[tv show] Joe Michael Straczynski creating Babylon 5 reboot for the CW

[ICTDirect_Dave]

https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/27/22696836/babylon-5-reboot-j-michael-straczynski-warner-bros-the-cw

 

My initial feelings about this are mixed. The original is superb and stands up well today from a storytelling aspect. However, it does look a little dated.

 

JMS took to twitter to explain his reasons for a reboot and not a continuation and now I'm onboard and excited to do it all again!

 

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1442621159221043202.html

 

...again

Edited September 28, 2021 by ICTDirect_Dave

[E_G_R2]

Loved seasons 1-4, 5 went a little off but that was due to them thinking that they would be cancelled after season 4 so rushed the end of the story into that, so i believe. The shadow ships still give me the creeps and IMO are one of the best spaceships out there.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Loved seasons 1-4, 5 went a little off but that was due to them thinking that they would be cancelled after season 4 so rushed the end of the story into that, so i believe. The shadow ships still give me the creeps and IMO are one of the best spaceships out there.

He'd planned to finish the civil war story off in the first half of season five, then have the second half as the closing chapter where things returned to normal.

As a result of the potential cancellation, this was contracted into a very busy fourth season and a fifth series that required some padding.

[TechMonkey]

This fills me with equal parts joy and dread. But I guess we need to go in with minds open and fresh thoughts.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

This fills me with equal parts joy and dread. But I guess we need to go in with minds open and fresh thoughts.

 

Exactly this! JMS running the show makes me feel better about it, and the way he writes about it sounds promising. The first show hit home upon themes that are dominating politics around the world today. I'm excited to see what he can do taking a second swing.

 

I'd like to see roles for old cast members too. Bruce Boxleitner as the Earth Alliance president, Peter Jurasik as the Centauri emperor perhaps?

 

One thing they shouldn't stray too far on is the look and feel of things. An Omega Destroyer or Minbari Warcruiser should look pretty similar to how they did originally, just in glorious detail.

 

And the aliens. I'm expecting some updates, but Drazi should look like Drazi and a Vorlon in an encounter suit shouldn't look much different to how it did. Some things are too good to change.

[supportman]

Still love those defense cannons on the starship!

 

Hope it doesn't end up too "woke" like some recent sky fi shows that have been rebooted.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Still love those defense cannons on the starship!

 

Hope it doesn't end up too "woke" like some recent sky fi shows that have been rebooted.

 

Depends what you mean by woke I guess? Should I be a representation of the world as it currently is? I'd hope so.

 

The orginal B5 has strong female characters, dealt with different sexualities with equality and a greater understanding than anything that had gone before it.

The same went with race. Though it did use a multitude of alien species to shine a light on rasicm and xenophobia and how awful it is. It was incredibly aware and way ahead of its time.

 

I do so wish people would stop using the word 'Woke' like its a bad thing. The word when used in this context refers to showing awareness about racial, gender and soceital inequalities, discrimination and cruelties. Ensuring a tv show shows these things as bad parts of society surely is only a good thing. I can't think of a possible reason you'd want the tv you watch to be any other way.

[psydii]

For those who don't know, JMS has been amongst other credits, a/the writer for Murder She Wrote, She-Ra, The Real Ghostbusters, Thor (MCU), World War Z and Sense 8,

 

A few months ago he publicly reached out to the beeb as he was interested in the DW job. He quickly reported back that the Beeb already had a short list and it wasn't something he would be pursuing. At the time I worried that the beeb was making a mistake by turning him down.

 

TBH I still kinda am.

 

To speak to the topic though, I tried re-watching B5 recently, and much like STTNG I really couldn't get past the early episodes. 33 they are not. I really hope this reboot brings the benefit of the advances in story writing and production values that we've seen in Galactica, Marvel etc. over the intervening decades.

Edited September 28, 2021 by psydii

[supportman]

Depends what you mean by woke I guess? Should I be a representation of the world as it currently is? I'd hope so.

 

The orginal B5 has strong female characters, dealt with different sexualities with equality and a greater understanding than anything that had gone before it.

The same went with race. Though it did use a multitude of alien species to shine a light on rasicm and xenophobia and how awful it is. It was incredibly aware and way ahead of its time.

 

I do so wish people would stop using the word 'Woke' like its a bad thing. The word when used in this context refers to showing awareness about racial, gender and soceital inequalities, discrimination and cruelties. Ensuring a tv show shows these things as bad parts of society surely is only a good thing. I can't think of a possible reason you'd want the tv you watch to be any other way.

 

Yeh I know what you mean and your correct B5 was definitly ahead of its time, thats why I love it so much. The play between the different species of aliens is awesome.

 

The Battlestar Galactica reboot is in my top 3 shows of all time. The topics it covered were about human survival, differences and evolution. Fantastic material.

 

I think I love the Expanse becuase it plays on politics and power so well.

 

I just find watching some of the latest Startreks and some other shows focus too much on identity and stereotyped characters trying a bit too hard not to offend anyone. Then again, Maybe i'm just getting old

Edited September 28, 2021 by supportman

[LeMarchand]

I just find watching some of the latest Startreks and some other shows focus too much on identity and stereotyped characters trying a bit too hard not to offend anyone. Then again, Maybe i'm just getting old

 

I think you might be! I find the whole personal pronoun malarkey bemusing, but love both DIS and PIC.

 

B5 reboot sounds promising, especially with JMS. He can be a bit of a though - like in his treatment of Claudia Christian and the infamous W***erGate.