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Babylon 5: Season 3
"Interludes and Examinations" presents the death of a major supporting character, while the two-part "War Without End" reaches apocalyptic dimensions in a complex tale resolving the destiny of Sinclair and the fate of Babylon 4 (dovetailing elegantly with the events of Year One's "Babylon Squared"), resolving a 1,000-year-old paradox and presenting a vision of a very dark future for Sheridan and Delenn. All this is trumped by the monumental "Z'ha'dum". In the preceding "Shadow Dancing", Anna Sheridan (Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Boxleitner's real-life wife) returns from the dead, no longer entirely human. In the mythologically resonant climax Anna invites Sheridan back to the Shadow homeworld with no hope of survival. Just as Gandalf fell into the abyss at Khazad-Dum, so Sheridan takes a comparable leap into the unknown on an alien world. On the DVD: Babylon 5, Series 3 presents all 22 episodes anamorphically enhanced at 16:9 for widescreen TVs. While not up to blockbuster movie standards these are the finest looking B5 discs yet. Likewise the remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 sound packs a considerable punch in the many action scenes while remaining clear and atmospheric throughout. Reasonable though unremarkable extras are in line with previous box sets, with detailed and informative commentaries by series creator J Michael Straczynski on episodes "Z'Ha'Dum", and the Hugo Award-winning "Severed Dreams". Actors Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs and Ed Wasser offer a more jokey and backslapping appraisal of "Interludes and Examinations". Introduction to Point of Return is essentially a six-minute trailer for the season, while Behind the Mask: Creating the Aliens of B5 offers make-up artist John Vulich, JMS, and producer John Copland reflecting on the creation of various races. Complementing this is a seven-minute look at Building a Better Narn. Designing Tomorrow: The Look of Babylon 5 focuses on the work of production designer John Iacovelli. Finally The Universe of Babylon 5 presents five short character profiles. The set offers an alternative French soundtrack and subtitles in English, English for the hard-of-hearing, French and Dutch. --Gary S Dalkin
RRP: £56.99
Our Price: £11.28 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
"Matters of Honour" launches the third series of Babylon 5 with the introduction of the White Star, a spacecraft added to enable more of the action to take place away from the static space station. Also introduced is Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) who, in another nod to The Lord of the Rings, is a Ranger not so far removed from JRR Tolkien's Strider. In "Voices of Authority" the show finds an epic scale as Ivanova seeks the mysterious "First Ones" for allies against the Shadows, and evidence is discovered pointing to the truth behind President Santiago's assassination. A third of the way through the series "Messages from Earth", "Point of No Return" and "Severed Dreams" prove pivotal, changing the nature of the story in a way previously unimaginable on network TV. Earth slides into dictatorship, the fascistic Nightwatch takes control of off-world security and Sheridan takes decisive action by declaring Babylon 5 independent.
Shadows rising
Review date: 2008-04-27 Rating: 10 out of 10
This third season of Babylon 5 sees the action tack a step up with the arc plot about the outbreak Shadow War taking centre stage. Other momentous things happen this year including an Earth Force civil war, the full story about what happened to Babylon 4 and Jeffery Sinclair meets his destiny. Another change to the show this season is the addition of the White Star, which is one of my all-time favourite sci-fi spaceships.
This year continues Babylon 5's habit of casting good guest stars with the likes of Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Michael York making appearances. Also appearing here is Walter Koenig returning a couple of times as the Psi-Cop Bester. The episodes of this season are a somewhat mixed bad, mostly good but with the odd poor episode thrown in now and again. My favourite episode of the season is the excellent `Severed Dreams' with its excellent battle sequences. I do feel that the space combat sequences are the areas where Babylon 5 truly shines, producing some of the best such scenes that I have ever witnessed. Babylon 5 is a truly brilliant show and this season is probably one of the best from the entire run.
Similar Products
- Babylon 5: Season 4
- Babylon 5: Season 2
- Babylon 5: Season 5 [1994]
- Babylon 5 : Season 1 [1994]
- Babylon 5: The Gathering [1993]
Reviews
Shockingly good
Review date: 2006-10-05 Rating: 10 out of 10
Season 3 is a strong contender for being the best season of B5 (although it doesn't quite match Season 4 for intensity, it's more accessible). It picks up exactly where Season 2 finished, and immediately throws two new elements to the mix: the White Star, a prototype Minbari / Vorlon hybrid warship designed for service in the coming war, and Marcus Cole, a ranger with an English accent who very quickly established himself as one of the most popular characters among fans.
Initially you get much the same mix of arc stories and strong standalones that characterised later season 2, further building on the same story threads that have been going since Season 1. Then, somewhere about the midway point, all hell breaks loose, the universe of B5 falls apart, and the series essentially never looks back. By the time you get to the amazing finale, you've been through the wringer emotionally and seen some of the most surprising and amazing episodes that B5 has to offer. Back in 1996 we hadn't seen anything like it, and this is what turned many a casual viewer (myself included) into rabid, foaming at the mouth fans. Granted Firefly and Galactica have raised the bar considerably higher since then, but in terms of grand, epic plotting and coherent narrative B5 really hasn't yet been beat, and this is the season that shows it off best. If you've enjoyed watching up to this point, you won't be disappointed..
gripping stuff
Review date: 2006-10-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
Season 2,3 and 4 were the best seasons of B5. I got into it late. I was asked to record the first episode of season 3 for a relative. I decided to watch it to make sure i had recorded it properly. Sice then i have been hooked. I ran around buying all the previous episodes on vid later changing to DVD. This is high quality science fiction and drama. There is a tapestry of subtext and ideas in here you can go as deep as you want, or just be entertained with a very well realised universe which is coherent and logical.
The good folk at NASA loved this show because it was scientifically accurate. Do yourself a favor and buy this.
An Advanture of a lifetime :)
Review date: 2004-05-27 Rating: 10 out of 10
Since there are very few people in Poland interested in sci-fi movies and tv shows i had no such luck as most of you to see Babylon 5 on tv. But i was lucky to be told about this show by my cousin from Germany. As a big sci-fi fan, i was delighted to see such a great Space-based tv show was made. I always wanted to see this show but because of bad political and economic situation in Poland in the previous years it was almost impossible, and then came the better times and the DVD's! Listen people this Show is a must to be seen!! First season, second, third...and all to the end, rock! :) There are no crappy episodes in this show, every episode has something imortant in it and if you miss one, i dare to say you missed the entire show :) so dont wait anymore and order it now! You will not be dissapointed! if you didnt see it before and like me always wanted to get in hands some great sci-fi tv show, order Babylon 5 now! Write me and e-mail if you have ay more answers. jonsnow@boo.pl
Action and adventure - what more could you ask for!!!
Review date: 2004-04-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
What a great show. Terrestial tv did this show a great disservice byslotting in late night slots. Thank goodness for DVD or I would havemissed all the good stuff.
Some of the commentaries are entertaining inthe sense that you get the casts's point of view but a great deal is madeof how different they looked 10 years ago!!!
Nonetheless a fabuloussci-fi show highly recommended for any sci-fi fan or anyone who enjoys aprogramme with plots within plots within plots!!!
Product Details/Specifications
Director(s):
Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900274616
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 6
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2003-11-10
Number of discs: 6
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 924 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1994-01-26
Language: English (Original Language)