Cast

Crew

The full cast and crew can be found at this IMDB page. The most notable entry is the series creator and frequent writer J. Michael Straczynski.

Original Airdate

This season originally aired in 1994.

Synopsis

The administration of the Babylon 5 space station have their hands full keeping the place running, while an undercurrent of something very significant begins to build.

High Point

Chrysalis, the season finale. I suspect that the season finales of all seasons will become that season's high point; this show was planned from the outset to build up and pay out over a five year period.

Low Point

The DVD transfers of the first few episodes. Some are just bad, but Soul Hunter is downright ugly, with bad focus, visible film scratches, and other problems.

Special Features on the DVD set

The DVD set contains all 22 episodes of the first season and the trailers for them, as well as commentaries by J. Michael Straczynski for the episodes Signs and Portents and Chrysalis, an introduction to the entire season by J. Michael Straczynski, old and new documentaries on the series, a virtual station tour, and some extra background data. I watched the interview, and JMS seemed to assume that the viewer was one of the people who watched the series in its initial run. Since I'm one of the few who will be following the series on DVD without watching the initial broadcasts, I have chosen not to watch the other special features since they could very well contain spoilers for episodes I haven't seen yet.

The Review

Some of the ideas on screen in this season are not particularly original. The plot devices have been used before a few times, especially the ones in the early episodes. I do have to give the show credit for one thing, though; it's the only ongoing series I'm aware of that planned out its entire run before the first episode was even filmed. That alone earns it some bonus points, so I'll give it 5 out of 6.

The effects were cheap. Some looked nice, but others just look cheap. Also, I'm positive the prosthetic used for Londo's appendage during the poker game was the same one used for the brain sucker in Grail. This show had a great concept and some very nice ideas, but it didn't have the budget to really do them properly. I give it 3 out of 6.

The stories told in the early episodes were often weak, covering just enough plot to introduce the important characters. The writing started to really build half way through the season, though, as the characters were established and the ongoing plot could be brought to the forefront. I give it 4 out of 6, and I expect subsequent seasons to do better than this.

The acting took a few episodes to reach its full strength, as is common on TV shows while the cast becomes comfortable in their roles. It topped out on a high, so I'll give it 5 out of 6.

My emotional response from the early episodes was as weak as the acting and writing, but it was a somewhat necessary establishing period. By the time I reached the season finale, I was hooked. I'll be waiting for subsequent season sets almost as anxiously as the people who've already seen the episodes. I give it 4 out of 6.

The production hit the same budgetary brick wall the effects did. The lighting was unimaginative, the sets looked like sets, and the direction and editing were adequate, but not really impressive. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, this is an entertaining package that can overcome enough of the monetary flaws by the writing and acting by the end of the set to get me interested in any future sets that may be produced. (Rumour has it that the second season is on tap for the spring, with the third season due later this year. The fourth season is expected around this time in 2004.) I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Babylon 5 Season One: Signs and Portents receives 30 out of 42.