I have finally done it! nearly 15 years after filming the first season of B5 I have decided to watch the entire show (well, the 88 episodes I was in). I have been threatening this for eons. You see, when it came out I was working on it and I'm not much of a TV watcher in the first place so I have only actually seen 3 episodes prior to last night! David and I started with episodes 1-3 of the first season (I couldn't find the pilot) and I must say, we were both hooked! Great characters, solid guest stars (the soul catcher and the evil slave owner from episodes 2 and 3 were very fine indeed so was the Italian actress playing the slave) and you immediately got sucked in. I do admit that we cracked up the entire time due to:
a)Michael O'Hare's performance is a combo platter of John Wayne, a 1950's Twilight Zone episode...... and someone in a neck brace who cannot move their head.
b) at times the special effects, which were SO cutting edge back then... well they look a little cheesy and...
c) when you see the alien makeup up close you could see where it was applied... many times..
But all in all it is a clever, engrossing show and we are looking forward to the rest of the series. I was surprised how quickly you "get" the characters and care for them...Jerry Doyle was wonderfully natural and long complicated speeches spring from his mouth as if they were a grocery list. I recall that while working with him yet it is still a pleasant surprise to see how good he was. Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas are already stealing the scenes and chewing up the sets, I can hardly wait to see them in later episodes. All in all it was great, I am FINALLY beginning to see what people have been telling me for years...B5 is a really good show!
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