own just fine but it's even better when you remember that this is the first time you see that G'Kar isn't just a brutish troublemaking alien. For me, that was the moment when I realized how good of a show I was watching.
@@Elthenar I could not agree more. I think the very first episodes of the show were used to refine itself but it was clear from episode one that there was more to G'kar, Londo and Delen and you got the distinct impression that something very big was coming. I've heard that there were plans to revive the series but I'm in two minds myself. I know sfx was not pristine on the show and shows its age now but JMS was a pioneer in his writing( as well as Harlen Ellison) and Ron Thornton's pioneering use of Lightwave run on commdore "Video Toasters" was ground breaking at the time. The acting did get better by the second season.I know with modern sfx tech B5 could be phenomenal. The reboot of Battlestar galactica was phenomenal , but rarely do reboots enhance or retain the esscence of the original. I dont honestly believe that any actr could bring the soul to G'kar that Andreas did.
Delenn: "Valen said-will you follow me into fire, will you?" The first time I heard that I was too surprised to stand up and say yes, but I knew the answer would always be yes. I'd never before nor ever since so badly wanted to follow the path of another. If G'kar's speech is the finest anthem of freedom, Delenn's is the finest anthem of devotion.
This is what troubles me about the reboot that J. Michael Straczynski wants to do -- though it looks like it's currently languishing in development hell, and may never come off. If J.M.S. is involved, I'm sure it will be good, but I don't see how he can _possibly_ find actors who will be anywhere near as good as, never mind better, than Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik were as G'Kar and Londo. Both those characters had such incredible story arcs, and their actors played them so superbly, that I just can't help but see any new series suffer by comparison with the old in that respect, no matter how good the rest of it might prove to be.
Out of every scifi show, Babylon 5 is still my favorite. The graphics might be out of date and some of the sets are not that good but I'd take excellent and QUALITY writing over anything else.
I grew up on the original Star Trek so is my television science fiction first love but Babylon 5 was so much better and would be the science fiction universe I would like to visit even though and because humans are still extremely flawed and I would love to meet G'Kar
@@denisemartel3352 The original Star Trek was written by some of the greatest science fiction writers of the 1960's and they all were hoping that we would grow out of our tribal tendencies. In the time since that show not only have we not gotten better we have gotten worse.
@@thomasb1889 , maybe you misunderstand me . S.T was great and still is . But to mutch of a utopi. B5 was more realistic. Progress but still whit what we have today. Blind ambitions , drugs , thugs , murtherer , rapist , many religious zealots , humanity didn’t change , only make more progress.
G'Kar character grew so much as the ARC progressed. This scene with him explaining the ancients to Sakai was one his shining moments. A human , a centauri would have crushed the ant to prove their power over it. Not G'Kar, he let's it go back to its freedom , to be an ant, to fulfill its purpose. I miss B5. The best sci fi series ever created.
Yes, an excellant peice of scripting and picking ACTORS for the stage's portrayed. Alas the mediocre shows and "actors" nowdays i fear we will never see a show of it's calibre again.
@@neil999ish Don't give up hope. I too am bored with what the "entertainment" industry is putting out these days, but these things come and go. Not saying my current material compares to Babylon 5, but this frustration is a big part of why I started writing. I'm sure there are other creative types out there who feel the same way and are working hard to make something worthwhile.
I am not a religious man, never have been and never will be, but wisdom is wisdom, and the preacher is so right it hurts. That which he says is something we have woefully forgotten about (The enemy is fear and ignorance etc.)
Faith is a good thing, faith and reason are both needed, faith can be in the possibility that acts can change the world, you can change the world, you can be healed, get better from an illness. Blind faith is bad, when you get lost it dogmas, taking it word to word, like Amish, Mormons, extremist Muslims (not all muslims are extremists or religious, that is why lots of young Muslims going abroad to live there as musicians, teachers etc.) In Babylon 5 it was stated that blind close-mindedness and believing that your truth is the only truth are the things which must be avoided: see the Grey Council which got lost in their own thinking, so Delenn had to dissolve them, the theory of Shadows and Vorlons, not to mention rejecting the blood transfusion in Believers.
@@ThyFacelessOne It's cute that you criticize Islam, the Amish and the Mormons while leaving out Judaism and Christianity; all of the Abrahamic religions are nuts to varying degrees.
“never start a fight, but always finish it”. That’s a line that’s always stuck me since the first time I watched the show during its original run in the 90’s.
Same. It often comes to mind when people talk about being pacifists, claiming they won't fight no matter what happens. The way I see it, I consider myself a pacifist, but if you start something, I'm going to finish it as effectively as possible.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin have you seen sliders? The first season is very good (until the producers butted in and butchered it in later seasons), you might like it
G'Kar's speech in the council chambers after the fall of Narn remains one of the most compelling pieces of dialogue, and delivered so very very well. It's stuck with me since first airing, and will stick with me till the day I die.
I wouldn't jump to this conclusion so quickly. Star Trek had its moments, especially in DS9 and TNG. I'd also nominate Person of Interest and Firefly, though they aren't the usual sci-fi (Firefly's a Space Western and POI takes place in 2013) and one can't really compare them to B5. But yeah, Babylon is definitely up there.
@@crowbar_the_rogue star trek wil always miss one point compared to babylon 5. And that is coherent time line. Star trek time line was olways total mess. And whit new alternate time line it is absolute mess. With this storytelling, babaylon 5 is at least for me the absolute pinnacle of sci-fi. But that is my opinion.
@@BZUCOSK Star Trek had good writing but all of it depended on everyone being on a military vessel filled with civilians. I mean most episodes could of been solved if they had any real military regulations or any soldiers instead they send the second in command out to do everything from rescues too infiltration.
As good as it was, Londo's reaction to it made it even better. The Centauri victory, his victory just turned into ash and there was nothing he could say or do to prevent it.
This show was full of great speeches. My personal favorite is when Londo begs J'kar to help the humans and sign the treaty. The line "that if with one word I can become the enemy, can I even say I know how the enemy is. But I do know who my friends are." Still shows more insight than all of Trek. I also love the amazing story and growth arcs that all of the major characters go through. You can tell it was planed, not an afterthought that just got tacked on.
@@grayscribe1342 Those two actors are what really sold the show. You could just tell that they knew this show had probably best dialog that they would ever get to deliver and the deepest characters they would ever get to play. I really miss Adreas Katsulas.
@@waynecampeau4566 the only thing that can compare in its sweeping arc and depth to me is the Clone Wars animated series . Simply superb if you watch all of it
Babylon 5 - best. Series. Ever. JMSs writing was 100% outstanding (a lot more philosophy contained therein than first evident on first viewing(s)). In Valens Name, thank you for uploading.
Delenn's speech when facing the Starfire Wheel is something I see repeatedly at work and something I always think about. The difference between a supervisor and a leader.
This is what keeps this show timeless. the lessons it imparted her not simple ones. it did not ask simple questions. it was complex, and above all, hopeful.
Boxleitner was better at being the action captain. O'Hare just killed it with scenes like 0:30 because of his soulful Stage voice. Boxleitner was better at being the wartime Captain but he'd never have been as believable on the journey to being Valen.
Although Boxleitner was the better of the two, O'Hare must be given full credit and honour for managing to get through Season 1 despite suffering a complete and total mental breakdown - JMS managed with the help of others to limp him to the end and then took care of him until his death
Someone else summed it up really well years ago - Sinclair is the sort of (battle weary) commander who'd pat you on the shoulder before a fight and say "It'll be ok" just before a battle. I reckon Sheridan would just say - "We're ready, what's your problem?". Sweet!
I watched Babylon 5 when it first came out and still enjoy it today (I have the DVD set in my collection). I listen to the quality of the writing and the depth of most of the stories and weep for the state of "entertainment" in 2021.
Babylon 5 was always on my radar but I hemmed and hawed about watching it because of how old it was. I'm glad I watched it when I did, but man... I was foolish to ever doubt this pinnacle of human art.
Delenn and the Starfire wheel test was another amazing b5 moment, chills up my spine. B5 was such a meaningful show, it truly has changed me , for the better.
Warners does the world a huge disservice to let B5 fade away to the dimming memories of old fans like us, when its hope and brotherhood are what's needed more than ever.
@@TomFromMars thing is tho writers like these are so few and far between now days. I've saw clips of shows when I was at school and holy shit they have some deep points to make without attacking anyone. just respectful beneficial points.
@@bouldy2 Wasn't Straczynski wrinting most of the dialogue himself? Or was there a dedicated author for that? Cause the one-liner were deep in this show.
@@TomFromMars according to Wikipedia "Straczynski wrote 92 of the 110 episodes of Babylon 5, including all 44 episodes in the third and fourth seasons" what I mean tho is the talent doesnt seem to be there anymore when you compare new generations to J. R. R. Tolkien, Straczynski, Gene Roddenberry, Steven Spielburg and more. as tech has gotten better writing has gotten worse imo.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin I was watched 'The Road Home'. Not normally one who remotely enjoys animation, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I hope for more. Maybe the reboot will be just as good.
Thank you for uploading this. I love Babylon 5, and I miss it being on television so much. It taught me so many life lessons when I was a teenager. Nothing else these days can compare, shows now just try and shove as much woke leftist politics down people’s throats as they can squeeze in.
In my experience, B5 has the rare quality of being able to present multiple viewpoints without truly promoting one or the other but in a way that gets the audience to think and draw conclusions on their own. All while having a solid story that entertains without being preachy.
I'm pretty sure that one scene is the only time that Marilyn Monroe, Einstein, Buddy Holly, and Aristophanes were mentioned in the same sentence. He forgot to mention The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens.
Babylon 5 was a great show not for the graphics. It was a great show because of the STORY and those who told it to us. It built some of the most detailed character arcs I have seen on the screen. It was great because it had a beginning, a middle and an End. Because the characters grew with each show and it adapted some of the most profound lessons Human History had to offer and put them in a new framework. This didn't change the lessons it breathed new life into them. And when the story was over, so was the series. It was a singular piece of art played over a 5 year span, and then it was gone. Spin offs' failed because the story had already been told and it's life was over. There is only so long one can hold a gem in ones hand and marvel at it before it becomes just another bauble. As with a good novel you can't enjoy reading it from front to back and immediately start over. We must put it away for a time before we need to pull it out again and remind ourselves of the lessons Babylon 5 reminded us of and why they are important to each of us. It is my hope that Babylon 5 will be remembered along with the Lord of the Rings, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, the written Game of Thrones, the writings of C.S. Lewis, Author C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury and Robert A. Heinlein just to name a few. It's up to us to remember them.
Your words mirror my own heart on the matter, although I feel that a spin-off is possible if done properly. The ones we got tried too hard to recapture what came before instead of building upon it to be their own thing. I am 100% against any reboot precisely for the reasons you stated.
For all the comments declaring no religion, the show runner did too. Yet he dreamt up the arc for the series, and then got the process taken away from him, partially, to produce this. The true B5 follower has to be agnostic, since the series was too, but never materialistic and disconnected. The season 1 wisdom i would have liked to see is missing, but great compilation anyways. Thank you for putting this together, a remnant of the time when media could still be profound. The last clip is especially relevant but completely out of scope of a tube comment.
In the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy Douglas adams said “the universe is bizarre and inexplicable and there is a theory that if anyone actually finds out what it’s actually for it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory that states this has already happened”
We all need to buy the series on DVD or blueray, if we don't already have it, before Hollywood actively tries to d story it's legacy. This series embodies peace, freedom, tolerance and unity without sacrificing individuality, while current Hollywood only cares about hate-mongering divisiveness and individuality destroying collectivism.
i wish i could get in BR the version that streams in HBO and Prime.. its 1080p cleaned up in 4:3 format.. (not the other thats arround IA upscaled 16:9). Its not real 1080p most of the time but its by far the best they can come with without redoing the entire CGI (wich wont be done ever.. considering they did it with Star Trek TOS and TNG and they lost money in the process that they stoped and wont even do DS9 and Voyager)
if there was ever a good answer to the question as to whether mankind should venture out into the universe, the answer given in babylon 5 was it, if we do not colonize other worlds throughout the universe, when this world dies, then so does everything good that we ever created, music, poetry, art, our capacity to love and empathize, our duality, our history that could serve as a lesson to younger races so that they do not make the same mistakes we have, all lost, and why? because of ideology, we just can not put our differences aside and see each other for what we all are, human, we all want the same things the only things that seperate us are religion and imagined lines on maps that create countries, but then its not people that start wars, its governments, kings and queens, those to whom we allow the power to govern us, what a different world this would be if those who governed us and ruled over us actually worked for the betterment of us all instead of themselves.
I've never seen anything stating this as fact, but I suspect JMS liked to challenge actors by casting them for roles unlike most of what they had done prior. Robert Foxworth is another example of that. He always seems to be some sort of bad guy in everything else.
One of my favorites: The universe is a curious place. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. It's so all incompassing, both externally and internally, time and space, choice and fate. All, good or bad and anything in between and outside of it. We don't really have much choice but the wonders of the world are amazing enough to appreciate life in any and all of its forms as we experience it vs whatever the alternative would be... as far as we know especially non-existence
And Sinclair's speech about having to go to the stars, to preserve the culture, foreshadowed the download of Earth's History by the last human to leave the Sol System before the Sun's expansion. [Although as a post script.. since that expansion by the stories own description was way too early.. maybe some alien specieis use of a Nova-Weapon against Humanity?]
In your next one, include the conversation between Marcus and Dr. Franklin, where Marcus says something like, "I take great comfort in the fact that I don't get everything I deserve. Wouldn't that be a terrifying thing?" (I THINK) they were on their way to Mars for that secret mission.
Is this the quote you were thinking of? "I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, 'wouldn't it be much worse if life *were* fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?' So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe."
I have paraphrased this lesson to my high-school students whenever they whine the age-old song of unfairness. You can see a glimmer of enlightenment on the faces of those who truly understand the message.
@@danielhaire6677 thats the one, and it was exogenesis, with the creatures who were living libraries and inhabiting human bodies so they can remember, then went away to preserve the knowledge
No offense to Sheridan, but I prefer Sinclair. He was smart, had a nice sense of humor, and could be serious and dramatic when the situation called for it. I don’t know, when I imagine the first President of the Interstellar Alliance, I think of Sinclair first, Sheridan second.
10:40 What is the Supreme Creator? Is there no one? One of an older generation? One of the First Ones? One who passed through the vail from an older universe? Or another Dimension? One who did something we don't understand (even though we know Everything) to Create the Universe?
I'd bet at least some of it came from the actors. What I've read suggests that JMS was pretty open to receiving input from them. For example, it was Bill Mumy's idea that Lennier be in love with Delenn, Jerry Doyle insisted the arc with Garibaldi drinking again take place over several episodes, and JMS originally intended Morden to be a nice guy, but liked Ed Wasser's creepy version better.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin All respect to JMS and his writing but it's hard to imagine a "nice" Mr. Morden working out well. For example would Vir really be that nasty to him is Morden had been a nice guy? "I hope they cut off you head and put it on a pike so that the next ten generations of Centauri can be reminded that some favors come with too high of price!" A bit vindictive no? :)
@@loka7783 Probably part of the reason he went ahead and changed it. As a writer myself, I know how easy it is to be in love with an idea and be blind to its flaws until someone reveals it in one way or another. Such people and events do wonders at saving us from ourselves.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin I remember an interview with JMS where he said the elevator scene, in which G'Kar started laughing like crazy was improv from Andreas. The scene was meant to be really dark and quiet, but instead he decided to do this maniac laugh, and it was so powerful that they just rolled with it. Or when he dropped the fun fact that it was Peter's idea of a joke to have the Centauri's hair stand upright (it was supposed to be standing to the sides and the back). JMS then put this into the show and stuck with it. So yeah the actors put as much into the show as JMS himself did. I think that is why it worked so damn well.
"When you become obsessed with the enemy, you become the enemy" And when you define yourself by being the opposite of the enemy you leave no other choice for yourself but to be obsessed with them, for if there's no enemy your job is obsolete. This is why I stay away from movements that say "we are anti-this and anti-that".
B5 has the same magic that the original Battlestar Galactica had. Graphics not the greatest however good writing coupled with skilled actors overcomes the shortcomings.
At the time b5 push the for front in terms of graphic and cgi, but yes unlike most show of the time as it heavy cgi they haven’t last the test of time and look poor compared to other shows of that era, The recent upscale, sharping done on the new remaster has done what it can but they had there hands tie behind there backs as the locations where most of the raw footage and cgi data was stored had a fire, so all that raw footage and cgi data was lost, to do a true remaster would cost a fortune as they would need to recreate all the cgi models and scenes. It also the reason why they didn’t do a upscale/remaster of the b5 pilot as all of it raws were lost.
@@XyberFox Deep Space 9 used models heavily. Only the very last scene of the station was CGI. Models tend to hold up better than CGI and effects. A big part of why DS9s visuals hold up well. I think TNG and Voyager used a lot more CGI than models. B5s effects didn't hold up well over time, but B5s character development and story more than make up for the CGI not being great.
5:13 no need to put a mythological spin on the preacher's words, we as humans do need other humans at least now and again and especially when the going gets rough. If we meet aliens who are so similar to us in needs and desires then we will need EACH OTHER. I'm so sick of the divisiveness of religions adding fuel to the fire of our different cultures possible hates. The only thing we should even hypothetically expect from our "creator" is the freedom of non interference to live our lives as we must, since no evidence of such a "creator" exists I maintain that "WE" are the captains of our course within the bounds of reality.
View Part 1 Here!
ua-cam.com/video/pjuvkdjhipQ/v-deo.html&lc=UgxyTzMTQmTtscFLOjZ4AaABAg
My friend it feels like what's happening today,,In UKRAINE 🇺🇦.
MY IT STAND STONG...
"My shoes are too tight but it does not matter as i have forgotten how to dance".
You can sort of tell the scenes where Michael O’Hare was struggling. He starts blinking rapidly.
Props to him for staying the entire season and for retuning to finish Sinclair’s arc.
Just sad that he ultimately lost his battle with mental illness.
Only Babylon 5 could end an episode with a shot of an ant crawling on a flower and make its audience feel an overwhelming sense of wonder at the infinite universe.
"The enemy is the one who tells you that you must hate that which is different.
because that hate will turn on you, and that same hate will destroy you"
how accurate this is with whatever is going on in the world now
This is exactly why I love this show, it’s so deep and addresses some of humanity worse shortcomings but also highlights it’s strengths, I wish we could just unite as a species, not under a one world government but for the good of all humanity so that we could be the ones forging our path to the stars and not some unelected elites who are riddled with greed and corruption
The past tempts us, the present confuses us and the future frightens us, and moment by moment our lives slip away.
Rip micheal o’hare and all the other b5 legends that have gone beyond the rim
I was deeply saddened here reasons why Michael O'hare (Cmdr Sinclair) had to leave the series. Bruce Boxlitner was OK, but just thought O'hare just more convincing.
Good bye old friends
There will never be a show like Babylon 5
G'Kar's speech was , and remains the finest anthem for freedom ever. Adreas Katsulas,may e rest in peace, was simply awe inspiring and amazing as G'Kar. He brought a soul inspiring depth to the character that has never been seen since in Scifi. B5 remains a shining beacon in Scifi history.
His speech to Catherine Sakai was just as good in it's own way. It stands on it's own just fine but it's even better when you remember that this is the first time you see that G'Kar isn't just a brutish troublemaking alien. For me, that was the moment when I realized how good of a show I was watching.
@@Elthenar I could not agree more. I think the very first episodes of the show were used to refine itself but it was clear from episode one that there was more to G'kar, Londo and Delen and you got the distinct impression that something very big was coming. I've heard that there were plans to revive the series but I'm in two minds myself. I know sfx was not pristine on the show and shows its age now but JMS was a pioneer in his writing( as well as Harlen Ellison) and Ron Thornton's pioneering use of Lightwave run on commdore "Video Toasters" was ground breaking at the time. The acting did get better by the second season.I know with modern sfx tech B5 could be phenomenal. The reboot of Battlestar galactica was phenomenal , but rarely do reboots enhance or retain the esscence of the original. I dont honestly believe that any actr could bring the soul to G'kar that Andreas did.
Adreas Katsulas was a legend. And G'Kar and Londo Mollari were two of the _greatest characters on television, ever._
Delenn: "Valen said-will you follow me into fire, will you?"
The first time I heard that I was too surprised to stand up and say yes, but I knew the answer would always be yes. I'd never before nor ever since so badly wanted to follow the path of another. If G'kar's speech is the finest anthem of freedom, Delenn's is the finest anthem of devotion.
This is what troubles me about the reboot that J. Michael Straczynski wants to do -- though it looks like it's currently languishing in development hell, and may never come off. If J.M.S. is involved, I'm sure it will be good, but I don't see how he can _possibly_ find actors who will be anywhere near as good as, never mind better, than Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik were as G'Kar and Londo. Both those characters had such incredible story arcs, and their actors played them so superbly, that I just can't help but see any new series suffer by comparison with the old in that respect, no matter how good the rest of it might prove to be.
Out of every scifi show, Babylon 5 is still my favorite. The graphics might be out of date and some of the sets are not that good but I'd take excellent and QUALITY writing over anything else.
don't forget the excellent acting
I grew up on the original Star Trek so is my television science fiction first love but Babylon 5 was so much better and would be the science fiction universe I would like to visit even though and because humans are still extremely flawed and I would love to meet G'Kar
Star Trek is good , but unrealistic when you know human. Babylon is more reel .
@@denisemartel3352 The original Star Trek was written by some of the greatest science fiction writers of the 1960's and they all were hoping that we would grow out of our tribal tendencies. In the time since that show not only have we not gotten better we have gotten worse.
@@thomasb1889 , maybe you misunderstand me . S.T was great and still is . But to mutch of a utopi. B5 was more realistic. Progress but still whit what we have today. Blind ambitions , drugs , thugs , murtherer , rapist , many religious zealots , humanity didn’t change , only make more progress.
G'Kar character grew so much as the ARC progressed. This scene with him explaining the ancients to Sakai was one his shining moments.
A human , a centauri would have crushed the ant to prove their power over it. Not G'Kar, he let's it go back to its freedom , to be an ant, to fulfill its purpose.
I miss B5. The best sci fi series ever created.
I feel Babylon 5 has the most character progression of any sci-fi show I've ever seen.
Yes, an excellant peice of scripting and picking ACTORS for the stage's portrayed. Alas the mediocre shows and "actors" nowdays i fear we will never see a show of it's calibre again.
@@neil999ish Don't give up hope. I too am bored with what the "entertainment" industry is putting out these days, but these things come and go. Not saying my current material compares to Babylon 5, but this frustration is a big part of why I started writing. I'm sure there are other creative types out there who feel the same way and are working hard to make something worthwhile.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin Better than Star Wars (especially last movies) and Star Trek togheter! Prove me wrong!
Joe Straczynski can fraggin' WRITE. And every one of these actors were perfectly cast.
I am not a religious man, never have been and never will be, but wisdom is wisdom, and the preacher is so right it hurts. That which he says is something we have woefully forgotten about (The enemy is fear and ignorance etc.)
I love the fact that JMS, an atheist, wrote religious figures with such respect.
@@alexhanley933 plus the fact every single religion their is standing in line to greet the other races
Faith is a good thing, faith and reason are both needed, faith can be in the possibility that acts can change the world, you can change the world, you can be healed, get better from an illness.
Blind faith is bad, when you get lost it dogmas, taking it word to word, like Amish, Mormons, extremist Muslims (not all muslims are extremists or religious, that is why lots of young Muslims going abroad to live there as musicians, teachers etc.)
In Babylon 5 it was stated that blind close-mindedness and believing that your truth is the only truth are the things which must be avoided: see the Grey Council which got lost in their own thinking, so Delenn had to dissolve them, the theory of Shadows and Vorlons, not to mention rejecting the blood transfusion in Believers.
JMS wrote the various clerics as people of faith, not of a religion that takes the message and twists it into a form of control over others
@@ThyFacelessOne It's cute that you criticize Islam, the Amish and the Mormons while leaving out Judaism and Christianity; all of the Abrahamic religions are nuts to varying degrees.
“never start a fight, but always finish it”. That’s a line that’s always stuck me since the first time I watched the show during its original run in the 90’s.
Same. It often comes to mind when people talk about being pacifists, claiming they won't fight no matter what happens. The way I see it, I consider myself a pacifist, but if you start something, I'm going to finish it as effectively as possible.
I've always loved the dreadful finality of "We know. We've tried." The numbing realisation of exactly how insignificant your entire species is.
This is truely one of the best sci-fi shows ever written.
I read your name at the same time as the comment and for a moment thought you were saying the show was a yawn. Glad that isn't the case. :)
'one of the best shows ever written' until you realize the primary narratives are self defeating.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin have you seen sliders? The first season is very good (until the producers butted in and butchered it in later seasons), you might like it
@@wireboar7321 Pretty sure I've seen a couple episodes, but it was a long time. I do remember liking it at the time.
Not just science fiction, but television, period.
Especially in the last couple of years I had almost forgotten that we used to have shows with writing this good. Such a great show!
It’s easy: just buy the optical disks and leave them in a visible place like a book case. Works for me.
Katsulas as G'Kar, had the greatest voice and delivery of all these characters, specially when it came to teaching a lesson.
"Place your face in book..." 📖
The immortal words of G’kar and Sinclair are timeless in this video.
G'Kar's speech in the council chambers after the fall of Narn remains one of the most compelling pieces of dialogue, and delivered so very very well.
It's stuck with me since first airing, and will stick with me till the day I die.
The writing of this show was far above every other sci-fi series ever.
I wouldn't jump to this conclusion so quickly. Star Trek had its moments, especially in DS9 and TNG. I'd also nominate Person of Interest and Firefly, though they aren't the usual sci-fi (Firefly's a Space Western and POI takes place in 2013) and one can't really compare them to B5. But yeah, Babylon is definitely up there.
@@crowbar_the_rogue star trek wil always miss one point compared to babylon 5. And that is coherent time line. Star trek time line was olways total mess. And whit new alternate time line it is absolute mess. With this storytelling, babaylon 5 is at least for me the absolute pinnacle of sci-fi. But that is my opinion.
@@BZUCOSK Star Trek had good writing but all of it depended on everyone being on a military vessel filled with civilians. I mean most episodes could of been solved if they had any real military regulations or any soldiers instead they send the second in command out to do everything from rescues too infiltration.
@@michealball1896 ironically for me the best ST is DS9 wich was partly a "copy" of B5
@@sparrowlt B5 was so damn good londo Jakar and Vir all changed and developed so well. No overly moralizing but flawed people in a flawed universe.
Gkar transformer from hate filled monster to wise loving man was and is the best I have ever seen.
That, and his relationship with Londo going from "I want to kill you," to "I will lay down my life for you.".
Any scene with GKAR was instantly mesmerising .
That speech gkar gave about being free n front of the council was so powerful, I can never forget it
As good as it was, Londo's reaction to it made it even better. The Centauri victory, his victory just turned into ash and there was nothing he could say or do to prevent it.
Almost everything that came out of his mouth, especially the later seasons, was pure gold
This show was full of great speeches. My personal favorite is when Londo begs J'kar to help the humans and sign the treaty. The line "that if with one word I can become the enemy, can I even say I know how the enemy is. But I do know who my friends are." Still shows more insight than all of Trek. I also love the amazing story and growth arcs that all of the major characters go through. You can tell it was planed, not an afterthought that just got tacked on.
@@grayscribe1342 Those two actors are what really sold the show. You could just tell that they knew this show had probably best dialog that they would ever get to deliver and the deepest characters they would ever get to play. I really miss Adreas Katsulas.
@@waynecampeau4566 the only thing that can compare in its sweeping arc and depth to me is the Clone Wars animated series . Simply superb if you watch all of it
Some of best wisdom to ever come from a sci-fi program came from Babylon 5 and no where else.
3:03 That speech always gives me Chills and shows how Truely GIFTED Andrea Katsulas was as an actor
Babylon 5 - best. Series. Ever. JMSs writing was 100% outstanding (a lot more philosophy contained therein than first evident on first viewing(s)). In Valens Name, thank you for uploading.
Delenn's speech when facing the Starfire Wheel is something I see repeatedly at work and something I always think about. The difference between a supervisor and a leader.
This is what keeps this show timeless. the lessons it imparted her not simple ones. it did not ask simple questions. it was complex, and above all, hopeful.
I'm going through my 10th maybe 12th re-watch of B5. Still to this day, B5 stands up among some of the best Sci-Fi series ever done!
Boxleitner was better at being the action captain. O'Hare just killed it with scenes like 0:30 because of his soulful Stage voice. Boxleitner was better at being the wartime Captain but he'd never have been as believable on the journey to being Valen.
Although Boxleitner was the better of the two, O'Hare must be given full credit and honour for managing to get through Season 1 despite suffering a complete and total mental breakdown - JMS managed with the help of others to limp him to the end and then took care of him until his death
Someone else summed it up really well years ago - Sinclair is the sort of (battle weary) commander who'd pat you on the shoulder before a fight and say "It'll be ok" just before a battle. I reckon Sheridan would just say - "We're ready, what's your problem?". Sweet!
Sinclair was the one who was, Delenn was the one who is, and Sheridan is the one yet to be. That is the difference between them.
I watched Babylon 5 when it first came out and still enjoy it today (I have the DVD set in my collection). I listen to the quality of the writing and the depth of most of the stories and weep for the state of "entertainment" in 2021.
RIP David Warner
Babylon 5 was always on my radar but I hemmed and hawed about watching it because of how old it was. I'm glad I watched it when I did, but man... I was foolish to ever doubt this pinnacle of human art.
It was and always will be the best show and the priest is speech is so relevant today.
It's a timeless truth.
If you are told to hate something, there is always something suspicious going on.
Delenn and the Starfire wheel test was another amazing b5 moment, chills up my spine. B5 was such a meaningful show, it truly has changed me , for the better.
Humanities finest contemporary writers and performers.
Peerless! A miracle for its time, a must for every one.
Those people who listen and watch These qouts might go over their head but those who understand the power of these words will empower them.
a lot of people need to see this in 2021.
Not just 2021, but always
One of many things about B5 I loved. So much wisdom to be had. Thanks for the upload. 😁👍
Warners does the world a huge disservice to let B5 fade away to the dimming memories of old fans like us, when its hope and brotherhood are what's needed more than ever.
I reboot would be welcome but can't help to worry it would be wrapped up in present day politics instead of the universal wisdom it's really about.
@@TomFromMars thing is tho writers like these are so few and far between now days. I've saw clips of shows when I was at school and holy shit they have some deep points to make without attacking anyone. just respectful beneficial points.
Dvds?
@@bouldy2 Wasn't Straczynski wrinting most of the dialogue himself? Or was there a dedicated author for that? Cause the one-liner were deep in this show.
@@TomFromMars according to Wikipedia
"Straczynski wrote 92 of the 110 episodes of Babylon 5, including all 44 episodes in the third and fourth seasons"
what I mean tho is the talent doesnt seem to be there anymore when you compare new generations to J. R. R. Tolkien, Straczynski, Gene Roddenberry, Steven Spielburg and more.
as tech has gotten better writing has gotten worse imo.
That series had so much wisdom....too bad shows like this are no longer made.
What are your feelings on the reboot? Hopeful for more greatness or fearful it will be a hot mess?
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin
Current Hollyweird being behind, "hot mess" sells the debacle short. I'll stick to the original.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin I was watched 'The Road Home'. Not normally one who remotely enjoys animation, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I hope for more. Maybe the reboot will be just as good.
One of the best shows ever. Certainly one of the very best SF shows.
Thank you for uploading this. I love Babylon 5, and I miss it being on television so much. It taught me so many life lessons when I was a teenager. Nothing else these days can compare, shows now just try and shove as much woke leftist politics down people’s throats as they can squeeze in.
In my experience, B5 has the rare quality of being able to present multiple viewpoints without truly promoting one or the other but in a way that gets the audience to think and draw conclusions on their own. All while having a solid story that entertains without being preachy.
some of the best episodes in all Sci Fi, are in Bab 5... thanks for these great "moments, in time"...
Was looking for some to motivate me. Interesting how a clip vid of this great show can do that. Thanks.
Babylon 5 and the stories behind it are a big part of what keeps me going even when I'm at the point of losing all hope.
I would love to see more shows like this
Babylon 5 had such a good soulful feel to it
Two years later i'm about to watch the whole series again. Cause I win everytime I Say No.
Greatest sci fi show ever. Thanks for this. Bad day today.
I feel a B5 binge coming on! ❤❤
Politicians and ideologues need to remember this
I'm pretty sure that one scene is the only time that Marilyn Monroe, Einstein, Buddy Holly, and Aristophanes were mentioned in the same sentence. He forgot to mention The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens.
Understanding is a 3 edged sword. Their side , your side and the truth. 😁
So many friends who have passed beyond the veil.
Babylon 5 was a great show not for the graphics. It was a great show because of the STORY and those who told it to us. It built some of the most detailed character arcs I have seen on the screen.
It was great because it had a beginning, a middle and an End. Because the characters grew with each show and it adapted some of the most profound lessons Human History had to offer and put them in a new framework. This didn't change the lessons it breathed new life into them. And when the story was over, so was the series. It was a singular piece of art played over a 5 year span, and then it was gone. Spin offs' failed because the story had already been told and it's life was over. There is only so long one can hold a gem in ones hand and marvel at it before it becomes just another bauble.
As with a good novel you can't enjoy reading it from front to back and immediately start over. We must put it away for a time before we need to pull it out again and remind ourselves of the lessons Babylon 5 reminded us of and why they are important to each of us.
It is my hope that Babylon 5 will be remembered along with the Lord of the Rings, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, the written Game of Thrones, the writings of C.S. Lewis, Author C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury and Robert A. Heinlein just to name a few. It's up to us to remember them.
Your words mirror my own heart on the matter, although I feel that a spin-off is possible if done properly. The ones we got tried too hard to recapture what came before instead of building upon it to be their own thing.
I am 100% against any reboot precisely for the reasons you stated.
I just got done rewatching the whole series and this popped up
For all the comments declaring no religion, the show runner did too. Yet he dreamt up the arc for the series, and then got the process taken away from him, partially, to produce this. The true B5 follower has to be agnostic, since the series was too, but never materialistic and disconnected. The season 1 wisdom i would have liked to see is missing, but great compilation anyways. Thank you for putting this together, a remnant of the time when media could still be profound. The last clip is especially relevant but completely out of scope of a tube comment.
G'Kar is right. We haven't explained everything. I don't believe we ever will.
In the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy Douglas adams said “the universe is bizarre and inexplicable and there is a theory that if anyone actually finds out what it’s actually for it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory that states this has already happened”
@David Eyres I agree with the Already Happened.
Babylon 5 is still the last best hope for good quality storys in sci-fi.
There was another, Farscape....that was the last.
We all need to buy the series on DVD or blueray, if we don't already have it, before Hollywood actively tries to d story it's legacy. This series embodies peace, freedom, tolerance and unity without sacrificing individuality, while current Hollywood only cares about hate-mongering divisiveness and individuality destroying collectivism.
i wish i could get in BR the version that streams in HBO and Prime.. its 1080p cleaned up in 4:3 format.. (not the other thats arround IA upscaled 16:9). Its not real 1080p most of the time but its by far the best they can come with without redoing the entire CGI (wich wont be done ever.. considering they did it with Star Trek TOS and TNG and they lost money in the process that they stoped and wont even do DS9 and Voyager)
This is the greatest of life’s values. Brilliant 🤩
Been a long time since I seen the show. After seeing this, I'm definitely to have to start watching it again 🙂👍
Greatest Show most people have never heard of
if there was ever a good answer to the question as to whether mankind should venture out into the universe, the answer given in babylon 5 was it, if we do not colonize other worlds throughout the universe, when this world dies, then so does everything good that we ever created, music, poetry, art, our capacity to love and empathize, our duality, our history that could serve as a lesson to younger races so that they do not make the same mistakes we have, all lost, and why? because of ideology, we just can not put our differences aside and see each other for what we all are, human, we all want the same things the only things that seperate us are religion and imagined lines on maps that create countries, but then its not people that start wars, its governments, kings and queens, those to whom we allow the power to govern us, what a different world this would be if those who governed us and ruled over us actually worked for the betterment of us all instead of themselves.
Just like B5 to cast a typecast actor like David Warner as a warm, decent guy for a change.
I've never seen anything stating this as fact, but I suspect JMS liked to challenge actors by casting them for roles unlike most of what they had done prior.
Robert Foxworth is another example of that. He always seems to be some sort of bad guy in everything else.
One of my favorites:
The universe is a curious place. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
It's so all incompassing, both externally and internally, time and space, choice and fate. All, good or bad and anything in between and outside of it. We don't really have much choice but the wonders of the world are amazing enough to appreciate life in any and all of its forms as we experience it vs whatever the alternative would be... as far as we know especially non-existence
That's very true there's no greater praise of a warriors courage than the praise of that of his enemy .
And Sinclair's speech about having to go to the stars, to preserve the culture, foreshadowed the download of Earth's History by the last human to leave the Sol System before the Sun's expansion.
[Although as a post script.. since that expansion by the stories own description was way too early.. maybe some alien specieis use of a Nova-Weapon against Humanity?]
In your next one, include the conversation between Marcus and Dr. Franklin, where Marcus says something like, "I take great comfort in the fact that I don't get everything I deserve. Wouldn't that be a terrifying thing?" (I THINK) they were on their way to Mars for that secret mission.
I know which scene you mean, and now I'm mad at myself for not thinking of it! It's one of my favorites.
Is this the quote you were thinking of?
"I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, 'wouldn't it be much worse if life *were* fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?' So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe."
I have paraphrased this lesson to my high-school students whenever they whine the age-old song of unfairness. You can see a glimmer of enlightenment on the faces of those who truly understand the message.
@@danielhaire6677 thats the one, and it was exogenesis, with the creatures who were living libraries and inhabiting human bodies so they can remember, then went away to preserve the knowledge
The Best!
I missed Sinclair.
Great video. Great TV show.
My shoes are too tight. Londo
Sometimes I think I exaggerate when I say this show shaped who I would become growing up. Then I watch this and know it to be true.
5:05 😂😂😂😂😂 real good job god thanks
No offense to Sheridan, but I prefer Sinclair. He was smart, had a nice sense of humor, and could be serious and dramatic when the situation called for it. I don’t know, when I imagine the first President of the Interstellar Alliance, I think of Sinclair first, Sheridan second.
3:06 Anytime I tell someone about B5 I tell them to watch this scene.
In Valens Name.
Valen and sinclair are one and the same
B5 had some V GOOD speeches
10:40 What is the Supreme Creator?
Is there no one?
One of an older generation?
One of the First Ones?
One who passed through the vail from an older universe?
Or another Dimension?
One who did something we don't understand (even though we know Everything) to Create the Universe?
All good except for a lack of volume, and yes, everything was turned up to full.
_So Goddamn Good_
Does JMS have any shot of recreating something this awesome without Andreas?
I personally do not think so. The actors and the characters are inseparable for me.
Just wait until they send Ivanova and her insults to Sigma 957.
thnx
I wonder how much input the actors had on those speeches, or was it all JMS?
From cast members talking, JMS was not ridged with all the screen talks.
I'd bet at least some of it came from the actors. What I've read suggests that JMS was pretty open to receiving input from them.
For example, it was Bill Mumy's idea that Lennier be in love with Delenn, Jerry Doyle insisted the arc with Garibaldi drinking again take place over several episodes, and JMS originally intended Morden to be a nice guy, but liked Ed Wasser's creepy version better.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin heard that about Doyle and Murry. But now Mr. Mordin. Nice
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin All respect to JMS and his writing but it's hard to imagine a "nice" Mr. Morden working out well. For example would Vir really be that nasty to him is Morden had been a nice guy? "I hope they cut off you head and put it on a pike so that the next ten generations of Centauri can be reminded that some favors come with too high of price!" A bit vindictive no? :)
@@loka7783 Probably part of the reason he went ahead and changed it. As a writer myself, I know how easy it is to be in love with an idea and be blind to its flaws until someone reveals it in one way or another. Such people and events do wonders at saving us from ourselves.
@@AuthorDodgeMerrin I remember an interview with JMS where he said the elevator scene, in which G'Kar started laughing like crazy was improv from Andreas. The scene was meant to be really dark and quiet, but instead he decided to do this maniac laugh, and it was so powerful that they just rolled with it. Or when he dropped the fun fact that it was Peter's idea of a joke to have the Centauri's hair stand upright (it was supposed to be standing to the sides and the back). JMS then put this into the show and stuck with it. So yeah the actors put as much into the show as JMS himself did. I think that is why it worked so damn well.
G Kah was a sage 11:12
"When you become obsessed with the enemy, you become the enemy"
And when you define yourself by being the opposite of the enemy you leave no other choice for yourself but to be obsessed with them, for if there's no enemy your job is obsolete. This is why I stay away from movements that say "we are anti-this and anti-that".
And Tecumseh as well, the number one American ever.
in Sinclair's name
Valen and sinclair are one and the same
@@tornadoe13 yep thus the way i said it
Yes!!!
B5 has the same magic that the original Battlestar Galactica had. Graphics not the greatest however good writing coupled with skilled actors overcomes the shortcomings.
At the time b5 push the for front in terms of graphic and cgi, but yes unlike most show of the time as it heavy cgi they haven’t last the test of time and look poor compared to other shows of that era, The recent upscale, sharping done on the new remaster has done what it can but they had there hands tie behind there backs as the locations where most of the raw footage and cgi data was stored had a fire, so all that raw footage and cgi data was lost, to do a true remaster would cost a fortune as they would need to recreate all the cgi models and scenes. It also the reason why they didn’t do a upscale/remaster of the b5 pilot as all of it raws were lost.
@@XyberFox Deep Space 9 used models heavily. Only the very last scene of the station was CGI. Models tend to hold up better than CGI and effects. A big part of why DS9s visuals hold up well. I think TNG and Voyager used a lot more CGI than models.
B5s effects didn't hold up well over time, but B5s character development and story more than make up for the CGI not being great.
@@DaveMiller2 B5 was also the first to use CGI in such a big way and paved the way for CGI on television as a result, which is why it aged poorly.
should we just pullout?
5:13 no need to put a mythological spin on the preacher's words, we as humans do need other humans at least now and again and especially when the going gets rough. If we meet aliens who are so similar to us in needs and desires then we will need EACH OTHER. I'm so sick of the divisiveness of religions adding fuel to the fire of our different cultures possible hates. The only thing we should even hypothetically expect from our "creator" is the freedom of non interference to live our lives as we must, since no evidence of such a "creator" exists I maintain that "WE" are the captains of our course within the bounds of reality.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
when G'Kars follower asked him what is truth and what is God he said to them the truth is a river and the mouth of the river is GOD
Watch it again, he said it out of frustration
It took 400 years for the Greecks but they did it.
💗🌈💗🌈💗
"When you become obsessed with the enemy, you become the enemy"
Jesus Christ, how relevant those words are
"What is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him?" Psalm 8:4