"Babylon 5" (1994) TV series 1994-1998

Creator:

J. Michael Straczynski

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

26 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A space station in neutral territory is the focus of a unique five year saga.

Plot Keywords:

Space | Space Station | Saga | Alien | Space Opera

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 16 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Mira Furlan	...	Delenn / ... (110 episodes, 1994-1998)
Richard Biggs	...	Dr. Stephen Franklin / ... (110 episodes, 1994-1998)
Stephen Furst	...	Vir Cotto / ... (110 episodes, 1994-1998)
Peter Jurasik	...	Londo Mollari / ... (110 episodes, 1994-1998)
Bill Mumy	...	Lennier (109 episodes, 1994-1998)
Andreas Katsulas	...	G'Kar / ... (109 episodes, 1994-1998)
Jerry Doyle	...	Michael Garibaldi (108 episodes, 1994-1998)
Bruce Boxleitner	...	Capt. John Sheridan / ... (88 episodes, 1994-1998)
Claudia Christian	...	Cmdr. Susan Ivanova / ... (88 episodes, 1994-1998)
Jeff Conaway	...	Zack Allan / ... (72 episodes, 1994-1998)
Patricia Tallman	...	Lyta Alexander (47 episodes, 1995-1998)
Jason Carter	...	Marcus Cole / ... (45 episodes, 1995-1998)

Also Known As:

B5 (USA) (promotional abbreviation)

Runtime:

45 min (110 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 (season 5) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Sun Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Babylonian Productions

Trivia:

According to Usenet posts by series creator J. Michael Straczynski, the term "psi cop" (for the powerful, merciless enforcers of the Psi Corps) intentionally echoes the acronym "CSICOP" - the acronym for the "Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal", a group of scientists and professional magicians who investigate psychic phenomena and unmask frauds and hoaxes.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the episode Shadow Dancing, when Franklin slams against a bulkhead, the entire wall moves.

Quotes:

Mr. Morden: What do YOU want?
Ambassador Vir Cotto: I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I want to look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this.
[waves]
Ambassador Vir Cotto: Can you and your associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Gwyneth Paltrow/Barenaked Ladies (#24.12)" (1999)

Best science fiction television ever

Even though the final season was rather slow, and glossed over a lot of plot lines that probably would have been more interesting, it was still better than most science fiction, and any on television other than the earlier seasons. Other than the final season and scattered weak episodes, the series is the best television science fiction, and near the best dramatic television, and competes with the best movie science fiction.

The action in the series is mostly about the Shadow war, but the real key is the intrigue between the characters, and the personal growth of the characters. Londo is one of the best dramatic characters in any series. He starts as an ambitious schemer who drinks too much, but develops a conscience as he learns the consequences of his ambitions, and finally ends up as a tragic character who reached even beyond his early ambitions, but at a cost that he regrets deeply.

Maybe some day there will be a better science fiction series. But for now this is the level of story-telling television science fiction should try to reach.