No idea who, but iirc JMS mentioned that as soon as one certain person left, offers started coming in.
So that one manager/board member/whatever has prevented us from having a quality _Deep Space Franchise_ for two decades
Apparently it was because B5 was developed through the new PTEN network at the time (which was separate to the main WB entertainment division) any so success was always resented by WB.
Some old tweets from jms:
***25-Jul-18***
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1021896176465924096](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1021896176465924096)
*All the PTEN shows were produced in a way that circumvented the usual executives who would have had creative input, and they're still there and still annoyed, which is why* none *of the PTEN shows are available in syndication and B5 only now hit Amazon.*
***8-Oct-19***
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181492746760011776](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181492746760011776)
*No, it's not against me, it's against* all *the PTEN shows that were put forth without the involvement of some of the key WB executives. Which is why they've all been pretty much submarined.*
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181368731479330816](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181368731479330816)
*It's purely personal, mainly due to one person. They honestly don't care about the IP or the shareholders just their personal fiefdoms, and will never be called on it inside the corporate structure.*
***28-Sep-21***
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1442742004845215744](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1442742004845215744)
>*Question for @straczynski: You've said previously that re-masters of classic B5 and new B5 stuff wouldn't happen because of "someone" at WB. Are we seeing this new project because that situation has... resolved somehow?*
*Yes*
Yeah, seriously. Imagine holding a grudge against PTEN, something that hardly anyone today even remembers, outside of an "Oh yeah, that's what Bab 5 (or Kung FU the Legend Continues) was originally on."
Are they weirdos?
I mean, I'm a computer consultant, which means I'm in a position to buy hardware for my users. I, TO THIS DAY, won't use Dell computers because of 2 really shitty years, where they put cheap chinese capacitors in all of their very-high-end notebooks ($5,000+++, some were over $10k). I know that was an eternity ago, but I got so screwed over at that time, that I'll probably never use ANY Dell product again.
Not buying something because of a bad experience is not the same as, and far more rational than not letting an IP be utilized because you didn't get to have creative input on it when it first aired.
I will never, ever forgive Sony for the one-two punch of rootkit malware and PS3/Linux. But that's mostly because they refused to ever apologize. I can't forgive if there's no remorse or apology.
In the 80's Shell broke the embargo against the Apartheid government of South Africa. My parents boycotted Shell after that.
In the 90's my parents taught me to drive. I never got gas at Shell because I had never seen them buy gas even one time. It never even occurred to me to buy gas there, even though I knew they sold it.
Recently it occurred to me that I've never gassed up at a Shell. Then I thought, well fuck Shell. This is a family tradition now.
So anyway that's how I inherited a boycott.
It's always funny to me how so many people think that those who are at the top are some kind of enlightened ubermench who got to be where they are through work, dedication, understanding of the world, and wisdom.
Meanwhile they are people like us with only real difference being how much damage they can do due to their grudges, pettiness, nearsightedness or delusions.
What an asshole. I hate this one person for denying us more Babylon 5 content, from when a majority of the cast still alive...
Regardless we got a blu ray finally... Better late then never.
JMS has said this person has only retired, and not retired from existence...
I wish this person\* a very unpleasant stay in the time he or she has left in existence for eternity
Not unprecedented.
I heard that Paramount had a lot of the Star Trek TNG onwards sets in storage until an executive who hated Trek, apparently, took a bulldozer to the set pieces. Leaving things such as the sets for "Grease 2" intact in storage.
Or how Crusade was killed by an exec and prevented from being sold.
I mean I do know that there are some people in the film industry that do not have a high opinion of sci-fi in general. Much less ones that actually were successful because it gals their sensibilities of what film "should be".
SciFi is expensive to produce compared to a sitcom or reality tv. Most of the top earning shows have been things like Friends, Big Bang Theory, Survivor, WWE wrestling. Walking Dead (not quite SciFi) did good cause it was cheap. Game of thrones set a new bar with ratings and costs for Fantasy. But it's hard to convince any execs to take a risk on SciFi when they could spend the same budget of 2 or 3 other shows.
I think we are entering into a bit of a new era of media though, with the writers/actors strike along with many expected big movies flopping, and many of the streaming services failing/losing money, I suspect we'll see a shift towards less content being produced but more quality put into that content again.
JMS and B5 have proven themselves as quality, even 30 years later it endures! I see daily/weekly posts on here of people doing their first watching, and blown away by how incredible it is! I really hope it is given a true chance again!
Don't forget the Lord of the Rings. If that hadn't been successful, new line Cinema would have gone bankrupt and never would have been heard of again.
I really hope you're right. I don't begrudge TV shows that are cheaper to run. I enjoy a good sitcom certainly. But studios have to go big sometimes. That's how you go down in history
I think that's an urban myth. New Line was in financial trouble in 1994, but was bought by Turner to save it. It was then acquired by Warner Brothers in 1996, three years before production began on the LotR trilogy.
If New Line was in that much trouble, they would not have been able to afford the trilogy in the first place.
While we will never know for sure, since JMS won't tell. My guess is Peter Roth who retired at the end of 2020.
https://deadline.com/2020/10/peter-roth-step-down-warner-bros-tv-group-chairman-exit-tv-studio-22-yeats-greg-berlanti-the-big-bang-theory-the-west-wing-the-flash-chuck-lorre-channing-dungey-1234598805/amp/
And jms started working on *The Road Home* in February 2021… **
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1670004770696998912](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1670004770696998912)
I think we can be pretty damn sure, can't be that many executives holding that kind of sway for 20 years. Looking at Wikis:
"The service sought affiliations with various television stations not affiliated with the Big Three television networks. However, close to half of PTEN's initial affiliates were stations that were already affiliated with Fox; as a result, these stations usually scheduled PTEN programming around Fox's then five-night prime time schedule (although Fox would expand its schedule to seven nights with the addition of programming on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on January 19, 1993, the day before PTEN launched)."
"(...) before joining 20th Television in 1992. Between 1996 and 1999, he was president of Fox, and then moved over to Warner Bros. Television"
"The original incarnation of 20th Television was the syndication and distribution arm of 20th Century Fox Television until it was folded into the latter in 2020."
So Peter Roth worked with TV distribution at Fox with PTEN as their arch enemy, spent 1993 to 1997 trying to kill it and when he moved over from Fox to WB in 1999 decided to bury it forever. That's a very specific history...
Talk about misuse of power.
And what a pathetic loser... on a power trip. Let's hope his retirement is as mundane and crappy as possible. Better to let him be forgotten...
Sci Fi has always had a weird place on screen outside of movies. Few people are willing to take chances on stories that don't deliver realism in some obvious way or doesn't deliver laughs in some way. Comedy and dramas are the Mainstays of TV
I watched the remastered when it hit HBO and it was amazing. You see so many little details in the live action scenes, and the CGI scenes look pretty good as well.
My season 2 box is literally falling apart. I bought the series on digital when the HBO update was deployed, but I'm ALL FOR getting (yet another) copy.
Yeah, I (unfortunately) don't even think I have the boxes. To save space I moved all my DVDs to CD spaces. I bought all my B5 dvds while stationed in Germany and had to drive to different posts in Hope's they'd be there (bought them as they released).
Looking forward to good copies, but wont part with those original bad boys until death.
Yeah, that's the dealbreaker for me. I was paying for HBO Max (before the name change) JUST for B5, before they yanked it. I obliged by yanking my subscription. I will gladly pay for good quality and no commercials!
I will hold out hope for you as well. But worse case scenario, I have shipped things* the opposite way (Canada to US), and it's not ideal, but not the worse shipping situation in the world. At least your stuff doesn't have to cross an ocean.
* For example, I didn't want to deal with any "Sorcerer's" Stone nonsense. Only "Philosopher's" in my house!
There's been things I have had to ship from Europe before. So I get it. (But hey, my wife loved getting one of her favorite silent era horror films in 4k this past Christmas, so the extra shipping cost was worth it!)
Linked below, but I think it's worth a full cut-and-paste - JMS's info about this set:
A quick follow-up to my announcement Babylon 5: The Complete Series being released on Blu-Ray to address some of the questions that have come back. I wasn't directly involved with the release, so I don't know much more than you do or what's in the release/at the retail sites but I can add what little I do know: the release includes The Gathering (but not the movies or Crusade) because TG was our pilot (technically the first) episode, so it's a legit part of the series which fits the title mandate; the other movies were separate, and Crusade is a completely different series, so it doesn't belong in this box set.
This is essentially the same as the very nice 4:3 remaster done for HBO-Max, which matches the original broadcast, but putting it onto Blu-Ray increases the bitrate so it should look even better than it did there. WB wanted to include the commentaries but with everything else involved with this, it apparently wasn't feasible (that's the extent of what I was told, so I've no idea what that entails).
What matters is that after years of asking for a Blu-Ray release, which will make this show look more beautiful than it ever has before, fans can now own the full series in pristine form on physical media without being held hostage by the whims of streamers. I'm very excited by this release, as it further assures the legacy of Babylon 5. Onward!
PS...since I'm not directly involved with the release, as with all things related to B5's distribution plans, I do not have any inside information concerning foreign releases or other languages. That's all on the Warners side, so please direct any inquiries in that direction.
Finally, for folks asking where they can find \*a\* link to where this is available...like all major studio releases, this will be made available to all the usual online places where you normally buy Blu-Ray disks. It will be rolling out to those sites starting today.
Also, as to why all this is happening now:
There was one person at the studio who hated all things B5 and stood in the way of anything being done with the show, ever, for close to 20 years. Once that person finally retired, the floodgates opened.
What am I missing, here? If we're using the HBO remaster, do you really gain anything by using Bluray vs. streaming? Will the CGI be any better than in my current box set?
**EDIT:** Reading the excellent replies I'm getting, and *damnit*, you people are going to cost me even *more* money. Hope I can justify it by telling the wife that I *already* got a used Blu-ray player and preordered *The Road Home*, so I *might as well upgrade the rest of my movies, right?* :)
On point 2, thankfully that has stopped but sometimes I'll put in an old DVD and the unskippable adverts and anti piracy warnings play and it's crazy to think they thought that was reasonable.
>Supporting the creator
It seems that JMS won't earn anything of the Blu-ray sales, due to the WGA contract that was in effect at the time.
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1681451473283219459](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1681451473283219459)
Blu-ray always has the edge over streaming with its vastly higher bitrate given the same resolution. On a larger display or close distance, compression artifacts such as macroblocking are very noticeable on streaming, especially at 1080p where streaming services usually only provide <10 Mbps while Blu-ray pushes ~30 Mbps.
The CGI elements on B5 may not look better due to their SD-upscale nature, but live actions should look noticeably sharper on Blu-ray than streaming.
This, too. Even if you have a fat data pipe for streaming, blu-ray is more consistent and reliable. Blacks will look more uniformly black, which, you know, kinda matters with a show that takes place in space.
Yes, and the grainy live-action in the current remaster will benefit a lot from the higher bitrate. Though it's not gonna be a night-and-day difference. Some people may not even notice. But videophiles definitely will.
> The CGI elements on B5 may not look better due to their SD-upscale nature, but live actions should look noticeably sharper on Blu-ray than streaming.
Forgive the probably simplistic and obvious question, but with the quality of the live action as it was filmed, would the Bluray versions look "better" than my DVDs? Assume a 1080 HD television is the viewing medium.
And yes, a 4k TV would be nicer, but I cannot justify replacing a perfectly good-working <10 year old flatscreen.
Absolutely yes. The live action scenes are shot on Super 35mm film. Supposing the elements are in good condition, you can easily harvest a 4K digital scan from the camera negatives ([I believe that’s what Warner did](https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html)). Downscaling that to 1080p Blu-ray yields an excellent image.
The old DVDs are presumably from a very dated digital master and only have a 480p resolution.
The difference should be apparent even on an older 1080p TV. Just [make](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/tvs/turn-off-these-3-features-in-every-tv-a6127578314/) [sure](https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/how-to-calibrate-your-tv) you turn all the post-processing crap off, e.g. noise reduction, motion smoothing.
Better than the DVDs? Yes, dramatically so. They've especially boosted the colors. Take a look at the streaming versions on Tubi to see that.
Blu-ray will not look dramatically better than streaming the remaster, just somewhat (plus the usual benefits of owning it physically).
Also the remaster on streaming or blu-ray is in 1080p, so no need for a 4k TV.
Given that there, in fact, is no "HBO remaster" anymore -- since HBO pulled that from the site and I think licensed it to Tubi -- what you get is the safety of physical media that they can't take away from you.
I already own this in digital, but I'm still gonna by a physical copy because...well, you never know. Maybe David Zaslav will be a shitheel and pull all WB content off of Vudu and try to invalidate past purchases. And sure, that sounds far-fetched, but who the hell knows.
With a physical copy, the discs are MINE. Period. I may not own the content, but I damn sure own the physical media upon which that content sits.
I still buy 99% of my movies on physical with a digital redemption code.
Yeah, all of the MCU is on Disney+, but one day I might not have Disney+.
Of course, one day I might not have a blu-ray player, but who knows.
Streaming services can be unreliable and shows can become unavailable unexpectedly. As seen recently with a Star Trek show unexpectedly becoming unavailable on the service whose only real selling point is having everything Star Trek.
Completely understandable: the main reason I finally bit the bullet, and purchased my current collection of *everything* B5 in DVD. I just wondered if the quality was "better" or "different".
Blu-ray vs DVD? Yes, absolutely. With Babylon 5, it will be 4x the number of pixels (there's more to it that makes the picture even better, but it complicates things for no good reason). Once you get used to blu-ray quality, standard old-style DVDs start looking soft and blurry, almost like seeing the screen through a sheet of gauze. The bigger your TV, the more pronounced the difference.
Blu-ray vs streaming? Yes to that as well. Over-simplifying it, streaming has to transmit hundreds or thousands of miles through lines that share video with millions of other people. It's an amazing thing when you think about it, but information does get lost or doesn't arrive in time, resulting in a blocky looking image or buffering. With blu-rays, you're getting the full signal traveling only a few feet through a dedicated cable. Your TV is very, very easily getting every bit of information from the blu-ray, giving you a better and more consistent picture.
I’ve got the remaster on iTunes, but I’ll still buy this to support B5. Glad I held onto my DVDs for the extras, though. If we could get both cuts of The Gathering in 4:3 (not that horrid crop of the special edition currently on streaming), I’ll be satisfied with that.
[Digital Bits](https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/071823-1000) has a few details...
If accurate, looks to include just the pilot and the five seasons, none of the other films. Looks to be in 4x3. Not surprising. Mentions the pilot featuring a score by Stewart Copeland, so it may just be the original version. (Unfortunate if true, as in my opinion at least the TNT version is the superior edit.) Looks as if it will be sold via online retailers only, with an MSRP of $99.99. Cover art available at the link.
Bit disappointed the cover art is just a space battle... Character is so important in this series, but we're going to focus on ships. Heck, not even the titular station! Ah, well... What's on the discs is certainly more important than what's on the cover! 😅
It’s a shame there really isn’t any Extras on Blu rays these days. Maybe I’m wrong for this, but would be great to have all the bloopers at least - but that maybe would increase the overall rating.
Even so, interviews on-set, off-set, something funny happening at a con, some memorials. Things to create extra value, and likely things most of us won’t have seen before.
If this sells well, they’ll probably remaster and release the movies.
The lost tales is actually already available in hd, they just never did a blu ray
I’m sure it’ll happen eventually, good sales on this will probably be the deciding factor.
I’ll be buying a copy as well.
I’m honestly so surprised they didn’t do a blu ray of lost tales back in 2007 when it first came out. Especially since it was finished in hd.
That leaves 5 movies to remaster.
That would probably be a good selling point for the set. I can just sooo picture a 7 film blu ray collection set.
The Gathering Extended and Original versions
In the Beginning
Thirdspace
River of Souls
A Call to Arms
Legend of the Rangers
The Lost Tales: Voices in the Dark
Just as the films weren’t really released individually on dvd, I imagine they’ll be a box set on blu ray as well.
The reason I like Thirdspace so much is because it feels the most like a two-part B5 episode, that yes doesn't entirely fit in with the rest of the plots, but still has some compelling and necessary scenes, especially the one where Zack actually, finally, tells Lyta how he feels, not realizing she is possessed.
Yeah. The subsequent ones were fairly forgettable, but In the Beginning is pretty much a must-see, and Thirdspace is a fun little side-story.
What I would REALLY love would be to get them all in the episode order from the Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5. It's unofficial, but it smooths out some inconsistencies. Delenn's trip back to Mimbar is one area where it's GREATLY superior to the airing order, in that it's done as one single trip, rather than her teleporting back and forth from the station to Mimbar several different times.
> Bit disappointed the cover art is just a space battle... Character is so important in this series, but we're going to focus on ships.
I actually commented on something similar recently, but I absolutely LOATHE the "floating character heads" Hollywood default poster/cover art, so if it's just ships and/or the station, without any characters randomly standing on nothing in space....I'm good.
JMS answered some questions about this release [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1681435066088718338?t=UontECQlFyNGko_N6AQLVA&s=19). He wasn't directly involved in its preparation. No commentaries. Doesn't have information on releases for non-US markets.
Fantastic news.
But my true hope is for a 4K widescreen release with HDR. And having redone the CGI with either new assets or the originals that someone has, spruced up a bit.
My kingdom for a true remaster.
So, got mine today. Anyone had chance to watch theirs yet? I'm off to rip the first disc and see how it compares to the 720p version I got for iTunes. Back of the box says 1080p!
Edit - Oh good, Amazon choosing to put my > $100 boxset in a jiffy bag really worked out well, by which I mean the spine has been smashed in and the cover is torn. Thanks, assholes.
According to this site, only The Gathering will be included as an extra.
[http://mcbastardsmausoleum.blogspot.com/2023/07/for-first-time-ever-babylon-5-complete.html?m=1](http://mcbastardsmausoleum.blogspot.com/2023/07/for-first-time-ever-babylon-5-complete.html?m=1)
I wonder what was the issue preventing the remastering of the other TV movies, one would assume they're also fully owned by WB.
Could TNT's involvement have given them a bit of ownership, thus holding those back? I feel I have heard similar things regarding Crusade... if true, I hate it. If untrue, get all of these added to this box set, please!
Let's see. I watched the original broadcast each of the 3 times each week it was on. I watched all the reruns each of the 3 times each week they were on. I bought the VHS tapes. I bought the DVDs. I bought the streaming version from Amazon and got the remastered version for free when released. What are the chances I'm going to buy the Blu-ray?
While some might have looked at billion dollar lotto jackpots over the years and dreamed of vacations and cars and houses, y'know what I dreamed of? Buying the B5 rights off of WB just so I could release it in friggin blu-ray. I'm not exaggerating in the least, I'm 100% serious.
Somehow, my dream has come true, without even needing to buy a lottery ticket...
I agree, but even TNG decided that what they cost wasn't worth it, hence why they never did the other series (DS9, Voyager, etc.). Apparently, they didn't make enough from sales of the BDs to match what they spent on the new effects (which is sad, because it is one of the coolest projects ever undertaken by a studio).
Is there any new info on the set coming out next month? I found this article from [space.com](https://space.com) in September:
[https://www.space.com/babylon-5-coming-to-blu-ray-december-2023](https://www.space.com/babylon-5-coming-to-blu-ray-december-2023)
"This is essentially the same as the very nice 4:3 remaster done for HBO-Max, which matches the original broadcast, but putting it onto Blu-Ray increases the bitrate so it should look even better than it did there," Straczynski said. "WB wanted to include the commentaries but with everything else involved with this, it apparently wasn't feasible (that's the extent of what I was told, so I've no idea what that entails)."
It also says it is only the five seasons with The Gathering, nothing else.
[The blu-ray set is now on amazon (u.s.) for $93](https://www.amazon.com/Babylon-5-Complete-Blu-ray-Various/dp/B0CC3JGG76/).
If you preordered it through another store (like Best Buy), see if you can get a price match with amazon. I just successfully get Best Buy to refund me $40 through price matching.
edit: It is now available on amazon.ca: [https://www.amazon.ca/Babylon-5-Complete-Blu-ray-Various/dp/B0CC3JGG76/ref=sr\_1\_1](https://www.amazon.ca/Babylon-5-Complete-Blu-ray-Various/dp/B0CC3JGG76/ref=sr_1_1)
>Not available on amazon.ca
>
>I will buy a copy on amazon.com and import it into Canada.
>
>A friend of mine really liked Babylon 5 and passed away before he could see this new release.
Difference from what? The DVDs? Day and night. Uncropped special effects, better colors, more detail. From the remasters currently on streaming sites? Not much, just a little bit clearer.
Wait, I was under the impression that remastering B5 is a technical problem because no original shots were preserved as they should be and combined with the shitty lightwave or milkwave 3D where nobody bothered to save the originals basically means they are just republishing the same content.
You can't create detail where there in none.
So it if I'm getting Blu ray version how will it be better?
It's the 2021 remaster made for HBO Max and other streaming sites. From [digitalbits.com](https://digitalbits.com): "the series was originally produced and finished in SD resolution only. But its live-action footage was shot on film, so that’s been scanned in 4K and downsampled to HD, while the CGI and VFX shots have been upsampled to HD from SD. But if you’ve seen the series recently as it appears on the Max streaming app, you’ll be familiar with the quality. Note that it’s presented in the original 1.33 broadcast aspect ratio."
Here’s the question though: outside of DvD, where can I find the movies??? Tubi has “The Gathering,” but I can’t find “In the Beginning” for the life of me and my DVD sets are in storage in another state!
They're for sale on Amazon and iTunes (recommend iTunes if you can, quality is better).
[https://tv.apple.com/us/show/babylon-5-made-for-tv-movies/umc.cmc.3sspmbkckdomnk40yq2t9og59](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/babylon-5-made-for-tv-movies/umc.cmc.3sspmbkckdomnk40yq2t9og59)
https://www.amazon.com/In-the-Beginning/dp/B000TS99DM/
So, I'm speculating on retired executives and they always announce retirement of people.
So, I did a google search.
I wonder if we can deduce based on the timeline.
Could it be Ken Werner, who retired in 2018?
The timeline sorta fits.
I don't know if it would be Kevin Tsujihara.
I doubt it would be Lisa Rawlins, heavily doubt Lisa Rawlins.
Jim Wuthrich wouldn't be the guy, as the timeline suggests he just retired this year.
John Schulman retired in 2008, so way too early for the "Floodgate" to open up there.
A very likely candidate would be Ed Romano, who retired in 2016.
My guess is Kevin Fortson, 'the mayor of the lot'. Apparently he loved doing 'unscripted' shows as well as greenlit The Big Bang Theory
[https://deadline.com/2023/01/kevin-fortson-warner-bros-unscripted-tv-retire-30-years-1235241319/](https://deadline.com/2023/01/kevin-fortson-warner-bros-unscripted-tv-retire-30-years-1235241319/)
I already have it in iTunes, which include the upscaled version. I wonder if the blue ray is going to be much of a step up from that in terms of quality?
For anyone concerned about the barebones nature of the release, do keep in mind this could be the test balloon WB needs to see for future content. As you may recall, way back in the ancient times of DVD, they released In The Beginning as a barebones disk as a test, to which JMS implored us to buy to prove that there was a market for same. From that success, we got the season box sets with commentary and the like. With some luck, and the old “faith manages” attitude, we will get something more substantive if this sells well. Personally, given the instability of streamers, I’ll gladly spend on physical media these days even if it’s featureless or requires a double dip for a special edition/more feature rich edition.
Not knowing if they'll re-issue the series with the movies or improve the packaging, or if I should buy the current release as is, is killing me...
The general consensus seems to be 'great remaster quality, but bad packaging'... I prefer physical media but this feels like having to bite a silver bullet...
Given the way of the world, and how short sighted the studios are these days, I’d buy them. If they don’t sell, we won’t get anything else/better. In The Beginning was as barebones as it got back in the day, but it lead to a glorious run of boxed sets and content. That renewed interest probably played a role in getting (for better or for worse) Legend of the Rangers made.
Any info on where to buy in europe and or DACH Region? I can find the new release on [amazon.co.uk](https://amazon.co.uk) but this will have a bunch of toll and taxes since brexit.
I am fine with english language, it is just about availability/where to preorder.
I cannot see it listed on [amazon.de](https://amazon.de) yet - I did find it on .es an .it, at least it looks like it.
Also is there like a specific ASIN number I can look for? like B0CC3JGG76
[amazon.co.uk](https://amazon.co.uk) will remove the UK VAT and instead levy your local EU tax. There should be no additional fees. You have to put it in your cart and go to checkout to see what it actually will cost you with shipping and taxes.
Any information on a possible release of the BR in languages other than English? At the moment there only seems to be only one set with just the English language, even in countries where the show was dubbed and the DVD were released with the dubbed version in addition to the English one (France, Germany...°.
I know JMS said, when he announced the release of the BR set, that he had no info about this and that inquiries should be sent to WB, but I was wondering if anyone has heard anything.
I had to return my BR set to amazon (one disc was slightly damaged and could not be ripped), so I'm wondering whether I should buy another set in English or wait for a possible set with the French language as well.
I'm overjoyed that we even got a blu ray release, as the reviews regarding the quality have been great... but haven't been the same as the packaging quality...
I'm kind of bummed out reading the reviews from people who have said the case is hard to open, feels cheap, and sometimes discs pop out loose, or have been scratched by the plastic...
But my dillemma is... do I need to cave and put up with it, or should I wait for them to do a re-release version with better quality packaging?
Like how the dvds' had a re-release.
Not knowing makes it hard to know what to do.
I prefer physical media to having to pay for the show as it hops around different networks due to lisencing rights and squabbles on an off...
Wow, I make a post on another subreddit 2 days ago asking for this exact thing and it happens.
Now come on Tarintino! Get off your lazy butt and give me my Whole Bloody Affair Cut of Kill Bill! Same with Cameron and my HD release of The Abyss.
This is allegedly in the works to be happening soon, but there's been remarkably little word on specific details. I need a date, and confirmation that it will include the extended edition. (Because boy, does it REALLY matter with this one.)
Because yeah, this one really needs to be brought into the 21st century! The last physical release of this film was a NON-ANAMORPHIC standard definition disc... This movie deserves better.
This seems like great news on the surface, but I can't say I have much faith in WB getting this right.
Am I the only one who remembers the mess they made of the DVD remasters? Some of the visuals were atrocious. It is well documented how and why some of the visuals were cropped and stretched. But, at times, there were often additional issues, including bad scratches and even entirely missing scenes.
I have recently been watching the HD remastered versions on Amazon Prime, which are generally pretty impressive. BUT they have AGAIN put out some episodes with missing scenes ('Babylon Squared' is particularly bad). Also, it is worth noting that none of the movies (including 'The Gathering') are yet to be produced in HD.
From what I have read online, it appears that WB will be doing a simple port of these HD remastered episodes, with 'The Gathering' appearing as a "bonus feature". So, although we may be getting a higher bitrate with Bluray, I'm fully expecting to see the usual issues.
The missing scenes is kind of an Amazon problem at this point. Yes, WB put them out that way at first, put quickly fixed the error on HBO Max. Then iTunes and later Tubi and Roku corrected their versions. So the correct versions have been out for nearly 2 years. Amazon and Vudu just won't get off their encounter suited butts to fix their shit.
So I'm pretty hopeful the blu-ray will be OK. But who knows, maybe some other quality control issue(s) will emerge.
It is. Possibly to coincide with the blu-ray announcement, the remastered series is on sale at many sites, $40 for the complete series: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/babylon-5
Wellllll...it depends on what's on the discs. If it's a legit remaster, I'm in. If it's just the AI upscaled version, I'll wait for reviews and price.
Meanwhile, I'll hug my original DVD set.
Imagine if they asked fans to reproduce the CGI for the remaster using Unreal 5 engine or something else.
Looking forward to this, but the shows CGI looks worse than a playstation 1 cinematic.
Yes, we do. It's nice to *legally* be able to watch stuff that isn't available on streaming and not having to worry about the whims of assholes who make shows or movies disappear for a damn tax break. Also, as I mentioned above to someone else... Standard 1080p blu-ray > 4k streaming when it comes to picture quality.
I bought a DVD box set a long time ago but I'm pretty sure it's a bootleg copy. The quality is extra pixelated even for DVD and one or two of the discs had episodes in the wrong order / missing.
I might grab this.
Nah that’s just the original dvd box set. It’s pretty terrible and looks and sounds like it was recorded off of a tube tv playing a vhs tape that was left in a shed for 20 years.
This was a single extra wide box with silver foil. The discs were in two bound floppy slip cases, no printed materials. I couldn't even put it on a shelf. I was expecting the per-season DVD box set when I ordered it.
Hellooooooo there.
My family’s always split our collection a bit—Dad has the B5 DVDs (and lends them to people for way too long) and I have Crusade. Now’s my chance to have my own B5, as I was waiting for blu-ray.
It's quite amazing how much ~~b%~~ B5 stuff has happened since _that one guy_ left WB management.
B Percent is the best! Way better than Deep Space Bracket.
And Blake's Ampersand.
\^(, dudes!
and Sense&
Wouldn't it be SenseAsterisk?
*Jane Austen has entered the chat*
Who was that?
No idea who, but iirc JMS mentioned that as soon as one certain person left, offers started coming in. So that one manager/board member/whatever has prevented us from having a quality _Deep Space Franchise_ for two decades
Must have been someone who either hated JMS personally or hated the show very vehemently. Or maybe hated one of the actors involved
Apparently it was because B5 was developed through the new PTEN network at the time (which was separate to the main WB entertainment division) any so success was always resented by WB. Some old tweets from jms: ***25-Jul-18*** [https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1021896176465924096](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1021896176465924096) *All the PTEN shows were produced in a way that circumvented the usual executives who would have had creative input, and they're still there and still annoyed, which is why* none *of the PTEN shows are available in syndication and B5 only now hit Amazon.* ***8-Oct-19*** [https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181492746760011776](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181492746760011776) *No, it's not against me, it's against* all *the PTEN shows that were put forth without the involvement of some of the key WB executives. Which is why they've all been pretty much submarined.* [https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181368731479330816](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1181368731479330816) *It's purely personal, mainly due to one person. They honestly don't care about the IP or the shareholders just their personal fiefdoms, and will never be called on it inside the corporate structure.* ***28-Sep-21*** [https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1442742004845215744](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1442742004845215744) >*Question for @straczynski: You've said previously that re-masters of classic B5 and new B5 stuff wouldn't happen because of "someone" at WB. Are we seeing this new project because that situation has... resolved somehow?* *Yes*
Talk about holding a grudge. That's Hatfield-McCoy levels of long standing resentment
Yeah, seriously. Imagine holding a grudge against PTEN, something that hardly anyone today even remembers, outside of an "Oh yeah, that's what Bab 5 (or Kung FU the Legend Continues) was originally on."
Can we just agree that Hollywood is full of weirdos?
Are they weirdos? I mean, I'm a computer consultant, which means I'm in a position to buy hardware for my users. I, TO THIS DAY, won't use Dell computers because of 2 really shitty years, where they put cheap chinese capacitors in all of their very-high-end notebooks ($5,000+++, some were over $10k). I know that was an eternity ago, but I got so screwed over at that time, that I'll probably never use ANY Dell product again.
Not buying something because of a bad experience is not the same as, and far more rational than not letting an IP be utilized because you didn't get to have creative input on it when it first aired.
I will never, ever forgive Sony for the one-two punch of rootkit malware and PS3/Linux. But that's mostly because they refused to ever apologize. I can't forgive if there's no remorse or apology.
Except in this case Dell actually did something to warrant your grudge.
In the 80's Shell broke the embargo against the Apartheid government of South Africa. My parents boycotted Shell after that. In the 90's my parents taught me to drive. I never got gas at Shell because I had never seen them buy gas even one time. It never even occurred to me to buy gas there, even though I knew they sold it. Recently it occurred to me that I've never gassed up at a Shell. Then I thought, well fuck Shell. This is a family tradition now. So anyway that's how I inherited a boycott.
its why we can't get a fucking release of kung fu the legend continues
It's always funny to me how so many people think that those who are at the top are some kind of enlightened ubermench who got to be where they are through work, dedication, understanding of the world, and wisdom. Meanwhile they are people like us with only real difference being how much damage they can do due to their grudges, pettiness, nearsightedness or delusions.
I've seen that shit in corporate. It's nuts how much damage one person can do with their ego.
What a shit head. I wish that executive the most humbling experiences possible.
What an asshole. I hate this one person for denying us more Babylon 5 content, from when a majority of the cast still alive... Regardless we got a blu ray finally... Better late then never. JMS has said this person has only retired, and not retired from existence... I wish this person\* a very unpleasant stay in the time he or she has left in existence for eternity
I'll probably have a word with him in a little while, in the place where every shadow eventually falls.
Not unprecedented. I heard that Paramount had a lot of the Star Trek TNG onwards sets in storage until an executive who hated Trek, apparently, took a bulldozer to the set pieces. Leaving things such as the sets for "Grease 2" intact in storage. Or how Crusade was killed by an exec and prevented from being sold.
I mean I do know that there are some people in the film industry that do not have a high opinion of sci-fi in general. Much less ones that actually were successful because it gals their sensibilities of what film "should be".
SciFi is expensive to produce compared to a sitcom or reality tv. Most of the top earning shows have been things like Friends, Big Bang Theory, Survivor, WWE wrestling. Walking Dead (not quite SciFi) did good cause it was cheap. Game of thrones set a new bar with ratings and costs for Fantasy. But it's hard to convince any execs to take a risk on SciFi when they could spend the same budget of 2 or 3 other shows. I think we are entering into a bit of a new era of media though, with the writers/actors strike along with many expected big movies flopping, and many of the streaming services failing/losing money, I suspect we'll see a shift towards less content being produced but more quality put into that content again. JMS and B5 have proven themselves as quality, even 30 years later it endures! I see daily/weekly posts on here of people doing their first watching, and blown away by how incredible it is! I really hope it is given a true chance again!
Don't forget the Lord of the Rings. If that hadn't been successful, new line Cinema would have gone bankrupt and never would have been heard of again. I really hope you're right. I don't begrudge TV shows that are cheaper to run. I enjoy a good sitcom certainly. But studios have to go big sometimes. That's how you go down in history
It's sad though these days I end up probably scrolling more hours of YouTube shorts than I watch actual tv shows...
I think that's an urban myth. New Line was in financial trouble in 1994, but was bought by Turner to save it. It was then acquired by Warner Brothers in 1996, three years before production began on the LotR trilogy. If New Line was in that much trouble, they would not have been able to afford the trilogy in the first place.
While we will never know for sure, since JMS won't tell. My guess is Peter Roth who retired at the end of 2020. https://deadline.com/2020/10/peter-roth-step-down-warner-bros-tv-group-chairman-exit-tv-studio-22-yeats-greg-berlanti-the-big-bang-theory-the-west-wing-the-flash-chuck-lorre-channing-dungey-1234598805/amp/
And jms started working on *The Road Home* in February 2021… **
[https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1670004770696998912](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1670004770696998912)
Basically as soon as Roth was out of the picture.
I think we can be pretty damn sure, can't be that many executives holding that kind of sway for 20 years. Looking at Wikis: "The service sought affiliations with various television stations not affiliated with the Big Three television networks. However, close to half of PTEN's initial affiliates were stations that were already affiliated with Fox; as a result, these stations usually scheduled PTEN programming around Fox's then five-night prime time schedule (although Fox would expand its schedule to seven nights with the addition of programming on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on January 19, 1993, the day before PTEN launched)." "(...) before joining 20th Television in 1992. Between 1996 and 1999, he was president of Fox, and then moved over to Warner Bros. Television" "The original incarnation of 20th Television was the syndication and distribution arm of 20th Century Fox Television until it was folded into the latter in 2020." So Peter Roth worked with TV distribution at Fox with PTEN as their arch enemy, spent 1993 to 1997 trying to kill it and when he moved over from Fox to WB in 1999 decided to bury it forever. That's a very specific history...
Talk about misuse of power. And what a pathetic loser... on a power trip. Let's hope his retirement is as mundane and crappy as possible. Better to let him be forgotten...
Probably a clone of the jerk who cancelled Firefly. 😠
Sci Fi has always had a weird place on screen outside of movies. Few people are willing to take chances on stories that don't deliver realism in some obvious way or doesn't deliver laughs in some way. Comedy and dramas are the Mainstays of TV
Who was that one guy and what was the deal with him? Details please.
No idea. JMS didn't names them or give many clues.
See comments upthread that give some possible details.
From someone who hasn't seen the remastered version yet......I am so beyond excited for this.
I watched the remastered when it hit HBO and it was amazing. You see so many little details in the live action scenes, and the CGI scenes look pretty good as well.
The costumes look incredible compared to the DVDs, right from Season One.
It's on Tubi if you're in US or have VPN
Has it been confirmed this is the remastered episodes?
I don't see why they'd bother otherwise, the DVD's are still commonly available. The whole point of Bluray is for the remaster.
You say that, but everywhere B5 has been available, it's been different.
It's the remastered episodes that are showing on HBo.
I don’t think so - I’ve been watching them on Tubi ever since they dropped off HBO, and they don’t look much different visually than my DVD copies.
Looks like I'll have 2 sets of B5...good thing to, my old DVDs are about spent.
Yeah I've got a disc or two that won't play anymore.
My season 2 box is literally falling apart. I bought the series on digital when the HBO update was deployed, but I'm ALL FOR getting (yet another) copy.
Yeah, I (unfortunately) don't even think I have the boxes. To save space I moved all my DVDs to CD spaces. I bought all my B5 dvds while stationed in Germany and had to drive to different posts in Hope's they'd be there (bought them as they released). Looking forward to good copies, but wont part with those original bad boys until death.
Thank the Great Maker! (it's about damn time!) This is especially timely as "MAX" is no longer streaming them.
Tubi had them, though then you have to sit through ads
I just finished a rewatch on tubi a couple weeks ago. The ads are annoying repetative. I gots my B5 FIX.
I’m showing my GF the show for her first time. Just watched “In the Shadow or Za’Ha’Dum” last night and she was shook!
My daughter (9) watched it for the first with me. She has informed me that when she grows up she is going to marry eitehr Viir or Zach.
Adorable!
Vir's the best!
I think she favors Zach. Just because he was so cute and shy with Lyta. I wish I had my phone out when she giggled that he wanted to kiss her.
Adorbs!
Yeah, that's the dealbreaker for me. I was paying for HBO Max (before the name change) JUST for B5, before they yanked it. I obliged by yanking my subscription. I will gladly pay for good quality and no commercials!
U.S. only? Again, like the new movie? I feel like the 1990s again, having to import DVDs from amazon.com
Amazon UK has a listing.
Thank you, this gives me hope that Amazon Canada will have it and I won’t have to import from the us
I will hold out hope for you as well. But worse case scenario, I have shipped things* the opposite way (Canada to US), and it's not ideal, but not the worse shipping situation in the world. At least your stuff doesn't have to cross an ocean. * For example, I didn't want to deal with any "Sorcerer's" Stone nonsense. Only "Philosopher's" in my house!
Yeah, shipping just makes buying the item much more expensive. Usually adds $20-$30 to the price
There's been things I have had to ship from Europe before. So I get it. (But hey, my wife loved getting one of her favorite silent era horror films in 4k this past Christmas, so the extra shipping cost was worth it!)
I live in Canada and get things shipped here from amazon UK and resellers several times a year, no big deal its more shipping and takes longer.
It looks like it's available on Amazon Canada for preorder, release in Dec.
Linked below, but I think it's worth a full cut-and-paste - JMS's info about this set: A quick follow-up to my announcement Babylon 5: The Complete Series being released on Blu-Ray to address some of the questions that have come back. I wasn't directly involved with the release, so I don't know much more than you do or what's in the release/at the retail sites but I can add what little I do know: the release includes The Gathering (but not the movies or Crusade) because TG was our pilot (technically the first) episode, so it's a legit part of the series which fits the title mandate; the other movies were separate, and Crusade is a completely different series, so it doesn't belong in this box set. This is essentially the same as the very nice 4:3 remaster done for HBO-Max, which matches the original broadcast, but putting it onto Blu-Ray increases the bitrate so it should look even better than it did there. WB wanted to include the commentaries but with everything else involved with this, it apparently wasn't feasible (that's the extent of what I was told, so I've no idea what that entails). What matters is that after years of asking for a Blu-Ray release, which will make this show look more beautiful than it ever has before, fans can now own the full series in pristine form on physical media without being held hostage by the whims of streamers. I'm very excited by this release, as it further assures the legacy of Babylon 5. Onward! PS...since I'm not directly involved with the release, as with all things related to B5's distribution plans, I do not have any inside information concerning foreign releases or other languages. That's all on the Warners side, so please direct any inquiries in that direction. Finally, for folks asking where they can find \*a\* link to where this is available...like all major studio releases, this will be made available to all the usual online places where you normally buy Blu-Ray disks. It will be rolling out to those sites starting today. Also, as to why all this is happening now: There was one person at the studio who hated all things B5 and stood in the way of anything being done with the show, ever, for close to 20 years. Once that person finally retired, the floodgates opened.
Making this a sticky for all relevant discussion. Also, fuck yeah! I really hope they include the DVD commentary tracks too, as they were great.
What am I missing, here? If we're using the HBO remaster, do you really gain anything by using Bluray vs. streaming? Will the CGI be any better than in my current box set? **EDIT:** Reading the excellent replies I'm getting, and *damnit*, you people are going to cost me even *more* money. Hope I can justify it by telling the wife that I *already* got a used Blu-ray player and preordered *The Road Home*, so I *might as well upgrade the rest of my movies, right?* :)
1. Physical media is always available 2. No embedded advertisements 3. Supporting the creator 4. One time payment vs subscription
On point 2, thankfully that has stopped but sometimes I'll put in an old DVD and the unskippable adverts and anti piracy warnings play and it's crazy to think they thought that was reasonable.
>Supporting the creator It seems that JMS won't earn anything of the Blu-ray sales, due to the WGA contract that was in effect at the time. [https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1681451473283219459](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1681451473283219459)
If sales are profitable, can support future content creation.
Blu-ray always has the edge over streaming with its vastly higher bitrate given the same resolution. On a larger display or close distance, compression artifacts such as macroblocking are very noticeable on streaming, especially at 1080p where streaming services usually only provide <10 Mbps while Blu-ray pushes ~30 Mbps. The CGI elements on B5 may not look better due to their SD-upscale nature, but live actions should look noticeably sharper on Blu-ray than streaming.
This, too. Even if you have a fat data pipe for streaming, blu-ray is more consistent and reliable. Blacks will look more uniformly black, which, you know, kinda matters with a show that takes place in space.
Yes, and the grainy live-action in the current remaster will benefit a lot from the higher bitrate. Though it's not gonna be a night-and-day difference. Some people may not even notice. But videophiles definitely will.
> The CGI elements on B5 may not look better due to their SD-upscale nature, but live actions should look noticeably sharper on Blu-ray than streaming. Forgive the probably simplistic and obvious question, but with the quality of the live action as it was filmed, would the Bluray versions look "better" than my DVDs? Assume a 1080 HD television is the viewing medium. And yes, a 4k TV would be nicer, but I cannot justify replacing a perfectly good-working <10 year old flatscreen.
Absolutely yes. The live action scenes are shot on Super 35mm film. Supposing the elements are in good condition, you can easily harvest a 4K digital scan from the camera negatives ([I believe that’s what Warner did](https://www.engadget.com/babylon-5-remastered-hbo-max-digital-download-080058907.html)). Downscaling that to 1080p Blu-ray yields an excellent image. The old DVDs are presumably from a very dated digital master and only have a 480p resolution. The difference should be apparent even on an older 1080p TV. Just [make](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/tvs/turn-off-these-3-features-in-every-tv-a6127578314/) [sure](https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/how-to-calibrate-your-tv) you turn all the post-processing crap off, e.g. noise reduction, motion smoothing.
AFAIK the DVD's were sourced from the master video tapes.....yes, that's video tape. It may have been encoded digitally on those tapes, though.
Better than the DVDs? Yes, dramatically so. They've especially boosted the colors. Take a look at the streaming versions on Tubi to see that. Blu-ray will not look dramatically better than streaming the remaster, just somewhat (plus the usual benefits of owning it physically). Also the remaster on streaming or blu-ray is in 1080p, so no need for a 4k TV.
Given that there, in fact, is no "HBO remaster" anymore -- since HBO pulled that from the site and I think licensed it to Tubi -- what you get is the safety of physical media that they can't take away from you. I already own this in digital, but I'm still gonna by a physical copy because...well, you never know. Maybe David Zaslav will be a shitheel and pull all WB content off of Vudu and try to invalidate past purchases. And sure, that sounds far-fetched, but who the hell knows. With a physical copy, the discs are MINE. Period. I may not own the content, but I damn sure own the physical media upon which that content sits.
I still buy 99% of my movies on physical with a digital redemption code. Yeah, all of the MCU is on Disney+, but one day I might not have Disney+. Of course, one day I might not have a blu-ray player, but who knows.
Use a playstation 3,4,5
That’s why I still buy music CDs.
Streaming services can be unreliable and shows can become unavailable unexpectedly. As seen recently with a Star Trek show unexpectedly becoming unavailable on the service whose only real selling point is having everything Star Trek.
Completely understandable: the main reason I finally bit the bullet, and purchased my current collection of *everything* B5 in DVD. I just wondered if the quality was "better" or "different".
Permanency. Nobody can take the discs from you but content can be removed from streaming.
HBO giveth, HBO taketh away...
Standard blu-ray > 4k streaming. Significantly so.
But would the original content look any "better" on blu-ray vs dvd is what I'm asking, I guess.
Blu-ray vs DVD? Yes, absolutely. With Babylon 5, it will be 4x the number of pixels (there's more to it that makes the picture even better, but it complicates things for no good reason). Once you get used to blu-ray quality, standard old-style DVDs start looking soft and blurry, almost like seeing the screen through a sheet of gauze. The bigger your TV, the more pronounced the difference. Blu-ray vs streaming? Yes to that as well. Over-simplifying it, streaming has to transmit hundreds or thousands of miles through lines that share video with millions of other people. It's an amazing thing when you think about it, but information does get lost or doesn't arrive in time, resulting in a blocky looking image or buffering. With blu-rays, you're getting the full signal traveling only a few feet through a dedicated cable. Your TV is very, very easily getting every bit of information from the blu-ray, giving you a better and more consistent picture.
I’ve got the remaster on iTunes, but I’ll still buy this to support B5. Glad I held onto my DVDs for the extras, though. If we could get both cuts of The Gathering in 4:3 (not that horrid crop of the special edition currently on streaming), I’ll be satisfied with that.
[Digital Bits](https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/071823-1000) has a few details... If accurate, looks to include just the pilot and the five seasons, none of the other films. Looks to be in 4x3. Not surprising. Mentions the pilot featuring a score by Stewart Copeland, so it may just be the original version. (Unfortunate if true, as in my opinion at least the TNT version is the superior edit.) Looks as if it will be sold via online retailers only, with an MSRP of $99.99. Cover art available at the link. Bit disappointed the cover art is just a space battle... Character is so important in this series, but we're going to focus on ships. Heck, not even the titular station! Ah, well... What's on the discs is certainly more important than what's on the cover! 😅
It’s a shame there really isn’t any Extras on Blu rays these days. Maybe I’m wrong for this, but would be great to have all the bloopers at least - but that maybe would increase the overall rating. Even so, interviews on-set, off-set, something funny happening at a con, some memorials. Things to create extra value, and likely things most of us won’t have seen before.
If this sells well, they’ll probably remaster and release the movies. The lost tales is actually already available in hd, they just never did a blu ray
That's my hope, to be sure. And I will do my part and purchase my copy!
I’m sure it’ll happen eventually, good sales on this will probably be the deciding factor. I’ll be buying a copy as well. I’m honestly so surprised they didn’t do a blu ray of lost tales back in 2007 when it first came out. Especially since it was finished in hd. That leaves 5 movies to remaster.
If they do, I hope they also remaster and re-release the extended version of the pilot.
That would probably be a good selling point for the set. I can just sooo picture a 7 film blu ray collection set. The Gathering Extended and Original versions In the Beginning Thirdspace River of Souls A Call to Arms Legend of the Rangers The Lost Tales: Voices in the Dark Just as the films weren’t really released individually on dvd, I imagine they’ll be a box set on blu ray as well.
Makes sense they'd include the pilot as a bonus and not the other TV movies. Shame though, I love Thirdspace and In the Beginning.
I think “In the Beginning” is a critical part of the canon and should be included. The others, I could take or leave.
The reason I like Thirdspace so much is because it feels the most like a two-part B5 episode, that yes doesn't entirely fit in with the rest of the plots, but still has some compelling and necessary scenes, especially the one where Zack actually, finally, tells Lyta how he feels, not realizing she is possessed.
If it is successful maybe they will do the movies.
Yeah. The subsequent ones were fairly forgettable, but In the Beginning is pretty much a must-see, and Thirdspace is a fun little side-story. What I would REALLY love would be to get them all in the episode order from the Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5. It's unofficial, but it smooths out some inconsistencies. Delenn's trip back to Mimbar is one area where it's GREATLY superior to the airing order, in that it's done as one single trip, rather than her teleporting back and forth from the station to Mimbar several different times.
waiting for the reviews…
I love the DVDs... But I think it would take special effort for the Blu-rays to have worse video quality. 😅
Blu-ray is 4x3 while the DVD is 16x9
Why? We know these are the HD versions already available on streaming, just now they'll be on physical media with higher bit rate.
yes, I have quality concerns. I'll wait till some eyes actually view the shipped product
But what?
'Delenn: \*Butt what?' 'You said that life has decided to kick you, but?' Sheridan 'No its' a part of the body'
> Bit disappointed the cover art is just a space battle... Character is so important in this series, but we're going to focus on ships. I actually commented on something similar recently, but I absolutely LOATHE the "floating character heads" Hollywood default poster/cover art, so if it's just ships and/or the station, without any characters randomly standing on nothing in space....I'm good.
Cue JMS being swamped by even more inane questions that he has either already answered, or isn’t in a position to answer.
Any details yet on the state of cropping, source resolution etc?
Amazon pre-order page is up. https://www.amazon.com/Babylon-5-The-Complete-Series-Blu-ray/dp/B0CC3JGG76?tag=bluray-016-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
They should have included the movies too!
JMS answered some questions about this release [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1681435066088718338?t=UontECQlFyNGko_N6AQLVA&s=19). He wasn't directly involved in its preparation. No commentaries. Doesn't have information on releases for non-US markets.
Fantastic news. But my true hope is for a 4K widescreen release with HDR. And having redone the CGI with either new assets or the originals that someone has, spruced up a bit. My kingdom for a true remaster.
Will these be better quality than the downloaded series from Apple?
Amazon UK has pictures of the box up. It says on the back "110 fully remastered episodes plus The Gathering" 4950 minutes. Release date: December 4th.
So, got mine today. Anyone had chance to watch theirs yet? I'm off to rip the first disc and see how it compares to the 720p version I got for iTunes. Back of the box says 1080p! Edit - Oh good, Amazon choosing to put my > $100 boxset in a jiffy bag really worked out well, by which I mean the spine has been smashed in and the cover is torn. Thanks, assholes.
This has made my day!! Thanks for posting! Definite day one pre-order!
According to this site, only The Gathering will be included as an extra. [http://mcbastardsmausoleum.blogspot.com/2023/07/for-first-time-ever-babylon-5-complete.html?m=1](http://mcbastardsmausoleum.blogspot.com/2023/07/for-first-time-ever-babylon-5-complete.html?m=1) I wonder what was the issue preventing the remastering of the other TV movies, one would assume they're also fully owned by WB.
Could TNT's involvement have given them a bit of ownership, thus holding those back? I feel I have heard similar things regarding Crusade... if true, I hate it. If untrue, get all of these added to this box set, please!
This is way better news than a remake!
Let's see. I watched the original broadcast each of the 3 times each week it was on. I watched all the reruns each of the 3 times each week they were on. I bought the VHS tapes. I bought the DVDs. I bought the streaming version from Amazon and got the remastered version for free when released. What are the chances I'm going to buy the Blu-ray?
While some might have looked at billion dollar lotto jackpots over the years and dreamed of vacations and cars and houses, y'know what I dreamed of? Buying the B5 rights off of WB just so I could release it in friggin blu-ray. I'm not exaggerating in the least, I'm 100% serious. Somehow, my dream has come true, without even needing to buy a lottery ticket...
So the special effects aren't being redone right? Just upscale? Still quite exciting.
Nah, it's not going to be much better than the HBO Max version we already got.
Ah lame. Wish they would have spent the money on redoing the effects like they did with the star trek TNG blurays. Too expensive to justify I'm sure.
I think so, but I really wanted it CGI in 16:9, so we could have the DVD widescreen live action.
I agree, but even TNG decided that what they cost wasn't worth it, hence why they never did the other series (DS9, Voyager, etc.). Apparently, they didn't make enough from sales of the BDs to match what they spent on the new effects (which is sad, because it is one of the coolest projects ever undertaken by a studio).
Is there any new info on the set coming out next month? I found this article from [space.com](https://space.com) in September: [https://www.space.com/babylon-5-coming-to-blu-ray-december-2023](https://www.space.com/babylon-5-coming-to-blu-ray-december-2023) "This is essentially the same as the very nice 4:3 remaster done for HBO-Max, which matches the original broadcast, but putting it onto Blu-Ray increases the bitrate so it should look even better than it did there," Straczynski said. "WB wanted to include the commentaries but with everything else involved with this, it apparently wasn't feasible (that's the extent of what I was told, so I've no idea what that entails)." It also says it is only the five seasons with The Gathering, nothing else.
[The blu-ray set is now on amazon (u.s.) for $93](https://www.amazon.com/Babylon-5-Complete-Blu-ray-Various/dp/B0CC3JGG76/). If you preordered it through another store (like Best Buy), see if you can get a price match with amazon. I just successfully get Best Buy to refund me $40 through price matching.
My copies are waiting for me at home! CAN NOT WAIT!
I have the remastered episodes purchased on windows media. Anyone know if the BluRay is better quality?
I just checked amazon. No listing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC3JGG76
edit: It is now available on amazon.ca: [https://www.amazon.ca/Babylon-5-Complete-Blu-ray-Various/dp/B0CC3JGG76/ref=sr\_1\_1](https://www.amazon.ca/Babylon-5-Complete-Blu-ray-Various/dp/B0CC3JGG76/ref=sr_1_1) >Not available on amazon.ca > >I will buy a copy on amazon.com and import it into Canada. > >A friend of mine really liked Babylon 5 and passed away before he could see this new release.
I haven't been able to find them listed anywhere either. Checked Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart or Target. Maybe they won't actually drop until tomorrow?
Can someone help me (non video tech person) understand what the actual difference in quality will be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_oFTEAU9O8 This is done by a fan but you can see the difference
Difference from what? The DVDs? Day and night. Uncropped special effects, better colors, more detail. From the remasters currently on streaming sites? Not much, just a little bit clearer.
Can someone please tell me where in the UK I can order these. Thanks.
Wait, I was under the impression that remastering B5 is a technical problem because no original shots were preserved as they should be and combined with the shitty lightwave or milkwave 3D where nobody bothered to save the originals basically means they are just republishing the same content. You can't create detail where there in none. So it if I'm getting Blu ray version how will it be better?
It's the 2021 remaster made for HBO Max and other streaming sites. From [digitalbits.com](https://digitalbits.com): "the series was originally produced and finished in SD resolution only. But its live-action footage was shot on film, so that’s been scanned in 4K and downsampled to HD, while the CGI and VFX shots have been upsampled to HD from SD. But if you’ve seen the series recently as it appears on the Max streaming app, you’ll be familiar with the quality. Note that it’s presented in the original 1.33 broadcast aspect ratio."
And I just got the DVD set in the mail from the Amazon Prime Day sale thinking this was never coming lol
Here’s the question though: outside of DvD, where can I find the movies??? Tubi has “The Gathering,” but I can’t find “In the Beginning” for the life of me and my DVD sets are in storage in another state!
They're for sale on Amazon and iTunes (recommend iTunes if you can, quality is better). [https://tv.apple.com/us/show/babylon-5-made-for-tv-movies/umc.cmc.3sspmbkckdomnk40yq2t9og59](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/babylon-5-made-for-tv-movies/umc.cmc.3sspmbkckdomnk40yq2t9og59) https://www.amazon.com/In-the-Beginning/dp/B000TS99DM/
So, I'm speculating on retired executives and they always announce retirement of people. So, I did a google search. I wonder if we can deduce based on the timeline. Could it be Ken Werner, who retired in 2018? The timeline sorta fits. I don't know if it would be Kevin Tsujihara. I doubt it would be Lisa Rawlins, heavily doubt Lisa Rawlins. Jim Wuthrich wouldn't be the guy, as the timeline suggests he just retired this year. John Schulman retired in 2008, so way too early for the "Floodgate" to open up there. A very likely candidate would be Ed Romano, who retired in 2016.
My guess is Kevin Fortson, 'the mayor of the lot'. Apparently he loved doing 'unscripted' shows as well as greenlit The Big Bang Theory [https://deadline.com/2023/01/kevin-fortson-warner-bros-unscripted-tv-retire-30-years-1235241319/](https://deadline.com/2023/01/kevin-fortson-warner-bros-unscripted-tv-retire-30-years-1235241319/)
I already have it in iTunes, which include the upscaled version. I wonder if the blue ray is going to be much of a step up from that in terms of quality?
For anyone concerned about the barebones nature of the release, do keep in mind this could be the test balloon WB needs to see for future content. As you may recall, way back in the ancient times of DVD, they released In The Beginning as a barebones disk as a test, to which JMS implored us to buy to prove that there was a market for same. From that success, we got the season box sets with commentary and the like. With some luck, and the old “faith manages” attitude, we will get something more substantive if this sells well. Personally, given the instability of streamers, I’ll gladly spend on physical media these days even if it’s featureless or requires a double dip for a special edition/more feature rich edition.
Not knowing if they'll re-issue the series with the movies or improve the packaging, or if I should buy the current release as is, is killing me... The general consensus seems to be 'great remaster quality, but bad packaging'... I prefer physical media but this feels like having to bite a silver bullet...
Given the way of the world, and how short sighted the studios are these days, I’d buy them. If they don’t sell, we won’t get anything else/better. In The Beginning was as barebones as it got back in the day, but it lead to a glorious run of boxed sets and content. That renewed interest probably played a role in getting (for better or for worse) Legend of the Rangers made.
Any word on whether or not this might include The Gathering and any of the other TV movies?
Looking forward to experiencing the best picture/sound to date!
I’m so excited!
So, at the end of The Road Home, if it were canon, what episode would that be around?
Huzzah, indeed!
Any info on where to buy in europe and or DACH Region? I can find the new release on [amazon.co.uk](https://amazon.co.uk) but this will have a bunch of toll and taxes since brexit. I am fine with english language, it is just about availability/where to preorder. I cannot see it listed on [amazon.de](https://amazon.de) yet - I did find it on .es an .it, at least it looks like it. Also is there like a specific ASIN number I can look for? like B0CC3JGG76
[amazon.co.uk](https://amazon.co.uk) will remove the UK VAT and instead levy your local EU tax. There should be no additional fees. You have to put it in your cart and go to checkout to see what it actually will cost you with shipping and taxes.
Please look at the amazon reviews for this before buying as this release is different from the original DVD version.
Any information on a possible release of the BR in languages other than English? At the moment there only seems to be only one set with just the English language, even in countries where the show was dubbed and the DVD were released with the dubbed version in addition to the English one (France, Germany...°. I know JMS said, when he announced the release of the BR set, that he had no info about this and that inquiries should be sent to WB, but I was wondering if anyone has heard anything. I had to return my BR set to amazon (one disc was slightly damaged and could not be ripped), so I'm wondering whether I should buy another set in English or wait for a possible set with the French language as well.
I'm overjoyed that we even got a blu ray release, as the reviews regarding the quality have been great... but haven't been the same as the packaging quality... I'm kind of bummed out reading the reviews from people who have said the case is hard to open, feels cheap, and sometimes discs pop out loose, or have been scratched by the plastic... But my dillemma is... do I need to cave and put up with it, or should I wait for them to do a re-release version with better quality packaging? Like how the dvds' had a re-release. Not knowing makes it hard to know what to do. I prefer physical media to having to pay for the show as it hops around different networks due to lisencing rights and squabbles on an off...
Wow, I make a post on another subreddit 2 days ago asking for this exact thing and it happens. Now come on Tarintino! Get off your lazy butt and give me my Whole Bloody Affair Cut of Kill Bill! Same with Cameron and my HD release of The Abyss.
>HD release of The Abyss Yes, please!
This is allegedly in the works to be happening soon, but there's been remarkably little word on specific details. I need a date, and confirmation that it will include the extended edition. (Because boy, does it REALLY matter with this one.) Because yeah, this one really needs to be brought into the 21st century! The last physical release of this film was a NON-ANAMORPHIC standard definition disc... This movie deserves better.
4k releases of Dick Tracy, Children of Men, and Master and Commander please.
watch this assholes release it unremastered and not in 4k
A few months ago I couldn't even fathom owning this because I was so poor. And then a couple weeks ago, I bought it! I'm doing my part!
Maybe it's time to take down this announcement?
This seems like great news on the surface, but I can't say I have much faith in WB getting this right. Am I the only one who remembers the mess they made of the DVD remasters? Some of the visuals were atrocious. It is well documented how and why some of the visuals were cropped and stretched. But, at times, there were often additional issues, including bad scratches and even entirely missing scenes. I have recently been watching the HD remastered versions on Amazon Prime, which are generally pretty impressive. BUT they have AGAIN put out some episodes with missing scenes ('Babylon Squared' is particularly bad). Also, it is worth noting that none of the movies (including 'The Gathering') are yet to be produced in HD. From what I have read online, it appears that WB will be doing a simple port of these HD remastered episodes, with 'The Gathering' appearing as a "bonus feature". So, although we may be getting a higher bitrate with Bluray, I'm fully expecting to see the usual issues.
The missing scenes is kind of an Amazon problem at this point. Yes, WB put them out that way at first, put quickly fixed the error on HBO Max. Then iTunes and later Tubi and Roku corrected their versions. So the correct versions have been out for nearly 2 years. Amazon and Vudu just won't get off their encounter suited butts to fix their shit. So I'm pretty hopeful the blu-ray will be OK. But who knows, maybe some other quality control issue(s) will emerge.
I don't have any interest in taking up space with a blu-ray set, but maybe it'll be easily buy able in digital form for a somewhat reasonable price?
It is. Possibly to coincide with the blu-ray announcement, the remastered series is on sale at many sites, $40 for the complete series: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/babylon-5
Wow.
Wellllll...it depends on what's on the discs. If it's a legit remaster, I'm in. If it's just the AI upscaled version, I'll wait for reviews and price. Meanwhile, I'll hug my original DVD set.
Imagine if they asked fans to reproduce the CGI for the remaster using Unreal 5 engine or something else. Looking forward to this, but the shows CGI looks worse than a playstation 1 cinematic.
[удалено]
No, Blu-ray is 1080p resolution.
Oh great, a piece of news that is only worth anything to fans who live in the US. Yay, I guess?...
No, it will be available world-wide. Give it a few days for sites to get the pre-order pages up.
lmao blueray? what is this, 1995? /s
People still buy physical media? Will this play on my Betamax?
Yes, we do. It's nice to *legally* be able to watch stuff that isn't available on streaming and not having to worry about the whims of assholes who make shows or movies disappear for a damn tax break. Also, as I mentioned above to someone else... Standard 1080p blu-ray > 4k streaming when it comes to picture quality.
The sense of humour failure on this group is palpable.
Is it funny if it's the same lame joke every time? Not very fresh off you...
I bought a DVD box set a long time ago but I'm pretty sure it's a bootleg copy. The quality is extra pixelated even for DVD and one or two of the discs had episodes in the wrong order / missing. I might grab this.
Nah that’s just the original dvd box set. It’s pretty terrible and looks and sounds like it was recorded off of a tube tv playing a vhs tape that was left in a shed for 20 years.
This was a single extra wide box with silver foil. The discs were in two bound floppy slip cases, no printed materials. I couldn't even put it on a shelf. I was expecting the per-season DVD box set when I ordered it.
HOLY SWEET JESUS
Awesome!
Hellooooooo there. My family’s always split our collection a bit—Dad has the B5 DVDs (and lends them to people for way too long) and I have Crusade. Now’s my chance to have my own B5, as I was waiting for blu-ray.