Babylon 5

:

Season 1
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
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Critic Reviews

  1. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Ray Loynd
    Jun 18, 2015
    60
    To paraphrase poet Robert Frost, there's miles to go before this show will put you to sleep.
  2. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: John J. O'Connor
    Jun 18, 2015
    60
    If the acting can get to a level above a robotic stiffness that recalls old Saturday-matinee movie serials, Babylon 5 could prove fun to have around.
  3. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: David Hiltbrand
    Jun 26, 2013
    58
    It doesn't help the show to have such a wooden presence al the helm. As Commander Sinclair, lead actor Michael O'Hare is like Lorne Greene under hypnosis. In fact, this colorful but cheesy satellite opera aspires to nothing greater than being a '90s Battiestar Galactica.
  5. Variety
    Reviewed by: Tony Scott
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    Trekkies will strain to like it because of the concept, though the first episode bows in with too much hardware and only hints of personal interrelationships. But there are intriguing potentials. [30 Jan 1994]
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  6. Detroit Free Press
    Reviewed by: Mike Duffy
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    It's escapist sci- fi hooey that is simultaneously slick and tacky. In other words, a breath of fresh air compared to the average tabloid newsmagzine. [26 Jan 1994, p.6D]
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  7. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    If this becomes a series, the aliens, ship and plotting can stay. As for the humans, remember Lost in Space? [22 Feb 1993, p.3D]
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  8. St. Louis Post-Dispatch
    Reviewed by: Eric Mink
    Jun 18, 2015
    50
    The acting is pretty much non-existent, casting is weak, and the special effects are unimpressive. But there's some terrific makeup work on some of the non-human creatures around, and somebody went to the trouble of deciding that a space station for many different species would have to be equipped with many different environments to accommodate them...Nice touch. [22 Feb 1993, p.5D]
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  9. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    Jun 11, 2013
    50
    Babylon 5 is basically the barroom segment of the first Star Wars movie expanded to a weekly hour, with scene after scene of nuttily costumed actors portraying extraterrestrial members of clans such as the Minbaris, the Narns, and the Vorlons. ... There's relatively little action. That might be ascribed to the fact that scenes involving the requisite futuristic special-effects would be expensive, but I actually think it's more by design that Babylon is a talky bore.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 56 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 56
  3. Negative: 1 out of 56
  1. whiskybarnes123
    Sep 4, 2011
    10
    Greatest TV series ever made I cant say any bad things about it the storylines and character development were superb. The series may beGreatest TV series ever made I cant say any bad things about it the storylines and character development were superb. The series may be finished but the characters will live on in our memories for ever.… Full Review »
  2. Humboldt1337
    May 6, 2011
    8
    Ahhh, Babylon 5. This show was just sadly before its time - and could have benefited greatly from modern HD video, and computer graphics.Ahhh, Babylon 5. This show was just sadly before its time - and could have benefited greatly from modern HD video, and computer graphics. This season is pretty slow as far as the Bab5 seasons go - with the exception of the pilot episode being exceptional. The musical chairs played with the cast in the first season is also slightly off-putting, but the characters stay constant from there on out.
    Try to get past the horrendous vector-based computer graphics of the early 1990's, and you will find a show that is surprisingly good.
    This show has easily the best writing out of any Sci-Fi show ever, including STNG.
    The depth of the politics in this show will stagger you, as will the final revelation of the series - it literally stunned me when it culminated in season 5 (maybe 6?).
    2 people of particular note are the alien characters of G'Kar, and Londo Mollari - the interaction between these two characters is very deep, as Londo's race is responsible for the destruction of G'Kar's race's world, and the enslavement of his people. They are now on even footing on Babylon5, and their relationship is heavily developed throughout the show.
    You owe it to yourself to watch this show.    … Full Review »
  3. Thradar
    May 2, 2011
    7
    What?! No B5 reviews? I give season 1 a 7. Yes, it's a season you have to be patient with. The entire season is about setting up people,What?! No B5 reviews? I give season 1 a 7. Yes, it's a season you have to be patient with. The entire season is about setting up people, places, and things for the epic 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons. It also sets up lots of foreshadowing. Parts of this season show flash forwards to following seasons that actually happen years later and use the same video. JMS laid everything out years ahead of time.… Full Review »
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