Babylon 5: In the Beginning (1998) (TV)

Director:

Michael Vejar

Writers:

J. Michael Straczynski (creator)
J. Michael Straczynski (written by)

Release Date:

4 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The background for the TV series, "Babylon 5," including the Earth-Minbari war, as told by Londo Mollari.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Space Station | Space | Alien Invasion | Genocide

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Bruce Boxleitner	...	John J. Sheridan
Mira Furlan	...	Delenn
Richard Biggs	...	Stephen Franklin, M.D.
Andreas Katsulas	...	G'Kar
Peter Jurasik	...	Londo Mollari
Theodore Bikel	...	Lenonn
Reiner Schöne	...	Dukhat (as Reiner Schone)
Michael O'Hare	...	Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair
Robin Atkin Downes	...	Morann
J. Patrick McCormack	...	General Lefcourt
Tricia O'Neil	...	Earth Alliance President
Robin Sachs	...	Coplann
James Patrick Stuart	...	Presidential Aide
Jason Ross-Azikiwe	...	Captain Sterns (as Jason Azikiwe)
Yasemin Baytok	...	Centauri Woman

Also Known As:

Babylon 5: Last of the Fallen (USA) (working title)
In the Beginning

Runtime:

USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Germany:6 | Iceland:LH | UK:PG | USA:Unrated

Company:

Babylonian Productions

Trivia:

Both the children and the Centauri woman are members of Emperor Mollari's household, and all got there through murder. Luc and Lyssa are the niece and nephew of Urza Jaddo, whom Mollari killed in a duel in the Babylon 5 installment, Knives. Senna, the Centauri woman, is the daughter of Lord Refa, whom Mollari had assassinated in the installment, And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place. In both cases, Mollari took the children of his victims into his family.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the "ambush" scene, a Star Fury and a Dreadnaught suddenly disappear as the jump point opens on a heavy cruiser

Quotes:

[first lines]
Delenn: It is said that in every age, there is one singular event that forever changes the world around us. A nexus, if you will.
G'Kar: It is said that the future is always born in pain. The history of war is the history of pain. If we are wise what is born of that pain matures into the promise of a better world. Because we learn that we can no longer afford the mistakes of the past.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#22.5)" (1999)

A good movie that adds important detail missing from the series

As with most TV movies that are effectively a story arc, "In the Beginning" is only attractive to fans of the series. But for these people, this movie adds critical background information only hinted at in the series, and as well, casts one of the significant characters of the show into a different light. Now we can see a little of why the first four Babylon stations were destroyed, and how Sinclair and then Sheridan were fated to be the keystones in the development of Earth-Mimbari relations.

Finally the linked histories of Delenn, Sincliar and Sheridan that are alluded to throughout the series are explained, revealing some of the deep background created by J. Michael Straczynski that helped add to the series strength. The acting is well crafted, highlighting the depth of skills in their craft of the major cast. What I found particularly intriguing was the manner in which Straczynski rounded out the character of Llando by having him slightly distort the historical events covered in the series (only apparent to someone who had paid particular attention to the original TV screening).