Sci-Fi Storm

Babylon 5 - The Complete Third Season
Release Date: 2003-08-12
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Average Customer Rating: (103 reviews)

Reviews from Amazon customers:

Review by: Frederick Baptist, Singapore
Rating:
Hope The Blu-Rays Are Better For A Brilliant Sci-Fi Series That Deserves Better!
After managing to pull off the transition from O'Hare to Boxleitner so well and developing the plot so well Season 3 continues where Season 2 left off and is actually the best season to date with very good storywriting and no obvious filler episodes to distract too much from the main storyline of the impending battle between the dark and the light. <br /> <br />For this reason, while there is no faulting the content of the third season, I do have an issue with the picture and sound quality which is poor although admittedly a lot better than for seasons 1 & 2. Even when watching this on a Blu-ray player that upscales to 1080p the improvement is slight and many imperfections like dirt, specks, white and black spots, some clear frames and many soft/blurred ones are obvious plus the Dolby 5.1 surround sound option doesn't quite make the most of the property as the sound is still pretty much coming from the front speakers. <br /> <br />I hear that Warner may be releasing the entire series on blu-ray soon and if so I do hope they don't stinge on this and take the full time and expense to make the many, many improvements that are needed to bring this close to what one could describe as blu-ray reference quality. I thought Star Trek TOS blu-ray did an admirable job in their recent release and if that kind of blu-ray quality can be done on a 40-year old master surely we can expect a whole lot better from a much, much younger master! <br /> <br />I wait with great anticipation to see what Warner has in store for a hopefully sci-fi blu-ray set to set the standard for the rest to follow.

Review by: William Reger
Rating:
Babylon 5/3
Another building season that brings out more questions than answers. Very exciting if a bit stretched at times.

Review by: Clarence J JOnes, Jefferson City, MO United States
Rating:
Not quite as advertised
This used set was advertised as being in good condition. However, there were at least four episodes tha had damage that rendered parts of them unviewable.

Review by: cheesey
Rating:
Season that sparked interest
This show is often misunderstood by most people. The outdated graphics and drawn out storyline are a turn off to most. <br /> BUT, what they are forgetting is that, when it first came out, graphics didn't get any better on TV (the show's graphics were actually breathtaking and one of the reasons why it managed to stay on air for the first season or two when the storyline was just starting to warm up). Remember dos or Windows 95? Ya, that's the era we're talking about here. <br /> Also what people today forget is that the storyline is what makes this show so good. It's tough to just jump in and watch the show in any season so I recommend watching at least season 2 before watching this season (otherwise, you might be amused, but completely lost). It's not anything like today's shows like Lost or Battlestar Galactica where if you miss only one episode, everything changes and you're completely lost. Rather, it's an ongoing story within an episodic formula so that, if you miss an episode (with the exception of a key few in the last half of this season and season 4) you'll probably be able to figure things out. The thing that makes the show so unique and able to do this is that the creator actually wrote the WHOLE show out ahead of time. So the storyline slowly unravels through the first two seasons and kicks into high gear this season 3 and carries on into season 4. <br />You also might want to note that this show was the first scifi to have an ongoing plot to this degree. If this show hadn't been created, you wouldn't have shows like Lost, Heroes, or Battlestar Galactica that try to mimic the same type of ongoing plot. That alone should peak anybody's interest. <br />When I first saw the show in the 90s, I thought everything about it was great - graphics, acting, story, and all. Watching it again recently now that I can see past the graphics, I realize the acting isn't always the greatest, but I'd definitely say that the main characters are on par with any Star Trek show (if not better - a couple of the actors are Shakespearean) and the shortcomings are almost always with extras (NOT the main characters). Then again, I really think that some of the acting in newer shows such as Lost or Heroes would be pretty crappy if you took away all the flash, pretty graphics and/or made up plot twists. <br />My advice for someone who's never seen the show before: give it some time. At first, compared to the ongoing, constant action, blow your mind graphical shows we have today, this may not seem that good. It may not have shaking cameras or insane amounts of light glare to cover up crappy sets, but once you get into the climax of the show(having watched season 2 and the first half of season 3), you'll realize how crazy well thought out and great this show really is. I gave my friend this show and she initially didn't like it. BUT once she got through season 3, she was intensely interested and shushing me whenever I talked during important moments of the show. Her boyfriend liked it even less and was always making fun of the graphics, but when he realized the crazy well thought out plot, he was asking to watch more episodes. It's just those first 2 seasons that are tough to get through - once you get into season 3 and 4, you'll love it (and you'll also end up going back to the first 2 seasons to pick up what you missed the first time).

Review by: Joseph J. Carroll
Rating:
And So It Begins
Few shows can ever leave you at the edge of your seat for very long, but Babylon 5 was known to do just that by all who loved it when it originally aired. Season 3 gives us a look into the complex world that is ready to bust from the jar it was put in, putting us at the forefront of the decisions that must be made regarding Earth and Predisdent Clark, and the looming Shadow War truly begins. <br /> <br />The Shadow War of course is one of the biggest build ups ever in television. Watching how things progress can only make you sit in wonder as it appears that surely, in such a great conflict that someone must perish. Towards the end of the season we are given our first major battle in the war, as Sheridan and Co. engage the Shadow fleet directly. And then, one of the greatest cliffhangers of all time, Sheridan goes to Z'Ha'Dum, and you have to wait until Season 4 to find out what happens. <br /> <br />Babylon 5 Season 3 is the middle of one of the greatest science fiction tales or any other genre ever told. Anyone that enjoys action, drama, romance, war, adventure, as well as a bit of everythign else will enjoy this.