Need help with panel idea for Con - any B5 fans please respond

[atlantagirl]

I admit, I've never watched Babylon 5, but I seem to recall discussions where people have said it used story arcs like Farscape. Am I remembering correctly? Other than Buffy/Angel (which has its own track), are there any other major story arc shows out there? Firefly? Any other American shows (only, British shows have a different track).

Any help will be greatly appreciated. We want to get a Farscape-oriented panel that includes other shows so we can lure other fandoms into the room.

[vacantlook]

...Babylon 5, but I seem to recall discussions where people have said it used story arcs like Farscape.

Well, Babylon 5 actually is one huge story arc. The show was conceived as a novel for television with a definite beginning, middle, and end. It was designed to last no longer than five years (though there was room for spinoffs, should there be appropriate intereste). The nature of creating a show in this way enabled Straczynski to layer in loads of foreshadowing and demonstrate how purpose in storytelling can lie in HOW the characters get where they're going, not the destination itself. So, in short, yeah, Babylon 5 is definitely an arc-based show. Each season was structured around a five-point progression: introduction, rising action, complication, climax, and resolution. As such, there were more totally stand-alone episodes in season one than there were in season four, for example, because season one was establishing the characters and the setting.

[atlantagirl]

Thanks vacantlook!!!

[norweigan_scaper]

i don't know if this helps but i've always told fellow scifi fans who have never watched farscape but have watched B5, that farscape is to character development what B5 was to epic story telling.

B5 has, as was previously mentioned, one major arc, which leads to a huge payoff for the fans when they reach season 3. But, it is unfair to parallel it to farscape in that sense, because farscape (IMHO:) ) is about the journey of these characters. this is not to say that B5 does not have strong characters, you'd be hard pressed to find better character evolution than you find in Londo and G'Kar, but the same cannot be said for every other cast member. B5's weakness is that many of his characters are cardboard plot devices, the doctor, talia winters and so on and so on. now i'm not pigeon holing them all, but there are quite a few. Thankfully, that doesn't significantly detract from the great novel buildup and delivery of the series.

IMHO; B5 is good, but farscape is so much better, and so much more rewarding as a fan. The acting is simply amazing, from Claudia, to Ben, to Lani, to Ginny to Wayne (i could be here all night:D ) while B5's acting definately had very large holes with a few exceptions.

wow, it's a good thing i didn't let myself get on a rant;)

NS

[Nightie]

Actually in B5 the major story arch is completed at the end of season 4 because JMS wasn't sure wether or not he's getting season 5. Season 5 completes smaller stories.

[atlantagirl]

Very helpful! Thank you. :D :D