J. Michael Straczynski Explains Why Babylon 5 Had to Be Rebooted

[Ohio Joe]

https://gizmodo.com/j-michael-straczynski-explains-why-babylon-5-had-to-be-1847759308

I'm rooting for this to be good. No casting or anything else really known yet except it is a complete reboot but one I'll be keeping an eye on.

[regnaD kciN]

1. Why???

[AZSkiffyGeek]

3. JMS needs to pay for the Ellison Dangerous Visions anthology he's finishing?

[Ohio Joe]

5. Per the article

But another appeal the writer found in specifically telling a new iteration of Babylon 5 for the 21st century is to build on what the original show already pioneered. At the time it aired, Babylon 5's five-year overarching plot, laid out from the get-go, was unprecedented as a style of long-form television storytelling. Now, in the age of mega franchises dominating TV—perhaps inspired by the likes of Babylon 5's initial approach—it’s normal. Not only that, the series’ dark sci-fi storytelling commenting on the state of the world in the mid-’90s needs to evolve, Straczynski argued, so that a new Babylon 5 could be more than just relevant to our current time, but try to imagine a future beyond it as well. “How can it be used to reflect the world in which we live, and the questions we are asking and confronting every day?” Straczynski continued. “Fans regularly point out how prescient the show was and is of our current world; it would be fun to take a shot at looking further down the road.”

I thought Babylon 5 was pretty relevant for it's time as well as where things were going... And I think it could have a lot to say about today and where we go.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. I couldn't get into it, have to see if this one will get my interest.

[qazplm135]

4. I thought it was a good show overall

I didn't hold it in the rarefied air the biggest fans did, but it was solid scifi. Some episodes were amazing, but there was a lot more weaker episodes than folks want to admit.

But I love DS9 and I can admit there were some real turds in that punchbowl too.

[relayerbob]

6. I considered B5 one of the top Sci-fi shows ever

I seriously doubt that will be able to redo the climactic Vorlons/Shadow/Rest of the Galaxy show and do it any honor. That was absolutely fantastic.

The follow-ons, OTOH, were pretty bad. I am not one who really enjoys reboots, Battlestar Galactica notwithstanding, but that was a pretty low bar lol

[Marcuse]

7. Babylon 5 strained credulity.

Who would ever believe that a President would command paramilitary fascist stormtroopers to intimidate government officials, kill innocent civilians/refugees, seize total executive power, start a Civil War and attempt to destroy the planet after committing suicide?