Just completed my rewatch of Babylon 5’s first season. My thoughts… It was interesting revisiting this show after 20 years, especially on the heels of watching Deep Space Nine for the first time.  Like DS9, the first year growing pains are evident as it lays the groundwork for what would become one of the genre’s most ambitious series.  Its strengths lie in its dense and intricate world building as well as its characters and their oft-complicated relationships.  The writing is strong overall, at its best when it raises difficult questions but refuses to offer tidy resolutions.  At times, the themes land more bluntly than subtly, and the humor is hit-or-miss:  some moments had me laughing out loud while others just felt forced.  The ship designs are wonderfully inventive but their color palette and early-90s CGI can make the visuals feel a little more dated than DS9's.  Lead performances are excellent and there are some guest turns by the likes of June Lockhart, Walter Koenig, and David McCallum, even if some of the smaller supporting roles are uneven.  The portrayal of alien culture and “otherness” is superb; the romantic elements less engaging. Characters I loved: Londo Mollari and G’Kar - two of science fiction’s finest. Characters I liked: On this viewing, I appreciated Michael O’Hare's steady presence as Sinclair more than I did the first time around.  Garibaldi, Ivanova, and Delenn are already strong and headed for richer development.  Dr. Franklin grew on me upon further review, and I liked Talia even if she was underused.  Supporting players - Lennier, Na’Toth, and Vir Cotto - are also well-drawn. Characters that have me on the fence or didn’t do it for me: None, which is a testament to the character work on this show. Favorite guest star: Quite a few very good ones, but for me the standout was Tim Choate as Zathras in “Babylon Squared”.  Absolutely brilliant, and I look forward to his return in seasons 3 and 4. Favorite episode: Several episodes stood out (Signs and Portents, Babylon Squared, Chrysalis), but the one that surprised me most was “Believers” - a sharp, unsettling piece of writing. Least favorite episode:  “War Prayer” felt the most didactic in its social commentary, especially next to the more nuanced handling of similar ideas elsewhere in the season. Overall, I enjoyed Babylon 5 even more on rewatch.  Its world-building and character depth feel richer than Deep Space 9’s first season, though DS9 has a warmer sense of place and emerging community that B5 (by design) doesn’t emphasize in this early going.  That difference has me looking forward to checking out Deep Space 9’s second season next.