This DVD consists of two new episodes of the Babylon 5 series--both set a decade after the final episode of the series. The first stars Tracy Scoggins and is a strange but decent segment about demonic possession. While it's far from great, it was interesting and is worth a look. The second is a much better episode which reunites Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) with Galen (Peter Woodward). The theme of this one is the morality of committing a murder in order to save countless lives--sort of like if you could time travel back to kill Hitler as a child. Unlike the first episode, this one was a bit more exciting and offered an interesting moral dilemma.

When this straight to DVD release came out, I knew it had some major strikes against it since almost all the original characters from Babylon 5 were not in this two episode release. Richard Biggs and Andreas Katsulas had to be absent (this is alluded to, obtusely, in the film) since they recently died--a very valid excuse indeed and something I couldn't blame the production staff for occurring. But the rest of the cast were no where to be seen and this was a great pity. I assume that years after the last episode it just must have been a logistical nightmare to try. I also read that most of the props and uniforms from the series had been lost and stolen, so making the film was a major chore and logistical nightmare. Despite all these shortcomings, the overall product is surprisingly good and very watchable to fans of the series.

Babylon 5 was a nice little story that was stretched too long. It could have been either more developed or transformed into a two season series. But even so it was enjoyable, being so much more serious than other sci-fi series of the time. However the follow-ups and movies stunk to high heaven (pun intended).

In this ridiculous simulacrum of a film, the first hour is a boring story about devils trying to escape to the heavens by hitching rides in human bodies. A priest is torn between the duty to exorcise a demon and the fact that the demon nicely asked for the exorcising. Well, we can't be nice to devil folk, can we? In the next hour a completely unrelated story about a possible attack on Earth by a Centauri prince 30 years into the future. Sheridan has to kill the future "Hitler or Genghis Khan", now just a boy dreaming to have fun. Again, a complete bore.

Is there some point where Sheridan will finally be merged with Gandalf into a single creature and all these awful add-ons to B5 will end in a blaze of stupidity?

I paid $24.98 for the DVD, which is what I think they spent on sets for this movie. The production values of this left a lot to be desired. I think they had all of five sets, and everything else was green-screened. I know that the old sets from 10 years ago have long since been disbanded and they moved production to Canada to save money, but some elements looked like they were done on the cheap.

In the area of story, however, JMS delivered. The first story about Lochley and Father Cassidy was top-notch, exploring issues of what will become of religion in an era of space travel, and a priest with doubts about his own role. They encounter a man who claims to be possessed by a demon, and consider the implications if this is true.

The B story is equally good, with Sheridan struggling with an issue to kill someone who might become a genocidal madman. Prince Regent Vitari, son of the Former Emperor Cartagia (never actually said but clearly implied) is to launch a war against Earth in 30 years, according to the technomage Galen, unless Sheridan kills him now. Sheridan instead finds a better course.

An interesting touch was that the characters of G'Kar and Stephen Franklin were said to be "exploring beyond the rim". Of course, the actors who played them passed away, and this was a nice tribute to them. (There is also a tribute sequence in the extras).

Still, I found this far more enjoyable than the last 60 million dollar Trek bomb.