I think if I were making recommendations to watch the series to someone who hadn't watched it at all, I would tell them to go to imdb.com and only watch the season 1-2 episodes that rate above some minimum number (7/10?). Then watch the rest of seasons 3-7 in order. One could always go back and fill in the episodes you missed later.
I think it took them a couple of years to realize how awesome their show could be if they just copied the story arc technique that Babylon 5 was doing.