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68 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
Easily the greatest science fiction television saga ever!, February 22, 1999
This is something I've awaited for a long time. This boxed set contains the first installments of J. Michael Straczynski's five-year "novel for television." THE GATHERING (orig. 1992) is a slightly touched-up TNT version of the series pilot. At first glance, THE GATHERING might seem slow moving and overly tedious in places. But while it is certainly demanding, it had a lot of weight to carry both introducing many of the main characters and setting the stage for the complex plot developments to come. There are minor problems, but overall THE GATHERING works.This set also contains the first four episodes, MIDNIGHT ON THE FIRING LINE, SOUL HUNTER, BORN TO THE PURPLE, and INFECTION (1993). MIDNIGHT starts with a bang, establishing the ongoing enmity between two alien races, the Narn and the Centauri. After that, things never really let up. There is plenty here for everyone. Whether your addiction is to sci-fi space action, suspense, or behind-the-scenes scheming and plotting, you will not be disappointed. The dialogue--thought-provoking, often witty, always intelligent--has prompted some of us to begin compiling our own collections of "5 quotations". The characters are complex, engaging, and frequently have pasts that have left them with a lot of emotional and psychological baggage (Ivanova, Garibaldi, G'Kar). But the real value in BABYLON 5 is how Straczynski has employed his characters and situations to provoke us to think. The best science fiction, like any form of literature, has always tried to address the human condition and prompt us to try and improve ourselves. BABYLON 5 is no exception. The importance of this show lies not merely with rich, compelling stories about life and conflict aboard a futuristic space station, but in its constant commentary on our own times. Some might find the preachiness annoying or overbearing at times, but plenty of current events indicate that we need this. Thus we find ourselves revisiting the basic evils of racism and xenophobia (Commander Sinclair, in INFECTION: "When you become obsessed with the enemy, you become the enemy!") We observe the corrosive effects of anger and desire for vengeance (G'Kar, the Narn, sarcastically to Londo Mollari the Centauri in MIDNIGHT: "The wheel turns, does it not, Ambassador?") Londo is perhaps the series' most colorful character--a guy who calls his attache a "moon-faced assassin of joy" for interrupting a romantic interlude (in BORN TO THE PURPLE) can't be all bad, one would think. But Londo's casual fascination with power and with reclaiming his Empire's lost glory has already gotten him in trouble. Later in Season One (episodes to be released this year, hopefully) he will make a terrible mistake. Before five seasons of BABYLON 5 have run their course, he will have paid an enormous price. There are myriad other questions raised in this boxed set. What is the nature of the relationship between Sinclair and the Minbari? What happened to Sinclair during those "lost hours" during the Battle of the Line? Why did the Minbari stop the Earth-Minbari War on the eve of victory? Finally, who are the enigmatic and mysterious Vorlons, and what is their role in the events to unfold? For those already in the B5 "family", I trust I haven't said too much! No spoilers here, just a teaser or two (or three or four). For potential viewers who have never watched this show, I hope I've whetted your curiosity a little. To sum up, BABYLON 5 is easily the most intelligent and thought-provoking show of the 1990s, science fiction or otherwise. It is one of the few television shows that actually compelled me to reexamine aspects of my own thinking. If there is any justice in this universe, J. Michael Straczynski will soon be as respected as Gene Roddenberry. Two final notes. Visually, BABYLON 5 is brilliant. And last but not least, we shouldn't forget the gripping soundtrack by Christopher Franke (ex-Tangerine Dream)
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