In a move that has delighted fans of classic science fiction, Warner Bros. Discovery has begun uploading full episodes of the iconic series Babylon 5 to YouTube, providing free access to the show just as it departs from the ad-supported streaming platform Tubi. The transition comes at a pivotal time for the series, which has maintained a dedicated following since its original run in the 1990s. Viewers noticed notifications on Tubi indicating that all five seasons would no longer be available after February 10, 2026, effectively removing one of the most accessible free streaming options for the space opera. With this shift, Warner Bros. Discovery appears to be steering the property toward its own digital ecosystem, leveraging YouTube’s vast audience to reintroduce the show to both longtime enthusiasts and a new generation.
The uploads started with the pilot episode, “The Gathering,” which serves as the entry point to the series’ intricate universe. This was followed by subsequent episodes such as “Midnight on the Firing Line” and “Soul Hunter,” released in sequence to build narrative momentum. The strategy involves posting one episode each week, allowing audiences to experience the story at a paced rhythm that mirrors the original broadcast schedule. This approach not only encourages weekly viewership but also fosters online discussions and communal watching events, much like the fan communities that formed during the show’s initial airing. The episodes are hosted on a channel affiliated with Warner Bros., complete with links to purchase the full series, blending free access with opportunities for deeper engagement through official merchandise and digital ownership.
Midnight on the Firing Line was either privatized, or was never put up. Since it’s the aired pilot of a rather serialized show, it’s kind of sets the table for where a lot of things are going in a...
Midnight on the Firing Line was either privatized, or was never put up. Since it’s the aired pilot of a rather serialized show, it’s kind of sets the table for where a lot of things are going in a way that The Gathering doesn’t. Would also be nice if they could export in correct aspect ratio and make a playlist, but I also appreciate TV and movies available on YouTube, so that’s good.
...is it the original gathering or the remaster?..i've always appreciated stewart copeland's score, but i've only seen the original broadcast episode issued on VHS...
...is it the original gathering or the remaster?..i've always appreciated stewart copeland's score, but i've only seen the original broadcast episode issued on VHS...
Score is credited to Christopher Franke on the YouTube version, but on Amazon, they have the original cut available. Find it under Extras, no purchase required, but you do need an account....
Score is credited to Christopher Franke on the YouTube version, but on Amazon, they have the original cut available. Find it under Extras, no purchase required, but you do need an account.
In case somebody's reading this thread not knowing what Babylon 5 is, I think it's possibly the best scifi show ever. The visual effects are very dated, but the rest is not. The topic and style is...
In case somebody's reading this thread not knowing what Babylon 5 is, I think it's possibly the best scifi show ever. The visual effects are very dated, but the rest is not. The topic and style is slightly similar to Star Trek: Deep Space 9, which it obviously inspired, but in my opinion even better (and I'm a big DS9 fan). Relations between different alien races, some very mysterious, politics, brewing interplanetary war and also classic space opera everyday stuff from life on a multi-species frontier space station.
The pilot episode wasn't remastered like the rest of the show for some reason, so it's low-res and compressed, but the rest is in HD.
Great overarching story, great characters, interesting ideas, humor, music - the only downsides are firstly that the quality and story are not as consistently tight as some of today's shows with very short seasons (but then again all of current Star Trek is way worse in this despite having short seasons and long seasons have many advantages as well), and secondly that the show was nearly cancelled a couple times, so they had to wrap up most storylines in the second to last season just in case and the very last season is weaker as a result.
Some of the movies are pretty good too, and even the cancelled spin off show Crusade is pretty decent despite some obvious flaws (it's more dependent on CGI, which just wasn't there at the time, technologically and budget-wise, and the studio and the author had conflicting views about its direction).
Interesting fact: the author of Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczynski, tried to think ahead and prepare for possible problems with shooting, so for each main character he wrote an alternative character with their own story arch and personality and a way to coherently write out the original, in advance, in case the actor had to leave the show at any point. This did actually happen and it worked brilliantly.
From the article:
Midnight on the Firing Line was either privatized, or was never put up. Since it’s the aired pilot of a rather serialized show, it’s kind of sets the table for where a lot of things are going in a way that The Gathering doesn’t. Would also be nice if they could export in correct aspect ratio and make a playlist, but I also appreciate TV and movies available on YouTube, so that’s good.
Midnight on the Firing Line is on Dailymotion (unofficially) for anyone who really wants to watch it:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8h1hey
...is it the original gathering or the remaster?..i've always appreciated stewart copeland's score, but i've only seen the original broadcast episode issued on VHS...
Score is credited to Christopher Franke on the YouTube version, but on Amazon, they have the original cut available. Find it under Extras, no purchase required, but you do need an account.
https://watch.amazon.com/detail?gti=amzn1.dv.gti.c7857d15-7037-4d31-9ef1-da456b64b707
In case somebody's reading this thread not knowing what Babylon 5 is, I think it's possibly the best scifi show ever. The visual effects are very dated, but the rest is not. The topic and style is slightly similar to Star Trek: Deep Space 9, which it obviously inspired, but in my opinion even better (and I'm a big DS9 fan). Relations between different alien races, some very mysterious, politics, brewing interplanetary war and also classic space opera everyday stuff from life on a multi-species frontier space station.
The pilot episode wasn't remastered like the rest of the show for some reason, so it's low-res and compressed, but the rest is in HD.
Great overarching story, great characters, interesting ideas, humor, music - the only downsides are firstly that the quality and story are not as consistently tight as some of today's shows with very short seasons (but then again all of current Star Trek is way worse in this despite having short seasons and long seasons have many advantages as well), and secondly that the show was nearly cancelled a couple times, so they had to wrap up most storylines in the second to last season just in case and the very last season is weaker as a result.
Some of the movies are pretty good too, and even the cancelled spin off show Crusade is pretty decent despite some obvious flaws (it's more dependent on CGI, which just wasn't there at the time, technologically and budget-wise, and the studio and the author had conflicting views about its direction).
Interesting fact: the author of Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczynski, tried to think ahead and prepare for possible problems with shooting, so for each main character he wrote an alternative character with their own story arch and personality and a way to coherently write out the original, in advance, in case the actor had to leave the show at any point. This did actually happen and it worked brilliantly.
This was my favourite TV show when for a while when I was a kid. If they're releasing one episode a week, we should do a weekly discussion thread!
It has been a while since we did a weekly…