The purpose of Season 1 is to set the universe up. The only important things that happen are the question “What do you want?”, and the events of the season finale. From that simple question, trillions will die.
Seasons 2, 3, and 4 are simply some of the best television storytelling ever produced.
If it takes a whole season to set something up without anything entertainment. You’ve already lost more than half your prospective viewers.
Call it what you will, it’s a failing paradigm.
Agreed. (But don’t forget “Who ARE you?”)
In B5, the setting, the battles, and so on, are just the backdrop. The story is the people, how doing the right thing even when it is difficult CAN make the world (universe) better, and so on. It could have been filmed in grainy B&W, and it would still be GREAT TV. With some work, it’d even be good on radio.
It appears our friend here is into “action” and shallow entertainment. You and I are into great storytelling. The kind that has you pondering it days, or years, later.
BTW, I’d surely argue with JMS a lot too. Aetheist, lib... But, he showed on B5 great respect for the military, religion (in at least some forms), distrust of government, and more...
Lesser known episodes like “Gropos” and “Confessions and Lamentations” had little “video action”, but are absolutely blow-you-away TV in the ways that count. Delenn’s “Don’t look away, Captain...” (willingness to sacrifice her own life) might seem “soapy” or “campy” to some, I suppose, who just want to see stuff blow up. I thought it was some of the most beautiful TV ever. It even straightened me out as to what I was looking for (and to my great thankfulness to God, mostly found) in a wife.