Absolutely. It's a great show and as it's rooted in the here and now it's a lot more relatable. Fun story arcs, great chemistry between the cast and plenty of dry humor that doesn't go over the top. Probably my favorite sci Fi show.
I really should have added that in my multiple rewatches, S1 of Babylon 5 gets more endearing. I didn't like Sinclair at first, probably because I was expecting Bruce Boxleitner (I watched it many years later). He's a bit wooden, but he really grew on me. Knowing what he was going through (mental health wise) makes you appreciate him more.
I love his call back later on, show kept wowing me with WTF moments
Like the earlier seasons of Deep Space 9 on rewatches, I really enjoy getting immersed into life on their respective stations. After so many drawn out series, that stretch plotlines across too many episodes, I welcome a lot of the episodic stories they tell.
If a show doesn't have a well paced plan to tell their story (goes for most), I'd rather the Babylon 5/DS9 formula, where they have big arcs across multiple episodes, but also pinch foreshadowing of those grander arcs into their many self contained stories. Babylon 5 did it best, was so intriguing.
I also agree of the dark/edginess of so many sci-fi shows. BSG was great, but it spawned a lot of copycats, like Stargate Universe at first.
I would say though besides that I think the show has a very good grasp of its characters, a lot of sci fi shows it tends to take a couple of seasons for a lot of the cast to really hint their stride, TNG era Trek most obviously. I think that helps it pull though season one even when other elements were still being worked on. Although I think actually some of that also ends up interesting, you get to see an alternate Babylon 5 with more of an 80's sci fi setting.
Sinclair does I think make for a different kind of show, he's more of a Picard like enlightened commander from the start were as Sheridan is more a no nonsense military guy, nice enough but not someone who really has wisdom to deal with difficult choices so seeing him learn that I think ends up a lot of the shows appeal.
Generally I tend to think B5 benefits a lot from JMS actually having some quite interesting ideas beyond what we typically see in such sci fi. Dealing with the rise of facism, breaking out of a cycle of conflict, individualism vs collectivism, that mere self sacrifice isnt always enough and that having a stake in the world is needed, etc.
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