B5 on Amazon Prime

[Jan]

For those who haven't heard, B5 is now included with Amazon Prime membership - at least in the US. No sign of the movies except that "The Gathering" is now shown as an 'Extra' to season 1. I think before it was plopped at the end of season 1 as a 23rd episode.

 

[LateArrival]

"The Gathering" (1993 version not TNT Update) has usually been tacked on in some way or other with Prime Video. Online it would be at the very bottom as a sort of bonus, and listed after Chrysalis if streaming. Seems it would make sense to list it first rather than last in season one. Later I believe it was re-categorized as an an add-on, extra or something similar.

Might it have been possible to purchase "The Gathering" for free since line item prices for each episode of season one originally had "The Gathering" listed as a standalone episode at the bottom of the page for $0.00 ?

Have never seen any of the other B5 films streaming for free, although sometimes searches would locate individual films with a "This item is no longer available" message, so might have missed some one-offs. Prime Video does offer the other six B5 films individually as "Babylon 5 The Movies" - SD only - for $1.99 each. Can also purchase an HD version of TLT for (currently) $23.99 as "Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark".

 

[Ubik]

Sadly, not here in the UK. However, never bad for exposure for it to be on USA prime.

EDIT: If you have Prime membership in the UK and a VPN, switch to a US server and you can watch on Amazon.com.

 

[Jan]

I asked JMS about the movies when he mentioned that the original edit being used instead of the Special Edition.

 

[Springer]

The last time that B5 aired on broadcast television in the UK, which was about 5 years ago on one of the Sky channels, they showed the TNT movies. This was prior to the HD remasters. And TNT's involvement has never prevented the movies or Crusade being issued on DVD. So whatever has changed has happened since the HD remasters. Maybe WB wanted TNT to pay for the remasters of the movies and TNT weren't interested so they're stuck in low-def limbo?

 

[Jan]

The last time that B5 aired on broadcast television in the UK, which was about 5 years ago on one of the Sky channels, they showed the TNT movies. This was prior to the HD remasters. And TNT's involvement has never prevented the movies or Crusade being issued on DVD. So whatever has changed has happened since the HD remasters. Maybe WB wanted TNT to pay for the remasters of the movies and TNT weren't interested so they're stuck in low-def limbo?

Could be different rules for different countries? I'm reasonably sure that here in the US, the movies have never made it to any of the streaming services. They're available for purchase on Amazon, but not included in membership like the seasons are. And why it's just the movies and not Season 5...who knows?

 

[Springer]

And why it's just the movies and not Season 5...who knows?

I did wonder about that. If I remember rightly, TNT asked for the movies, and presumably stumped up all the cash to make them, whereas I'm guessing season 5 was at least part-funded by WB.

Or maybe season 5 does have the same contractual problems as the movies, but perhaps WB paid for the remaster and streaming rights anyway as they were obligated to remaster the whole series - they couldn't just do the first four seasons.

Just guessing.

 

[LateArrival]

While Tubi/US currently streams five seasons of B5 with the TNT version of "The Gathering" as S1E23, even if Tubi/UK now exists would assume the same licensing restrictions apply? Crusade and The Movies seemed to be only available as a streaming purchase even when SD B5 was included with the standard Prime membership. Took me a few years to notice there was also an HD version of The Lost Tales available as a separate purchase and that it cost at least $20 more than then SD version. And supposedly the HD version originally had some collaboration with Xbox Live?

 

[LateArrival]

Possible interesting trivia regarding B5/Amazon Prime Video? The five purchased seasons of B5 from January 2021 appear to have been removed/added-back since they are now showing as the most recent purchases in my Fire TV menu.

 

[Looney]

Possible interesting trivia regarding B5/Amazon Prime Video? The five purchased seasons of B5 from January 2021 appear to have been removed/added-back since they are now showing as the most recent purchases in my Fire TV menu.

Huh that is interesting. I guess it is like a reset.

Coolest thing Amazon ever did was when they removed the show last time I contacted them and said I was in the process of buying those seasons. The person said it wasn't available for purchase and then just gave me the one or two seasons I was missing. (I believe it was two.) You couldn't purchase it, but they still had access to the license to distribute for a short time. Something like that.