Babylon 5 in the media

I reviewed the show Babylon 5 quite early on this blog, back in 2015. I realized that I'd forgotten to tell you about the various DVD editions (since there are no bluray ones, nor are they ever supposed to see the light of day, according to the show's creator JMS).

I had never heard of the show before deciding upon ordering the season box sets on their German editions, as France didn't have any at the time. However, from 2002 to 2006, the show's seasons and movies (minus the pilot movie!) did finally get their French dvd editions, which I'll contrast and compare with mine, after. 

The common points for all editions : 

When the language is in 5.1, it is in Dolby Digital, so I'll only specify the differences. 

Image : color. Format : Widescreen 16/9, 1.77:1

Each season is comprised of 6 DVD's, all locked to their region, so 2 for the ones I discuss here but 1 in the USA, of course.

French first editions actually divided into two boxes of 3 dvd's each. 

There are 4 episodes on discs 1-5 and the last 2 episodes of the season on disc 6, in each case. 

They are in airdate order (meaning in the order they were shown on TV). If you want to watch the intended, chrono order as seen in the show's review, you'll have to avoid clicking on play all and actually pay attention to that, sometimes changing dvd's back and forth, but it's not all that frequent. 

Each season is comprised of 22 episodes, of about 42 minutes each. 

Some bonus materials are also present. I cannot check their quality in the editions I do not own, and plan to discuss them in another post, as this one is so long already. 

German editions : 

Season, ASIN and EAN 

1  B00006JMPD = 7321921228551
2. B00008GQF1  = 7321921241680
3. B0000DC1GP = 7321921242434
4. B0001J4H5E  =  7321921279720
5. B00063SW7Y = 7321921242755

Languages: (all seasons) German and English in 5.1. 
(season 1 also French mono (!)) 

Subtitles : 
German, English(both+for hearing impaired), (season 1-5 ) 
French, Dutch, Arabic (season 1) 
Swedish, Turkish (seasons 1,2,3) 

***

French editions : 

The gathering DOES NOT exist in France.  

Season 1 first released in 2002 into TWO boxsets of 3 dvd's.

EAN 7321950235797 & 7321950235810. 

Languages: English & German in 5.1, French in..... 1.0 mono !!! 

Subtitles: French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Arabic, Turkish.

Second edition from 2006, EAN 7321950228553 improves to a 6 dvd box set. 

Languages: same but French upgraded to 2.0 DPL and same subtitles as first edition. 

Seasons 2-5 all share : 

Languages: English 5.1, French 2.0 DPL 

Subtitles downgraded to French, English, Dutch & Arabic. 

With that in mind, therefore, I'll make a table with each season's EAN for first editions from 2002-2005 (two box sets of 3 dvd's each)//  second edition from 2006 (one box of 6 dvd's) 

Season 2 = 7321950274994 & 7321950275007 // 7321950241682

Season 3 = 7321950287581 & 7321950287598 // 7321950274611 

Season 4 = 7321950323968 & 7321950323975 // 7321950279722

Season 5 = 7321950049479 & 7321950049486 // 7321950338825 

B5 movies in French editions : 

River of souls (La rivière des âmes)(2004), EAN 7321950399192. 

Languages: English 5.1, French & Spanish 2.0 

Subtitles : English, French & Spanish

A call to arms (L'appel aux armes) (2004), EAN 7321950399208, 

Languages: English & German 5.1, French 2.0  

Subtitles: French, English, German, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Czech, Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Croatian, Slovenian, Portuguese

Thirdspace (La cinquième dimension), released in 2004,

EAN 7321950399185, 

Languages: English & German 5.1, French 2.0 DPL

Subtitles : same as a call to arms. 

In the beginning (Au commencement), released in 2002, 

EAN 7321950159321,

Languages: English, German & French all in 2.0  

Subtitles : French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Finnish,

Polish, Greek

***

Jumbo box sets : 

 

All seasons + tv films are also available as a full-series box-set, in varying formats : 
German ASIN B00TI4V1RA, and EAN 5051890296771 was released in 2015,  includes in this full content on 37 dvd's, but information only announces German in 2.0, which cannot be true, I'm pretty sure! 

So, I'll give the UK boxsets : 

ASIN= B000B7KXEU.  EAN= 7321900751872. Content spread on 41 dvd's. 

Content : Babylon 5, seasons 1-5. 
The Pilot movie : The Gathering
3 Movies collection: River of souls, A call to arms, Thirdspace
Subsequent movies: Legend of the Rangers 
Spin-off: Crusade (which is 1 season)
This edition is MASSIVE! the cover encloses the dvd box sets has the space station drawn.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE the lost tales. 

It looks... like this : 

***

There exists also a more compact edition, which adds the last available movie, The lost tales, into the box set. Its ASIN is B000WDSRG4 and EAN 7321902209159 totalizing 42 dvd's. 

Languages :

English, French (all discs, but French isn't on the gathering).

Additionally, German (Babylon 5, season 1 + In the beginning + the lost tales) 

Castilian and Spanish (only on the lost tales) 

Italian (only on the legend of the rangers) 

Subtitles: 

English+ for the hearing impaired (all discs) 

German (all except : the gathering, Babylon 5 season 2, legend of the rangers)

German for hearing impaired (only on Babylon 5 season 1, the 3-movie collection, and the lost 

tales)

French (all except : the gathering and the lost tales)

Arabic (all except : the gathering, In the beginning and the lost tales)

Dutch (Babylon 5 seasons 1 & 2, In the beginning, the 3-movie collection, the legend of the rangers, the lost tales)

Swedish (Babylon 5 season 1, In the beginning, the lost tales)

Turkish (only on Babylon 5 season 1)

Danish, Finnish, Greek, Polish, (each only on  In the beginning, the lost tales) 

Slovenian, Portuguese (only on the 3-movie collection)

Norwegian , Castilian and Spanish (only on the lost tales) 

Russian (only the legend of the rangers )

It looks... like this (more like a box, not elongated like the previous edition ) : 

Watching B5... online ?

It is possible to legally buy and stream the show, but will depend on your country. Prices & availability shall vary. legal status of files and accounts will vary... 

Some will also offer the option for watch parties. As far as I understand it, each viewer must have a subscription for the same service, but I could be mistaken. 

For ex, in France, you can watch on ItunesTV, 2.49€ per episode or 15€ per season, either in French or in English - to buy separately, so be careful! 

The pilot episode the gathering being available only in the English 1st season section... I couldn't find any other movie, nor details on subtitles or bonus materials. 

I do not know in which other countries ItunesTv services are available and which would also sell the show - my IP blocks me to the French one. 

Amazon prime video sells these seasons, in remastered/ HD version for about the same price, but not in France (?!). 

Other amazon (Italy, Spain) also DO NOT sell the show.

Amazon Japan seems to have only seasons 1-3 and the lost tales (?! how can they not have the rest?). I cannot check details as I do not read Japanese. 

Amazon Uk has 1.89/ episode in SD, or 2,49 in HD or 14.99 £/ season either SD or HD.

Movies on amazon uk prime video : 

The gathering (only in SD) as bonus in season 1 

Thirdspace & river of souls for 4,99 to buy (each)

In the beginning for 3,49 (rent) or 7,99 (buy)

Lost tales 3,49 (rent) and 3,99 (buy)

They do seem to have subtitles, but I cannot check which languages.

German amazon prime video sells them too, for a bit cheaper in SD (4,99 € a season) either in German or English, the latter also available in HD but for 17,49 € a season... movies for roughly the same prices as UK. 

Amazon.com for USA also has the show, for about the same prices in $. 

USA also has the exclusive access to HBO max.

All online offers are subject to change. Although Babylon 5 seems to have been on these above platforms for a while (newly in their remastered form), nothing guarantees that there won't be changes in their deals and that what you buy online will still be there later, so take that into consideration. For instance, a lot of shows and movies come and go on Netflix, and even that depends where you are ; Uk and France have different catalogues, France being systematically late and partial - but that isn't Netflix's fault, just the French legal system about such materials. 

So... what to choose ? 

Online, if a) it's available for you and you find the price ok  and b) if you are a minimalist, not wanting physical discs, and c) easier to change between episodes when you want the chrono order, just click the one you want, no disc changes. 

dvd's if a) it's available in your country/ dvd region, it has the advantage of being available second hand and much cheaper than 15-17 € a season, 

b) you want to have all the languages of your edition and not to have to pay each (this is not a point for me, I only watch in English, but hey, some of you may want to watch in dubbed versions... online, you have to pay for each, dvd you don't) & c) want the bonus materials (audio commentaries on some episodes, deleted scenes, docus...)