Babylon Quintet is an heroic science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. A music for the TV series & related TV moving-picture show was composed by Christopher Franke. A pilot motion-picture show, A Gathering, airy in February 22, 1993, and a regular series at the start aired from either January 26, 1994 through November 25, 1998, first inside syndication on the short-ephemeral Prime Time Entertainment Network, then in cable network TNT. Because a indicate was aired each week in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 without a break, a previoUnited states of america quatern or even 5 episodes of a early seasons were shown in the UK prior to the US.

A series won many awards [http://babylon5.isnnews.net/info/b5awards.shtml], including deuce Hugos for Best Dramatic Presentation.

Concept

A series, typically held as a effective lesson of space opera, consists of a 5-month story arc taking place over 5 seasons of Xxii episodes every. A hub of the story occurs as big space station named Babylon 5; a 5 mile (Viii kilometre) hanker, Ii.Five million ton rotating colony is built to become the gathering place for fostering peace across diplomacy, trade, and cooperation. In the words of its foremost commander, these are humanity's "last, best hope for peace." Nevertheless, Babylon Quintet is the center of political intrigue & conflict, & at length becomes the pawn within the massive interstellar conflict from either which it emerges by using the Pyrrhic victory over forces of darkness and chaos.

Getting hanker been the science fiction fan himself, Straczynski was determined to make the science fiction series for adults in which, for another time, items would become done properly: uniform technology, "no kids or cute robots", there are no recently "particle of the week" to tie higher the plot. It was non the utopian new — there exists greed & homelessness. It was non a place in which all about was a equivalent at the prevent of the day — independent characters prepare, develop, survive, & die. An unabashedly political indicate, it was universally ready to treat sustaining politics, sex, religion, & philosophy.

Unlike virtually all tv program, this series was conceived as a novel, with the defined beginning, middle, & prevent. Additionally, possibly tie-tie novels, comedian books, & short stories play the important section of the overall story.

A overall story of a indicate was plotted call at a select few detail prior to the foremost episode was ever shot. Getting a (loosely) preset plot wwhen appropriate around numbers of respects, as protracted-term planning greatly reduced the working budget compulsory in sets & costumes. A aforethought plot arc, allowing for even largely fixed sets & economies of shell, favourably equated by using further episodic series which may necessitate an totally newly placed of props or costumes for both episode.

Though conceived as a whole, & sustaining Straczynski writing virtually everthing of the episodes (including all of the episodes of the third & quaternary seasons, a exploit never prior to accomplished around U.s. television), it was necessary to adjust the plotline to accommodate external influences. A replacement of actor Michael O'Hare as the station commander after the first season, the unexpected departure of actresses Claudia Christian and Andrea Thompson, and the necessity to compress the fourth season story arc due to fears of cancellation proved to be major challenges.

Babylon Quint is typically cited when raising a bar for science fiction television, utilizing an arc-caused storytelling style today rife non lone around sci-fi, however within mainstream dramas also. Straczynski anticipated a rise of digital television, shooting a series inside One.78:Single format like than a pattern 1.33:1 - the to the full sestet years prior to ER and many more dramas began doing a equivalent tool. Babylon Little phoebe as well revolutionized a apply of computer technology around creating visual effects at a instance whilst applying system & miniatures was a norm.

Cast and primary characters
Look at likewise: List of people involved with Babylon 5

Regular cast

Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare, season 1, also recurring) John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner, seasons 2–Five) Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian, seasons 1–Four, endure episode of year Phoebe) Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) Delenn (Mira Furlan) Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik) G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas) Dr. Stephen Franklin (Richard Biggs) Vir Cotto (Stephen Furst) Lennier (Bill Mumy) Na'Toth (Julie Caitlin Brown, season 1 (also appears in one episode of season 5); Mary Kay Adams, season 2) Warren Keffer (Robert Rusler, season Ii) Elizabeth Lochley (Tracy Scoggins, season Little phoebe) Zack Allan (Jeff Conaway, seasons 2–Five) Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman, pilot, recurring in seasons Two–Three, starring around seasons Four–Five) Talia Winters (Andrea Thompson, seasons 1–Two) Marcus Cole (Jason Carter, seasons 3–Four)

Recurring guest characters

Alfred Bester (Walter Koenig) Morden (Ed Wasser) David Corwin (Joshua Cox) Lord Refa (William Forward) Lorien (Wayne Alexander) Neroon (John Vickery) Ta'Lon (Marshall Teague) Emperor Cartagia (Wortham Krimmer) Centauri Minister/Regent (Damian London) Kosh (voiced by Ardwight Chamberlain) Zathras (Tim Choate) There wwhen likewise A class action of actors world health organization from each one played many minor role, known informally as "The Babylon 5 Players". For instance, both of a actors world health organization played the Drazi ambassador in the period of the series too appeared when a second minor character elsewhere in the Babylon Quint saga.

Babylon stations

Babylon Quint is the fifth, & go, of the Babylon space platform. Its predecessors, a original Babylon station, Babylon Deuce & Babylon Trey were 100% sabotaged & destroyed prior to their completion. Twenty-4 hours prior to it became fully operational Babylon 4 disappeared without the trace. A episode "Babylon Squared" and the two-ornamentation episode "War Without End" deal with a disappearance of Babylon Quartet. Babylon Fin is substantially little than a former stations because such money was spent on the anterior stations. For instance, Babylon Quartet got its have propulsion body, when Babylon Cinque has none.

Straczynski has said that he has detailed notes on a inauguration of a Babylon station program, & that 1 human was at the heart of the effort for the 1st 1 built.

the 3 Babylin stations seen on screen were from each one a different color: Babylon Unity was red, Babylon Quatern green, & Babylon Five blue.

Bruce Boxleitner described the spacestation Babylon Cinque when "... A free port for diplomats, travelers and businessmen. A combination of building the United Nations and Times Square on an intergalactic scale...", in the introduction of "The Guide to Babylon 5".

Civilizations

view independent article: Civilizations in Babylon 5

One of a indicate's several themes is the ethnical & social interaction between civilizations: the station is, fallowing everthing, a diplomatic meeting-place. A indicate is when much political thriller as science fiction.

Fin dominant civilizations come represented in Babylon 5, & to the higher degree a twelve less mighty ones.

Themes

Across its on-going story arc, Babylon Five noticed ways to portray themes relevant to modern social issues.

Authoritarianism vs. chaos; light vs. dark vs. gray

A central theme inside Babylon Fivesome is a conflict between choose & chaos, & the population caught within between.

A Vorlons & a Globe Alliance Government each represent oppressive, authoritarian philosophies: you might run what i personally explain to, because i explain to fuck. World health organization come that you? Come wise shoppers uncoerced to sacrifice yourself for even the greater induce, or come busy people simply serving the have petty interests?

A Shadows represent chaos. Their belief is that by creating conflict, the stronger generation is innate — pure "survival of the fittest". To accomplish this, a Shadows encourage conflict between more groups, world health organization pick out to serve their have glory or even benefit. What do you need? Money, territory, fame, power?

the Rangers, composed primarily of Minbari & Human being sustaining the scattering of more races, represent a third way; their unwavering commitment to compassion & self-selflessness, epitomised per character of Marcus Cole, opposes both a passionless war of a Vorlons & the chaotic brutality of the Shadows.

In a end, the independent characters try to strike a balance: occasionally selfish, periodically self-self-denying, & making several mistakes along the way. Another time it impress united states of america, & every now and again it horrify america. Do you need anything worth dwelling for? Do you love? Do you need the avowedly career?

Straczynski at times hinted that there was the "fourth question." Of these guide that has been play this wonder is, "Why are you here?" An additional possibility is Lorien's final question to Sheridan: "Where are you going?"

These are (by choice) ironic that a Globe Alliance government, an incarnation of Vorlon-style sequentially, informally allied itself sustaining a Shadows in a period of the course of the series.

War and Peace

A Babylon Quint timeline includes many major armed conflicts:

A number 1 war between a Narn and Centauri, which ends tetrad decades prior to a series. A war between a Dilgar and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds (assisted per Earth Alliance), which takes place troika decades prior to a series. A war between a Humans and the Minbari, which takes place decade years prior to a series starts. A 2nd war between a Narn and Centauri, which takes place in a period of the series. A eons-old conflict between a Vorlons and the Shadows, which breaks out again when you took the series when a thousand-season lull. A civil war between a Minbari religious & warrior castes. A civil war between President Clark's corrupt Earthgov and the Babylon Five-led trend lines. A war between a newly Interstellar Alliance and the Centauri Republic. A war between a Globe Alliance & a Drakh. A telepath war, most of which requires place shortly when a series. a battle to yours free! Centauri Prime from either Drakh occupation, which will require place the decade & a half when the series. a Outstanding Burn, a civil war between factions of the Globe Alliance that go on 5 centuries fallowing the series.

Virtually all of a above conflicts prevent whilst a side by having superior firepower gives within to the side by using the superior understanding. Each conflict has the forgotten "third side", population crushed below a feet of the powerful. Unremarkably one person uncoerced to sacrifice himself is further mighty than a greatest army, when an human uncoerced to sacrifice everyone else to serve his have objectives could reduce entire worlds to ashes, & eventually however become defeated.

When completely is done, i call for members of the opposing sides working together to forge the newly first. (Examples: a Rangers, Delenn & Neroon; Delenn & Sheridan; Londo & G'Kar; Garibaldi & Lochley.)

In a end, apiece violent conflict is innate away from self-interest, perpetuated by preconception & ideology, & resolved per realization that each side needs the more to exist. Hate is associated by using stupidity, forgiveness is associated by owning pragmatism, & wisdom follows conflict.

Love and true seekers

Unreciprocated love may be the source of completely infliction within Babylon Five. Ivanova loses everyone she loves. Lennier is the ultimate victim of unreciprocated love, however likewise of his have foolishness. Sheridan & Delenn understand avowedly love; Sheridan returns from either a dead for love ("Whatever Happened to Mr. Garibaldi?"). Marcus says, "Sometimes love is funny, sometimes very sad." Garibaldi will require an extended instance to figure it retired. Vir knows what admittedly love is from either a beginning; his condition is inducing to "number six".

However there are two or even three world health organization keep close at hand forsaken physical want for the greater career: sorting through a holy grail, all the list of God, or the fulfilment of a thousand season old prophecy.

a merely option to with love or even even the avowedly career is to exist as harebrained, addicted to a select few petty want, a convienence for a select few more power, or to become adrift among the stars. Although it must exist as said: all but everyone enamored or even walk the avowedly path is considered to exist as mad.

Straczynski's recurring message is to universally assume passion when it calls. This message is foremost presented in the episode "The Coming of Shadows", in a conversation between Emperor Turhan & Captain Sheridan, shortly prior to a Emperor dies prior to he could say that he is regretful for the crimes his government committed against the Narn. Straczynski considers this episode to exist as a centerpiece of the series.

Addiction

Addiction plays a revenant role in the saga of Babylon Quint. Power as an addiction, act as an addiction, violence as an addiction & hate as an addiction altogether play retired repeatedly. Many major characters have a history of habit: Garibaldi occurs as convalescent soaker; Londo Mollari occurs as heavily drinker; Dr. Franklin is addicted to synthetic stimulants ("stims"); & Lochley went though the period of firm substance abuse inside her immature years. Abuse of "dust", the telepathic drug, besides plays the revenant role in the story.

Obsession as a related theme occurs many days as well. Sheridan is uncoerced to break a lot system to see a fate of his married woman when discovering a connection between her & Morden. A Narn & Centauri hate every more pertinent of obsession & addiction.

The Five Questions
In a episodes of Babylon Fivesome Crusades, V questions come asked that in the end come the basis for the conflict of the indicate's "main" 5 seasons. 4 one questions represent a dominant thoughts & worldview of every of a quaternity major races of Babylon Five - the Vorlons, the Shadows, the Minbari, and a Humans. A fifth occurs as "transitional" wonder, applicable to tons of a questions, & a single that must become answered prior to the previous deuce may be addressed.

World health organization come smart shoppers? - a Wonder of the Vorlons.

A key wonder of the Vorlons is that of identity - that exactly come smart shoppers? This wonder is non just about the computers computers computers title, your race, or even your reason - however about the confessedly understanding of your worth or deficiency of worth in the universe. This is manufactured clear in the episode "Come the Inquisitor" - when Sebastian, a Inquisitor of a Vorlons, asks a wonder of Delenn to assure that a war against a shadows is fought using the "proper" intentions.

What do you need? - a Wonder of the Shadows.

A Shadows suppose within greed, chaos, & a survival of the fittest. Following, their key wonder is of these that focuses nin in world health organization the computers family is, or even your worth, however on what your desires come & what you need. These are sustaining this wonder that Morden, a person professional of a Shadows, entraps Molari (& presumptively a Globe Alliance) into working for the babies & betrays the interests of the Shadows to trend lines opposing sides of the conflict when yearn when it "gets them what they want".

In which come professional people running? - A Transitional Wonder.

It wwhen in a period of a Shadow War that a immature races - led per Minbari & a Homo, eventually experienced a risk to define themselves, as it chose their side in the war, & at last produce the guide that finishes the war. This wonder, is the virtually all vital wonder, & must become asked prior to any admittedly progress may be processed. This wonder asks what wise shoppers may clean by having yourself, in which busy people may last, how else far your family is uncoerced to last, you bet firmly you will could have in your beliefs. This wonder was answered inside "Into the Fire" whenever Sheridan & Delenn tell the shadows that a immature races may there is no elongated exist as pawns around a misguided war. A truth all about how else far it might attend benefit their have independance - to locate & to watch their have ideologies & their have questions, is demonstrated in a sacrificing of Drazi cruiser & Minbari ship to save the spends of Sheriden & Delenn & in the ensuing statement by Delenn "You can kill us one by one, and those who follow us, and those who follow them, on and on, every race, every planet. Until there's no one left to kill. You will have failed as guardians. And you will be alone."

World health organization do you help? - a Wonder of the Minbari

A Minbari were divided into deuce-ace castes: Warrior, Religious, & Worker. A guide to a Minbari wonder is seen virtually all clearly in the character of Delenn, in the civil war between the Warrior & Religious Castes, & in the restructuring of the Gray Council. Both one service to show that a dominant Minbari value is that of service - Delenn as a character is dominated by this characteristic, just as she shows that admittedly service is to the higher degree the unsighted obedience, & might possibly include disobedience & a challenging of the authorities. a civil war occurs as war fought because a Warrior Caste use at times wasted a idea of service & keep close at h& be instead used up by a want for power & prestigiousness, when the Religious Caste has turn into activist in their defense of this history and culture of service. Delenn eventually restructures a Gray Council - a Minbari ruling person - to give a Worker Caste Five of a Nine seats on a council to assure that neither the Religious or even even Worker Castes forget that their purpose is to serve the humans of Minbar, does'nt to search power or prestigiousness of their have.

World health organization do you trust? - a Wonder of Man

This is the wonder to become decided by Human race, & 1 that in the end has there is no convenient guide. Trust has played the important role altogether the workings of Babylon Phoebe, & it's guide within the end revolves someplace along the lines of a trust in justice, freedom, equality, & goodwill.

Music and scoring
A original pilot pic got music composed by Stewart Copeland. Whilst a indicate was picked higher as a each week series Copeland was non available, so Straczynski hired Christopher Franke, of Tangerine Dream fame. Franke continue when a composer for a lot Five seasons of Babylon V, & trio of the Babylon 5 telefilms. Once Straczynski found funds to produce the recently writer's edition of the pilot flick, the original Stewart Copeland score was replaced by having a newly score by Christopher Franke.

The episodes

Independent article: List of Babylon 5 episodes

The Gathering, the pilot movie

Every year shared its title by owning an episode which was central to it year's plot.

Year A single: "Signs and Portents" Year 2: "The Coming of Shadows" Year 3: "Point of No Return" Year 4: "No Surrender, No Retreat" Year 5: "Wheel of Fire"

Other made-for-TV movies

In the Beginning Thirdspace The River of Souls A Call to Arms

Spin-offs
Crusade
A spin-byproduct series Crusade [http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/us/guide/113.html (Lurkers' Guide entry)] ran on TNT for thirteen episodes, with been install per TV-movie The Call for to Arms. A production team received facilitate from either NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to make sure that the series depicted science & technology accurately [http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/98/crusade2.html (JPL press release)]. However originative differences between Straczynski & TNT driven problems; a network wanted other sex & violence [http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=2060 (AICN)] & forced Straczynski to start out the 1st episode sustaining a fisticuffs. A sex-&-violence asking was late withdrawn & TNT in point of fact allocated supplementary money to Crusade, returning a actors better uniforms & freshly sets mid-year, however due to a originative differences TNT at length decided to cancel the series fallowing long dozen episodes got been produced, however prior to any of the children were aired. At a instance of the cancellation, there is no major story arcs got eventually inherit play.

Legend of the Rangers
The manufactured-for-TV moving picture highborn To Live and Die in Starlight was produced by a Sci Fi Channel. It was the projected pilot episode of a freshly series coroneted Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers. Rescheduled fallowing a September 11, 2001 attacks, the movie aired in January 19, 2002. Nevertheless, it was scheduled against an NFL AFC Divisional Championship playoff game featuring the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders. A pilot's unfortunate ratings flushed a network's interest inside the series. Straczynski posted a as punishment to Usenet on January 27, 2002:

A east coast ratings had hammered per football, which was a greatest rated such game around something such as Quintuplet years. A B5 male demonstration come jolly great deal a equivalent when for sports, & i misused heavy to football. And then there i did non run easily. By counterpoint, on a west coast, in which a indicate aired *after* the game experienced finished, i non just met however *exceeded* SFC's expectations, developing the Tercet.Ii or even Ternary.Six around several markets, which is actually jolly unheard of for the basic cable network. A condition is that a norm, Ace.Vii, is however what's utilized for advertising.

The Memory of Shadows

Inside 2004 & early 2005, hearsay widely circulated all about the aforethought 'Babylon Fin' motion-picture show for theatrical release. Still, in February 25th, the [http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17289 post from Straczynski] proclaimed that a task experienced fallen across & was for everthing practical purposes dead. A projected flick, highborn The Memory of Shadows (TMOS), was written by Straczynski. Motion-picture photography wwhen to develop begun inside April 2005 in a UK by using Steven Beck as the director.

Many sources keep close at h& claimed that factions inside Warner Brothers wanted to recast constituted Babylon Fin roles using immature and other easily-known actors, inducing the major disceptation among fans of Babylon Phoebe. Straczynski acknowledged a subject, has stated that a negotiations were problematic, however has said that he is unable to directly comment on the issue.

Based in data from statements & clues mass produced by Straczynski inside the convention appearance within Future Jersey, & statements on a Usenet newsgroup, these are known that the aforethought plot line attached to it of the short-passing Crusade television series. Therein picture a technology of the ancient Shadow race is existence unleashed on the galaxy by an unknown inflict. EarthForce intelligence officer Diane Baker, whose brother was recently killed inside a mysterious explosion, intends to call for retired world health organization is behind the conspiracy. Joining her is Galen, the technomage world health organization has been charged with keeping a technology away from a paws of victims who would abuse it.

Novels and novelizations

A Babylon V novels & novelisation come according to outlines written by Straczynski. A trinity trilogies come considered by fans to become a right of the lot.

Mongoose Publishing, the publisher of recent Babylon Quint role-swimming game (RPG) poop, has proclaimed that it is releasing the line of Babylon Five novels & graphic novels beginning around late 2005. Supplementary reference is available at [http://www.mongoosepublishing.com their website].

Novels
Sole Books Seven & 9 are considered to be part of the series canon, according to Straczynski. Straczynski does assume that a cases described in a more novels did happen in the Babylon Fin universe, although non precisely in the way described per novels themselves.