i was wondering if you need to have watched the series to understand any of the babylon 5 movies. I never really watched the series though i am going to buy all the tv box sets at around christmas time but with no basic knowledge of the series will i understand what the movies are about?.
The Nightrider!!! That is his name...the Nightrider. Remember him when you look at the night sky!
Please make sure to watch the series before watching the movies, unless you want to be spoiled. That's my advice to you. :)
shareThe Shadow is right!! The movie will spoil parts of each season. Someone might disagree (but most would probably agree), but it's probably best to watch the entire series before watching the movie. Very important part of the charm of B5 is that major plot events for the whole series were pretty much ready before they even started shooting the first series, at least to my knowledge, but the plot is opened very slowly. First there seems to be nothing special happening on B5, then everything starts to seem all mysterious-like. Then slowly, episode by episode, we begin to understand what the story is all about. And then suddenly... All hell breaks loose.
But In The Beginning reveals some huge plot twists (ironic considering it's name) from even the distant future of the Babylon 5 universe, all of it very bluntly. This makes some of the most important characters less mysterious (Delenn and Sinclair, big time!). It even spoils the future of at least two entire worlds quite, quite important in the B5 universe!
So please, i beg you to see the entire series first!
EDIT: PS. It's a good movie though.
i would disagree, but then again, this was my into to the world of B5. must have seen this 3-4 times on sci-fi before realising there was a series as well :)
love the show now
Theres lots of layers to b5 generally. You can watch the beginning but there's things in it that will click better after watching the tv show. Theres always thing in series 1 and 2 theres stuff hinted at which you don't see emerge into s3 and 4.
shareI wouldn't really say you "need" to watch the series. You can most certainly understand them but some of them are more connected with the series due to the lack of character development in some of them. The movie River of Souls is one like this I think. Generally you can follow along what is going on in them without to much trouble. Enough things are explained and you can really assume a lot of things. Watching the films in order though will set you up on how the current state of the sereis is.
For example "In the Beginning" explains what happen before the sereis but it's just really refered to in the series. Some of the later films will refer to events in the series but you'll have to watch the sereis to see them. You plan on buying the Tv series anyway so you'll have something to look forward to when you get around to watching it after the movies. You'll enjoy yourself I hope. Seeing the series just makes them better but you can watch them without seeing it. Just don't go to hard on the character development since most of that is done in the TV series save for the Legend of the Rangers film where majority of the characters are new but the general "thing" behind the Rangers is built up in the show itself.
In the Beginning is got to be my favorite of the movies beside A Call to Arms. I just wish they went back and did a mini-series on the events in "In the Beginning". That whole war was pretty important and would love to see the entire thing played out but in more detail.
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I look at it this way.
When you are siting down to a wonderful meal.
The Entree' is placed right in front of you.
Do you then ask for the Dessert to eat first?
I would enjoy the series (Entree') then watch this movie (Dessert) at least.
It will 'taste' that much sweeter.
Correct babylon 5 watching order:
01. The Gathering (Pilot) [Movies]
02. 01 Midnight on the Firing Line [Complete Season 01]
03. 01 Points of Departure [Complete Season 02]
04. 01 Matters of Honor [Complete Season 03]
05. 01 The Hour of the Wolf [Part Season 04, Up to 06 Into the Fire]
06. Thirdspace [Movies]
07. 07 Epiphanies [Rest of Season 04]
08. In the Beginning [Movies]
09. 01 No Compromises [Part Season 05, Up to 21 Objects at Rest]
10. River of Souls [Movies]
11. The Legend of the Rangers - To Live and Die in Starlight [Movies]
12. A Call to Arms [Movies]
13. Crusade 01 War Zone [The Complete Series]
14. The Lost Tales - Voices In The Dark [Movie]
15. 22 Sleeping in Light [Rest of Season 05]
Watching it in any other way would be spoiling a great series.
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"Common sense is not so common."
- Voltaire