The Bitterness that is Monk... by milford

my husband ran out and bought all the seasons to Babylon 5, a show i had no intrest in watching. But he watched it and I played computer....right, to the bitterness, everytime he talks about how lucky the show as to get 5 seasons i want to throw up. that should have been firefly...

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 9:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by crystalkei:
my husband ran out and bought all the seasons to Babylon 5, a show i had no intrest in watching. But he watched it and I played computer....right, to the bitterness, everytime he talks about how lucky the show as to get 5 seasons i want to throw up. that should have been firefly...

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

Actually, B5 is an excellent Sci-Fi ensemble show, in which the characters as much as the plots drive the stories. B5 can be tough to get into, what with 5 seasons of stories that, to be fully-appreciated, really need to be seen in order. Also, it has been (perhaps justifiably) said that, to give B5 a chance, you need to ignore the pilot, don't watch it, until AFTER watching the series.

Otherwise, yeah, it sorta spikes the guns for your expectations of what follows.

Anyway, B5 has a lot in common (if not readily-apparent) with Firefly, so much so that I am surprised more Browncoats haven't given it a chance.

Anyway, back on topic. Yeah, I see plenty of dreck, on TV and on the big screen, millions of wasted dollars that could have been used to bring us more of the 'Verse. Look at everything we draw from just 14 episodes and one BDM.

Can you imagine the richness we could have found in even one, full season? Now, take that further, and, imagine five seasons.

New characters, new 'Verse-isms, Truths revealed, anguish, jubilation, all that Joss has had to keep locked-up in his head since the end.

Nertz.

I want more. Of both shows.

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
The enjoyment of any good thing is only enhanced by sharing it with others.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 9:56 AM

i should rephrase...i don't hate b5. what i finally conceeded to my husband was that it "had it's moments" it certainly doesn't make the top list, but i can see similarities to our beloved firefly also. i just get sad because i would much rather have seen 5 seasons and numerous tv movies and spinoffs from firefly instead.

oh and i actually got into some dvd called B5 Lost Tales. I really liked that, but maybe because it was produced like this year.

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 10:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by crystalkei:
i should rephrase...i don't hate b5. what i finally conceeded to my husband was that it "had it's moments" it certainly doesn't make the top list, but i can see similarities to our beloved firefly also. i just get sad because i would much rather have seen 5 seasons and numerous tv movies and spinoffs from firefly instead.

oh and i actually got into some dvd called B5 Lost Tales. I really liked that, but maybe because it was produced like this year.

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

*Grins!*

Interestin,' CK!

Lost Tales was actually an experimental direct-to-DVD project (which may well represent, on a much smaller budget, how Serenity 2 is produced). J.M. Straczynski, the creator of B5, was given very little money to work with, but, it still sold well, which pleased Warner Bros.

The irony here, is that, up-to-date special effects aside, it doesn't represent the full quality of B5 as a series. It features a miniscule cast, minimalist live sets, and, more than anything, comes across as a stage-version of B5. It was a good production, but, not great, and, it was the story and the characterizations, the heart and soul of the series, made it true to the original B5.

I might suggest, if you want to get a feel for the series, particularly the characters, you might go to YouTube and search Babylon 5 (while your husband's not lookin;' wouldn't do to give him free "I toldja so" rights, after all =^[.]~=).

That way, you won't have to invest a LOT of viewing, right away. I recommend this clip:

Nice example of character interaction between Cmdr. Susan Ivanova (A less laconic counterpart to Zoe, in terms of being the tough second-in-command), Marcus Cole (whose good-humored tendency to take /everything/ less-than-seriously comes across as a slightly more martial Wash counterpart), and, one of the Older races ("Who knew they were French?").

It shows a lot of the kind of humor to be found in B5, which, I suppose, marks it as an evolutionary step between Star Trek and Firefly.

One more, for contrast:

=

Late in the series, an older version of Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari, reminiscing about the Earth-Minbari war. You can see a LOTTA Serenity Valley, in this one. I get shivers watching this! Makes me want to go back and watch it all over, again.

So, CK, I hope these glimpses help you understand your husband's passion for B5. Mebbe they'll even make it tolerable enough for you that you can keep him company while he watches it.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
The enjoyment of any good thing is only enhanced by sharing it with others.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 11:01 AM

ooh, i think you missed the part where i actually did watch most of it, just while i played on the computer. so, i have seen all that stuff and *sigh* i even know the characters names and shhh dont' tell, but i cried a little when marcus died. I did like him.

now, the lost tales thing...yeah, i knew it was a test. I laughed through most of it because yeah, i counted the cast of 10 people. I joked that for a space station with so many people, they must have all been on vaca that day. I noted that the budget was not spent on sets or extras.

but i really enjoyed the dialogue, it was uber buffy type stuff tho, a demon possessing a guy. yeah, good stuff. but like i said, shhh don't tell anyone. i am dorky enough.

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 11:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by crystalkei:
ooh, i think you missed the part where i actually did watch most of it, just while i played on the computer. so, i have seen all that stuff and *sigh* i even know the characters names and shhh dont' tell, but i cried a little when marcus died. I did like him.

now, the lost tales thing...yeah, i knew it was a test. I laughed through most of it because yeah, i counted the cast of 10 people. I joked that for a space station with so many people, they must have all been on vaca that day. I noted that the budget was not spent on sets or extras.

but i really enjoyed the dialogue, it was uber buffy type stuff tho, a demon possessing a guy. yeah, good stuff. but like i said, shhh don't tell anyone. i am dorky enough.

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

Oog. Missed where you mighta said that you watched it, too, I guess. Well, mebbe somebody else will enjoy the clips. B5 was my first fandom, long before I became the rabid Browncoat who stands, frothing, before you.

And, Marcus is my wife's favorite. Anyway, your secret's safe with me, CK. Now, I don't recall you mentioning... Does your husband watch Firefly?

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
The enjoyment of any good thing is only enhanced by sharing it with others.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 11:31 AM

he enjoys firefly, but not like i do. he isn't obsessed with it like me. Not enough to watch the CE with commentary. But he does love the show and the movie. we usually agree on great shows...veronica mars, pushing daisies, and we love watching star trek 2.0 on g4. really we are total geeks.

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

Monday, October 22, 2007 11:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by crystalkei:
he enjoys firefly, but not like i do. he isn't obsessed with it like me. Not enough to watch the CE with commentary. But he does love the show and the movie. we usually agree on great shows...veronica mars, pushing daisies, and we love watching star trek 2.0 on g4. really we are total geeks.

Jayne Cobb, the Dick Casablancas of Firefly

Well, mebbe if there was /more/ Firefly (or, Serenity), it might achieve the critical mass with your husband to trip him over into a full-blown case of "Browncoat fever."

We can but hope!

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
The enjoyment of any good thing is only enhanced by sharing it with others.