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''Babylon 5'', a [[The Nineties|Nineties]] [[Space Opera]] created by [[J. Michael Straczynski]], ran from 1994-1998 (a two-hour pilot, "The Gathering", had aired in 1993). It was syndicated as apart of the [[PTEN]] network package for its first four seasons, and was shown on TNT in its fifth.
'''''Babylon 5''''', a [[The Nineties|Nineties]] [[Space Opera]] created by [[J. Michael Straczynski]], ran from 1994-1998 (a two-hour pilot, "The Gathering", had aired in 1993). It was syndicated as a part of the [[PTEN]] network package for its first four seasons, and was shown on TNT in its fifth.


''Babylon 5'' took the use of [[Story Arc|Story Arcs]] to new heights, and introduced the concept of the [[Wham! Episode]], with probably over half of its episodes contributing to one major series-long arc (a [[Myth Arc]]). JMS had plotted out much of the arc before the series began, and occasionally referred to it as a five-year long [[Miniseries]]. (The fourth and fifth seasons had to be telescoped into one when the show was going to be [[Cut Short|prematurely ended]]. Then it was [[Uncancelled]] and picked up by TNT, and they had to scramble to create [[Post Script Season|a fifth season]], which was not as well-liked by most fans.)
''Babylon 5'' took the use of [[Story Arc|Story Arcs]] to new heights, and introduced the concept of the [[Wham! Episode]], with probably over half of its episodes contributing to one major series-long arc (a [[Myth Arc]]). JMS had plotted out much of the arc before the series began, and occasionally referred to it as a five-year long [[Miniseries]]. (The fourth and fifth seasons had to be telescoped into one when the show was going to be [[Cut Short|prematurely ended]]. Then it was [[Uncancelled]] and picked up by TNT, and they had to scramble to create [[Post Script Season|a fifth season]], which was not as well-liked by most fans.)


While the series is often given as an early example of a [[Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness|hard science fiction]] show, it does have aliens with [[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens|powers verging on magic]] and humans with [[Psychic Powers]]. Still, [[Hollywood Science|by TV standards]], it's fairly crispy sci-fi. Likewise, while the show is often seen as being more toward the cynical end of the [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]], at times almost edging into [[Black and Grey Morality]], it also has some shining moments of idealism as well. One could say that the overarching [[Aesop]] of the series is "the [[I Did What I Had to Do|pragmatic]] survive, and the [[The Determinator|determined]] thrive, but [[Earn Your Happy Ending|Faith Manages]]."
While the series is often given as an early example of a [[Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness|hard science fiction]] show, it does have aliens with [[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens|powers verging on magic]] and humans with [[Psychic Powers]]. Still, [[Hollywood Science|by TV standards]], it's fairly crispy sci-fi. Likewise, while the show is often seen as being more toward the cynical end of the [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]], at times almost edging into [[Black and Grey Morality]], it also has some shining moments of idealism as well. One could say that the overarching [[Aesop]] of the series is "the [[I Did What I Had to Do|pragmatic]] survive, and the [[The Determinator|determined]] thrive, but [[Earn Your Happy Ending|Faith Manages]]."

⚫
It spun off the short-lived series ''[[Crusade]]'', which ran for 13 episodes in 1999, telling the story of the spaceship ''Excalibur'' and the search for a counteragent to/cure for a slow-acting biological weapon that had been successfully deployed against the Earth by agents of the Shadows. The series had serious trouble: superficial resemblance to the plot of ''[[Uchuu Senkan Yamato|Star Blazers]]'' was cited, and creators commented on the ridiculous amounts of [[Executive Meddling]] that they had to fight against. This trend for intervention was attacked more than once in the ''Crusade'' scripts themselves. Opinions on the quality of the episodes were divided: to some, the series showed considerable promise before its [[Screwed by the Network|premature death]]; to others, markedly less.


There were several associated B5 [[Made for TV Movie]]s:
There were several associated B5 [[Made for TV Movie]]s:
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/S01 E00 The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' -- 1993 [[Pilot Movie]], with certain differences from the series
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/S01/E00 The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' -- 1993 [[Pilot Movie]], with certain differences from the series
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film 01 In the Beginning|In the Beginning]]'' -- 1998, a prequel to the series
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film/01 In the Beginning|In the Beginning]]'' -- 1998, a prequel to the series
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film 02 Thirdspace|Thirdspace]]'' -- 1998, takes place during the fourth season of the series, after {{spoiler|the heroes win the Shadow War and all the First Ones leave the galaxy}}, but before {{spoiler|the beginning of the war to liberate Earth}}.
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film/02 Thirdspace|Thirdspace]]'' -- 1998, takes place during the fourth season of the series, after {{spoiler|the heroes win the Shadow War and all the First Ones leave the galaxy}}, but before {{spoiler|the beginning of the war to liberate Earth}}.
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film 03 The River of Souls|The River of Souls]]'' -- 1998, takes place shortly after the end of series (excluding its [[Distant Finale]]). Features Martin Sheen.
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film/03 The River of Souls|The River of Souls]]'' -- 1998, takes place shortly after the end of series (excluding its [[Distant Finale]]). Features Martin Sheen.
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film 04 A Call to Arms|A Call to Arms]]'' -- 1999, takes place about five years after the end of the series (excluding its [[Distant Finale]]). Serves as a lead-in to ''Crusade''.
* ''[[Babylon 5/Recap/Film/04 A Call to Arms|A Call to Arms]]'' -- 1999, takes place about five years after the end of the series (excluding its [[Distant Finale]]). Serves as a lead-in to ''Crusade''.
* ''[[Recap/Legend Of The Rangers S 01 E 00|The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight]]'' -- 2002 [[Made for TV Movie]] telling the story of a Ranger ship. This was actually intended to lead into a third B5 series, but it didn't pan out due to the movie airing at the same time as the NFL Divisional Championship.
* ''[[Recap/Legend Of The Rangers S 01 E 00|The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight]]'' -- 2002 [[Made for TV Movie]] telling the story of a Ranger ship. This was actually intended to lead into a third B5 series, but it didn't pan out due to the movie airing at the same time as the NFL Divisional Championship.
* ''[[Babylon 5 The Lost Tales|The Lost Tales: Voices in the Dark]]'' -- 2007 [[Direct to Video]] [[Interquel]] which was intended to be the first of a series of new DTV stories. It didn't pan out either despite some degree of commercial success.
* ''[[Babylon 5 The Lost Tales|The Lost Tales: Voices in the Dark]]'' -- 2007 [[Direct to Video]] [[Interquel]] which was intended to be the first of a series of new DTV stories. It didn't pan out either despite some degree of commercial success.
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Has an [[Babylon 5/Recap|in-progress Recap page]].
Has an [[Babylon 5/Recap|in-progress Recap page]].
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⚫
It spun off the short-lived series ''[[Crusade]]'', which ran for 13 episodes in 1999, telling the story of the spaceship ''Excalibur'' and the search for a counteragent to/cure for a slow-acting biological weapon that had been successfully deployed against the Earth by agents of the Shadows. The series had serious trouble: superficial resemblance to the plot of ''[[Uchuu Senkan Yamato|Star Blazers]]'' was cited, and creators commented on the ridiculous amounts of [[Executive Meddling]] that they had to fight against. This trend for intervention was attacked more than once in the ''Crusade'' scripts themselves. Opinions on the quality of the episodes were divided: to some, the series showed considerable promise before its [[Screwed by the Network|premature death]]; to others, markedly less.

Other official and unofficial works set in ''Babylon 5'' 'verse include:
* ''[https://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/222/babylon-5 Babylon 5: The Roleplaying Game]'' Tabletop RPG ([[D20 Modern|d20]]-based). <ref>published by Mongoose Publishing, 1st edition 1997. 2nd edition 2006</ref>
* ''[https://rpggeek.com/rpg/1632/babylon-project The Babylon Project]'' Tabletop RPG (with its own 2d6 system).<ref>published by Chameleon Eclectic Entertainment, 1997)</ref>
* ''Babylon 5: I've Found Her'' - a free computer game on the engine of ''Homeplanet'' [http://www.ifhgame.ru/].
* ''[[The Babylon Project]]'' - mod for ''[[Free Space|FreeSpace 2]]''.
* ''Babylon 5 Universe'' mod for ''[[Vega Strike]]'' (on hiatus, probably until the engine overhaul).

In late September 2021, it was [https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/babylon-5-reboot-the-cw-j-michael-straczynski-1235075236/ announced by ''Variety''] that JMS was producing a [[Continuity Reboot]] of ''Babylon 5'' for broadcast on [[The CW]].


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* [[Touched by Vorlons]]: "The Wheel of Fire"
* [[Touched by Vorlons]]: "The Wheel of Fire"
* [[Voice of the Resistance]]: "Death Incarnate"
* [[Voice of the Resistance]]: "Death Incarnate"
* [[Wham! Episode]]: By way of JMS' postings about the show on [[UseNet]].
* [[Wham! Line]]: Again, from JMS on [[UseNet]].


... and the ''[[Renamed Tropes|former]]'' Trope Namer for:
... and the ''[[Renamed Tropes|former]]'' Trope Namer for:
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{{tropemaker}}
{{tropemaker}}
* [[Wham! Episode]]
* [[Wham! Episode]]
<!-- ** [[Wham! Line]] -- HIGHLY debatable. ''[[Dallas]]'' did it over a decade earlier, and ''that'' use made international mainstream news broadcasts; something that no B5 Wham! Line ever managed. -->
** [[Wham! Line]]


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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever}}
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[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Science Fiction Series]]
[[Category:Science Fiction Series]]
[[Category:The Nineties]]
[[Category:The Nineties]]
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[[Category:Hugo Award]]
[[Category:Hugo Award]]
[[Category:Military Science Fiction]]
[[Category:Military Science Fiction]]
⚫
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:Babylon 5]]
[[Category:TV Series]]
[[Category:TV Series]]
[[Category:Pages with working Wikipedia tabs]]
[[Category:Noughties Drama Series]]

Latest revision as of 15:33, 30 January 2022

Babylon 5, a Nineties Space Opera created by J. Michael Straczynski, ran from 1994-1998 (a two-hour pilot, "The Gathering", had aired in 1993). It was syndicated as a part of the PTEN network package for its first four seasons, and was shown on TNT in its fifth.

Babylon 5 took the use of Story Arcs to new heights, and introduced the concept of the Wham! Episode, with probably over half of its episodes contributing to one major series-long arc (a Myth Arc). JMS had plotted out much of the arc before the series began, and occasionally referred to it as a five-year long Miniseries. (The fourth and fifth seasons had to be telescoped into one when the show was going to be prematurely ended. Then it was Uncancelled and picked up by TNT, and they had to scramble to create a fifth season, which was not as well-liked by most fans.)

While the series is often given as an early example of a hard science fiction show, it does have aliens with powers verging on magic and humans with Psychic Powers. Still, by TV standards, it's fairly crispy sci-fi. Likewise, while the show is often seen as being more toward the cynical end of the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism, at times almost edging into Black and Grey Morality, it also has some shining moments of idealism as well. One could say that the overarching Aesop of the series is "the pragmatic survive, and the determined thrive, but Faith Manages."

There were several associated B5 Made for TV Movies:

It is available via Netflix, on disc only. The WB has also put up Season 1 and the first few of season 2 for online watching.

Has an in-progress Recap page.

It spun off the short-lived series Crusade, which ran for 13 episodes in 1999, telling the story of the spaceship Excalibur and the search for a counteragent to/cure for a slow-acting biological weapon that had been successfully deployed against the Earth by agents of the Shadows. The series had serious trouble: superficial resemblance to the plot of Star Blazers was cited, and creators commented on the ridiculous amounts of Executive Meddling that they had to fight against. This trend for intervention was attacked more than once in the Crusade scripts themselves. Opinions on the quality of the episodes were divided: to some, the series showed considerable promise before its premature death; to others, markedly less.

Other official and unofficial works set in Babylon 5 'verse include:

In late September 2021, it was announced by Variety that JMS was producing a Continuity Reboot of Babylon 5 for broadcast on The CW.

Babylon 5 is the Trope Namer for:

... and the former Trope Namer for:

Babylon 5 is the Trope Maker for:
Tropes used in Babylon 5 include:
  1. ↑ published by Mongoose Publishing, 1st edition 1997. 2nd edition 2006
  2. ↑ published by Chameleon Eclectic Entertainment, 1997)
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