Last year saw the release of Babylon 5: The Complete Series on Blu-ray, just in time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise. If you missed out on it, you can grab the entire sci-fi epic now at Amazon for $75, saving almost 50% when compared to its original launch price.
This Blu-ray collection features all 110 episodes of the series, as well as the 1993 feature-length pilot, Babylon 5: The Gathering. If you’re looking to complete the collection, you can also pick up last year’s CG-animated feature film, Babylon 5: The Road Home, for $18 at Amazon.
What makes this version of Babylon 5 notable compared to other releases over the years is that it’s the first time the show has ever been remastered in high definition, giving fans a sharper look at J. Michael Straczynski’s groundbreaking show. Released during the golden age of ’90s sci-fi, Babylon 5’s use of CG technology to craft its space station and interstellar dogfights put Star Trek to shame, as its rival still relied heavily on practical effects and models.
Sure, these special effects might look dated by now, but at the time, CG effects like this were a marvel to behold. What also sets Babylon 5 apart from its rivals is how all five seasons of the show were plotted out in advance. Straczynski, a veteran of TV, had a long-term plan in mind for the show, and this style of TV writing would only become more commonplace decades later.
If you’ve never watched it, Babylon 5 is set on the titular space station and features a melting pot of human and alien cultures striving for intergalactic peace. Of course, sinister forces would rather see war consume the galaxy, and each season focused on growing threats to stability across the cosmos.
