Talk:Babylon 5
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There should be a separate page for B5's themes. --Jeffrey O. Gustafson 07:17, 10 Jan 2005 (UTC)
I think the diversion into B5's story relationship to LOTR is excessive and rather pointlessly off-topic. I am strongly inclined to edit it down to 1 paragraph or less. MartinSpamer
- Put it in its own article rather than deleting it. SimonP 14:26 23 Jun 2003 (UTC)
- I've moved the content to Babylon 5 Influences.
There is some new content which focus on 'fashionable' social issues. Why ? Babylon 5 has also covered Alcohol and Drug abuse, Abuse of power, Corruption, Racial Bigotry, Social Bigotry, Social Exclusion, unemployment, mental illness, Elitism, workplace stress to name a few.
- Seems like the right thing to do is to add discussions of those too. --Tb 01:04 27 Jul 2003 (UTC)
Tried to make some of the information more in tune with the spirit of the series. ReciprocityProject
I think the spoiler warning should be moved lower down, Probably to be between the introduction and the table of contents. There is little in the intro that could be considered a spoiler. What is the Wiki Convention for this.
Nice article, but I've never seen any of Babylon 5, and I'm none the wiser as to when it was first broadcast (cf Star Trek). If someone could add the specific dates (under 'Episodes'), or at least a date range nearer the top, I'd be grateful - Tim - 03:22, 25 Feb 2004 (UTC)
- Consider it done. Oh, wait, it is done! ;) -- John Owens (talk) 08:31, Feb 25, 2004 (UTC)
| Contents |
The Characters
This is a general topic, but I figured this is where to start. I've begun working on a couple of character pages slowly (Refa and Morden so far), but many of the character pages could really use some attention. G'Kar or Londo, for example, are practically stubs. If anyone else would like to jump in, please do. I'll keep going when I can. :) --Baryonyx 22:06, Aug 16, 2004 (UTC)
Books and comics
Could anyone write a paragraph on them (since they are all canon with a few exceptions)? I haven't read any B5 novels yet... Ausir 11:30, 25 Feb 2004 (UTC)
- Actually AFAICR out of the original 9 books, only 2 (#7 "The Shadow Within" and #9 "To Dream in the City of Sorrows") are canon; the other series are all canon. There is a (possibly incomplete) list on the Lurkers' Guide (http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/novels/index.html). If I ever get time I'll transfer some info across. In the meantime enjoy. --Phil | Talk 16:15, Jun 22, 2004 (UTC)
To Live and Die in Starlight
Is this available in the UK? I can't recieve the SciFi channel unfortunately, so I'd need it on DVD or VHS. Borrowing would be fine within the UK, and I'll pay reasonable postage. --Phil | Talk 15:12, Jun 22, 2004 (UTC)
- It has been released on DVD. I suggest you try looking for it at British Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk). Ausir 15:25, 22 Jun 2004 (UTC)
Babylon 5 wiki encylopedia project
If anyone is interest in creating an independent Babylon5 Wiki reference (analagous to the Memory Alpha Star Trek Wiki), I'd love to participate. I began a personal B5 encylopedia project a year or so ago, and it currently measures several thousand entries, at my estimation (although it is still nowhere near completion), and I'd love to offer that up as the beginning of a Babylon Wiki Project. I would set one up on my own, of course, but I lack the technical expertise and resources to do so. If anyone is interested, please let me know... Seth Ilys 03:35, 13 Jan 2004 (UTC)
- Count me in! Ausir 11:30, 25 Feb 2004 (UTC)
- Me, too! --Phil | Talk 15:30, Jun 22, 2004 (UTC)
- And me (and now I'm really going to bed!) — OwenBlacker 00:46, Jun 28, 2004 (UTC)
- Me, too! --Phil | Talk 15:30, Jun 22, 2004 (UTC)
Before you create your own B5 wiki, you may want to consult with Steve Grimm, who runs The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 (http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html). That web site is a highly comprehensive guide to the series, and a wiki would be largely redundant to it. I think he should be contacted anyway about maybe bringing his episode info pages into this Wikipedia to fill in the B5 episode articles which exist here (somebody went to a LOT of trouble to create an article here for every episode, but they're all far too stubby). Brian Kendig 03:43, 28 Jun 2004 (UTC)
Has anyone followed up with the suggestion above, now over six months old, about merging the content of the The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 (http://www.mindwinter.com/lurk/lurker.html) into Wikipedia? It is an outstanding resource, and I'd like to see its content mirrored if for no other reason than to preserve it. I'm a big fan and Wikipedian, and I'd love to help with the transfer, but obviously this content is copyrighted and a license needs be secured. Anyone? Alba 01:02, 14 Feb 2005 (UTC)
- Take a look at the Babylon Project (http://babylon5.wikicities.com/index.php/Main_Page) over at Wikicities. I think you might be pleasantly surprised. And if you aren't, get editing!!! (:-) --Phil | Talk 09:55, Feb 14, 2005 (UTC)
B5 and DS9
"Additionally, in several of these claims, Deep Space Nine actually had their "plagiarism" produced first"
- Actually, Paramount was approached with the series premise and "B5 Bible" by JMS something like a year before the production of both series started, so they knew some facts of the future seasons before they were produced. Ausir 06:56, 23 Jun 2004 (UTC)
Technomages
I think technomages should have their own page and should be mentioned more here. Anyone feel the same way?
- If someone decides to discuss technomages, it should be done within the Crusade sub-section. A paragraph should suffice. The technomages were marginal in B5. As far as I can remember, they were only present in 1 episode, and perhaps mentioned a few times by the Centauri. EDGE 03:47, Sep 22, 2004 (UTC)
Babylon 4 Propulsion System?
66.255.108.148 mentions in his edit that babylon 4 has a propulsion system? Does anyone have a refrence of where this is mentioned? I'm 99% positive it's not in any of the 5 seasons of B5 or Crusade or any of the movies. I'm not doubting you per-se, I just am curious.
- Take a look here (http://www.infinicorp.com/VEX/locations/babylon-4.htm). Actually it was a well-known fact that B4 had its own propulsion system: that was why it was so much bigger than B5 (over 6 miles long), and also why it was chosen as a platform to lead the previous fight against the Shadows.
- The cited webpage sounds like it has material from outside the B5 canon — Babylon 5, Crusade, and the TV movies. (For example, where in the TV shows was Babylon 4's secret fate after the earlier Shadow War mentioned?) Information from other sources cannot be considered "well-known" except by serious B5 fans. Is there a canonical reference to Babylon 4's propulsion systems? — Jeff Q 12:40, 12 Jan 2005 (UTC)
- Found it on the Lurker's Guide (http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/061.html#JS) (this is JMS himself answering a question):
- Question
- Did B4 have more firepower than B5?
- Answer
- Yeah, B4 had more firepower, and it had one thing B5 doesn't...engines that can move it forward if necessary.
- HTH HAND --Phil | Talk 16:54, Jan 12, 2005 (UTC)
Music scoring insertion
I moved the new Music scoring section down to just before The episodes because it had been added illogically within the section on Cast and characters, which includes Babylon stations. After looking over the current state of the article, it seemed to me that the flow from characters to stations to civilizations to themes seemed to work well. The episodes section seemed like a change of subject and a logical place to add the new music section. I hope this suits everyone. — Jeff Q 20:52, 25 Jan 2005 (UTC)
B5 widescreen
Visual evidence trumps any discussions, regardless of who is doing the discussing. I will provide such evidence to the page shortly. To put it quite simply, JMS lied so that geeks who think widescreen is cool would buy the DVDs. Legend of the Rangers is the only B5 that was intended for widescreen from the start.
Ibuki 18:12, 24 Mar 2005 (UTC)
According to my recollection of forum discussions at the time, the live-action portions of B5 were filmed in widescreen, with the pictures composed so that no significant action occurred outside the normal 4:3 format window, while the CGI was recorded in 4:3 only.
From the Compuserve archives: ([1] (http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?q=%22Babylon+5%22+widescreen&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&selm=4i7c14%24sd%40ulysses.midtown.net&rnum=9))
[ Summary: Asks if the TV Zone article stating that "season one is not
available in widescreen, period !," is correct. ]
#: 469058 S5/Babylon 5: General
12-Mar-96 17:47:29
Sb: #468985-Babylon 5 - Widescreen
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, the report is not correct. Only the 2-hour pilot was filmed in
normal aspect ratio; from day one, the series has been shot in widescreen
format, cropped for current ratios.
jms
([2] (http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?q=%22Babylon+5%22+widescreen&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&selm=4ifr59%241kv%40ulysses.midtown.net&rnum=5))
[ Summary: Wants to know if B5 will ever be commercially available
in widescreen format. ]
#: 470501 S5/Babylon 5: General
15-Mar-96 13:53:25
Sb: #470451-Babylon 5 - Widescreen
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Eventually, yes, B5 will be available in widescreen.
jms
([3] (http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?q=%22Babylon+5%22+widescreen&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&selm=1996Mar22.170613.25598%40galileo.cc.rochester.edu&rnum=3))
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Date: 20-Mar-96 07:02:57
From: Matt Allen
To: J. Michael Straczynski
Subject: Babylon 5 - Widescreen
Message-ID: <forum.sfmediaone.473306@compuserve.com>
Are the computer Fx also in widescreen? I know Foundation used
LW and the PAR device to put the graphics to tape. But as far as
I know the PAR can't put down widescreen stuff unless you screw
around with the output resolution?
Matt :)
------------------------------
Date: 20-Mar-96 22:26:50
From: J. Michael Straczynski
To: Matt Allen
Subject: Babylon 5 - Widescreen
Message-ID: <forum.sfmediaone.473739@compuserve.com>
References: <forum.sfmediaone.473306@compuserve.com>
We'd pretty much have to re-render the CGI for important shots,
while more mundane stuff where there's nothing in the upper and lower
parts of the frame could be safely cropped and lose nothing.
jms
-- Arwel 17:38, 24 Mar 2005 (UTC)
- I found these (http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=widescreen&num=100&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.midwinter.com) which provide ample evidence. Remember: garbage out does not mean garbage in. HTH HAND --Phil | Talk 18:19, Mar 24, 2005 (UTC)
All of these references are written by JMS or by fans operating under JMS, Babylonian or WB's misinformation. To paraphrase a cliché, video doesn't lie. It'll be a few days before I have time to capture the appropriate footage for the side-by-side comparison, but I'll put it up soon.
Ibuki 19:07, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Potentially-defamatory paragraph
I have removed the following paragraph from the article:
Despite the assertions of J. Michael Straczynski and the Sci Fi Channel, Babylon 5 was not, in fact shot in widescreen. A comparison of identical shots from the 4x3 aspect ratio VHS releases and the matted 16x9 DVD releases will reveal the widescreen asserions to be false.
I believe that "no original research" applies. --Phil | Talk 09:18, Apr 8, 2005 (UTC)
- It's been two weeks since the original widescreen accusations were made, and the promised evidence has not been forthcoming. Are there any objections to removing the other paragraph? - EurekaLott 15:00, 8 Apr 2005 (UTC)
- I've removed the other paragraph, which read
The DVD releases of Babylon 5 are matted for a widescreen presentation. This effect is achieved by deleting the top and bottom portion of the video frame to conform to a 16x9 aspect ratio. In cropping Babylon 5, shot composition was in many cases destroyed. Characters are often conversing without the tops of their heads or chins in frame, and in one scene-damaging example, a fighter placed along a huge explorer ship to provide a sense of scale has been matted out of the frame.
- - EurekaLott 00:14, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)
Novel info
I added a mention of information about a forthcoming new book line to the Novels section. - Brendan Moody 22 April 2005