[CaptainCrunch]

Ok, sue me, I like to write about this stuff.

Babylon 5 was always described as the last best hope for peace. When it first came out it was described as the best hope for an interesting SciFi series without the name Star Trek attached to it. Its hard to describe this show though without talking about its obvious Star Trek connections. Walter Koeing as the villainous Bester, a rogue psicop. Writers like DC Fontana and Harlan Ellison who cut their teeth on the original series. And various recognizable Trek guest stars.

I've only gotten through season 1, and there's always that fear that the first season is going to be boring or barely watchable as the writers and actors figure things out.

But this series while it didn't start with a bang, or go into deep story mode until the end of the first season had some really interesting story moments in it. As you watched the show you could feel the first season building up to it as the writers put throwaways in that you forget about until the very last episode. The first appearances by the Shadows happened in a stand alone episode about Centauri powerplays. The Vorlon's interference and their later movement to villainy was hinted at. The after shocks of the Battle of the Line, the appearance of the Shadow agent Mr Mordon. They were all linked together in a first series of 22 episodes.

There was no real overarching theme in the first season, but there was a hint with the third rule of sentient species being the ability to sacrifice. But other then that it followed the crew of a huge space station with the usual problems that you would see in a large city. Crime, diplomacy, intrigue. Hints of the Earth Alliance breaking up along anti-alien extremism. But you never can really grasp what's going on behind the scenes as the players are meanuevered into position.

The acting was tremendously solid, with Michael O'Haire, Jerry Doyle (RIP to both) and Claudia Christian as the main character. But they are ably backed up by Mira Furlan, who we lost earlier this year, Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik who all put in amazing work. In the background you get Andrea Thompson, Stephen First and Bill Mumy ably adding depth to the series.

The effects are absolutely dated, but we have to remember that this was one of the first series to go full CGI instead of using minatures and mat painting. As the series went on, the effects improved sharply, but there was still a almost feel of 2d instead of 3d in this show.

There were some very good episodes in this first series. Mind War introduces Bester and the PsiCorps who will grow to become a major player later. Sky Full of Stars covers what happened at the battle of the line for Sinclair. Babylon Squared which was a huge lore building episode around the vanishing of Babylon 4, and finally Chrysallis.

Chrysallis is the last episode of Season 1 and completely jumpstarts the series into the storylines that will take us over the next four years. From the favor given to Mollari which results in the extermination of a Narn Military base and the introduction of the Shadows. To the coupe that leads to the rise of President Clarke who becomes a primary villain in this series to the changes in Delann.

Overall to me it was a fun and enjoyable watch and it sets things up so well for the next four years of my binge watch.